TOP 5 CRUISE DESTINATIONS FOR WILDLIFE

Cruising is not only about seeing lots of different destinations on your holiday; lots of guests take a cruise to discover more about the culture of a place, the landscapes, history and wildlife.

1. Alaska
2. Amazon
3. Arctic & Greenland
4. Africa
5. Galapagos Islands

Wildlife is such an important part of our planet, you couldn’t ever imagine walking through the park or woods without seeing any, and the world is full of wildlife. Cruising can be great way to see nature, and many cruise lines offer fantastic excursions to get even closer, so we have put together a top 5 list of the  best cruise destinations for wildlife lovers .

For more wildlife inspiration - view our guide to the Ultimate African Safari Calendar

Alaska is the perfect place to go for amazing wildlife-spotting opportunities. In  Denali National Park  you could see  grizzly bears ,  Arctic ground squirrels ,  caribou ,  golden eagles ,  beavers ,  moose  and lots more. You may even spot a  lynx  or  wolverine  in this area.

The waters around Alaska are full of wildlife and whilst you are sailing through Glacier Bay, Skagway or Juneau you are more than likely to see  whales ,  seals  and  sea otters .

Holland America  are a fantastic line for cruising Alaska and they also offer an option to extend your stay at Denali National Park  which includes a  wilderness tour , the best way to see the wildlife.

The Amazon Basin is the  world’s largest rainforest  and is absolutely teeming with life. More than 100,000 insects and other invertebrate species are known in the Amazon, it is home to more than  3000 kinds of fish , full of brightly coloured tree frogs, hosts most of the world’s reptiles, is home to  over 1300 bird species  and has over  400 different species of mammals .

We think we are quite confident that you will see some sort of wildlife whilst in the Amazon. Many cruise lines sail to the Amazon but if you want to get up close and personal, an expedition cruise, for example with Hapag-Lloyd, will be the perfect fit for you.

The Arctic Circle is only accessible during the summer, once the ice has melted. There is an abundance of wildlife in this stunning area of the world and hopefully you will see  polar bears  on your journey. The sea life is a big attraction in this region as well and you can expect to see  whales ,  walruses  and lots of birds as thousands of seabirds migrate to this area as it is close to their feeding grounds.

For an in-depth exploration of this area,  Hurtigruten  offer some amazing Arctic Circle voyages. Otherwise you can see this region with many of the main cruise lines such as  Fred. Olsen  and  Royal Caribbean .

Greenland is also a must-see.  Polar bears ,  humpback whales ,  musk oxen ,  reindeer ,  walruses  and  sea eagles  are some of the species that you will find in this area.

Fred. Olsen  has some lovely itineraries to Greenland, but for the more adventurous type we suggest  Hurtigruten .

Many cruise lines will visit South Africa or Kenya from where you can experience fantastic safari tours in one of Africa’s pristine national parks.

Safari tours will give you a fantastic opportunity to spot lions, giraffes, elephants, and many, many more in their natural habitat.  Oceania   offers a 3-night extended stay combining a tour of South Africa’s winelands and its wildlife to get even closer.

We feel  Celebrity Cruises  do a fantastic job of showing you around the Galapagos Islands but if you prefer something a little more luxurious,  Silversea Cruises  offer some great itineraries to this stunning area of the world onboard their expedition vessel  Silver Origin .

The Galapagos is on most people’s bucket list and the best way to see these practically untouched islands is by boat. The wildlife are totally not bothered by human presence due to the lack of contact in the past and you could find yourself swimming with  playful sea lions  and getting up, close and personal with many different species that you would never see anywhere else in the world.