The Best Wildlife Holidays to Take in the School Holidays

February Half Term

The magical Inner Hebridean island of Mull offers breath-taking winter scenery. Rugged mountains, windswept moorlands, dense forests and a wild coastline support an alluring mix of wildlife. Otters playfully beckon, and the healthy Red Deer population offers wonderful opportunities for photography. A fabulous line up of birds completes the draw, including White-tailed Sea Eagle and all three UK diver species.

Over on mainland Europe, too, there is much to enjoy, with wetlands and coastal regions teeming with overwintering avifauna. Specialities in Coto Doñana, Spain, include Purple Gallinule, Red-necked Nightjar and Spanish Imperial Eagle, alongside hundreds of thousands of ducks and waders, and our winter ‘Best Of’ tour focuses on enjoying this superlative spectacle. The Netherlands offers equally impressive birding in February, with vast rafts of Red-throated Divers, Long-tailed Duck and Scaup a regular delight, whilst magnificent raptors soar overhead.  

For those in need of winter sun, the subtropical Canary Islands are an ideal choice. A veritable melting pot of European and African flavours awaits our group tour, including an astounding number of endemics. February sees these spectacular volcanic islands adorned with vibrant wildflowers and is the best time to admire their five endemic breeding birds, plus the marine life (typically a variety of dolphins and beaked whales) is not to be missed! February is also a wonderful time to visit the untouched paradise of Trinidad and Tobago. With glittering azure waters, palm trees swaying gently in a warm breeze, and flora and fauna akin to that of equatorial South America, a week in this spectacular archipelago is the perfect antidote to post-Christmas blues, and our Tailormade team will be delighted to help you plan the perfect Caribbean escape.

Easter Holiday

Across Europe, avian breeding and migration seasons are now in full swing, mammals are active, colourful carpets of wildflowers hum with insects, the air is fresh and temperatures are perfect for exploring! Greece is a fantastic option. Alongside their superlative botanical interest, its islands are perfectly located along a major bird migration highway, offering welcome stepping stones for myriad north-bound species. With each island offering its own unique flavour of wildlife, landscape, culture and cuisine, a natural history holiday here is sure to delight.

Those seeking a gentler pace will enjoy our Go Slow in Tuscany tour. Absorb the birdlife, wild flowers and butterflies of Maremma Regional Park, alluring marine life and some of Europe’s best-known artistic and cultural treasures, accompanied by superb food and wine. Or perhaps adventure calls? Journey deep into the remote wilderness of Bieszczady National Park in search of Poland’s iconic mammals (with a sprinkling of birding, too, for good measure!). Access to the best areas and guides here puts us in good stead for European Brown Bear, Wolf and the ever-elusive ‘phantom of the forest’; the Eurasian Lynx.

Further afield, April in India is all about tigers! Our group tour ventures deep into the heart of tiger country, visiting the iconic parks of Pench and Nanha (the former located in the region that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’). Or, if a more serene experience appeals, enjoy our Brahmaputra Cruise; drift through magical Assam aboard a luxury vessel, taking in rolling countryside, dense jungle and tribal fishing villages.

Other fantastic options on the Tailormade front are northern Spain, where a spectacular array of birdlife accompanies sunny days and comfortable temperatures, or Romania, where vibrant wildflowers carpet the Carpathian Mountains, enveloping the senses.

May Half Term

Short flights to Iceland make the ‘land of fire and ice’ a good option for half term; an other-worldly landscape comprising active volcanos, moon-like lava fields, cascading waterfalls and dramatic geothermal fields. Snow cover recedes in springtime, revealing the wilder areas of this breath-taking country, waterfalls swell to spectacular proportions, daylight hours feel almost endless and weather conditions are perfect for exploration. On the wildlife front, swathes of wildflowers bloom, birds display elaborate breeding plumage, and Orca and Humpback Whales patrol the seas.

For whale watching enthusiasts, the Azores make for the perfect Tailormade holiday in May. Calm seas and pleasant temperatures offer world-class cetacean watching, with a wonderful array of species attracted to phytoplankton blooms off this volcanic archipelago. Inland, these lush, verdant isles offer extensive lava caves, rolling vineyards, sumptuous cuisine and a flora and fauna that is as intriguing as it is diverse. May in Sweden is equally fantastic. Birding is superb and, on historic Oland, orchid fans will be in their element!

‘Go Slow’ tours are perfect for a restorative break. With daytime flights, single centre hotels, afternoon tea and plenty of opportunities for R&R in between wildlife viewing, these slower-paced holidays will have you returning to the UK refreshed and full of wonderful memories. Our Camargue holiday is delightful in May - the marshes, pools, reed beds and woodland are a birder’s dream! Go Slow in Portugal also often coincides with May half term; walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs as you explore the remarkably lesser-visited ‘Silver Coast’ in search of its eclectic wildlife.

Wildlife encounters in the UK are also plentiful in May. Orkney offers superb flora and fauna to a backdrop of awe-inspiring scenery steeped in history, and there is perhaps no better time of year to explore these fascinating islands. Amongst the beautiful, rolling Gloucestershire countryside, the ancient Forest of Dean is equally enthralling. Nightjars, Pied Flycatchers and Wood Warblers will delight avid birders, clouds of butterflies greet us on our walks, and the forest is also a Wild Boar stronghold!

Summer Holiday

Blue skies and sunshine beckon across Europe, and the longer break offers opportunities for multi-centre Tailormade tours; why not combine a couple of different countries into one unforgettable holiday? Alternatively, set your sights further afield to those far-off bucket list destinations you’ve been dreaming of!

Our much revered Just Jaguars tour is a firm favourite for good reason. Widely esteemed as the best place in the world to view Jaguars, our safari through the waterways, wetlands and gallery forests of the Pantanal has a 100% success rate for both this supreme predator and Giant River Otter. If big cats are your thing, our holiday to Mongolia is also sure to appeal. Here we search for Snow Leopard - a mammal of near mythical status amongst naturalists - alongside other enthralling species including Pallas’s Cat and the iconic Przewalski’s Horse. Spend time in a traditional, yet comfortable, ‘ger camp’ in the remote foothills of towering, ancient Altai Mountains; a truly special experience.

The phrase ‘Great Migration’ conjures visions of Blue Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and Thompson’s and Grant’s Gazelles in unimaginable numbers, roaming en masse across the vast, rolling Serengeti-Mara plains. One of nature’s most incredible spectacles, it must be seen to truly appreciate its scale. July and August offer chances of perhaps one of its finest events: perilous crossings of the Mara River, where Wildebeest leap dramatically in their hundreds to pastures new, running the gauntlet with ever-present crocodiles. The Maasai Mara offers a quintessential safari experience, with the ‘Big Five’ also the name of the game. A fabulous opportunity for families, our Tailormade team know the very best spots for a memorable adventure.

Or how about Borneo, where some of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests await? Drifting along the Kinabatangan River as it winds through pristine forest in search of Orang-utans is one of life’s true privileges. Mount Kinabalu offers superb montane birding, whilst spotlighting for Clouded Leopard at Deramakot is unmissable. The ex-colonial city of Kuching adds a fascinating cultural element, and reef-fringed coastlines offer plenty of opportunities for relaxation. Borneo is a fantastic option for those travelling as a family, and our Tailormade team will be delighted to share their favourite itineraries.

An abundance of aquatic surprises await along the Californian coastline in summer. World-renowned for its abundant marine-life, the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary supports nearly 30 cetacean species! Blue and Humpback Whales, Orca, plus lolling California Sea Lions and frolicking Sea Otters are just a few of the delights here, as well as a plethora of seabirds, all set to breath-taking Big Sur scenery. If you prefer to keep your feet on terra firma, then Birds of Paradise undoubtedly feature near the top of every keen birder’s wish list, and where better to view these magnificently elegant creatures than a true global hotspot of biodiversity and culture: West Papua. Here, too, amongst a land swathed in richly diverse tropical rainforest and fringed by vibrant reef systems, endemics abound, and species previously unbeknown to science are regularly recorded.

Closer to home, Hungary is fabulous in summer. Colourful butterflies and dragonflies abound, and avifauna includes a blend of breeding and migratory species. Our group tour visits three very special national parks, each offering a unique array of wildlife, whilst also enjoying the country’s folklore and cuisine. Next door Slovenia also has much to offer, from the magnificent Julian Alps overlooking crystal-clear lakes, to vibrant wildflower meadows and remote forests; this European gem is a naturalist’s paradise. Our group takes it all in, from time spent in hides awaiting close encounters with Brown Bear, to exploration of a truly impressive karst cave system supporting an impressive array of age-old fossils. For those travelling with (older) children, a Tailormade holiday exploring central Sweden’s vast tracts of pristine forest is thrilling. Here, the Eurasian Elk population exceeds 400,000 – the highest density in the world – and Brown Bears roam forested hills. Join expert guides to track Grey Wolves; listening to their haunting calls deep into the night is a truly magical experience.

October Half Term

As cooler temperatures sweep across Europe, the landscape erupts into fiery autumnal hues and a whole new flavour of wildlife experiences emerge. Dedicated conservation efforts have seen numbers of one of Spain’s most iconic species – the Iberian Lynx – steadily improve, and autumn offers superb chances for sightings. Visit the glittering marshes of the Coto Doñana National Park and the rugged Sierra Morena; two remarkably different habitats of this most elegant mammal. Elsewhere, Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula will delight keen botanists; dramatic displays of autumnal-flowering bulbs await, dominated by vast swathes of vibrant crocus. The remains of classical antiquity and Byzanite monuments will also enthral; a true treasure-trove of both natural and ancient history.

Autumn is also a fabulous time to venture out into the wilds of the UK on a day trip! October prompts a flush of fungi: delight in a day spent wandering Thetford Forest with our ‘enthusiastic fungus forayer’ Su Gough. From peculiar Earthstars, Fly Agarics and Death Caps, to puffballs and parasols, Blushers and Sickeners, it’s surprising how much there is to see when we slow down and truly observe our surroundings (expert guidance from you leader helps, of course!).

With direct flights to many fabulous destinations and readily accessible wildlife, Africa is also perfect for half term holidays, and our Tailormade team are experts at fitting the best experiences into week-long breaks! The end of October in Botswana marks the transition between the dry and rainy seasons, concentrating high densities of wildlife around dwindling waterholes, whilst the first of the rains breathe new life into the landscape. From the phenomenal Okavango Delta to the arid expanses of the Nxai and Makgadikgadi Pans, this is a superlative wildlife destination, offering a plethora of vast, unfenced reserves and an astonishing diversity of wildlife. October, too, offers arguably the best combination of experiences in eclectic South Africa, from spectacular carpets of wildflowers and congregations of Southern Right Whales, to superb mammal sightings and incredible densities of resident and migratory avifauna. Add to this, world-famous wine tasting, wild beaches, easy road connections and a rich cultural heritage and you have the ingredients for an unforgettable holiday!

Christmas Holiday