Island hopping · WILDLIFE
The 10 best island wildlife trips you can book today, with the per-head price, how long the day runs and how many landings you get. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Sail from Pula along the coast toward Fažana and Brijuni National Park, using onboard binoculars to search for dolphins. Your guide explains the route and wildlife while white wine, water, and soft drinks flow. Add a meal through the manager, then watch the sunset from the boat.
“Very nice excursion, even had a bonus excursion to an island for no extra cost!”
Spend six hours with Barefoot Sailing Adventures exploring the Bay of Islands from Paihia. Luke and his crew guide a small catamaran among the islands, with time for snorkeling, paddleboarding, swimming, lunch, and a bush walk on a wildlife sanctuary island.
“Highly recommend this sailing excursion! We were excited to explore the Bay of Islands, and this trip exceeded our expectations. Luke and his crew were knowledgeable, professional, and a lot of fun. We enjoyed learning how to sail, and Read more”
Ride from Jasper through Maligne Valley with a guide such as Fred, John, or Kevin, stopping for wildlife, Medicine Lake, and Maligne Canyon views before a 1.5-hour cruise to Spirit Island. Hotel pickup, commentary, and the boat trip are included.
“Great. Kevin was a lovely knowledgeable chap with so much local insight to share. Nelson and Captain Lynn were great on the boat tour. The lake was stunning. We saw a moose and chipmunk. Plenty of time but not too much at each location. A real highlight of our time in Jasper.”
Join Barefoot Sailing Adventures in Paihia for six hours aboard a comfortable catamaran with guides such as Luke and Sarah. Sail among the Bay of Islands, help at the tiller, then spend two hours on a wildlife sanctuary island with lunch, swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and short bush walks.
“Fabulous day sailing and cruising the Bay of Isles - Sarah & Michelle were great and gave us so much good information about the area.”
Cruise from Paihia through the Bay of Islands with a small group of up to 22 people. Stop at Roberton Island and a second island chosen for the weather, then hike, swim, snorkel, or paddleboard. Guides such as Zac, Nicola, and Cass share local history and help with the water activities.
“Was an amazing trip, saw some incredible views. Snorkeling was a blast saw some cool marine life Shark, Octopus, Sting ray. Zack was an awesome tour guide, definitely would recommend especially for cruise passengers.”
Set out from OceanEmotion’s red-covered office for a 2.5-hour whale and dolphin trip off Terceira. Land-based spotters guide the boat toward wildlife, while your guide uses a hydrophone to help you understand what is below. English, Portuguese, and Spanish tours are available, with private groups by request.
“Excelente. A guia foi fantástica,e o mais importante vimos imensos golfinhos. Adorei”
Join Perth Wildlife Encounters from Rockingham for a 3.5-hour cruise around Penguin, Seal, and Bird Islands. You can snorkel with provided gear, watch dolphins and Australian sea lions, see nesting birds, and enjoy a grazing lunch. Guides such as Grace, Georgia, John, and Courtney have been praised for their care and clear wildlife talks.
“It was a lovely morning and we had a really good encounter with the sea lions. Our guides, Grace, Lara, Niamh and Georgia were very knowledgeable, professional and just lovely. They made sure everyone had a good time. Would highly recommend everyone to book this activity.”
From Tairua, Richie and the local crew take up to 12 people around the Aldermen Islands for a two-hour wildlife cruise. Expect dramatic rock formations, seabirds, possible dolphins, seals, turtles, or whales, plus time to swim or snorkel with supplied gear.
“Richie is a friendly and knowledgeable skipper. We had a great time cruising around the Aldermans with him.”
From La Punta, you cruise past San Lorenzo Island and seabird colonies to the Palomino Islands, where you can enter the Pacific in a wetsuit and swim near wild sea lions. A bilingual guide, crew, boat, and safety gear are included. Hotel pickup from Miraflores and San Isidro is optional.
“Flexibler Umgang mit einem Buchungsproblem, zuverlässig, freundlich und kompetent.”
Meet Captain and Cheese at Port of the Islands Marina for a three-hour catamaran ride through the Faka Union Canal and 10,000 Islands. Expect bench seating, partial shade, wildlife viewing, and stories about manatees, dolphins, alligators, birds, and Fakahatchee Island.
By hull, by landing, by how long you want to be out.
