Looking for ways to engage with nature this month? These are the best wildlife events, trips and books to have on your radar in May 2019.
ADVERTISEMENTLooking for ways to engage with nature this month? These are the best wildlife events, trips and books to have on your radar in May 2019
Hiking the Inca Trail in Peru
May welcomes in Peru’s dry season and with it the high season for trekking the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu. Without the constant rainfall that the wet season brings, the views are clearer, the temperature more moderate and trekking much more pleasant. Just missing the crowds that descend from June onwards (which reach their peak during the summer holidays), there’s not a better time of year to enjoy a relatively peaceful trek. G Adventures offers an Inca Trail tour that’s won awards for its authenticity and ethical practices. Taking in the Sacred Valley’s women’s weaving co-op as well as Lake Titicaca via kayak, it offers 15 days of truly immersive culture and activity.
From £1849 for 15 days | G Adventures | Find out more here.
Microflight over Victoria Falls
Another area that benefits from the end of the wet season, in May, Victoria Falls are swollen with the last few months’ rainfall, creating one of the most impressive natural spectacles you'll see all year. To get the best views, you’ll need to be above ground as the spray kicks up impressively voluminous clouds. The best way to do this is by booking a microflight. Seasons in Africa offers biplane flights that cut through the ‘smoke’ of the waterfall and offer a breathtaking view of the Zambezi river gorge as it snakes its way inland. After circling the falls, the pilot will take you upriver to Kalai Island, where you’ll get the opportunity to view big game in their natural habitat. For the best photos you’ll probably ever take in your life, this is the tour to take.
From $179 | Seasons in Africa | Find out morehere
Wildebeest migration from Serengeti
Comprising of approximately 2 million wildebeest and 800,000 zebra and gazelle, this East Africa migration is the largest and most impressive in the world. Covering much of Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti, the migration makes its way away from the southern plains and up into Serengeti proper at this time of year. As it’s in the middle of rainy season, you can expect sudden downpours but apart from that, sun and heat prevail, making it as good a time of year to visit as any. The sweeping long grasses of the Serengeti provide a haven for the wildebeest but if you’re lucky, you may get to witness a big cat on the hunt for its next meal. Book onto the Mahlatini 15 day adventure holiday that offers you the chance to take in the migration from a hot air balloon before heading to the Zanzibar coastline for some rest and relaxation.
From £6,700 | Mahlatini | Find out more here.
Finding the Big 5 in Kruger National Park
Though originally marked as the five most dangerous creatures to hunt, the Big 5 (the African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, rhino and lion) thankfully now have protected status and can be observed in their natural habitat in certain areas of Africa. Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of the most popular areas to spot them. Lekker Africa offers a five-day tour that takes in Kruger’s unruly magic with bush walks and game drives.
From £1751 | Lekker Africa | Find out more here.
Glaciers, Grizzlies and Whales
This six night adventure will take you through Alaska’s Inside Passage via land, sea and air, giving you the opportunity to spot Alaska’s most famous residents: its grizzly bears, humpback whales and sea lions. Cut through the fjords and take in the impressive magnificence of the glaciers under the endless blue skies - the air doesn’t get much fresher than it is here. The season for watching these magnificent creatures runs from late May to August, offering an exciting kickstart to summer.
6 nights from £2053 | Discover the World | Find out more here.
Words: Bianca Barratt
