Pictured: A tribe in Nagaland, North East India, which is home to as many as 16 major tribes. (Photo credit: Nagaland Tourism).
Fancy stepping into the wild but don’t want to have to do it in survival mode? We’ve got you covered with some guided adventure experiences that will take you right into the heart of rainforests, swamps and glaciers.
From tracking grizzly bears in Alaska with a tour guide, to heading out on safari from a five-star luxury resort in Sri Lanka, there are plenty of ways to see the world’s wilderness in comfort and style.
Meet an Indian tribe
Travel The Unknown, a tour operator specialising in small group tours and bespoke breaks, offers a 14-day Tribes of North East India Package that offers the chance to witness the lifestyle and culture of the region’s tribes.
Starting in the former Sibsagar, travellers will cross into Nagaland and encounter the Konyak tribe of Mon. The tour also includes a visit the Apatani mountain tribe of Ziro, who are recognisable by their nose-plugs and facial tattoos.
The tour price includes accommodation, most meals, domestic flights, ground transfers and a local tour guide.
Visit the swamps and plantations of Louisiana
Pictured: Kayaking the Bayou Teche waterway in Louisiana.
Gondwana EcoTours, a sustainable travel-focused tour operator, has added a new all-inclusive break to its adventure travel repertoire – in Louisiana, USA.
The Ultimate Cajun Country Adventure will see travellers explore the swamp at Lake Martin Wildlife Refuge, take Cajun cooking lessons with a private chef, discover the Whitney Plantation (America’s first slavery museum), and kayak the Bayou Teche waterway.
Additional highlights include a tour of a Tabasco factory, a visit to a legendary zydeco music studio, a tour of an organic pecan farm, and a seafood workshop with a professional chef.
Discover St Lucia from a height
Pictured: A view from the northernmost tip of Saint Lucia.
Groups holidaying on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia can opt for a tree-top adventure via an aerial tram tour from Rainforest Adventures.
16 open-air gondolas glide through the rainforest to an ecological park located in the heights of Saint Lucia's forest, offering explorers an exciting perspective of the natural rainforest surrounds. You can expect to see towering Gommiers, Chatanniers, and the phenomenon of the Strangler Ficus, plus colourful hummingbirds and cananaquits.
Group bookings are available for up to 30 people on the Rainforest Adventures website, and luxury accommodation is available at Cap Maison – a boutique villa resort located on the northernmost tip of Saint Lucia with 49 suites boasting dramatic cliff and ocean scenery.
Follow grizzly bears in Alaska
Pictured: Grizzly bears in Wrangell-St Elias National Park. (Photo credit: Mark Kelley and Alaska Tourism).
Small group tour operator Grand American Adventures has a host of Alaska tours, ranging from wild camping, glacier hiking and sea kayaking itineraries to small ship cruises reaching the most remote areas of south-east Alaska's Inside Passage.
Alaska, Wildlife & Wilderness is a new holiday launched this year, lasting 14 days. What’s described as the ‘ultimate Alaskan adventure’ comes complete with floatplane flights, bear viewing and wildlife cruises.
You’ll also embark on a full day guided ice walking tour of the Root Glacier, take two days to explore Denali National Park and visit the Worthington Glacier.
Pair safari with luxury
Pictured: One of the diverse landscapes of Yala National Park.
If wild safari combined with five-star accommodation sounds promising, book yourself into Shangri-La's Hambantota Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka. 300 luxury rooms and suites await varying group sizes, and the resort’s location makes a safari trip easily available. It’s located on the ancient Spice Route, and offers access to the Yala, Bundala and Udawalawe National Parks.
Yala, for example, is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its residents are a high concentration of leopards, elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted dear, peacocks, and crocodiles.
