Winter/Spring | 2019 NEW: CHILE Mammals & Birds of Patagonia BBC’S DYNASTIES See the stars of the show yourself NEW: RAJA AMPAT CRUISE Birds-of-paradise KATE HUMBLE IN BORNEO Deramakot Reserve Welcome Festival of Wildlife We hope you enjoy our latest seasonal brochure which is packed with ideas to inspire your holidays for the year ahead. Spitsbergen 2020 If you’ve been enjoying the BBC’s Dynasties series, we have an article about how you can see these amazing Our specially chartered Festival of Wildlife: Spitsbergen 2020 animals for yourselves, as well as a special feature on wild dogs. In addition, we introduce eight new tours, cruise has been timed to maximise our chances of seeing polar including a mammal and bird trip to Chilean Patagonia, a cruise to Indonesia’s stunning Raja Ampat islands bears on the pack-ice, and in this article Team Member Chris Smith in search of birds-of-paradise, and a wild dog tour to describes the thrill of seeing a polar bear in its natural habitat. Botswana. If seeing polar bears is high on your travel wish-list then why not join our team of expert naturalists, expedition crew and photographers on our Festival of Wildlife to ur ship sliced through pinnipeds, allowing us fantastic Spitsbergen in 2020 aboard the specially chartered Ocean Adventurer, and timed to maximise our chances of the calm, inky black opportunities for photography. seeing polar bears on the pack-ice. waters of the ocean. Walruses really are mighty creatures: It was early morning, full-grown males can weigh more than We also have articles about our range of dedicated Oand yet it was broad daylight as we two tonnes and their tusks can reach wildlife photography tours – to Peru’s Manu Reserve as sailed high above the Arctic Circle more than a metre in length. well as many other destinations, along with the results of in midsummer. This was the closest our annual Wildlife Photography Competition. to the North Pole I had ever been. We returned to the ship after what we Finally, we’re delighted to welcome naturalist and popular We were sailing north from the tip thought was the end of an exhilarating Tour Leader Nick Acheson to our team, and in this issue of Spitsbergen. Another, smaller morning of wildlife watching in the Nick reveals a few of his travel and wildlife secrets. island of the Svalbard Archipelago Arctic wilderness. However, no sooner appeared as a faint speck on had we sat down to lunch, there was a Wishing you happy travels in 2019 and beyond. the horizon. Slowly, the island message sent over the ship’s tannoy – became more distinct, and two ‘Polar bear spotted onshore’! We raced snow-capped peaks burst through straight back to our cabins to layer up the misty cloud that cloaked this again; the Zodiacs were relaunched Chris Breen, Founder isolated landmass. The peaks grew immediately. It was time to see the larger and larger as we approached, great wanderer of the Arctic. until we passed right between the Contents two towering mountains, imposing As before, we approached as stealthily Festival of Wildlife 2020: Spitsbergen 2/3 ‘guardians’ of this High Arctic as possible. A large female polar Finland’s Bears, Wolves & Wolverines 4/5 world. We dropped anchor in the bear grabbed our attention – she Raja Ampat: Coral, Birds & Paradise Islands 6/7 serene waters of a sheltered cove had been attracted to the beach by a China: Sichuan’s Mammals & Birds 8 behind these rock goliaths, the only walrus carcass. Having eaten her fill, Kate Humble: Borneo’s Deramakot Reserve 9 sounds those of waves breaking she made herself comfortable on the and bird calls echoing around the beach, lying down and surveying her Chile: Mammals & Birds of Patagonia 10/11 mountains. surroundings. This was our chance Jaguars of Brazil’s Pantanal 12/13 to get closer. Our excitement had Exploring Costa Rica 14/15 Focus on British Columbia 16/17 Scanning the beaches around our reached a whole different level and Festival of Wildlife: Spitsbergen 2020 ship we quickly spotted the distinctive yet not a sound could be heard as Photography Tours & Competition Results 18/23 blubbery outlines of walruses on everyone watched the bear in stunned Since our first Festival of Wildlife in Wild Dogs: Up Close 24/25 the shoreline. We took to the water silence. The hairs stood up on the 2004, this winning formula – of a range Uganda: Bwindi’s Mountain Gorillas 26/27 in Zodiacs straight away, to take a back of my neck (despite the multiple of wildlife-based excursions alongside a Dynasties: See the Stars of the Show 28/29 closer look at these unique marine layers I was wearing) as we moved programme of expert-led workshops and Meet the Team: Nick Acheson 30 mammals. Approaching as quietly closer. talks – offers a very special celebration Calendar of Small Group Holidays 31 as possible, we were close enough of wildlife for all those who take part. to make out details on the bodies Crouching down, we drifted past the So please do join Nick Acheson, Wildlife Festival of Wildlife Team of these true Arctic specialists with bear several times in the Zodiacs. Worldwide Founder Chris Breen, Mark just the naked eye. The sound of Each time we got a tiny bit closer. On Carwardine, photographers Bret Charman Our Holidays these extraordinary animals as they our final pass we couldn’t have been and Nick Garbutt, and Wildlife Worldwide With over 25 years’ experience, we offer outstanding interacted with each other reached us more than 15 metres away. The polar Director Nick Joynes as well as other hand-picked wildlife holidays to more than 330 locations in full force. Indeed, the phrase ‘huffed bear really is one of the world’s most guest speakers for this eight-night Nick Chris Mark Bret Nick Nick on all seven continents. Our team of wildlife experts Acheson Breen Carwardine Charman Garbutt Joynes explores destinations around the world to ensure that we and puffed’ might have been coined to captivating creatures, the true icon of chartered voyage to Spitsbergen in search of the wonderful wildlife of the give you the finest wildlife encounters. We offer tailor- describe the noise walruses make as the Arctic. This was why I had come made itineraries to suit your personal requirements, High Arctic. they become increasingly boisterous to Spitsbergen, but nothing could and small group holidays with like-minded wildlife with one another. Our Zodiacs prepare me for the thrill of seeing this Group, 12 May 2020 All holiday prices in this brochure are based on two people sharing a room (or cabin), and include flights from the enthusiasts. drifted silently past these oversized magnificent mammal. UK, accommodation and transfers (except where specified). Prices are correct at time of going to print. For full 11 days, from £5,995 details contact our expert wildlife team. Cover image: Wild dogs, Botswana 2 Over 25 years’ experience of designing the finest wildlife holidays [email protected] 01962 302055 www.wildlifeworldwide.com 3 Finland’s Boreal Wildlife Bears, Wolves & Wolverines This summer Wildlife Worldwide Manager, Dan Free, visited the boreal forests of central Finland in search of a suite of large mammals. Martinselkonen Wilderness Centre, Martinselkonen Wilderness Centre, Boreal Wildlife Centre, from the Kuikka Base Camp, from the Main Hide from the Pond Hide Forest Hide from the lodge grounds ome to many of Europe’s remaining Our final destination was Kuikka Base Camp, only 40 large mammal species, Finland has kilometres south of BWC, the most remote of the three been on my radar for years and this July lodges we visited. In addition to some excellent bear my wife and I finally managed a visit. sightings, we also saw wolf and wolverine. The wolves HOur mission – to spend a week there, visiting three were wary, appearing in the half light and constantly different bear watching lodges, in the hope of seeing on the move, making photography tricky. However, moose, brown bear, wolverine and, with luck, wolf. the wolverines showed well, allowing fantastic views and photo opportunities – my wife, a keen wildlife After arriving in the small town of Kajaani in central photographer, was in her element! After so many hours Finland, we picked up a hire car and drove north for a in the hides, the elation at seeing my first wolf and couple of hours to Martinselkonen Wilderness Centre wolverine was incredible, and right up there with my top (MWC), which offers some of the most reliable bear wildlife experiences. Based in hides and with a mix of watching in Europe. There is a variety of hides available salmon, dog biscuits or whole carcasses used to tempt to guests, ranging from two-person photographic hides the bears, wolves and wolverines, the set-up is not as to 12-person group hides, with the larger hides typically natural as seeing bears chasing salmon in North America. offering more comfort (bunk beds and a private loo). Our However, for actual sightings/photographic opportunities, first evening was spent in one of the larger hides and, and being able to observe a diverse range of behaviours, from the moment we arrived in the late afternoon, until Finland is an incredible option. the time we left the following morning around 7am, there was constant bear activity, with up to 20 bears present We already offer a range of fantastic small group trips at one time, including large males, sows and young that visit one or a combination of the above lodges, but cubs.