Best Places to Photograph Animals in Their Natural Habitat

Being able to capture photographs of animals in their natural habitat is a truly magical experience. Not only will you feel more connected to some of the world's most fascinating species, but you'll also gain a new appreciation for nature.

Discover a splendour of wild animals in prime wilderness and capture pictures and memories that will last a lifetime.

This list rounds up the top ten places to visit and to take truly exceptional wildlife photography. However, if you're looking for more inspiration, make sure to check out: www.naturetrek.co.uk/tour-focus/photography-tours.

Maasai Mara, Kenya

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is located in Kenya's southwestern region, along the border of Tanzania. This savannah wilderness features vast plains with Africa's iconic acacia trees dotting the landscape.

It's a haven for many of Africa's most iconic species, including Masai giraffe, African elephant, Burchell's zebra, and hippopotamus. All members of Africa's "big five" (elephant, leopard, lion, rhinoceros, and Cape buffalo) are also found here.

It's not uncommon to see all of these animals in a single day. This makes the Maasai Mara area one of the best places to capture African wildlife photography.

It's also home to hundreds of different bird species. These species include the ostrich - Africa's largest flightless bird, and the kori bustard - Africa's largest flying bird.

Great Bear Rainforest, Canada

The Great Bear Rainforest is located on British Columbia's Pacific Coast. This sprawling nature preserve comprises 6.4 million hectares.

This remote region is home to an abundance of wildlife, including coastal grey wolves, grizzly bears, cougars, mountain goats, orca, humpback whales, and sea lions.

It's most exotic resident, however, is the rare Kermode Bear, also called the Spirit Bear. This rare, white variant of the Black Bear is found almost exclusively in this area of Canada.

Late August to mid-October is the ideal time to plan a trip. This is when the annual salmon run takes place. This event draws the local wildlife to the rivers, including the Kermode Bear.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Botswana is a landlocked African country full of raw, unspoiled wilderness. The Kalahari Desert spans most of the country, and, in the northern area lies the majestic Okavango Delta.

The sprawling plains flood seasonally and provide for lush animal habitat - prime for photographing wildlife. It attracts a remarkable wealth of wildlife, including elephants, African Buffalo, hippopotamus, wildebeest, giraffe, crocodile, lion, leopard, hyena, and a myriad of other species.

Kanha National Park, India

Kanha National Park is an exotic wilderness in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It contains an endless expanse of varying landscapes, from dense forest to grassland, and meadows. Flowing streams also weave through the terrain. This produces a landscape rich with Indian wildlife to photograph.

It's one of India's top tiger reserves and is famous for its royal Bengal tiger. The barasingha, also known as swamp deer, are the most abundant species found in the park.

Other animals commonly seen include sambar, wild dogs, jackals, sloth bear, and wild pigs.

Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand

Tiritiri Matangi is an Island in the Whangaparaoa Peninsula of New Zealand, just 30 kilometres from the capital city of Auckland.

It's a beautiful bird sanctuary, housing many rare and indigenous New Zealand species. It's filled with an abundance of birdlife, making it the perfect wildlife photography destination for bird lovers.

The unique, natural environment contains many species found nowhere else in the world. The island is also predator-free, and the birds are able to live in peace. See endangered native birds, like the flightless takahe.

Other birds found here include the stitchbird, saddleback, New Zealand robin, bellbird, whitehead, brown teal, kakariki, kokako, and penguins. The rare prehistoric tuatara lizard also resides on the island.

Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is deemed one of the world's most biodiverse regions. The land is remote, wild, and filled with pure nature. Get close to the wildlife with a guided trek through the jungle.

The trails follow coastal and inland routes. They lead you through habitats ranging from Pacific beaches and swamps to lowland and rainforests.

The national park is home to splendour of wildlife, including tapirs, mantled howler monkeys, Central American spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and northern tamandua.

Make sure to pack a proper camera bag, and you'll be good to go.

Spitsbergen, Norway

The Island of Spitsbergen is a Norwegian archipelago. Set in the Arctic Ocean, it lies just 965 kilometres south of the north pole. The dramatic landscape features rugged mountains, towering glaciers, and an exceptional array of polar wildlife.

The majestic polar bears are the most iconic animals found on Spitsbergen. Other marine animals that call this remote region home include the beluga whale, bowhead whale, walrus, and harp seal.

There are also three terrestrial animals that inhabit the island: the Svalbard reindeer, the Arctic fox, and southern vole. Visiting this desolate island is truly a once in a lifetime experience and will produce truly remarkable arctic wildlife photography.

Foping Nature Reserve, China

The Foping Nature Reserve is located in China's Shaanxi Province, high in the Qinling Mountains. The reserve covers an area of 29,240 hectares and is full of rugged mountain terrain.

The Foping Nature Reserve was founded in 1978. Its primary focus was to protect the giant panda. Today, it is home to a stable panda population.

The exotic-looking golden snub-nosed monkey resides in the park. With its pale blue face and golden-orange fur, capturing pictures of these creatures on film will produce an effortlessly extraordinary picture.

Other mammals that inhabit the area include the North-Chinese leopard, dwarf musk deer, mainland serow, Chinese goral, and red and white flying squirrels.

Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka

Minneriya National Park is located in Sri Lanka's North Central Province. It's one of the best places in the world to see elephants in their natural habitat. Witness these magnificent creatures eating, playing and frolicking in their natural environment.

If you time your trip during the annual elephant migration through the park in the dry season (July to September), you'll be able to capture photos of hundreds of Asian elephants at one time. Other animals at the park include deer, water buffalo, crocodile, monkeys, and bird species.

Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Komodo National Park is one of the few places on earth to witness the rare and wonderful Komodo dragons. These species of large lizards are only found on a few Indonesian islands. Being able to observe and photograph one of these creatures in the wild is a rare and exciting experience.

The park is also home to a variety of other sea and land animals, including turtles, Manta rays, snake species, various bird species, and Timor deer.

Final Thoughts on Wildlife Photography Destinations

That concludes our list of the top wildlife photograph spots around the world. From the arctic to the savannah desert, each one of these locations offers magnificent sightseeing experiences for wildlife lovers.