Best safari and wildlife photography destinations

Capture the moment that the beady eyes of a crocodile gently break through the murky waterways of the Okavango Delta, and be ready to snap a pod of hippo bathing in the shallows on a safari holiday in Botswana. For the best African safari wildlife photos, keep your eyes peeled for a pride of lion camouflaged in the golden grasses of Chobe National Park and have your camera ready to catch herds of elephant traipsing through the bush. The fertile waterways of Moremi Game Reserve will reveal giraffe, zebra and ostrich and you may even get the chance to see an elusive leopard too. 

For the best chance of close-up wildlife photography, embark on a tour to the Galapagos Islands. From Iguanas sunning themselves on the golden beaches of the Tintoreras Islands and sea lion playing in the warm topaz waters of Santa Fe to giant tortoises roaming the highlands of Santa Cruz, there are numerous wildlife photography opportunities on the volcanic islands of Ecuador. Look out for the unique webbed feet of blue-footed boobies and don't miss the fiery-red feathers of frigatebird glowing like beacons along the rocky coastline.

Although sightings are never guaranteed, an India wildlife holiday may give you the chance to photograph the endangered Bengal tiger. Join our India Tiger Safari to take a jeep safari through Kanha National Park, the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's 'Jungle Book' and home to a significant number of these big regal cats. Also keep a look out for Indian leopard, sloth bear, striped hyena, monkey, the rare Indian antelope (blackbuck), as well as over 300 species of bird.

For eye-catching photographs of exotic birdlife, join a tour to Romania to visit the wildlife sanctuary of the Danube Delta. Cruise along the flourishing river banks on a large houseboat to spot grebes, egret, kingfisher and cormorant from the water. Explore a maze of reed-lined channels and duck beneath the branches of ancient willow trees as you take snapshots of white pelican flapping their large fingered-wings to take off in a frenzied mass of black and white feathers. 

For a wildlife tour with a difference, travel to the vast wetlands of Senegal's Djoudj National Park. This is a popular water stop for migratory birds flying over the Sahara desert. Point your lens towards the sky snap pods of pelican flying towards the fertile waterways. And have your camera ready to shoot pink flamingo, purple heron, African hawk-eagle, grey kestrel and pygmy sunbird amongst the swampy islands of the Saloum Delta National Park too. 

The intense, wide eyes and bold, stripy tails of lemur species make for unique and striking wildlife photography. Capture the playful character of these endemic creatures on a wildlife trip to the 'lost continent' of Madagascar and explore the dense jungles of Ranomafana National Park to uncover boa constrictor, chameleon and black parrot. If you're interested in underwater wildlife photography, head to the golden-sand beaches of Anakao where you'll find colourful displays of tropical fish and vibrant coral, and seek out the mangrove swamps to spot flamingo, parrot and Madagascar plover.