14 animals worth traveling to see (and where to find them)

There’s nothing quite like the first time you lay eyes on a beautiful animal in the wild.

From bison in Yellowstone to monkeys in Costa Rica and penguins in the Antarctic, here are our picks for creatures to see on vacation, plus the top places to appreciate them.

Remember to be a respectful visitor in animals’ homes. Keep an appropriate distance to avoid distressing or provoking wildlife, and don’t share human food with them. 

The range of these quintessentially American birds includes all of the continental United States, from Alaska to Florida. Some areas are lucky enough to have resident eagles all year; others only see them during migrations.

If you’re looking for the best spot to see them, Alaska’s scenic Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve may be it. The state park is home to hundreds of bald eagles living year-round in what’s sometimes called “The Valley of the Eagles.” But the biggest draw is in October and November when thousands more eagles arrive to feed on late-migrating salmon exposed by shallow rivers. Pull over at designated spots along the highway to watch these majestic sea eagles hunt. 

Renaissance Island is a private island just off the coast of Aruba with a flock of celebrity inhabitants: Bright pink American flamingos, living right on the aptly named Flamingo Beach. Visitors staying at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort can visit the island (and the flamingos) for free. Otherwise, you’ll need to buy a day pass or book a treatment at the island’s Okeanos Spa.

Bring American quarters—there are food dispensers at the beach, and having treats in hand will bring the flamingos much closer. Also note that children can only visit Flamingo Beach between 9 and 10 a.m., though nearby Iguana Beach is kid-friendly.

Another option is De Palm Island, which is a better fit for families with kids. Tickets are easier to come by than Renaissance Island’s day passes, though you will need to upgrade your ticket if you want to interact with the flamingos.   

North America’s largest land animal was once down to exactly 541 individuals. Thanks to conservation efforts, there are now tens of thousands of these gruff bovines in the wild. Yellowstone is the only place where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times, according to the National Park Service, and today the herd numbers in the thousands, grazing the park’s expansive valleys and highlands.

Come in May and June to see baby buffalo taking their first steps. Or, visit in late July and August to see bulls fighting for mates. Since bison are faster and much larger than people, do always remember to keep a safe distance—the Park Service recommends at least 25 yards of separation at all times. 

Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands are a biodiversity hot spot, with iconic species like the blue-footed booby, Galápagos giant tortoise, and the only species of marine iguana. The iguanas are the only lizard species in the world adapted for life in saltwater, feeding on algae on and around the shores of the islands. They’re known to hold their breath up to 60 minutes if necessary.

Seeing throngs of these mini Godzillas congregating on the rocks is cool enough. For an even more special experience, though, take to the sea via snorkel and see if you can find them hunting for algae underwater.

The dense rainforests of Costa Rica are home to 4 species of monkey, each with their own personalities. The most familiar is likely the white-faced capuchin, known as one of the most intelligent monkey species and often trained for appearances in movies and TV. Mantled howler monkeys make their presence known with booming calls, though they also spend lots of time sleeping.

Geoffroy's spider monkeys swing quickly through the jungle thanks to their prehensile tails, and the Central American squirrel monkey makes up for its tiny size by traveling in big troops of up to 75 monkeys. 

This elusive pink river dolphin can be tricky to spot in the murky waters of the Amazon basin. But if you’re lucky enough to come across one, their unusual appearance—pinkish-gray skin, tiny eyes, and prominent forehead—lend them an otherworldly appearance as they glide just beneath the surface.

Joining a tour led by a knowledgeable guide is your best bet for seeing an Amazon river dolphin, also known in South America as the boto. 

Wild penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere, with one exception (the Galapagos penguin, which straddles the equator). If you’re heading south to see them, you may as well head all the way to remote Antarctica. That’s the only place you’ll see the iconic emperor penguin, which can stand more than 3 feet tall and gather in massive colonies on sea ice.

The best time to visit is in the Antarctic summer from October to February, when the days are long and the weather is warmer. This is also when adorable emperor penguin babies begin living on their own in groups before fledging and heading out to sea. Many Antarctic cruises take visitors out on smaller boats to see the penguins up close and make landfall, if possible. 

Africa’s “Big 5” charismatic animals—lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceros, and African buffalo–were once hunters’ most prized trophies. Today, they’re more prized as sights to appreciate on safari. South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Botswana’s Chobe National Park both feature all 5 and are among the best places in the world to see them.

Kruger is Africa’s largest safari park, bigger than the state of Connecticut, and is known for better odds of lion, leopard, and rhino sightings. Chobe is famous for its elephants, which number in the tens of thousands and can be seen playing, bathing, and grazing in the Chobe River.

Each year, the world’s largest migration (as measured by weight) takes place in Tanzania and Kenya. Known as the World’s Greatest Show, it sees millions of wildebeest, zebras, antelopes, and other animals follow a clockwise circle in search of fresh grazing. Herds that stretch to the horizon make treacherous crossings of crocodile-infested rivers. This is one of the premier places in the world to go on a flying safari by plane or hot air balloon.

Seeing the biggest of the big cats is no sure thing when going on safari. These apex predators’ padded feet and striped hides make them masters of stealth. Heading to a tiger reserve with an experienced tiger tracker is your best bet, such as Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India. And even if you ultimately don’t find a tiger, there are still sloth bears, crocodiles, eagles, and sambar deer, plus the towering Ranthambore Fort built as a hunting palace by the Maharajahs.

Deer aren’t that uncommon a sight in many places, but they usually flee in the presence of people. The Japanese city of Nara, just outside Osaka, is an exception: Visitors will find more than 1,000 sika deer roaming through town unfazed by humans.

The largest concentration of deer is found in Nara Park near the Kasuga Taisha shrine. The deer in Nara are considered sacred messengers of the Shinto gods that inhabit the shrine and have been protected since the 8th century. Unique among deer, they are known to “bow” by nodding their heads, especially when seeking the rice crackers that nearby vendors sell to feed them.  

The vast majority of the world’s pandas are found in China’s Sichuan province. They’re split between wild populations in mountainous bamboo forests, and pandas kept at breeding centers to support conservation. One of the biggest centers is the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, the Sichuan capital city.

The Chengdu Panda Base is an ideal place to see pandas (including adorable babies) because, as a research and breeding facility, it keeps pandas in a setting more closely resembling their native habitat compared to a zoo. The work done here is a big part of why pandas are no longer considered an endangered species, and your visit supports the base’s mission. 

Another beloved bear lives in a very different climate: the polar bear. These massive predators can weigh more than 1,300 pounds and can swim for hours to move between distant ice floes while hunting for seals, their preferred prey.

That’s what makes the arctic Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard such a good place to see them: With hundreds of bears and abundant sea ice and seals, a cruise around Svalbard has good odds of spotting one of these nomadic hunters. Boat excursions give travelers better odds to see bears hunting compared to land tours, since the boats (like the bears) can head out to remote sea ice and beaches. 

Eastern Australia is where almost all wild koalas live. Celebrated spots to see them munching on eucalyptus leaves and sleeping (koalas sleep 18-22 hours a day, an adaptation to their nutrient-poor diet) include many along the Great Ocean Road west of Melbourne, as well as the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Canberra and Kangaroo Island at Flinders Chase National Park.

For a less wild, but more hands-on experience, consider visiting a wildlife sanctuary like the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane or the Rainforestation Nature Park in Cairns. These parks are among the few places in the world where you can get your picture taken holding a koala, and they offer sightseeing of other iconic Australia wildlife as well.