At Travel Four Seasons, we believe the world’s most memorable wildlife experiences go far beyond the traditional safari. That’s why we’ve partnered with Audley Travel to showcase six extraordinary encounters that take you off the beaten track, from tracking jaguars in Brazil to trekking through Thailand’s ancient forests. Every experience can be incorporated into a bespoke luxury holiday, designed entirely around you. 

Trekking & 4×4 Safari, Thailand

Just a few hours from Bangkok lies Thailand’s oldest national park, Khao Yai, a haven for elephants, sambar deer, macaques and countless other species. We recommend combining guided jungle treks with a night-time 4×4 safari for the best chance of spotting wildlife. Walk beneath towering rainforest canopies in search of gibbons, hornbills and pit vipers, while keeping an eye out for elephant tracks and the claw marks of Asian black bears. Between December and February, evening safaris offer the greatest opportunity to see wild elephants emerge from the forest.

Jaguar conservation, Brazil 

Working exclusively with the Caiman Ecological Refuge (a private ranch), the Onçafari Project protects and studies jaguars while also promoting responsible travel in Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical freshwater wetland. It’s succeeded in increasing species numbers by making sure local jaguars are habituated to humans without depending on them for food the big cats do all their own hunting. You can join Onçafari biologists as they conduct research into the rare animals, joining them on outings to monitor the jaguars in their care. 

Dawn & dusk drives, Borneo 

Far from Borneo’s more developed areas (stays here are one step up from camping), Deramakot Forest Reserve is steadfast on sustainability, having learned from the region’s previous logging mistakes. Here, lowland rainforest provides the ideal habitat for mammals and birdlife alike. On private dawn and dusk drives, your eagle-eyed guide will point out maroon leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, civets, bee-eaters, macaques, and, if luck’s on your side, pygmy elephants, orangutans, and perhaps even the elusive clouded leopard. 

Rainforest tours, Costa Rica 

A reserve created by passionate nine-year-old school students in the 1980s, Bosque Eterno de los Niños is a treasure trove of biodiversity. Today, it’s the largest private reserve in the country, with more than half of the country’s wildlife species represented. An evening walk with an experienced local guide is your best way to explore the reserve’s wild riches. Depending on the season and your luck, you might see quetzals, blue-capped motmots, coatis, and long-tailed manakins, to name just a few. As a bonus, your visit supports local reforestation efforts. 

Leopard tracking, Namibia 

The most elusive member of Africa’s Big Five, leopards can be tricky to spot. For your best chance, I recommend staying in Okonjima Nature Reserve, home to the AfriCat Foundation. Here, you’ll head out with an experienced guide, following signals from radio collars used to track these big cats for the foundation’s research. While you look out for their telltale rosetted coats up in the tree branches and among the long grasses, you’ll be helping to collect data that scientists need to rescue, rehabilitate, and (if necessary) relocate them. 

Lemur walks, Madagascar 

There are very few properties within Madagascar’s wildlifeprotected areas, and my go-to stay is Akiba Lodge Anjahakely, in the far north of the island. Surrounded by mountains and forests, you don’t have to go far to see animals sometimes they come to you. You can also spot various gecko species, mouse and sportive lemurs, and a kaleidoscope of frogs, chameleons, and birds. 

Ready to experience wildlife beyond the ordinary? Contact Travel Four Seasons to start planning your tailor-made luxury holiday, where every journey is designed around you and every detail is taken care of.