Unique Virtual Wildlife Tours to Experience at Home
Embarking across the savanna in pursuit of Africa’s iconic animals in locations like Kruger National Park is every explorer’s dream, but recent travel restrictions over the last year or so have made that dream difficult if not impossible for many.
If you find yourself wishing you could have the chance to experience an African safari but find yourself stuck in lockdown or unable to travel, we’ve selected a few virtual wildlife safaris that can offer you the next best option.
Virtual travel tours are the newest trending form of online entertainment, competing with video streaming apps and virtual online casino experiences offering casinobonus.
Fully immersive, live virtual safaris are the closest thing you can get to the real thing. But be quick, because as international travel begins to start up once again, it’s likely that many of the live-stream safaris will have to take a back seat so guides can take visitors on real life safaris once again.
Come along as we share with you some of the game reserves, national parks, and safari lodges that are live-streaming footage straight from Africa where you can observe wildlife in real time from the comfort of your own home.
The Top Virtual and Live African Safaris
&Beyond: South Africa
South African travel company &Beyond got creative during the pandemic when they started offering live-stream personalized game drives. They offer two safaris daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon local time.
The safaris take you through either Ngala Private Game Reserve or Djuma Private Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park. The drives are hosted by expert guides who you can actually ask questions as wildlife sightings take place.
Their website also offers up videos of previous safaris, including ones through the Masai Mara, as well as other African wildlife related content. They also run podcasts and content geared toward younger children who may have dreams of becoming a ranger themselves.
Tintswalo Safari Lodge: South Africa
Also bringing you plenty of wild action from Kruger National Park is the Tintswalo Safari Lodge. They document their daily drives through the private Manyeleti Game Reserve, uploading the many incredible wildlife experiences they capture each day.
While the safaris aren’t live-streamed, they do regularly present some pretty incredible recent footage of lions, African wild dogs, cheetahs, and more. It’s a better option if you’re short on time since all the boring bits of a live safari are cut out and you get to watch all the exciting edited bits where the action occured.
The lodge has also uploaded several 360° VR videos of the grounds around the lodge as well as a few live web cams. You can subscribe to their newsletter to receive notifications when new videos are uploaded.
Chobe Game Lodge: Botswana
Heading to Botswana, the Chobe Game Lodge brings you several live web cams set in the Chobe National Park. The park is known for its hippos and large Kalahari elephant population, numbering over 50,000, which are often preyed upon by the resident lions.
The web cams are set up on the lodge’s viewing decks and riverside boma, allowing viewers the ability to gaze out over the Puku Flats and the floodplain from the Chobe Game Lodge’s eastern deck. You can also read their recent blogs to catch up on the latest wildlife sightings their guides and guests are observing.
Asilia Africa: Tanzania and Kenya
Asilia operates a number of camps and lodges throughout Kenya and Tanzania. To inspire you and give you an idea of what you can expect at their lodges and on their safaris, they have produced a number of 360° VR videos showcasing their wildlife-rich properties.
While the videos are best viewed using a VR headset, they can still be viewed via their website without having one. Destinations you can observe include Jabali Ridge in Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park as well as Roho ya Selous in Nyerere National Park. The Nyerere National Park is known for its large African wild dog population as well as crocs and hippos which reside in the Rufiji River.
Explore.org
You can transport yourself to observe wildlife pretty much anywhere in the world thanks to Explore’s extensive collection of live web cams. At any given time, you can select from dozens of live feeds of popular parks and reserves from all around the world.
You’ll find a few great African live web cams, one of which focuses on the daily lives of gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo thanks to the GRACE conservation program. Another great live feed comes straight to your living room from Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa. Other popular feeds include the lesser flamingos that visit Kamfers Dam, a Rhino Sanctuary, and various African waterholes that are frequented by wildlife.
Many of the cameras are powered by sun or wind and offer a great way to observe wildlife in real time without disturbing the animals. Some cameras are seasonal and others may be switched off at night, but you can count on many being operational no matter what time of day you log on since the network of cameras is global.
Djuma Private Reserve & Tau Game Lodge: South Africa
Two more South African companies also offer live web cams including the Djuma Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, as well Tau Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve. The web cam at Djuma seems to follow and zoom in on movement, allowing you to better observe the current wildlife that is present. They also have recently recorded live streams available for viewing.
Other Great Online Spaces for Virtual Wildlife Entertainment
Orangutan Island: Malaysia, Borneo
Orangutans are one of those rare animals that always capture people’s attention and you can’t help but feel saddened by their plight and curious as to how you can help them. Orangutan Island is a non-profit organisation based in Borneo that works tirelessly to protect orangutans and their habitat.
The main aim of this organisation is all about helping rehabilitate orphaned orangutans, providing them with a safe environment, food, and medical care.
The organisation has set up several rehabilitation centers on the island of Borneo, where you can virtually meet these orphaned orangutans through virtual field trips.
Sea Turtle Conservancy: Florida, USA
The Sea Turtle Conservancy is an organisation that works tirelessly to protect sea turtles and their habitat. The group had been involved in rescuing over 30,000 marine animals since its foundation back in 1989. Their work involves research about nesting behavior, conservation programs for existing turtle populations and raising awareness about the need to protect these amazing creatures.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy offers a virtual tour of their headquarters in Sanibel, Florida, where you can see all kinds of wildlife rehabilitation projects alongside live webcam footage from around the world. You’ll get to watch sea turtles hatch and interact with their environment while also getting the chance to see other marine animals that have been rescued and rehabilitated by The Sea Turtle Conservancy.
National Aquarium: Baltimore, USA
The National Aquarium is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life in Maryland and beyond. The aquarium has been around since 1873, and its website features amazing virtual tours through the facilities. The aquarium offers various educational programs for children and families alike; you can see great white sharks in California or observe beluga whales in Baltimore.
The aquarium also works to increase marine life populations around North America by rescuing animals that have been injured or orphaned. You’ll get to see these fantastic animals like sea lions as they grow and interact with the staff, as well as learn about conservation efforts such as coral restoration and turtle rehabilitation programs.
BBC Earth
The BBC is renowned for its quality content, and now you can enjoy some of the best nature documentaries from their channel on your computer screen from anywhere in the world. You’ll be able to virtually travel across all seven continents as you explore habitats that humans rarely see with a virtual tour of BBC Earth. There’s also a section where you can learn more about wildlife conservation efforts around the globe; these videos will help enlighten viewers about what they can do to help protect our natural world.
We sincerely hope that these virtual tours bring us closer to wildlife by making it possible for us to see them and educate people regarding how we can help preserve these animals’ habitats and prevent future damage caused by human development. We may not be able to see them physically, but at least we can enjoy the privilege of watching these amazing creatures from the comfort of our own homes.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Whale and dolphin conservation is an important cause that we all need to be aware of. It’s thanks to the efforts of organisations such as The Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) that many whale populations around the world are now recovering. You can find out more about WDC on their website, where you’ll also be able to enjoy a virtual tour of their headquarters in England. Here you’ll learn about rescue, research, and awareness programs for whales and dolphins; there’s even live footage from some cetacean hot spots.
WWF
You may have heard of the WWF or World Wildlife Fund for Nature. This organisation is dedicated to protecting animals all over the world, and they’re constantly working to raise awareness about how we can all help protect endangered species from extinction. You’ll be able to enjoy a virtual tour of their website on your own time; it’s filled with the amazing footage that will take you right into the wilds where wildlife still thrives. Many other activities are available on their site for anyone looking to get involved in conservation efforts.
The Elephant Sanctuary: Tennessee, USA
The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of Asian elephants. They focus on rescuing and rehabilitating captive or abandoned elephants while also raising awareness about the plight of these magnificent creatures. You can enjoy a virtual tour of their wildlife park where you’ll not only watch elephants but also see some amazing footage, including baby elephants that were rescued from abuse at circuses. Let’s bring attention to this issue for these intelligent animals who deserve better treatment than they’re currently receiving.
The Gibbon Conservation Center: Laos
The gibbons are one of the most unique creatures on earth; they’re also one of the world’s most endangered species. The Gibbon Conservation Center is an organisation founded by a biologist with over 40 years worth of experience in the field. Their goal is to save these amazing animals from extinction. You’ll be able to enjoy a virtual tour of their project areas, learn about wildlife conservation efforts and see some great examples of how people can help protect these rare apes.
We hope all you wildlife lovers out there will enjoy partaking in these virtual safaris and are inspired to book a real life safari whenever you get the chance. Whether it’s an online virtual experience or real life experience, observing and learning about the world’s animals is crucial to promoting the conservation needed to keep them and their habitats thriving.
