The new 2006 worldwide travel collection from wildlife tour operator, WildWings, has been launched almost two months earlier than usual, causing a significant boost to their booking levels over the last few weeks of summer.  “We’ve had such an  enthusiastic initial response, especially for water-based’ tours such as expedition cruising and whale watching, we’ll certainly consider similar timing next year,” says John Brodie-Good, MD of Bristol based WildWings.  Here are just a few highlights of the new program:

For the cetacean connoisseurs

It must be autumn the orcas are back in Norway!  Literally hundreds of killer whales return each year to feed on the huge shoals of herring in north Norway’s deep fjords. The autumn colours will be at their finest while the clear nights may bring one of nature’s most colourful spectacles – the Aurora Borealis or northern lights.  Passengers onboard the cosy two-mast sailing vessel, the ‘Noorderlicht’, are positively encouraged to handle the sails and man the helm on these 7-night whale safaris. 

Departures: 25 Oct – 1 Nov, 1-8, 8-15 & 15-22 Nov 2005; 24 Nov-1 Dec 2006.  Price: £679pp (2005) £715 (2006) sharing a twin cabin.  Or take a day-trip from your local airport from only £289pp.

Swim with the largest fish in the sea – growing to a length of 15 meters, the magnificent whale shark makes a memorable swimming partner.  Departures of this land-based trip are perfectly timed for May when the whale sharks congregate off a particular reef in the Maldive’s South Ari Atoll.  There are daily excursions to swim with the whale sharks and the comfortable beach villas at the 3* resort island will appeal to the less enthusiastic partners of keen marine wildlife watchers.  Departure: 4-13 May 2006.  Price: from £1390pp, excluding flights.

One of Europe’s best kept secrets – sperm whales, bottlenose, common and Atlantic spotted dolphins are seen regularly in the Azores and up to 20 species of cetacean are recorded in a typical year.  The base for the Azores whale watching tour is one of the most attractive properties on the island - a magnificent converted manor house set in sub-tropical gardens - and with five days onboard a powerful catamaran, as well as dates that coincide with ‘Sea Week’, a highlight of the Azorean festival calendar, this is a must for whale watchers.  Departure: 5-13 August 2006.  Price: £1629pp sharing a twin room. 

For the big cat lovers

Brazil’s Pantanal has become the place to be seen if you’re a jaguar! – the July 2005 WildWings group was a roaring success with lengthy, close-up views of four jaguars.  Especially amazing when only 25% of visitors to the Pantanal’s Jaguar Ecological Reserve reportedly see a wild jaguar.  But the Pantanal has other attractions – ocelot, jaguarundi, crab-eating fox, caiman, anaconda and capybara feature among the extensive wildlife list.  And, because the Pantanal is mostly a vast alluvial plain, and not thick forest like the Amazon, seeing wildlife is that much easier. 

Expect to be accompanied by giant river otters swimming around the boats while jaguar spotting at Porto Jofre and the giant anteater is likely to make an appearance in the forests around Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.  Departures: 15-31 July & 12-28 August 2006.  Price: £3779pp.

At home with the big cats in Florida – join an ecovolunteer working holiday at Florida’s wildlife centre, just one hour from Orlanda and Tampa, and share the sanctuary with an impressive array of big cats: two tigers, seven pumas and three Siberian Lynx, as well as a true Florida panther - a ‘geriatric’ at more than 25 years old.  Other international conservation projects set in wild and remote destinations include working with wolves in eastern Europe, snow leopards in Krgyzstan, painted hunting dogs in Zimbabwe and brown bears in Russia.  Two weeks working in Florida’s wildlife refuge centre costs from £340pp (excluding international flights).   

For the birdwatchers

‘Pioneering stuff’ in the Ukraine – a two-centre birdwatching tour to the Crimean steppes and the 2200 square mile wetlands of the Danube Delta where, in late spring and early summer, the Delta’s Biosphere Reserve bursts with activity as it becomes a breeding ground for hundreds of bird species, including the majestic white and dalmatian pelicans.  The lagoons and salt marshes of Sivash Nature Reserve - designated a Ramsar site for its migratory birds - feature in the May departure.  Whilst the June trip visits one of Europe’s last remaining areas of natural virgin steppe at Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve, with opportunities to see semi-wild Saiga antelopes as well as the rare Przewalski’s horse, whose distinctive shape was frequently painted on cave walls by early humans. 

Departures: 13-22 May & 3-12 June 2006.  Price: May £1499pp, June £1169pp sharing a twin room.

Meet the Emperor  – fly by specially equipped ski aircraft to the remote Weddell Sea coast and spend up to six days camping on the ice with the Emperor Penguins and their appealing down-covered chicks.  Surrounded by ice cliffs, pressure ridges and icebergs you will be completely immersed in the sights and sounds of the colony and, without crowds or rigid schedules, the photography opportunities are endless – especially with the golden light of the midnight sun. Depart by private jet from Chile in November 2006.  Price: from £21,349pp.  Alternatively, join an icebreaker sailing down to the Emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea.  Departing in October 2006.  Prices from £4,719pp.

Australia add-on – frequent flights from Perth (and also Bali) make the tropical paradise of Christmas Island a convenient 5-night add-on for birders, snorkellers and dolphin watchers alike.  Lying south of Indonesia and northwest of Australia the island boasts two full endemic seabirds - about 3000 pairs of the albatross-like Abbott’s Booby and 2000-2500 pairs of the Christmas Island Frigatebird are found on the island. In addition to the birding, superb snorkelling is on offer, as well as a resident group of spinner dolphins and also whale sharks at certain times of year.  Departures: year round.  Price: £695pp sharing an ocean view twin room at the aptly named property ‘The Sunsets’ (including flights from Perth).                                                                                                                                                

For the expedition cruise enthusiasts

Expedition cruising for the independent traveller – the recent boom in polar tourism appears to have resulted in an overwhelming choice of vessels sailing to Antarctica causing some confusion for the polar traveller.  WildWings are agents for the majority of Antarctic operators and, although they generally recommend the small ships (maximum of 100 passengers), with over ten years experience of polar tourism they’re in a good position to unravel the present confusion surrounding the Antarctic cruise market.  Well-priced options and associate membership of IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) give them a competitive edge. Antarctic departures: November through to March. Prices: from £2515pp in a twin cabin on an 11-day Antarctic Peninsula voyage (cruise only).

In the footsteps of Charles Darwin – a new pelagic voyage onboard the former icebreaker Polar Star (although no sea-ice to break on this journey!), sailing from Peru along the Pacific coast of South America, down through the Humbolt Current region, the Chilean fjords, round Cape Horn and ending in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city.  Many unique seabirds including the Humbolt Penguin, sites of archaeological interest and spectacular natural areas, such as the Petrohue Falls and the Chilean fjords and glaciers, are all highlights of this new cruise itinerary.  Departure: 3-22 November 2006. 

Price: from £2599 (excl. international flights).

A ‘World First’, The Western Pacific Odyssey - a unique voyage designed and developed by WildWings, sailing northwards from Auckland, New Zealand to Kagoshima, Japan, and focusing on an area of the Pacific Ocean relatively unexplored by keen sea watchers until now.  The cruise onboard the 48-passenger expedition ship, the ‘Spirit of Enderby’, includes many sea-days travelling through waters rich in seabirds highly desired by UK birdwatchers and where over 30 species of cetacean occur.  Expedition stops at exotic tropical islands such as New Caledonia, Solomon, Caroline and North Mariana give the non-birders an opportunity to explore while the birders concentrate on the endemics - the unique Kagu of New Caledonia being one of the star species.  Departure: 26 March – 27 April 2007. 

Price: from £3399pp (excluding international flights)

For press enquiries please contact Debra Taylor at toucanmoon 01491 613424 debra@toucanmoon.com

WildWings
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Prepared by toucanmoon /12 January 2005
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(t) 01491 613424 (e) debra@toucanmoon.com