Where the Wild Things Are (And When)

The best nature trips for every season

by Tiffany Figueiredo

Some of the most powerful travel moments don’t happen in a palace suite or at a five-star beach resort (though I love those, too). They happen in places where silence speaks, where animals move freely, and where the landscape is the main character. These journeys reconnect us — not only to the world but also to ourselves. And timing is everything. From Arctic icebreakers to tigers in India, here’s when and where nature delivers her most unforgettable performances.

There’s no single “best time” for nature, only the right moment for you. If something here stirs your imagination, let’s build around it.

Gorilla Trekking and The Great Migration – East Africa

Best time: June–September

Dry season means easier forest trekking and better gorilla visibility. It’s also prime time for the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania, when millions of wildebeest thunder across the plains with predators close behind. It's a raw, riveting, unforgettable, (truly) life-changing combo.

Tigers in India – Ranthambore and Beyond

Best time: February–April

Late dry season offers the best chance to spot wild tigers in India’s national parks. Pair game drives with lush tented camps and the regal palaces of Rajasthan for a journey that balances wild wonder with royal grandeur and a culture that works its way into your heart.

Northern Lights – Lapland and the Arctic

Best time: December–March

See the aurora from a snug glass igloo or chase it by snowmobile across a frozen lake. Finland, Sweden and Iceland offer luxe lodges in pristine wilderness. Expect firelit meals, husky-powered sled rides, and skies that shimmer with magic.

Whale Watching – Giant Encounters Across the Globe

Best time: Varies by destination

From humpbacks in Alaska (June–August) to orcas in Norway (November–January) and Southern Rights in South Africa (June-December), few experiences rival the sight of a whale breaching. We only work with outfitters who approach our largest mammals with reverence and care.

Antarctica – Icebreaker Expeditions

Best time: November–February

Journey to the White Continent aboard a small expedition vessel in the care of exceptional naturalist guides. Watch penguins march, seals nap, and icebergs glow under endless daylight. It’s nature at its most remote, rare and pure.

Bhutan Immersion – Himalayan Spirituality

Best time: October–December or March–May

Trek to cliffside monasteries, breathe in cedar forests, and witness vibrant festivals. Bhutan blends nature and mysticism like nowhere else. Lodges built by top luxury brands are strategically positioned along the journey, ensuring a seamless, soul-soothing experience.

Green Season in Botswana – Okavango Reimagined

Best time: December–April

While the dry season is popular, the green season delivers drama: painterly skies, verdant landscapes, and newborn wildlife. The Delta is a low-density, high-reward watercolor dream, ideal for birders, photographers, and solitude seekers.

Galápagos Islands – Evolution’s Playground

Best time: Year-round (peaks December–May)

Each month offers something unique. Swim with sea lions, spot blue-footed boobies, and witness nature evolve before your eyes. Whether you take in the show by boat or land, you'll have front-row access to one of nature's finest performances.

Namibia Desert Safari – Silence and Sand Dunes

Best time: April–October

Endless space, towering dunes, wildlife and indigenous people in improbable places. Stay in design-forward lodges that mirror the land and experience the surreal quiet of Namibia’s desert heart.

Arctic Expeditions – Svalbard and The Far North

Best time: June–August

Sail beyond the Arctic Circle searching for polar bears, glaciers, and the midnight sun. This is a memorable journey into the raw and rugged north that few travelers ever make.

Borneo – Rainforest and River Life

Best time: March–October

Track wild orangutans through steamy, vine-draped jungle, cruise down tea-colored rivers past hornbills and monitor lizards, and fall into the rhythm of a rainforest that still feels primeval. Then unwind with a few barefoot-luxury days on the beach.

Madagascar – Where Evolution Went Rogue

Best time: May–October

Unique, untamed, otherworldly, Lemurs leap, baobabs tower, and chameleons vanish into the trees. An off-the-map, logistically challenging adventure that's doable with the right people and richly rewards the curious traveler. One of the world's best island resorts awaits at the end.

Southeast Asia – Jungles, Highlands and Island Sanctuaries

Best time: November–April

Southeast Asia is a sensory feast from northern Thailand's misty hills to Vietnam's karst peaks and Indonesia's jungle-fringed beaches. Trek with hill tribes in Laos, kayak the mangroves of Cambodia, or snorkel pristine reefs in Raja Ampat. Nature here is lush and spiritual.

New Zealand – Cinematic Wilderness

Best time: November–April

Fjords, volcanoes, beaches, vineyards — New Zealand delivers natural drama in every direction. Easily travel by road or helicopter from one gorgeous corner to the next, and stay in stunning remote lodges, magnificent boutique wine estates, and soulful beach villas.

Southwest Desert Bloom – U.S. Wildflowers in Technicolor

Best time: March–May

In spring, the desert surprises. Arizona and Utah's landscapes burst into bloom with a golden light that's magic to both the eye and the camera lens. The American Southwest offers simple, sun-baked beauty, perfect for a scenic road trip or wellness retreat.

Fall in Patagonia – Southern Hemisphere’s Secret Season

Best time: March–May

Autumn in Patagonia brings golden trees, quieter trails, and moody skies. It’s a season of stillness, perfect for hiking, mid-day horseback rides, sipping Malbec by the fire, and staying present.

Japanese Alps – Alpine Tranquility and Timeless Villages

Best time: April–June or September–November

Hike through cedar forests, past rushing streams and hillside shrines, then ease into a steamy onsen as the mist rolls in. Evenings unfold in traditional ryokans, where tatami mats, kaiseki dinners, and mountain stillness set the tone for a gentler kind of wild.

French Polynesia – Coral Kingdoms and Volcanic Peaks

Best time: May–October

Swim with manta rays in the turquoise lagoons of Bora Bora, hike the lush valleys of Moorea, or snorkel coral gardens off Taha’a. French Polynesia is more than just a pretty postcard. It's a living, breathing paradise of reef, rainforest, and rhythm.