Go Untamed on a Wildlife Adventures Holiday

Have you ever considered going on a wildlife adventures holiday? Well, now might be just the time to start.

Wildlife holidays have had a surge in bookings and are expected to continue growing in popularity in 2026. Micro-expeditions have drawn people in with “properly wild trips”, with a 119% increase in visitors last year. While active wildlife trips have had a 25% increase in bookings – for activities like bison tracking and wolf tracking. Will you be the next to book a wildlife excursion?

Here at PJ Hayman, we have many staff members who have undertaken various exciting wildlife adventure holidays. Just look at some of the amazing experiences our team have had…

Turtle Trips

Our I.T Manager Daniel was lucky enough to be part of a group in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, that helped to release turtle hatchlings. The trip was organised by a charity team who taught Daniel all about the turtles, after which he was allowed to release a hatchling into the water. Sea turtles are now classed as an endangered species by the WWF, making this a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

When Daniel went to Barbados in December, he went on a catamaran day cruise to Carlisle Bay to see turtles in the wild. He also got to see some whales, where he took this amazing photograph. Whale watching is an incredibly popular wildlife excursion, with over 13 million people choosing to take a whale-watching trip every year.

During Daniel’s boat trip, the organisers offered two different snorkelling opportunities; one was with the turtles, and the other above a shipwreck, which provided a unique and up-close experience of the sunken vessel. However, one tip from Daniel is that if you want to see turtles without having to pay for an excursion, there are places where you can walk to the beach at high tide and see – and swim alongside – lots of these wonderful marine creatures.

Feeding Wild Deer

While you may want to see wildlife on overseas excursions, there are also many UK adventures to choose from. Our IT advisor James visited Cannock Chase last year, where he stayed in a lodge surrounded by wild deer. The deer are used to guests, and James was able to purchase special food so that they could come right up and eat out of his hands!

This type of holiday is quiet and peaceful – the deer graze just outside of the lodge and approach when food is offered. This would appeal to people who enjoy a tranquil location and the prospect of being so close to nature. Deer are relatively shy animals and will normally scatter when people are nearby, so this was a unique experience for James.

He was also lucky enough to spot a stag; however, he wasn’t quite able to get this powerful, antlered animal to eat out of his hand.

Scuba Explorations

Our marketing specialist Bethany travelled to Tenerife back in 2018. While she was there, she went scuba diving for the first time. During this experience, she saw many of the local exotic fish exploring the coral below. It was one of her favourite wildlife experiences to date!

Bethany went diving at a scuba-diving centre in the hotel she was staying at. As a first-time diver, she was shown how to use the oxygen tank in the hotel pool and practised breathing techniques. Once her instructors were satisfied she was able to do this confidently, she dived in the sea near Las Caletillas, Tenerife. The whole experience lasted for around an hour, and it’s something that she would do again in a heartbeat.

As well as offering amazing wildlife experiences, Tenerife is also known for its unusual black sand beaches, the most notable being Garden Beach (known in Spanish as Playa Jardin Beach). These beaches are incredibly popular with tourists, and if you do decide to take a trip here, you certainly will not be short of things to do.

Orangutan Encounters

Back in the summer of 2022, our broker support team member, Cheryl, travelled to an orangutan sanctuary in Borneo. Orangutans are Cheryl’s favourite animal, and whilst she was there, she was able to get up close and personal with the many different primate species that live around the sanctuary.

Cheryl got to watch the animals as they were fed, and she was very lucky, as it can be a rare occurrence to see an orangutan or any kind of great ape in the wild. However, Cheryl did encounter these endangered creatures – and even monkeys too! Cheryl went to Borneo in the summer, which is considered the best time to try and see orangutans, with the optimum time being between May to September.

Sadly, the orangutan population is rapidly decreasing. There are now thought to be only around 45,000 in existence, compared to 2006 when there were 66,000 in the world. These types of holidays draw attention to their endangered status and can help to fund conservation efforts through experiences or donations.

Thailand Sanctuaries

Another of our team members, customer sales advisor Rayleigh, has had her fair share of exotic experiences. She has travelled to Thailand several times, and on these trips, she has visited various elephant, monkey and tiger sanctuaries.

These sanctuaries are designed to help with the conservation efforts of these otherwise endangered animals. Elephants in particular, are now considered to be critically endangered by the WWF. These sanctuaries are doing their bit to help rehabilitate and care for elephants that may previously have been put to work in the logging and tourism industry.

During her visit to the elephant sanctuary in Chaing Mai, Rayleigh was allowed to get up close to these magnificent animals. There are still many ethical sanctuaries you can go to today that promote excellent care facilities, where you can help feed and wash the elephants.

When Rayleigh travelled to Phuket, she encountered wild monkeys who were really interested in what she was doing! They would come and sit on a nearby railing, so she got to be in very close proximity to them. However, you should bear in mind that monkeys in Phuket are known for their cheeky behaviour, so make sure you keep an eye on your belongings. Despite their antics, it’s still an amazing experience getting to see such friendly animals up close.

Future Wildlife Adventures

Whilst many of our team have embarked on amazing wildlife holidays, there are always more trips to aspire to. For example, Diane, our Customer Service Supervisor, has her eye on an exciting wildlife adventure holiday. She plans to go to Canada to spot orcas – also known as killer whales. There are more than 30 whale species living off the shore of Canada, so it is an ideal location to spot them. Orcas are usually sighted around Vancouver Island, where they live year-round. Other whale species also migrate there between May and October. Diane aims to take a boat tour to Vancouver Island to view these aquatic mammals in their natural habitat.

Specialist Travel Insurance for Wildlife Adventure Holidays

Here at P J Hayman, our friendly team of specialists are here to help you get cover for a whole host of different types of holidays. Whether you’d prefer to lay on the beach or indulge in whale watching, we’ve got you covered. Our Adventures policy can provide cover for hundreds of different activities, so you don’t have to worry. Some wildlife trips can cost more than your insurance can cover, but don’t stress – we have a top up policy that can help. Our Top Up My Cover can top up any existing travel insurance’s cancellation cover so you can travel, with confidence.

Just give us a call or go online to find out more about insurance for the exciting trips you could be going on!