Ethical Wildlife Travel On a Budget
If seeing wildlife while traveling is a major priority for you, it may feel like wildlife adventure travel is draining your bank account. Although visiting specific rescues and sanctuaries is low cost (if not free), it can be expensive to get to the country with these animals to view! If you’re looking to see wildlife while traveling on a budget, here are some tips.
Start with your local wildlife
Seeing exotic species is exciting, but have you familiarized yourself with all that your region has to offer? A great getaway could be a road trip into a local national park, a camping weekend, or hiking. All of these activities will bring you closer to wildlife while staying within budget!
It can be all too easy to write off our local wildlife as not being “exciting enough”; to mend this, take that label off of those species and allow yourself to get excited about viewing them in their natural habitat.
For a price reference, I spent four days driving to and spending time in Glacier National Park and spent about $300, including hotels, food, and park fees.
Travel During “Off-Season”
Choose the time of year you’re traveling wisely if you’re looking to travel internationally. During the summer months, plane tickets are more expensive, and there’s a higher demand for hotels and wildlife excursions; therefore, prices are up!
If you have options for when you can take a trip, you’re more likely to find a great deal on both plane tickets AND excursion pricing. But remember, if you’re traveling to a country specifically for one tour or safari, double-check the months of the year that kind of activity is running. Certain animals are only active during certain seasons, so you need to know exactly when your ideal travel time is to make this tip work for you.
Be Flexible With Location
Being too attached to one particular location or country may cause you to miss out on deals! If you’re eager to do a safari in Kenya, but the plane ticket prices to South Africa are half the price, why not do your safari in South Africa? Maybe by the next time you’re booking a trip, the Kenya tickets will be lower.
You can save a lot of money by traveling smarter and being open to new locations. I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is to make a top-five list every year. When you’re ready to book a trip, make an itinerary for your top five locations and compare pricing.
For example, my 2022 list is:
Sri Lanka
South Africa
Kenya
Borneo
Costa Rica
By taking note of these locations on my phone and tracking pricing based on the wildlife activities I want to do, I can make my final decision based solely on my budget! This is a great way to prioritize budget traveling without feeling like you’re “settling.”
Visit Donation-Based Rescues/Sanctuaries
Research some donation-based facilities if you can’t afford to visit a sanctuary or rescue that charges a fee. Many venues do charge visitors to make more income to feed their animals and pay their staff. These are always worth visiting if you’re able to afford them; however, you’re not out of options if you can’t!
Many ethical facilities allow visitors to come in throughout the day and ask for a donation in return if possible. These visits are free and will enable you to learn about the rescued wildlife. Once you finish your stay, you can donate any amount if you’d like to support their work. This is a way to pay what you can afford and still know you’re contributing to conservation efforts.
While you’re researching your trip, search for some facilities like this and if you’re not sure if they charge for a visit, send them a message. Most facilities are good about getting back to visitors promptly so you can continue planning your wildlife adventure.
Don’t Settle Based on Price
Don’t settle on visiting a captive facility that uses unethical practices just because you can afford it. There are always ethical ways to see the local wildlife and support genuine organizations wherever your travels may take you. If you can’t find an affordable and ethical facility for your next trip, send me a message or comment below, and I’ll help you find the perfect fit!
Supporting ethical wildlife tourism is the best way to change the exploitative and cruel practices occurring around the world. By being a responsible traveler, you’re making a massive difference in the lives of animals around the world!