On The Wild Side

To see a breaching whale, a soaring bald eagle, bears catching salmon, or a bison up close are unforgettable, awe-inspiring experiences. But authentic and immersive wildlife experiences like this can be hard to come by. Here are three destinations with outstanding wildlife viewing guaranteed!

When you imagine Alaska, you conjure up vast wilderness, blue glaciers, towering jagged peaks and the renowned Alaskan Big Five: moose, Dall sheep, wolves, caribou, and of course enormous black, brown, and polar bears. There is thrilling marine life too, such as humpback and gray whales and pods of voracious orcas. Also puffins, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and more. Bring binoculars!

Most wildlife viewing opportunities on land are found north of Anchorage in Denali National Park. Spanning six million acres, the park is home to massive grizzly bears and the elusive gray wolf.

With more coastline than the entire lower 48 states, most visitors explore Alaska by cruise ship in the summer months, especially along the Inside Passage of the southeastern coast between Anchorage and Vancouver, Canada. This remote stretch is replete with wildlife and dotted with hundreds of islands that help block rough seas.

Plan Your Trip:

Windstar Cruises offers several Alaskan itineraries, ranging from seven to 14 days. Sail aboard the new Star Seeker and experience the yacht’s inaugural season in 2026. With just 224 guests on board, the 10-day Alaskan Splendors itinerary stays close to the shoreline, affording spectacular wildlife viewing. Onboard expedition experts give passengers insight and education about glaciers and wildlife and provide optional Zodiac and kayak tours directly from the ship.

The 13-day Alaska and Glacier Bay Cruise with Holiday Vacations combines an epic train ride and a captivating four-night cruise to get you up close to protected wildlife on land near Denali National Park and at sea in Glacier Bay National Park. With a visit to the Iditarod headquarters, panning for gold, and a scenic ride on the Alaska Highway – this tour has it all.

Home of the iconic Blue Lagoon, Iceland offers humpback whales, islands teeming with Atlantic puffins, breath-taking fjords, black sand beaches, lava fields, waterfalls, geysers, ice caverns, volcanoes, and charming “elf houses” called alfhol. Visitors can ride famed Icelandic horses, considered the purest breed of horse in the world. Bird watchers are enchanted by the private Skálanes nature reserve with over 45 species, including puffins, Arctic terns, and kittiwakes. Seals are often seen on the beaches, while whales and dolphins frolic offshore.

Plan Your Trip:

Ranging from seven to 21 days, Windstar‘s small-ship cruise itineraries in Iceland feature up-close-and-personal wildlife and scenic adventures. The seven-day Around Iceland itinerary features glaciers, steaming geothermal pools, waterfalls, ice caverns, and splendid opportunities to view this unique array of wildlife. It also includes a complimentary exclusive cultural performance by local entertainers at the famed Blue Church.

In 1872, Yellowstone was named the first national park in the world, and in 1978 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has two million acres of land, 67 species of mammals, 285 species of birds, and otherworldly hydrothermal features.

Bison, bears, elk, and wolves top the “hope to see” list for many visitors. The 5,000-plus free-ranging bison population is the largest on public land in the world. Most of the year, mature male bison live alone except during the rut from late July to August when bulls display their dominance by bellowing, wallowing, and fighting other bulls. In the much less crowded winter season, visitors may spot frost-covered bison warming themselves near hot springs and thermal features

During the summer, elk can be found in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley while the fall rut of bull elk is best experienced at Mammoth Hot Springs. If you are patient, you just might see wolves and bears in the Northern Range!

Plan Your Trip:

Catch the daily Wake Up to Wildlife morning tour or four-hour Evening Wildlife Encounters from May to October and departing from two historic Yellowstone National Park lodges.

For more travel experiences available from Xanterra Travel Collection® and its affiliated properties, visit xanterra.com/stories.