Shore Excursions · SAFARI & WILDLIFE SHORE EXCURSIONS
Whales off Alaska, game drives out of African berths, turtles in the shallows of the Caribbean. These 15 are compared on what you are likely to see, how far the drive is and what the operator does when nothing turns up.
Review of Hilo’s six-hour volcano safari with lava caves, black sand beaches, lava fields, local guides, port pickup, and practical tips.
“The guide was informative and knowledgeable and was accommodating to the whole group by adding extra stops that we were all interested in. Highly recommend!”
Review of Noumea’s Signal Island turtle tour, with boat ride details, snorkeling tips, costs, timing, safety, and who should book.
“Great tour. Swam with lots of turtles and fish. Well priced and organized too. The boat was comfortable and quite fast too”
Review of Schotia Game Reserve safari from Port Elizabeth, with port pickup, Big Five viewing, open vehicles, guide tips, costs, and practical advice.
“Marilyn was a wonderful guide, the drive to the reserve was only an hour or so (there was an accident that delayed us a bit but that’s travel!) We saw lots of animals, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, rhino and hippos many varieties of antelope and we had a glimpse of a lion! Like all nature tours you never can guarantee seeing anything but we saw so much thanks to our lively guide. We were given snacks and drinks, made to feel welcome, a very nice way to spend a day. I would highly recommend this trip.”
Review of Akureyri whale watching: humpbacks, minke whales, seabirds, warm suits, fjord views, pricing, timing, and practical tips.
“Our tour was amazing!! They have coveralls you can wear if it’s too cold. We saw 2 different types of whales and some porpoises. The boat was huge. I’m not sure if we just got lucky, but there were only about 15 people total on this huge boat for our tour, so it was extra special. Our guide (massimiliano) was amazing. They took amazing photos of the whales throughout the tour and sent them to us at the end. Could not recommend this tour more. Was definitely one of our favorite excursions during our trip.”
Review of Addo Elephant Park from Port Elizabeth, with small-group safari, braai lunch, cruise timing, price, wildlife, and practical tips.
Float Dominica’s Layou River through rainforest scenery, mild rapids, and swimming stops, with guides, refreshments, and port transfers for $75.
“Your organize. Helpful God. My kids enjoyed playing soccer with them after tubing was complete. They also offered to help with any of our needs for the rest of the day.”
Review of Sitka’s small-group whale watching tour, with local Captain Rick, sea otters, whales, heated cabin, snacks, and port return.
“It truly was “The Best” whale watching experience ever!! Rick is a very friendly, personable guide, who took the time to interact with each of us. He had some wonderful stories to tell us about the area and his experience fishing here as well. He knew the best locations to see sea otters playing around, with some even coming close to his boat. When we went to see the whales, he turned off the engine and let us drift a bit. The whales did their thing, undisturbed. Unbelievable…..We had a fantastic experience! Thank you Rick for a great morning.”
Review of Sitka’s two-hour private whale-watching tour, with practical advice on wildlife, boat comfort, weather, price, guides, and booking.
“Tad is an amazing Captain. He went out of his way to make sure we had an experience beyond our wildest dreams. We saw whales with their calves, sea lions, eagles, otters, and a mama brown bear with her 2 cubs. All along, Tad informed us about the local culture, history, and the importance of the local ecosystem. Very approachable, Tad made this a wonderful experience beyond our expectations. We recommend Tad highly and without hesitation.”
Review of Kona’s 3-hour dolphin and reef snorkel shore excursion, with Captain Cook, sea caves, lunch, pricing, tips, and honest drawbacks.
“A great experience of snorkeling, whale and dolphin watching. Great job of showing us more than just going to a snorkeling site and taking us back. Excellent explanations of what we were seeing and the significance of lava tubes and caves in Hawaiian culture and history. Sign up for the experience rather than with the cruise line to save money.”
Review of Addo Elephant Park’s 8-hour Port Elizabeth safari, with wildlife, lunch, transport, timing, value, and practical booking advice.
“Overall, a very nice excursion. We saw many elephants, zebras, warthogs, and even a buffalo. During the lunch break, we enjoyed a shared meal with freshly grilled food, which was great. However, our guide didn’t provide much explanation, and we drove through the park in a closed van, which slightly diminished the safari experience. Still, a worthwhile trip for wildlife enthusiasts.”
Review of Barbados’ Carlisle Bay turtle and shipwreck cruise, including snorkeling, timing, transport, family value, and practical tips.
“Great experience, the two snorkeling sites were full of fish and the guides were fantastic. My kids also enjoyed the water slide.”
Review of Yala safari from Hambantota Port, with wildlife sightings, jeep comfort, guide quality, costs, timing, and practical cruise tips.
“Koshana was a great Hilux driver and guide. He kept us safe and shared plenty of useful information about Yala National Park and its wildlife. He was very friendly and professional. Thank you, Koshana!”
Yala safari from Hambantota Port with a private 4WD jeep, wildlife sightings, park fees, and practical advice for cruise passengers.
“The animals are more active in the early or later part of the day. The jeeps are required to stay on the path and when there is an sighting the road path gets very crowded and some jeeps do not move until the sighting is over.”
Review of Reykjavik’s whale-watching cruise in Faxaflói Bay, with practical advice on wildlife, boats, weather, pickup, value, and sea conditions.
“The cruise itself was fine. A nice boat. Plenty of space to move around. On the down side, the boat was not really handicapped accessible. Many people were getting seasick along the way. And, oh yeah, there were no whales. We got an offer to go on another whale-watching cruise in the futurebut will we ever return to Iceland to take them up on the offer?”
Review of Addo Elephant Park from Port Elizabeth, with wildlife highlights, vehicle comfort, cruise timing, price value, and practical advice.
“Very informative and enjoyable! Saw so many elephants! Also saw plenty of Wart hogs and Zebra. Driver had loud talk radio on in the van while driving us( in another language) - very annoying! He didn’t have much to say to or from the park, and when you’re in a new city, it would be nice to get this info.”
Pick a berth, a ruin or a boat.
