10 incredible places to photograph wildlife

Bella Falk is an award-winning travel writer and photographer with a passion for wildlife and the natural world. Through years of documenting remote places and wild creatures, she’s honed a thoughtful, story-led approach to photography – one she shares in this guide.

For a wildlife photographer, there are few things more magical than being out in the field on a perfect morning and having an intimate encounter with a wild animal. That moment when you lock eyes with a lioness and she stares into your soul; the penguins line up perfectly for your shot; or you press the shutter just as the puffin lands with a beakful of fish.

Wildlife photography is thrilling and unpredictable, requiring a mix of patience, persistence and sheer luck. You can’t direct a chimpanzee to pose in the perfect backlit position or ask a humpback to breach on cue – but you can choose to be in the right place, with your camera ready, and hope the nature gods are on your side.

From savannas to coastlines and forests to tundras, I’ve been lucky to visit some of the world’s top wildlife photography destinations. Here are 10 of my favourites.

Mara conservancies, Maasai Mara, Kenya

For the overwhelming scale and diversity of its wildlife, and its over-saturated sunrises and friendly guides, the Maasai Mara is hard to beat. But in recent years its deserved popularity has made it a victim of its own success. 

That’s why, if you want to capture big cats and graceful giraffes without the traffic jams, you should instead head to one of the Mara conservancies bordering the national park. These lands, run in partnership with local Maasai villages, restrict visitor numbers and impose strict rules, allowing you to enjoy the majesty of Kenya’s wildlife while knowing your money supports conservation and communities.

South Georgia Island

Lost in the South Atlantic Ocean, South Georgia lies over 1,300 km from the nearest mainland and is only accessible by a two-day sea voyage from the Falkland Islands, making it one of the most remote wildlife photography destinations on Earth. 

Its isolation means there’s minimal human impact, so the landscapes remain pristine, and the animals – thousands-strong colonies of king penguins, feisty fur seals, elephant seals and albatrosses – are unafraid of people. Photographers can get close without disturbing behaviour, capturing intimate images in dramatic, glacier-strewn settings. It’s hard and expensive to reach, but for those who make the journey, South Georgia is so packed with photo opportunities it’s almost impossible to know where to point the camera.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is widely considered one of the world’s most incredible places to see wildlife. Listed by Unesco for its exceptional biodiversity, this seasonal floodplain is home to huge concentrations of animals, from iconic species like elephants, lions, leopards and hippos to rarer sightings such as African wild dogs.

The floodwaters create a patchwork of channels, islands and lagoons, offering photographers a unique mix of regular jeep safaris and water-based safaris by mokoro canoe or boat, enabling low-angle shots that put you at eye level with your subject. Try visiting during the rainy season, when tawny predators stand out against the green, and steely clouds add drama to your images.

Kibale Forest, Uganda

Few experiences rival the first time you lock eyes with a wild chimpanzee. It takes some effort to find them, following your guide through the tangled forest as he listens for their whooping calls, or tracking along overgrown pathways in pursuit of a fast-moving troop. 

But the effort is worth it for the chance to spend an hour with our closest cousins – we share 99 per cent of our DNA with chimpanzees – witnessing the intelligence and emotion in their eyes and the bonds they share. In the forest, deep shadows dappled with bright patches of sun can create exposure challenges, so you need to be nimble with your settings and prepared to use high ISO when needed. 

Antarctic Peninsula

Vast, silent and untouched, the icy wilderness of Antarctica offers a surprising abundance of life. One day you might stand on deck as a humpback whale breaches against a backdrop of blue icebergs, on another you’ll crouch on a rock as a gentoo penguin waddles by, unbothered by your presence. 

The scale is staggering: penguin colonies thousands strong, seals lounging on ice floes and petrels wheeling overhead. Photography can be challenging here: shooting from a bouncing zodiac boat with frozen fingers isn’t easy, but the discomfort is worth it. Bring extra batteries (they drain quickly in the cold) and good waterproofs for those chilly zodiac rides.

Churchill, Canadian Arctic

Churchill, in northern Manitoba, is the polar bear capital of the world and the best place in the world to photograph these magnificent predators. As autumn arrives and sea ice begins to form, the bears gather along the shore of Hudson Bay, waiting for the ice to freeze so they can go out to hunt seals. 

From the safety of specially designed “Tundra Buggies”, you can watch them roaming, sparring and sometimes even approaching to inspect you. But Churchill isn’t only about bears: in summer, there’s another, much less fierce visitor. Every year, beluga whales come here to breed, filling the bay in their thousands. Churchill is also a great location for spotting Arctic foxes, snowy owls, and, in winter, the northern lights.

Skomer Island, Wales

While this list has so far taken you to the ends of the Earth, you really don’t have to travel far for world-class wildlife. Off the coast of Pembrokeshire in the UK lies Skomer Island, one of the world’s largest nesting sites for Atlantic puffins. These comical little seabirds arrive in their thousands every year to nest and raise their chicks, and their quirky charm makes them irresistible subjects. 

You’ll find them waddling between burrows, clasping several silvery fish in their beaks or soaring out over the cliffs. Access is by boat and numbers are limited, so book early to avoid missing out. Bring a zoom lens – puffins are smaller than people expect – and make sure you stick to the paths. If you step off, you might crush a puffin burrow and its occupant.

Minneriya, Sri Lanka

During Sri Lanka’s dry season between July and October, hundreds of wild Asian elephants converge on Minneriya National Park, where a large reservoir known as “the Tank” provides a much-needed source of water. This annual event is called “The Gathering” – the largest assembly of wild elephants in Asia. 

Some guides here will try to get their clients super close, so make sure you insist on keeping a respectful distance, using a long lens to preserve their natural behaviour. Sri Lanka is also home to leopards, sloth bears, macaques and more than 400 species of birds.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a paradise for wildlife photography, and especially bird photography, thanks to its incredible biodiversity packed into a small area of steamy rainforest sandwiched between two coastlines. 

It’s home to colourful toucans, hummingbirds, sloths, monkeys, tree frogs and more, offering endless subjects for wildlife lovers. The best time to visit is during the dry season (December to April), as the seriously heavy rainy season can make outdoor activities challenging and animals harder to spot. Bring a fast lens and weather protection for your gear – humidity and sudden showers are common, even in dry months.

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Nowhere else on Earth offers wildlife encounters quite like the Galápagos. Because the animals evolved without natural predators, they show little fear of humans, so you can sit just feet away from sea lions nursing their pups, marine iguanas sunning themselves on volcanic rock or blue-footed boobies performing their bizarre, delightful mating dance. 

Giant tortoises roam the highlands, penguins zip through clear waters and Darwin’s famous finches flit between bushes. Because the wildlife is so relaxed, it’s all about observation – watching and waiting for the moment of activity that will make your images stand out from the rest.

Ethical photography and respect for wildlife

No image is worth distressing an animal or disrupting its world. Individually, we may feel that our impact is slight, but as travel and photography become more accessible, it’s vital to remember that our cumulative presence can have a devastating impact on habitats and species. 

Always keep your distance and use long lenses to capture behaviour naturally. Never bait or lure animals, fly drones in wildlife areas or disturb nests, dens or breeding sites. Stick to designated paths, follow rules and listen to local guides – they know the rhythms of the land far better than any visitor.

What to pack

While you don’t need professional gear to capture great wildlife photos, having a good DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual controls, and a telephoto lens of at least 300mm (but ideally more), definitely helps. Wear neutral-coloured clothing to blend into your surroundings, and bring weatherproof covers to protect your equipment in wet or dusty environments.

Settings-wise, a fast shutter speed of at least 1/1000 will allow you to freeze birds in flight or capture sudden activity. Wide apertures of f/4 or lower help isolate your subject and give you those much-loved soft, blurry backgrounds, while auto ISO can help you make sure your images are always correctly exposed in changing light. Most of all know your camera and practise before your trip, so that when you’re in that dream wildlife photography location, you’re ready.