14 Amazing Wildlife Hotels For Your Next Adventure

23.02.2024 - 15:01 / forbes.com / Bill Bensley

Not long ago, visiting exotic animals in their habitats was the stuff of intrepid explorers who ventured weeks into remote wilds. Today, sleek new nature lodges bring adventurous luxury to fragile but closely cared-for ecosystems.

As more travelers seek out luxurious adventures, Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Star Awards showed that hotels are catering to that need with memorable animal encounters. We found hotels from Tanzania to Texas with experiences featuring elephants, eagles and everything in between.

Giraffe Manor , Nairobi

At this 12-room, ivy-covered manor surrounded by forest, the namesake animals join you for breakfast. As you nosh on blueberry pancakes, the resident Rothschild’s giraffes crane their long necks through the large open windows, signaling they want you to feed them grass pellets.

You’ll feed them again during afternoon tea in the garden while you enjoy scones, sandwiches and sweets. To learn more about the threatened species and the hotel’s conservation efforts, visit the adjacent Giraffe Centre.

Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle , Chiang Rai, Thailand

Venture to the Golden Triangle, where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge, to spend time with these treasured rescued elephants. At the all-inclusive Four Seasons, witness the majestic mammals splash around during their morning bath or sign up for a more intimate experience that will teach you about the gentle pachyderms and let you interact with them.

Then retreat to one of the 15 luxurious Bill Bensley-designed tents surrounded by jungle with wood floors, thatched roofs and air conditioning.

Drake Bay Getaway Resort , Costa Rica

When you visit the eco-friendly cabins in the rainforest, you’ll encounter sloths and other creatures. The boutique hotel sits on the edge of the Corcovado National Park and offers guided tours of the biodiverse-rich wilderness.

Board a boat that follows the coastline to the park, home to about 140 species of mammals, 116 reptiles and 400 birds. Keep an eye out for Baird’s tapirs, scarlet macaws, white-lipped peccaries, great harpy eagles and jaguars.

The Ranch at Rock Creek , Philipsburg, Montana

Animal activities abound at this Five-Star ranch. Saddle up one of the more than 70 horses to explore 6,600 bucolic acres or attend a ranch rodeo. Shadow a rancher to help care for the property’s livestock. If you prefer to be on the water, try your hand at ice or fly fishing.

Or simply sit back and watch the wildlife — rabbits, prairie dogs, deer, elk, moose, big-horn sheep, wolves, coyotes, beavers, bears and mountain lions have all been spotted on the property.

One&Only Gorilla’s Nest , Rwanda

Stilted lodges perched among 60-foot eucalyptus trees serve as your base camp for gorilla trekking