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 Find the Perfect Wildlife Expedition
At NWF Expeditions, our goal is to find extraordinary ways to connect you with nature, and travel is an outstanding way to do that. We can't create the trips ourselves, but we can provide a service that is just as valuable.
Every year, we vet hundreds of tour companies, and review thousands of programs and itineraries, to find the best tour operators, the best destinations and the best values.
How useful is this service? Consider this: If you type "wildlife tours" into an Internet search engine, you'll find more than 650,000 entries. The choices can be overwhelming, so we've taken the guesswork out of the process. As a benefit to our members, NWF has selected what we consider to be the top wildlife-viewing trips for 2010.
After we've selected the best trips, we ask our travel partners to designate specific dates just for NWF members. We attract great people to these tours. NWF members are curious and adventurous, and treasure the natural world. If this sounds like you, then you would find yourself in terrific company on one of our Expeditions. But that's not all.
 We know that giving travelers unique opportunities to experience wildlife first-hand also generates greenhouse gas emissions. So we've partnered with Native Energy Travel Offsets to create a carbon offset for each Expedition traveler, ensuring that our members can enjoy our trips without contributing further to global warming. What's more, NWF pays for these offsets without increasing the price of the trips.
NWF is committed to ensuring that all 2010 Expeditions are carbon-neutral. By offsetting the impact we make through travel-related activities, NWF is hoping to set an example for others in the battle against global warming.
Expeditions Schedule:
You might notice that some of the following trips are sold out. Don't worry! Just contact us and tell us you are interested. If we get enough people on our waitlist, we might be able to arrange another trip. If you are having trouble seeing itineraries, you can also request brochures and information to be sent through the mail.
January 31, 2010 - February 5, 2010
Kingdom of the Monarchs (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $2,895 per person
Why we picked it: Every year, nearly 300 million monarch butterflies set off on a remarkable 2,500-mile journey from Canada and the United States to their ancestral wintering grounds in Mexico. The location of their breeding grounds was once a mystery, but now small groups, accompanied by Mexico's premier naturalist guides, can experience this stirring phenomenon.
February 24, 2010 - March 1, 2010
Greater Yellowstone Predators: A Research Expedition (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,955 per person
Why we picked it: Don't just look for wolves and other Yellowstone predators - help protect them for the next generation. For a third year in a row we join researchers Steve Gehman and Betsy Robinson in recording wildlife sightings while contributing to the science of land and predator management.
March 18, 2010 - March 21, 2010
Sandhill Cranes of the Platte River (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,595 per person
Why we picked it: The spectacle of 500,000 anything is pretty awe-inspiring...but the sight of 500,000 majestic Sandhill cranes migrating into Nebraska's Platte River valley is something you'll cherish for the rest of your life. It is truly one of Nature's most impressive shows!
March 24, 2010 - March 30, 2010
Big Bend: The Unexpected Texas: SOLD OUT (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,995 per person
Why we picked it: Big Bend is a wild world of deserts, mountains and canyons that supports a remarkable diversity of life. A thousand plant species, some found nowhere else on Earth, 75 species of mammals, and more than 400 species of birds call this home. Your days are devoted to exploring this otherworldly place.
May 1, 2010 - May 7, 2010
Wildlife and Wildflowers of the Great Smoky Mountains (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,995 per person
Why we picked it: One of the world's greatest Biosphere Preserves is right here in the United States. Get the insider's view of this home to black bears, wild boar, and elk, not to mention countless wildflowers, birds, and historic sites. Enjoy an unparalleled week in the company of experts, including one of the nation's top bear ecologists.
May 23, 2010 - May 28, 2010
Cape Cod Wildlife and Walking (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,655 per person
Why we picked it: Cape Cod conjures up visions of perfect New England villages and pristine beaches. This trip combines leisurely 5-10 mile walks through diverse settings and habitats with the thrill of whale-watching and the extraordinary spring bird migration-all before the summer crowds arrive.
May 23, 2010 - May 28, 2010
Rockies Wildlife Spring-tacular (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,995 per person
Why we picked it: Two superlative wildlife opportunities are crafted into one amazing adventure. Begin in Yellowstone at the height of bison and elk calving season, scanning for all manner of wildlife including wolves and bears. Then head into the Madison Valley where private ranchers open their gates just for our group to wildlife watch.
June 5, 2010 - June 12, 2010
Wild Alaska (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $3,895 per person
Why we picked it: This great price doesn't sacrifice comfort or wildlife-viewing opportunities. Included in the program are stays in both Denali National Park and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It also features the marine creatures and tidewater glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park-a wonderfully diverse eight-day program. The tour company for this Expedition was recently awarded the Adventure Green Alaska gold-level certification for meeting the highest standards of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
July 19, 2010 - July 26, 2010
Classic Discovery Voyage to Prince William Sound (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $4,150 per person
Why we picked it: Discover Prince William Sound aboard a five cabin, 10-guest vessel of amazing exclusivity and opportunity. Guides reveal wildflower meadows, rainforest trails, calving glaciers, and of course, innumerable wildlife encounters. Enjoy their intimate knowledge, elegant service, and unmatched passion for Alaska's wonders. The tour company for this Expedition was recently awarded the Adventure Green Alaska gold-level certification for meeting the highest standards of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
July 26, 2010 - July 30, 2010
Whale Sharks, Crocodiles and Sea Turtles (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,750 per person
Why we picked it: With beautiful beaches and Maya culture, the Yucatan Peninsula is also the perfect destination for tropical wildlife. Journey to the world's densest concentration of whale sharks, while at night we hope to observe baby turtles emerging from nesting sites. As for the crocs-join biologists and participate in a population study!
November 7, 2010 - November 19, 2010
Classic Adventure to Costa Rica (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $2,950 per person
Why we picked it: Both the dates and price are correct-this is a nearly two-week trip for the price of most programs half as long. Take in famous national parks and exclusive reserves, join in a service project to give back to the local community, and learn from expert guides throughout...all while discovering some of the planet's most diverse wildlife populations.
November 9, 2010 - November 16, 2010
The Great Polar Bears of Churchill (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $5,295 per person
Why we picked it: If you can't join us in 2009, here's another opportunity in 2010: The same great program with amazing polar bear discovery at its core.
December 15, 2010 - December 19, 2010
Baja Escape: Exploring the Sea of Cortez (Help with PDF files)
Rate: $1,791 per person
Why we picked it: This great getaway trip before the holidays is the ultimate refresher for the mind, body, and soul. Surrounded by the pristine islands and inlets of the Sea of Cortez, our 62-passenger expedition vessel carries us into a world teeming with wildlife, including whales, dolphins, reef fish and sea lions
"You Can Go Your Own Way"
 We know group tours aren't for everyone. But we still want everyone to get out and connect with nature--and travel is a great way to do that.
NWF partners with some of the best tour companies in the U.S. to develop and execute our Expeditions. These companies share our philosophies about wildlife and wild places. They work to educate travelers about the natural world, and to ensure their programs have minimal impacts on the environment. That's why we can whole-heartedly recommend these companies, to help you plan your own individual tours and itineraries.
If you'd rather plan a trip for yourself, your family, or a group of friends, and Expeditions just isn't the right fit for you, these companies can help you from beginning to end. View more information.
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