We’re changing the way you do wildlife travel

As a world leader in international education, EF is relentlessly committed to respecting and promoting animal welfare as we help our customers experience the world.

With a growing demand for immersive, off-the-beaten-path travel experiences, the travel industry has seen a rise in animal-related practices and vendors that we’re not comfortable with. To combat that, EF is proud to work with the non-profit organization World Animal Protection to implement animal welfare guidelines throughout all of our travel programs worldwide - because truly experiencing a destination should not mean harming the animals that call it home.

So, animal lovers rejoice! We’re making a point to show you all the best the world has to offer, and that includes traveling to see the world’s most fascinating animals in a safe and humane way. Keep scrolling for a sampling of the ~wildest~ animal-friendly experiences you can have on our tours!

Elephant Sanctuary, Thailand

An elephant never forgets, and neither will you. Now that that cheesy line is out of the way, SERIOUSLY: Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai Province is basically an animal lover’s paradise. The park rescues and rehabilitates elephants, works to restore the surrounding rainforest, and educates visitors on the care and protection of endangered species. It’s basically the world’s coolest field trip, and it’s an unbeatable chance to watch elephants splash and play in a river.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

A game drive through Serengeti National Park is about as quintessentially “Africa” as wildlife experiences get. Aptly referred to as “endless plains” by the Maasai, Serengeti National Park serves as sanctuary to the highest concentration of plains animals in the world. So if you feel like hopping in a Jeep and seeing elephants, buffaloes, topi, wildebeest, gazelles, zebras, lions, leopards, cheetahs and over 400 species of birds in their natural habitats, we’ve got you covered.

Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador

Oh, you want more animals? Hard to imagine a better place for it than the Galapagos Islands, one of the world’s most elite and foremost destinations for wildlife sightseeing and observation. It’s home base for Darwin’s classic research, the birthplace of the theory of evolution, and home to some sweet, old AF tortoises. On our Ecuador and the Galapagos adventure, your group will take a 3-4 hour guided tour of Santa Cruz Island, where you’ll visit Rancho Manzanillo, which is a TURTLE RANCH. Did you know turtle ranches existed? We did. And we’re taking you there to meet the giant wild tortoises of the highlands lava tunnels. In case that didn’t sound cool enough, you finish the excursion off with some casual snorkeling among the native marine life.

Monteverde Night Hike, Costa Rica

Much like EDM fans, 80% of Costa Rica’s wildlife comes out at night. That’s why we arrange a guided night hike through the rainforest of Monteverde. Grab your flashlight and tag along with a local guide to see gray foxes, reptiles, and more. Just in time for spooky szn.

Honorable mention: My last big trip was to Ireland, where there are an estimated 3.58 million sheep dotting the countryside, and I have two words for you: BABY. LAMBS.