World Wildlife Fund WWF Travel Blog

Sandra Elvin always thought she would grow up to be a veterinarian. Sandra acquired her love for nature from her father, who after spending one day in Canada’s open spaces, decided to move his family there.

In celebration of 40 years of conservation work to secure a future for polar bears, WWF is giving away a Classic Polar bear Adventure trip for two in Churchill, Canada, courtesy of Natural Habitat Adventures.

The peaceful waters surrounding the quiet Indonesian islands of the Raja Ampat Archipelago are a magnet for diverse and abundant marine life. This region contains more than 1,000 fish species and 100s of types of coral. The Coral Triangle itself is a marine wildlife hotspot teeming with almost 600 species of reef-building corals and housing six of the seven marine turtle species found in the world. For first-time travelers to the islands, it’s an incomparable sanctuary.

Finally! The jarring rattling stopped. The infinite, bouncing commute across rocky elephant trails came to a halt. No more thorny branches threatening to scar my face with a snappy whip through the windows of our trucks. No more desert dust in my teeth. Finally.

We had arrived at the Ongava Game Reserve near Etosha National Park in northern Namibia after a long desert drive. The amiable lodge staff greeted us in the driveway with fresh juice and with cool washcloths we could use to swab our dusty faces.

But wait!

This fall, take advantage of a rare chance to travel with WWF’s chief scientist to observe polar bears in the wild.

Endangered species expert Jon Hoekstra will join the October 27 departure of our Classic Polar Bear Adventure in Churchill, Manitoba. Learn first-hand about the threats facing polar bears and their Arctic habitat from Hoekstra, who heads WWF’s Conservation Science Program, and watch polar bears from the safety of the unique designed polar rover.

WWF addresses issues such as climate change, oil and gas development and human-polar bear conflict. Churchill has the world’s largest concentration of polar bears and our tour partner has one of two exclusive permits to the best bear viewing area.

We have space for just 15 travelers on this tour. Call 888-WWF-TOUR (993-8687) to sign up today.

April 22 marks an important day--when the public, corporations and government demonstrate their commitment to nature and future generations. As travelers who value the places you visit, you have opportunities to experience well-managed, pristine environments, and those in need of more TLC.

The opportunities to engage on a cultural level with local communities may seem less prominent as wildlife is often the focal point of the WWF trips. But it's often the local communities and guides who can spot the rare bird hidden in the thick of the forest canopy. It's the community that is bound tight to the history of their landscape; they know the stories that illustrate how nature has shaped their culture or perhaps how culture has shaped nature. It is almost impossible to understand and appreciate wildlife without also understanding the people and cultures that live under the same expansive sky.

Our photo slideshow highlights eight WWF trips that engage with the keepers of this intimate knowledge.

WWF Vice President and lead scientist Eric Dinerstein has spent decades traveling the world studying and protecting animals. During that time, he started searching for his “quest species,” animals that “haunt your existence,” he describes in his new book, The Kingdom of Rarities (Island Press Books).

Other WWF staff members have their quest species, too. We recently checked in with some of our colleagues to find out which species they most desire to see in the wild.

Biologist and nature expedition guide Astrid Frisch possesses a knowledge of Mexico’s ecosystems and biodiversity that’s as large as her passion for conservation itself. So when we chatted recently with the Mexico native about the best wildlife experiences in her home country, she was quick to rattle off a well-founded list.

Polar bears and local people are sometimes uneasy neighbors in the Russian Far East. The bears frequent coastal areas near several indigenous villages—the same places where walruses come to rest and care for their young. In Churchill, Canada, polar bears are also known come into town and raid garbage cans for food as warmer temperatures and shrinking sea ice reduce their ability to hunt.

It’s this proximity that can lead to conflict.