It’s said that as humans our connection to animals dates back hundreds of thousands of years. For the wildlife obsessed, only a honeymoon rife with beast-abundant moments will do. Whether it’s spying tigers in India’s colorful state of Rajasthan, helping to safeguard baby turtles as they flee from their beachside nests to the sea, hiking the mountains of Uganda to spend time with a family of gorillas or feeding rescued elephants in Thailand, this collection of critter-starring honeymoon adventures seals the deal.
Tiger Spotting
Forget the Taj Mahal. The highlight of your tour of India with peerless Micato Safaris will be a few days jeeping through Ranthambore National Park, a temple-laden nature reserve in the colorful state of Rajasthan, near Jaipur. You’ll base at Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort, a five-star hotel, complete with glamping tents, on the park’s verges. You’ll head out twice daily with your expert Micato guide, jeeping across rugged terrain to catch unforgettable glimpses of elusive (and endangered) Bengal tigers in their quixotic habitat. Micato Safaris, micato.com
Turtle Defending
Thanks to predators, only about one in a thousand baby sea turtles survive the miraculous sprint from their mother’s beach-built nests to the ocean. But, human helpers, under the guidance of naturalists, can increase their odds. While honeymooning at swanky Four Seasons Los Cabos Costa Palmas, home to a buzzy marina packed with super yachts, couples can save a life or two — in between lounging at one of six pools or dancing at Chiki, a first-rate night club. As part of the resort’s prodigious turtle protection program, you’ll help safeguard the babies as they waddle to the waves. Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, fourseasons.com/loscabos/
Elephant Whispering
Sleep in a see-through Jungle Bubble amid an elephant sanctuary at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, a rescued pachyderm haven in Northern Thailand’s leafy jungle. A five-star dreamscape of Asian architecture that offers cultural adventures, the hotel provides guests with the opportunity to learn about elephant conservation and to participate in their care. Alternatively, for the ultimate upscale “camping” and stargazing experience, book the new, two-bedroom Mekong Explorer Tent, perched on a hill with gobsmacking vistas of the leafy region. Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, anantara.com/en/golden-triangle-chiang-rai
Rainforest Rambling
Share breakfast with scarlet macaws and white-faced capuchin monkeys in southwestern Costa Rica’s verdant rainforest. At romantic Hotel Three Sixty, a member of Small Luxury Hotels, only 12 villas compose a boutique hideaway amid the foliage. Birdwatchers and nature buffs alike can gaze through the hotel’s top-of-the-line binoculars (Swarovski Optiks) to capture an exotic world in motion. From morpho butterflies to toucans to anteaters, the array of animals that occupy the region boggle the mind. Book the All-Inclusive Couple’s Package, which promises a cornucopia of honeymoon amenities for one price. Hotel Three Sixty, hotelthreesixty.com
Gorilla Gallivanting
Be like Dian Fossey and walk among the gentle giants — and meet some captivating chimpanzees too on Volcanoes Safari’s 10 Night Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari. On this trip, which combines the world’s best gorilla trekking with a newly opened chimpanzee hiking lodge, lovebirds will partake of the ultimate African odyssey, experiencing the best of Uganda natural expanses. Tread through the Great Rift Valley’s variety of landscapes, enjoying savannah, rainforest and mountains for the ape experience of a lifetime. Volcanoes Safari’s Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari, volcanoessafaris.com/safari/10-night-primates-of-the-great-rift-valley-safari/
Llama Trekking
Did you know llamas hum when they’re happy? Sing along with your long-necked hiking companion when you slog across Colorado’s Vail Valley’s high altitude hiking trails with an affable llama in tow. With Paragon Guides, you can “Take a Llama to Lunch” or do a longer backcountry hike with expert guides. The more intrepid can devote five days, footing it with llama friends from Vail to Aspen. You’ll stay in characteristic mountain huts along the way. Paragon Guides, paragonguides.com
