When you think wildlife watching, you typically think about USA’s National Parks, or African bush or Asian jungle. Rarely Europe comes to mind. The truth is, there is plenty of wildlife in Europe that is fascinating and only can be seen. So come with me on an epic journey through Europe’s wildlife and capture those moments forever.
Where to go on a trip to watch wildlife in Europe?
1. Wild Horses in The Netherlands – easy level to watch wildlife in Europe
When thinking Netherlands, you don’t necessarily have wild horses picture in your head. You probably think windmills, canal houses and cheese. Maybe some water birds. But guess what – The Netherlands have some amazing wildlife reserves. One of them being Oostvaardersplassen in Flevoland. It’s 56 square kilometers terrain of pure nature. Sure, there’s hundreds of birds here and they actually have plenty of bird watching booths all over the reserve. What they also have is Konik Paarden. Another words Konik Horses. Those are wild horses coming originally from Poland and Belarus. They are the closest living relative to another horse – tarpan (tarpans are extinct by now). The Dutch brought Konik Horses to Flevoland in 1981 and they live freely there. There are plenty of walking paths throughout their habitats so you can just walk freely, observe and take tons of pictures and videos. I live close to this place so going there is one of my favorite things to do. Once you know them and they know you, you can get some amazing pictures. You also feel like you participate in Konik’s family life. You see their characters, who is more social, who is more cockey, etc. You don’t need any specific protection but you should always keep your distance from the horses. In the end they are wild and can be dangerous. They are also quite used to people observing them so if you don’t make any noises, don’t smell funny or don’t make any sudden movements, they will just ignore you and pose for amazing videos or pictures – like the one I took recently when baby horses were born this spring. If you’re planning your trip to the Netherlands, make sure to visit Konik Horses. They are really fascinating animals. If on top of horses, you also like bird watching, you will not be disappointed as well. And if you’re visiting Netherlands for more than wildlife, check out my article about things to do in Amsterdam as well.
2. Lynx in Spain – medium level to watch wildlife in Europe
In the South of Spain, in the region of Andalusia, you can find small, but carefully rebuild population of Iberian Lynx. These fascinating animals almost extinct – in 2002 they only had 94 animals living in Andalusia. Despite still being an endangered species, now the population is above 1000 animals. WWF scientists have been taking care of those wild cats and thanks to multiple cameras in their habitats, the scientists can observe the day-to-day struggles and social interactions between the Iberian Lynx cats. These cats are superb hunters – they specialize in hunting rabbits. It’s estimated rabbits are 90% of their diet. These majestic and fascinating wild cats are difficult to spot, but if you’re lucky and you leave your camera at the right spot for long enough time, you should be able to see them. Even if you won’t, the areas of Andalusia where they live, is a fantastic hiking destination. Very remote though, so make sure you are well prepared, you’ve done your research and you’ve planned your trip in a way that is safe both for you and for the animals you’ll encounter.
3. Brown Bear in Romania – medium level to watch wildlife in Europe
Yes, you can see brown bears in the US but I think seeing them in the remote areas of Romania, has it’s own charm to it. Make sure you’ve planned your trip properly and ideally with the help of local because it’s a really remote area and the bears can be really dangerous. Safety first, my friends! Romania has one of the largest population of brown bear in Europe, so if you’re a bear person – Romania is the place to go! Transylvania, in the heart of Carpathia Mountains, to be precise. For example you can go to forest near Brasov for the ultimate bear watching experience. Best if you join an organized trip, together with specialized rangers to ensure your safety and also so that you can get the most of your trip. You need to know that bears can smell everything – they have very good sense of smell. That’s why you should never bring food with you! Otherwise you’re risking the attack. I really recommend going with organized group, again for safety reasons. The one I recommend is available here https://bearwatching.ro/ . They have designated bear watching booths, so it’s safer for you. Enjoy!
4. Puffins in Iceland – easy level to watch wildlife in Europe
Puffins are super cute birds, that have strong sense of community, nest in lifelong pair and take care of their baby puffins as a couple. They also have colored bills and walk in a clumsy, funny way. Those are probably main reasons many people have puffins watching on their bucket list. You can do it in Iceland. So if you’re ready for some cold weather, wind and rain – get your gear and head to Iceland! The puffins are really adorable! Also watching how the entire colony behaves is interesting due to their social interactions. Why Iceland? Well, Iceland is a home to about 60% of The Atlantic Puffin population. So if you come to Iceland, puffin watching is guaranteed – during the summer as this is when they come to land. So plan your visit between July and September. You basically have two options to see them – either go on an organized boat tour or rent a car and drive to the colony yourself. My preference is to go by myself as, as long as you stay aware and respectful of the nature, there aren’t many dangers. It’s really easy to get close to them. They seem to be somehow used to people, despite people being a threat for hundreds of years. Just be respectful to the birds – approach slow, don’t make noise, watch for the edges of the cliffs as you might fall down and really hurt yourself (edges are instable to due puffins activity), don’t feed them and don’t try to touch them. Remember that they are very social when on land, so if you disturb one puffin, the entire colony will notice and they might get scared and disturbed as well. So keep your distance and be respectful. Other than that, grab your gear and get those National Geographic worthy pictures!
5. Dolphins and Whales in The Azores – easy level to watch wildlife in Europe
Who doesn’t like Dolphins or Whales? Well, I cannot think of anyone, I love them. Dolphins are mammals, highly sociable, intelligent and they only sleep with half of their brain (half of the brain sleeps while the other half is active). There are plenty of places where you can see wild dolphins across the globe, with Azores being the place in Europe. You can also see Whales here. Best time to see whales is in sprint – in April and May since this is during their annual migration, they swim across the Azores. Dolphins are best seen in summer months. You can simply go to Sao Miguel island in the Azores and from there get on a whale or dolphins watching boat tour. There is no guarantee you’ll actually see the animals but during those spring and summer months you have very high chances of success. So get your camera, jump on a boat and make breathtaking pictures and videos with the animals as the main character!
6. Polar Bear in Svalbard – pro level to watch wildlife in Europe
Svalbard is an Island, close to the North Pole and fun fact – if you want to live on Svalbard permanently, you need to have your appendix removed – in case of emergency they don’t have sophisticated enough medical facility to help you and evacuation to Norway might be difficult at some times. You have to go with an organized expedition – polar bears as well as arctic climate are no joke and you need someone who know what they are doing to keep you safe. Also they are endangered species and are protected by law. Polar bears wander around the arctic for miles. They are also a great swimmers and can be really dangerous to people. People who live in Svalbard, always carry weapons with them in case they are attacked by a polar bear. Luckily those attacks are extremely rare – only a few of them recorded since the 70-ties. Best way to see them is to join a boat expedition. Over 8-10 days cruise you will have enough opportunity to spot polar bear or other wildlife like polar foxes. Obviously there is no guarantee that you will actually see the animals but you have high chances when going with experienced crew. Stay safe, listen to the ship crew and experience one in a lifetime polar bear viewing!
7. Moose in Sweden – medium level to watch wildlife in Europe
Moose looks so cute and somewhat clumsy. But don’t get confused – they can be quite dangerous! Moose is the king of the forest and Sweden has over 400 000 of them and despite hunting, the population is stable. You’d think that with 400 000 animals wandering around, seeing a moose is guaranteed, but no. You actually have to make some effort to see them. That’s why it makes sense to on an organize moose watching tour – there’s plenty of them available online so you can easily pick and choose the perfect one for you. For example trips to Bergsalen forest or Smaland have high chance of being successful. Again -grab your gear and make National Geographic worth pictures and videos! Another benefit of going on an organized tour is the community and the whole aura around it. If you want a guarantee encounter you can always go to designated moose park but in my honest opinion this somehow takes away some of the experience from you.
8. Bison in Poland – medium level to watch wildlife in Europe
Poland and Belarus are famous for Bisons, with Poland being the safer choice, off course, due to war and political situation. So if you want to see European bison, go to eastern part of Poland, to Bieszczady Mountains. BTW – the polish name of the animal is ZUBR and you can find a beer brand that is called the same and they are using Bisons in their marketing campaign that are hilarious! For the winter time they migrate to valleys and you can see them is San Valley or Kalniczka Valley. They are really majestic animals. Seeing Bisons in their natural habitat is truly once in a lifetime opportunity. They live freely but they are closely monitored and sometimes fed by the authorities, especially during winter months. You can perfectly organize this trip on your own however take safety into consideration. Respect the animals and they will respect you. Just be sure to know where you are and for example have GPS with you as it’s very easy to get lost in Bieszczady mountains. And since this is a very remote location, you have to assume to no one will find you if you’re trouble. So preparation, planning and safety first. You will be rewarded with amazing videos, pictures and once in a lifetime experience!
9. Otter in Scotland – easy level to watch wildlife in Europe
Otter are cute but they bite 😊 If you’re planning a trip to Scotland, be sure to put otters watching on your list! Otters live along the Scottish waterways but you have the highest chances of spotting them if you go the west coast, or even better, to the islands, you’ll have high chances for the encounter. For example Kylerhea at the Isle of Skye is very popular for otter spotting. You can see them all year round, so it’s a perfect destination if you’re more into the off high season vacation. Just go there on your own, you can rent a car from the mainland (Glasgow is the nearest international airport) and get on a ferry to the Isle of Skye. Once you get there, and at the coast, go on a hike and look for five-toed small footprints and you’ll find otters eventually. You’re perfectly fine to go on your own, not really a lot of dangers, other than cold weather at times and terrain that might require good hiking shoes. Say hello to otters from me!
How to prepare for your trip to watch wildlife in Europe?
1. Get the right camera to capture the animals
In order to get the most out of wildlife watching and keep the memories for long, equip yourself with some serious video and photo gear! Off course telephoto lens comes in handy as typically you’d spot the animals from a distance. You can also consider outdoor wildlife cameras and even body cams to capture the full hike. Good optics and reliability in the difficult weather Rexing has some serious gears in store – you can have a look at their store, here.
2. Get the right hiking gear
What I mean by the right hiking gear – well, it depends where you go. Off course polar bear watching is Svalbard requires some serious winter gear but other than that, all other locations will require: proper hiking boots, above ankle, waterproof and super comfortable, wind and rain protection and a backpack that will allow you to store and carry your optics safely. You can get all of that simply from Amazon.
3. Combine your wildlife watching with luxury stays
After days of hiking, in the wind, rain or alternatively, full sun and heat, I like to treat myself with a stay in a 4 star hotel. Kinda like a reward for the challenges of being in the wild but also as a great end to an epic trip. I usually book all my hotel stays with Expedia, I never had any issues and always got what I paid for. Here’s their booking site for your convenience. Talking about renting a car in Scotland or in Poland or Iceland, you can look for the best deals from Auto Europe Car Rentals .
4. Learn about the animals before you go, to stay safe
We’re talking wild animals here and they can be dangerous, especially if you don’t respect them – you get to close, you have food on you (bears!) or you make too much noise or distract them in any other ways. Good way to prepare for an epic wildlife watching trip in Europe is to learn about the animals before you go. That way you will know how to behave, what to do and what not to do and also how to set up your gear to get the best possible pictures and videos to keep the memories forever. You should also learn how to spot signs that the animals are afraid of you and feel threatened because this is typically when an animal is the most dangerous. So do your own research before you go!
5. Hire a local guide
Hiring a local guides is also a great way to get the most of your trip. In come cases, like Svalbard, you have no other option than a professionally organized expedition. In some other places, like in Sweden, hiring local guide gives you more experience as you can learn more about the animals but also local culture and how animals and human co-exist in those places. You can learn a lot about the respect between the animal and a human. And trust me – all the learning and experience you’ll get from interacting with locals, will stay will you forever and will help you better understand, why things there are the way they are!.
Excited for your next wildlife expedition? If you choose to go any of the places mentioned here, please leave a comment, send me your pictures and share what did you like and didn’t like about the experience. Enjoy and stay safe!
Agnieszka says
I love the wild horses! So beautiful! I put them on my To Do list when I visit the Netherlands next time! I didn’t know about those horses…Thanks for the article!