Every year on April 22, billions of people around the world celebrate Earth Day, as so many have since its founding in 1970 birthed the modern environmental movement. Whether attending a festival or parade, planning a community cleanup, organizing a tree planting event, or simply setting aside some time to spend in the great outdoors, people everywhere use Earth Day as an opportunity to celebrate the natural world and advocate for our precious planet.
At Odysseys Unlimited, we naturally believe in experiencing the world’s many wonders firsthand. From the vast ice fields of Patagonia to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, we’re proud to offer tours to some of the most beautiful places on earth. Below you'll find five dream destinations for nature lovers.
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica and conservation go hand-in-hand. Despite the country’s modest physical size – Costa Rica is smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia – it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Forest land comprises almost half of Costa Rica, with one-quarter of its landmass being protected. Plus, the beauty of its nature reserves – especially Monteverde Cloud Forest – is incomparable.
Take a deep dive into the ecology and biodiversity of Costa Rica on our Costa Rica’s Natural Heritage small group tour.
Pride of lions, Chobe National Park
Can you name anything more inextricably linked to a region than how big game is linked to Africa? Africa's wildlife – from giraffes and hippopotamuses to the “Big Five” (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffalo) – draw millions of tourists annually. However, while many of the earliest safaris were hunting trips, today’s tours focus on viewing these incredible creatures in their natural habitats on protected reservations.
See the Big Five and other amazing wildlife up close on our Africa’s Wildlife, Classic Safari, and Tanzania Adventure small group tours, as well as the optional Kruger National Park post-tour extension on our Southern Africa Odyssey tour.
Northern Lights Aurora Borealis, Skogafoss waterfall
With its waterfalls, volcanoes, ice caves, glaciers, hot springs, and more, Iceland truly is unlike any other place on earth. That – coupled with its relatively close proximity to the U.S. – makes it an ideal travel destination, particularly for Americans. Iceland is also one of the best places in the world to view the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights.
Visit bubbling mud flats, astonishing waterfalls, lunarlike volcanic craters, and other unspoiled swaths of nature on our Exploring Iceland small group tour.
Guanaco near Laguna Azul, Torres del Paine National Park
Spanning parts of Chile and Argentina, Patagonia encompasses the southern tip of South America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Here, you’ll find some of the most stunning natural beauty on earth, including glaciers, fjords, rainforests, mountains, and many species of indigenous wildlife – think penguins and guanaco!
Discover all Patagonia has to offer on our Patagonia Explorer and Patagonian Frontiers small group tours.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise, Santa Cruz Island
The Galapagos Islands are perhaps best known as the inspiration for 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection. Today, this Ecuadorian archipelago remains a premier destination for thousands of nature lovers annually. The wide range of plants and animals endemic to the Galapagos Islands – from the giant tortoise and the lava cactus to the marine iguana and the gray matplant – offers visitors a unique perspective of the natural world.
Explore the islands’ many natural wonders on our Machu Picchu to the Galapagos small group tour.
Interested in exploring one (or more) of these locales on an Odysseys Unlimited small group tour? Click the links above to start planning today.
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