Tired of the big cities, the paved roads, the traffic and the crowds? Is the concrete jungle starting to get on your nerves a little too much? Take a break and run from the chaos into the real jungle! Here are some of the best destinations for an adventure into the most fascinating jungles and rain-forests in the world!
1. Madagascar
Lemurs in Madagascar
Madagascar awaits the nature lover with its majestic lowland/humid forests. Located on the eastern coast of the Madagascar Island, these forests are included in the “Global 200” list of outstanding eco-regions. Dense evergreen forests are all over the lowlands, the majority of which is endemic species, with a canopy of over 30 metres.
The fascinating fauna is the main reason to go for this location. Madagascar is home to certain species that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. The fifteen species and subspecies of lemurs are definitely representative for this region, while other interesting animals can be observed here, such as reptiles, amphibians and rodents, several species of bat, the rare brown-tailed mongoose, some rare bird species such as the red-tailed newtonia and more than 100 endemic species of freshwater fish.
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Check out the reserves and national parks: Andasibe Reserve, Ranomafana National Park , Masoala National Park, Tsingy de Bemaraha Reserve, Tsingy de Ankarana and more. Find information about when you can visit these locations and book a wildlife tour to enjoy the natural wonders.
2. Borneo
Borneo Rainforest
At 140 million years old, the Borneo rain-forest is one of the oldest rain-forests in the world. 15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 221 species of terrestrial mammals, 420 species of resident birds and 440 freshwater fish species can be found in the Borneo ecosystem. The main points of interest here are the endangered Bornean orangutan. Other fascinating resident species are the Borneo elephant, the eastern Sumatran rhinoceros, the Bornean clouded leopard, the Hose’s palm civet and the dayak fruit bat.
Great places to visit here to get an insight on the Bornean wildlife and natural environment are the Danum Valley Conservation Area, the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and the Kinabatangan river (you can observe the area from a boat, along the river).
3. Costa Rica
Toucan in its natural habitat, Costa Rica
As one of the most bio-diverse regions of the planet, Costa Rica attracts many nature lovers that want to observe the many colorful species. The country actually contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity.
The stars of the national parks are the five Costa Rican species of monkeys (the white-headed capuchin, the mantled howler, the endangered Geoffroy’s spider monkey and the Central American squirrel monkey. The big cats and the tapirs can also be found here and they are definitely a wonderful part of the fauna there. Three-toed and two-toed sloths, 840 species of birds (some of the most interesting being the resplendent quetzal, the scarlet macaw, the three-wattled bellbird, the bare-necked umbrellabird) and various reptiles (including the world’s fastest running lizard, the spiny-tailed iguana) and amphibians, an abundance of fruit trees and the rest of the stunning flora are all residents of the stunning Costa Rican parks and reserves.
Visit the Corcovado National Park, the Tortuguero National Park (“Full of turtles”), the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Cahuita National Park, the Chirripo National Park, Cocos Island National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, Pacuare River and Protected Zone and Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park.
Other wonderful destinations for wildlife watching, trekking and hiking and discovering fantastic bio-diversity are Gabon (Ivindo National Park, Loango National Park, Lopé National Park), Suriname (Peperpot National Park, Brownsberg National Park, Galibi Nature Reserve), Panama (Soberania National Park , Altos de Campana National Park, Coiba National Park ), Brazil (Parque Nacional da Lagoa do Peixe, Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica).
Check out all of these amazing destinations and plan your trip to the jungle! Look for flights to your destination on TripEconomy and find a place to stay in our complete list of hotels in your country of destination. Enjoy your perfect trip!