WORLDWIDE · WILDLIFE

The World’s 7 Best Wildlife Tours

7 river trips  ·  from $26 a head

Good wildlife tours sell their best seats weeks ahead. Below: the 7 to book early, what each fare includes and how they differ once you are aboard.

Solar Whisper Daintree River Crocodile and Wildlife Cruise - What happens during the one-hour cruise
Australia River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

Solar Whisper Daintree River Crocodile and Wildlife Cruise

1.Solar Whisper Daintree River Crocodile and Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,663 reviews · from $25Our pick

Spend about an hour on the Daintree River aboard Solar Whisper, a quiet solar-electric boat carrying no more than 24 people. Your guide points out crocodiles, birds, frogs, snakes, fish, and mangrove life while sharing local insight. Tea and coffee are included, but bring insect repellent and rain gear.

“Solar whisper is amazing! They are experts in their field. Highly recommend. Mark was our guide and he was fantastic :)”

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1-Hour Daintree River wildlife cruise - Guides who make the quiet moments work
1-Hour Experiences, Australia River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

1-Hour Daintree River wildlife cruise

2.1-Hour Daintree River wildlife cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 947 reviews · from $25

Spend one hour on the Daintree River with Bruce Belcher’s crew, watching for crocodiles, tree snakes, kingfishers, and other native wildlife. Guides such as Bruce, Ray, Brad, Griffin, and Griff combine local stories with practical nature facts. Morning, lunch, and afternoon departures offer different refreshments, including tea, coffee, slushies, meat pies, or drinks and snacks.

“Had a nice river cruise and saw a number of crocodiles, of which about 7 small ones. Good and educational information from the experienced skipper. He knew how to tell us a lot in a humorous way about the Daintree River and the animals that live there. In this season there are less to spot, but what we find important is that the animals live in the wild. You can't just conjure them up.”

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Darwin: Mary River Wetlands Wildlife Cruise with Lunch - Fogg Dam and the story of a changed wetland
Australia River Cruises, Lunch Experiences, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

Darwin: Mary River Wetlands Wildlife Cruise with Lunch

3.Mary River Wetlands Wildlife Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 324 reviews · 8 hours · from $166

Spend eight hours exploring the Mary River Wetlands from Darwin with an experienced English-speaking guide. Visit Fogg Dam and Window on the Wetlands, then take a 2.5-hour open-air cruise for crocodiles, water buffalo and about 30 bird species. Guides such as Evan, Cam, Richard and Paul add local history, ecology and humor. Lunch and hotel transfers are included.

“Richard our guide was so informative. Lots of crocodiles and birdlife. I had an amazing day.”

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Daintree: Guided Daintree River Wildlife Cruise - Why the mangroves matter
Australia River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

Daintree: Guided Daintree River Wildlife Cruise

4.Daintree: Guided Daintree River Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 110 reviews · 1 hour · from $28

Meet the team at Bruce Belcher & Son Daintree River Cruises, stroll the private tropical garden, then join an English-speaking guide for a one-hour Daintree River cruise. Watch for estuarine crocodiles, snakes, frogs, and birds while guides such as Chris or Ray explain the river and mangrove habitat.

“Our guide Ray from Belchers was excellent. His knowledge of the Daintree River,Crocodiles and boating was great. The venue was old school but very clean and friendly. The additional lunch was a nice surprise.”

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Blue Mountains: Private Tour with Wildlife and River Cruise - Featherdale Wildlife Park and the one-hour wildlife stop
Australia River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wildlife

Blue Mountains: Private Tour with Wildlife and River Cruise

5.Blue Mountains: Private Tour with Wildlife and River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 29 reviews

Spend eight hours with a private English or Hindi-speaking guide, visiting Featherdale Wildlife Park, Scenic World, the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls, and Leura. You get hotel, airport, Airbnb, or cruise-terminal pickup, bottled water, and a flexible day. Featherdale entry is included, while Scenic World rides are at your own expense. The advertised river cruise is not clearly listed in the schedule.

“Dear Johan, Thank you so much for the AMAZING Trip !!! We do Can only recommend this for everyone to explore Melbourne and the 12 Apostels. It was such a Great experience. And very cool explanation from Johann during the Flight !! Yeahhhh”

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From Perth: Margaret River Wine Tour & Wildlife Cruise - The long run south to Margaret River
Australia River Cruises, Perth River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wildlife

From Perth: Margaret River Wine Tour & Wildlife Cruise

6.Margaret River Wine Tour & Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 12 hours · from $173

Travel from Perth to Margaret River on a long but rewarding day with a wildlife cruise, coastal viewpoints, a winery tasting, Canal Rocks, and Margaret River town. Guides such as Kimbo add local stories and good humor. You may see dolphins, sea lions, penguins, and birds, though weather can change the boat route.

“It was a great day out! Really fun and easy way to see so many things! We saw seals, fancy birds and dolphins on the boat which was an absolute highlight! The wine tasting was so lovely an a great spot! We had so many nice photo opportunities and scenic views. The tour guide was so knowledgeable about Australias history and all of the places we visited, he was so friendly and went the extra mile to ensure we all had a fab day! So much packed into a day and absolutely would recommend!”

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Miami: Everglades River of Grass Small Airboat Wildlife Tour - Boarding a purpose-built small airboat
River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, USA River Cruises, Wildlife

Miami: Everglades River of Grass Small Airboat Wildlife Tour

7.Miami: Everglades River of Grass Small Airboat Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $750 per boat (seats 6)

Spend two hours with an English-speaking Gladesman, naturalist, and certified airboat captain on a private Everglades ride for up to six people. You’ll glide through shallow water, pause near alligators, birds, fish, turtles, and butterflies, and hear how restoration is reshaping this fragile River of Grass. Captain Mike is one guide specifically praised for his care and expertise.

“We had a perfect tour with Captain Mike where we could not have asked for more. He is a great person and knows his stuff. Highly recommended!!”

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