Spring forward from so-called winter woes into a season full of possibilities! From wildflowers to wildlife, this time of year offers travelers great weather, fewer crowds and blooming landscapes. And with a Nat Hab trip, you can always rest assured that you’ll be traveling in a way that helps—rather than hurts—the planet, no matter the destination.
Here are six fantastic getaways that are sure to put a spring in your step!
1. Explore English Nature in the Cotswolds
Nat Hab travelers photograph vibrant wildflower fields © Hollie Galloway
A visit to the classic British countryside provides a change of scenery—happy sheep, rolling hills and stone cottages—and an invitation to enjoy the heritage and architecture of an area protected as Britain’s largest National Landscape. The Cotswolds include a collection of picturesque towns and villages, luxury inns surrounded by pristine meadows, and unspoiled rural beauty that’s rare to find preserved as it has been here.
With Nat Hab, you, benefit from private tours and special access to estates, farms, gardens and local food purveyors. The Slimbridge Wetland Center here, also referred to as the “avian Serengeti” is a nature reserve established to protect birds and their habitat. Endangered and rare bird species are also bred at the center to later be released into the wild.
Learn More: The Cotswolds: Exploring English Nature
2. View African Wildlife in Botswana
Nat Hab travelers experience wild encounters by safari truck, on foot and by boat © David Luck
Head to Botswana to observe intimate animal encounters via 4×4 game drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Linyanti Private Reserve and the Okavango Delta. You also get to witness Victoria Falls as it thunders above the Zambezi Gorge, and your special access to a predator researcher at Gomoti Camp via Nat Hab’s expert guides makes this an experience to remember.
Did we mention that Botswana is one of five countries that participate in the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the world’s largest transboundary conservation area, an unprecedented treaty facilitated by World Wildlife Fund. KAZA is home to half of Africa’s elephants, the majority of which are in Botswana.
Learn More: Secluded Botswana Safari
3. See Bengal Tigers in India
Experience tigers and other vibrant wildlife on safari in India with our Expedition Leaders! © Surya Ramachandran
Spotting wild cats in the untamed outdoors is an adrenaline rush like no other. If you’ve always wanted to observe lions, tigers and other big cats in their natural surroundings, consider joining Nat Hab on a trip to India’s Tadoba National Park. The spring season is great for other animal sightings as well, so you may encounter leopards, sloth bears, chitals and more. Our secret weapon is our seasoned Expedition Leaders who are professional animal trackers and experts at finding the best spots for viewing wildlife.
Tadoba is one of the top conservation spots in India, with the Bengal tiger population steadily on the increase. Your travel dollars spent here aid in the preservation of tiger populations through responsible ecotourism efforts.
4. Traverse the Otherworldly Red Rocks of the American Southwest
A Nat Hab traveler enjoys the warm sunshine in Utah’s Bryce National Park © Jeremy Covert
America’s national parks have a fan following all their own, and a visit to this Southwest trifecta shows why. Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce national parks offer scenic vistas, stunning vantage points, gorgeous topography and a better understanding of the many natural processes that have occurred over the millennia to sculpt these beautiful formations. On our Nat Hab trip, you’ll get an aerial view of it all with a helicopter flight over Bryce Canyon and its brilliant pink hoodoos.
Several simultaneous conservation efforts are at work helping protect the habitat and wildlife here, resulting in a rise in the number of peregrine falcons and California condors. The Grand Canyon is part of the Vanishing Treasures program, where architectural remains on-site are conserved through education and research.
Learn More: Grand Canyon, Bryce & Zion
5. Encounter Unique Animals in the Galapagos Islands
Ascend from the sea into the highlands of Santa Cruz to reach Nat Hab’s exclusive Tortoise Camp. Amid lush Scalesia forest and subterranean lava caves, travelers have an intimate encounter with nature found nowhere else in the Galapagos.
Giant tortoises, iguanas, blue-footed boobies and sea lions are but a few of the animal species you can find in abundance in the Galapagos. The islands are a premier nature travel destination, and you’ll understand why when you see the pristine swaths of land and ocean that await. On a Nat Hab adventure in the Galapagos Islands, you can look forward to a stay at our private Tortoise Camp on Santa Cruz where wild tortoises get to live their best life right by the Pacific Ocean.
The Charles Darwin Research Station is also located here, part of conservation efforts spearheaded by WWF. The nonprofit conservation organization is involved in wildlife monitoring, innovative fisheries management and implementing sustainable tourism to protect the area’s natural resources.
Learn More: Galapagos Discovery: The Nat Hab Experience
6. Paddle Portugal’s River of Wine
Portugal’s Douro Valley comes alive in spring, when hillsides of terraced vineyards and wildflower-dotted trails invite exploration on foot and by water. On this new Terra & Tu cultural journey, you’ll hike quiet mountain paths, paddle the glassy Douro River through granite canyons and wander olive groves and orchards in a region few travelers ever reach.
Spring’s mild weather makes it an ideal time to be active outdoors, with fewer crowds and a sense of renewal across the landscape. Evenings bring a different kind of richness, as you settle into historic wine estates, share meals and glasses of vino with local hosts and savor the flavors of the season—an experience that blends nature, culture and connection in a way that feels both immersive and deeply restorative.
