Holidays to the Rainforest
The most important thing about any rainforest holiday is that you should be able to observe natural flora and fauna without damaging the natural environment. At FREEDOM, we only work with ethical hotels and resorts as well as National Parks and reserves that are dedicated to the preservation of all natural landscapes and their diverse environments.
Africa Rainforest Holidays
The dense rainforests of Uganda and Rwanda date back more than 25,000 years and are some of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world. Both the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Bwindi Rainforest in Uganda have become famous as some of the last remaining habitats able to support mountain gorillas.
On the edge of Africa’s Rift Valley, the mist-covered hillsides of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are home to 346 bird species, more than 200 butterfly species and of course more than 400 different types of trees and plants. Although named “impenetrable”, due to the mix of bamboo and larger hardwood trees, it is possible to visit the forest and view some of the 300 gorillas that live there. Being able to view mountain gorillas in the wild, surrounded by their natural rainforest is one of the many highlights of Uganda.
Similarly, it is possible to view mountain gorillas through the mist of the peaks and lakes of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. These are the gorillas made famous by the research of the late Diane Fossey.
Asia Rainforest Holidays
South East Asia’s equatorial climate provides the perfect environment for sustaining tropical rainforest. The lush green interiors of Thailand, Malaysian Borneo and Bali are home to some of the most accessible rainforests in the world.
Situated on the Thai mainland, in easy reach of Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak, is Khao Sok Rainforest, where visitors can enjoy a range of activities including jungle trekking, canoeing and ethical elephant encounters at the award winning Elephant Hills.
Borneo’s wildlife and beaches attract thousands of visitors each year, but it is in the rainforest where the biggest numbers are found; 15,000 different plants, 3,000 species of tree, 221 different land mammals and more than 420 species of bird, many found nowhere else in the world. Most visitors to the rainforest are seeking a Borneo wildlife experience including orangutans, monkeys, spectacled bears and turtles.
Indonesia is home to the third largest area of rainforest in the world (behind the Amazon and Africa’s Congo basin area) and the island of Bali is more 20% covered by jungle. Whilst many of the popular resorts cling to the coast, a small number of exclusive rainforest retreats can found near Ubud, such as The Hanging Gardens of Bali, perched on a terraced hillside surrounded by nature.
Australia Rainforest Holidays
True tropical rainforest can be found in northern Queensland, whilst in the Northern Territory and Western Australia’s Kimberly monsoon rainforest flourishes. Further south in Victoria, and even on Tasmania, temperate rainforest grows.
The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland is the oldest surviving tropical rainforest in the world – 180 million years old by most estimates. A UNESCO World Heritage area, it can be explored from Cairns or Port Douglas, independently or on a guided tour to Cape Tribulation and Mossman Gorge.
Australia’s Sunshine State also boasts some wonderful rainforest retreats, such as Daintree Ecolodge and Silky Oaks Lodge, where you can immerse yourself in nature and follow local walking trails and swimming holes, and Narrows Escape and O’Reilly’s, both perfectly placed in the southern Hinterlands.
North America Rainforest Holidays
Perhaps not the first place you’d think of for a rainforest holiday, but the USA and Canada are home to some spectacular temperate rainforests.
In Olympic National Park, in America’s Pacific Northwest, is Hoh Rainforest, with a lush green tree canopy mirrored by an abundance of mosses and ferns covering the forest floor, fed by the areas high rainfall.
Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest covers a mammoth 12,000 square miles of British Columbia’s coastline, extending from Vancouver to the Alaska border. It’s a grizzly and black bear spotting hotspot, with keen-eyed, or patient visitors, also able to see cougars and wolves.
The only true tropical rainforest in the United States is in Hawaii, spread across the more sheltered areas of all eight islands. A highlight of Hawaii is the Road to Hana, a stunningly scenic drive on the island of Maui, through the tropical rainforest on the steep slopes of Mount Haleakala.
Plan Your Holiday
