Wild holidays you wouldn’t believe are in the UK – from cowboy ranches to giraffe camping and swimming with sharks
SWIMMING with sharks, cowboy cattle drives and sleeping with lions all sound like something Brits would need to fly halfway across the world for, shelling out thousands on flights in the process.
But you can do every single one of those exotic activities right here in the UK.
As part of our new Best Of British travel series, we can reveal the wildest holidays in the UK.
From husky sledging to giraffes waking you up in your tent at dawn, read on to get some inspiration for your next staycation.
Take a seven-day tour to find basking sharks in Scotland
Swimming with sharks usually conjures up images of cage dives with great whites out in South Africa or snorkelling alongside reef sharks in the Maldives.
But thanks to our island location the Atlantic Ocean, we’re surrounded by incredible marine life like sharks, whales and dolphins all regularly spotted along our coastline.
Between the months of May and October, basking sharks are often spotted in Scottish waters – specifically the Inner Hebrides.
Basking Shark Scotland offers boat trips in the Isle of Coll, where you’re welcome to snorkel or wild swim on your travels. Trips last between up to seven days – the shortest trip being three days.
On the seven day tour, highlights include sea searching for basking sharks and wildlife, as well as a visit to Fingal’s Cave and the resident seal colonies.
Lucky guests can also indulge in some whale and dolphin watching, explore the white shall sand lagoon and seabird watch from the boat.
July trips also offer the chance to meet puffins at the Treshnish Isles, and for participants with snorkelling experience, you can snorkel in kelp forests and reefs.
Location: Isle of Coll.
For the seven day tour, prices start from £1,330 per person, with private charter rates (up to 12 guests) starting from £13,300.
To book visit the Basking Shark Scotland website https://baskingsharkscotland.co.uk/tours/.
Become a cowboy on the UK’s only cattle drive in Dartmoor, Devon
Cowboys made their name in the American Southwest, but you don’t have to fly to Texas to earn your stars and stripes.
In fact, you can take part in a cattle drive in our very own southwest – sipping on a pint of local cider instead of a Bud Light.
Dartmoor National Park is most famous for its wide open spaces and dramatic tors, but Meldon in West Devon, on the edge of Dartmoor, still uses horses to move cattle to grazing areas, cowboy-style.
Those interested can come along for the ride – although first-time horse riders might want to clock up several hours in the saddle first…
One holidaymaker said: “Not for the inexperienced or nervous rider but PERFECT if you are a confident rider and want to be able to enjoy a good ramp! Horses were really well behaved and clearly well looked after. All in good condition and still keen to keep going after five hours out!”
The ultimate goal is to drive the cattle, but there are some breathtaking views to take in as you travel through woodland, along valley bottoms, up steep inclines, across rivers and over hilltops.
Location: Meldon Farm, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU.
The age range is 18 to 70, but they say that age limits are discretionary depending on rider fitness and experience – so it’s worth giving them a call.
Prices include hotel and glamping options for six nights or three nights. For more information and to book, visit https://www.dartmoorridingholidays.co.uk/horse-riding-holidays/ranch-holidays-dartmoor/.
Take in the stunning landscape of North Wales on a husky dog sled ride
Husky sled rides aren’t just for snowy Lapland, thanks to Mynydd Sleddog Adventures’ you can also experience the thrill right here in Wales.
A passenger cart is pulled by a six-dog team that takes you through stunning forest trails, with the Welsh hills and Mount Snowdon visible in the distance.
After the run you can give the dogs their water and a well deserved treat, as well as a rub down and lots of fuss, before sitting down with a hot drink and learning about the history of sled dogs.
Rides last 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on group size. There’s a 14st / 89 kg weight restriction, and the minimum age is 14 years old.
Location: Bwlch Haford Einion near Llyn Brenig and Alwen Reservoir, North Wales.
Prices are £125 for one person, £240 for two people. Visit https://mynyddsleddogadventures.com/item/runs/ to book.
Sleep with lions and giraffes at Port Lympne in Kent
Millions of tourists flock to South Africa every year to catch a glimpse of the ‘big five’ – lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos.
But there’s a place in Britain making a good case for rivalling luxury African safari holiday at a fraction of the price.
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is home to big cats, bears, western lowland gorillas, and black rhinos – and you can sleep a stone’s throw away from them too.
Its Giraffe safari tents and Lion Lodges are the most unique overnight accommodation the UK has to offer when it comes to animal sleepovers.
From here, you can watch the animals in their natural habitat, while bedding down in five-star luxury.
Check out our video at the top of the page to join us on our overnight stay with Port Lympne’s herd of giraffes.
Location: Aldington Rd, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR.
Prices are from £1,450. You can book online or by calling 01303 234112.
MY STAY AT PORT LYMPNE'S GIRAFFE LODGES
The Sun's video producer Tom Doucy and his girlfriend stayed at Port Lympne's Giraffe Lodges earlier this month...
Watch Tom’s video diary of his Port Lympne stay at the top of this article
AS our park ranger drove us through the wildlife reserve to our luxury safari tent overlooking the watering hole, it was hard to believe we were in coastal Kent in early May.
It has to be the best journey from hotel reception to room in the whole country – a 40-minute jeep ride carried me, my girlfriend and our luggage past wolves, zebras, lions and more.
When we reached our new canvas home, the sun was shining down on the collection of exotic African animals who’d gathered for an afternoon drink.
Our Giraffe Lodge was a canvas-roofed room with all the home comforts like bathrobe and slippers, kettle and a very comfy king-sized bed.
Soaking in the view, we relaxed on our verandah with a drink until dinnertime – cooked by a private chef who serves all of the eight Giraffe Lodges each night with African-inspired dishes and Brai cooked on an open fire.
We went to bed with the doors to our tent open as we’d yet to see any of the giraffes our lodge was named after, but they remained illusive and we were instead snored to sleep by some large creature who’d set up camp just outside.
Then shortly after sunrise, we were woken by a phone call from my girlfriend’s sister who was staying in the tent next door.
“Come out slowly and quietly,” she whispered. So we tiptoed to the entrance and were met by the sight of three giraffes munching on trees just a few metres away.
It was a magnificent sight, set against the stunning 600 acres of the Port Lympne estate.
Later that morning, we hopped back in the jeep for a safari drive around the other half of the estate – through the Asian and African enclosures.
Guests at the lodges get free access to the safari park for both days of their overnight stay, so by the time we left we felt we’d truly had the wild animal experience of a lifetime.
Tom and his girlfriend paid £440 for an overnight stay in the giraffe lodge, which also includes the safari drive, 2-day park entry, breakfast, dinner and a welcome drink.
Swim with seals at Lundy Island in Devon
Canadian seals are far more likely to stick around for a nose than their British counterparts – by the time you’ve spotted one on our coastline, it’s usually disappeared.
But in Devon, you can experience their playful attitude in real life as you’re able to swim with them in their natural environment.
Wild Frontier Charters put on boat trips that depart from Ilfracombe Harbour and travel to Lundy Island, in the Bristol Channel, home to more than 200 grey seals.
During one of their trips you can spend the morning swimming with the seals in the coves and bays around the Island’s Marine Nature Reserve, before enjoying a tour of the coastline as you head back to shore.
Location: Kiosk 2, The Quay, Ilfracombe EX34 9EQ.
The trip duration is about eight hours depending on the tide and weather. For more information and to book visit https://wildfrontiercharters.co.uk/swim-with-seals-ilfracombe/.
Go on safari at the Knepp Rewilding Project
Safari but not as you know it. This is a more civilised affair at the Knepp Rewilding Project, which offers visitors the chance to see the free-grazing animals that call its beautiful 3,500 acre site home.
Rather than lions and tigers, you’ll spot longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs, Exmoor ponies and red and fallow deer – and if you’re lucky, rare purple emperor butterfly. White storks can also been seen circling in the skies.
Its safaris are either vehicle-based in an open-sided Austrian Pinzgauer, with a guide, or guided on foot.
Location: Knepp Wildland Safaris, Swallows Ln, Dial Post, Horsham RH13 8NN.
As the safaris are all about quiet and patient observation, they’re unsuitable for children under 12. The All-Terrain Vehicle Safari runs between 9 May and 19 September, 9:30am to 12:30pm or 2 to 5pm, and is £75 per person.
The Walk on the Wild Side Safari is a three-hour walk with frequent stops, but does require a good level of fitness to be able to cope with walking on uneven ground. This safari runs several times a week from 10 April to 3 October, and is £60. Booking for both safaris is available online.