People love to travel for a variety of reasons. We love exploring new places, meeting different people, and tasting exotic cuisine, but one reason that is always at the top of our list is getting to see incredible wildlife. It’s exciting to go somewhere you’ve never been and happen upon an animal you have never seen before. We find it fascinating to observe animals in their natural habitats - how they interact with each other, what they eat, what they do.

As a travel company that has been exploring the globe for 20 years, we’ve been lucky enough to be in the presence of many a magnificent creature.

We’ve hiked with mountain goats in Montana and llamas in Peru, swam alongside sea lions in Baja, chuckled at monkeys in Ecuador, spotted many varieties of spectacular birds in Cuba, and fell in awe of the remarkable lions of Tanzania. Not only do we fully respect the wildlife of these places, but we also respect their habitats and ecosystems.We practice the “Leave No Trace” principle on all of our tours and encourage others to enjoy nature responsibly. We strongly believe in preserving the natural world for many generations to come.

Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way we do. Animals are being exploited as pets for for entertainment. Or worse, they are being killed for profits or simply because they are “in the way” of humans.

The ecosystems of so many of the world’s wildlife are being polluted and destroyed, leaving them with nowhere to go. Whole species are becoming endangered and extinct.

As true animal lovers, we can’t just sit back and let this happen which is why we support the ENDANGERED: Art4Apes fine art and photography contest - because it not only visually tells the powerful story of endangered animals but it directly supports the well being of endangered animals by benefiting the Center for Great Apes.

We are honored to help such an upstanding organization that provides a sanctuary for these incredible apes to live out their days in peace.

Zephyr Adventures is an all-active travel company that has been traveling the world since 1997. To learn more about their tours and to see their 2018 schedule, zephyradventures.com.