If you prefer your wildlife encounters without the crowds — and with a side of serious sustainability — SLH’s Considerate Collection has you covered. And with World Wildlife Conservation Day shining a light on the importance of protecting our planet’s most vulnerable species and habitats, there’s no better moment to celebrate the hotels that are doing exactly that. These places don’t just sit in spectacular landscapes; they actively protect them, working hand-in-hand with conservationists, local communities and nature itself.
From Arctic moose whisperers to rainforest turtle patrols, each stay offers a front-row seat to the wild world at its most authentic. Here are six eco-minded escapes where unforgettable wildlife experiences come with a genuinely ethical footprint.
1. Arctic Bath, Sweden
At Arctic Bath, wildlife encounters feel less like scheduled activities and more like stepping into the daily rhythm of Swedish Lapland’s untamed wilderness. One moment you’re following fresh moose tracks in the snow-dusted forest, the next you’re sipping hot berry juice as your Sámi guide explains how reindeer have shaped life in the Arctic for thousands of years. Days unfold in a blur of husky paws skimming across frozen lakes, eagle silhouettes against pastel skies and — if you’re lucky — a bear ambling through the undergrowth as you learn the ancient art of moose-calling from Mikael “Micke” Suorra, the region’s legendary Moose Whisperer.
Evenings bring their own magic: sharing stories and joik around the fire in a traditional lávvu tent, or enjoying a wilderness fika while the aurora ripples overhead. Every experience is rooted in deep respect for the land and its creatures, created in close collaboration with Sámi wildlife experts who know these landscapes like old friends.
2. Bethlen Estates Transylvania, Romania
At Bethlen Estates, the wild heart of Transylvania feels wonderfully close. Step beyond the estate’s storybook village and you’re suddenly surrounded by rolling meadows and ancient oak pastures alive with birdsong — a perfect introduction to Europe’s last great wilderness. Days here often begin with a gentle ramble through the Breite Nature Reserve in the company of Dr. Cosmin Moga, whose enthusiasm for woodpeckers, raptors and Transylvania’s unique cultural landscapes is delightfully contagious.
And the deeper you wander into the Carpathians, the wilder things get: vast forests where brown bears shuffle through the undergrowth, wolves pad softly between the trees, and the elusive lynx keeps watch from the shadows. Whether you’re exploring on foot or following bear tracks down bridle paths on horseback, every outing feels like a quiet brush with something ancient and untamed.
3. Brij Lakshman Sagar, India
Wild Rajasthan has a way of drifting into every moment at Brij Lakshman Sagar. One minute you’re lingering over breakfast in the hills, the next you’re catching sight of a peacock sweeping across a sun-warmed rock or turtles blinking lazily from the lakeshore. The estate’s 32 acres are a living patchwork of native flora, reforested hillsides and fluttering birdlife, all carefully nurtured through the property’s conservation projects — from butterfly gardens and seed banks to handcrafted birdhouses tucked into the trees. Explore it at an amble with a naturalist-led nature walk, where stories of local ecology sit alongside glimpses of Indian Rollers or medicinal plants hidden in the scrub.
For something wilder, sunrise means safari time: bumping across rugged terrain in an open jeep, eyes sharp for leopards threading between the rocks or striped hyenas ghosting through the grasslands. Winter brings its own magic, with migratory birds swooping into nearby wetlands and the chance to learn expert birdwatching skills in Rajasthan’s serene cooler season.
4. Gregans Castle Hotel, Ireland
The wild Burren has a way of drawing you in long before you set off on any official adventure. Perhaps it’s the sight of red squirrels darting between ancient pines on Gregan Castle Hotel’s grounds, or the soft quacking from the ducks that return to nest at the pond each spring. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself lacing up your boots and wandering out with one of the hotel’s local expert guides — following Shane Connolly along limestone trails etched by time, learning how to read the Burren’s geology like a storybook, and pausing to admire rare wildflowers or the sudden burst of wings overhead.
This dramatic landscape, home to almost 90 bird species and the occasional dolphin or whale sighting along the coast, reveals itself in layers: caves echoing with prehistory, windswept cliffs alive with seabirds, and quiet valleys where Burren Pine saplings mark the hotel’s ambitious rewilding efforts. As founding partners of The Burren Pine Project, the team at Gregans Castle is actively restoring one of Ireland’s near-extinct native trees, planting hundreds of Burren Pines alongside other indigenous species across their biodiverse grounds.
5. Sundy Praia, Príncipe Island
Life at Sundy Praia unfolds to the soundtrack of the rainforest — rustling palms, distant bird calls, and the soft crash of the Atlantic just a few steps from your veranda. Before you’ve even finished your morning espresso, you might spot an endemic sunbird flitting through the canopy or hear the echo of parrots drifting across the UNESCO biosphere reserve. Exploring Príncipe feels wonderfully immersive: follow a naturalist deep into the jungle on the Parrot Peak Trail, where giant oca trees tower overhead and bursts of orchids cling to volcanic rock, or watch for rare island birdlife on shaded biosphere paths that twist through the forest.
Come turtle season, evenings hold their own kind of magic as you join Fundação Príncipe’s conservation team to witness green, olive ridley, hawksbill or leatherback turtles nesting on the sands of Praia Grande — an educational experience made possible thanks to the resort’s hands-on protection measures and turtle-safe lighting. Even the lodge itself feels like part of the ecosystem, built with reversible, low-impact construction and powered by community and conservation contributions woven into every stay.
6. Rio Perdido, Costa Rica
At Rio Perdido, the monkeys like to introduce themselves before you’ve finished brushing your teeth — and that sets the tone for the kind of day you’re in for. Step onto the trails and the landscape shifts around you in technicolour: canyon jungle buzzing with insects and reptiles, rare dwarf forest rustling with agoutis, ocelots and woolly possums, and tree canopies alive with flashes of feathers from the 140-plus bird species that call this 1,500-acre reserve home. Guided adventures open the door to even more discoveries — floating through the mangroves of Palo Verde to witness vast clouds of waterfowl, hiking to the electric-blue Río Celeste, or joining a night expedition where the forest glows with eyeshine and frog choruses.
Threaded through it all is the hotel’s deep commitment to regeneration: the land was intentionally protected the moment the owners found the ‘lost river,’ and today Rio Perdido’s reforestation programme focuses on transplanting native species and restoring habitats — so successfully that the transformation is visible from satellite imagery.
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If you prefer your wildlife encounters without the crowds — and with a side of serious sustainability — SLH’s Considerate Collection has you covered. And with World Wildlife Conservation Day shining a light on the importance of protecting our planet’s most vulnerable species and habitats, there’s no better moment to
