What is a wildlife safari, and what can I expect?

What is a safari?

Our wildlife ‘safaris’ are wildlife-watching walks led by an expert guide who can help you to find and identify the forest’s animals and plants, as well as giving you insights into their lives and behaviour. We can also inform you about the ecology, management and history of the area you are visiting. Most of all, we want you to be able to relax and take in the magical atmosphere of the forest around you.

We are both fully insured and operate under a Forestry England licence.

Where do we go?

The location of the walks varies, though we will endeavour to take you to the most interesting and productive parts of the forest with the best chance of spotting wildlife. We will let you know the exact meeting place upon booking. On one of our typical two-hour safaris you are likely to walk around 1.5 miles at a steady pace, on fairly even ground with just the occasional muddy or steeper section.

Although most of our safaris take place within the Forest of Dean, we are also able to offer walks in the neighbouring Wye Valley and wider Gloucestershire area.

When do your safaris run?

Our safaris run throughout the year, either in the daytime for general wildlife spotting, or in the evening for the best chance of seeing the more elusive mammals. We also run early morning birdsong and dawn chorus walks.

The timing of early morning and evening walks varies depending on the time of sunrise/sunset.

Most safaris are two hours long, but we can also do half or full day wildlife watching.

What to bring

We suggest you bring binoculars if you have them, and sturdy walking boots or shoes, or wellies if the weather has been wet. Warm layers and are also recommended, particularly for evening safaris, and waterproofs may be needed at any time of year! We also recommend bringing a torch for evening safaris.

Find out more

We are happy to tailor your walk to your particular interests, and if you have any particular mobility needs we will do our best to accommodate these. If you have any questions or want to find out more, feel free to get in touch.