Embrace Your Wild Side: Immersions Adventures in Nature

From game-viewing drives in Kenya’s legendary national parks, to snorkeling in the enchanted isles of the Galápagos, and boat rides in the lush tropical forests of Costa Rica, our Immersions adventures are ideal for those who travel the world in search of magnificent wildlife and natural beauty. Plus, each trip features O.A.T.'s signature combination of intimate cultural connections, Trip Experience Leader expertise, and unbeatable value.

Discover the highlights of a few of these journeys below and start planning your adventure. 

New! Immersion in Kenya: Wildlife Safari in Amboseli & Masai Mara

 Game-viewing drives in Amboseli National Park: Amboseli National Park is a reserve set against the backdrop of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. Relatively small in size, Amboseli is renowned for its abundant wildlife and large herds of wild elephants—including hundreds of Africa’s largest “tuskers”—along with wildebeest, zebras, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and more than 400 bird species.

Game-viewing drives in Masai Mara National Park: Located in the Great Rift Valley bordering the Serengeti, Masai Mara is home to Africa’s “Big Five”—elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, and buffalo. The park is also along the path of the Great Wildebeest Migration, the age-old spectacle of more than two million animals thundering from the Tanzanian Serengeti to the grasslands of the Masai Mara, crossing crocodile infested waters along the way.

Along with the Big Five, the park is home to myriad wildlife, including cheetahs, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, warthogs, gazelles, zebras, and many more. It’s also the only wildlife reserve with an indigenous black rhino population. Masai Mara is also home to a plethora of lesser-known species, including the spotted hyena, serval cat, and bat-eared fox.

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New! Immersion in Costa Rica: La Fortuna to the Pacific Coast

Rio Frio wildlife cruise: Take a small boat to explore this complex inland waterway. With the help of a Trip Experience Leader and their expertise on the region and its wild inhabitants, we'll keep an eye out for wading birds—like northern jacanas and wood storks—as well as turtles and butterflies during our cruise. Keep your binoculars and camera ready—we might be lucky enough to spot larger animals, like the spider and howler monkeys, sloths, and caimans that live by the river.

Arenal National Park nature walk: As we stroll, we’ll get a closer look at Arenal Volcano—one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes—and have an opportunity to spot the area’s tropical wildlife. This national park is home to more than 500 species of birds, including toucans as well as monkeys and coati.

Tarcoles River mangrove forest crocodile cruise: The forest is a unique ecosystem of tropical trees growing in a saltwater marsh formed by a tidal estuary, and the trees provide a home for many kinds of fish and shellfish, as well as a hunting ground for larger predators such as crocodiles. As you float past the mangrove trees’ sinuous, exposed roots, your guide will help you spot and identify some of the colorful plants and animals that dwell in this wetland sanctuary, including crocodiles, monkeys, anteaters, iguanas, and coatis. This region is also home to more than 300 species of birds, including many types of egret and heron, as well as other species like the double-striped thick-knee, mangrove warbler, and American pygmy kingfisher.

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New! Immersion in Ecuador: Quito to the Galápagos

4-night Galápagos cruise: For four nights, we explore the archipelago—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—by ship, enjoying comfortable cabins and the services of an expert crew. Our Trip Experience Leader will give us an orientation briefing, including conservation techniques suggested by the Galápagos National Park. He or she is a graduate of the elite certification program conducted at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Isla Santa Cruz by the Galápagos National Park Service.

We file our Galápagos cruising itinerary with the conservation authorities of the Galápagos National Park. Park biologists periodically review it, and they have the authority to make changes to our plan to minimize our impact on the ecosystems of the islands. Our Trip Experience Leader also provides the park with information on species behavior, and we are proud to work in cooperation with the park officials in preserving the priceless natural wonders of the Galápagos.

Each day we have the opportunity to snorkel the surrounding waters. Although wildlife sightings are unpredictable, we may see blue-footed and Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, pelicans, Galápagos doves, swallowtail and lava gulls, Darwin finches, or herons. We'll also marvel at sea lions and iguanas throughout our travels.

We'll make numerous landings by small dinghies that involve stepping into knee-deep water to wade ashore. Balance and agility are required to participate. You may rest on board instead if you prefer.

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Seek out the Big Five and more on our new, 10-day Immersion in Kenya: Wildlife Safari in Amboseli & Masai Mara adventure.