Wild Planet Adventures Unveils Look at 2012 Season

Accentuated with New and Astonishing Wildlife Encounters 

Highlights: India‚s Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary,

Big Cat Sightings at Brazil‚s Pantanal Jaguar Research Center,

 Chance to Spot Clouded Leopards of Thailand‚s Klong Seang Wildlife Sanctuary

SAUSALITO, CA, July 11, 2011 ˆ Wildlife viewing specialist Wild Planet Adventures http://www.wildplanetadventures.com/ announces new, expanded international wildlife touring programs for 2012. Founder / owner Josh Cohen promises clients will be up close and personal with some of the most extraordinary creatures in the world including gibbons in India and jaguars on Brazil‚s Amazon.

From November to June, a 19-day India Ultimate Wildlife Safari: Leopards, Tigers and Palaces now includes a day exploring the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, a 2100 hectare wildlife reserve with Hoolock Gibbons, India‚s only apes, and its smallest primate, the Slow loris. Unique geography affords viewing of, among others, Eastern Assamese Macaque, Capped Langur, several species of macaques, elephants, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, three types of civit cats and 219 bird species. Nearly all-inclusive per person rates for 2012 remain unchanged from 2011, averaging under $400 per day.

From May through October at under $400 a day, 10- and 14-day wildlife safaris, Brazil: Pantanal to the Amazon - On the Jaguar‚s Trail, are brand-new,   showcasing differing wildlife ecosystems from the Pantanal, the world‚s largest tropical wetlands, to the Amazon‚s rainforest. A highlight is the new Jaguar Research Center in the Pantanal which has documented 98 percent of travelers sighting jaguars during their stay. According to a lodge owner, the renowned zoologist Charles Munn, „the first guest at the newly opened Jaguar Research Center, saw 14 jaguars in 14 days.‰

Guests visit a remote Amazon eco-lodge built with sustainable practices on a private reserve of over 46 square miles of medium to low eco zones, varied forest cover, lakes, micro habitats, around 600 species of birds and diverse neo-tropical wildlife including jaguar, Harpy Eagle, Giant Otter and an astounding number of primate species. The lodge‚s private location near the confluence of white and black waters yields a combination of two soil types offering a rich diversity of topography, trees, orchids and bromeliads, terrestrial mammals, monkeys, bats, birds, reptiles and fish, butterflies and other insects. There are visits to Iguassu Falls and the Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Project in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

From November through June a new 11- and 14-day Hidden Thailand: Remote Rainforests & Islands tour is just over $300 per person daily. Wild Planet Adventures is the only operator combining long-tail boat and silent kayaks to explore the remote Klong Seang Wildlife Sanctuary, thus allowing guests to see shy and elusive animals without scaring them away.  Guests have even spotted the rare Clouded Leopard. The lake‚s massive limestone Karst formations are over 1,000 meters high, higher than the karst in famous Phang Na Bay.

This trip includes the Ko Tarutau Archipelago, Thailand‚s most remote islands, where it is still possible to see soft coral despite the massive coral die-off of 2010, as well as hard coral and an abundance of colorful tropical fish. Several days are spent in Kaeng Krachan, the largest and least-visited National Park in Thailand. There are cultural experiences in Chiang Mai, including an eco-responsible elephant camp, interactions with tiger cubs at a tiger rescue center, and a choice of visiting a Thai cooking school or Doi Inthanon Cloudforest and Doi Sudthep Buddhist temple.

The new Zambia Ultimate Wildlife Safari (dates to be announced) will be, according to Cohen, „the most comprehensive wildlife itinerary possible for Zambia, covering both the Mfue and Nsefu sectors of South Luagwa National Park, plus the Busanga Plains of Kafue National Park (the only place in Zambia to see Cheetah).

„We‚ve also added the Lower Zambezi River, including a foray into Zimbabwe for a canoe safari on the most beautiful section of the river called Mana Pools,‰ says Cohen. The trip features walking safaris, canoeing safaris, as well as 4WD jeep safaris, with vehicles and arrangements that optimize comfort and exclusive viewing. Travelers with less time can elect to forgo the canoe safari or customize any aspect of the trip. The company also offers extensions to Livingstone for a tour of Victoria Falls.

In the Galapagos, Cohen has enhanced the company‚s options with additional yachts, including state-of-the-art catamarans and classic sailing vessels. Pricing per person starts f
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