The 10 incredible animals you must see in Asia – and how to witness them in the wild
Spanning multiple longitudes and latitudes, our planet’s largest continent is a mesmerising mix of diverse habitats.
Mountains soar to giddy, air-thinning heights, oceans plunge to largely unknown depths and forests thrive with an electrifying variety of life.
Asia’s landscapes, coastlines and oceans pulse with a mix of curious creatures and well-loved charismatic species. Yet, it has always been overshadowed by Africa as a wildlife destination.
The focus is set to change when the BBC’s new seven-part blockbuster nature series Asia, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, starts this evening (on BBC One at 18:20, also available on iPlayer).
“Asia has huge unrealised potential to share its natural riches with the world,” says Byron Thomas, a destination expert from Natural World Safaris, echoing the thoughts of many other specialist wildlife operators.
Here are 10 spotlight species to seek out.
Bengal tiger
A beacon of beauty burning brightly in India’s dense deciduous forests, nothing could frame the fearful symmetry of this formidable feline. A camouflage of thick stripes allows them to stealthily stalk prey, moving silently through grasslands on padded paws. Targeted by an illegal trade in illogical and ill-founded traditional medicine, numbers are slowly recovering because of strict protection efforts. Paul Goldstein, a photographer and guide, has run more than 25 marathons in a weighty tiger suit to raise funds and awareness for the species. He recommends Bandhavgarh and Tadoba as his favourite reserves.
Book it: Exodus Travel has a 12-day India Photography Safari from £6,879pp, including full-board accommodation and transfers. Flights are extra. Departs April 29 and May 10 2025.
Pallas’s cat
Small but lethal, the cat world’s equivalent of Attila the Hun is rapidly becoming a household hit. Filmed by numerous documentary makers, the fiery-tempered fluffball roams the montane grasslands and steppes of 16 countries in Central Asia, ambushing gerbils and pikas. Terry Goble, an ecologist, is familiar with their movements across Hustai National Park, one of the most protected areas in Mongolia. Sleep overnight in traditional gers and search for the whiskered warriors at dawn and dusk.
Book it: Wildlife Worldwide has a 13-night Cats of Mountain and Steppe tour from £6,995pp, including B&B accommodation, most meals and flights. Departs Aug 14 2025.
Manta ray
Boasting a brainpower to blow all other fish out of the water, manta rays can play, problem solve and even recognise their own reflection. More akin to mammals, mantas are joyful snorkel and dive companions, known to approach humans without feeling threatened. The world’s largest population of both species – giant and reef – can be seen in the Maldives, feasting on blooms of plankton and migrating between atolls as seasons change. See them en masse in Hanifaru Bay, an area studied by the Manta Trust, from May to November.
Book it: Virgin Holidays has a seven-night B&B stay at Intercontinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort from £3,975pp, including flights from Birmingham. Departs July 1 2025.
Komodo dragon
Able to sniff blood from up to six miles away with their scent-snatching forked tongues, these primaeval predators can eat up to 80 per cent of their body weight in one meal. Capable of killing humans and known to nibble on their own kind, these are far from being fairytale creatures. But seeing them in the wild is still magical. Find them on the islands of Komodo National Park in Indonesia hunting, sun basking, or scavenging along the shoreline – all habits well-honed over 3.8 million years.
Book it: Abercrombie & Kent has a seven-night full-board voyage of the Komodo Islands on the Tiger Blue yacht from £4,250pp, including flights.
Gibbon
Famed for their funky dance moves in a novelty 1970s pop hit, the forest’s finest singers could easily top charts today. Able to duet using synchronised notes and rhythms, the monogamous apes woo one another with sweet songs. Hear the endangered, white-cheeked species performing in northern Laos’ Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park, a former hunting area transformed into an eco-tourism success story. Equipped with arms 1.4 times the length of their bodies, the agile creatures spend most of the day swinging through trees.
Book it: Selective Asia has a 16-day Laos Unlocked trip from £3,190pp, including B&B accommodation, some meals and transfers. Flights are extra.
Leopard
Although considered a highlight of African safaris, a higher density of dazzling rosettes can be found in Sri Lanka’s national parks. Expect to encounter at least one of the rare, seductive cats in every square kilometre of the coastal game viewing area Yala. A lesser-known habitat for the elusive felines is Kumana, in a quieter southeastern corner of the tear drop island. Moving between mangroves, savannah and forest, the cats can often be observed without any other vehicles around.
Book it: Reef and Rainforest has a 15-day trip from £5,985pp, including some B&B accommodation, meals and transfers. Flights extra.
Asian elephant
Revered as great warriors and respected for being hard workers, elephants are a national symbol of strength and resilience in Thailand. In the past, many were kept in captivity and used for entertainment, but growing awareness of animal welfare means that many are now living peacefully in sanctuaries. Visiting projects like the award-winning elephant experience in the rainforest around Khao Sok national park helps support responsible wildlife tourism, improving the future for these gentle animals. Help prepare food for the elephants and spend a night sleeping in a floating tent.
Book it: Audley Travel has a 13-day Thailand for Families trip from £3,750pp, including B&B accommodation, transfers and flights.
Proboscis monkey
A large appendage is a guaranteed hit with the ladies for one of Borneo’s most generously endowed residents. A fleshy nose plays an important role in attracting mates and intimidating rivals in the mangrove forests and swamps of the world’s third largest island, the only place where these cartoonish creatures can be seen in the wild. Adept at swinging through trees and swimming in rivers, they are extremely agile and can dive in search of shellfish.
Book it: Inside Asia Tours has a 13-night Best of Borneo trip from £2,795pp, including B&B accommodation, some meals and transfers. Flights are extra.
Red panda
Regularly appearing in memes and Instagram posts, the cutest mammal in the Himalayas is sadly endangered. Despite sharing the same love of bamboo, they bear no relation to their giant black and white namesakes – although they can be equally tricky to spot in the wild. One of the best bets for sightings is Singalila National Park, a protected area of forest straddling India and eastern Nepal. Listen carefully for their distinctive “huff-quack” vocalisations – a mix between a duck quack and a pig snort.
Book it: Naturetrek has an 11-day Red Pandas, Satyr Tragopans and Tigers trip from £4,995pp, including accommodation, most meals, transfers and flights. Departs March 22 2025.
Black-necked crane
Bhutanese residents of the Phobjikha Valley hold an annual festival to celebrate the return of their seasonal winged migrants in November, celebrated as a symbol of good luck. Choreographed dances mimic the graceful courtship rituals of mating couples, seen strutting their tail feathers across wetlands until February. Observe them from an observation tower or watch as they glide above the sloping glacial valley.
Book it: Yellowwood Adventures has a nine-day Inside Bhutan’s Hidden Kingdom tour from £2,899pp, including full-board accommodation and transfers. Flights are extra. Varius departures.
