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Tucked away on Glacier’s eastern side, about 12 miles into the park itself, the Many Glacier Valley is a stunning display of sparkling lakes, gushing waterfalls, rising mountains and alpine meadows that are often brimming with wildflowers like purple lupine and red-and-yellow gaillardia. The area is home to at least a dozen trailheads, ranging from a 4.2-mile round-trip meander to Red Rock Falls to a 12-mile out-and-back trek to Cracker Lake, a turquoise alpine wonder that often attracts moose and marmots, as well as grizzlies that chow down at berry patches along the trail. “Many” (the valley’s shortened nickname) is also the site of one of the park’s most celebrated—though quickly disappearing—glaciers, along with several lodging options, including the Many Glacier Hotel, the crowning jewel of the park’s railway-built hotels.

While the valley is typically open for visitors from early June to mid-September, it’s worth bedding down here for at least a few nights to take in all that the area has in store. Thankfully, Nat Hab’s Glacier & Waterton: An International Treasure adventure brings travelers into the heart of Many Glacier and includes a stay at its storied hotel.

If you plan to do a little exploring on your own, here are my favorite highlights of the Many Glacier Valley—a place I called home for an entire season.

The Many Glacier Hotel. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as bighorn sheep, bald eagles and grizzly bears along the trails, and summer meadows brimming with beargrass and Indian paintbrush.

The Many Glacier Hotel

The once-prominent Great Northern Railway built about a dozen lodging properties in and around Glacier National Park during the early 20th century, and the Many Glacier Hotel was among its finest. This five-story, Swiss chalet-style property perched on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake in a remote part of the park opened in completion in 1917 and still stands as a testament to the railway and the national park system. It’s both the largest and grandest of Glacier’s lodgings and remains its showpiece. While partially renovated in 2016, visitors still won’t find televisions or air-conditioning in any of the 200+ guestrooms, and the hotel’s historic appeal—including its rustic architecture—remains intact.

These days, the hotel is buzzing with both lodgers and day-trippers who gather around its massive lobby fireplace to warm their boots and pore over trail maps, or dine on rainbow trout and bison burgers in the lakeside dining room. The Glacier Park Boat Company offers scenic cruises along the valley’s Swiftcurrent and Josephine lakes that leave from the hotel, while other local activities include horseback riding adventures along Many’s dense forest trails and Red Bus tours aboard one of Glacier’s 33 original “jammer” buses. These open-air vehicles have been navigating the park’s roadways—including the legendary 55-mile-long Going-to-the-Sun Road—since 1936.

Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses the Crown of the Continent, providing access to the awe-inspiring alpine lakes, knife-edged ridgelines and craggy mountaintops that George Bird Grinnell so admired.

Grinnell Glacier

There are only about 25 official glaciers remaining today in Glacier National Park—a drastic reduction from the 80 glaciers that existed here in 1850. In fact, all the park’s glaciers are expected to melt within this century, including the valley’s Grinnell Glacier. The glacier is named for George Bird Grinnell, a naturalist, conservationist and explorer who made frequent visits to the region in the late 1800s and staunchly advocated for the area to become a national park (which finally occurred in 1910). It’s one of the park’s most famous glaciers and has become a poster child for climate change.

Thanks to a series of photographs dating back to the mid-19th century, people can see Grinnell’s recent shrinkage firsthand. In 1850, the glacier measured 710 acres—the size of approximately 538 football fields. This acreage included a nearby glacier called Salamander Glacier, which at the time was attached to Grinnell. However, between 1966 and 2005, Grinnell shrank by nearly 40%. An increase in greenhouse gas emissions has played a huge role in its reduction.

What remains of the glacier sits above 6,510 feet on the north flank of the park’s Mount Gould, and it’s one of the park’s only glaciers that can be easily reached on foot. The Grinnell Glacier Trail is an 11.2-mile out-and-back route beginning at Swiftcurrent Lake. Although relatively challenging, the hike offers some spectacular scenery, including stunning mountain vistas and a trailside waterfall, as well as a high chance of spotting grizzlies (remember to make noise and let them know you’re coming!).

On a narrated boat tour across Swiftcurrent Lake, Nat Hab travelers take in the panorama of Mount Grinnell, Angel Wing and surrounding peaks. Learn about the geology and ecology of our environs as we get within view of Grinnell Glacier, an experience future visitors may be less likely to have as climate change hastens the melting of the park’s permanent ice features. Depending on the angle of the sun, the lake may appear opaque turquoise, the result of glacial silt suspended in the water as it flows down the mountain from Grinnell Glacier. Then on a hike to Grinnell Lake, look for grazing elk in the meadows, and mountain goats and bighorn sheep perched on cliffs.

Iceberg Lake

Glacier is home to more than 700 lakes, many of which are unnamed. Iceberg Lake is among its finest. This turquoise body of water gets its name from the many icebergs that often float in it—a result of the lake’s shadowy location among a series of towering peaks. It sits at 6,094 feet in elevation and is reachable via a 9.3-mile out-and-back trail that begins behind the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. While moderately challenging, this half-day hike rewards with alpine meadows blooming with wildflowers like yellow columbine and white mountain death camas, dense pine forest that offers reprieve from the hot sun, and a pristine view of the Ptarmigan Wall, a narrow ridgeline separating the Many Glacier and Belly River valleys. That’s all before reaching the lake itself—an absolute sight to behold and an ideal spot for a picnic.

Ptarmigan Tunnel

Many Glacier’s Ptarmigan Tunnel was a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a part of America’s work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942. Volunteer workers constructed this 240-foot tunnel through Ptarmigan Wall as a way for hikers and horses to avoid an even more strenuous climb when traveling between the Many Glacier and Belly River valleys. The tunnel is accessible via the Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail, which begins in the Many Glacier Valley from the same trailhead as Iceberg Lake.

This challenging 10.6-mile out-and-back hike provides spectacular views of the nearby peaks, including 8,851-foot Mount Grinnell and 8,436-foot Swiftcurrent Mountain, passes among occasional snowfields, and winds alongside thickets of huckleberries—a grizzly bear favorite. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are often easy to spot. A series of long switchbacks make up the hike’s final portion, ending at the tunnel itself, which sits at an altitude of 7,200 feet. On its far side, 9,480-foot Natoas Peak and Elizabeth Lake make for picture-perfect vistas.

Join a National Park Adventure with Nat Hab

From early-morning alpenglow to glacier-fed lakes and high-country trails, the Many Glacier Valley showcases some of Glacier National Park’s most soul-stirring terrain. Whether you’re hiking past beargrass-lined meadows, paddling across turquoise lakes or exploring storied chalets, this region offers nature travelers a full-spectrum mountain experience. With Nat Hab as your guide, you’ll discover the legacy, wonder and wildness that define the Crown of the Continent.

The post Discover the Magic of Many Glacier Valley first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

Of all wildlife species, bats seem to be the most intensively associated with Halloween.

If I asked you to name a “Halloween animal,” the first answer you’d probably give me is bat. Bats are associated with Halloween because of their nocturnal natures and their presence at Celtic Samhain (pronounced saw-wen and meaning “summer’s end”) festivals of the ninth century, which attracted them with the bonfires lit to ward off spirits. During these celebrations, which marked the beginning of winter, the division between the living and the dead was believed to blur, and bats became linked with the wandering spirits. Their relationship was further cemented by folklore and literature, such as author Bram Stoker’s 1897 book Dracula, which tied them to darkness, death and vampires.

In more modern times, we’ve come to appreciate bats for their amazing attributes. They control pests, serve as pollinators and seed dispersers, and contribute to ecosystem health through the nutrient-rich fertilizer in their guano. They are the only mammals capable of true flight (other mammals manage to travel through the air by gliding from great heights or leaping from the depths). They also have extraordinary hearing, primarily for echolocation, allowing them to navigate and hunt in darkness by interpreting high-frequency sound echoes.

Recently, we’ve been learning even more about how and what bats hear. And it’s even more thrilling than we thought.

When emerging from caves at night by the thousands, bats avoid colliding into each other by changing how they echolocate and move.

Solving the “cocktail party” mystery of bat echolocation

Thousands of bats erupting out of a cave and flapping into the night—sometimes in densities so high that they appear liquid—astounds anyone lucky enough to witness this phenomenon. But with so many moving bats in one place, why don’t they run into each other?

Why bats don’t fatally crash every night when they squeeze out of caves to forage has long been a scientific mystery. Many bats perceive their world mostly through echolocation: they emit a call and listen for the reflected echo, which in turn allows them to “see” what’s around them. But if many bats are echolocating at the same time—such as when a whole colony emerges from a cave in a few minutes—then the calls of others should drown out the important echoic information that bats need. Scientists call this loss of acoustic information “jamming,” and they expect that bats should collide because of it. And yet, aerial accidents outside caves are extremely rare.

For decades, scientists have tried to figure out how bats solve this “cocktail party” nightmare, in which ambient chatter deafens a bat to the sounds it needs to hear. For example, researchers have examined how bats echolocate in groups. In the laboratory, they observed that individual bats in a small group each echolocated at a slightly different frequency, which, in theory, should reduce jamming. Was this also the solution to the cocktail party mystery?

A mouse-tailed bat has a very long, thin tail that is nearly as long as its head and body combined. The animal has large, cup-shaped ears that have a small tragus (fleshy ear outgrowth). There is also a fleshy ridge over the slit-like nostrils, which can be closed to exclude dust and sand. ©Telegro, flickr

To find out, researchers from Germany’s Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and Israel’s Tel Aviv University collected data from wild bats flooding out of a cave opening at dusk and flying through the landscape to forage. They used a combination of high-resolution tracking, sensorimotor computer modeling and ultrasonic recording, all of which allowed the scientists to step into the bats’ sensory world.

The team studied greater mouse-tailed bats in Israel’s Hula Valley. Over two years, they tagged tens of bats with lightweight trackers that recorded the animals’ locations every second. Some of these tags also included ultrasonic microphones that recorded the auditory scene from the individual bat’s perspective.

One caveat: the tagged bats were released outside the cave and into the emerging colony, meaning that real data was missing at the cave opening when density is highest. The team filled in this gap with a computational model that simulated emergence. The model incorporated information collected by microphones and the trackers to recreate the full behavioral sequence starting from the entrance of the cave and ending after bats had flown 1.24 miles through the valley.

If you’re a bat flying through a cluttered space such as a cave exit, the most important object that you need to know about is the bat directly in front of you. So, you should echolocate in a way that gives you the most detailed information about only that bat.

The picture that ultimately emerged was remarkable. When exiting the cave, bats experience a cacophony of calls, with 94% of echolocations being jammed. Yet, within five seconds of leaving the cave, the bats significantly reduced the echolocation jamming. They also made two important behavioral changes: first, they fanned out from the dense colony core while maintaining the group structure; and second, they emitted shorter and weaker calls at higher frequency.

The researchers suspected that bats would reduce jamming by quickly dispersing from the cave. But why did the bats change their echolocations to a higher frequency? Wouldn’t more calling only increase the problem of jamming and therefore collision risk? To understand that result, the authors of the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in March 2025, had to approach the scene from a bat’s point of view.

If you’re a bat flying through a cluttered space, say the researchers, the most important object you need to know about is the bat directly in front of you. So, you should echolocate in such a way that gives you the most detailed information about only that bat. You might miss most of the information available because of jamming, but it doesn’t matter because you only need enough detail to avoid crashing into that bat. In other words, bats change the way they echolocate to gain detailed information about their nearest neighbors—a strategy that ultimately helps them to successfully maneuver and avoid collisions.

Seeing thousands of bats erupting out of a cave and flapping into the night—sometimes in densities so high that they appear liquid—astounds bat watchers every time. But what’s even more baffling is what you don’t see: bats running into each other.

The authors of this study emphasize that this unexpected result for how bats solve the cocktail party dilemma was made possible by studying bats in their natural environments performing the relevant task. While lab and theoretical studies allow us to imagine possibilities, only by putting ourselves into the “shoes” of animals—at least, as close as possible—will we be able to understand the challenges they face and what they do to solve them.

Using a bat echolocation map for navigation

Once bats get out of their caves and begin their nighttime forays, the magic of these mammals continues.

Would you be able to instantly recognize your location and find your way home from any random point within a two-mile radius in complete darkness, with only a flashlight to guide you? In essence, that’s what bats do, with a directed, local beam of sound—the animal’s echolocation—to guide the way. While bats have long been known for their use of echolocation to avoid obstacles and orient themselves, a research team from the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University in Israel has now shown that bats can identify their location even after being displaced and use echolocation to perform map-based navigation over long distances.

Kuhl’s pipistrelle bats are small to medium-sized, with a total length between 1.5 to two inches, a wingspan of eight to 10 inches, and a tail that can measure from 1.1 to 1.5 inches. The dorsal fur is generally beige or yellowish-brown, while the ventral fur is usually pale yellow or white.

In their research, the German and Israeli team conducted experiments with Kuhl’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) bats in Israel’s Hula Valley. Over several nights, the researchers tracked 76 bats near their roosts and relocated them to various points within a two-mile radius, but still within their home range. Each bat was tagged with an innovative, lightweight, reverse GPS tracking system called ATLAS, which provided high-resolution, real-time tracking.

Some bats were fitted solely with the ATLAS system, while others were additionally manipulated to assess how their echolocation, magnetic sense, sense of smell and vision influenced their ability to navigate back to their roosts. Remarkably, even with echolocation alone, 95% of the bats returned to their roosts within minutes, demonstrating that bats can conduct mile-scale navigation using only this highly directional and relatively local mode of sensing. Surprisingly, however, it was also shown that, when available, bats improve their navigation using vision. Even with such small eyes, noted the scientists, bats can rely on vision under certain conditions.

Along with the field experiments, the team created a detailed map of the entire valley to visualize what each bat experienced during flight and understand how they used acoustic information to navigate. The model revealed that bats tend to fly near environmental features with higher “echoic entropy”—areas that provide richer acoustic information. During the localization phase, bats conduct a meandering flight that, at a certain point, changes to a directional flight toward their destination, suggesting that they already know where they are. Bats fly near environmental features that hold more acoustic information, such as roads or trees, using them as acoustic landmarks to make navigation decisions.

The Hula Valley is one of the most water-abundant places in Israel. It’s the location of Hula Lake, an attraction for waterbirds. Research on both greater mouse-tailed bats and Kuhl’s pipistrelle bats here has provided insights into behavior, diet and the bats’ roles as insect predators.

In the conclusion of the study, published in the journal Science in October 2024, the authors state that Kuhl’s pipistrelles can navigate over several miles using echolocation alone. However, when vision is available, they enhance their navigation performance by combining both senses. After being displaced, these small bats first identify their new location using environmental features with distinctive acoustic cues as landmarks and then fly home. This behavior suggests they possess an acoustic mental map of their home range.

Eavesdropping to identify edible bat prey

One of the main reasons bats leave their caves, of course, is to find food and water. To source their food, some predators eavesdrop on calls emitted by prey. Fringe-lipped bats, which range from Panama to Brazil, are some of the most skilled eavesdroppers in the world: they are attuned to the sexual advertisement calls of more than a dozen frog and toad species that live in their habitat. If a fringe-lipped bat hears a call, it will fly toward the sound within seconds. However, just as some incoming calls on your cell phone originate from scammers, not every frog or toad call guarantees a safe and healthy meal; if a frog is too large or emits a toxin, the prey can pose a danger to the bat.

According to scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), fringe-lipped bats have adapted to this risk by developing their own caller ID; if they hear a call from an unpalatable frog or toad, they save their energy and time by not responding. But frog and toad calls do not come with automatic spam warnings like phone calls do; and until now, scientists did not know where the fringe-lipped bat’s ability to distinguish between palatable and unpalatable frogs came from.

Fringe-lipped bats are named for the wartlike bumps on their lips and muzzles that may be used to secrete neutralizing factors against the toxic skins of the frogs they eat. This bat has large ears; long, woolly fur; and a serrated nose leaf, an elaborate structure of skin on the nose that serves to focus, shape and direct the echolocation calls emitted from the nostrils.

So, the STRI team tested how individual, wild-caught, adult and juvenile fringe-lipped bats respond to mating call recordings of 15 local frog and toad species. These species included frogs known to be palatable, toxic or too large to handle. First, the team confirmed previous studies showing that adult bats responded more strongly to palatable versus unpalatable frogs and toads. Yet, as the team discovered, juvenile bats did not make the same distinctions. On average, juvenile bats did not respond differently to frogs and toads based on their palatability.

Looking more closely, the researchers found that juvenile bats could identify larger prey by their calls, just like adults can, but they could not distinguish the toxic species. This indicates that juveniles tend to respond to body size early on, but they learn to identify toxic species over time. Like human children, then, young bats need time and experience to hone their discrimination skills.

This study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B in April 2025, is the first to explicitly compare eavesdropping responses of generalist predators at different ages. But it is likely that this strategy is widespread across the animal kingdom and fringe-lipped bats are not the only predators that need to learn how to distinguish palatable prey. Because the study highlights the critical role of experience in early life in shaping predatory behaviors in the wild, the scientists hope it will inspire other examinations of how early experience modulates predator-foraging decisions.

In addition to echolocation, a bat’s auditory system features specialized ears. Many bat species can hear ultrasonic frequencies that far exceed the typical human range. Bats can also hear lower frequencies, useful for detecting the faint sounds of scurrying prey. When bats can’t hear, they’re capable of deft accommodations.

Preparing a plan B when a bat can’t hear

Now that we know how astonishing bat hearing is, what happens when a bat can’t hear? It seems that these hearing-dependent animals employ a remarkable compensation strategy, and they adapt immediately and robustly, say researchers at Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University in an article published in the journal Current Biology in December 2024. They suggest for the first time that bats’ brains are hardwired with an ability to launch a plan B in times of diminished hearing. While humans and other mammals also have these adaptive circuits that they can use to help make decisions and navigate their environments, what’s striking here is that the bats act very fast; almost automatically.

All animals adjust in various ways as a response to sensory deprivation. People at a loud bar might lean in to better hear what someone is saying. A dog might tilt its head toward a muted sound. So, the Johns Hopkins University researchers wondered how a hearing-dependent, echolocating bat might accommodate when a key auditory region in its brain was turned off.

The scientists trained bats to fly from a platform, down a corridor and through a window to get a treat. They then had the same bats repeat the task but with a critical auditory pathway in the midbrain temporarily blocked. Disabling this brain region isn’t like plugging your ears; it prevents most auditory signals from reaching the deep brain. The drug-induced technique used is reversible and lasts about 90 minutes. With their hearing blocked, the bats were able to navigate the course extremely well, even on the first try. They weren’t as agile and ran into things, but every tested bat compensated immediately and effectively.

Bat echolocation is a biological sonar system, where a bat emits high-frequency sound pulses from its mouth or nose and listens for the resulting echoes to “see” in the dark. These echoes provide detailed information about the distance, shape, size and texture of objects, allowing the bat to navigate and locate prey with incredible precision.

It was discovered that these bats changed their flight path and vocalizations. They flew lower, oriented themselves along walls and increased both the length and number of their calls, which boosted the power of the echo signals they use for navigation (see video below). Since echolocation acts like strobes, they were basically taking more snapshots to help them get the missing information. The bats also broadened the bandwidth on these calls. These adaptations were interesting, stated the scientists, because previously they had only seen them when bats are compensating for external noise. In this case, however, the bats were dealing with an internal-processing deficit.

The fact that the bats could hear at all with this region of their brains disabled was shocking. The researchers believe that the bats either relied on an unknown auditory pathway or that unaffected neurons might support hearing in unknown ways, suggesting that there might be multiple routes for sound to travel to the auditory cortex.

Although the team repeated the experiments, the compensation skills of the bats didn’t improve over time. This means the adaptation behaviors the bats employed weren’t learned; they were innate, latent and hardwired into the bats’ brain circuitry, highlighting how robust the brain is to external noise and manipulation. Next, the scientists would like to determine to what degree the findings apply to humans and other animals.

October is Bat Appreciation Month. The timing is appropriate as these animals have long been linked to Halloween. I hope your Halloween is a happy one—and filled with appreciation for these singular, true-flying mammals.

Appreciating bats for their spectacular senses

Appropriately, October is Bat Appreciation Month. Today, unfortunately, these phenomenal, flying mammals are at risk from artificial illumination, chemical use, climate change, diseases such as white-nose syndrome, habitat loss and human disturbance.

Hopefully, though, bats will become less “scary” every year as old traditions fade and we learn to appreciate more fully the curious creatures who can see with their ears.

Have a happy Halloween,

Candy

The post Halloween 2025: Bat Hearing first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

On this Nat Hab expedition, private chartered flights carry you swiftly across immense distances, maximizing time in nature. Along the way, meet Mongol herders on the steppe, discover traditional archery in the Altai, and visit Kazakh families whose nomadic traditions have endured for centuries.

Takhi horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia

What Makes Mongolia’s Landscapes Unique?

Mongolia is a land of extremes. Its 604,000 square miles hold deserts that freeze in winter, alpine peaks that remain snowcapped through summer, and vast grasslands that support one of the planet’s great mammal migrations.

Each of Mongolia’s biomes tells a different story:

• On the steppe, the last true wild horses—Przewalski’s horses—graze alongside large herds of gazelles.
• The desert reveals granite cliffs and crimson rock, home to argali sheep, Siberian ibex and cinereous vultures.
• The Altai Mountains rise in sharp contrast, with snowcapped peaks where tribal archers demonstrate centuries-old Uriankhai techniques.

In one journey, you move from steppe to desert to mountains, witnessing contrasts and cultures that define Mongolia.

Steppe: What Grows on Mongolia’s Grassland?

Grassland steppe covers about 332,000 square miles—55% of Mongolia—and is considered the last remaining pristine grassland in Eurasia.

The steppe is home to:

• An estimated 2 million Mongolian gazelles, whose annual migration is one of the last large-scale migrations in the northern hemisphere
• 5,000 critically endangered saiga antelopes, making a comeback in neighboring Kazakhstan
• Przewalski’s horse, Mongolia’s national animal, reintroduced to the steppes and a symbol of the country’s wild heritage
• The elusive Pallas’s cat, stronghold populations in the Eastern Steppe
• About 180 recorded bird species, both migratory and native
• More than 20,000 herding families, raising diverse livestock as their primary livelihood

At Hustai National Park, Nat Hab guests enjoy exclusive permission for a private 360° mobile ger camp on the edge of the Core Zone, normally closed to tourists. From this base, wildlife drives reach research areas typically off-limits, timed for optimum viewing. Expect intimate encounters with Przewalski’s horses, plus chances to see Mongolian wolves, red deer and steppe raptors. Nights are illuminated by the Milky Way, unbroken by city glow.

Discovering the Desert: Ikh Nart Nature Reserve

Established in 1996, Ikh Nart Nature Reserve spans about 257 square miles on the Gobi’s northern edge, where steppe meets semi-desert. Rocky outcrops, shrublands and canyons see temperatures from –40°F in winter to 109°F in summer.

About 110 pastoral families live with their livestock, migrating seasonally within the reserve. For wildlife, Ikh Nart is crucial habitat for:

• more than 1,000 argali sheep
• hundreds of ospreys, the largest population in Mongolia
• dense populations of cinereous vultures and kestrels
• goitered and Mongolian gazelles
• Siberian ibex
• Mongolian wolves

Once considered a “paper park” without sufficient management, Ikh Nart is now a conservation model. Long-term research and community engagement have boosted argali and ibex by 200–300% and increased cinereous vulture fledging success by about 35%. In 2012, UNDP recognized Ikh Nart as a Model Protected Area.

Guests overnight in a permanent ger camp, watching sunrise paint the granite crimson. Chartered flights in and out keep the focus on exploration, not road time.

Traditional Kazakh attire, Altai, Mongolia

Moving in Mountains: Traditional Archery & Kazakh Hospitality in the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion

The Altai-Sayan Ecoregion spans the boundary of Siberian taiga and Central Asian desert—a mosaic of snowcapped peaks, alpine valleys and larch forests.

The area features:

• About 159,000 square miles of forestland, roughly 39% of the region
• 3,700 plant species (16% rare or endangered, 9% endemic)
• 650 vertebrate species, including Altai argali, the critically endangered Mongolian saiga and the elusive snow leopard

Despite its harsh climate, the Altai holds:

• 27,000 lakes
• Glaciers storing about 11.8 cubic miles of freshwater
• The Ob and Yenisei Rivers, two of the world’s largest watersheds

In the high country, travelers encounter cultural traditions shaped by the mountains. Witness a traditional archery demonstration, discovering ancient Uriankhai techniques as tribal archers display remarkable precision and strength.

Later, visit a neighboring Kazakh family. Kazakhs live mostly in Bayan-Ulgii province, many having migrated from Xinjiang in the early 20th century to escape civil war, with a second wave resettling in the 1940s. Today, more than 120,000 Kazakhs live in Mongolia, maintaining a nomadic lifestyle that has endured for centuries.

We are welcomed into the family’s traditional Kazakh ger, distinctive in its design from Mongolian gers and warmed by a wood-burning stove. Our hosts offer airag (fermented mare’s milk tea) and hand-made curd products. Inside, colorful felt carpets cover the floor and intricately stitched tapestries adorn the walls, each embroidery pattern unique to the family. Learn about their herding practices and cultural traditions, then return to camp by late afternoon for dinner and, weather permitting, a stargazing session with our Expedition Leader—the Altai’s night skies are among the darkest on Earth.

How Do Mongolia’s Nomadic Cultures Reflect the Land?

Mongolia’s cultural diversity mirrors its geography.

• On the steppe, Mongol herders live closely with horses and mixed herds of sheep, cashmere goats, cattle/yaks and Bactrian camels toward the Gobi. Their way of life is shaped by endless horizons and abundant grazing.
• In the Altai, Kazakh families herd livestock and practice skills such as archery, embroidery and feltwork. Their gers are decorated with colorful textiles, each design unique to a family.

Together, these traditions illustrate how human adaptation is inseparable from land and climate. For travelers, these encounters bring human texture to Mongolia’s wild landscapes.

Mongolia Travel FAQs

What is the best way to explore Mongolia’s vast landscapes?
Most Mongolia itineraries involve long, rough drives. Nat Hab eliminates this with private chartered flights, carrying guests directly to Ikh Nart and onward between regions. You spend your days on wildlife drives and cultural visits, not in transit, and gain a striking bird’s-eye view of grasslands, desert ridges and glaciated peaks.

Where do travelers stay on Nat Hab’s journey?
Three distinctive ger experiences anchor the route:

• A private 360° mobile ger camp in Hustai, with exclusive permission to camp near the Core Zone
• A permanent ger camp in Ikh Nart, surrounded by granite outcrops and canyons
• A luxury ger camp in the Altai, where tribal archers demonstrate ancient skills and Kazakh families welcome us into their homes

Each camp blends cultural authenticity with modern comfort and small-group intimacy.

What is a ger?
A ger is a traditional Mongolian yurt. White and round, it is built with a wooden frame, supporting columns and layers of felt that provide insulation in extreme temperatures. Nat Hab travelers are welcomed into gers, sharing meals and daily rhythms.

What wildlife can I expect to see?
The itinerary targets optimum viewing in each biome:

• Hustai National Park: Przewalski’s horse, Mongolian wolf, red deer
• Ikh Nart Nature Reserve: argali sheep, Siberian ibex, cinereous vultures
• Altai-Sayan Ecoregion: Altai argali, Mongolian saiga, golden eagles and the rarely seen snow leopard

The post Journey Across Mongolia: From Steppe to Desert and Mountains first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

Some birds—such as corvids—have large brains relative to their body sizes and possess a high number of neurons in their forebrains when compared to primates. This density of neurons, rather than just total brain size, is what enables impressive cognitive feats and primate-like intelligence.

The word birdbrain became a common slang term for a stupid person in the early 20th century. And while it’s still sometimes used as an insult, it’s a misnomer. In fact, the brains of birds are so large (relative to their body size) that scientists say they are practically braincases with beaks. These big brains that birds developed led to changes in the shapes and sizes of avian skulls, which, in turn, affected the mechanics of the way birds move and use their beaks to eat and explore their habitats—adaptations that helped them evolve into the extraordinarily diverse, winged creatures we see today.

However, even large brains and awesome, flexible skulls may not save birds from modern-day challenges such as climate change. Some species that breed over large geographic areas can still be adapted to a narrow range of climates, making them more vulnerable to global warming than previously thought. On top of that, species with larger brains tend to be more suited for narrower climate niches, adding to their risks.

Having wings may not help birds much, either. As rising global temperatures alter ecosystems worldwide, animal species usually have two choices: adapt to changing local conditions or flee to a cooler clime. While ecologists have long assumed that the world’s bird species were best equipped to respond to the pressures of climate change simply because they have the option of flying to higher altitudes or towards the planet’s poles, a new study finds that few bird species are able to escape the realities of a warming world.

Recently, researchers examined the brain structures of extinct and living birds by making digital “endocasts” from skulls. Endocasts are made by scanning a bird skull and then digitally filling its brain cavities to get the brain’s imprint.

Big brains and a clever way to study them

It’s difficult to know what birds “think” when they fly, but scientists in Australia and Canada are getting some remarkable new insights by looking inside birds’ heads.

Evolutionary biologists at Flinders University in South Australia and neuroscience researchers at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, have teamed up to explore a new approach to recreating the brain structure of extinct and living birds by making digital “endocasts” from the area inside a bird skeleton’s empty cranial space. An endocast is created by using computed microtomography to scan a bird skull and then digitally filling its brain cavities to get the brain’s imprint, which is the endocast.

Publishing their study in the journal Biology Letters in January 2025, the researchers reveal that they found that museum skulls of long-dead birds can provide very detailed information on their brains, including the size of the main computation centers for nimbleness and smartness. In the largest such study of its kind, the Flinders University and University of Lethbridge scientists scanned the skulls of 136 bird species for which they also had literature data or microscopic brain sections. This allowed them to determine if the volume of two crucial brain parts, the cerebellum and the forebrain, corresponded with the surface areas of the endocasts. The extremely tight match between the “real” and the “digital” brain volumes surprised the researchers. In fact, they corresponded so closely that there was no need for the actual brain to estimate a bird’s brain proportions. These one-to-one correlations allowed the scientists to gather insights into the neuroanatomy of elusive, rare and even extinct bird species without ever even seeing their brains.

While most of the telencephalon (outer part of the forebrain) was visible in the scans, a substantial portion of the cerebellum was often obscured by this region. Additionally, the avian cerebellum has folds, which are often obstructed by a large blood vessel called the occipital sinus. Given that the degree of obscurity can vary between species, as well, the scientists did not expect the very strong relationship between brain tissue and endocast surface area that they found across all species.

Crocodiles are birds’ closest living relatives. Modern genetic and molecular evidence confirms this relationship, placing them both in the archosaur group, separate from other reptiles like lizards and snakes. Crocodile brains, however, look nothing like those of birds and do not fill their braincases.

Another great thing about digital endocasts, state the researchers, is that they are nondestructive. In the old days, people needed to pour liquid latex into a braincase, wait for it to set and then break the skull to get the endocast. Using nondestructive scanning not only allows endocasts to be created from the rarest of birds, it also produces digital files of the endocasts and skulls that can be shared with the public and other scientists.

This study demonstrates that advanced digital technologies are providing ever-improving access to some of the oldest puzzles in animal diversity. However, the scientific team warns that it remains to be seen how well the data can be applied to dinosaurs, birds’ closest extinct relatives. Unfortunately, crocodiles, the closest living relatives of birds, have brains that look nothing like those of birds—and their brains do not fill their braincases enough to be as informative.

Big brains and flexible skulls led to the evolution of modern birds

Those ancient dinosaur ancestors and birds differ from each other in many important ways. A turning point in birds’ evolution was the development of larger brains, which led to shifts in the shapes and sizes of their skulls.

Like other mammals, bears have a complete hard palate, which is the bony roof of the mouth. A hard palate serves to separate the nasal and oral cavities, allowing mammals to breathe and chew at the same time. In contrast, the palates of modern birds are flexible, or “wiggly.”

Recent, new research from scientists at the University of Chicago and the University of Missouri shows how these physical changes affected the mechanics of how birds move and use their beaks, adaptations that helped them evolve into the myriad avian species we see today.

Modern birds, as well as other animals like fish and snakes, have skulls with jaws and palates that aren’t rigid and fixed in place like those in mammals, turtles or non-avian dinosaurs. This kind of flexible—or “wiggly”—skull makes it harder to figure out how the pieces work together.

So, to learn more about how birds’ feeding mechanics, jaw muscles and skulls changed along with the transition from dinosaurs to birds, the University of Chicago and the University of Missouri scientific team began by taking CT scans of a variety of fossils and skeletons from modern-day birds and related reptiles. Using the data from these images, they then built 3D models to calculate the mechanics of the jaws and skulls in action: muscle movements, placements and sizes, and the physics involved in how they all fit together.

On surfaces that are too thin for their feet alone, parrots use their beaks as a “third limb” to help them climb by anchoring and pulling themselves up vertical surfaces. They exert significant propulsive force with their beaks and necks, comparable to that of primates and human climbers.

One of the key differences between modern birds and other animals is that they have what’s called cranial kinesis, the ability to move different parts of their skulls independently. This gives birds an evolutionary advantage by literally expanding their palates to eat different kinds of foods or use their beaks as multifunctional tools. Parrots, for example, can use their beaks to help climb; other birds use the extra torque to crack nuts and seeds. In some ways, beaks function like surrogate hands, but being able to move the palate around while eating is also critical for helping to acquire food and to survive.

As the data from the 3D models was analyzed, the team saw that as brain and skull sizes increased in non-avian, theropod dinosaurs, muscles shifted into different positions that allowed the palate to separate and become mobile. These changes then increased muscle force, which powers cranial kinesis in most modern-day birds. A large part of it hinged upon when birds evolved relatively large brains. Just like in humans, bigger brains drive a lot of changes in the skull.

As paleontologists discover more details about dinosaurs, the dividing line between them and modern birds becomes murky. Scientists used to think feathers were the key, but now we know that many bona fide dinosaurs had feathers, too. Flight also evolved more than once; and, of course, many well-known, classic pterosaurs could fly, as well.

Considered both dinosaurs and birds, members of the genus “Archaeopteryx” possessed a combination of dinosaur-like traits—such as long, bony tails and tiny teeth—and birdlike features, such as feathered wings, which allowed the animals to fly or glide.

However, flexible palates and skulls appeared later than transitional dinosaur-bird creatures like Archaeopteryx, and that may become a key distinction. Cranial kinesis might be one of the clear dividing lines between modern birds and their more dinosaur-like, bird ancestors.

Big brains and big ranges might not save birds from climate change

Biologists have long debated why some animals and plants can adjust to a wide range of climates, while others can’t. Understanding why could help conservation managers and decision-makers identify which species are most vulnerable to climate change.

To aid that effort, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin evaluated global distribution maps and other data for about 1,500 bird species and found some surprising patterns. For example, some species that breed over large geographic areas might still be only able to thrive in a limited range of climates, making them more vulnerable to climate change. Just look at the Arctic, which occupies a considerable portion of Earth’s landmass but exhibits very similar climate patterns all over. Because the region is so big, species that occupy it tend to have large populations and large geographic ranges, two characteristics that are often associated with lower extinction risks. But because many of those species are adapted to a restricted range of climates, those seemingly large populations can be quite susceptible to collapse when climate patterns begin to change.

True to their name, Bohemian waxwings wander across the northern United States and Canada. While their breeding range extends over a large swath of the Arctic, the birds live in a much smaller and more extreme range of climate conditions than other birds, making them at greater risk from climate change.

The Bohemian waxwing, a bird well-known to European and North American birders, is a case in point. The bird’s breeding range extends over a large swath of the Arctic, while the chestnut-crowned laughingthrush inhabits a much smaller arc in Asia centered on Bhutan and Nepal. Because the Bohemian waxwing experiences a very narrow range of climate conditions, the bird may be at greater risk from climate change than the laughing thrush.

Larger brain sizes tend to correlate with more flexible behavior, too, so big-brained birds are usually expected to be more adaptable. However, the researchers additionally found that species with larger brains tend to be adapted to constricted climate niches, which suggests they could also be more vulnerable to climate change than once believed. A climate niche is the range of different climate conditions (precipitation, temperature and how predictably these two vary over time) that a species can thrive in.

For this study, the researchers used avian range maps estimated from hundreds of thousands of direct observations by citizen scientists reported through eBird. This successful partnership between bird-watchers and scientists is providing highly accurate information of where different species occur in space and is enabling scientists to answer questions that were simply impossible to address before.

The chestnut-crowned laughingthrush inhabits a small arc in Asia centered on Bhutan and Nepal. It is one of the most charming songbirds of the Himalayan undergrowth. Luckily, it is listed as of “least concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

The research team also created a system for describing all the climate types found on Earth in terms of two factors: temperature harshness, a value that increases with colder, more variable and less predictable temperatures; and xeric harshness, which increases with lower, more variable and less predictable precipitation. Then they created a 2D, “climate space” map that shows how much of Earth’s land surface corresponds to each possible combination of these two factors. Places that are less harsh in temperature and precipitation are near the center, while places that are harsher in one or both factors are farther out.

Finally, for each species, they matched the range of climates that the birds tend to occupy with the climate space map to see where and how large their climate niche is. Birds with a smaller and more extreme climate niche tend to be at higher risk from climate change.

The scientists say this study, the results of which were published in the journal Nature Communications in April 2025, highlights why the usual way of assessing risk for a species—which typically involves a checklist of individual factors—misses the complexity of contradictions and underlying patterns. We need to stop looking at individual risk factors in isolation, conclude the researchers, and evaluate how these complex factors combine. Sometimes, it is the unexpected interactions that matter most.

Cactus wrens are nonmigratory birds that feed on fruits, insects and seeds. By getting most of their water from food, they are well adapted to desert life. But because they don’t migrate, they may be more susceptible to climate-triggered changes in their environmental niche.

Big brains and the search for cooler climes

As rising global temperatures alter ecosystems worldwide, animal species usually have two choices: adapt to changing local conditions or flee to a cooler clime. Ecologists have long assumed that the world’s bird species would fly to higher altitudes or towards global poles. But a new study, the results of which were published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution in May 2025, finds that few bird species are able to escape the realities of a warming world.

For the study, researchers from Yale University analyzed data on the movements of 406 species of North American birds collected from citizen observers over two decades, as well as corresponding local temperature changes. They found that many of the assumptions they’d made about how bird species are responding to climate change were correct. During summer, for instance, bird species on average relocated between 40 and 50 miles northward during the period covered in the data—and sometimes relocated to higher elevations. And, on average, the northbound movement helped birds avoid a temperature increase of about 2.16 degrees Fahrenheit, or about half of the temperature increase they would have experienced if they stayed put.

But, on average, birds still experienced a 2.43-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature during the summer months, compared with temperatures in their original home range. During winter months, birds had only minimal success in limiting their exposure to warming, experiencing only 11% less warming than had they not moved. In winter, birds experienced on average a whopping 6.66-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperatures over the 20 years, reducing their potential exposure by only half a degree via their movement north.

Global warming threatens blue-winged warblers with a phenological mismatch, where the earlier arrival of spring disrupts their long-distance migration, leading to a lack of food and ideal nesting sites. While the birds have shifted their summer ranges northward, it may not be enough to keep up with the rapid pace of climate change.

Birds’ ability to escape higher temperatures also varied by species. Overall, more than 75% of birds managed to reach slightly cooler climes in response to warming temperatures. But some species, like the cactus wren, which is native to arid systems and deserts in North America, did not move at all, making the birds more susceptible to climate-triggered changes to their environmental niches. Such birds could be limited in flight capability, prevented from leaving their current home environment or competing in new locations by specific, fine-scale ecological dependencies and habitat needs.

Bird species capable of flying long distances were the most successful in limiting their exposure to warmer climates and retaining their historic climatic niches, the researchers found. This included the blue-winged warbler, which traveled more than 100 miles northward and experienced two fewer degrees of warming than if it had stayed put. But even these birds are dealing with temperatures that exceed those they’d known in their original home range 20 years ago.

Climate change is expanding the gap between the climatic niches that species have evolved into over thousands of years and what they experience in their home grounds, the authors say. In a uniquely well-studied continental system, even a highly mobile group, such as birds, is unable to relocate quickly enough to keep up with the velocity of current climate change. This raises deep concerns about the ability of all the other, less mobile species, such as mammals and reptiles, and the lesser-known species to persist in a warmer world. A much better understanding and management of the most likely climate change victims—those most ecologically and geographically tied down—is needed to fend off an impending extinction crisis.

Crows, ravens and other corvids exhibit remarkable intelligence—including long memories, problem-solving, tool use and even social awareness—challenging long-held assumptions that such cognitive abilities are exclusive to humans and primates.

Big brains and even larger understandings

The insult birdbrain stems from the idea that birds have small, primitive brains and are incapable of complex thought, a notion now proven false. Birds not only have very sizable brains, they’re also highly intelligent. Their cognitive abilities include communication, complex problem-solving, memory, navigation and tool use.

Birds also demonstrate high social intelligence. Some birds even understand the mental states of others, a foundation of empathy—a quality that is sometimes lacking in us.

So, I would suggest that from now on, when you hear someone calling another a “birdbrain,” consider it a compliment.

Here’s to finding your true places and natural habitats,

Candy

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© Tom Bessette

June Babies

In June, brown bears converge on the coast of Katmai National Park to socialize, breed and forage. Eager to replenish their diet after months of hibernation, the grizzlies congregate on the tidal flats to dig for razor, butter and steamer clams and in the meadows to feed on protein-rich sedges and other vegetation. The best time to witness play behavior is in early summer, when the bears are not yet focused on fishing for salmon. Mid-to-late June is also the peak of the mating season in Katmai. If you want to see mothers with new cubs, adolescents playfighting and giant males sparring over sows, this is a wonderful time to go.

© Rylee Jensen

Abloom in July

It takes a significant amount of nutrients to satiate a bear, so they continue to spend most of their time eating grasses and berries that are plentiful on Katmai. Physically, the bears maintain their traditional round, fuzzy look. Mothers nurse their cubs, and young bears nuzzle each other and frolic in the meadows. If you want to see bears interacting with each other on dry land, this is a great time to go. July is also the best time to see wildflowers, as the coast blooms with blue and purple lupines, fireweed and wild geranium, and bears gather to graze on the sweet stalks.

© Edward Wade

August Salmon Run

In August, salmon leap from the streams and rivers, and the bears are intent on catching as many as they can—sometimes up to 11 per day! August is a perfect month to go if you want to see the bears fine-tuning their fishing skills. Watching the bears snatch fish from the rapids is enthralling, and photographers will delight in capturing the rush of water alongside the excitement and action of the bears. The grizzlies are hungry for more substantive protein, and you may see territorial spats as they fight for fish.

© Tim Adams

Fishing in Golden September

September comes in a golden glow—the birches, willows and cottonwoods adorned with fall foliage. The bears continue to fish in the rivers, supplementing their diet with brilliant red berries that ripen in the fall. This is when the bears are at their largest and most mellow in demeanor, having gorged all summer on fatty salmon. Their coats are glossy and thick in anticipation of winter, and they have an impressive appearance. This is the ideal month for those wanting to photograph fishing bears amid an autumnal backdrop.

Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park & Preserve © Expedition Leader Daniel Hagaman

Regardless of when you go, every month offers enchanting views of Katmai’s mountains and encounters with beautiful bears. You may also spot wolves, bald eagles, red foxes, moose and caribou during your trip, and the chance to see fascinating interactions between grizzlies and other wildlife grants onlookers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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“Whenever we design a new itinerary, our goal is to offer experiences that foster a deeper, more meaningful connection to a destination’s more remote and lesser-known regions,” says Ben Bressler, Founder and CEO of Natural Habitat Adventures. “These new journeys take travelers beyond the usual routes, immersing them in extraordinary landscapes,  captivating wildlife and cultural encounters in some of the world’s most remarkable places.”

Our new trips include:

Mt. Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss, Iceland.

Iceland’s Wild West

Travelers will spend the night in Reykjavik before traveling to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, often known as “Iceland in miniature,” where guests will spend three nights on the remote coastal hamlet of Budir. Harbor seals and a private horseback riding experience with the famous Icelandic horse breed await before a thrilling snowcat tour atop the Snaefellsjokull glacier volcano and a visit to the striking Svodufoss waterfall. In Husafell, guests will witness breathtaking waterfalls, explore Iceland’s largest lava cave, and soak in geothermal canyon baths. Journey through the remote Central Highlands, stopping at Thingvellir National Park before reaching Highland Base at Kerlingjarfjoll. The final day will meet guests with a hike among the destination’s dramatic volcanic landscapes and a visit to natural hot springs. Available for travel beginning July-August 2026

Kenya Rhino & Elephant Conservation Safari

Endearing elephants and endangered rhinos are front and center, along with other abundant wildlife, on a safari that features exclusive talks with conservationists and a chance to learn about restoration efforts up close. Beginning in the quiet Karen suburb of Nairobi, this safari leads with a game drive in Nairobi National Park, home to black rhino, lion, leopard, and over 400 bird species, plus a private visit to the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center for intimate encounters with rescued elephants and endangered Rothschild’s giraffes. The journey continues north to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary and home to the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos, which guests have a private visit with. Travelers explore the region’s rich biodiversity, including the Big Five and rare Grevy’s zebras, while learning about integrated conservation and community development efforts. In the remote Namunyak Conservancy, travelers stay at Nat Hab’s Elephant Conservation Camp and visit Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the first community-owned facility of its kind, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how local caretakers rescue and rehabilitate orphaned elephants. Spend the last few days of the trip on the private Olderkesi Conservancy in Maasai Mara, where Nat Hab’s own mobile camp provides exclusive access to thriving wildlife populations, including lions, elephants and antelope, through guided walks, off-road game drives and night safaris in one of Kenya’s most iconic landscapes. Available for travel beginning October 2025.

Sea turtle hatchlings, Punta Islita, Costa Rica.

Sea Turtles & Wildlife of Northern Costa Rica

This Costa Rica adventure combines luxury ecolodges with immersive nature and cultural experiences in a less-traveled northern region of the country. Travelers begin their journey in Rio Celeste, exploring the Bijagua Rainforest Garden searching for monkeys, sloths, and vibrant frogs, followed by a private chocolate-making tour. Guests continue with a morning hike in Tapir Valley Nature Reserve and a hanging bridges walk for breathtaking canopy views. A private flight takes travelers to Punta Islita, where they’ll witness turtle hatchlings at dawn, hike the Werner Sauter Biological Reserve’s dry forest, and visit the Macaw Recovery Network to learn about parrot conservation. This itinerary features a three-night stay at Hotel Punta Islita, a hotel renowned for its commitment to sustainability, wildlife conservation and cultural authenticity. Available for travel beginning July 2026.

A common kestrel in Portugal.

Discovering Portugal’s River of Wine

Nature, culture and cuisine merge on this unique adventure along the Upper Douro. Travelers will begin in Porto with a private tour and tasting at Cockburn’s Port Lodge before embarking on a scenic local train ride deep into the UNESCO-recognized Douro Valley, where wine has been produced for over 2,000 years. Exploring the Douro International Natural Park, guests will take part in a private 4×4 excursion, looking for an array of wildlife from griffon vultures to wild boar and possibly a rare Iberian wolf, although they are highly elusive. A hike along ancient Roman roads brings guests to a private boat for a cruise to Casa do Rio, where they’ll stay in luxury surrounded by the vineyards of Quinta do Vallado. The next day begins with a mellow kayak outing on the Douro River to a boutique winery, Quinta das Mos, for lunch and a winery tour before exploring the small town of Frexio do Numão and the Prazo Roman ruins. The journey continues with a tour of the Coa Valley archaeological site to view 30,000-year-old rock art. Next up is a private boat cruise down the Douro past historic wine estates, followed by kayaking the dramatic Valeira Gorge, where raptors soar above steep terraced vineyards. Available for travel beginning April-September 2026

Parson’s chameleon spotted on a night walk on a Nat Hab Madagascar adventure. © Richard de Gouveia

Madagascar Explorer

This immersive Madagascar adventure offers a rare opportunity to explore a sampler of the country’s most remote and ecologically rich regions through a dynamic and compact itinerary that can easily be added to a conventional African safari on the mainland. Travelers journey via seamless private flight and chartered boat to Masoala National Park, home to Madagascar’s last coastal lowland rainforest and the biodiverse Tampolo Marine Reserve. Guided nature walks reveal extraordinary wildlife, most of which is found only in Madagascar—from red-ruffed lemurs and possibly the elusive aye-aye to vibrant birds and iridescent reptiles—while night walks offer a glimpse into the island’s intriguing nocturnal life. Snorkeling, kayaking, and traditional pirogue excursions showcase thriving coral reefs, sea turtles, and seasonal humpback whales. Cultural experiences include visiting the village of Ambodiforaha, sampling local spices, and engaging in forest restoration efforts. The journey continues to the iconic Avenue of the Baobabs and nearby mangrove forests, where travelers witness breathtaking sunsets, learn about sustainable fishing, and explore one of Madagascar’s most vital coastal ecosystems.  Available for travel beginning June-November 2026

Zambia has one of the largest wild lion populations, estimated at about 1,200 individuals within a range of more than 77,000 square miles. The animals are a crucial part of Zambia’s tourism industry and have a high conservation value.

Wild Zambia

The vast, untouched wilderness of Zambia greets guests on an unforgettable safari through South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Parks. Begin at Zungulila Camp, an intimate property exclusive to Nat Hab, on the Kapamba River, where guests stay in classic Meru-style tents and explore the southern reaches of South Luangwa—the birthplace of the walking safari. With expert guides, travelers will track leopards, scout for wildlife signs, and learn traditional bushcraft while encountering elephants, antelope, and nocturnal predators on foot and by vehicle. Nestled in a mahogany grove near the Luangwa River, the Bilimungwe Camp offers guided walks and game drives that reveal a wealth of wildlife, including giraffes, hippos, wild dogs, and big cats. Guests continue with a flight to Lower Zambezi National Park for a stay at Amanzi Camp, a pristine ecosystem that offers a rich mix of activities from canoeing and river cruises to close-up animal encounters via walking safaris and game drives.  Available for travel beginning June-October 2026.

These new trips are currently available for booking with travel dates in 2025 and/or 2026. Nat Hab has plans for more new trips for travel in 2026, including a new Mongolia adventure that will launch for bookings later in 2025!

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Those looking to bring their hazy dreams of Africa into reality will have their senses sharpened and overwhelmed by the amazing abundance and diversity of wildlife found there. This is an experience so captivating, it must be seen with one’s own eyes to truly absorb.

> Explore Our Free Wildlife Guides to Southern Africa and East Africa

African elephants

While on safari, the Big Five top almost every traveler’s list. These are some of Africa’s most iconic animals: the Cape buffalo, leopard, lion, African elephant and rhinoceros.

These megafauna were once the target of big game hunters. They were grouped together due to their unpredictable behavior and difficulty to kill. Now, as ecotourism grows increasingly popular and tourists trade in trophies for camera shots, the “Big Five” is a term used by eager photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Some also refer to the Big Seven, adding cheetah and African wild dogs to their must-sees.

There’s even a Little Five—wee creatures named after their larger counterparts. These include the buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise, antlion, elephant shrew and rhinoceros beetle.

> Learn More: Rhino Conservation with World Wildlife Fund

Leopard

The Big Five in East Africa

Where can travelers witness the Big Five in action? A great way to ensure you see all five is to combine a couple of locations into one safari. Kenya, where The Lion King is based, and neighboring Tanzania immediately come to mind.

East Africa hosts one of the greatest spectacles on Earth, the Great Migration. Millions of wildebeest and zebra make their way from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara as they follow the rains in search of lush grazing grounds. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs follow the herds, waiting to make their advances on a young or sickly animal lagging behind the herd. Safari-goers will also delight in the elephants and African buffalo that roam across the savanna.

On an Ultimate Kenya & Tanzania Safari, Nat Hab travelers visit these species-rich areas, as well as the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where they observe both black and white rhinos. Guests can cap their experience in East Africa by spotting all Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater. The world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, the 102-square-mile crater boasts the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa!

Buffalo © Emily Goodheart Kautz

The Big Five in Southern Africa

If Southern Africa calls to you, consider a South Africa safari. The Greater Kruger ecosystem is renowned for having some of the best Big Five viewing in all of Africa. You’ll up your chances with exclusive access to both Manyeleti and MalaMala (famous for its leopards), two private reserves nestled between Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Or, journey one of Nat Hab’s Botswana safaris to track white rhinos in Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and seek out the rest of the Big Five in the Okavango Delta.

Rhino

Whichever adventure you choose is sure to bring the wilds of Africa close to your heart and leave you with cherished memories of the Big Five in all their glory. Explore all of our African safaris to find the one that’s right for you!

The post What Are Africa’s Wildlife “Big Five” and Where Can I See Them? first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

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Those looking to bring their hazy dreams of Africa into reality will have their senses sharpened and overwhelmed by the amazing abundance and diversity of wildlife found there. This is an experience so captivating, it must be seen with one’s own eyes to truly absorb.

> Explore Our Free Wildlife Guides to Southern Africa and East Africa

African elephants

While on safari, the Big Five top almost every traveler’s list. These are some of Africa’s most iconic animals: the Cape buffalo, leopard, lion, African elephant and rhinoceros.

These megafauna were once the target of big game hunters. They were grouped together due to their unpredictable behavior and difficulty to kill. Now, as ecotourism grows increasingly popular and tourists trade in trophies for camera shots, the “Big Five” is a term used by eager photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Some also refer to the Big Seven, adding cheetah and African wild dogs to their must-sees.

There’s even a Little Five—wee creatures named after their larger counterparts. These include the buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise, antlion, elephant shrew and rhinoceros beetle.

> Learn More: Rhino Conservation with World Wildlife Fund

Leopard

The Big Five in East Africa

Where can travelers witness the Big Five in action? A great way to ensure you see all five is to combine a couple of locations into one safari. Kenya, where The Lion King is based, and neighboring Tanzania immediately come to mind.

East Africa hosts one of the greatest spectacles on Earth, the Great Migration. Millions of wildebeest and zebra make their way from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara as they follow the rains in search of lush grazing grounds. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs follow the herds, waiting to make their advances on a young or sickly animal lagging behind the herd. Safari-goers will also delight in the elephants and African buffalo that roam across the savanna.

On an Ultimate Kenya & Tanzania Safari, Nat Hab travelers visit these species-rich areas, as well as the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where they observe both black and white rhinos. Guests can cap their experience in East Africa by spotting all Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater. The world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, the 102-square-mile crater boasts the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa!

Buffalo © Emily Goodheart Kautz

The Big Five in Southern Africa

If Southern Africa calls to you, consider a South Africa safari. The Greater Kruger ecosystem is renowned for having some of the best Big Five viewing in all of Africa. You’ll up your chances with exclusive access to both Manyeleti and MalaMala (famous for its leopards), two private reserves nestled between Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Or, journey one of Nat Hab’s Botswana safaris to track white rhinos in Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and seek out the rest of the Big Five in the Okavango Delta.

Rhino

Whichever adventure you choose is sure to bring the wilds of Africa close to your heart and leave you with cherished memories of the Big Five in all their glory. Explore all of our African safaris to find the one that’s right for you!

The post What Are Africa’s Wildlife “Big Five” and Where Can I See Them? first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

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Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice because of its volcanic activity and glaciers. It’s full of other natural and cultural surprises that captivate visitors and locals alike.

Here are 50 fast, fascinating facts about Iceland’s landscapes, wildlife, people and culture.

Exploring Iceland’s Dramatic Landscapes

1. Iceland has more than 130 volcanoes—at least 30 are currently active.
2. The island of Surtsey, off Iceland’s south coast, is one of the geologically youngest places on Earth. It emerged from the sea in a volcanic eruption between 1963 and 1967. The island has been protected since its birth, allowing scientists to study the natural colonization of plant and animal life in a pristine volcanic environment. It’s estimated that Surtsey will remain above sea level until at least the year 2100.
3. Iceland is known as the Land of Fire and Ice because, in addition to its 130 volcanoes, approximately 10% of the island nation is covered in glacial ice. Iceland has 269 named glaciers of almost all types: ice caps, outlet glaciers, mountain glaciers, alpine, piedmont and cirque glaciers, as well as ice streams.
   

   Vatnajokull glacier

4. Iceland’s Vatnajokull glacier is the largest glacier in Europe, covering 8% of Iceland’s landmass.
5. Iceland is home to around 45 natural hot springs, including the Geysir, which is where the English word geyser comes from.
   

   Geothermal pool, Hveravellir

6. Naturally heated water powers Icelandic lives—heating homes and baths. Iceland has a high level of renewable energy production, with over 80% of its energy coming from renewable sources, including the world’s largest geothermal power plant, which started operations in 1969. Icelanders use geothermal energy to heat most of their homes and buildings.
   

   Volcanic mountains, Landmannalaugar

7. With all that ice and water, it’s not surprising Iceland has more than 10,000 waterfalls. If traveling deep into Iceland’s remote highlands to see glaciers, gorges and dozens of rarely seen waterfalls far afield from the traditional tourist route appeals to you, you might enjoy Nat Hab’s Iceland & Greenland: A Nordic Discovery itinerary.
   

   Svartifoss

8. Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. It’s amazing to stand over the Silfra rift and witness what you’ve read about in textbooks since grade school—and even more so to swim or scuba dive in the rift. I’ve had some pretty awesome travel experiences all over the world; diving in the Silfra rift is one of the most memorable; you do not have to be scuba certified to swim in the rift.

Studlagil basalt canyon

If photographing the drama of Iceland’s stark mountains, lava fields covered in velvet green moss, glittering black sand beaches, steaming craters, iceberg lagoons, and ice-fed rivers thundering over basalt cliffs in raging waterfalls is on your list, check out our Ultimate Iceland Photo Expedition, an in-depth photography adventure via chartered scenic flights, private boats and overland travel.

Stokksnes cape, Vestrahorn (Batman Mountain)

Unique Wildlife of Iceland

9. Iceland’s isolation means many of its mammalian species are genetically unique, and its location provides a stopover for hundreds of migratory marine and avian species. Iceland is home to several species of unique wildlife, including the Arctic fox, the Icelandic horse, and the Icelandic sheepdog, the only dog breed indigenous to Iceland.
   

   © Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage

10. Iceland was built on fish and wool. Now, Icelandic sheep run wild in summer, grazing on the mountains.
11. The Icelandic horse is a unique breed that has been isolated on the island for over 1,000 years and has five gaits.
    

    Icelandic horses, Skógafoss waterfall

12. Horses usually have three gaits without training—walk, trot and canter/gallop, but the Icelandic horse has up to five. A genetic variation in Icelandic horses allows for natural lateral movement. The extra gaits that set the Icelandic horse apart are called tölt and flying pace; they are natural, and newborn foals often show them right from the start.
    

    © Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage

13. Most Icelandic horses are five-gaited, meaning they possess all five gaits, while some are considered four-gaited and lack the flying pace. Five-gaited Icelandic horses inherit the mutation from both parents. Four-gaited horses, however, can have three different genotypes of this gene.
14. Speaking of flying, according to Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology eBird platform, over 400 avian species have been spotted on or around Iceland.
    

    Razorbills (Alca torda) and Atlantic puffins share space in Iceland.

15. Iceland is home to more than 60% of the world’s entire Atlantic puffin population, and is the main nesting ground for puffins.
16. Iceland is home to some of the largest colonies of puffins in the world—the largest puffin colony is in the Westman Islands, 10 kilometers off of Iceland’s south shore. One-fifth of the world’s total puffin population nests there every year.
    

    Atlantic puffins, photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Giulia Ciampini

17. Fish is the country’s largest export and one of the biggest sectors of Iceland’s economy. Both fresh and salt waters on and around Iceland are teeming with fish. From Atlantic Catfish and Cod to Haddock and Halibut, the Gulf Stream carries a wealth of species to Iceland’s shores.
    

    Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Eddy Savage

18. Freshwater fish in Iceland’s many lakes and streams include Atlantic salmon, brown trout and Arctic char.
19. The coastal waters off Iceland are one of the best places in the world to see whales and dolphins. Types of whales and dolphins spotted in Icelandic waters include: humpback whale, orca, minke whale, blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, bottlenose whale, pilot whale, white-beaked dolphin, white-sided dolphin and harbour porpoise.
    

    A humpback whale breaches playfully. Photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Lianne Thompson

20. Both harbor seals and gray seals are commonly seen lounging on rocks or swimming in the coastal waters around Iceland. Harbor seals are the most common and the least wary of visitors, although gray seals, the only other species to pup on the island, are not at all uncommon.
    

    Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

21. With a keen eye and some luck, you may spot harp seals, bearded seals, hooded seals or ringed seals, who usually reside in the Arctic, and have been spotted in local waters and on coastal shores. Very rarely, walruses are also seen on and around Iceland.
22. Around 6000-7000 reindeer can be found during the summer in Iceland, but only in the eastern part of the country. Reindeer were imported in the 18th century to build up a stock for Icelandic agriculture to use in the same way as in Lapland.
23. Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus) is a species of deer and the only cervid species in which both sexes grow antlers.
24. Good news for summer travelers to Iceland! As of this writing, there are no mosquitoes in Iceland (but midges are recent settlers in the country).

For more on the unique terrestrial mammalian fauna, marine life, and well over 400 species of birds spotted year-round, check out our Know Before You Go Iceland Wildlife Guide.

Iceland’s Happy People & Creative Culture

25. Since the advent of harnessing geothermal energy in Iceland, the tradition of public bathing has become deeply rooted in the local culture. Not all geothermal pools are suitable for bathing—many are far too hot. The Blue Lagoon is the most famous hot spring, but locals frequent some hundred public pools across the country.

The village of Vik is the southernmost village in Iceland on the ring road around 180 km southeast of Reykjavík.

26. Iceland is roughly the size of Kentucky with a population of nearly 400,000, making it the least densely populated country in Europe with only 3 people per square kilometer.
27. Icelandic people are among the happiest in the world according to the World Population Review. That happiness is attributed to strong feelings of social support, generosity and happiness amongst its youth.
28. Icelanders have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, with an average life expectancy of 83.1 years.
29. Iceland has a low crime rate and is considered one of the safest countries in the world.
    

    Regnboga Vegur (Rainbow Road), Seydisfjordur

30. It’s one of the most genetically homogeneous populations in the world.
31. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the northernmost capital city in the world.
32. Iceland’s early history was recorded by an early 12th-century priest in a ten-chapter treatise that describes the island’s Norse settlement, establishment of the rule of law, fixing of the calendar and early judicial quadrants, discovery and settlement of Greenland and conversion to Christianity.
33. Iceland is home to the world’s first parliament, Althing or ‘ting’, which was established in 930 AD. It had legislative and judicial power but not executive power. The ‘ting’ was founded on a union of 36 chieftains. With no king or central executive power, the actual legislative and judicial power lay with the chiefs.
34. Icelanders claimed their independence from Denmark on June 17th, 1944.
    

    A small church surrounded by blooming lupin flowers in the Vik village.

35. Iceland is among only a few countries in the world that have no army.
36. Iceland has ranked as the most gender-equal country in the world for at least 14 consecutive years according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, and the only country to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap, at 91.2%.
37. The Icelandic language is one of the oldest languages in the world and has changed very little since medieval times, perhaps even further back. The language resembles Old Norse, and is widely considered one of the most challenging languages to learn.
    

    Glaumbær Farm & Museum, historical turf houses

38. The Icelandic language has 32 letters, including the letters ð and þ, which are not found in the English alphabet.
39. Iceland has a strong literary tradition, with many famous Icelandic sagas dating back to the Viking Age settlement. In fact, Icelanders are known for their love of books, with many households having their own mini-library. Iceland has the highest literacy rate in the world at 99%.
    

    Glaumbær Farm & Museum

40. Iceland has a unique Christmas Eve tradition of exchanging books and spending the evening reading. Iceland has a unique Christmas tradition called Jólabókaflóð, which means “Christmas book flood.”
41. Per capita, Iceland has the highest number of writers in the world. One in ten people in Iceland have published a book, and one in four people work in a creative field.
42. Iceland has a thriving music scene, with many internationally recognized artists hailing from the country, including Björk, Kaelo, Of Monsters And Men, and Sigur Rós.
43. Iceland has a thriving film industry, with many international productions filmed in the country and a rich tradition of native storytellers. Iceland produces more films per capita than any other country in the world.
    

    Fjord Isafjor

44. Icelanders have a tradition of giving gifts on the first day of summer.
45. Iceland has one of the highest levels of Internet usage in the world, but until 1986, Iceland only had one TV channel, and until 1983, there was no TV on Thursdays nor in July.
46. Icelanders consume the most Coca-Cola and coffee—as well as seafood—per capita in the world.
47. The average Icelander eats just over 200 pounds of seafood a year. That’s more than half a pound of seafood every single day. This includes traditional fermented shark meat, which is considered a delicacy.
    

    Iceland has six major geothermal power plants

48. Iceland has a unique tradition of making and eating rye bread, which can be baked underground using geothermal heat.
49. As in other Nordic countries, Icelanders generally enjoy the taste of black salty licorice, especially paired with chocolate.
50. The majority of Icelanders do not believe in elves, but a large portion of the population is unwilling to deny their existence, and even more people respect the traditions, myths, and popular beliefs surrounding them.

Greenhouses

Experience Iceland: Preparing for Your Adventure

Just for fun: Take our Iceland Nature Trivia quiz to put your knowledge to the test, then share it with your family and friends to see who knows the most about this small island nation straddling the Arctic Circle!

For more fascinating facts about Iceland and to prepare for a trip to Iceland, check out the Iceland & Greenland Know Before You Go page for wildlife and weather guides, packing lists and more.

Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Court Whelan

The post 50 Fast Facts About Iceland first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

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Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice because of its volcanic activity and glaciers. It’s full of other natural and cultural surprises that captivate visitors and locals alike.

Here are 50 fast, fascinating facts about Iceland’s landscapes, wildlife, people and culture.

Exploring Iceland’s Dramatic Landscapes

1. Iceland has more than 130 volcanoes—at least 30 are currently active.
2. The island of Surtsey, off Iceland’s south coast, is one of the geologically youngest places on Earth. It emerged from the sea in a volcanic eruption between 1963 and 1967. The island has been protected since its birth, allowing scientists to study the natural colonization of plant and animal life in a pristine volcanic environment. It’s estimated that Surtsey will remain above sea level until at least the year 2100.
3. Iceland is known as the Land of Fire and Ice because, in addition to its 130 volcanoes, approximately 10% of the island nation is covered in glacial ice. Iceland has 269 named glaciers of almost all types: ice caps, outlet glaciers, mountain glaciers, alpine, piedmont and cirque glaciers, as well as ice streams.
   

   Vatnajokull glacier

4. Iceland’s Vatnajokull glacier is the largest glacier in Europe, covering 8% of Iceland’s landmass.
5. Iceland is home to around 45 natural hot springs, including the Geysir, which is where the English word geyser comes from.
   

   Geothermal pool, Hveravellir

6. Naturally heated water powers Icelandic lives—heating homes and baths. Iceland has a high level of renewable energy production, with over 80% of its energy coming from renewable sources, including the world’s largest geothermal power plant, which started operations in 1969. Icelanders use geothermal energy to heat most of their homes and buildings.
   

   Volcanic mountains, Landmannalaugar

7. With all that ice and water, it’s not surprising Iceland has more than 10,000 waterfalls. If traveling deep into Iceland’s remote highlands to see glaciers, gorges and dozens of rarely seen waterfalls far afield from the traditional tourist route appeals to you, you might enjoy Nat Hab’s Iceland & Greenland: A Nordic Discovery itinerary.
   

   Svartifoss

8. Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. It’s amazing to stand over the Silfra rift and witness what you’ve read about in textbooks since grade school—and even more so to swim or scuba dive in the rift. I’ve had some pretty awesome travel experiences all over the world; diving in the Silfra rift is one of the most memorable; you do not have to be scuba certified to swim in the rift.

Studlagil basalt canyon

If photographing the drama of Iceland’s stark mountains, lava fields covered in velvet green moss, glittering black sand beaches, steaming craters, iceberg lagoons, and ice-fed rivers thundering over basalt cliffs in raging waterfalls is on your list, check out our Ultimate Iceland Photo Expedition, an in-depth photography adventure via chartered scenic flights, private boats and overland travel.

Stokksnes cape, Vestrahorn (Batman Mountain)

Unique Wildlife of Iceland

9. Iceland’s isolation means many of its mammalian species are genetically unique, and its location provides a stopover for hundreds of migratory marine and avian species. Iceland is home to several species of unique wildlife, including the Arctic fox, the Icelandic horse, and the Icelandic sheepdog, the only dog breed indigenous to Iceland.
   

   © Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage

10. Iceland was built on fish and wool. Now, Icelandic sheep run wild in summer, grazing on the mountains.
11. The Icelandic horse is a unique breed that has been isolated on the island for over 1,000 years and has five gaits.
    

    Icelandic horses, Skógafoss waterfall

12. Horses usually have three gaits without training—walk, trot and canter/gallop, but the Icelandic horse has up to five. A genetic variation in Icelandic horses allows for natural lateral movement. The extra gaits that set the Icelandic horse apart are called tölt and flying pace; they are natural, and newborn foals often show them right from the start.
    

    © Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage

13. Most Icelandic horses are five-gaited, meaning they possess all five gaits, while some are considered four-gaited and lack the flying pace. Five-gaited Icelandic horses inherit the mutation from both parents. Four-gaited horses, however, can have three different genotypes of this gene.
14. Speaking of flying, according to Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology eBird platform, over 400 avian species have been spotted on or around Iceland.
    

    Razorbills (Alca torda) and Atlantic puffins share space in Iceland.

15. Iceland is home to more than 60% of the world’s entire Atlantic puffin population, and is the main nesting ground for puffins.
16. Iceland is home to some of the largest colonies of puffins in the world—the largest puffin colony is in the Westman Islands, 10 kilometers off of Iceland’s south shore. One-fifth of the world’s total puffin population nests there every year.
    

    Atlantic puffins, photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Giulia Ciampini

17. Fish is the country’s largest export and one of the biggest sectors of Iceland’s economy. Both fresh and salt waters on and around Iceland are teeming with fish. From Atlantic Catfish and Cod to Haddock and Halibut, the Gulf Stream carries a wealth of species to Iceland’s shores.
    

    Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Eddy Savage

18. Freshwater fish in Iceland’s many lakes and streams include Atlantic salmon, brown trout and Arctic char.
19. The coastal waters off Iceland are one of the best places in the world to see whales and dolphins. Types of whales and dolphins spotted in Icelandic waters include: humpback whale, orca, minke whale, blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, bottlenose whale, pilot whale, white-beaked dolphin, white-sided dolphin and harbour porpoise.
    

    A humpback whale breaches playfully. Photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Lianne Thompson

20. Both harbor seals and gray seals are commonly seen lounging on rocks or swimming in the coastal waters around Iceland. Harbor seals are the most common and the least wary of visitors, although gray seals, the only other species to pup on the island, are not at all uncommon.
    

    Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

21. With a keen eye and some luck, you may spot harp seals, bearded seals, hooded seals or ringed seals, who usually reside in the Arctic, and have been spotted in local waters and on coastal shores. Very rarely, walruses are also seen on and around Iceland.
22. Around 6000-7000 reindeer can be found during the summer in Iceland, but only in the eastern part of the country. Reindeer were imported in the 18th century to build up a stock for Icelandic agriculture to use in the same way as in Lapland.
23. Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus) is a species of deer and the only cervid species in which both sexes grow antlers.
24. Good news for summer travelers to Iceland! As of this writing, there are no mosquitoes in Iceland (but midges are recent settlers in the country).

For more on the unique terrestrial mammalian fauna, marine life, and well over 400 species of birds spotted year-round, check out our Know Before You Go Iceland Wildlife Guide.

Iceland’s Happy People & Creative Culture

25. Since the advent of harnessing geothermal energy in Iceland, the tradition of public bathing has become deeply rooted in the local culture. Not all geothermal pools are suitable for bathing—many are far too hot. The Blue Lagoon is the most famous hot spring, but locals frequent some hundred public pools across the country.

The village of Vik is the southernmost village in Iceland on the ring road around 180 km southeast of Reykjavík.

26. Iceland is roughly the size of Kentucky with a population of nearly 400,000, making it the least densely populated country in Europe with only 3 people per square kilometer.
27. Icelandic people are among the happiest in the world according to the World Population Review. That happiness is attributed to strong feelings of social support, generosity and happiness amongst its youth.
28. Icelanders have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, with an average life expectancy of 83.1 years.
29. Iceland has a low crime rate and is considered one of the safest countries in the world.
    

    Regnboga Vegur (Rainbow Road), Seydisfjordur

30. It’s one of the most genetically homogeneous populations in the world.
31. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the northernmost capital city in the world.
32. Iceland’s early history was recorded by an early 12th-century priest in a ten-chapter treatise that describes the island’s Norse settlement, establishment of the rule of law, fixing of the calendar and early judicial quadrants, discovery and settlement of Greenland and conversion to Christianity.
33. Iceland is home to the world’s first parliament, Althing or ‘ting’, which was established in 930 AD. It had legislative and judicial power but not executive power. The ‘ting’ was founded on a union of 36 chieftains. With no king or central executive power, the actual legislative and judicial power lay with the chiefs.
34. Icelanders claimed their independence from Denmark on June 17th, 1944.
    

    A small church surrounded by blooming lupin flowers in the Vik village.

35. Iceland is among only a few countries in the world that have no army.
36. Iceland has ranked as the most gender-equal country in the world for at least 14 consecutive years according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, and the only country to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap, at 91.2%.
37. The Icelandic language is one of the oldest languages in the world and has changed very little since medieval times, perhaps even further back. The language resembles Old Norse, and is widely considered one of the most challenging languages to learn.
    

    Glaumbær Farm & Museum, historical turf houses

38. The Icelandic language has 32 letters, including the letters ð and þ, which are not found in the English alphabet.
39. Iceland has a strong literary tradition, with many famous Icelandic sagas dating back to the Viking Age settlement. In fact, Icelanders are known for their love of books, with many households having their own mini-library. Iceland has the highest literacy rate in the world at 99%.
    

    Glaumbær Farm & Museum

40. Iceland has a unique Christmas Eve tradition of exchanging books and spending the evening reading. Iceland has a unique Christmas tradition called Jólabókaflóð, which means “Christmas book flood.”
41. Per capita, Iceland has the highest number of writers in the world. One in ten people in Iceland have published a book, and one in four people work in a creative field.
42. Iceland has a thriving music scene, with many internationally recognized artists hailing from the country, including Björk, Kaelo, Of Monsters And Men, and Sigur Rós.
43. Iceland has a thriving film industry, with many international productions filmed in the country and a rich tradition of native storytellers. Iceland produces more films per capita than any other country in the world.
    

    Fjord Isafjor

44. Icelanders have a tradition of giving gifts on the first day of summer.
45. Iceland has one of the highest levels of Internet usage in the world, but until 1986, Iceland only had one TV channel, and until 1983, there was no TV on Thursdays nor in July.
46. Icelanders consume the most Coca-Cola and coffee—as well as seafood—per capita in the world.
47. The average Icelander eats just over 200 pounds of seafood a year. That’s more than half a pound of seafood every single day. This includes traditional fermented shark meat, which is considered a delicacy.
    

    Iceland has six major geothermal power plants

48. Iceland has a unique tradition of making and eating rye bread, which can be baked underground using geothermal heat.
49. As in other Nordic countries, Icelanders generally enjoy the taste of black salty licorice, especially paired with chocolate.
50. The majority of Icelanders do not believe in elves, but a large portion of the population is unwilling to deny their existence, and even more people respect the traditions, myths, and popular beliefs surrounding them.

Greenhouses

Experience Iceland: Preparing for Your Adventure

Just for fun: Take our Iceland Nature Trivia quiz to put your knowledge to the test, then share it with your family and friends to see who knows the most about this small island nation straddling the Arctic Circle!

For more fascinating facts about Iceland and to prepare for a trip to Iceland, check out the Iceland & Greenland Know Before You Go page for wildlife and weather guides, packing lists and more.

Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Court Whelan

The post 50 Fast Facts About Iceland first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.