International Wildlife Destinations Where Indians Do Not Need a Visa (or need only a visa on arrival)

Wouldn't it be great if anytime we want, we can take a ride to the nearest airport, book a flight ticket and set out to an international wildlife destination without even needing to go through all the tedious formalities required to make a visa? Though as Indians, we do not have one of the best passports in the world, there are still some really exotic locations that we can visit without needing a visa before our journey! Well, I am definitely not going to mention the forests of Nepal and Bhutan as many of us have already visited these favourite Indian tourists spots without any visa, but here is a list of some other wild destinations that Indians can visit without a visa:

1.Antarctica: The coasts of Antarctica hosts a spectacular array of penguin colonies of Emperor, Chinstrap, Adelie and Gentoo penguins. The waters around these coasts abound in seal species like the Leopard, Ross, Weddell, Antarctic Fur and Crabeater seals as well as whales like Humpback, Blue Whale, Minke Whale and others. Bird watchers will find birds like Albatrosses, Diving petrels, Cormorants, Gulls, Herons and Egrets and many other species of these feathered creatures. Besides the wildlife, the scenic, ice covered Antarctic Desert with its high mountain ranges and high peaks like Mount Tyree and Mount Visconsin, will give you memories of a lifetime. Since Antarctica does not officially belong to any country, you do not require a formal visa (Except for the British overseas territories of Falkland Islands in Antarctica),  to visit this continent. However, you do require a hefty budget and permits to tour the frozen continent. Good luck with that!

By Whit Welles Wwelles14 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

2.Bolivia: The South American country of Bolivia is a treasure trove for wildlife enthusiasts. What if you do not have the patience to go through the formalities of visa processing for visiting the Amazon in Brazil, as an Indian, you can directly catch a flight to Bolivia and get yourself a visa upon arrival at the La Paz Airport in the country and enter to explore the equally thrilling Bolivian rainforests. In Bolivia, you can tour the dense forests to catch a sight of the elusive jaguar or navigate in the waters of the country to interact with the highly intelligent native pink dolphins or keep your binoculars in constant alert to observe the vibrant and unique avian life of the Bolivian habitat.

By Michelle Bender (http://www.flickr.com/photos/-mbender/5354172843/) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

3.Madagascar: If you have watched the movie Madagascar and were eager to meet the real life Alex, Melman, Marty and Gloria, then you might directly head over to the island country of Madagascar located on the Indian Ocean, off the mainland coast of southeast Africa. However, once there be prepared for a shock and a surprise. Nowhere on this island will you find the usual African species of lions, giraffes, zebras and hippos but what you will find here is found nowhere else on the planet. Due to its geographical isolation, over 90% of the species of Madagascar is endemic in nature, implying these species are found exclusively on this island. Lemurs of Madagascar are the flagship mammalian species of this ecosystem. 103 species and subspecies of these animals exist in Madagascar. Besides lemurs, other interesting Madagascar mammals are Aye-Aye, Fossa, Flying fox, etc. The island also houses two thirds of the world's chameleon species and over 300 species of birds. The best thing is you can visit this enchanting land on Earth without the need of any visa from India but a visa on arrival will suffice. Hence, happy wildlifing!

4.Seychelles: Azure blue skies, emerald green waters, white, sandy beaches that is not what Seychelles is all about. For the wildlife seeker and adventurist, bird watcher and animal lover, the island of Seychelles, off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, is a treasure trove of a rich and diverse variety of plant and animal species waiting to be watched and marvelled at. The giant tortoises of Aldabra, birds like the Seychelles magpie robin, Seychelles black parrot, Seychelles warbler, Seychelles paradise flycatcher, Aldabra drongo, reptiles like endemic chameleon Archaius tigris are some of the flagship species of the forests of this island. Already gearing up to include Seychelles in your bucket list of places to see? Then the good news is, if you are visiting this island nation from India, you will not need a visa but a visitor's permit on arrival will suffice.

By International Rhino Foundation (Ratu and Andatu Day 4  Uploaded by FunkMonk) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

5.Indonesia: The tropical archipelago of Indonesia is famous as a popular honeymoon destination and as a vacation spot for those who love to relax in the beach resorts of Indonesia's spectacular beaches. However, this country, also provides a vast habitat for an excellent diversity of flora and fauna which is sure to thrill a nature lover at all points of time. The best part is, if you are travelling from India, you do not need to go through the tedious visa processing steps to visit this country. Like most isolated island, the wild species of Indonesia exhibits a high degree of endemism. Estuaries, mangroves, island ecosystems, coral reefs, tropical rainforests are the diverse types of ecosystems distributed at various parts of the country. Borneo orangutans, Sumatran orangutans, Javan and Sumatran rhinoceros, etc., are some of the well-known mammalian species of this ecosystem. A large number of endemic birds like the Javan plover, Bali sterling, endemic reptiles like Bornean earless monitor, amphibians and insects also occupy the wild habitats of Indonesia.

By Greg Hume (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Philipp Weigell (picture taken by Philipp Weigell) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

6.Trinidad and Tobago: The twin island country of Trinidad and Tobago, situated off the northern coast of mainland South America is an exotic wildlife destination for naturalists and birdwatchers from all over the globe. Mammals like the prehensile tailed porcupine, nine-banded armadillo, silky anteater, agouti and birds like Trinidad motmot, orange-winged Amazon parrot, magnificent frigatebird as well as marine species like the Atlantic spotted dolphin, leatherback turtle, southern stingray, etc., are wild species to look out for in the rich natural habitats of Trinidad and Tobago. If you are from Indian, you do not even need a visa to visit this exotic destination. So start saving and enjoy your wild Caribbean tour!

By leppyone (Nine-banded Armadillo) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

For more details on Indian Visa requirements visit the page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Indian_citizens