WE’RE a nation of animal lovers so the chance to interact with some of our favourites on holiday is sure to be a winner.
Airbnb has launched a brand new range of Animal Experiences giving you the chance to do everything from paddleboarding with corgis and kayaking with conservationists to searching for Arctic foxes and learning alongside urban beekeepers.
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There are more than 1,000 fabulous experiences with 300 species, offering a new take on connecting with the natural world.
Treats include hiking with rescue dogs, chilling out with alpacas or simply cuddling cows.
Here we’ve rounded up some of our favourites — and to find out more, see airbnb.co.uk/experiences
Paddleboard with corgis in Miami – £31pp
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Join paddle pup Mr Beaches and his devoted owner Natasha as you spend an hour and a half on a leisurely paddle tour of Miami’s picturesque Las Olas canals.
After a lesson on safety and paddling basics, you’ll join the adventurous Mr Beaches to admire the local wildlife and yachts — and some of Florida’s most expensive houses.
Tea with naughty sheep, Loch Lomond – from £32pp
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Enjoy a traditional tea with home-made cakes in the garden of this farmhouse near the Loch with two unusual guests – a duo of friendly Herdwick sheep keen on cuddles and possibly after a crumb or two.
After your own tea, help take the wooly wonders back to their barn for their own dinner.
If there are new lambs in season, you may get the chance to give them a bottle of milk too.
Meet the dogs of Chernobyl – from £301pp
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Meet and feed the abandoned dogs who live in the 30km Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
With workers from the Clean Futures Fund, you’ll see the work being done to care for the 250 dogs, decendants of those abandoned when the city of Pripyat was evacuated after the Chernobyl disaster.
Discover Arctic foxes in Iceland – from £163pp
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Join experts as they study the habitats of arctic foxes near Súðavík on this nine hour hike into the wilds of Iceland.
Split into two groups, observers will watch from a distance, taking in the spectacular surroundings and observing for the second group of photographers who will be hiding and primed to take the best pictures.
The trip also involves a hike where you could be lucky to spot seals, eagles, whales and gyfalcons.
The African penguin walk – from £22pp
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Go behind the scenes on a two-hour walk to discover the habitat of the endangered African penguin.
From encountering new-born chicks from March to July to seeing the adults in their annual moult from September to November, you’ll learn everything about the cute little birds alongside the conservationists as well as help them collect valuable data before heading back to their HQ for a juice, snack and chat about your trip.
Meet hairy Highland cows and calves in Loch Ness – £22pp
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Get up close with the hairy, horned Highland cattle in idyllic surroundings as you discover how the animals are hand-reared.
Meet Baby and Boy — giant, sweet-natured bullocks who love being combed and talked to.
Then there’s the chance to observe the main herd of breeding mothers with their babies before exploring the farm and its pastures where the animals roam at large.
Groom and walk miniature ponies in Kent – from £45pp
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Get to know these tiny treasures in their field near Knockholt in Sevenoaks before giving them a brush and learning how to put on their collar.
You’ll then head off through fields at the rescue ponies’ pace allowing them to nibble on plants in the hedgerows.
The group will also collect cuttings and weeds to take back for their pony friends before stopping off for a cuppa and a slice of cake with their carers.
Urban rooftop beekeeping in Canada – £31pp
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GET a buzz out of a very different industry on the rooftops of a former cotton factory in Hamilton, Ontario, just an hour from Niagara Falls.
Now a creative workspace with you can join one of the master beekeepers for an up-close tour of a live beehive.
Learn all about the insects and then sample honey straight from the hive and take home a gift jar. The hour tour includes all protective clothing.
