I first had this holiday idea a few weeks ago while I was staring out of the window watching the snow and waiting for inspiration to arrive.

My mind drifted to safari holidays and thoughts of zebras, giraffes, gorillas and herds of wildebeest filled my head. All very common to you safari buffs but as the snow fell I considered a bit of a variation on a theme: a snow white variation to be precise.

How cool would it be to spot these out on safari?

White Tiger

I don’t think he’s roaring, I think he’s tired. White tigers sleep between 16-18 hours a day. A bit like most teenagers I know. These magnificent, if scary, creatures are also known as the Bengal tiger. Their unusual appearance is the result of a recessive gene while the stripes are caused by a pigment in their fur.  Unfortunately you won’t get to see these natives of the Indian sub-continent on your next safari. Due to the threat of extinction looming permanently over their heads, white tigers are more likely to be found in zoos in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Did you know – a white tiger’s stripes are completely unique to that tiger? There’s one for your pub quiz.  And if you’re born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger you’re going to be very lucky!

White Lion

 I always thought the white lion was the name of my local pub. How wrong I was. Yet another recessive mutant gene gives these particular kings of the jungle their unique appearance.

African legend has it that white lions would only be born once every 100 years bringing happiness to all who saw them. Legend was slightly baffled when two were born in one litter in 1975 followed by another in 1976. Originally found in Timbavati on the edge of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, white lions are now predominantly restricted to captivity although attempts are being made to encourage them back into the wild. Timbavati has long been considered a sacred place, while the lions are believed to be messengers from God. The name Timbavati means ‘the place where the star lions came down from heaven’ in their ancient Shangaan language.  Sadly these creatures are now rarer than the elusive snow leopards of the Himalayas.

White Whales

OK, they’re not your normal safari fodder but if you are going on an Arctic trek you might see one! Known also as the beluga whale or the sea canary due to their high pitched twitter, these mammals don’t have a dorsal fin and are one of the few whales that can turn their head. That could prove quite useful in escaping their polar bear predators. Due to their flexible lips and forehead (known as the ‘melon’) they also have a sort of mellow and possibly simple expression. To catch these heart warming mammals you need to wrap up and head out to Canada or Alaska, they thrive in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. And like the other white wonders on our list, they are an endangered species due to poachers. What’s wrong with people?

Polar Bears

A predator of the loveable beluga whales these cuddly looking creatures spend most of their lives in the Arctic seas, despite being born on land. Adult polar bears are solitary creatures by nature, wandering the frozen wastes of the Arctic in search of their prey. When they’re not munching on the sea canaries they chase after blubber rich seals and walruses. Yet another species in decline, polar bears are much easier to see on frozen safaris. Just one word of warning, don’t fall in the sea. Apart from the hypothermic qualities of the Arctic, polar bears are pretty nifty swimmers!

It looks like it will be mainly zebras and wildebeest then, I’m not sure I fancy the Arctic cold or a zoo. While you’re planning your adventure tours in search of the white stuff don’t be fooled by the white rhinoceros. They don’t exist. It was a mistranslation from the Dutch for ‘wide’ (‘wijde’) and refers to their lips not their colour. We never have been great at languages as a nation, have we?!

Kate Smedley is planning a whole series of adventure tours this year.