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The perfect holidays for anyone inspired by the new David Attenborough series

Simon Calder’s Travel

It’s the world’s largest continent, with more species than anywhere else on the planet, yet the wildlife of Asia is often overlooked.

Hoping to correct that imbalance, the BBC’s Natural History Unit spent the last four years collecting dramatic footage for new seven-part series Asia.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the show travels from the frozen north to scorching deserts, visiting the highest mountains, the deepest oceans and the tallest rainforests.

A cast of animal characters new and old will undoubtedly captivate audiences, inspiring nature lovers to head east.

Asia began on BBC One on Sunday 3 November, with all episodes available as a seven-part box set on BBC iPlayer.

Anyone inspired to witness Asia’s wildlife first-hand should check out these trips.

Urban deer

Where: Nara, Japan

Wild deer at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Japan

Wild deer at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Japan (Alamy/PA)

Read more: Is there such thing as an affordable safari?

In the world’s most densely populated continent, close contact between people and animals is inevitable. Occasionally, two and four-legged species learn to live harmoniously, as illustrated by the urban deer of Nara in Japan. The sacred animals live in a deer park surrounding the Todai-ji Temple, which houses Japan’s largest bronze Buddha. Gentle and friendly, they frequently approach visitors to nibble on food from their hands. Easily visited as a day trip from Kyoto, Nara is often recommended as a less crowded alternative to the popular city.

Families Worldwide offers a nine-night Highlights of Japan family trip, which costs from £3,495 per adult and £3,395 per child, including B&B accommodation, some meals and internal rail travel. Flights extra; familiesworldwide.co.uk

Bengal tigers and one-horned rhinos

Where: Chitwan National Park, Nepal

A Bengal tiger walking on a dirt road in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park

A Bengal tiger walking on a dirt road in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park (Alamy/PA)

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A conservation success story, the number of tigers has more than doubled in Nepal in recent years. As a result of the booming population, the BBC were able to film mating couples less than 100 metres apart. Being one of the few destinations where it’s possible to film the big cats with drones, they captured intimate footage rarely seen.

Anyone hoping to…

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