Naturetrek Traveller Reviews

Birding for 2 weeks on mainland PNG. Excellent guides, local men as we were the only ones on the trip, perfect logistics that went without a hitch, great accommodation and we saw birds of paradise aplenty

Always reliable, accommodating and extremely helpful when we’re deciding on our next trip

All the guides were excellent , particularly our tour leader Jose Antonio. The holiday was very well organised by Naturetrek. Highlights were many but included birds such as Peruvian pelican,Inca tern,hoatzin,rufous crested coquette,lyre tailed nightjar and shining sunbeam. We will never forget the macaw clay lick in the rain forest or our first encounter with a caiman. Equally unforgettable was the lush spectacular cloud forest , with amazing epiphytes on the trees. Also amazing tree ferns. Some great insects seen included leaf cutter ants, army ants,bullet ants, preying mantis and katydids. The Inca sites were spectacular but the crowds at Machu Picchu were awful. This was not a relaxing holiday . By the end we were exhausted with all the travel. But the wildlife was superb and just to experience tha Andes was a real privilege.

Very well organised and efficient.

We have used Naturetrek several times and have been more than happy with their service and their holidays and this was no exception. This trip was to Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara- both we’re perfect for nature watching and relaxing. We were very fortunate with wildlife sightings and our driver/guide was excellent. We booked an extension which also worked well, with transferrs and tours being really great.

We have used Naturetrek several times and would definitely recommend then for service, organisation and quality. They go the extra mile.

We spent 7 days on Safari through Botswana's Kalahari Desert, and the Okavango Delta. We were excellently guided and taken care of by the tour staff, and were incredibly lucky, spotting many Leopards, Lions, and Wild Dogs.

Shadrek was a knowledgeable leader who opened our eyes to the wonderful natural landscapes and wildlife of the region. He was organised, and full of brilliant stories of his youth, growing up in Botswana.

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The initial part of our holiday was a group tour to Borneo staying at 3 different lodges with the main aim of finding Orang- utans in the wild. We then added on an extension to Gaya Island staying at the Bunga Raya resort. The group element was everything we could have hoped for; the guides, Tim and Hazwan were extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. The group (8 in total) was an ideal combination and despite the wide age range we complimented each other perfectly due to our joint passion for seeing wildlife in its natural habitat. The first lodge we stayed at was Sepilock Nature Reserve. The quality of the food and accommodation was excellent and the setting was stunning. We saw interesting birds and monitor lizards from our balcony. On an impromptu early evening stroll we were amazed to encounter our first wild orang-utans and male and female thrashing about in the trees above us looking for a suitable nesting site for the night. The following day was spent visiting the Sepilock orang-utan santuary where we had plenty of close-up sightings or orangs and macaques plus an array of beautiful birds. The second lodge we stayed at, Sakau Rainforest Lodge was situated on the Kinabatangan River. Although the accommodation was fairly basic the food and location more than made up for it. Early morning and evening boat trips took us almost within touching distance of amazing birds and families of monkeys - it was highly entertaining watching their behaviour and listen to their vocal communication. Just outside the rooms there were often incredible butterflies enjoying the nectar from the various flowering shrubs. The journey to the Danum Valley Lodge was all part of the adventure with many manmade bridges to cross and wildlife to spot on the way. The Lodge itself was absolutely stunning and clearly well thought out, located on the edge of a river with a panoramic view across the valley and high sided forest. The accommodation was excellent and the food was out of this world and catered for a wide pallet. There was just not enough room in my stomach to do it all justice and I still think about it. The extensive programme of walks and open vehicle rides delivered multiple wildlife sightings including several orang-utans, other primate, hornbills, lizards, birds, snakes, civets, amazing insects and frogs. Much of the wildlife was spotted around the grounds of the Lodge including a large male orang-utan which came down a tree right in front of us and went on his way. Perhaps the most fascinating experience we were treated to was viewed from the lodge grounds in the trees the other side of the river. A gibbon and and binterong were feeding on fruit on the same tree and started squabbling and teasing each other - this went on for a good hour and was truly a David Attenborough experience. Luckly we with the aid of our guide's scope we were able to get close up views. On the whole our experience at Bunga Raya was a good one. The setting and grounds were beautiful and well laid out. The room was absolutely perfect and just what we asked for being high up within the resort, extremely comfortable and with privacy and lovely views. An added bonus were a pair of hornbills which regularly perched on trees nearby and even landed on our staircase enabling us to observe and photograph them with ease. Another positive feature of the resort was their coral reef which they are making every effort to protect. Snorkeling was the main draw for us to this resort and whilst not outstanding, it was very enjoyable and relaxing. The giant clams were fascinating. Sadly, there is evidence of plastic and other man made pollution, albeit the staff are doing their best to combat this. There is a pond within the resort next to one of the restaurants which is inhabited by several monitor lizards (up to 6 ft long) which are entertaining to watch whilst dining. The downside of Bunga Raya was the lack of ambience and quality of food on offer, albeit the staff were very attentive and did their best. Moreover wine was, in our view, totally overpriced, especially in conjunction with the standard of the food menu. The boat ride to Bunga Raya is very basic with a lack of care over people's luggage - this could be much improved.

We have come to trust Naturetrek to deliver a certain standard of wildlife holiday in terms of the destination, wildlife encounters, food, accommodation and guides. The staff at Naturetrek are extremely helpful and respond well to queries and do their best to accommodate our wishes and particular requirements. We have been with them on 3 trips now and have not been disappointed. We are planning our next trip with them.

We were a small group lead by an ornithologist and a botanist who took us around the island of Menorca to the best sites to see an amazing variety of wild life, and the Autumn migrant birds. A wide range of experience amongst the guests but all made very welcome.

Specialists in opportunities to experience wildlife in small groups, and expertly lead.

A visit to Elsamere and the Masai Mara in Kenya was a truly spiritual ,and educating experience - the places themselves are magical , the accommodation staff genuinely caring and attentive , the tour guides extensively knowledgeable on the wildlife and their land. Davis our guide put us at ease as soon as we met up and any reservations we had were dispelled immediately and holiday mode kicked in. This was my second year on the trip and was as good if not better the second time around and the group bonded so well that we have formed an email group to share photos , experiences and keep in touch.

Excellent service from start to finish , attention to detail .

We went with Naturetrek. It was a small group holiday experiencing the wildlife of Northern Spain with particular emphasis on seeing wolves, which we did on two occasions. A very unusual encounter, privileged to see such wonderful animals in their natural state. The holiday was also enhanced by the lovely accommodation and local food, plus the expertise of our tour guides.

Naturetrek runs worldwide nature holidays, short breaks and longer stays.

We went on a wolf-watching short break to Northern Spain. The holiday was very well organised and we had excellent guides who were very knowledgeable. Food and accommodation were better than expected.

They were very helpful in answering my enquiries before I booked. The trip was well organised and pre-departure information was helpful and comprehensive. I liked the fact that there were no extras to pay

Just back from a wonderful holiday in Peru. One of the best places I’ve been. Fantastic range of habitats from penguins & sea lions on the coast to macaws & monkeys in the Amazon to the snow capped Andes and the stunning Machu Picchu. All in two weeks! Plus the people are really friendly & welcoming.

Good quality holidays, well organised, great itineraries & guides & helpful staff. Very reliable & I’ve travelled with them c. 15 times.