Naturetrek Traveller Reviews

It was well organised, the hotels and lodges we're clean and comfortable. The staff and locals we're very helpful and friendly. The food was plentiful and delicious. Our guide, Mario, was the best, couldn't have asked him to do any more than he did. He certainly knew his birds, wildlife, plants and history. Our driver, Rodriguez, was more than just a driver, he helped as a guide ( helping to find birds etc plus trying to get better views for photographers ), he provided water and we admired his driving skills. Our group of 8, made friends within minutes of meeting each other and all this made our holiday exceptional.

Helpful and answered queries promptly.

Naturetrek's "Wild Japan in Winter" took me from the Mediterranean climate of Kyushu, where thousands of cranes were spending the winter, through the main island of Honshu, where we saw the snow monkeys enjoying the hot water pools, and to wintery Hokkaido, where I was stunned by the beauty of the dancing red-crowned cranes in the snow, and the huge Steller's eagles on the pack ice. I too enjoyed relaxing int he outdoor hot pools, gazing up at snowy tress; in Hokkaido we stayed in three traditional inns, which was a lovely contrast to the days we spent in bustling Tokyo, and introduced the group to traditional Japanese cuisine.

Always well-organised, keeping the clients well informed prior to the trip.

Reviewer's images:

Our Indian guide met us at the airport and accompanied us to our hotel near Ranthambore. After three unsuccessful drives we had excellent views of a tiger. The next three drives were superb giving us 7 tiger viewings and one leopard viewing. Birds were great too. Then our guide took us on an overnight train journey -second class- which was actually quite comfortable. From Bhopal we met the Thera in our group and travelled by train to Satpura. We stayed in a wonderful lodge called Reni Pani. Food was great. Staff were so pleasant. Our wild tally rose and included a siting of a sloth bear and a cub which we watched for 90 minutes.

Good communication before the trip. First class Indian guides. Very good accommodation as chosen by Naturetrek.

The Canary Islands in late February and early March was excellent. The two hotels used were very good and the food exceptional. The holiday was to see Birds, Plants and other wild life. The two leaders were very knowable and the pace of the trip to my liking. We stayed on two islands Tenerife and Fuerteventura with a local flight between and visited La Gomera by ferry for the day.

I have traveled many times with Naturetrek, on the whole their holidays suit me. They have far more holidays to choose from than other company's and at a reasonable price. I will continue to take trips with Naturetrek.

Well organised natural history experience with exciting times, moments of real beauty and all away from the madding crowds. We saw everything we expected to see , wallcreepers, Cranes in thousands, Lammageier and griffon vultures up close, beautiful spring flowers and the magnificent, flocculant almond blossom everywhere. We had time to stand and stare ,take in the scenery and share knowledge. Accomodation and food fantastic!

A really professional, forward thinking, relaxed set up..... that is Naturetrek. We are pleased to be travelling with them again soon because we know they are careful planners who get the best they can from the settings. It is a pleasure to be doing the things we like doing without the hard work of organising it all.

Really good short break, birdwatching at several location on Somerset Level. Good guide, very knowledgeable and helpful.

Well organised and helpful

A walking and bird watching holiday. I am not an expert and do not know all the birds unlike other people on the trip but the leader and local guide were very good at showing and telling us what the birds were. Stayed at a lovely small hotel. Great rooms, great staff, great food.

natureterk

We travelled to Sri Lanka on a 10 day wildlife holiday. From start to finish the holiday was brilliant. One hotel in particular was superb and everything ran like clockwork. The days were busy (which we loved) but there was also an opportunity to rest in between trips, should you need it. The two wonderful tour leaders went above and beyond to make sure our holiday was packed with wildlife and other experiences. Their knowledge of the area was second to none and their contact with local people meant we even ventured into people's back gardens to view birds! It was all done sympathetically and we were grateful for the generosity of the people of Sri Lanka. We were delighted to learn that their generosity offered them a little financial reward. The tour leaders even took into account the weather and changed the itinerary to suit, but not before consulting the group first.

From start to finish the holiday was superbly well run. Contact with the head office before the trip was good and regular and the pre-travel information provided was sufficient for us to feel confident before we left the UK. The trip was the perfect number of people - 11 guests and 2 tour leaders and the tour leaders were an absolutely asset, not only to Naturetrek but also to Sri Lanka. They were brilliant ambassadors for both.

Reviewer's images:

We stayed at the Swan Hotel in Wells, which was very convenient for the Levels. The food was very good, and the staff were charming. Our 2 days were spent in different areas of the Levels, each quite different to the other. The weather was considerably better than the forecast, only 2 showers when we were luckily in the excellent hides, of which there are plenty. The local pubs we ate in served very good food. Matt Collis and Chris Griffin were both excellent guides, very friendly and helpful to novice birders. Their local knowledge of the area was first class, and they managed to get us to the exact spot where the starlings were going to roost. the best murmuration they had seen in years. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip, and recommend it to all levels of bird watchers. M.B. from Essex

Naturetrek were most helpful, and sent out a huge amount of information on the holiday.

Wonderful birding tour of the country with a small party of seven and our guide. We first visited Birds Eye Lodge at Crooked tree sanctuary. The trip there was full of new species and on our 4 hour water trip around the lagoon and its tributaries we spotted 9 species of birds including all 4 endemic kingfisher species. We the moved on to Lamanai Outpost. situated on a large lake with 3 different habitats and Mayan ruins nearby. The Air-boat ride to the wetlands was exhilarating and the walk through the pine forest interesting. Many new species were spotted during our stay and the local Howler Monkeys offered a night and dawn chorus to complete with the bird life. The next stop was Black Rock resort, located on a steep hill side adjacent to a fast flowing river. Another birders paradise with over 60 species recorded during our stay. Our tour continued to our next destination Jungle Lodge at Tikal in Guatemala. Not only were the Mayan ruins extraordinary the bird life was superb. We then travelled back to Belize to Dandrega for a night stay at the coast after a long days travel. The next day we took a boat to South Water Quay, our island paradise for the next 5 nights. Not only was there snorkelling off the beach, we were able to take 3 option trips to snorkel over local reefs seeing a large number of fish and coral. The resort was laid back and we walked around all the time in bare feet, the staff were extremely helpful and nothing was too much trouble. It was a great way to end a holiday.

They are always helpful and willing to adapt travel to meet our requirements. The staff are always helpful when you call and the management team are also always willing to assist to ensure you always have the best experience.