Naturetrek Reviews

Comprehensive information with all details communicated in advance queries answered promptly overall a very good customer experience

My Borneo s Mammals tour of Sabah with Naturetrek in October 2023 was an outstanding experience We saw a rich variety of wildlife at both Deramakot Forest Reserve and Kinabatangan Wetlands This was due in no small part to the efforts of our excellent guide Henry Sapinggi whose experience in the dense rainforest - especially while spotlighting at night allowed us to locate numerous elusive nocturnal species such as tarsier slow loris colugo and leopard cat Though the emphasis was on mammals the birding was outstanding with specials such as Bornean bristlehead red-bearded bee-eater and black-crowned pitta while reptiles amphibians and insects were prolific in number and variety Tracking down wild orangutans as opposed to the habituated individuals at rehabilitation centres was a highlight while other primates included grey gibbons and maroon langurs Three days of boat trips on the Kinabatangan river provided a different perspective and more leisurely perspective on the forest with additional wildlife including proboscis monkey Storm s stork and estuarine crocodile Accommodation was comfortable throughout all the transfer and logistics worked seamlessly and the small group size meant everybody was able to share in all sightings

We ve been on many wildlife holidays worldwide with them over the years both their standard trips and bespoke and they are excellent Well-organised give useful information on destinations use local wildlife guides who are very knowledgeable happy to do the detailed work in organising bespoke trips I would recommend them to any wildlife traveller

Just arrived back from Botswana Desert and Delta Wow what an exciting experience living in tents in the bush made some good friends For a first timer I really enjoyed my time Will I go again for sure

I have been on holiday with this company on many occasions including Tailormade ones I have never had any complaints about their service or advice in their pre departure pack They are upfront honest and as I have a slight disability advise me whether they think the holiday is suitable for me unlike some companies who would sell you anything so that they can make a profit I have personally met most of the staff and have no bad feelings about being told that they don t think the holiday is viable for me As far as the one criticism on this sight is concerned all their foreign guides have been superb to the point of arranging for me to be wheelchaired around the Iguazu falls as my legs were not good this was by far in excess of what anyone would expect I cannot praise this company highly enough for care and attention to detail Accommodation is always clean and sometimes fairly basic but then considering that it is wildlife orientated one expects that

If you are considering or have booked a wildlife or tailor-made excursion with Naturetrek read this first If Naturetrek have quoted for or included any of the following in its offer to you make sure that you are not being misled GUIDE SERVICESIf you do not have a working knowledge or are reasonably fluent in the language of the country you are visiting insist that the guide being offered to you is fluent in your own language A zoom meeting whatsapp conversation directly with the guide prior to your booking with Naturetrek is recommended HOTEL SERVICESMake sure that the hotels you are staying at are of a good standard and that the melas mealtimes fall in line with the itinerary that Naturetrek is proposing Contact the hotels directly before you confirm pay your bookings to check this otherwise you will pay for meals that you will not get Ensure that the standard is what you believe you are paying for WILDLIFE SERVICESIf you are going on a wildlife trip make sure that you are properly equipped Do NOT assume that the guide will have the following - maps of the areas you are visiting- wildlife flora fauna and bird books literature- any protective shelter or covering for bad weather- campstools or similar t sit on you may be standing for hours Also do NOT assume that the guide will be prepared to walk any distance The guides that Naturetrek make use of seem to prefer wildlife viewing from main tarred roads or where the walk to a particular viewing point is minimal The wildlife experience may be with cars and motorbikes hurtling past you WILDLIFE VIEWINGIf your main objective if wildlife viewing birds animals try and make sure that the species are in fact in the areas that Naturetrek is proposing - AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR - Bird species may have already migrated elsewhere - Animal species may have moved to other areas to obtain food forageTry and obtain a second opinion prior to booking Naturetrek are trying to sell and profiteer from your trip Whether you see the wildlife you had hoped for does not concern them TRANSPORT SERVICESMake sure in advance that the transport service Naturetrek is offering you is fit for purpose Ask to see an image of the vehicle that is to transport you If satisfied obtain confirmation that it will be used for the duration of the trip Do NOT assume that Naturetrek will pay much attention to your transport arrangements CONCLUSIONThink twice before booking with Naturetrek You may be sold a package that could turn out to be very disappointing AND REMEMBER - the people guides taking you on tour may well be one-man operators freelance guides or fly by nights In other words second or third parties far removed from Naturetrek

Following on positive information and finding that Naturetrek offers a trip close to my requirements i have been trying to contact them and have a detailed conversation with one of their staff to decide and hopefully book this trip More than one week later all i have is a brief email informing me that someone will contact me A second message pointing out disappointment at not being contacted remains unanswered This is rather discouraging i am still interested given the numerous positive reviews but certainly doubts about the reliability and seriousness of the company are increasing Update on 26 july I have now had a long call with staff at Naturetrek and have booked the trip There was a mistake with respect of the person who should have called me I do hope that the experience of the trip allows me to write a new much more positive review later this year

As a trekker myself I have to say I loved every minute of my experience Oddly it was so relaxing I got to admire the wildlife while seeing amazing views and I will never forget it

This was our first bird watching ever holiday and we are so pleased to have done it with Naturetrek Our holiday was Ecuador Galapagos and Sacha Lodge all over three weeks From start to finish we were on a trip of a lifetime When we arrived in Quito we were taken to tour around beautiful catholic churches and learn about the amazing history of each one We also visited the Botanical Gardens which was a delight The next day we were collected by our super Transfer company to the airport and they basically gave us a VVIP send off to the Galapagos We were welcomed by our brilliant guide Jose and then embarked on the cruise ship Cachalote Explorer to sail around the Western Isles for the week and Eastern Isles over the second week The magnitude of sea wildlife and birds iguanas sea turtles whales dolphins more birds sharks and the best of all seeing a community of albatross was sensational The food and service on the boat was next to none The crew could not have done anything more We then visited Sacha Lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest travelling by boat along the Napo River I felt like Pocahontas travelling along the river in a canoe to look for caymans monkeys birds mangroves and otters It was funny to see an otter eating a piranha fish yikes What I came away with was total respect of the people of Ecuador for keeping the country wildlife and nature so well and respected They have peace pride and love for their surroundings They need you to visit their beautiful country so that you can appreciate why it is so important to save the rainforest and more for the sake of our children s children Thank you Andy and his team for making our travel dreams come true

I joined the Naturetrek cruise around Svalbard Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear and had the most fantastic experience The MS Quest with only 45 fellow guests was a perfect size to explore the fabulous scenery and arctic wildlife of this region The crew were friendly and welcoming attending to our every needs and the food served on board was excellent The onboard expedition leaders were terrific and complimented by our three Naturetrek naturalist leaders who left no stone unturned in providing us with multiple opportunities to experience some stunning wildlife The highlights were too many to list but included four Polar Bears a rare Bowhead Whale a huge pod of Belugas Walruses and various species of seal Arctic Foxes Ivory Gulls Grey Phalaropes and vast seabird cities all set against a magnificent backdrop of mountains fjords tundra packice and indescribably beautiful glaciers A perfect trip with so many unforgettable memories Thanks to all at Naturetrek for organising it so well