We follow the best traditions of field natural history, leading small groups of like-minded people in some of the best areas for wildlife that we know, and taking time to appreciate the natural history there. We have been running wildlife holidays for over a quarter of a century, and are extremely proud of our client loyalty, with, on average, about half the clients on any trip coming back to us, and with many of our new clients coming by personal recommendation. Several clients have returned for over twenty holidays with us, and a few have even notched up over forty trips!
We never forget that it is your holiday and work hard to ensure that all the components of a tour - the accommodation, transport, food, the design and pace of the itinerary, and the all-important leadership combine to give you a superb all-round experience, and, we hope, some wonderful memories!
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Our Leaders
are fine all-round naturalists with a wealth of field and leadership experience. It is their expertise and professionalism, coupled with an easy-going and flexible approach, that is probably the most important factor in the success of our tours. We also, where possible, link up with local experts to ensure really top-quality local information.
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Our Accommodation
is chosen with one criterion in mind - whether our groups will enjoy staying there! So we select lodges, hotels and other centres which combine good facilities with character and good service, and, most importantly, are within easy reach of the best wildlife areas. Wherever we stay, we make every effort to secure private en suite facilities, and single rooms where requested. We're also quite keen on our food! Please do give us a ring if you need any more information.
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Our Itineraries
are very carefully thought out - indeed we are often complimented on the design and originality of these. Our tours aim to achieve a balance between making the most of the variety within a country, and yet taking time to savour the experience of each place we include. And we'd like to stress that on none of our tours do we rush round making huge lists of birds or flowers!
We particularly like one-centre holidays, as they really give us a chance to get the most out of a place, and suit our relaxed, broad-based style. To make the holidays as stress-free as possible, we usually include all meals in the tour price (with the exception of a few USA tours).
For any tailor-made tours, please see our Wild Ambitions website, www.wildambitions.co.uk |
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Our Pre-trip Information Packs and Trip Reports
are often praised by clients as being some of the best they've seen! We make great efforts to provide you with as much relevant information as we can before a trip, and to provide an informative and often highly entertaining record of the holiday at the end.
Incidentally, while the brochure and website descriptions give a flavour of each holiday, they cannot really do them justice. It is the trip reports that give the real low-down, so please do request a copy if you are interested in a particular holiday, or look them up here.
Our Email newsletters
Give you up to date information on new tours and extra departures.
To sign up just send a blank email to
with the word "subscribe" in the title and we'll add you to our mailing list, or
and it will be done for you. If you ever want to be taken off the list, email
with "unsubscribe" in the title. |
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Our Daily Programme
is tailored to the destination. On many trips we offer an optional pre-breakfast walk or excursion to catch the bird activity at its peak, or we may have an early breakfast to make the most of the day. Lunches are often picnics, but are sometimes taken in local restaurants or tavernas. On most days we aim to get you back to the hotel or lodge in good time to refresh yourself before dinner and the evening log-call, where we mull over the day's sightings.
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In the tropics especially, wildlife is at its most active early in the morning, and sometimes last thing in the evening. We therefore almost invariably have an early start on these trips, starting before dawn, and finishing after sunset. But don't worry, we do relax! During the heat of the day little stirs, including us, and our lunchtimes can be very laid-back, sometimes followed by a good siesta.
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Walking
We probably get more queries about the amount of walking than on any other topic. In most tours there is some walking, at an easy pace, and stopping frequently to look at wildlife. Overall in a day we can reckon to have walked no more than five miles and often a fair bit less.
There are a few exceptions to this, and these will be indicated in the tour description. Most tours that involve islands, especially small British islands, will involve more walking, usually as we like to try and take you to places that vehicles can't get to (assuming there are any!). Please assume around seven to ten miles a day for these island tours.
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Photography
Photographers are most welcome on our tours, but should bear in mind that on most tours photography is not the principal objective. We do ask you to take photos sensitively, both regarding the wildlife (especially taking care not to trample plants) and other members of the group who may not share your enthusiasm!
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Please note that we reserve the right to take photographs during the operation of our tours, and to use the resulting images for promotional purposes. By booking with us, tour members agree to allow their image to be used in this way; clients who prefer that their image should not be used must inform us prior to the tour.
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Collecting
We absolutely forbid the collecting of specimens on any of our tours, including the picking of flowers. Please remember - take the book to the plant, not the plant to the book! Our tours often take place in countries where the whole idea of conservation is in its infancy, and we must take care to be seen to act responsibly, especially by local people.
Financial Protection
We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL No. 3435) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, in compliance with the UK rules, which enables us to offer flight-inclusive holidays to the public in the UK. Details of the flights for each tour are given where possible. Our flight-inclusive tours are fully bonded. This means that the complete cost of the holiday - not just the flight element - is protected by bonding.
Holidays not including the cost of a flight and bookings from overseas clients (which are not protected by the ATOL bond) are fully bonded with AITO Trust.
A word of caution! The internet has made it much easier to book a wildlife tour directly with an overseas operator, and to book a flight separately. If you are tempted to do this, beware! You certainly won't be covered by the ATOL scheme and you are unlikely to have any protection for your monies paid in advance if things go wrong. You could do it, but you may never see your money again! The ONLY safe way to book a wildlife holiday from the UK is with a fully licensed and financially-protected tour operator, like the Travelling Naturalist.
Public Liability
We carry full international public liability insurance.
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Small groups
We think that our type of holiday is best enjoyed in a small group. Our group size is usually a maximum of 12 or 14 clients (sometimes fewer), with two leaders or local guides usually accompanying groups of 11 or more. Please note that with numbers below this, the tour may go ahead with local guides only. Cruises are not subject to this restriction, with details of leaders and group size (ie the capacity of the boat/ship) given in the tour description.
Our stated minimum number of clients per group is eight, but we often run tours with fewer than this number. Please note, however, that we cannot accept cancellations without loss of deposits simply because the tour is running with fewer clients than expected. The operation of all tours is subject to minimum numbers being achieved at least 70 days prior to departure. If a tour is underbooked at that time, we may defer cancellation but will inform you if the tour is running or not no later than 6 weeks prior to departure.
Under certain circumstances (e.g a couple wishing to join a tour when only one space remains) we may exceed our stated maximum numbers by one. Please note that leaders may have to be substituted on occasion.
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Single rooms
We will always try to accommodate clients who request single rooms, but this is not always possible, and clients may be asked to share for all or part of the holiday. In this case we will of course not charge the single room supplement for the portion of the holiday where the room is shared. We will also try to accommodate clients travelling on their own but wishing to share, but if there is no other single person on the tour willing also to share, we will have to charge the single room supplement.
Smoking
To ensure group harmony we ask clients who smoke to act sensitively, and not to smoke when with the group in a confined area, and especially in any vehicle or at meal times.
Dietary Requirements
We pass on all dietary requests to the hotels and airlines, but please make sure that we know about these (in as much detail as possible) at the time of booking, to allow us good time to make the arrangements.
Baggage Restrictions and Packing
Most tours have some sort of restriction on baggage, usually a weight limit for hold baggage of 20kgs, and sometimes just one item of hold baggage, imposed by the airlines. Sometimes, though, due to limited space in small aircraft or ground vehicles, there are more restrictions. However, please note that with increased security arrangements now in force, there are many new restrictions on both hold and cabin baggage, which may change rapidly according to circumstances and the airline involved. We will let you know about these around two weeks before departure with the final travel details, but if you would like to know about these at an earlier stage, please contact us.
Please also note that extra baggage weight and extra bags may incur extra charges by the airline
We'll let you know with our pre-trip information pack what clothing and equipment we recommend bringing. We often get queries about whether tea- and coffee-making facilities are available (usually yes in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; usually no anywhere else!) and the presence or absence of hairdryers (usually yes in city and resort-based hotels, usually no elsewhere). Generally we suggest bringing your own if you need these.
We also get frequent enquiries about the best way to pack telescope tripods. If you are bringing a tripod, it has to go in the hold luggage - if it cannot go in your case or main bag, rugged tripod cases can now be bought, and are an excellent way of solving the problem.
Health, Immunisation and Entry Requirements
With our joining instructions we give full current details of immunisation requirements and recommendations for the area visited, and whether malaria is a risk.
For full and up-to-the minute health information we urge everyone to consult The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website www.nathnac.org prior to booking any overseas holiday. NaTHNaC promotes standards in travel medicine, providing travel health information for health professionals and the public, and is funded by the UK Government's Health Protection Agency.
For trips outside Europe we will also provide a Health Brief from the London School of Hygiene and tropical Medicine, but clients may wish to refer to the MASTA website www.masta.org for detailed advice.
Insects: Mosquitoes are present throughout the tropics. Bring repellent and dress accordingly, covering up with long sleeves and long trousers. Many of the accommodations in the Afrotropics we use do usually supply mosquito nets - but if you want to be guaranteed of one, then we recommend purchasing your own travel net.
If you have a health problem, or other physical limitation, please advise us in writing well before the tour. Our holidays are not recommended for wheelchair-users or for those with serious walking difficulties.
Passports and Visas
For all overseas tours (and cruises within the UK), UK clients will need a UK passport valid at least six months after the date of return.
We will inform clients about visa requirements with the tour information pack. If there is any extra cost involved in obtaining a visa for UK citizens this will be given in the tour description. We will provide the necessary application forms and instructions, but regret that we cannot obtain your visa for you. Non-UK citizens must be responsible for their own visa and entry requirements.
Your Safety and Travel Advice
Risks to your safety and security are an unavoidable aspect of all travel. The best current advice on such risks is provided for you by the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice unit. It is standard policy for our office to send a copy of the relevant FCO Travel Advice to all participants along with their Final Tour Letter (2-4 weeks prior to the trip).
'Know Before You Go' is a travel safety campaign run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). It encourages British nationals to be better prepared for their overseas trips with a view to avoiding common travelling traumas, risks and dangers. In order for you to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination it is strongly recommended that you refer to the FCO website www.fco.gov.uk - both prior to booking and regularly before you travel. Follow the 'Know Before You Go' link or call 0845 800 2829.
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Flights
Unless otherwise stated or requested, our tour prices include the cost of Economy Class seats on scheduled return flights from London. Occasionally we use charter flights or 'no-frills' airlines where these offer the best or only service to that destination.
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Most airlines now issue 'e-tickets', in electronic form, rather than the more familiar paper tickets. The advantage of these is that they should be impossible to lose! We will provide you with a copy of the e-ticket receipt, and give full instructions and information about e-tickets, if this is the case.
Please note that an increasing number of airlines, particularly on short-haul flights, are now excluding the cost of on-board meals and drinks from their ticket price, which therefore have to be excluded from the cost of our tour. Please assume that in-flight meals are always excluded from the cost of a tour. Information on in-flight meals will be sent with your tickets.
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Please note that some of our leaders may be based in the destination countries, or may have travelled out in advance of the group, so may not accompany the group on the flights.
We try to give provisional flight details at least ten weeks before the start of the tour, in our travel information pack. Please note that these details are only a guide, and that times and even airports may change before the tour. Please do not make any firm airport travel arrangements before you have received your final travel information, about two weeks before the departure date.
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Flight Delays
If flights are delayed due to industrial action, weather or (as has happened to us!) volcanic activity, we will make every effort to assist you in making alternative travel, accommodation and meal arrangements, should these be necessary. Such arrangements are sometimes not covered by the airline, so please make sure your travel insurance covers any possible extra costs involved. If additional hotel nights are needed, for example, we may be able to arrange these on your behalf but please note that we will have to invoice you for the extra costs involved. Sometimes a claim can be made against the airline for these costs under EU or UK law. Again, we will assist you with any claim, but unfortunately current rules state that it is the passenger and NOT the tour operator who has to claim.
Interim Flight Deposits
Recently, many airlines have been asking for full, non-refundable payment of the fare before they will confirm the booking. Sometimes we need to secure flights several months in advance of the tour departure date, before the full payment of the balance is due. In these cases we will need to ask you to pay a non-refundable interim deposit, in addition to the tour deposit, in order to secure your flight booking. We will give you at least a month's notice if this is the case.
A Complete Service
From the moment you book - just relax! We aim to provide a complete service, taking the stress out of making arrangements for your holiday. We can help to arrange your connecting flights where needed (as long as this is requested at time of booking - see below), as well as offering useful discounts on airport car parking, a choice of airport hotels and airport taxis. Details are sent with our travel information pack. Please note that we can also often arrange tailor-made extensions to the main tour if these are requested at time of booking. And if you have any questions at all about the tour - please just ask!
Ex-flight Prices
For clients joining a tour from outside the UK, or wishing to join us at our destination, we are always happy to quote an ex-flight price for most of our tours involving scheduled flights. If you wish to book a tour land only, you must put this on your booking form.
Fly Local!
For several destinations we are able to quote a price that includes a flight from a regional airport within the UK. Again, please enquire for details before booking. Please note that we usually charge a £ 35 booking fee for booking separate flights from (or additional flights to) the main group flights to cover our administrative costs. If you wish to book a tour with a connecting (or sometimes direct) flight from a regional airport, you must put this on your booking form. Depending on flight times we may recommend that you fly to London the day before, to avoid the possibility of missing the connection.
Fly when you please!
Increasing numbers of clients are choosing to fly out before the main tour, or return afterwards. We are always happy to quote for flights independent of the main group, but please note again that we usually charge a £ 35 booking fee to cover our administrative costs. Please note that if you are booking your own flights for a tour you must contact us first (and get written confirmation from us) to check that the times fit with the current itinerary.
Tailor-made Extensions and City Breaks
If you have an extra few days to spare, why not let us quote for an independent extension to your tour? We can often get excellent prices at some excellent hotels or lodges, and our network of local agents can usually come up with some fine suggestions for extra days.
Many of our European tours begin and end in some fascinating cities, with superb sightseeing and cultural opportunities. We can often get some bargain prices at excellent city centre hotels, so why not make the most of your tour, and let us book a short city break at the end?
If you wish to book a tailor-made extension, you must put this on your booking form at the time of booking.
Taxes
Please note that all prices include all UK taxes.
Data Protection
Please note that all enquirers' and clients' names and addresses are stored by us electronically. We are registered under the Data Protection Act to enable us to do this. Please let us know in writing if you wish your details to be removed from the list, or if you wish to see a copy of the details as they are stored.
Travel Insurance
At The Travelling Naturalist we believe that your safety and holiday enjoyment are very important, and therefore travel insurance is a must whenever you travel abroad. We recommend travel insurance through specialist insurance brokers Campbell Irvine, underwritten by AXA Insurance (UK) plc*.
To arrange cover or to obtain a quotation please contact Campbell Irvine directly or apply online at www.campbellirvine.com tel: 020 7938 1734, email: info@campbellirvine.com.
Full details of the cover provided will be shown on your policy documentation, which will be sent to you by Campbell Irvine. We would ask you to please read the terms of your policy carefully to ensure you understand the cover provided, which includes certain terms conditions, exclusions and excesses. Should you wish to see a specimen policy, a copy will be made available prior to purchase upon request or alternatively a copy is available for download at www.campbellirvine.com.
Please note that if you choose not to take our recommended insurance through Campbell Irvine then we require confirmation that you have an alternative policy that provides cover, which is as wide as our recommended policy. You will be asked to provide us with the name of your alternative insurer, your policy number together with the 24 hour medical emergency assistance contact number if you choose not to take out our recommended insurance.
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