About Us
Naturetrek is a wildlife holiday tour operator established in 1986, celebrating 40 years in 2026. It offers the largest selection of group and tailored professionally organised, expert-led wildlife holidays in the world. Headquartered in Hampshire, Naturetrek’s key market is the UK, with travellers also welcomed from the US, Australia and Europe.
With over six hundred tours, cruises, short breaks and day trips all over the world, spanning birdwatching, mammals, botanical, herpetology and marine-life, Naturetrek has pioneered several important wildlife tours including Iberian Lynx holidays in Spain and the UK’s first Tiger tour (Just Tigers in India, still offered today).
Founded by David and Maryanne Mills, natural world enthusiasts and conservationists, Naturetrek remains fully independent and family-owned. It is run by naturalists for naturalists, with responsible travel and minimal environmental impact at its core. Its Sustainable Tourism Policy is centred around three key commitments: Protecting Biodiversity, Reducing Carbon, and Travelling Responsibly.
With the profits generated from 40 years of operating wildlife holidays around the world, Naturetrek’s foremost mission is to invest in, and thereby bring positive impact and benefit to, nature and the environment.
Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss story angles for an upcoming feature, press trips, fact box information, news or comments on the latest in wildlife travel.
PR Contact: Lizzie Cooper, lcoopertravelpr@gmail.com
Quick Links:
Naturetrek in the Media
The Telegraph – Andrew Purvis
Andrew travelled on The Wild Side of Essex Day Trip in August 2026
I’ve found south-east England’s most charming seaside escape
The Telegraph – Mark Stratton
Mark travelled on our Lyme Bay Day Cruise in August 2026
Rising temperatures are bringing new marine life to Britain
National Geographic Traveller – Qin Xie
Want to see a sloth? Here's how to do it responsibly.
Hampshire Chronicle – Christopher Atkinson
Hampshire tourism business celebrates 40 years of global exploration
Travel Africa – Mike Unwin
Mike travelled on Wildlife of the Moroccan Sahara, February 2026
50 Shades of Desert
Wanderlust – Green List 2026
Wanderlust's Travel Green List Europe 2026, featuring the Naturetrek Macchietelle Reserve in Italy amongst its conservation initiatives.
The Telegraph – Mike Unwin
Mike travelled on Borneo's Mammals – Deramakot Forest Reserve in October 2023
The biodiversity hotspot you must visit now, before it’s too late
The Telegraph – Mark Stratton
Mark travelled on our Brahmaputra Cruise in February 2023
Rivers are usually associated with giving life – this one takes it away
The Telegraph – Judith Woods
Judith travelled on Extremadura in Spring – A Beginner Birdwatching tour in April 2022
Birds, bonhomie and unbridled joy: have I found the world’s happiest retirees?
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Awards and Recognition
British Travel Awards
We are thrilled to have won the overall Gold Award in the ‘Best Wildlife & Nature Holiday Company’ category six consecutive times at the British Travel Awards between 2019 and 2025! These annual awards, the Oscars of the travel industry, are decided entirely by public vote. We couldn’t have done this without our dedicated staff at the Naturetrek office in Hampshire, our team of expert naturalist guides and overseas partners, and we certainly couldn’t have done it without all of you, our wonderful clients. Thank you.
ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards
We were absolutely thrilled to be recognised by the ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Awards in 2025, winning the top Gold Award in the Nature Positive category. The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Global is a non-profit organisaiton on a mission to share more knowledge and understanding of responsible tourism, and these awards shine a light on outstanding leadership and innovative, replicable ideas being created across the travel industry. Our commitment to protecting endangered species and habitats by using our own profits to create wildlife reserves in Italy, Scotland and Ecuador was commended by the judges, who said our long-term investment to support conservation and biodiversity made Naturetrek stand out on a global basis. Our Head of Sustainability, Kerrie Porteous, celebrated our win at an inspirational evening in Brussels, alongside some amazing, forward-thinking hotels, projects and tour operators.
After winning Gold in the ICRT Europe Awards, we were automatically put forward as a finalist for the ICRT Global Awards. Operations Manager, Tom Mabbett, attended the conference and awards ceremony in London where we received a Silver Award.
In 2026, we were once again honoured to receive recognition in the ICRT Latin America Awards, with Silver for our long-term project building the Naturetrek Reserves in Ecuador.
AITO Tour Operator of the Year
We were delighted to be awarded AITO's prestigious Tour Operator of the Year Gold Award for 2025. AITO (The Specialist Travel Association) awards these accolades annually to those tour operators with the highest ratings on www.aito.com, judged from AITO reviews left independently by travellers. Having been awarded Silver in 2024 and Bronze in 2023, we were thrilled to at last receive the top Gold Award in recognition of the outstanding reviews left by our clients in 2025. Thank you to all those of you that travelled with us in 2025, and took the time to leave us a review. We appreciate it greatly!
Thames Valley SME Growth Awards
This award celebrates businesses with a turnover in excess of £15 million that have exhibited exceptional growth and strategic development and in 2025 we were delighted to come away as the overall winner! The judges said: “Naturetrek embodies the essence of entrepreneurial enterprise. With a strong and growing team united by shared values and a commitment to excellence, they’ve continued to invest locally and build lasting relationships with a loyal customer base. During the pandemic, they pivoted their offering online to retain – and even grow – their customer base. Since then, they’ve shown exceptional growth both during the qualifying period and into the current year, driven by a deep passion for their sector and a focus on delivering tailored experiences. Now approaching their 40th year, they remain committed to sustainable success and their strategic vision and unwavering spirit is a shining example to all of us in the region. Ranked first on the Growth Index this year, congratulations to Naturetrek.”
Country & Town House Future Icons
Country & Town House’s ‘Future Icons’ Awards, first launched in 2024, "honour the visionary innovators whose commitment to sustainability, discernment, quality, and environmental stewardship sets a new standard for responsibility and excellence". in 2025 we were delighted that our ongoing projects to create the Naturetrek Reserves won us Highly Commended for ‘Best Travel Conservation, Environmental or Biodiversity Initiative'.
Latest Press Releases
View our latest press releases here. For more information on any of our tours, please don't hesitate to get in touch directly.
Hampshire Tourism Business, Naturetrek, Celebrates 40 Years of Award-Winning Wildlife Travel
21st June 2026
Last Minute Summer Breaks from Naturetrek: Secret Europe Spots, Cool Wildlife Breaks & UK Holidays
17th June 2026
