There is something magical about Scotland’s west coast and islands. One visit is rarely enough, and many people are inspired to return again and again, discovering something new each time. Regardless of the weather, the beauty and majesty of this area captures the heart, enriches the soul, and its wildlife experiences rival those found anywhere in the world. We run a number of tours throughout the year to seek out the iconic and charismatic species that live or breed here.

Our inaugural 'The Forest of Dean – Mammal Special’ tour in October was a great success (writes Operations Manager Tom Mabbett).

It would seem that this exquisite little rain frog (Pristimantis sp.), recently discovered in the Viscaya unit of our reserve in Ecuador’s cloudforest, could be a new species. If so, this would be the second new species of frog found on our Naturetrek Reserve complex!

Brazil’s Pantanal — a vast wetland teeming with wildlife in the south-west of the country which, over the last decade, has gained a reputation as the best place to see Jaguars on the continent.

Martin Rickard travelled on our 'Andean Flora of Ecuador'  tour and submitted this entry to our writing competition.