Private Groups Reviews

"As professional naturalists ourselves, Mike Crewe was our perfect leader. He knew the names and natural history information about absolutely everything we saw, or where to find it. Mike knew the area intimately and took us to one magical spot after another. We saw an abundance of wildflowers, butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators, and plants. We felt immersed in the natural history of the Pyrenees. The van was comfortable. It was the perfect-sized group. Our meals at Hotel La Breche de Roland (breakfast & dinner) were exceptional and really memorable!"
PS & CS, trip organisers for group of friends, Spain & France June / July 22 

"My goal was to see divers in breeding plumage. With Stewart's incredible eyes/ears, we saw all 3 types of diver, with 2 of them in breeding plumage. A real highlight was seeing so many short-eared owls! Stewart's ability to spot and identify birds was incredible. He was also extremely knowledge about the local plants and history of the Orkneys as well as being very knowledgable about current issues and challenges. He is also an extremely lovely man! This was our first organised holiday since March 2020 and we felt like it was the perfect introduction (for us) to start travelling again."
JB, NHS of Northumbria, Orkney May 22

"I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the experience has encouraged me to sign up for future ones. We covered a lot of ground and habitats and the coverage more than met my expectations. The boat trip from Macduff, along the coast was particularly memorable. Pete Stevens was exceptional. His knowledge of birds, his ability to spot and identify them in the field and the care that he took to ensure that every member of the group had an opportunity to see the birds and learn more about their characteristics, behaviour etc was exemplary. He is a great asset to Naturetrek. He managed the group very well. Paul Tucker played an excellent part, too, in a more low-key way. His discreet watchful eye on the group dynamics was noted and appreciated, as was his own knowledge of the birds. Both Pete and Paul were excellent drivers and I felt entirely safe and at ease in the transport. The vehicles themselves were of high quality."
PB, RSPB North Bucks, Speyside May 22 

"Highlights of the programme for me were the boat trip from Macduff and the walk up Cairngorm; but opportunities to see golden eagle, crested tit, osprey, and tree-creeper were also high-points. The fellowship of a diverse group of friendly, good-natured, knowledgeable and enthusiastic individuals (plus the leaders themselves) very much added to my enjoyment of this trip. Both Pete and Paul were excellent leaders, professional, competent, friendly, accessible, good-humoured, enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable, and always ready to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. This is now my third Naturetrek trip and all of them have been thoroughly enjoyable even though I was there by myself: now that covid seems to be behind us, I shall have no hesitation in booking further trips."
MF, RSPB North Bucks, Speyside May 22 

"Great country, great hotel, great food, great wildlife!! This was a group of 6 mates travelling together, three of us had been to the area before some years ago so the highlight was actually seeing the others get new birds and butterflies. We know we could have done the trip for less but not enough to make up for the security of having Naturetrek behind us."
BG, trip organiser for group of friends, Extremadura May 22

"Holiday highlights: Watching griffon vultures and other birds migrating across the Straits of Gibraltar near Tarifa. It was a very emotional and unforgettable experience. The boat trip on the Straits was fantastic too! The two leaders, Simon and Niki, were excellent. They were helpful, kind, super organised and fun to be with. One couldn't ask for better guides. Special thanks to the efficient duo!"
BJ, RSPB Sevenoaks, Andalucia May 22

"It was a pleasure to travel with Toby [tour leader] on this trip. He was very knowledgeable and patient and has a wicked sense of humour! The whole week was great fun and most enjoyable."
LS, group of friends, Crete April 22

"This was my 3rd visit to Kenya and the first with Naturetrek - you put the other operator to shame. Don't think you could have got it any better for what we required from a safari. [We] just loved the camp and the people could not do enough for you; very friendly and nothing was any trouble, even when we got stuck and missed lunch, they stayed on until we got back and prepared a full lunch... excellent service.
James [local guide]... well I have no idea where you found him but keep him. There was nothing he didn't know when we asked him lots of questions, brilliant patience for the photos we wanted. [He] sat with us every night and we exchanged stories. He was an absolute star and made the holiday even better than we could have hoped for... we were all totally amazed at the level of knowledge he had and so grateful he was our guide.
Well done Naturetrek for raising the bar to a new higher level. Thanks for everything, it was an amazing holiday and trip of a lifetime. Once again special thanks to barney jones for all your hard work and dedication to making this trip memorable for us all."
JA, trip organiser for group of wildlife photographers, Kenya October 19

"Flying directly from Newcastle makes a great difference to us. The birding was my main interest, and the guides were great. As well as being excellent spotters, they always worked hard at getting all members of the group on to sightings. They were knowledgeable on all natural history - birds, mammals, butterflies, dragonflies and botany - and supported the personal interests of the group members. The bus was reasonably comfortable and we had enough room for the group to spread out a bit. The driver, Cristian, was very safe and reliable, and we appreciated the times when he would bring the bus up meet us on longer walks."
DM, NHS of Northumbria, Romania September 19 

"An excellent trip organised by Naturetrek allowing us to see many new species of orchids. The guides Paul and Sophie carried out the trip at our required pace. Their knowledge of the flora and fauna was outstanding, taking great care to ensure all were able to see. Naturetrek organised this trip as a private tour which they carried out to a very high standard, taking note of our requirements and keeping all well informed."
DA, Darlington & District Orchid Society trip organiser, The Vercors May 2019

"I particularlly liked the choice of sites for our bird watching. A very satisfying variety of attractive habitats. Most of all I enjoyed our excellent guide, Dominic Couzens. Extremely knowledgeable and very entertaining."
BJ, Sevenoaks RSPB Group, Somerset Levels May 2019

"Being with friends from the same bird club meant there were no tensions or disagreements which can happen. The guide Rob, was a major contributor to the success of the trip as far as I was concerned, plus his detailed knowledge of the environments we visited. The great diversity of habitats was fascinating especially to me who had only visited the country once previously."
EH, North Northumberland Bird Club, Extremadura & Gredos May 2019

"Our group really enjoyed every minute of our birdwatching trip to Extremadura and the Gredos Mountains. Every day was different, accommodation was very comfortable, food very good with superb picnics at lunchtime. Rob our guide looked after us extremely well and certainly knew his birds! We had plenty of birds to look at and we also had a lot of laughs! Naturetrek could not have been more helpful and organised everything. It all worked out well and can’t find anything to criticise. Top class."
FS, North Northumberland Bird Club trip organiser, Extremadura & Gredos May 2019

"A 2-centre week exploring the Biebrza Marshes and primeval forests of Bialoweiza looking for birds in mid-May. We found with the help of an expert UK ornithologist and an excellent local naturalist guide, many unusual species and several I had never seen before - especially several species of woodpecker and warbler. Often we had very good views and often repeat sightings of the more unusual birds.  Naturetrek have organised 3 previous tours with the Natural History Society of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne and all have been good."
AN, NHS of Northumbria, Poland May 19 

"The range of birds was very special- many new ones for me. I enjoyed going to a destination I wouldn't go to independently, and it's fun to go with others from our local society- we've become friends over the three years of holidays."
IL, NHS of Northumbria, Poland May 19 

"Unusual countryside with lots of contrast between wet marshy areas and dry mountainous countryside. There were some lovely alpine flowers in the latter and stunning Flamingoes and Bee Eaters in the former. Neil is very accomplished at pointing out the various birds and naming them."
DF, Northants Bird Club, Camargue May 19 

"We explored various areas of Extremadura where our guides were very quick to spot birds of all kinds. Their knowledge was brilliant and they were keen to give us every opportunity to see as much as we could especially with the help of their telescopes. We saw many iconic birds and those we particularly wanted to see. Our group consisted of people who were very experienced and some less so and with restrictions that come with age. Both of our young guides were so considerate and helpful while not denying the experts. They were happy to adjust the programme to suit us all. A very happy and successful trip with an incredible selection of birds."
VW, Reading RSPB Group, Extremadura April 2019

"The hotel and surrounding area area was astounding. The knowledge of both guides was of a very high quality. The pace and terrain was suitable for any type of group and the sites held a range of excellent birds which were at a distance that they could be seen and recognised by a wide range of people."
RF, Reading RSPB Group, Extremadura April 2019

"The knowledge and support given during the whole holiday, especially in Morocco where I wouldn't have ventured under my own steam! It was an experience of a lifetime, thank you."
RW, North Bucks RSPB Group, Spain & Morocco April 2019

"The stunning variety of bird, insect, mammal species we saw plus the sights and sounds of Morocco and Southern Spain outstanding. Only our second 'bird watching holiday and as memorable as the first for a whole new set of reasons. Wonderful photo's and memories. Thank you all so much."
BR, North Bucks RSPB Group, Spain & Morocco April 2019

"A brilliant trip with so much to see and experience with a lovely balance of the two destinations. We were fortunate to have good sightings of the Iberian Lynx on the only day we were in the area. The birds were abundant enriched by excellent guides (including our group leader) who spotted and spoke about them. Byron was extremely knowledgeable and skillful in the field as well as being good humoured and lovely company throughout."
BE, Basingstoke RSPB Group, Coto Doñana & Extremadura March/April 2019

"Took us to rural Spain, the part the tourists don't usually get to. A very knowledgeable guide, especially on birdsong, found lots of species including some I had not even heard of! He also included plant species and some nice walks, one of which we liked so much we went back to it later in the trip."
MB, Newcastle RSPB Group, Extremadura & Gredos March/April 2019

"The weather was benign, and Chris Murphy was a good wildlife leader, who spent extra time making sure all his plans for the next day would work. We had history, incredible landscapes, excellent views of the wildlife including Corncrakes on Tory Island, Irish hares on Rathlin Island, and a fair amount of fun!"
JN, Sevenoaks RSPB Group, Ireland June 2018

"The hotel chosen was very good location-wise and excellent food and staff friendliness which made it pleasurable to come back to. The trip leaders were really knowledgeable and enthusiastic and worked hard to ensure we had good sightings of as many birds as possible. The boat trip to Bardsey Island was good and got us quickly (and safely!) to the island with a slower return to get good views of nesting seabirds." 
SB, Guildford RSPB Group, Wales May/June 2018

"Until last week we were a couple who went bird watching whilst on holiday. This was our first ‘Bird watching trip’ wow! What a difference it made to our whole concept of birdwatching, to be with a group who could help us novices to identify species was a joy. Our local guide Oliwier incredible, how he knew just where to find a particular species and how on earth he knew which field and forest track to go down to find it was wonderful especially for such a young man. His knowledge of the birds, their song and other insects, reptiles and mammals awe inspiring. The hotels we used were perfectly placed to go out each session to find the right habitats for the bird was again great. We thank you and your company and of course Oliwier and our group leader for all of their hard work in making the trip such a success."
B & CR, North Bucks RSPB Group, Poland May 2018

"Always good to be able to travel from my local airport. Our trip leader looked after us really well, very helpful and informative. The hotel location backing onto the Albufereta marsh was excellent." 
DJ, NHS of Northumbria, Mallorca May 2018

"Jessica Turner and Luca Boscain were outstanding guides. Jessica has an encyclopedic knowledge of the plants of the Dolomites and was totally committed to finding them for us to see. Luca has an equally encyclopedic knowledge of the birds and butterflies of the Dolomites. They both were bvery good at herding our group and organizing all the outings. They were kind and patient, with good senses of humor, and could not have done a better job." 
RM, North American Rock Garden Society, Italian Dolomites June 2017

"The care of us all and ensuring our enjoyment. In spite of some wet times our guides did everything to make best use of any drier periods. The scenary was outstanding, the finding and identifying of flowers wonderful. The food in the hotel was really excellent." 
TD, Dorset AGS, Italian Dolomites, June 2017

"The care and concern the group leaders took over taking the group to interesting areas and making sure it was accessibke to all. Also their flexibility in changing things when the weather was inclement. Also the intimate knowledge they had over various aspects of the area and not just the flowers. Having leaders of this quality was a definite plus." 
SD, Dorset AGS, Italian Dolomites, June 2017

"Both our guides were excellent - their enthusiams and expertise was evident and very infectious! We felt very fortunate to have their talents at our disposal and grateful that they gave us the benefit of their greater wisdom about their specialist subjects. Above all, they are both good humoured and managed to juggle driving with wildlife spotting to perfection." 
KA, NHS of Northumbria, Catalonia May 2017

"Loved the birdwatching and the botany. The leaders were wonderful and helped to mkae this a memorable holiday. Too many highlights to mention." 
JH, NHS of Northumbria, Catalonia April 2017

"Simon Tonkin was an excellent leader - knowledgeable and helpful. He made the effort to include everyone. I am sure I will be booking another holiday with Naturetrek." 
JR, North Bucks RSPB Group, Extremadura April 2017

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all at Naturetrek who helped provide this tour. I have heard glowing reports of the excellence of Simon Tonkin, the guide, and the variety of habitats and birds he found for the group. The bonus of the tour (treasurer's opinion) was the generous donation of £550 which the group has received. I thank you on behalf of the RSPB North Bucks Group. This will go toward funding various activities undertaken by the RSPB."
Group Treasurer, North Bucks RSPB Group, Extremadura April 2017

"This was our first wildlife / birding holiday and provided an excellent introduction to the birds and botany of the area. Nuno's expertise, enthusiasm and knowledge of the area was outstanding as was his ability to respond to the needs of the "birding beginners" like ourselves and the very knowledgeable members of our specialist group. The 2 locations and varied daily trips made the holiday very interesting and enjoyable. The hotels and food, including picnics, were very good and I enjoyed the contrasting styles (and great views) or both hotels. Overall it was Nuno and Pippa's excellent 'leading' and a great group of people which made it a very special experience." 
DBW, NHS of Northumbria, Southern Portugal April 2016