In the depths of winter the Markhor of Chitral, in Pakistan’s North-west Frontier Province, descend from the peaks to the valleys pursued by hungry Snow Leopards, one of the world’s most charismatic and elusive mammals. Few of you will have missed Mark Smith’s magnificent footage of a female Snow Leopard and her cub in the BBC’s recent Natural World programme, Snow Leopard — Beyond the Myth. On this tour, we go in search of her, and the magnificent Markhor on which she preys, journeying into the heart of the Hindu Kush, home of the fascinating Christian Kalash people.

Download the tour dossier here: Pakistan — Snow Leopards of the Hindu Kush - itinerary.pdf (237.56 KB)

Snow Leopard by Jonny Bealby

Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve has enjoyed an unprecedented influx of Mediterranean Gulls this spring. Numbers in March peaked at a staggering 320 individuals and, although some birds have drifted away since, there are currently still 150 plus birds mixed in amongst the noisy Black-headed Gull colony on the South and North Scapes. Approximately 20 pairs remained to breed in 2007, but early indications point to at least 50 pairs nest-building this year. Most of the birds are resplendent in their breeding plumage and Titchfield Haven must now rank as one of the best places in the UK to enjoy close views of this beautiful, but recent, continental coloniser. Other spring sightings have included 27 Avocets (10 plus pairs now breed), two migrant Garganey and Marsh Harrier, plus plenty of migrant passerine and waders moving through.

Warm afternoons - with south-easterly winds - in early May often yield Black Terns, Little Gulls and passage waders, but no matter what the wind direction Naturetrek will be on territory on Friday 16th May 2008 and taking up residence in the Wigeon Room from 0900 to 1700. Several of our staff and tour leaders, including Paul Stanbury, Andy Tucker and Rajan Jolly, will be on hand to answer questions, give illustrated slideshows on a variety of exciting destinations and escort guided walks around the reserve. To join us please phone Julie on 01962 733051 or e-mail Julie.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Mediterranean Gulls at Titchfield Haven courtesy of B Duffin

India - Tiger Direct!

We have received an amazing response on this new exciting tour and we are pleased to add many more departures.Visit the Tiger Direct tour page for more details and a full itinerary.

India - A Wildlife Cruise on the Brahmaptura River

We have only a few places left on our 31st March 2009 departure but we are pleased to announce 2010 dates.Visit the Brahmaputra Cruise tour page for more details and a full itinerary.

As with many of our India tours a range of extensions are possible on both tours. For more information please email Rajan or phone him on 01962 733051.

Naturetrek's unique range of exclusive (full boat) wildlife cruises is continuing to expand and we are delighted that they are filling so quickly and have become so popular. Here are details of two new tours for 2009 and a summary of remaining space on our 2008 departures.

New Cruises for 2009

Scotland to Spitsbergen — The North Atlantic Islands
An exciting 11-night cruise stopping at North Rhona, the Faroes, the mysterious volcanic cone of Jan Mayan, remote Bear Island and then passing through the pack-ice to the spectacular western coastline of Spitsbergen. Amidst this breathtaking scenery we will be looking out for thousands of Little Auks and other huge breeding seabird colonies, whales including Blue and Fin, seals, and the ‘King of the Arctic’ the formidable Polar Bear.

North Spitsbergen — A Polar Bear Special
A new cruise along the western and northern coastline of Spitsbergen and out into the pack-ice in search of Polar Bears. Running a little earlier in the season than our 12-day Spitsbergen cruises (which should mean we find the ice-pack to be a little further south), this is the holiday for those wanting to maximise their chances of not only seeing Polar Bears, but watching them wandering over the pack-ice in their true icy realm.

The above two cruises may be combined. Please call the Naturetrek office on 01962 733501 for more information.

Last minute cancellations free space on popular 2008 cruises

The Scottish Islands

A late cancellation has freed 1 berth for a lady willing to share a cabin (en-suite facilities). This is the very last place available on the cruise and your last opportunity for 2008 to visit the remote Scottish Islands including St Kilda and North Rona home to millions of breeding seabirds and the North Atlantic's only Black-browed Albatross......who knows whether he'll return in 2009!

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear

Departing 24 June 2008

2 twin cabins with en-suite facilities are still available, plus 1 male share berth in a cabin with en-suite facilities. No Naturetrek cruise to Spitsbergen has ever failed to see Polar Bears - indeed we saw over 45 in 2006 - but there's also plenty of other wildlife and spectacular scenery to enjoy.

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear

Departing 15 July 2008

A late cancellation has freed 1 cabin on our exclusive 2008 Spitsbergen wildlife charter. This cruise filled almost 12 months in advance so we expect this cabin to go quickly. Call now to avoid disappointment and join us to a land of pack-ice, mountains and glaciers where Polar Bears roam and where the sun never sets!

For further details on all Naturetrek cruises visit the Wildlife Cruises page or call the Naturetrek office on 01962 733051 for friendly expert advice.

February and early March 2008 saw our inaugural 'Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain' tour. Twenty five clients joined our two departures and were treated to Wallcreepers, Lammergeiers and 10,000's of Cranes, as tour leader John Willsher reports"

 
We started early at 7am to be in position looking over the northwest end of the lake at first light. We can hear the Cranes and as it gets lighter we can see ranks of them spread across the lake and with them are 40 or so White Storks. 3 Hen Harriers including a superb male are hunting over the fields where Skylarks are singing and then a Black Kite flies over. We watched the Cranes for about an hour, trying to estimate the number but there are too many! Several groups fly around and some settle again on the lake and surrounding fields. We then headed back for breakfast spotting some Tree Sparrows on our way.

After breakfast we headed along the lake southeast and down a track towards the lake where a group of Black-bellied Sandgrouse were trying to hide amongst the winter cereal crop and there were also several Calandra Larks. The sun was now emerging and things were hotting up at the north end so back to Gallocanta in time to watch a spectacular departure of 25,000 (official co-ordinated count) Cranes. Groups would take off and circle overhead gaining height to get over the pass to the north continually bugling to each other.  Other birds seen included up to 40 Griffons, a Marsh Harrier and 2 Golden Eagles overhead (one was seen later by other Crane watchers capturing a Crane). After our fill of Cranes we headed back eastwards and found a picnic area, seeing the Black-bellied Sandgrouse for a second time.

Later we continued around the lake and along the southwest edge back towards Gallocanta; there were now Cranes arriving from the southwest and flocks were congregating at this end of the laguna. Little Owls were seen on old farm buildings and near an extensive area of reeds there were Reed Buntings feeding at the field edge, more Hen Harriers are seen and in a roadside line of trees a Green Woodpecker.

A spectacular day!

The next tour departs on Sunday 26th October 2008. For for a full itinerary, tour reports and client comments visit the Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain tour page.

Roosting Common Cranes by John Willsher

A single Northern Bald Ibis was a major surprise in Coto Donana during our recent Spain - The Best of Coto Donana tour in April 2008.

Tour leader Kevin Elsby writes "After breakfast, we had another go for the Sacred Ibis and Bald Ibis, which had turned up here a couple of days ago, and which had been frequenting an area just behind the hotel [at El Rocio]. We had tried for them last night, in rapidly fading light, but were unsuccessful. This time, we were immediately rewarded with close views of 7 Sacred Ibis and a single Bald Ibis. The Bald Ibis and one of the Sacred Ibises was ringed. Details of the ring combinations were noted and photographs were obtained. At this stage, it looks as if both species could be genuine vagrants, perhaps deflected north from Africa in the recent storms which hit this part of southern Europe and North Africa recently. Some research after returning to the UK should 'iron out' any uncertainties, but for now we were grateful for seeing them both."

After the tour Kevin followed up the sighting and was sent the following:

The bird you saw is with high probablity a bird of a project in Andalusia called ''Proyecto Eremita'. The "Proyecto Eremita" aims to evaluate the efficacy of different releasing techniques in La Janda area, Southern Spain. More information on the project can be found on the WAZA website.

Jose Manuel López, the person responsible for the project, writes:

This ibis, a female born in 2006 in our facilities in the Retín (near Barbate in the province of Cadiz), was located until a few days ago in the zone of Hato Blanco (NE of Doñana) from January 2007.

Northern Bald Ibis by Kevin Elsby

2007 was a good year for Naturetrek group sightings of Harpy Eagle, with birds seen on tours in Ecuador, Peru, Panama and, most recently, on our new Oilbirds, Harpy Eagles and Table Mountains tour in Eastern Venezuela in December.

At dawn our group headed into the Imataca forest, where one of the Harpy nests has been monitored by forest rangers for more than 18 months. They approached the nest site and there it was, a juvenile eagle 18 months old (digiscoped here by tour participant Wendy Hooson), looking every bit like a fully fledged adult bird. They watched the young female ripping meat off a Capuchin Monkey carcass, before it suddenly flew to another tree near by, where it spread its wings. The bird was not independent from the nest, and continues to depend on her parents to feed her every five days or so. 

For tour details and the full 2007 tour report visit the Venezuela - Oilbirds, Harpy Eagles and Table Mountains tour page.

Sir David Attenbrough’s BBC 1 series Life in Cold Blood highlighted the plight of the critically endangered Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki).  The frogs, which communicate with each other (and Sir David) by gentle hand waves, are threatened with extinction through the spread of deadly chytrid fungus.  Since filming, most frogs have been removed into captivity for their own safety.  However, Naturetrek’s 14-day Panamanian tour, staying at the same lodge in El Valle used by Sir David and the BBC crew, still offers potential opportunities to view wild Golden Frogs in nearby forest.  Spend 9-days residing in the treetop canopy at the world-famous Canopy Tower (a converted radar tower) in the avian-rich tropical rainforest of Panama’s Soberania National Park, then head off to El Valle for 5-days in search of frogs, birds and other wildlife.  The tour coincides with the end of the spring migration and the start of the breeding season when avian activity shifts up a gear.  For full tour details visit the Panama - Canopy Tower tour page.

Initially, our tour is based at the unique Canopy Tower in Soberanía National Park - originally a US Air Force radar station but recently converted into a birdwatcher’s paradise.  With comfortable bedrooms at treetop level, there could be no better place to wake to the sounds of Panama's rainforest, home to nearly one thousand bird species in 80,000 square kilometres, and a brilliant Blue Cotinga perched outside the window.  The Tower’s main viewing deck offers superb 360º views over the canopy and, complete with spotting telescopes, provides the chance to observe exciting and otherwise difficult-to-see canopy birds and mammals, as well as great views of the Panama Canal and Panama City in the distance.  Daily, guided excursions into the surrounding rainforest offer a variety of habitats and superb neotropical birdwatching including various Trogons, Motmots, Jacamars, Puffbirds, Woodcreepers, Manakins, Antbirds and Tanagers.  Optional trips may also be taken to visit the Panama Canal, nearby Summit Gardens with its resident Harpy Eagle or night excursions into the rainforest to see and hear some of the eight species of Owl or Potoos and catch glimpses of the Two-toed Sloth and Porcupine.   Next, we head by road to El Valle de Anton, also known as Crater Valley.  We spend five nights at the new El Valle Lodge, located in the crater of an extinct volcano, offering unique views of jagged peaks and a valley filled with flowers, streams and verdant forests.  Here, we search for one of the most sought after species in neo-tropical birding, the Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, or perhaps, the rare Golden Frog.  Explore the trails and 50m high waterfall of Chorro Macho private reserve, then walk the Cariguana trail where bird specialities include Lesser Eleania, Yellow-olive Flycatcher and Rosy Thrush-tanager.

Filming David Attenborough and the Golden Frogs in Panama
(courtesy of Raul Arias de Para, Canopy Lodge)

If you’ve never visited Morocco then perhaps it’s time to consider it now. Not only is the countryside stunning and some of the wildlife special, but the local Berber people are fascinating.

In June when it’s baking hot in the main cities and towns, and the heat is unbearable in the Saharan south, then the Atlas mountains are a haven.

The only Naturetrek trip where we spend all our time in the High Atlas is the Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlast Mountains trip. Yes there are lots of interesting butterflies, some endemic like the Moroccan Copper and Vaucher’s Heath; others are endemic to North Africa like Giant and Dark Giant Graylings; and many are localised sub-species like Moroccan Marbled White and Atlas Blue; but there is lots more to see.

We stay at an auberge in the village or Ouirgane. There is a strong French influence in Morocco and the auberge is owned by a French couple. It was recently built to a traditional Moroccan design but with an extensive garden (good for butterflies and birds) and luxuries such as a fabulous open-air swimming pool. Evening meals are taken on the open terrace under a canopy where we can watch the sun set. On our last visit a vocal Mauretanian Toad inhabited the wall next to our table, and when the sun had set and the outside coachlights turned on, delightful Moorish Geckos kept warm inside the lampshades.

On Naturetrek trips we like to keep our eyes open and enjoy all we find. Birding in the High Atlas can turn up interesting speciality species such as Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker, Seebohm’s Wheatear, Moussier’s Redstart, Tristram’s Warbler and Crimson-winged Finch.

If you like ‘people-watching’ and local culture, then the Berber people are fascinating. We try and visit the local Saturday market at Asni where there isn’t a car park but a mule park. The garage is also replaced by a farrier re-shoeing mules and donkeys. Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend life in the mountains. A couple of years ago we took a group into a Berber house in a mountain village near Imlil for a drink of authentic Moroccan Tea. I discovered that mains electricity had only been connected to the village some six months earlier and in the main room stood a large television. I asked our host what he watched on the television expecting current affairs or the news as an answer but no; he turned on the tv and proudly showed us a Kung-fu video!

For me, Morocco is a magical place with fabulous scenery and wonderful experiences. I’m looking forward to returning in 2008. 

Details of all Naturetrek's Moroccan tours can be found on the Wildlife Holidays in Morroco page.  

As a boarder at ‘prep’ school I could look forward to occasional Saturday evening entertainments.  A conjurer maybe, history lecture or even a musical recital. This time it was to be a lantern slide show titled ‘The World of the Whitethroat’, based upon pre second World War visits to the Hungarian (Magyar) steppe lands. Dismal, faded, sepia tone pictures of pancake flat landscapes – endless, featureless and unbroken to a hazy horizon. Distant smudges in the sky were either flights of Cranes or Geese – then yet more Cranes.  It mattered not; they all looked the same anyway!  Finally came the ‘piece de resistance’, a small and indistinct bird in the middle of a thorn bush. Apparently it was a Whitethroat, and a ‘most fascinating species’ – whatever that was supposed to mean. However, worse was to come, our lady ornithologist threatened to return again very soon and take us on further ‘nature romps’ across the Magyar Plains. The lucky lads were those on detention and therefore unable to attend the entertainment. Well, after around 60 years I’ve just about forgiven the Whitethroat. In fact I’ve even taken a Naturetrek holiday to those fabled Hungarian steppes.

The Hortobagy National Park is a World Heritage Site that covers some 90,000 hectares (think three Black Isles and add some). There are two principle habitats. Firstly, the ‘puszta’ – vast semi-natural grasslands that seem to go on for ever. Here are occasional cattle farms, and isolated shepherds huts, also patches of thorny scrub and areas of wet sedge. Grazed by both sheep and herds of large Hungarian Grey cattle – handsome beasts of a breed centuries old. Both shepherds and herdsmen use small  puli dogs to work their stock.

The other habitat consists of vast areas of reed beds and fishponds, alongside some impressive stretches of open water. Periodically (on a rotational basis) the fishponds are emptied when they then provide areas of rich mud that is attractive to a variety of waders. The whole landscape must resemble that of our own fens before they were drained in the 17th century. Here and there at Hortobagy are cultivated fields and mixed farms. The whole area is sympathetically managed by the Park service and its rangers. This National Park is no closed nature reserve – it is a working landscape, where agriculture and fish rearing is undertaken in a manner totally sympathetic to wildlife. Indeed, remove these activities and the environment would become much less attractive for birds, mammals, butterflies and a variety of other creatures. A situation we can only dream of for our own often industrially farmed landscape.

Cranes  are the ‘jewel’ of an autumn visit to Hortobagy, and some years in excess of 60,000 have rested here during their journey to wintering grounds as far away as East Africa. Most of the day is spent on the grasslands, whilst the birds roost overnight in the safety of the reed beds. Some 45 minutes before sundown we position ourselves under their flight path. Skein after skein pass over – our guide estimated the evening total at perhaps 10,000 birds. It was magic to watch them flying into a beautiful rosy sunset, and. hear their constant trumpeting chorus as they make ready to settle for the night.  Apart from the Cranes thousands of geese – mainly the eastern race of the Greylag, with lesser numbers of White-fronted and Bean Geese, either pass through or winter at Hortobagy, and were also present in some numbers.

Common Cranes by Paul Marshall

I could probably count my ‘Scottish’ Dotterel on the fingers of one hand. So, what a birding moment to see a group of 93 on the ‘puszta’. Mind you, they were a considerable distance from any track, and involved a very bumpy ‘off road’ drive to the location near an isolated shepherd’s hut. Most were in autumn dress, but the white crescents across the chests stood out distinctly.

Where the grasslands meet cultivated areas it is worth looking for Great Bustard – the heaviest flying birds in the world. The herd we watched were very variable in size, with some six fine male birds and a number of smaller hens. These birds take at least five years to reach their full size. Another desirable species from this habitat were small groups of Stone Curlew – with those big staring yellow eyes.

The Hortobagy has ‘raptor’skies. Almost common were White-tailed Eagles (the same bird as our Scottish ‘Sea Eagles’, but in a very different habitat). There were also records of fine Eastern Imperial Eagles, and both Hen and Marsh Harriers ‘patrolled’ the steppe lands and marshes. Elegant Saker Falcons prey on both birds and the Susleks (Ground Squirrels) that abound in Hortobagy.

On the wetlands were large groups of Pygmy Cormorants and Great Egrets also a few Ferruginous Ducks and Red-Crested Pochard plus all the ‘usual’ waterfowl. Top wader sighting was one of 100+ Spotted Redshank on a muddy bar. Smaller birds included Bearded and Penduline Tits as well as Great Grey Shrikes.

The second part of the holiday was spent in a totally contrasting location – the wooded foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Great stands of Oak, Beech and Hornbeam forest, broken here and there by grassy meadows. The whole was made especially attractive by the early autumn colours. This is woodpecker land, and some eight species were recorded, including the desirable Black and very scarce White-backed Woodpeckers. Then there were Goshawks and lovely little groups of 3-5 Hawfinches. The holiday produced a lengthy bird list, and in this ‘scree’ I’ve tried to cover the highlights.

Of course being October it was rather too late to hope for a Whitethroat – pity really as I think I deserved one!

Mike Strickland (tour particpant)

Mike travelled to Hungary on our Hungary in Autumn tour. For more details of this and other tours visit the Wildlife Holidays in Hungary page.

Congratulations to Mark Caunt for winning our competition and a copy of '100 Animal To See Before They Die'. Mark supplied us with a number of high quality images taken on Naturetrek tours, the best being this Lilac-breasted Roller taken on our Botswana - A Birdwatching Tour. Lilac-breasted Rollers are the national bird of Botswana but can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and are a firm favourite of visiting birders.

Lilac-breasted Roller by Mark Caunt

Mark supplied a number of other images from Naturetrek African tours:

African Penguin photographed by Mark on the South Africa's Cape tour

Meercat photographed by Mark on the  South Africa - A Mammal Tour

Black Oystercatchers photographed by Mark on the  South Africa's Cape tour

Below is a complete list of all dates and prices for our 2009 Bargain Birdwatching and Mammal Selection. Alternatively you can download a copy of the dates in PDF format here - Naturetrek 2009 Bargain Selection.pdf (15.29 KB). Please note that dates and prices subject to confirmation.

Bargain Birdwatching Selection

ARGENTINA – £1895
The Andes – 10 days
Departing 28 Jul & 01 Dec ’08; 05 Jan, 23 Feb, 06 Apr & 30 Nov ’09

ARGENTINA – £1895
Chaco – 10 days
Departing 04 Aug & 08 Dec ’08; 09 Mar ’09

ARGENTINA – £1895
Yungas – 9 days
Departing 12 Jan, 02 Mar, 13 Apr & 07 Dec ’09

AUSTRALIA – £2590
Queensland – 13 days
Departing 11 Nov ’08; 10 Nov ’09

AUSTRALIA – £2250
Western endemics – 12 days
Departing 12 & 26 Sep ’08; 11 & 25 Sep ’09

BOLIVIA – £1395
Lowlands – 10 days
Departing 09 Nov ’08; 08 Feb & 08 Nov ’09

BOLIVIA – £1595
Highlands – 12 days
Departing 16 Nov ’08; 15 Feb & 15 Nov ’09

BOTSWANA – £1695
Okavango Delta – 10 days
Departing 14 Nov ’08; 13 Nov ’09

BRAZIL – £1495
10 days
Departing 19 Sep ’08; 06 Mar & 04 Sep ’09

CUBA – £1795
12 days
Departing 07 Mar ’09

ECUADOR – from £1250
The Andes: Cock-of-the-rock
9 days
Departing 21 Aug, 18 Oct & 15 Nov ’08; 13 Jan, 07 Feb, 14 Mar, 20 Aug, 17 Oct & 14 Nov ’09

ECUADOR – £1350
Chocó – 9 days
Departing 22 Nov ’08; 21 Nov ’09

ECUADOR – £1395
Endemics – 9 days
Departing 07 Sep ’08; 06 Sep ’09

ETHIOPIA – from £1295
10 days
Departing 07 Nov & 19 Dec ’08; 06 Feb, 20 Mar, 06 Nov & 18 Dec ’09

ETHIOPIA – £1295
Endemics – 10 days
Departing 14 Nov ’08; 13 Feb, 03 Apr & 13 Nov ’09

FLORIDA – £1595
9 days
Departing 16 Feb ’09

GAMBIA – £1195
12 days
Departing 07 Nov ’08; 06 Nov ’09

INDIA – £1195
Annamalai Endemics – 9 days
Departing 22 Nov ’08; 31 Jan & 21 Nov ’09

INDIA – £1350
Birds & Mammals – 9 days
Departing 14 Nov ’08; 30 Jan, 13 Feb, 03 Apr & 13 Nov ’09

INDIA – from £1295
Bharatpur & Chambal – 9 days
Departing 25 Oct & 27 Dec ’08; 07 Feb, 24 Oct & 26 Dec ’09

INDIA – £1195
Birding Goa – 9 days
Departing 14 Nov ’08; 13 Nov ’09

INDIA – £1350
Corbett – 9 days
Departing 22 Nov ’08; 24 Jan & 21 Nov ’09

INDIA – £1495
Family Tour – 9 days
Temples & Wildlife
Departing 18 Oct & 27 Dec ’08; 14 Feb; 04 Apr, 17 Oct & 26 Dec ’09

INDIA – £1345
Family Tour – 9 days
Tigers & Forts
Departing 25 Oct ’08; 14 Feb & 24 Oct ’09

INDIA – £1350
Family Tour – 9 days
Spices & Elephants
Departing 27 Dec ’08; 07 Feb, 04 Apr & 26 Dec ’09

INDIA – £1350
Kerala – 9 days
Departing 15 Nov ’08; 28 Feb & 14 Nov ’09

INDIA – from £1550
Southern endemics – 12 days
Departing 15 Nov & 20 Dec ’08; 07 Mar, 14 Nov & 19 Dec ’09

INDIA – from £1295
Wildlife & cuisine – 9 days
Departing 08 Nov & 27 Dec ’08; 14 Feb, 07 Mar & 07 Nov ’09

KAZAKHSTAN – £1595
9 days
Departing 07 & 15 May ’09

KENYA – £1595
10 days
Departing 07 Nov ’08; 06 Nov ’09

MALAWI – £1595
10 days
Departing 01 Feb & 05 Apr ’09

MOROCCO – from £1195
10 days
Departing 06 Feb, 13 Mar & 03 Apr ’09

NEPAL – from £1495
10 days
Departing 20 Dec ’08; 31 Jan, 07 Feb, 04 Apr & 19 Dec ’09

NEPAL – £1495
Ibisbill Trek – 10 days
Departing 09 May ’09

NEPAL – £1295
Special Offer – 10 days
Departing 24 Jan, 14 Feb & 02 May ’09

PANAMA – £1595
Canopy Tower – 9 days
Departing 12 Nov ’08; 15 Apr, 22 Apr & 11 Nov ’09

SOUTH AFRICA – £1495
Cape Birding – 10 days
Departing 22 Aug ’08; 13 Mar & 21 Aug ’09

SOUTH AFRICA – £1550
Kruger – 10 days
Departing 05 Sep ’08; 06 Feb, 27 Mar & 04 Sep ’09

SOUTH AFRICA – £1595
Zululand – 10 days
Departing 13 Sep ’08; 14 Feb, 04 Apr & 12 Sep ’09

SRI LANKA – £1495
Endemics – 10 days
Departing 08 Nov ’08; 14 Feb & 07 Nov ’09

THAILAND – £1595
10 days
Departing 14 Nov ’08; 13 Feb & 13 Nov ’09

UGANDA – £1395
9 days
Departing 30 Oct ’08; 06 Mar & 30 Oct ’09

VENEZUELA – £1350
9 days
Departing 01 Nov ’08; 14 Feb & 31 Oct ’09

VENEZUELA – £1495
Andean Endemics – 9 days
Departing 15 Nov ’08; 31 Jan & 14 Nov ’09

VENEZUELA – £1495
The Llanos – 9 days
Departing 25 Oct & 08 Nov ’08; 07 Feb, 24 Oct & 07 Nov ’09

ZAMBIA – from £1550
South Luangwa N.P. – 9 days
Departing 10 Nov & 19 Dec ’08; 17 Feb, 10 Nov & 19 Dec ’09

Bargain Mammal Selection

BELIZE – £1495
10 days
Departing 12 Nov ’08; 11 Nov ’09

ECUADOR – £1595
Amazon – 10 days
Departing 15 Oct & 04 Nov ’08; 14 Oct & 03 Nov ’09

ETHIOPIA – £1395
Endemics – 10 days
Departing 17 Oct ’08; 03 Apr & 16 Oct ’09

INDIA – from £1395
Bandhavgarh – 9 days
Departures each month, Jan - May & Oct - Dec ’08 & ’09

INDIA – £1595
Southern endemics – 13 days
Departing 22 Nov ’08; 14 Feb & 21 Nov ’09

KENYA – £1595
10 days
Departing 31 Oct ’08; 29 May & 30 Oct ’09

NEPAL – £1495
10 days
Departing 14 Feb ’09

PERU – from £1495
10 days
Departing 11 Jun, 10 Sep, 05 Nov & 25 Dec ’08; 10 Jun, 09 Sep, 04 Nov & 24 Dec ’09

SOUTH AFRICA – £1550
10 days
Departing 17 & 31 Oct ’08; 24 Apr, 16 & 30 Oct ’09

SRI LANKA – £1395
11 days
Departing 18 Oct ’08; 17 Oct ’09

ZAMBIA – from £1550
9 days
Departing 03 Nov & 19 Dec ’08; 10 Feb, 03 Nov & 19 Dec ’09

These exciting new tours will be launched in 2009. Whilst it is not yet possible to book them we wanted to give you as much notice as possible to help you plan your holidays. If you are interested in any of these tours then either email us or phone 01962 733051 to register your interest and we will send you further details as soon as they become available. Please note that all dates and prices are subject to confirmations

Scotland To Spitsbergen — The North Atlantic Islands

12 days. Departs 5th Jun ’09     Cost: from £2,495

An exciting 11-night cruise stopping at North Rhona, the Faroes, the mysterious volcanic cone of Jan Mayan, remote Bear Island and then passing through the pack-ice to the spectacular western coastline of Spitsbergen. Amidst this breathtaking scenery we will be looking out for thousands of Little Auks and other huge breeding seabird colonies, whales including Blue and Fin, seals, and the ‘King of the Arctic’ the formidable Polar Bear.

North Spitsbergen — A Polar Bear Special

9 days. Departs 15th Jun ’09     Cost: from £2,595

A new cruise along the western and northern coastline of Spitsbergen and out into the pack-ice in search of Polar Bears. Running a little earlier in the season than our 12-day Spitsbergen cruises (which should mean we find the ice-pack to be a little further south), this is the holiday for those wanting to maximise their chances of not only seeing Polar Bears, but watching them wandering over the pack-ice in their true icy realm.

* The above two cruises may be combined. Please call the Naturetrek office for more information.

Spitsbergen to Greenland

13 days. Departs 2nd Sep ’09     Cost: approx £3,795

The perfect way of combining the Arctic Islands of Svalbard with the dramatic landscapes of east Greenland. This new cruise travels up the western coastline of Spitsbergen before following the edge of the pack-ice across the Arctic Ocean to Greenland. We then travel down to the magnificent landscapes of Scorsby Sound before finishing our cruise in Iceland. Wildlife highlights should include Polar Bears in Spitsbergen, Musk Ox in Greenland and, for the fortunate, perhaps even the ‘Unicorn of the Sea’, the Narwhal.

The Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand

16 days. Departs 31st Oct ’09     Cost: approx £5,495

This is the ultimate seabird cruise! A breathtaking journey to the remote and pristine Subantarctic Islands, home to the greatest concentrations of seabirds in the world. Led by Rodney Russ, the foremost expert on this island group, our cruise visits the Snares, Auckland, Macquarie and Campbell Islands; home to 8 species of penguin, 15 species of albatross, plus millions of smaller petrels and shearwaters and a wealth of other exciting polar wildlife.

The Maldives

Date and price to be advised