Latest News - October, 2007

A number of our 2008 departures are already fully booked and even some 2009 departures are close to being full!.

Break up the cold British winter this January with a warm summer holiday to South Africa's beautiful Drakensberg Mountains.

first visited Sri Lanka on a three month back-packing holiday in the 1970's and returned home besotted with the charms of this remarkable country. If paradise existed on earth this was surely it

 

The first two Naturetrek Just Jaguars tours took place during June 2007. Although many previous Naturetrek groups had visited the Pantanal region of Brazil these were the first tours designed specifically to try and find Jaguars in this fascinating region of marshes and riverine forests. Although regarded as one of the major strongholds of Jaguars in South America, it is by no means an easy task to locate these most elusive of cats in the vastness of the Pantanal and the daily activities were carefully structured to give participants the best opportunity of finding their quarry. Despite the narrow focus of the tour a good many other birds and mammals were seen by both groups including the very rare Giant River Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Ocelot, Crab-eating Fox, and the magnificent Hyacinth Macaw, one of the rarest parrots in the world. We had hoped for multiple Jaguar sightings but the creatures remained stubbornly unco-operative until the very last day on both tours when they finally decided that they had teased us long enough and presented views for both parties, much to the relief of everyone! The first tour group were lucky enough to see a pair whilst the second had to be content with a swimming male, albeit at down to 15 metres range. These encounters were all too brief but a just reward for the guides who had worked extremely hard trying to locate these enigmatic animals for the groups. We shall be returning to Brazil in seach of Jaguars in 2008 and whilst we hope for even greater success next year nothing can ever be guaranteed and all we can promise is a determined effort to find the top predator of the Pantanal forests.

 

For more information visit the Just Jaguars tour page.

 

 

 

Many of you will be familiar with the popular reality television series, The Dragons’ Den, that places would-be entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy businessmen prepared to back them financially or tear them apart. In recent months, a similar series entitled E-Den, operated by Bowshot and backed by Businesslink Wessex, has been run at university venues in the south. Sixteen businesses have presented their websites publicly to a panel of high-profile, expert and entrepreneurial E-Dragons, who have critically examined each company’s presentation and website, during a series of rounds, to establish a winner. The 2007 winner of E-Den (and a prize of nearly £10,000-worth of legal and website assistance), we’re delighted to say, was Naturetrek!... and our website which was presented at E-Den events by our General Manager, Andy Tucker. Well done to Andy, and to all those others at Naturetrek, who have worked so hard on our website. We hope that you will be as impressed as the E-Dragons!

 

 

Naturetrek Slide Evenings

During the New Year we will again be holding Naturetrek Slide Evenings around the UK. This year our speakers will include Paul Stanbury (on our selection of exclusive wildlife cruises, including Spitsbergen, Kamchatka, Antarctica, Baja California and Galapagos), Peter Dunn (on Europe, Monterey Bay and Trinidad and Tobago), Andy Tucker (on South America) and David Tattersfield (on our botany holidays in the Himalaya, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Europe). In order to chat and answer your questions, we will be present 30 minutes before each show and, also, during a 20-minute coffee break at half-time. Entry is by (free) ticket only. To register, please email julie@naturetrek.co.uk (or call Julie on 01962 733051) to advise us of the number of tickets you require, your address, phone number, and of course which venue you wish to attend. This year we will be visiting:

 

Wildfowl & Wetland Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
Sun, 13th Jan (4.30pm – 7pm)

 

Gipsy Hill Hotel, Exeter, Devon
Mon, 14th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Royal Hotel, Winchester, Hampshire
Tue, 15th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Royal Wells Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Wed, 16th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Trinity College, Oxford
Thu, 17th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Best Western Midland Hotel, Derby
Sat, 19th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

The Grange Hotel, York
Sun, 20th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

The Braid Hills Hotel, Edinburgh
Mon, 21st Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Crown Court Hotel, Inverness
Tue, 22nd Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

 

 

Office Open Days

If you would like some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2008, join our tour leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below. You may wish to combine your visit to us with one or more of the local attractions. These include some fabulous local pubs along the Itchen Valley, the Watercress Line for steam train enthusiasts, birdwatching at nearby Alresford Pond and the surrounding watercress beds and water meadows, and the attractions of the charming Georgian market town of Alresford and the historic cathedral city of Winchester just a short drive away. But please do phone Julie in our office first (on 01962 733051) to ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests!

Friday 11th January ’08
Friday 15th February ’08
Friday 14th March ’08 

 

 

 

Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve Open Day

Naturetrek will once again be spending the day at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, near Fareham in Hampshire, on Friday 8th February 2008. Several of our staff and leaders, including David Mills (Asia), Maryanne Mills (Australia and New Zealand), David Tattersfield (Naturetrek’s botany holidays), Rajan Jolly (India), Paul Stanbury (Europe and Africa) and Andy Tucker (South America), will be on hand to answer any holiday questions you may have and to escort walks around the nature reserve (entrance fee not included). Guided walks will take place at 10am and 2pm, each for one hour. 45-minute powerpoint shows will be presented throughout the day, as follows:

 

Wildlife Cruises around Spitsbergen, Antarctica, Kamchatka & Baja – 11am
Botanical tours in Europe, the Himalaya, South Africa and Kazakhstan – 12 midday
South America for Birds and Mammals – 1pm
Wildlife Cruises around Spitsbergen, Antarctica, Kamchatka & Baja – 3pm

 

Early February is a wonderful time to visit Titchfield Haven. Good numbers of waders, geese, ducks and gulls are present, whilst Bitterns, birds of prey and Bearded Reedlings are amongst species to be seen over the reedbeds. To join us for the day, please phone Julie on 01962 733051, or email julie@naturetrek.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

 

Be Our Guest At Destinations 2008!

Apply to us now for your Complimentary Ticket (worth £10) to Destinations, the London Travel Show, from 31st January to 3rd February ’08.

Destinations, the annual London Travel Show at Earl’s Court, runs from Thursday 31st January to Sunday 3rd February 2008. This is your opportunity to be inspired by the vast range of travel opportunities and ideas offered beneath one roof… and to visit our Naturetrek stand (no. R57) to discuss your wildlife interests and travel arrangements with our expert consultants. Do join us at Earl’s Court (applying for your free ticket(s) by phoning Naturetrek’s Kiera Griffin (01962 733051) or e-mailing kiera@naturetrek.co.uk