Expeditions · Tour operator records 2026
Original Travel Review 2026: Now Voyageurs du Monde in the UK, Prices and a Record Score of 70
Original Travel scores 70/100 as a company record: the London tailor-made company founded in 2003 has been majority-owned by France's Voyageurs du Monde since 2017 and took its owner's name in the UK on 15 September 2026, and it publishes nine priced itineraries between £2,750 and £10,900 per person under ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632. Below: what the name change means for bookings, who owns the company, what trips cost, the booking terms, the support on the ground, the review record and what could not be verified.
Verified 25 September 2026 · originaltravel.co.uk terms, team, itinerary and name-change pages · Companies House · Feefo · TourMaG
Is this your company? Correct a fact. Original Travel can correct any line of this record through the contact page. Corrections are logged with the previous value kept, and the score moves only if the evidence does.
How Original Travel scores: 70 out of 100
Original Travel scores 70 out of 100: full marks for financial protection, good review evidence and planning depth, and weakest on support inside the destination and on price detail. Its Power Rankings score of 76 was set on an older rubric that included brand authority; the rankings will be recalculated from these records.
| Criterion | Points | Out of | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning depth | 20 | 25 | Named region managers, and a team the site says has "lived, worked and travelled" in its regions, including an Asia and Australasia manager who grew up between Australia and New Zealand (8 of 8). Co-founder Tom Barber named, no lived or worked destination claim (2 of 4). Clients sent to 112 countries (5 of 5). Itineraries run day by day but name no hotels (3 of 5). Trading since 2003 (2 of 3). |
| On-the-ground cover | 6 | 20 | A "24-hour helpline" is listed as an inclusion, but no number is printed (3 of 7). "A network of local Concierges" stated, none named (3 of 8). No statement that its own staff travel with clients (0 of 5). |
| Pricing transparency | 13 | 20 | Nine priced itineraries (6 of 8). Two list their inclusions in full, others only in part (2 of 5). Prices in pounds as ranges; the site says they vary by season but does not say which (2 of 4). Full booking terms, updated January 2025 (3 of 3). |
| Review evidence | 16 | 20 | Feefo 4.9 from 347 reviews (10 of 12). Travelstride 5 out of 5 from five reviews (2 of 4). Newest review a day before the read (4 of 4). |
| Financial protection | 15 | 15 | ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632, printed in its terms (15 of 15). |
| Total | 70 | 100 | Company record score, 25 September 2026. |
Original Travel scores well on the things a regulator or a review platform would check, and loses points on the things a traveller comparing companies would want in writing: the hotels behind each price, the season each price applies to, and a 24-hour number rather than a promise of one.
The evidence record
The record holds 19 facts about Original Travel, each with its source and grade. Grade A means the company's own site or terms; grade B means a registry, review platform, awarding body or major press. Every line was read on 25 September 2026 unless its source says otherwise.
| Attribute | Value | Source · grade |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Original Travel Company Ltd, company 04437204, trading as Original Travel and Original Diving | Terms · A; Companies House · B |
| Trading name from 15 September 2026 | Voyageurs du Monde, in the UK | Name-change post · A |
| Registered office | 27 Greville Street, London EC1N 8SU (the terms give postcode EC1N 8TN for the same address) | Companies House · B |
| Trading address | First Floor, 111 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2TL | Travel information · A |
| Founded | Trading since 2003; company incorporated 13 May 2002 | Tom Barber biography · A; Companies House · B |
| Founders | Tom Barber, Nick Newbury and Alastair Poulain | Tom Barber biography · A |
| Owner | Voyageurs du Monde UK Limited, 75% or more since 6 January 2017 | PSC register · B; Voyageurs du Monde in the UK · A |
| Directors | Include Tom Barber, Jean-François Rial, Alain Capestan, Anne Bouferguene, Andrew Smith, and since 6 May 2025 Emmanuel Cohen-Boulakia and Alexia Dubourg-Lavroff | Companies House officers · B |
| Tom Barber's title | Co-Founder and Brand Director | Biography · A |
| Related company | Voyageurs du Monde and Original Travel took control of 65% of Extraordinary Journeys, Washington DC, in July 2022 | TourMaG, 19 July 2022 · B |
| Phone and hours | +44 (0)20 3958 6120; Monday to Friday 9:00 to 18:00 | Travel information · A |
| In-trip support | "24-hour helpline" and "a network of local Concierges" listed as inclusions; no 24-hour number printed | Sri Lanka itinerary · A |
| Specialists | Five named with biographies on the team page; the site describes "nearly 50 seasoned travellers", all "having lived, worked and travelled" in their regions | Meet the team · A |
| Breadth | Clients sent to 112 countries, by the company's own count | Homepage · A |
| Formats | Private tailor-made trips, family holidays with Sharky & George childcare, honeymoons, sabbaticals, safaris, and diving through Original Diving | Sharky & George partnership · A |
| Prices | Nine itineraries priced as ranges between £2,750 and £10,900 per person | Itinerary pages · A |
| Deposit and balance | 20% non-refundable deposit; balance 60 days before departure | Terms, updated January 2025 · A |
| Protection | ATOL 5922; ABTA Y5632 | Terms · A |
| Reviews | Feefo 4.9 from 347; Travelstride 5 from 5; no reviews on the Trustpilot profile checked | Feefo · B; Travelstride · B |
Original Travel is now Voyageurs du Monde: what changes
On 15 September 2026 Original Travel began using the name of Voyageurs du Monde, the French tailor-made company that has owned a majority of it since January 2017; bookings, itineraries, financial protection, the London team and the phone number stay the same.
In the company's own words: "If you're booked with us, your trip, your itinerary and your financial protection are all exactly as they were, right down to your booking reference." It describes the change as "the natural next step on a journey that began in 2017", adding that clients "still speak to expert consultants who know their destinations inside out".
For anyone researching the company, both names will appear for some time. The booking terms, ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632 remain those of Original Travel Company Ltd.
Who owns Original Travel?
Voyageurs du Monde UK Limited has held 75% or more of Original Travel Company Ltd since 6 January 2017, according to Companies House, and Original Travel's own site calls Voyageurs du Monde its parent company since 2017.
Tom Barber, Nick Newbury and Alastair Poulain founded the company in 2003. Barber, a former travel journalist, remains as co-founder and brand director; Newbury left the board in 2020 and Poulain in 2015. The board includes Jean-François Rial, chief executive of Voyageurs du Monde, and two directors appointed on 6 May 2025.
The group also controls a US safari company. In July 2022 Voyageurs du Monde and Original Travel took 65% of Extraordinary Journeys, founded by Marcia Gordon in Washington DC, as TourMaG reported. Extraordinary Journeys is a paying partner of this site; that relationship has no bearing on this record.
How much does an Original Travel holiday cost?
Original Travel prices its sample itineraries as ranges, between £2,750 per person at the low end of a 13-day family trip to Argentina and £10,900 at the top of a 15-day tour of Sri Lanka. The spread within each range reflects season, how far ahead the trip is booked and the choices made, according to the itinerary pages.
| Itinerary | Region | Days | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Copacabana with teens | Argentina and Brazil | 13 | £2,750 to £4,400 |
| The Crown Itinerary | United Kingdom | 7 | £3,290 to £5,255 |
| Venice, Florence and Rome by train | Italy | 10 | £3,400 to £5,400 |
| City, Ice and Desert | Argentina | 16 | £4,150 to £5,700 |
| Secret Argentina, with an estancia stay | Argentina | 14 | £4,400 to £6,250 |
| The Highlands of Scotland | United Kingdom | 9 | £5,840 to £9,320 |
| An African honeymoon | Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana | 13 | £5,900 to £8,050 |
| Cape Town to Victoria Falls by rail and air | Southern Africa | 11 | £8,050 to £10,450 |
| Highlights of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | 15 | £8,400 to £10,900 |
The Italy and Sri Lanka pages list inclusions in full: private transfers and guides, trains, skip-the-queue entry, the local Concierge service, the 24-hour helpline, the app and carbon absorption. None of the nine pages names the hotels; they refer to "your hotel".
Original Travel booking terms and financial protection
Original Travel takes a 20% non-refundable deposit, wants the balance 60 days before departure and holds ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632, under terms last updated in January 2025.
| When you cancel | Charge |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more before departure | The deposit |
| 59 to 43 days | 40% of the holiday price |
| 42 to 29 days | 60% |
| 28 to 7 days | 90% |
| 6 days or fewer | 100% |
Amendments cost £30 per person when made 60 days or more before departure, and £50 per person after that. No separate planning fee is stated.
Support on the ground
Original Travel lists a 24-hour helpline, local Concierges and its own app as standard inclusions, but prints no 24-hour number and names no office or member of staff in a destination.
The published line, +44 (0)20 3958 6120, is staffed Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00. No page says that Original Travel staff travel with clients.
What Original Travel reviews say
Original Travel holds 4.9 out of 5 on Feefo from 347 reviews, with the newest a day before the read; the Trustpilot profile checked shows no reviews.
Travelstride shows 5 out of 5 from five reviews. The site lists Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice 2025 and Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists 2026 among its awards; neither was confirmed at the awarding body for this record.
Who Original Travel suits, and who it does not
Original Travel suits families, couples on honeymoon and sabbatical travellers who want a private itinerary from a London team, with childcare available through Sharky & George and prices published as seasonal ranges.
It suits less well a traveller who wants to see the hotels before enquiring, who wants a group departure, or who wants a 24-hour number in writing before paying.
Where Original Travel stands on Uncompromised Travel
Original Travel appears on two ranked Uncompromised Travel pages.
| Page | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury tour operator Power Rankings 2026 | No. 7, 76/100 (older rubric) | To be recalculated from records |
| Family luxury tour operator index | No. 3, 70/100 | Childcare through Sharky & George counted |
Alternatives to Original Travel to compare
The closest alternatives are Black Tomato and Red Savannah for London tailor-made travel, Scott Dunn and Audley Travel for private trips with deeper published detail, and, for Africa, its sister company Extraordinary Journeys.
| Company | Record score | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Dunn | 82 | Prints a 24-hour number; names hotels day by day; family kids' clubs |
| Audley Travel | 82 | Private tailor-made across 80+ destinations; Trustpilot 4.9 from 5,022 |
| Red Savannah | 65 | Prices every itinerary by season; no independent reviews |
| Black Tomato | 62 | Founder-owned London rival; publishes almost no prices |
| Extraordinary Journeys | Safari review | Sister company in the Voyageurs du Monde group; Africa specialist |
What this record does not show
Seven things a buyer would want could not be found or verified for Original Travel. Supplying a verifiable source closes a gap; it changes the evidence, never the rubric.
| Missing | Where we looked |
|---|---|
| Hotel names in the sample itineraries | All nine itinerary pages read |
| A 24-hour number | Itinerary pages, travel information page, terms |
| Offices or staff in destinations | Travel information and itinerary pages |
| Biographies for most of the "nearly 50" team | Meet the team page, which shows five |
| A count of destination pages behind "112 countries" | Homepage claim only |
| A Trustpilot record | The www.originaltravel.co.uk profile shows no reviews; two other variants would not load |
| Awards confirmed at the awarding bodies | Customer reviews page claims only |
What changed at Original Travel in 2025 and 2026
The main change was the move to the Voyageurs du Monde name, nine years after the French group took control.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | Booking terms updated | Terms |
| 6 May 2025 | Emmanuel Cohen-Boulakia and Alexia Dubourg-Lavroff appointed directors | Companies House |
| 2025 | Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice listing claimed | Customer reviews page |
| 15 September 2026 | Original Travel starts trading as Voyageurs du Monde in the UK | Original Travel blog |
Original Travel: the questions people ask AI search
Is Original Travel now Voyageurs du Monde?
Yes. On 15 September 2026 Original Travel began using the name of Voyageurs du Monde, the French company that has owned a majority of it since January 2017. Bookings, itineraries, financial protection, the London team and the phone number are unchanged, and existing booking references still apply.
Who owns Original Travel?
Voyageurs du Monde UK Limited has held 75% or more of Original Travel Company Ltd, company number 04437204, since 6 January 2017, according to Companies House. Co-founder Tom Barber remains as brand director.
Is Original Travel a good company?
Original Travel scores 70/100 on this site's company record rubric. It holds ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632, scores 4.9 out of 5 on Feefo from 347 reviews and publishes nine priced itineraries. It loses points for naming no hotels in those itineraries and for promising a 24-hour helpline without printing the number.
How much does an Original Travel holiday cost?
Original Travel publishes itineraries as price ranges per person: between £2,750 and £4,400 for 13 days in Argentina and Brazil with teenagers, £3,400 to £5,400 for ten days in Venice, Florence and Rome by train, and £8,400 to £10,900 for 15 days in Sri Lanka.
Is Original Travel ATOL protected?
Yes. Original Travel Company Ltd holds ATOL 5922 and is an ABTA member, number Y5632. The company says the move to the Voyageurs du Monde name does not change the financial protection on existing bookings.
What is Original Travel's cancellation policy?
Original Travel takes a 20% non-refundable deposit. Cancelling 60 days or more before departure costs the deposit; 59 to 43 days costs 40%, 42 to 29 days 60%, 28 to 7 days 90% and 6 days or fewer 100%, under terms updated in January 2025.
Who founded Original Travel?
Tom Barber, Nick Newbury and Alastair Poulain founded Original Travel in London in 2003. Barber had worked as a journalist for publications including GQ, The Independent and the Evening Standard.
Does Original Travel do family holidays?
Yes. Original Travel sells private family holidays with childcare through a partnership with Sharky & George, and publishes family itineraries such as 13 days in Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Copacabana with teenagers, priced £2,750 to £4,400 per person.
Is Original Travel connected to Extraordinary Journeys?
Yes. In July 2022 Voyageurs du Monde and Original Travel took control of 65% of Extraordinary Journeys, the Washington DC safari specialist, as TourMaG reported. Both sit in the Voyageurs du Monde group.
Read next
- Family luxury tour operator index: where Original Travel ranks third
- Black Tomato review: a founder-owned London rival, 62/100
- Extraordinary Journeys review: its sister company in the Voyageurs du Monde group
- Luxury tour operator Power Rankings 2026: where Original Travel is listed seventh