Original Travel Review 2026: Now Voyageurs du Monde in the UK, Prices and a Record Score of 70
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 15 October 2026
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; grade C means a secondary source not confirmed elsewhere. 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.
Booking Original Travel: the decisions that come next
An Original Travel booking settles the trip; the traveller still decides how to pay, which flights to take and what to claim if a flight fails.
| Decision | What matters for an Original Travel trip | Where we cover it |
|---|---|---|
| Paying the deposit | Original Travel takes a 20% non-refundable deposit; paying by UK credit card adds Section 75 cover for purchases priced £100 to £30,000, alongside ATOL 5922. | Best luxury travel credit cards; UK and Europe travel cards |
| Long-haul flights | Its itineraries run from £2,750 per person; the cabin is the traveller's choice. | Best business class airlines; best first class airlines |
| Airport time | Lounge access usually comes with a card or an airline ticket; check whether the booking adds it. | Credit cards with airport lounge access |
| A delayed flight | Flights from UK and EU airports carry fixed compensation of up to £520 or €600 per passenger for long delays. | AirHelp vs ClaimCompass vs Skycop vs Flightright |
| Families and honeymoons | Family trips with Sharky & George childcare and honeymoons are two of its main lines. | Best family travel destinations; best honeymoon destinations |
| The hotels | Nights either side are often in chain hotels where status adds breakfast and upgrades. | Hilton Diamond vs Marriott Titanium vs Hyatt Globalist; luxury hotel brand hierarchy |
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 | 70 | Prices every itinerary by season; Google 4.9 from 82, no second platform |
| 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 facts on record, read 12 October 2026
53 facts about Original Travel were read from its own website, the award publishers and the review platforms on 12 October 2026, and every one below says who stated it, where it was read and when. “Not stated on their website” means the right page was read and the fact is not there; “Could not access” means the page would not open; “No profile found” means the platform has no listing. None of the three means the company does not have it. The same form is kept for every safari planner on this site, so each line can be set beside any other company’s. Where a line here differs from an older line on this page, this one, read later, is the current reading.
Who they are
Trading name and legal entity
The Original Travel Company Ltd (England, company no. 04437204), trading as Original Travel and Original Diving; site also says 'Original Travel is now Voyageurs du Monde'
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it is based
London, UK (First Floor, 111 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2TL)
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Year founded
2003 (Original Travel 'was born' January 2003; 'creating tailor-made holidays since 2003')
Source: Company · meet the team · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Owner or parent
Part of Voyageurs du Monde, which took a majority stake in 2017 (also described as hosting the website via Voyageurs du Monde UK Ltd)
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What it is
Planner: UK tailor-made tour operator/travel designer; no own safari camps stated (group owns some properties, see F39)
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Team
5 named on team page: Tom Barber (co-founder), Oliver Rodwell (Americas), Alesha Walton (Asia & Australasia), Harriet Harford (Europe), Lucy Bailey (Africa & Middle East); page says team of 'nearly 50'
Source: Company · meet the team · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it sells
UK enquiries +44 (0)20 3958 6120; office line +44 20 7978 7333; London office Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. No US or other-country phone lines or offices stated in saved pages (contact page not saved); prices shown in GBP (£)
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
In its own words
'Tailor-made holidays for discerning travellers since 2003... every bespoke itinerary is designed to your exact requirements by our London-based, award-winning destination experts'
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Response time and named planner
Not stated on their website: no reply time stated. Nearby: trips designed by country destination specialists; in-country Concierge available on WhatsApp; no statement that one named person plans each trip
Source: Company · meet the team · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Reviews, by platform
No profile found: no Google business listing for this company was shown on 12 Oct 2026. The listing that appeared, 'The Original Travel Company' with an Indian phone number, is a different business and is not recorded.
Source: Independent source · Google search · by hand · 12 Oct 2026
Trustpilot
Unclaimed profile; 0 reviews, rating 0.0; no review dates (as shown on the saved Trustpilot page)
Source: Independent source · Trustpilot · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Tripadvisor
Could not access: to be read by hand
Source: Company · not recorded · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Trustindex
No profile found: trustindex page returned 404 (no profile)
Source: Independent source · Trustindex · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it asks clients to leave reviews
Own site only: reviews published on its own client-reviews pages (59 pages; newest seen 27 February 2026), 'from people who have travelled with us'; no link to an external review platform found in saved pages
Source: Company · customer reviews · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Awards and recognition, read from the publishers
Every award, 2024 to 2026
Read from the publishers (Independent source): Condé Nast Traveler (US) Travel Specialists, Safari: 2 specialists listed, James Back, Paul Tyler (selected by the magazine's editors; read 12 Oct 2026) | Condé Nast Traveller (UK), The top travel specialists to know right now: listed, best for "extra services" (hand-picked by the UK editors; published 7 Nov 2025) The company's own site also states (Company): Condé Nast Traveller Top Travel Specialists 2026 (home page headline 'Our Conde Nast Traveller Top Travel Specialists for 2026'); press page shows award logos with no text; home says 'award-winning'. Year-by-year categories and results not given in text; decided by Condé Nast Traveller (claim)
Source: Independent source · travelandleisure.com World's Best Awards 2026 and A-List, cntraveler.com/travel-specialists, cntraveller.com top travel specialists · by hand · 12 Oct 2026
Advisors on named lists
Read from the publishers (Independent source): Condé Nast Traveler (US) Travel Specialists, Safari: 2, James Back, Paul Tyler The company's own site also states (Company): 'Eleven Conde Nast Top Travel Specialists' among its consultants (destination pages, year not stated); team page claims 'more Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists than any other tour operator over the last few years'; named: Lucy Bailey (Oman, Jordan, Egypt), Oliver Rodwell (Mexico, Colombia, Chile), Harriet Harford (European Wine Regions), Tom Barber (family travel)
Source: Independent source · travelandleisure.com World's Best Awards 2026 and A-List, cntraveler.com/travel-specialists, cntraveller.com top travel specialists · by hand · 12 Oct 2026
Certifications
Not stated on their website: no B Corp or similar certification stated. Nearby: ATOL 5922, ABTA member Y5632; claims 100% carbon absorption through 'certified' reforestation projects (certifier not named)
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Money and booking terms
Prices published
Yes: 'from £x to £y' price ranges shown on itinerary ideas; South Africa shows 11 itinerary ideas (9 listed on saved page with prices), Family Africa 6 with prices. Count across whole site not available in saved pages
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Priced example trips
1) South Africa Family Escape (Cape Town, Eastern Cape, Big Five): 13 days, £3,300-£4,500; 2) The Best of South Africa (Cape Town, Kruger, Johannesburg): 11 days, £3,745-£4,780; 3) Victoria Falls & Unforgettable Safaris (Zimbabwe/Botswana family): 11 days, £6,050-£8,150. Season, per-person basis and inclusions not stated beside prices
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price per person per day
Not stated on their website: no per-person-per-day rate stated; only 'from £x to £y' for whole itineraries of stated days
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum spend
Not stated on their website: no minimum budget or daily rate stated; 'Value & Time' pricing page not in saved pages
Source: Company · not recorded · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What the price includes
Not stated on their website: inclusions not listed beside itinerary prices. Terms say what the price includes is confirmed at booking; price does not normally include visa fees, airport departure charges, porterage, personal expenditure, hotel extras, fuel/car hire extras, post-booking taxes or holiday insurance
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Deposit
Non-refundable deposit, typically 20% of the quoted holiday price (higher in some cases; suppliers may require more up to full payment e.g. Christmas bookings)
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Balance due
60 days before departure (full price/balance)
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Cancellation charges
60+ days: deposit only; 59-43 days: 40%; 42-29 days: 60%; 28-7 days: 90%; 6 days or less: 100% of total holiday price. Admin fee for changes GBP30 pp (60+ days) or GBP50 pp (under 60 days)
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How client payments are protected
Flight-inclusive: ATOL protected, ATOL number 5922 (CAA), ATOL Certificate lists what is covered. Packages without a flight: bond held by ABTA via bankers NatWest; ABTA member Y5632. Terms state ATOL does not apply to all services. Registers not checked
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Currencies and card fees
Billing currency not stated (prices shown in GBP). No fees for any payment method (cheques, bank transfer, credit/debit card). FAQ: hedges currency and says it will not surcharge after booking; terms clause 9.2 allow price changes for fuel, taxes or exchange rates (first 2% absorbed, none within 20 days of departure) - the two pages differ
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
24-hour contact while travelling
24-hour emergency number +44 20 7978 7333 (terms clause 12); '24-hour helpline' and in-country Concierge 'on hand 24/7' also stated
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How the company is paid
Not stated on their website: how the company is paid (fee or commission) not stated in saved pages
Source: Company · not recorded · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price against booking direct
Not stated on their website: no statement about matching lodge rates or passing on lodge offers. Nearby: one of few British Airways Preferred Partner operators and passes on flight deals
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Licences and registrations
ATOL 5922; ABTA membership Y5632; England company no. 04437204; VAT GB 799192267; ICO registration ZA207733. Not checked on registers
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it goes and how it works on the ground
African countries it plans
Africa countries in site menu: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia (plus Malawi, Ethiopia in review menu). Destinations page itself not in saved pages
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own offices or staff in Africa
Not stated on their website: no own offices in Africa stated; says it works with local in-country Concierges (not available in every country)
Source: Company · meet the team · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How it books on the ground
Not stated on their website: how it books on the ground not stated. Nearby: prefers small locally-run operators and properties; local Concierges in-country; terms mention suppliers incl. safari operators
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own camps or vehicles
No own safari camps or vehicles stated. Parent Voyageurs du Monde owns properties incl. Steam Ship Sudan and Flaneuse du Nil (Nile) and Satyagraha House (Johannesburg)
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking
Not stated on their website: gorilla/chimpanzee trekking not mentioned in saved pages; Rwanda and Uganda appear only as menu destinations
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Beach add-ons
Zanzibar (Oman and Zanzibar family trip), Mozambique (South Africa and Mozambique bush-to-beach; private beach villa), Seychelles (Dubai and the Seychelles), Mauritius (destination listed in menu)
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Africa only, or other regions too
Worldwide: Africa plus Americas, Asia, Australia & Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, Indian Ocean, North Africa & Middle East, Antarctica, World Tours
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who it suits and how it travels
Family trips
Yes. Africa: South Africa Family Escape 13 days £3,300-£4,500; Ultimate Easter Holiday South Africa 17 days £5,600-£8,000; Victoria Falls & Safaris 11 days £6,050-£8,150; Tanzania Savannah to the Sea 12 days £7,850-£10,200; Oman and Zanzibar 12 days £4,000-£5,550; Morocco 9 days £2,950-£3,800
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum child age
No general minimum age stated; recommends a family safari such as Madikwe (South Africa) for children as young as five; non-malarial options for young families
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Teenagers and multigenerational trips
Yes: teenagers to Tanzania (Great Migration, Serengeti) or Namibia (rhino conservation); multigenerational via properties for private hire (Mozambique villa, whole-family safari in South Africa, '3G' Kenya bush and beach); 'A Kenyan Family Adventure' itinerary idea
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Honeymoon trips
Honeymoons collection; Africa itineraries: Romance in South Africa and Mozambique 10 days £7,350-£8,400; Southern Love (Johannesburg, Okavango, Cape Town) 13 days £5,550-£8,250; 'Honeymoon Africa' place page
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Solo travellers
Not stated on their website: single supplement/solo policy not stated in saved pages
Source: Company · not recorded · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Older travellers and limited mobility
Not stated on their website: no older-traveller or limited-mobility policy; terms only ask clients to declare medical conditions or disabilities before booking
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
First safari
Not stated on their website: no first-safari guidance or itinerary marked as such in saved pages
Source: Company · not recorded · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Private guide and vehicle
'Vast majority' of holidays are entirely private with no joining groups (exceptions: cruises such as Steam Ship Sudan). Guaranteed private safari guide/vehicle not specifically stated
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Exclusive-use camps and villas
Yes: properties available for private hire across the continent, e.g. private villa on Mozambique beaches, a whole family safari in South Africa, 3G holiday in Kenya
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Small-group departures
No for most trips (private). Exception: cruises with set departures, e.g. Steam Ship Sudan on the Nile (same group on board); group size not stated
Source: Company · faqs · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who guides the trip
Arranges local guides and drivers in-country ('best on-the-ground guides'); safari guide ownership (own vs camp guides) not specified
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Self-drive
Yes, South Africa: self-drive in Kruger/Sabi Sands area mentioned; road-trip itineraries (Western Cape, East Coast to Eswatini); Road Trips collection
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Photography trips
Blog 'Photographic Safaris: Our Top Tips' and photography course in Cape Town; no specialist photography vehicle or guide stated
Source: Company · south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Conservation
Foundation (since 2009): nearly £1.5m to nearly 100 projects in 30 countries; Kenya SHOFCO (urban slum schools, not wildlife); India mangroves; 100% carbon absorption via reforestation; says it works alongside lodge owners and local communities on conservation in South Africa. No named African wildlife conservation project
Source: Company · the foundation · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Walking, horseback and other specialist trips
Walking Holidays collection (e.g. Bhutan); walking in the Atlas Mountains; on-foot safari in Kruger area; horseback wine tour (South Africa); diving via Original Diving; Nile cruises; train travel and road trips
Source: Company · family africa holidays · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Facts are from the company’s own pages unless marked Independent source or Official register. A company can correct any line through the contact page; a correction changes the line and its source, never anything else on the page.
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.
What awards has Original Travel won?
Read on 12 October 2026. Read from the publishers (Independent source): Condé Nast Traveler (US) Travel Specialists, Safari: 2 specialists listed, James Back, Paul Tyler (selected by the magazine's editors; read 12 Oct 2026) | Condé Nast Traveller (UK), The top travel specialists to know right now: listed, best for "extra services" (hand-picked by the UK editors; published 7 Nov 2025) The company's own site also states (Company): Condé Nast Traveller Top Travel Specialists 2026 (home page headline 'Our Conde Nast Traveller Top Travel Specialists for 2026'); press page shows award logos with no text; home says 'award-winning'. Year-by-year categories and results not given in text; decided by Condé Nast Traveller (claim) Advisers on named lists: Read from the publishers (Independent source): Condé Nast Traveler (US) Travel Specialists, Safari: 2, James Back, Paul Tyler The company's own site also states (Company): 'Eleven Conde Nast Top Travel Specialists' among its consultants (destination pages, year not stated); team page claims 'more Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists than any other tour operator over the last few years'; named: Lucy Bailey (Oman, Jordan, Egypt), Oliver Rodwell (Mexico, Colombia, Chile), Harriet Harford (European Wine Regions), Tom Barber (family travel)
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