Which luxury tour operators are best for wildlife trips?

These 45 luxury tour operators name a wildlife trip they sell on their own websites. Of them, Quark Expeditions, Metropolitan Touring and SA Expeditions have the most Google reviews. Each card's label says what kind of wildlife trip it is.

Which luxury tour operators are best for wildlife trips?

These 45 luxury tour operators name a wildlife trip on their own websites; Quark Expeditions, Metropolitan Touring and SA Expeditions have the most Google reviews. Pick by the animals and places you want, using each card's label, then compare protection and reviews.

Which of these companies protect your money?

17 of the 45 name a scheme that protects guest payments on their own websites, such as ATOL for UK flight packages, ABTA or USTOA membership, or a trust account; the rest do not name one on the pages read.

• Abercrombie & Kent: ATOL number 2881 covers flight-inclusive packages sold by its UK company; its US terms name no trust account or bond.
• Ampersand Travel: ATOL number 6065 covers its air holiday packages.
• Audley Travel: ATOL number 4817 covers its flight-inclusive trips and ABTOT covers trips that do not include flights. ATOL protection does not apply to all services; parts of a booking not listed on the ATOL certificate are not protected.
• Black Tomato: ATOL number 10531 covers the flight-inclusive packages it sells as agent of Hays. It says non-flight packages are covered by a scheme through ABTA that refunds advance payments if it becomes insolvent.
• Cazenove+Loyd: Holds ATOL number 3208, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Cookson Adventures: ATOL number 12608 protects flight-inclusive packages on certain bookings, usually where clients are based or book in the UK. It may not protect all services.
• Four Seasons Private Jet Experience: Reservations are protected by surety bonds issued by Siriuspoint America Insurance Company; no ATOL, ABTA or USTOA number is given.
• Lightfoot Travel: Says each sales location has the maximum level of industry bonding possible, including ATOL membership in the UK, with licensing in Singapore and Hong Kong; no ATOL number is given.
• Natural World Safaris: For UK and EU clients, cover is included through ATOL or Trust My Travel. For clients outside the UK and EU it is available for a small extra fee through Trust My Travel; no ATOL number is given.
• Pelorus: ABTOT protects non-flight packages for Pelorus Adventures Limited.
• Quark Expeditions: Is covered by the USTOA Consumer Protection Plan, which requires it to post US$1 million with USTOA to reimburse advance payments if it becomes insolvent.
• Red Dot Tours: ATOL number 5517 covers its flight-inclusive packages. ABTOT membership number 5664 covers non-flight packages.
• Red Savannah: For flight-inclusive package holidays, money paid to a travel agent it appoints is held for the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust; no ATOL number is shown.
• Steppes Travel: ATOL covers its flight-inclusive packages; clients should check that everything booked is listed on the ATOL certificate. ABTOT covers non-flight packages (number 5488). Money for ATOL-protected bookings is held in an independent trust account managed by Serenity Trust; no ATOL number is given.
• The Luxury Holiday Company: Holds ATOL and ABTOT licences, with ABTOT cover entered under Wexas Ltd number 52; no ATOL number is given.
• Turquoise Holidays: ATOL number 5875 covers its package holidays; land-only arrangements it books as agent are not financially protected.
• Wexas Travel: Holds ATOL and ABTOT licences, but where it acts as agent protection comes from the tour operator or cruise line; no ATOL number is shown.

Which other companies on this page fit wildlife trips?

Quark Expeditions has the most Google reviews of the 45; these 4 have the most Google reviews of the rest.

• Metropolitan Touring: Amazon river cruises in Peru
• SA Expeditions: Safaris in Africa
• Natural Habitat Adventures: Wildlife trips in Asia
• Audley Travel: Costa Rica wildlife trips

Who to contact first

Start with the 17 companies on this page that name a scheme protecting your payments on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates.

• Abercrombie & Kent
• Ampersand Travel
• Audley Travel
• Black Tomato
• Cazenove+Loyd
• Cookson Adventures
• Four Seasons Private Jet Experience
• Lightfoot Travel
• Natural World Safaris
• Pelorus
• Quark Expeditions
• Red Dot Tours
• Red Savannah
• Steppes Travel
• The Luxury Holiday Company
• Turquoise Holidays
• Wexas Travel

What to ask each one to set out in writing:

• What the price includes and excludes, line by line: stays, guides, transfers, internal flights, park or entry fees.
• The deposit, when the balance is due and what you lose if you cancel.
• Which scheme protects your money and the number to check it.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 4 November 2026 · updated 4 November 2026