Wild Frontiers tours available on tourhub

Reasons to tour with Wild Frontiers

Off-the-beaten track destinations

Innovative, immersive itineraries

Small group size (max 12)

Tailor-made holidays designed by experts

Winner of Guardian/Observer best ethical tour operator

Book with Confidence

Awards

Wild Frontiers has been recognised as one of the leading adventure tour companies in awards from publications including Wanderlust and The Guardian.

Our authentic, cutting-edge itineraries have won awards from National Geographic Traveler and our guides have regularly been voted amongst the world's best, with Mark Steadman winning World Guide of ....more

Associations/accreditations

No. 5228

No. 5975

No. 5141

Travel with Confidence and be COVID safe with Wild Frontiers

TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE
Following consultation with the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council), local governments and our partners abroad we are now happy to introduce you to some of the measures we are putting in place for the safety and peace of mind of both our clients and local staff.

Please note ....more

TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE
Following consultation with the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council), local governments and our partners abroad we are now happy to introduce you to some of the measures we are putting in place for the safety and peace of mind of both our clients and local staff.

Please note that these measures are not exhaustive and will evolve over time as we monitor and adapt to local and national public health recommendations. If you have any questions or concerns at all about any particular tour or destination, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our experts.

Accommodation
All bedrooms will be thoroughly cleaned between guests with special attention being paid towards frequently touched areas such as door handles, light switches, and taps.
Where viable we will implement a break of at least 48hrs in the usage of bedrooms between guests to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination.
All areas of common use including lifts, staircases and public restrooms will be frequently cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.
Hand sanitiser and social distancing will be in place in reception areas.
For solo travellers on our group tours who opt to share a room, we will aim to ensure that roommates remain fixed for the entire journey. Additionally, on camping trips every solo traveller will be provided with their own tent - regardless of whether they have paid a single supplement or not - as it is harder to support social distancing whilst camping.

Transport
While we encourage everyone to bring their own supply of hand sanitiser, we will also aim to provide this on board all our vehicles so that you can utilise this every time you get on and off.
All vehicles will be cleaned once a day and/or between different passengers – whichever is more frequent.
If a larger vehicle is required to meet social distancing requirements, we will seek to upgrade you at no additional cost. Additionally – and in situations where social distancing is not practical - you may also be required to wear facemasks.
All drivers and assistants will follow national policies including using PPE where required.
For groups, there will be assigned seating between daily cleans so as to minimise the risk of cross-contamination.

Guides & Tour-Leaders
All local guides are required to have up-to-date knowledge of the nearest local clinics, testing procedures and health policies in each destination.
Our guides and tour-leaders know the best time to visit sites to avoid congestion and can suggest restaurants that are practicing the highest level of hygiene and social distancing.
All our on-ground personnel are supported 24/7 not only by our local partners in each country but also by our highly experienced teams in the UK and US. With over 100 years of experience between us, we are well-equipped to handle any situation.
All our tour-leaders are first-aid trained and carry the relevant equipment to assist you quickly where needed.

Meals
All our clients (both group and tailormade) will use smaller tables and be socially distanced from other diners wherever possible.
Sharing platters – both a cultural necessity and highlight in many destinations - will still be viable but will include personal serving cutlery for each client.
Any shared objects including sauces and condiments will be cleaned between each group use and single servings, despite being less environmentally sound, will be provided where possible.

Group Size
Our group tours remain amongst the smallest available with a maximum of 12 and an average of 9 on most of our departures. Having a smaller group size helps us more easily achieve the social distancing that is now part of the norm for most countries.

Our Joint Responsibility
We cannot ensure your safety alone and we will need everyone who travels with us to take an equal share of responsibility in following guidelines and taking whatever precautions they can to help us keep you and any fellow travellers safe.

Anyone (including clients, tour-leaders, guides and drivers) who exhibits possible symptoms of coronavirus will be required to get themselves tested – with our full assistance, of course, if needed - at the earliest possible opportunity and to self-isolate until results are received. In the unfortunate instance of a positive result we will provide all and any assistance we can and ensure that everyone who may have come into contact with the affected party within the previous 14 days is notified as soon as possible as part of globally recognised track and trace schemes.

Thanking you in advance for supporting us in introducing these important measures to helps us make travel both fun and safe again! ....less

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Sustainability

As an ethical travel company, we have a responsibility to the countries, communities and environments we visit. With this responsibility comes the opportunity to make a genuine difference.

In this time of climate crisis, with pressure on all sectors of the travel industry to look at its practices and help reduce ....more

As an ethical travel company, we have a responsibility to the countries, communities and environments we visit. With this responsibility comes the opportunity to make a genuine difference.

In this time of climate crisis, with pressure on all sectors of the travel industry to look at its practices and help reduce carbon emissions, it has never been more important for us here at Wild Frontiers to re-assess our own responsible travel policies, measure our own footprint and step up our commitment to reduce carbon emissions.

At Wild Frontiers we automatically off-set our clients’ international flights, when booked through us, for 15 years. We were among the first UK-based tour operator to implement this type of initiative in 2005.

In early 2020 we took a more encompassing approach and began focusing on how to reduce our carbon footprint, both operationally in the UK and on the ground in the destinations to which we travel.

With the Coronavirus pandemic bringing travel to a standstill for 18 months, we used the time to assess our processes, talk to potential partners and start to put a more robust carbon reduction management plan in place.

Like many, our traditional working practices have now changed. Downsizing office space and adopting remote and hybrid working has helped to reduce our operational carbon footprint – removing, in some cases quite long staff commutes, and reducing office waste and energy. These are areas we will keep working on, both within the office and now with staff in their home offices.

Continuing to move forward, a major focus of our Climate Action Plan is looking at how to reduce carbon emissions on our group tours and tailor-made holidays. This includes reviewing our product and practices, and working with destination partners to actively implement change, where possible, across areas including transport, accommodation, and food waste.

Signatory - Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
Committing to this process, we became a launch partner of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, which was launched at COP26, Wild Frontiers commits to deliver plans aligned with its pathways to cut tourism emissions in half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050. Through measuring, reducing and mitigating our carbon emissions, we know we have much to do.

Climate Projects & Tree Planting
As a part of our plan, we have partnered with environmental social enterprise, Ecologi, to plant trees and fund carbon reduction projects on behalf of all clients that travel with us. Through our partnership, we will contribute to renewable energy projects in destinations we visit to help offset the carbon emissions created by all of our group tours and tailor-made trips, as well as plant ten trees per person that we take on holiday. ....less

Our Story

In 1996 travel writer Jonny Bealby set out across India and the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province to follow in the footsteps of his two heroes from English literature, Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot, from Kipling's classic tale, The Man Who Would Be King.

Travelling on foot, ....more

In 1996 travel writer Jonny Bealby set out across India and the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province to follow in the footsteps of his two heroes from English literature, Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot, from Kipling's classic tale, The Man Who Would Be King.

Travelling on foot, on an often gruelling and dangerous journey, he became captivated by a land of harsh natural beauty, political intrigues and a diverse and fascinating population.

And when he finally emerged from Afghanistan back into Pakistan and the valleys of the Kalash – the last of the pagan tribes to inhabit the Hindu Kush – he was so taken with these warm and welcoming people that he put down his bags and stayed for three months.

What also amazed Jonny was the near total lack of tourism to what was a relatively accessible region. So, having written his second book, For A Pagan Song, in India, about this journey, the following year he returned to Northern Pakistan and swapped his travel-writing hat for that of a tour operator.

Seeking advice from the Kalash themselves, as well as other ethnic groups along his chosen route, Jonny created the first of his itineraries (The Hindu Kush Adventure) and in 1998 led his first group... and so Wild Frontiers was born.

Running WF as a tiny sole trader business – from a back loo at his parent’s home – Jonny advertised for groups and between 1998 and early autumn 2001 took a growing number of ever-appreciative clients to what had become a second home.

On 11th September 2001, Jonny was actually with a group high in the Hindu Kush and, as isolated as they were, they didn’t hear about the cataclysmic events in New York until the 14th September. When they walked into a hotel in Chitral, and saw a newspaper with the headline ‘Doomsday for the USA’ Jonny slumped in a chair and pondered darkly, ‘Doomsday for Wild Frontiers more like!’. As things transpired Jonny could not have been more wrong. Ironically, far from being the end of Wild Frontiers, this was really the beginning. ....less

Wild Frontiers Reviews

Paul Lucky (Google Reviewer)

25-Sep-2023

Review for Wild Frontiers “Via Egnatia” September, 2023 My wife and I just completed the Wild Frontiers Via Egnatia trip in Greece. We have traveled extensively with many different companies over many years. This was one of our best trips ever. Our rating is 5+. First praise is to our guide Tasos. What a wonderful individual he is. Tasos, a Greek native, has an encyclopedic knowledge of Greece, Greek history, culture and Greek geography. He is patient, caring and a warm, considerate person. We are very happy to have traveled with him and look forward to taking other trips which he is guiding. Our itinerary was awesome and unexpectedly good: the monasteries and churches at Meteora, the architectural ruins, museum and tomb of Philip II, various cave complexes including Dragon’s Cave and Alistrati Cave. We stopped at many ancient churches, monasteries and mosques, and natural wonders, some on our itinerary and many not. Tasos made sure that our experience was as comprehensive as possible. Our accommodations were always comfortable and clean. The staff were friendly and helpful. We usually stayed at local hotels and guesthouses, chosen by Tasos, avoiding touristy chains. Often we were the only non-Greeks. Now a few words about the food: fantastic and nothing less. Everything was local and plentiful, lots of vegetables and high quality meats and pastries. Fortunately, we remained active enough to burn off most of the extra calories. Again, the restaurants were “genuine”, and local, personally chosen by Tasos. I enjoyed our hikes and walks. Some of the hikes were more difficult but all could easily be done by a moderately fit individual. We had a great group. Everyone got along surprisingly well. There were no complainers, whiners or “duds”. By the end of the trip we were “family”. We look forward to traveling together in the future. In summary, we enjoyed a great trip, a great leader and great participants. Thank you Wild Frontiers. Paul Lucky

Jonty Crane (Google Reviewer)

22-Sep-2021

I travelled with Wild Frontiers three time pre-Covid to Pakistan, India, and Ethiopia. All three were among the best trips I've done. Well organised, interesting and varied itineraries, to fascinating countries

ESV Ohope (Google Reviewer)

08-Oct-2023

Five Stan’s trip - Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Not well planned, time management very poor, little or no cultural siting until Uzbekistan, long travel days, poor accommodation, ablutions very poor, group had stomach, bowel issues. Tipping effectively mandatory to pay bus drivers, local guides and heaven knows what else. Tour leader good and managed COVID that went through much of the group effectively but didn’t complete the trip. 3 people did not complete the trip - physically unable or too tired to continue. Kyrgyz guide was exceptional and provided a history and knowledge effectively for all the Stan’s. Other local guides a bit lazy.

Orly

Amazing and unforgettable trip to the Galapagos

21-Jul-2021

Our trip to the Galapagos was fabulous; we loved it all. The EcoGalaxy was beautiful and the naturalist for our trip was very experienced (and the staff on board were great too). Our favorite activity (of many) was the snorkeling – we were less than 1 foot away from 15-20 sea lions on Espanola Island. They were ready to play and pose for pictures – that was unforgettable! The hikes and beaches on each island were gorgeous, not to mention the kayaks and paddle boards with picture perfect water. Another highlight was the giant tortoises on Santa Cruz – we loved seeing so many in the wild. We ended our trip in Quito with a great guide (Pablo). He handled all time sensitive airport pickups/drop-offs seamlessly and gave an excellent city tour. Quito is a gorgeous city and we loved the chocolate experience and hotel in old town Quito. We also had dinner at Zazu – which we highly recommend for anyone that goes to Quito. Richard was exceptional in planning our trip; he worked hard on every little detail to make sure it was the experience we expected – and it went far beyond what we imagined. We have used Wild Frontiers twice in a row and will continue working with them for future trips

gail fewson (Google Reviewer)

20-Dec-2023

Fantastic tours. Very well organised, and they go off the beaten track.

Mehmuda Mian (Google Reviewer)

20-Jan-2020

Just back from a Wild Frontiers trip to Guatemala! As usual Wild Frontiers had organised a fantastic adventure ensuring we saw the best of this marvellous , welcoming and diverse country . From its towering volcanoes, spectacular mountain ranges, blue mirrored lakes,lush landscapes , superb natural scenery ,ancient Mayan cultures , mighty monuments,to its colonial influences,vibrant local markets and diverse communities. Alejandro the local guide was a mine of information sharing his passion for the Mayan civilisations and bringing it to life . He ensured that we experienced local life and culture, a perfect ambassador for his country Loved the varied means of transport and the interesting itinerary put together by Wild Frontiers A first class experience with Wild Frontiers ! Can’t wait for my next trip ! .

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Frequently Asked Questions

What policies are in place for Covid-19?

We have a complete Covid-19 hub here: https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/en_GB/covid-hub

Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple..Occasionally you may even end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays, from our escorte

Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple. Occasionally you may end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays.

Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

Yes

Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple. Occasionally you may end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays, from our escorte

How long has the tour company been trading?

Since 2002

Do I need to be double-vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel with you?

In most cases, yes. Not only are many destinations making double-vaccination a requirement of entry to the country and/or access to restaurants, museums etc., but additionally on all our group tours for the foreseeable future, for everyone’s peace of mind, we are asking that all clients be double vaccinated.

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Book With Confidence

Free Date Changes

Wild Frontiers allows you to make 2 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 90 days before the start of the tour.
Low Deposit

Wild Frontiers requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel your tour, tourhub doesn't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of Wild Frontiers charges.

Up to 71 days before tour starts:	Forfeit 100% of deposit
At 51 days before tour starts:	Forfeit 50% of tour cost
At 30 days before tour starts:	Forfeit 100% of tour cost

Wild Frontiers' COVID Promise

You will have the right to transfer without any transfer fee, from any of our trips at ANY time if your trip is not Covid Viable (see below).*
We will not ask you to pay your final balance if your trip is not yet Covid Viable.
If your trip is not Covid Viable, by 30 days prior to departure at the latest, we will cancel your holiday and you can either transfer your funds to another departure or have a refund.**

We will only consider a trip Covid Viable*** if pre-departure it meets all of the following criteria:

There is no national lockdown or ban on foreign travel for the period when your trip is due to depart.
Destinations on the tour must not be on the UK’s Red List. ****
No destinations visited on the tour have in place any significant COVID-19 restrictions for travellers.
Tourist visas (if required) are available.
There is reliable airline access to/from the start/end of the trip.
Following an assessment by both Wild Frontiers and our local partners we are confident that your trip is able to run in both a safe and enjoyable manner.*****

** If you were originally booked to travel before 30 April 2020 and transferred to a later date, or if you have a tailor-made booking, there may be some irrecoverable costs which we cannot refund. Please speak to us and we will be able to advise you if this is the case for your booking.
***Since our HQ is in London, Covid Viable status for our Group Tours will be assessed on UK-based travellers. However we are fully aware that many of our clients live in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. As such, when we deem a trip to now be Covid Viable, everyone booked will have a chance to review their own personal situation before deciding whether or not to remain booked on the trip. Anyone wishing to, will have the option to transfer without fees to another trip at this time. For tailor made bookings, we may also able to consider additional countries’ travel advice when deciding if a trip is Viable. Please discuss this with us at the time of booking.
**** This relates to bookings from UK clients only. We may operate trips to destinations which the British FCDO advise against travel for Covid reasons. If this is the case, anyone wishing to will have the option to cancel with a refund or transfer to another trip. In some cases we may choose to offer a tour to a Red destination but these will be at both clients’ and Wild Frontiers’ discretion and will be subject to alternative conditions to be discussed on an ad hoc basis.
*****If a destination, that we have deemed to be Covid Viable, subsequently fails any aspect of the criteria for two consecutive weeks, you will have the right under our Covid Promise to transfer without any fees.
Secure payments

All payments are deposited into an externally regulated Trust account.