Lupine Travel

What Lupine Travel does

Lupine Travel (legally Lupine Group Limited) is a UK-based, privately held tour operator headquartered in Wigan, Lancashire, founded in 2008. The company runs guided group tours to remote, off-the-beaten-path destinations worldwide, with a particular specialization in countries and regions under FCDO amber and red travel warnings — including Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, North Korea, Libya, Somalia, Iraq, and Iran. Its portfolio spans roughly 50 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, and includes dedicated hiking/trekking itineraries (Algeria Atlas, Greenland, Tibet, Darien), cultural immersion trips, wildlife experiences, and a Private Bespoke Tours service for customized itineraries.

The core product is the scheduled group tour, priced between approximately £1,365 and £4,995 per person depending on destination and duration, with deposits ranging from £250 to £2,500. Packages bundle accommodation, ground transport, some meals, entry fees, local guides, and a Lupine tour leader. Beyond tour sales, the company operates an online merchandise shop selling destination prints and apparel, and earns affiliate commissions by referring customers to High Risk Voyager travel insurance through a regulated Introducer Appointed Representative arrangement with Caledon MGA Ltd. There is no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or AI/ML capability; the digital surface is a WordPress-based website supported by content marketing (a journal/blog), email newsletter, and organic SEO, with significant earned media coverage in The Guardian, The Telegraph, BBC, Wall Street Journal, and other major outlets.

Commercially, Lupine Travel is a direct-to-consumer business selling exclusively through its own website, phone, and email — no reseller or third-party distribution network. Sales are ATOL-licensed (12486) and ABTA-bonded, providing statutory financial protection for package holidays. The firm is bootstrapped and founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investors or external funding, operates with approximately 16 employees, and maintains a long-tail base of individual leisure customers rather than enterprise accounts. Customer testimonials indicate meaningful repeat-buyer behavior in a niche where destination expertise and trust are core purchase drivers.

Name

Lupine Travel

Legal name

Lupine Group Limited

Website

https://lupinetravel.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lupine Travel is a UK-based, direct-to-consumer tour operator running guided group trips to roughly 50 remote and restricted destinations, including countries under FCDO travel warnings. The company serves individual adventure travelers seeking cultural immersion, wildlife experiences, and hiking itineraries, and sells exclusively through its own website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Small-Group Escorted Tour Operators (THAKADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF), Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)

Keywords

• Adventure group tours
• Off-the-beaten-path travel
• Guided cultural tours
• Remote destination tours
• Responsible travel services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wigan

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour Package Sales: Lupine Travel generates primary revenue through selling group tour packages to unique and remote destinations worldwide. Tours include accommodation, ground transportation, some meals, entry fees, local guides, and tour leaders. Pricing varies by destination and duration, ranging from approximately £1,365 to £4,995 per person.
2. Travel Insurance Affiliate: Lupine Group Ltd operates as an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of Caledon MGA Ltd for travel insurance, earning referral commissions from High Risk Voyager which specializes in insurance for difficult and remote regions including countries under FCDO travel warnings.
3. Merchandise Shop: The company sells travel prints (A3 prints priced at £4.95) featuring various destinations and a sponsored hoodie (£14.99) through their online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lupine Travel is a UK-based tour operator selling guided group tours to unique, off-the-beaten-path destinations across Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Americas, and Oceania. Tour packages include accommodation, ground transportation, some meals, entry fees, local guides, and a tour leader, with prices ranging from approximately £1,365 to £4,995 per person. The company complements tours with private bespoke itineraries, a travel insurance affiliate arrangement, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Lupine Travel is a UK-based travel company offering group tours with local expert guides to unique and off-the-beaten-path destinations worldwide. The core product is the Group Tours offering, complemented by specialized Hiking Tours (Adventure Series) for active travellers, and Private Bespoke Tours for customized experiences. The company also provides travel insurance through an affiliate partnership with High Risk Voyager, and sells travel prints and merchandise through its shop. Tours cover destinations across Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Americas, and Oceania, with a focus on responsible travel that protects communities and environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Tours Guided group tours to unique and off-the-beaten-path destinations worldwide, including Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Americas, and Oceania. Tours include local expert guides, accommodation, ground transportation, some meals, entry fees, and a tour leader, and are sold to individual travelers.
• Hiking Tours Specialized hiking and trekking tours targeting physically active travelers, including Algeria: Hiking the Atlas, Greenland: Hiking the Far North, Tibet: Traversing the Roof of the World, and the Darien Gap expedition.
• Private Bespoke Tours Customized private departures where tours can follow standard itineraries with small adjustments or be fully bespoke, tailored to customer preferences and processed through a dedicated form with response within 72 hours. Requires at least three months notice.
• Travel Insurance Services Affiliate referral service for travel insurance covering difficult and remote regions, including countries under FCDO amber and red travel warnings, offered in partnership with High Risk Voyager (underwritten by Caledon MGA Ltd).
• Travel Prints and Merchandise Online shop selling A3 travel prints (£4.95) featuring destinations visited on Lupine tours and a sponsored Atherton Collieries hoodie (£14.99).

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% Financial Protection for all payments made to Lupine Travel
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• High Risk VoyagerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLupine Group Ltd operates as an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of Caledon MGA Ltd, authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 305814), with an affiliate arrangement to recommend High Risk Voyager travel insurance to customers. High Risk Voyager specializes in offering travel insurance for travellers visiting difficult and remote regions, including countries under both amber and red FCDO travel warnings.
• Caledon MGA LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCaledon MGA Ltd is the insurance company behind High Risk Voyager, authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Lupine Group Ltd acts as their Introducer Appointed Representative for travel insurance products.
• Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)coreOthersATOL (Air Travel Organisers Licence) granted by CAA, number 12486. Provides financial security for package holidays which include flights, with 100% financial protection for all payments made to Lupine Travel for flight-inclusive trips.
• ABTAcoreOthersFinancial protection for non-flight inclusive package holidays through a bond held by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents). ABTA provides Scheme of Protection for refund claims in the event of insolvency.
• TrustpilotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform where Lupine Travel maintains a presence, with reviews linked from their website homepage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• G Adventures: Global small-group escorted tour operator with extensive reach across unusual destinations, competing for the same adventure-travel customer base though at greater scale.
• Intrepid Travel: Large global small-group adventure operator with broader mainstream positioning but overlapping product structure and customer segments in adventure travel.
• Exodus Travels: UK adventure and small-group tour operator with global itineraries including walking and cultural trips, serving a similar adventure-travel demographic.

Direct peers

• Wild Frontiers: UK-based adventure tour operator specializing in off-the-beaten-path destinations including many with FCDO warnings, with small-group escorted formats nearly identical to Lupine's.
• Oasis Overland: UK-based overland and small-group adventure operator with itineraries through Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including off-the-grid routes that parallel Lupine's offering.
• Explore Worldwide: UK-based small-group adventure tour operator with global itineraries including some off-the-beaten-path destinations, comparable in group size and escorted format.
• Undiscovered Destinations: UK small-group escorted operator focused on unusual, lesser-visited countries, overlapping directly with Lupine's destination portfolio and customer base.
• KE Adventure Travel: UK small-group adventure and hiking tour operator with similar pricing tiers and global reach into less-touristed destinations, including hiking-focused products.
• Dragoman: UK-based overland and small-group escorted operator covering remote and unconventional destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, comparable in tour style and audience.
• Adventures Abroad: Small-group escorted operator focused on culturally rich and lesser-visited destinations, closely aligned with Lupine's niche of unconventional, hard-to-access countries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lupine-travel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lupine Travel