Planeta Verde

What Planeta Verde does

Planeta Verde is a Berlin-based, founder-owned direct-to-consumer travel company specializing exclusively in nature and wildlife tours to remote destinations. Founded in February 2004 as Quetzal Tours by Cristina Sanchez and Alfonso Gutierrez and rebranded in 2009, the company serves German-speaking individual travelers and small groups seeking authentic, non-mass-tourism experiences across Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Madagascar, Gabon, DRC), Asia (India, Borneo), Europe (Norway/Svalbard), South America (Galapagos, Brazil), and Antarctica. Pricing for individual tours ranges from €2,296 to €15,353, with a 10% deposit at booking and full payment due 28 days before departure.

The company's core platform is the planeta-verde.de website, which combines destination content, a comprehensive Safari Travelguide, customer accounts, a wishlist feature, and a proprietary Trip Configurator tool that lets customers browse destinations, select lodges and national parks, specify group size and travel dates, and submit custom trip requests. Trip Configurator automatically inserts missing overnight stays for logistics. The platform is built and maintained by a small in-house web and development team (Web Manager, Systems Developer, Programmer, Graphic Designer, Image Manager, Map Designer, Copywriter, and Editor) and is supplemented by a Blogger blog plus Instagram and Facebook presence for top-of-funnel acquisition.

Planeta Verde operates on a bootstrapped, debt-free basis with no external institutional investment. Revenue is generated through one-time package tour sales (typically reported as a single price covering accommodation, transport, guides, park fees, and activities), bespoke individual travel planning services, and pass-through permit sales (e.g., gorilla trekking permits). The company has never raised funding, is entirely founder-owned, and reports a 40% repeat-customer rate despite the multi-year purchase cadence typical of safari travel. In 2023 the company announced transfer of its portfolio to a successor brand, natouralist.de, also led by Cristina Sanchez.

Name

Planeta Verde

Legal name

Planeta Verde

Website

https://planeta-verde.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Planeta Verde is a Berlin-based, founder-owned direct-to-consumer travel company specializing in nature and wildlife tours to remote destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and Antarctica, serving German-speaking individual travelers and small groups via a proprietary Trip Configurator and consultative sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature and Safari Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Eco-Tours & Sustainable Nature Travel (THAJAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari & Game Drives (Land-Based) (THAAAEAC), Rainforest & Jungle Ecotourism Tours (THAAAEAF), Expedition Cruise Lines (Polar & Remote Regions) (THAEABAD), Polar & Remote-Destination Expedition Tour Operators (THAKADAM)

Keywords

• Nature travel tours
• Safari packages
• Wildlife expeditions
• Gorilla trekking tours
• Custom itineraries

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Package Tours: Complete travel packages including accommodation, transportation, guided tours, park fees, and specified activities. Pricing varies by destination, duration, and accommodation level. Customers pay deposit upon booking and full amount 28 days before departure.
2. Custom/Individual Travel Planning: Bespoke travel planning service where customers work with consultants to design personalized itineraries. Involves Trip Configurator for itinerary building and manual consultation for optimization.
3. Permit Sales: Sale of specialized permits such as gorilla trekking permits. These are non-refundable costs passed through to customers, collected at booking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Planeta Verde is a Berlin-based tour operator that designs and sells nature-focused travel packages, including safaris, wildlife expeditions, gorilla trekking trips, and polar cruises to destinations across Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, and Antarctica. Customers can browse predefined group tours or build fully customized itineraries using a proprietary Trip Configurator on planeta-verde.de, then finalize bookings via phone or email consultation with senior travel consultants. The company emphasizes eco-conscious lodge selection, local guide partnerships, and intimate small-group or private travel experiences.

Product overview

Planeta Verde is a Berlin-based nature travel and safari operator offering a digital platform (planeta-verde.de) alongside its tour services. The core digital offering consists of the main website with destination browsing, a Trip Configurator tool for building custom itineraries, a Travelguide providing safari planning resources, a Customer Account Portal for managing bookings and documents, and a Wishlist for saving destinations. The company also provides group tours and individualized tour packages. A successor platform, natouralist.de, was announced in 2023 for full portfolio transfer. The company specializes in nature-focused destinations across Africa (Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, etc.), Asia (India, Borneo), South America (Galapagos, Brazil), Europe (Norway), and Antarctica.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Safari Packages Small-group safari and nature tour packages with fixed itineraries to destinations such as Botswana, Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia, India, Borneo, Galapagos, and Antarctica. Includes accommodation, meals, guided tours, park fees, and overland transfers. Targeted at individual travelers and small groups seeking nature and wildlife experiences.
• Individual Custom Tours Customized private safari and nature travel itineraries built around each customer's preferences, budget, and travel timing. Built with assistance from the Trip Configurator tool and senior travel consultants. Targeted at individual travelers and couples seeking personalized, non-mass-tourism nature experiences.
• Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Permits Sourcing and resale of specialized trekking permits such as gorilla and chimpanzee permits in Uganda, collected at booking as non-refundable pass-through costs. Targeted at travelers booking primate trekking tours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% repeat customer rate despite nature travel being a 2-3 year purchase cycle

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Akim Netmbe (Uganda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUgandan partner and long-standing friend of founders Cristina Sanchez and Alfonso Gutierrez since the company's early days. Relationship dates back to founding of Quetzal Tours in 2004. The company still offers specialized 'Uganda im Ganzen mit Akim' tour packages featuring this partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Audley Travel: UK-based bespoke travel company specializing in tailor-made itineraries including wildlife and safari trips. Comparable bespoke, consultant-led sales model and safari/wildlife product focus, though serving primarily English-speaking markets.
• Natucate: German specialist in nature and wildlife travel, volunteer placements, and conservation-focused trips. Highly comparable to Planeta Verde in product category, target customer (German-speaking nature enthusiasts), and consultative sales motion.
• Explorer Fernreisen: German tour operator specializing in nature, adventure, and trekking trips to Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Comparable product mix and DACH-market customer base, though with a broader activity-tourism scope.
• Hauser Exkursionen: Munich-based trekking and nature tour operator with guided expeditions to remote natural destinations worldwide. Overlaps with Planeta Verde on nature-led itineraries, small-group format, and German-speaking customer base.
• Wildland Adventures: US-based small-group nature and cultural travel company focused on wildlife and conservation-led itineraries worldwide. Comparable eco-tourism positioning and curated nature experiences, though serving English-speaking travelers.
• Diamir Erlebnisreisen: German adventure and nature tour operator offering small-group expeditions to Africa, Asia, the Arctic, and Latin America. Comparable in destination mix, customer segment (DACH market), and curated expedition-style product.
• Expert Africa: UK specialist in tailor-made safaris and nature trips to southern and eastern Africa. Comparable bespoke safari offering and curated lodge portfolio, though with a UK rather than German customer base.
• Natural Habitat Adventures: US-based nature travel company focused on small-group wildlife and adventure trips worldwide, with a strong sustainability positioning. Comparable eco/nature focus, small-group format, and high-touch curated experiences.
• Ikarus Tours: German specialist tour operator focused on nature, birdwatching, and wildlife experiences across Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Highly comparable niche, customer profile, and destination portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Wilderness Safaris: Larger African safari operator with owned camps and itineraries across multiple countries. Comparable safari product and Africa destination focus, but operates at significantly greater scale and as a camp owner rather than a curated multi-destination reseller.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1404167633168891
• Instagraminstagram.com/planetaverde_berlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planeta-verde

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Planeta Verde