Natural World Safaris Ltd

What Natural World Safaris Ltd does

Natural World Safaris Ltd (NWS) is a Brighton-headquartered, ATOL-bonded bespoke wildlife-safari outfitter founded in 2005 by Will Bolsover, originally as World Primate Safaris before rebranding to address a broader wildlife portfolio. The company designs and sells high-end, one-time expedition packages — Wildlife Safaris, Specialist Photography Expeditions (with talent such as National Geographic photographer Steve Winter and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Patrick Dykstra), and Conservation Travel Experiences developed in partnership with African Parks and the Snow Leopard Conservancy — across more than 40 destinations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, Polar regions, and Australasia.

The underlying "technology" is a destination-specialist sales and itinerary-design service rather than a software platform: each booking is bespoke, priced between $7,500 and $42,500+ per person, and supported by offices in the UK, US, and Australia. The firm generates revenue on a transactional, per-booking basis rather than through subscriptions or recurring contracts, and customer acquisition combines direct sales via destination specialists with content-led marketing (MailChimp, social, earned media in Condé Nast, The Telegraph, and BOAT International). Recognition from Condé Nast Traveler (Top Travel Specialists 2022) and Travel + Leisure (A-List 2022, Top Ethical Wildlife Experience) anchors its brand positioning in the HNW and conservation-minded traveler segments.

The customer base is entirely B2C, spanning HNW wildlife enthusiasts, photography enthusiasts, couples and honeymooners, families/groups, and conservation-minded travelers — with no enterprise or institutional customer concentration visible in the disclosed information. Forward bookings extend through 2027/2028, and the firm operates as a privately held, bootstrapped entity with no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Natural World Safaris Ltd

Legal name

Natural World Safaris Ltd

Website

https://naturalworldsafaris.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Natural World Safaris is a Brighton-headquartered, ATOL-bonded outfitter designing bespoke wildlife and photography safaris across 40+ destinations for HNW travelers, conservation-minded customers, and photography enthusiasts, with per-person pricing from $7,500 to $42,500+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Safari Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Safari & Wildlife Adventure Tour Operators (Land-Based) (THAAADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari & Game Drives (Land-Based) (THAAAEAC), Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG), Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (THAJAIAB), Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry) (THAJALAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife safari holidays
• Bespoke travel experiences
• Photography expeditions
• Conservation travel
• Gorilla trekking tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wildlife Safari Packages: Complete safari package sales including accommodation, transportation, guides, and activities. Pricing varies by destination, duration, accommodation level, and group size. Core revenue stream from curated wildlife experiences across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Polar regions, North America, and Australasia.
2. Specialist Photography Expeditions: Premium photography-focused trips led by renowned wildlife photographers including Steve Winter, Steven Bobzien, and Patrick Dykstra. These command higher price points and feature expert-led tuition and exclusive wildlife encounters.
3. Conservation Travel Experiences: Conservation-focused safaris and Expeditions for Change program that directly fund conservation projects on the ground.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Natural World Safaris is an ATOL-bonded UK travel outfitter that designs and sells bespoke wildlife safari vacations across more than 40 destinations on six continents. Offerings include private guided safaris, gorilla and primate trekking, whale and marine swimming expeditions, hosted photography safaris under the NWS Select sub-brand, family adventures, and conservation-focused itineraries such as Expeditions for Change and Journey to Nature's Edge, all delivered through specialist-led bespoke trip design.

Product overview

Natural World Safaris Ltd is a fully ATOL-bonded UK-based travel outfitter (company number 05649357) specializing in bespoke wildlife safari vacations. Founded in 2005 as World Primate Safaris, the company has evolved into a global brand operating across six continents with over 40 destinations. The core product portfolio consists of geographic safari packages organized by continent (Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, Polar Regions, Australasia), complemented by specialized offerings including Photography Safaris with renowned wildlife photographers, Gorilla Trekking expeditions, Whale Swimming Expeditions, and the premium NWS Select sub-brand. NWS Select encompasses Expeditions for Change (conservation-focused journeys), Journey to Nature's Edge (multi-year conservation storytelling project), and specialist-led photography departures. The company positions itself as a 'travel fixer' curating unique journeys combining exploration with elegance, featuring specialist-led guides and small group experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Wildlife Safari Holidays Custom-designed wildlife safari vacations covering more than 40 destinations across six continents, built around the client's preferred species, countries, and travel style and delivered through a UK ATOL-bonded travel outfitter for affluent individual travelers.
• NWS Select Hosted Photography Safaris Small-group hosted wildlife photography departures run under the NWS Select sub-brand, led by renowned photographers such as Steve Winter, Steven Bobzien, and Patrick Dykstra, targeted at photography enthusiasts seeking expert-led photo expeditions.
• Gorilla and Primate Trekking Safaris Specialist-led primate trekking itineraries, including gorilla trekking, built around the founder's personal primate-tracking expertise and aimed at travelers seeking expert-led primate encounters.
• Whale and Marine Wildlife Swimming Expeditions Specialist marine wildlife itineraries including whale swimming experiences for travelers seeking close, guided encounters with marine species in destinations such as the Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts.
• Expeditions for Change Conservation-focused itineraries that connect travelers with wildlife protection initiatives, including the company's partnership with African Parks, aimed at conservation-minded travelers seeking trips tied to tangible conservation outcomes.
• Journey to Nature's Edge High-end expedition itinerary concept focused on remote, frontier wildlife destinations and immersive nature experiences for adventurous premium travelers.
• Family Adventures Safaris Family-oriented wildlife safari itineraries with logistics and activities tailored to multi-generational families and small private groups traveling together.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average of 3 jaguar sightings per day in Pantanal (SouthWild Jaguar Suites)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core and minor.

• African ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWS is one of four founding industry partners with African Parks, a non-governmental organization focused on conservation in Africa through complete responsibility for rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. Through bespoke travel opportunities like Journey to Nature's Edge, African Parks shares their work and allows philanthropic travelers to experience behind-the-scenes view of protected areas management challenges.
• Snow Leopard ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Snow Leopard Conservancy who work tirelessly to protect the endangered snow leopard. NWS visits the Conservancy on Ladakh snow leopard expeditions, connecting travelers with conservation efforts.
• Patrick DykstracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmmy-nominated filmmaker behind Patrick and the Whale, whose work has helped redefine ethical whale encounters. Leads Dominica sperm whale safari expeditions and collaborated on blue whale projects including Blue Planet 2. His expertise in whale behavior and ethical encounters is central to NWS marine wildlife offerings.
• Steve WintercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Geographic photographer and big cat specialist with over two decades at National Geographic, named BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and BBC Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year. Leads NWS photography expeditions including Jaguar Photography Safari in Brazil and Tiger Photography Safari in India.
• Steven BobziencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife ecologist with over 45 years experience, behavioral ecologist, conservation biologist, and photographer. Leads NWS Jaguar Photography Safari in Brazil's Pantanal. Works with Panthera on Jaguar and Giant Otter Identification Projects in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Expert Africa: UK-based specialist safari tour operator curating trips across southern and East Africa with destination-specialist-led booking model. Closest direct peer to NWS in size, geography, and HNW bespoke positioning; competes head-to-head for the same UK and international wildlife traveler segment.
• Roar Africa: US-based luxury African safari specialist offering bespoke trips led by celebrity photographer guide guide. Comparable to NWS in premium pricing, Africa focus, photographer-led expeditions, and HNW target market.
• Natural Habitat Adventures: US-based nature and wildlife travel specialist offering small-group expeditions across all seven continents including polar regions, Africa, and Latin America. Directly comparable to NWS on multi-continent wildlife coverage, small-group format, and conservation partnerships.
• &Beyond: Luxury safari operator running owned lodges and tailored itineraries across Africa and Asia, with a strong conservation ethos (Africa Foundation). Comparable to NWS in premium pricing, conservation narrative, and bespoke safari offering, but differentiated by significant owned-asset lodge portfolio.
• Wilderness Safaris: Africa-focused luxury safari operator with extensive owned camp portfolio across Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Comparable to NWS in premium wildlife positioning but is asset-heavy (own camps) versus NWS's asset-light model.
• Singita: Conservation-driven luxury safari brand operating exclusive lodges and tented camps across Africa. Highly comparable to NWS on conservation narrative and HNW clientele, though Singita is vertically integrated into lodge ownership rather than purely a tour operator.
• Asilia Africa: Africa safari operator with own camps across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and South Africa. Comparable to NWS on safari and primate trekking (gorillas/chimps) offerings and premium positioning, with stronger asset base in East Africa.
• Micato Safaris: Family-owned luxury Africa safari operator known for high-touch service and philanthropy tie-ins (Micato One for One). Directly comparable to NWS on bespoke Africa itineraries, premium pricing, and conservation/community giving story.

Broad incumbents

• Abercrombie & Kent: Founded in 1962, A&K is a global luxury travel company offering bespoke wildlife safaris, private journeys, and expedition cruises across Africa, Asia, and the polar regions. Directly comparable to NWS on high-end safari curation and small-group bespoke model, but operates at materially larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Lindblad Expeditions: Public expedition cruise company offering wildlife-focused voyages to polar regions, Galapagos, and remote coasts with National Geographic co-branding. Comparable to NWS on wildlife expedition experiences and National Geographic photographer-leader model, but operates owned ships at larger scale.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NaturalWorldSafaris/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/NaturalWorldSafarisLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/natural-world-safaris
• Instagraminstagram.com/naturalworldsafaris

Compliance1 record

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 Natural World Safaris Ltd