“We went with Natoura Voyage for a 10 day trip to the Pantanal in Brazil with the hope of seeing a jaguar.
Along with Barry we had Iolo Williams and a local guide Doug who’s knowledge not only got us a Jaguar sighthing on the first day but got us 6 sightings in total.
Along with the jackpot Jaguar sightings we also saw an abundance of animals including giant anteater, macaws, giant otters, anacondas and too many others to name.
The boat trips along the river were the highlight of holiday for us. Whilst on the main river we picked up the speed which brought much needed relief from the heat to then gentle cruising along the tributaries watching kingfishers, herons and caiman.
Special accommodations were made for us for our vegan diets and Barry and Iolo always made sure guests comfort was taken care of.
We were in a lovely small group of people and we have all kept in touch after such a wonderful experience together and it was an adventure we will never forget. We are looking forward to booking the next one.”

The Pantanal trip put together by Natoura provided a wonderful opportunity for wildlife viewing and photography, guided by Barry, Iolo and an experienced local guide . The core of the trip was based on the Cuiaba River at Porto Jofre, where a four night stay gave the group plenty of time to explore the waterways of the Pantanal in comfortable and spacious speedboats that gave good all-round visibility for all of the group (fourteen plus guides). The area did not disappoint, with half a dozen jaguar sightings, including one swimming across the river in front of our boat, giant otters both in and out of the water and an incredible variety of birdlife (particularly birds of prey and kingfishers). Either side of this stay, we broke up the journey along the Transpantaneira Highway from Cuiaba by staying at different lodges on the way down and coming back. This was an excellent plan, as travelling along the road itself gives almost continuous sightings of birds and other wildlife and the itinerary allowed us to take some time to enjoy this. Both were working ranches that exposed us to a more savannah type landscape and included excellent night drives. The highlight was seeing an early morning giant anteater carrying its young on its back, but there was a lot more to enjoy. There was very little time when there wasn’t photographic opportunities, as even when we were not out on drives or river trips, all three lodges had considerable wildlife around their grounds and surrounding area. The food consisted of excellent, varied and plentiful buffets at all three. All in all, a fabulous experience with a marvellous group of people in an area that is incredible for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.

The Gambia Birdwatching tour was amazing: by the end of the first day alone I believe we had seen around 80 different birds. We were in very safe hands with Barry and Iolo – who were not only exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced leaders, but also placed great emphasis on the wellbeing and enjoyment of all group members: temperatures in The Gambia were unusually high during our stay and Iolo and Barry adjusted the schedule to account for this, and ensured that we were always well hydrated and had plenty of time for rest and relaxation following our birdwatching trips. Our local guides Dembo and Ida also worked tirelessly to optimise our bird sightings.
The hotel rooms, though dated in décor, were very clean and adequate for this type of trip – the (kingsize) bed was very comfortable, and the shower and air-con were good. The breakfasts and lunches prepared for us during our day trips were delicious (I particularly enjoyed the Gambian peanut and curry sauces). While travelling to the reserves in our minibus we were able to get a feel for Gambian culture and the social, economic and environmental factors affecting Gambian people. The group size was ideal and my travelling companions could not have been more warm, considerate, passionate about nature and fun to be with.
Favourite memories include:
• Our early morning pirogue boat trip on Lamin Creek – so tranquil, gliding along the surface of the water. We spotted a wide variety of birds – including malachite, pygmy and giant kingfishers
• Our forest, coastal and wetland walks – where we encountered owls (large and small), nightjars, bee-eaters, Abyssinian rollers, sunbirds, glossy starlings, orioles, thick knees, whimbrel, pied kingfishers, spoonbills, darters, sacred ibis , jacana, osprey – to name but a very few …
• Suddenly and unexpectedly encountering at proximity – hidden in a small copse of trees – a wake of vultures devouring a goat’s carcass
• With our lovely group – at the end of a very hot walk – sipping grapefruit juice freshly squeezed for us by local small-businessman Daouda, in his delightful beach-hut refreshment centre
…. all lovely memories that will stay with me. I have no hesitation in recommending Natoura Voyage, and the leadership of Barry and Iolo, to other wildlife travellers.

Barry put so much effort into perfecting this amazing safari. We stayed in luxury in the wilds of Africa, our lodges were beautiful & our evening meals were wonderful sitting together enjoying the African evening with all its sounds! We enjoyed our sundowners with many a Gin & Tonic in the most amazing places such as on The Okovanko River & Erongo Wilderness lodge. We saw amazing wildlife at Etosha Game Reserve & an evening watching elephants & rhinos at the watering hole. Our party included Iolo Williams, wildlife presenter,his knowledge was a amazing & I look forward to seeing him again on our Zambia trip in 2019. Barry was with us in Namibia & Botswana & certainly provided the personal touch & ensured we were all happy with the itinerary.

Although we were initially slightly hesitant about booking such a trip with a small company rather than one of the well known tour operators, our misgivings were completely misplaced and our expectations were exceeded in every way. The quality of the accommodation and food was never less than very good, mostly excellent, and on several occasions outstanding, and the mix of styles between the various locations was appreciated. The expertise of Iolo, Barry and Nick as guides was really invaluable. and we were able to gain an insight into both the wildlife and the countries themselves which we think would have been impossible, to get elsewhere. Highlights are really too many to mention, but watching rhinos and elephants into the night at the main Etosha waterhole, and seeing lions stalking giraffes at a waterhole in that park, are notable memories. The trips on the Okavango river in small boats (accompanied by G&Ts on occasion…) were also wonderful experiences. Apart from this, all the travel and accommodation arrangements worked perfectly, and we felt in good hands throughout the trip. In all, we can’t recommend the trip highly enough.

It is hard to think of anything about this safari that could have been better. It was our first safari so we had high hopes and certainly weren’t disappointed. The accommodation was all high quality, everything was well organised, the guiding from Nick, Iolo and Barry was a great mixture of informative but also fun and we had the the most amazing wildlife sightings. We would definitely recommend a trip with Natoura Voyage and will certainly be booking another.

A truly memorable, outstanding safari. It was well organized, with care and consideration given to the accommodation chosen for each location we stayed. Plenty of wildlife on offer, especially birds. Nick, the local guide was informative and engaging with his vast knowledge. I would definitely recommend a trip with Natoura Voyage, and I would go again too – and hopefully the leopard would not be hiding from us next time! Many thanks to Barry for all the arrangements.

Once again Barry and the team put together the perfect blend of real hands-on safari with superb accommodation in which to relax after a long day’s wildlife viewing.There is something quite moving about walking in rainforest that has lain untouched for thousands of years one day, and being nudged by a turtle that has come to investigate while you are snorkelling the next! Sri Lanka may not have the obvious density of wildlife to be found in Africa, but there is something more subtle about what it does have to offer. That and the charming people, vibrant townships and glorious diverse landscapes mean I shall be returning!