Interview With Will Bolsover – Natural World Safaris

Over the last two months we've been looking at adventure travel and ecotourism – two branches of the industry that are evolving with the times. Transparency, and business and environmental ethics are starting to play a more prominent role in the success and reputation of any tour travel company that claims to offer an authentic holiday package. In sticking with this, we caught up with Will Bolsover, Managing Director of Natural World Safaris, to talk about his company and its ethical strategies.

Essential Travel: Can you tell us a bit about Natural World Safaris - how the idea to specialise in wildlife adventures started?

Will Bosover: At Natural World Safaris we specialise in the Natural World, not just wildlife adventures. Originally we set up as a niche operator known as World Primate Safaris, then branching out to include further niche brands such as World Big Cat Safaris, World Bear Safaris and Human World Safaris. Late in 2012 we decided to combine all of these specialist niche brands under the name of Natural World Safaris making us the only natural world experts in the travel arena.

At Natural World Safaris we create journeys into the extraordinary from tracking snow leopards in Ladakh, admiring the northern lights of the north, marvelling at the big game of the African plains, exploring the oceans of the frozen Arctic and Antarctic and wandering the jungles of Costa Rica. As ex-guides, lodge managers and having lived in the destinations we sell we have that intimate destination knowledge that is essential when designing tailor-made safaris.

Essential Travel: What makes Natural World Safaris a better alternative to a traditional resort?

Will Bosover: We tailor make all of our safaris to meet our clients individual requirements. From preferred dates of travel, standard of accommodation, number of days travelling, preferred areas of interest and budget, we handcraft all of our safaris to meet exact client requirements. At Natural World Safaris it is not about brass bath taps, it is about putting our clients in the right place at the right time to maximise their safari experience.

Essential Travel: What are some of the challenges you face when offering clients a holiday to such beautiful, natural destinations and still keeping it eco-friendly and beneficial to local communities?

Will Bosover: Nowadays people expect western standards of service throughout their travels; this really does go against the grain as travel should be about experiencing new cultures, geographies, climates, people, wildlife...not just about settling into your everyday western standards of comfort in an alternative location. Along these lines, we always try to use local guides, locally run lodges and local expertise. On occasions this is tricky as local guides do not always speak perfect English! We always try to include projects where we make contributions towards the local communities whether this is with the Snow Leopard Conservancy in India, the mountain gorilla vets in Rwanda, the Kianjavato Lemur Project in Madagascar, etc.

Essential Travel: Ecotourists and activists are quick to point fingers at tour operators for setting up operations that aren't always good for the environment, but the responsibility should also lie with tourists. How can people who want to go on holiday make sure that their money is going to a company that really cares?

Will Bosover: Speak to the company, see what projects its supports, see which areas it visits, check which lodges it uses. All of these are tell-tale signs as to what the ethics of the tour operator are. Or, just pick up the phone and ask them!

Essential Travel: Okay, on to something lighter. What is your favourite destination and why?

Will Bosover: Madagascar – still completely undiscovered on the travel “circuit”. The sheer diversity of wildlife, people, geography, climate - it is just a magical place that even today is still discovering new species!