What we do
A simple tented camp in a hidden corner of Africa, the fresh track of a Bengal tiger in the jungles of Central India, a trek with Berber guides whose family have walked High Atlas paths for generations.
Natural High is defined by wilderness experiences that make the heart sing. We travel extensively, know our destinations intimately and select only those places on which we’re prepared to stake our reputation.
Experience has shown us that luxury is all in the context. We offer you intelligent simplicity rather than the distraction of misplaced glitz.
Each of us at Natural High has unrivalled experience of living, working or planning trips to the far-flung places we visit. We’ve worked with many of our guides and partners since we (and they) started out 30 years ago and we bring this collective knowledge to bear when it comes to planning your safari.
+ Read More
Where we go
We began in Africa and it remains our heartland.
But today – drawn by an insatiable obsession with the world’s wild places – we hand-pick stellar wilderness experiences round the world, from the steppes of Asia to the jungles of South America and the intense polar landscapes of the High Arctic.
We place simple quality at the heart of everything we do, the very best guides remarkable wilderness locations and extraordinary encounters with wildlife.
When you combine these elements with the light-touch approach that is our hallmark we think you’ll understand what we mean by Natural High.
+ Read More
A place of travel inspiration
We have recently transformed our office with the exciting addition of The Travel Book Company, a specialist travel book shop.
We have created a place of inspiration that takes a lifetime of travel, distilled into a place to lose yourself in travel of all kinds, from reading about travel to planning your next escape.
The absolute best way to discuss travel is face to face. So why not pop over and see us – enjoy our beautiful bookshop, stay for a cup of coffee and pour over the maps in our beautiful green-oak office in the heart of the Dorset countryside. Our team will be delighted to talk about travel anytime.
why travel withNatural High
We’ve been organizing proper travel for more than 20 years so with us you get genuine experience and understanding
We assemble every last detail of your itinerary making sure it runs like clockwork and until you’re happy we won’t ask for a dime.
In a world of confusing choices we’ll work to get the best value for your money. It’s why our clients keep coming back for more.
We’re ATOL bonded. Once you’ve booked, the price won’t change, even if the exchange rate does.
We take full responsibility for every aspect of your itinerary from the minute you book to your return.
MEET OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS
Sara Willis
Antarctica and Latin America Expert
Her childhood being rather tame on the travel front, at 18 Sara was thrown in at the deep end when a zoology degree transported her from the relative comfort of Oxford to a fishing village on a remote Madagascan island. Here she spent 3 months not finding the turtles she was looking for but having her eyes opened to the joys that the wider world had to offer. A stint studying less elusive coral reefs off Tanzania and 18 months back-packing around Asia sent her tumbling into a job in travel, and she has never looked back.
Although still very passionate about Asia and Africa, a rather reckless friend suggested a trip to Colombia in the early 90s. Despite finding it distinctly more edgy then than it is now, Sara’s head was turned by the delightful people, the lush jungles and the magnificent Andes. She has continued to explore Latin America ever since, her personal highlights being the Galapagos Islands, the salt flats of Bolivia, the Brazilian Pantanal and southern Patagonia. She finally fell off the end of the continent and found herself heading for Antarctica, a spell binding place to which she has recently returned and loves to chat to clients about.
More recently she has enjoyed showing the world to her family – an excuse for a fourth trip to the Galapagos, hiking in the remoter parts of Chile and a very memorable 3-month sabbatical to Brazil, Easter Island, French Polynesia, Australia and Borneo.
+ Read More
Gillian Aram
Asia Specialist
An incurable traveller, Gill set off to Australia with a pack on her back while still in her teens. Working to fund her exploration of the Far East and South East Asia, Gill turned her hand to varied roles from cocktail waitress in a Japanese casino to running backpacker hostels.
Returning to London in her twenties, Gill joined the more formal world of travel through public relations before joining one of the capital’s top safari specialists – where she rose through the ranks to become a director. Motherhood clipped her wings somewhat, but as the shackles of childcare loosen, she is travelling far and wide once more.
Gill likes to specialize in the obscure and unheralded – in her mind there’s no trip too tricky, in fact she sees it as challenge to be conquered.
+ Read More
Vanessa Janion
Africa and South America specialist
A strong artistic flair is probably the reason Vanessa has such an affinity for Morocco.
Her sense of style is evident in the artefacts she emerges with from her forays into the souks of Marrakech or the Poterie De Fes where mosaic craftsmen still create zellij mosaics in a centuries-old tradition. In the past 20 years she’s lived in Egypt, India and Kenya (where she once narrowly avoided landing her entire family in prison for overtaking the presidential motorcade). She has explored from the streets of Asmara, locked in a time warp from 1930s Italy, to the remote wilderness of Svalbard in the High Arctic.
Vanessa’s extensive travel experience and expertise spans from Latin America to Africa and she frequently travels with her own family. She enjoys nothing more than the chance to experience wilderness and nature through the eyes of her children.
+ Read More
Catherine Ronan
Africa Specialist
Rumour has it that Catherine used to be a spy. We find that slightly hard to believe as she likes nothing more than to divulge her travel secrets and infect other people with her enthusiasm.
Catherine is one of the most widely travelled people you’re likely to meet and has an enduring love for Africa where she knows – and is known by – everyone. She has a particular affinity for the people and landscapes of the harsh desert regions, from the Samburu in Northern Kenya to the Bushmen of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans.
Most recently, Catherine has relished the time she spent with the tribes of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley where she ventured way off the beaten track with a mobile camp. For Catherine travel is a heady mix of excitement and adventure. She brings with her an ebullient sense of fun mixed with a meticulous eye for detail.
+ Read More
Olly Williams
Arctic expedition outfitter
Arctic expert and yin to Natural High’s African yang
For the past 30 years Olly has worked in remote Arctic, desert, ocean and jungle habitats, tracking and painting endangered predators and their prey as part of the collaborative art duo known as Olly & Suzi. Their works of art are held in both museum and private collections worldwide including the Damien Hirst collection, the UBS collection and the Natural History Museum in London.
Olly’s years of field experience have equipped him with the skills to offer a diverse array of unique Arctic and wilderness experiences. He is passionately involved with helping to implement and fund pioneering conservation initiatives in these habitats. The expertise of Olly’s local guide network is peerless and his longstanding trusted relationships provide incredible locally verified “ground-truth”. Olly joined the Natural High team in 2018. He lives with his family in West Sussex and his own arctic cabin, named ‘Bear’s Nest’ built in a sacred mystical area called Outavaara, Sami for ‘a place where anything can happen’.
+ Read More
Rod Tether
Africa Specialist
Expert guide, born and raised in wild Africa.
Born in Uganda and guiding since the age of 17, his spiritual home remains Zambia’s North Luangwa where he and his wife Guz created and ran the fabulous Kutandala Camp for more than a decade before their children necessitated a move to “civilisation”. Here the emphasis was firmly on walking and slow immersion in the wild; a philosophy that remains central to Rod’s approach today.
Since Luangwa, he’s been travelling to far-flung wild parts of Africa, always seeking out new adventures and destinations. In recent years Rod has been exploring across Africa, from Chad to Madagascar via Congo-Brazaville and the DRC. Rod’s a passionate all-round naturalist and now uses his unsurpassed knowledge and huge network of contacts to create the perfect safari.
+ Read More
Jemma Loveridge
Riding Safari Specialist
Having ridden all her life in a variety of countries, Jemma is always seeking the ultimate horseback adventure.
Riding in Africa in the mesmerising landscapes of the Masai Mara with the Big Five or witnessing the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti Plains or journeying through the Namib desert are exceptionally incredible safaris.
Jemma frequently travels with her husband and three children. They all ride and have experienced some magical moments as a family on horseback. It is a truly unique experience. Jemma hopes that her next riding safari adventure will be with her family in Botswana experiencing Okavango’s wildlife and beauty.
+ Read More
Into The Wild Brochure
Need some more inspiration? Request a copy of Into The Wild, our comprehensive anthology of safaris and wilderness travel.
A print anthology of safari and wilderness travel with over 220 pages of travel inspiration.
