Why Travel With Discovery Initiatives?

Discovery Initiatives was founded in 1997, as a travel company dedicated to supporting nature, wildlife and conservation through responsible wildlife tourism and our aim is simple – to offer you exceptional wildlife holidays that you can’t find anywhere else.

As award winning pioneers in responsible travel, we have formed unique partnerships over the years with some of worlds leading conservation organizations and many home-grown initiatives, allowing a few select clients a privileged insight into the natural world not possible through conventional tourism

With a network of contacts and experts across the globe, our tours give you the chance to explore some of the most exciting destinations on the planet, alongside many of the best specialists in their field.

As we take an active and leading role in advocating ways to find better and more sustainable business, environmental and social practices, by joining our tours, you are providing the economic, ethical and environmental incentives to conserve such areas for future generations.

The future of tourism and travel needs to change. We aim to challenge the conventional approach to wildlife and wilderness travel and it is through people like you joining our tours that this can be achieved.

Why Join Us?

Quality Personal Service
Every client is looked after by one consultant committed to offering you a very personal service. They will remain your point of contact, both before, during and after your trip and are happy to answer any questions or queries that you might have. In turn, each consultant is supported by an experienced and professional administration team, many of whom have travelled extensively themselves.

Recognition
Rather than beat our own drum, the fact that 70% of our business is repeat and referral is, for us, the highest endorsement we could have.

Financial Protection
Discovery Initiatives is a fully bonded tour operator that complies with the Civil Aviation Authority bonding conditions of the UK, which fully guarantees your money in the unlikely event of us going out of business before you depart on holiday. Our ATOL number is 6945.

In addition, all accommodation-only bookings (hotels, lodges, boats excluding international flights)) are also financially protected with payments held in a separate trust account, in accordance with the Package Travel Regulations Act 1992.

Specialist Knowledge

Our staff have travelled extensively throughout their regions and in many cases have lived and worked there to, so you can rely on their first hand knowledge and enthusiasm. They are some of the most experienced staff in the industry and will tell you about those little visited regions and introduce you to charismatic guides - those little extra qualities that make your holiday both unique and special.

We insist that they regularly visit the regions they cover, forming new partnerships and strengthening established ones, keeping abreast of all issues relating to travel and wildlife and discovering new areas and places to stay.

Quality Local Support
Like many tour operators, we subcontract the ground handling and logistics to a third party in the country of destination. The essence is to find a ground handler who has the same ethos as oneself so that clients are looked after in the way in which we would want them to be looked after. With years of experience and knowledge we have built up many longstanding relationships with our agents, ensuring that they deliver the level of service that our clients expect and that we demand – and that goes beyond the conventional.

The quality of your guide can make the difference between a good trip and an outstanding one. The guides we use have been picked by us, or by our local representatives, as the best available and great care has been taken over their training, expertise and knowledge – they are the key to a successful trip and offer a real insight into their country. Some may even welcome you into their home and many Discovery Initiatives clients do keep in contact long after they return home to continue to support their work.

It is little extras and personalised touches like these on the ground that make your holiday with us both distinctive and individual.

24 Hour Emergency Support
We have a 24 hour emergency service to give you added security and peace of mind. In the unlikely event of an emergency we are contactable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

British Airways
Steppes Travel
Have you heard about our sister company Steppes Travel? Founded in 1989, Steppes Travel is a specialist in tailor made journeys and luxury holidays to the more exotic locations in the world, including Africa, the East, Latin America and the Polar Regions. Their aim is to design luxury holidays that are tailor made to your requirements, by creating imaginative itineraries, which, while including the highlights of any country, will additionally take you off the beaten track to see lesser known, but equally interesting places not frequented by large numbers of tourists. Please give the team at Steppes Travel a call on 01285 880980 or visit the informative website www.steppestravel.co.uk.