What Our Guests Remember Most About Travelling With Us

Trustpilot currently holds more than 180 reviews of NaturesLens, at the time of writing, with the overwhelming majority awarding five stars. Naturally, we are grateful for every positive rating, but the number of stars is rarely the part of a review that stays with us. What matters far more are the details people choose to mention: the guide who noticed that someone needed help, the local boatman who understood where the light would fall, the driver who repositioned a vehicle for a clearer photograph, the carefully planned itinerary that still had the flexibility to respond when wildlife or weather refused to follow the plan, & the feeling that everyone had been given a fair opportunity to create images they were proud to take home. (Trustpilot)

Those comments matter because they reveal which parts of a NaturesLens photography holiday guests genuinely notice once the trip is over. They are not descriptions written by us for a brochure, nor are they promises made before departure. They are the recollections of photographers looking back on real experiences in places as varied as Fair Isle, Lake Kerkini, Bence Máté’s photography hides in Hungary, the forests of Costa Rica, the reserves of India, the Arctic landscape of Varanger & the night hides of Shompole Wilderness in Kenya.

Why are detailed reviews more meaningful to us than a simple five-star rating?

A five-star rating tells us that someone enjoyed a trip, but a detailed review tells us why. It can reveal whether the itinerary worked as we intended, whether the pace allowed photographers sufficient time with a subject, whether our guides judged correctly when to offer assistance & when to step back, & whether the local specialists on whom we rely helped turn a good location into a genuinely productive photographic experience.

This is why one of the recent reviews of our Atlantic Puffins of Fair Isle photography holiday meant so much to us. The reviewer described Robin as a terrific guide & highlighted not only the photography but also the experience of staying at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, meeting people with an intimate knowledge of the island’s birds & temporarily escaping the pressures of everyday life. (Trustpilot)

Fair Isle is undeniably beautiful, but beauty alone does not make a photography holiday work. Guests must be able to understand where the birds are likely to approach, how the light changes around the colonies & when a location that appears quiet may suddenly become productive. Robin has spent years photographing puffins & other seabirds, & his role is not to dictate how every photograph should look. It is to help each photographer recognise the possibilities, make informed choices & develop their own interpretation of what is unfolding in front of them.

What do reviews of Robin reveal about the kind of guidance photographers value?

Across reviews of Atlantic Puffins of Fair Isle, Comical Puffins of Skomer Island & Puffins of Iceland, which takes place on Grímsey Island, guests repeatedly mention Robin’s ability to combine experienced guidance with the freedom to work independently.

A photographer returning from Skomer described Robin as attentive & generous with his advice while still allowing everyone plenty of opportunity to pursue their own ideas. Another guest, visiting Skomer for their first organised photography workshop, recalled how Robin provided advice on locations & technique based on his experience of photographing puffins on the island, while the wider group also became part of the learning experience. (Trustpilot)

That balance is something of which we are particularly proud. We do not want guests to feel that they are being marched from one predetermined composition to another, all expected to produce identical photographs. Equally, we do not believe that a guide should simply deliver everyone to a location & disappear. Experienced guidance should be available when it is useful, whether someone needs help selecting a lens, interpreting a background, adjusting autofocus behaviour or finding a more productive position, but there should also be room for photographers to experiment, observe & develop their own ideas.

Reviews of our wildlife photography trips to Grímsey reinforce the same point. Guests have praised Robin’s photographic guidance, the organisation before departure, the support involved in reaching the island & the way the guest house becomes part of the experience rather than simply somewhere to sleep. Several reviewers also mention travelling with NaturesLens repeatedly, which is perhaps the clearest indication that the overall approach works for them. (Trustpilot)

Why are we proud when a review mentions care as well as photography?

Wildlife photography holidays can be demanding. There may be long sessions outside, early starts, changing weather, unfamiliar food & occasions when a guest simply needs a little extra help. For that reason, reviews that mention personal care often mean as much to us as those describing spectacular wildlife encounters.

Following our Winter Wildlife of Arctic Varanger photography holiday, one guest praised Alison for being friendly, cheerful & ready to answer photographic questions, but also mentioned that Alison ensured suitable meal alternatives were available whenever something on the menu was unsuitable. The same review remembered the warm accommodation, comfortable beds & hot showers, details that become particularly important after photographing in an Arctic environment. (Trustpilot)

The photographic opportunities matter enormously, but they do not exist in isolation. A guest who is cold, hungry, worried about a dietary requirement or unsure what is happening the following morning will not enjoy the experience in the same way. Alison’s role is therefore broader than helping with camera settings. She is there to make sure the group functions well, individuals feel supported & everyone can concentrate on the reason they travelled to Varanger in the first place.

What do the reviews of Lake Kerkini say about the relationship between a NaturesLens guide & a local specialist?

Our Pelicans of Lake Kerkini & Dalmatian Pelicans of Lake Kerkini photography holidays provide some of the clearest examples of how a NaturesLens guide & an experienced local specialist work together.

Trustpilot reviews frequently name both Alison & our long-standing boatman, Vasilis Arabatzis. Guests have described Alison as creating a supportive & sociable atmosphere while remaining available to discuss lenses, settings, angles & possible approaches. At the same time, they have praised Vasilis for his knowledge of the pelicans, his ability to anticipate their behaviour & his understanding of where to position the boat for changing light, reflections, flight photography & environmental images. (Trustpilot)

This partnership is exactly what we want from a NaturesLens photography holiday. Alison understands what photographers require, how different cameras behave & when someone might benefit from guidance. Vasilis understands Lake Kerkini, its wildlife, its weather & the subtle changes that can determine whether a boat is in an ordinary position or an exceptional one. We have worked with him for well over a decade, & that long relationship brings trust, consistency & a shared understanding of how the trip should operate.

One guest recalled the sunrises, changing colours & reflections encountered during the morning boat sessions, followed by different opportunities from the shoreline later in the day. Another remembered not only Vasilis’s knowledge of the wildlife but also his conversations about the fauna, customs & history of the region. Those observations remind us that the best local specialists contribute far more than transport. They give a photography holiday its sense of place. (Trustpilot)

Why do the reviews of Pui Hang make us particularly proud?

Reviews mentioning Pui Hang often focus on three qualities: careful organisation, calm personal guidance & a determination to ensure that everyone receives a fair photographic opportunity.

Following Hungarian Winter Wildlife at Bence Máté’s farm, guests praised the planning from airport arrival through to departure, the quality of the day & night hides & the way the schedule allowed everyone to experience each session. One photographer had travelled specifically to learn more about working at night with off-camera lighting & wrote that the combination of the hides & Pui Hang’s guidance enabled them to achieve that objective. Another thanked her for ensuring that each photographer received two opportunities in the different sessions rather than allowing the most confident members of the group to dominate the best positions. (Trustpilot)

That is important to us because small-group photography does not automatically become fair simply because there are fewer participants. Positions, hide rotations, vehicle seating & access to specialist setups still need to be managed thoughtfully. A good itinerary should not depend on guests competing with one another, & an experienced guide should notice when someone is repeatedly missing out or might benefit from another attempt.

The same qualities appear in reviews of Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness in Kenya. Guests have praised Pui Hang’s handling of the experience, the care shown towards dietary requirements & the way she guided photographers through demanding night-hide sessions. One repeat traveller, who had already joined more than twenty NaturesLens trips, described the opportunity to spend the night in purpose-built hides as an exceptional way to photograph lions, leopards, elephants, civets, mongooses, jackals, hyenas, zebras & giraffes visiting the water. (Trustpilot)

Shompole is not a conventional safari. It can involve long nights in the hides, interrupted sleep & the need to remain alert when an animal appears without warning. We are proud when guests recognise both the intensity & the reward, because it suggests that we have described the experience honestly & supported them properly once they are there.

Why do local guides, drivers, rangers & boat captains appear so frequently in the reviews?

A NaturesLens guide is always present to look after the photographic experience, but we have never believed that the person carrying the NaturesLens name should pretend to replace local knowledge.

On our former Wildlife of Zimanga photography holiday, guests praised Pui Hang’s care & guidance alongside the knowledge of Tyrone, the local ranger. The reviews describe a combination of photographic support, detailed understanding of the reserve, excellent accommodation & staff who contributed to the entire experience. (Trustpilot)

A review of Sea Otters & Bald Eagles of Alaska similarly singled out “Curly” John, the local captain working in Kachemak Bay. The reviewer explained how John’s understanding of the bay helped the group locate wildlife & use the available light & backgrounds effectively, while the itinerary balanced boat sessions with enough time to process the thousands of images such a trip can produce. (Trustpilot)

Our Breathtaking Bubble-Netting Whales photography holiday generated a comparable observation. One guest wrote about the skill of the boat captains in reading the signs that precede a feeding event, positioning the photographers for lunge-feeding humpbacks & making up time later in the trip when sea conditions prevented one of the planned sessions. (Trustpilot)

These comments matter because they demonstrate why we invest in long-term local relationships. A captain, ranger, driver or boatman who understands photographers can make a profound difference. It is not enough to locate the animal. The vehicle or boat must be positioned with an awareness of light, background, movement, lens angles & the needs of everyone present, while always respecting the wildlife.

What do reviews of Costa Rica tell us about flexibility & teamwork?

Costa Rica is one of the clearest examples of a destination in which many people contribute to a single trip. Our Ultimate Costa Rican Wildlife photography holiday involves a NaturesLens guide working alongside local naturalists, drivers, lodge teams, private reserve owners & specialist photography hosts.

One Trustpilot reviewer described photographing every bird included on the itinerary, plus unexpected species such as a male Black-crested Coquette, as well as reptiles & mammals. More significantly from an organisational perspective, the reviewer remembered that contingency plans were available when wet weather affected the programme. (Trustpilot)

Another guest, joining David & Ian on their first substantial wildlife photography experience, specifically named local guide Jose & driver Tony. They praised Jose’s knowledge of Costa Rican birds, wildlife & locations, while describing Tony as a delightful presence throughout the journey. They also noted that unexpected difficulties were handled efficiently & that the group size of six worked well. (Trustpilot)

Those are precisely the comments we hope to receive from Costa Rica. We may design the itinerary & place a NaturesLens guide on the ground, but the experience depends upon people who know the country intimately. Tony’s driving, Jose’s field knowledge & the work of the many other local people with whom we collaborate are not peripheral services. They are part of the trip.

Why are we proud when reviewers acknowledge that wildlife photography can be difficult?

Not every meaningful review says that everything was easy. Some of the most useful explain that the experience required patience, effort or physical resilience.

A guest reviewing Brown Bears of Finland praised the close encounters, varied settings & playful cubs while also being candid about overnight hides, basic toilet arrangements & the need for a good sleep afterwards. They nevertheless concluded that the experience was unquestionably worthwhile & praised guides Johnny Södergård & Anna Wikén. (Trustpilot)

Another photographer noted that spending around fourteen hours in the hides was not for the faint-hearted, but regarded that commitment as necessary for serious photographers seeking the best images. (Trustpilot)

We value that honesty. Wildlife photography is not improved by pretending that every experience is effortless. Long sessions, uncomfortable positions & unpredictable subjects are sometimes part of creating exceptional images. Our responsibility is to describe those realities accurately, make the conditions as manageable as possible & ensure that the photographic possibilities justify the commitment being asked of our guests.

What does the Majestic Bengal Tigers of India review reveal about small groups?

A detailed review of Majestic Bengal Tigers of India described a group of six led by Pui Hang & supported by local manager Vedant, together with an experienced team of naturalists & drivers in Bandhavgarh. The guest highlighted that only two photographers travelled in each jeep, providing room to work without obstructing one another, while the local team’s knowledge of wildlife behaviour & the reserve helped place the vehicles effectively for photography. (Trustpilot)

That review captures why group size cannot be treated as a marketing number in isolation. Six guests may sound small, but the important question is how those people are distributed in the field. Two photographers in a safari vehicle can change the entire experience, giving each person space for equipment, clearer shooting angles & the ability to react when a tiger changes direction.

We have worked with trusted drivers, guides & fixers in Bandhavgarh for more than a decade. Their experience is fundamental to both Majestic Bengal Tigers of India & Tigers of Bandhavgarh, because they understand not only where tigers may be found but how photographers need a vehicle to be positioned once an encounter begins.

Why does repeat travel mean more to us than almost anything else?

Several Trustpilot reviewers mention that they have travelled with NaturesLens repeatedly. Some describe a third or fourth trip, while others have joined us more than twenty times. One guest reviewing our Hungary trips wrote that they had travelled with us for several years, had never returned home disappointed & had already booked again. (Trustpilot)

Repeat travel does not mean that every trip has been identical or that every wildlife encounter has gone perfectly. It means that guests trust us to be honest about what a destination offers, to choose people who will look after them, to respond when circumstances change & to keep photography at the centre of the experience.

Perhaps the Trustpilot comment that best summarises what we hope to achieve came from a retired professional photographer. He praised the effort made to help guests create photographs they could be proud of, the quality of the local guides & the commitment to ethical & sustainable behaviour. (Trustpilot)

We are proud of that review not because it declares NaturesLens to be better than anyone else, but because it recognises the standards we try to apply when building & running every trip.

What do these Trustpilot reviews ultimately say about NaturesLens?

Taken together, the reviews suggest that guests remember far more than the headline species. They remember Robin recognising when advice would help & when a photographer should be allowed to work alone. They remember Alison creating a supportive atmosphere in Varanger & at Lake Kerkini. They remember Pui Hang carefully managing hide rotations in Hungary, guiding night photography at Shompole & looking after guests at Zimanga & in the Maasai Mara. They remember David & Ian adapting to difficult weather in Japan, local naturalists & drivers finding workable positions in Bandhavgarh, & people such as Vasilis, Tony, Jose, Tyrone & “Curly” John contributing knowledge that could never be reproduced from an office.

They also remember comfortable rooms after difficult sessions, meals adapted around dietary needs, transport that works, time to process images, help when circumstances change & the companionship of a small group of people who have travelled for the same reason.

Those are the reviews of which we are proudest because they describe the NaturesLens we have always intended to build: a company in which a NaturesLens guide is present & accountable throughout, trusted local specialists are treated as essential members of the team, photography shapes the itinerary, guests are given time & space to work, & the success of a holiday is measured not only by what was seen but by how people were treated while they were trying to photograph it.

• NaturesLens trips are designed around photographic opportunity - schedules, positions, & access are all structured to give you the best light.
• Groups of 4 - 8 photographers ensure unhurried access & individual guidance.
• Single occupancy is included as standard on the majority of our wildlife photography holidays.