Awards, Media & Press

Outside spotlighted Terra & Tu Cultural Journeys’ A Greek Odyssey itinerary in a story on real-world filming locations featured in Christopher Nolan’s latest film. Following our work with the journalist, the article highlights the new 10-day itinerary launching in 2027, noting that it gives travelers the opportunity to “dive into the myth-steeped landscapes” of Arcadia and the Peloponnese while exploring destinations connected to the story of Odysseus.

Travel + Leisure featured insights from Nat Hab Chief Sustainability Officer Court Whelan in a story on Northeast Greenland National Park. The article explores the region’s extreme remoteness and limited infrastructure, and includes Court’s commentary in a section on responsible travel. He emphasizes the importance of conservation-led tourism in fragile polar environments and discusses the visible effects of climate change in Greenland.

USA Today also spotlighted Nat Hab’s Kingdom of the Monarchs Women’s Journey in a roundup of the best women-only travel experiences for 2026–2027. Building on our work with the journalist for a TourScoop story, the article highlights how the six-day itinerary in Mexico’s Central Highlands allows women to “witness something truly magical” during the annual monarch butterfly migration. It also features immersive experiences such as horseback riding through oyamel fir forests.

USA Today and more than 35 local publications spotlighted Nat Hab’s northern lights experiences in a story on the growing “learning vacation” travel trend. The article highlights how Nat Hab pairs aurora viewing with meaningful cultural experiences, including conversations with “local dog mushers about Metis culture or a local First Nations artist.”

Forbes spotlighted Earthwatch Expeditions by Nat Hab in a story on participatory science travel, highlighting how guests can join Ph.D. scientists on 13 itineraries spanning polar regions and tropical ecosystems. Featured experiences include tracking polar bears on the Hudson Bay tundra and monitoring leatherback sea turtle nests in Costa Rica. The article explains how “travelers are assisting scientists by helping to collect data that contributes to long-term environmental research” and highlights Earthwatch’s work since 1971. Quotes from Renata Haas lead the story, emphasizing that “participatory science gives everyday people the opportunity to actively contribute to meaningful scientific research and conservation work happening around the world.”

AFAR spotlighted Nat Hab’s Alaska Grizzly Photo Expedition in a story on the best U.S. national park experiences and outdoor expeditions. In the Katmai National Park section, Nat Hab is highlighted for taking travelers interested in photography to “remote parts of Alaska’s biodiverse backcountry” on a small-group, ship-based itinerary led by naturalists and wildlife photographers.

AFAR spotlighted Nat Hab’s Women’s Journeys in a story on the rise of ‘adventure knitting’ and the growth of women-focused adventure travel. The journalist highlights ‘major operators’ leveraging the trend, including Nat Hab, and how women can “follow polar bears through Arctic Canada.”

WIRED Magazine published a feature story on Earthwatch Expeditions, with journalist Rachel Cernasky diving into the company’s work in the Amazon, including insights from biologist Richard Bodmer and his research along the Yarapa River. The story highlights how Earthwatch Expeditions has entered a new agreement with Natural Habitat Adventures that will work to continue reducing impacts and adding innovative ways to explore

Los Angeles Times & 45+ local publications spotlighted commentary from Natural Habitat Adventures’ Digital Marketing Coordinator, Megan Brief, in a story on the rise of AI-generated wildlife content, with insights on how the videos can mislead viewers on safe wildlife interactions and distort perceptions of animal behavior and conservation urgency.

Reader’s Digest spotlighted Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp in a story exploring the growing travel trend of “deadzoning,” or intentionally unplugging while on vacation to fully disconnect and recharge. The story highlights immersive travel experiences in off-grid zones.

Virtuoso’s May/June 2026 issue spotlighted Nat Hab’s Mongolia itinerary in their cover story on exploring eagle hunters, nomadic traditions and horsemanship across Mongolia’s steppe and Gobi Desert. In the 'Make for Mongolia’ section, Nat Hab’s trip is highlighted as a top way to visit, exploring “untamed landscapes and wildlife.”

Virtuoso included Natural Habitat Adventures on its 2026 Impact List, recognizing 26 companies leading sustainability in travel. Nat Hab was highlighted in the “Sustain Wildlife” category for its Kingdom of the Monarchs itinerary in Mexico, noting its role in supporting conservation efforts and local communities while offering access to the monarch butterfly migration.

Travel Weekly covered Natural Habitat Adventures’ launch of 13 itineraries under the rebranded Earthwatch Expeditions by Nat Hab. The article highlights the trips’ focus on participatory science, with travelers joining researchers in fieldwork that supports ecosystem health and threatened wildlife. Examples include monitoring sea turtle nests in Costa Rica and tracking species such as orcas. Nat Hab Founder Ben Bressler is quoted, noting Earthwatch’s long-standing role in connecting travelers with scientific research and a shared focus on conservation.

TravelPulse included Natural Habitat Adventures in an Earth Day roundup highlighting how the travel industry supports conservation. The feature spotlights Nat Hab’s “conservation through exploration” mission, noting its global conservation work, carbon-neutral operations, partnership with WWF and more than $50 million contributed to biodiversity protection. The article references initiatives such as monarch butterfly conservation and community-based projects.

National Geographic Traveler included Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp in a feature on Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, highlighting the company’s bear-viewing experience on Cook Inlet.

Luxury Check In featured Nat Hab in a roundup of luxury small-group tours in Europe, noting its expansion into cultural travel through Terra & Tu, including itineraries in Italy’s Piedmont region.

TravelPulse highlighted Nat Hab’s Photo Expeditions in a story on the “skillcation” travel trend, noting the company’s range of trips designed to help travelers build photography skills while capturing wildlife and natural phenomena.

Nat Hab’s Women’s Journeys were spotlighted on Yahoo! Creators in a piece about the growing trend of women-only travel experiences. The article notes that Natural Habitat Adventures launched these women-only, small-group nature trips in 2023 and has since expanded capacity in response to strong demand.

A Travel + Leisure feature highlights Nat Hab’s work developing alternative safari destinations that pair strong conservation initiatives with exceptional wildlife viewing. Senior Adventure Specialist Wendy Klausner comments on growing interest in these experiences, with Nat Hab’s Pantanal itineraries in Brazil, Himalayan snow leopard expeditions and the Ultimate Australia Safari cited as leading examples.

"Trips like these have been taking off as tour operators, including Natural Habitat, have partnered with nonprofits to preserve ecosystems and use tourism dollars to support both local people and wildlife. These rewilding efforts, which aim to reintroduce marquee species to rehabilitated environments, have the added bonus of making animal encounters more likely, Klausner says."

Reader’s Digest spotlighted Nat Hab’s wide range of Women’s Journeys in a roundup of the biggest travel trends for 2026, emphasizing the rise of women-centered travel and growing demand for female-focused travel experiences.

Sierra Magazine highlighted Natural Habitat Adventures in a story about making responsible travel decisions that create positive impact, noting that travelers on Nat Hab trips gain insight into how the species they encounter can be protected and preserved.

Condé Nast Traveller (U.K.) spotlighted Nat Hab in a feature on Brazil’s Pantanal, adapted from the print story in the U.S. September/October issue. The article highlights the Pantanal as one of the world’s most biodiverse wetland regions and recommends Nat Hab as an operator for immersive journeys there, citing the company as a trusted resource for responsible ecotourism experiences.

Condé Nast Traveler featured Nat Hab’s Ultimate Yellowstone & Grand Teton Safari in a roundup of the world’s best safari destinations outside Africa. The story highlights Yellowstone as the “North American Serengeti” and recommends Nat Hab’s trip as a premier way to experience it, with expert guides leading wildlife viewing opportunities for bison, wolves, grizzlies and more.

Global Traveler magazine’s 2026 travel trends report included Nat Hab under the theme of “experiential travel,” citing growing demand for wildlife-focused journeys and conservation-driven adventures.

Cool Material featured Nat Hab’s Great Amazon River Expedition in a roundup of the world’s best remote places to kayak, following journalist Brandon Withrow’s visit. The story highlights Nat Hab’s guided experiences in the Amazon, noting expert local insight, knowledgeable naturalist guides and immersive small-group exploration.

James Barrett shared his experience on Nat Hab’s Tundra Lodge Adventure in Churchill, Manitoba, on Yahoo Creators . The pieces recount his multi-day stay on the tundra during peak polar bear season, highlighting close polar bear encounters from custom Polar Rovers led by Nat Hab’s expert guides and the company’s focus on responsible, low-impact wildlife viewing.

Natural Habitat Adventures is recognized by Condé Nast Traveler as a top recommended operator in Brazil’s Pantanal—one of the world’s best places to see jaguars.

Nat Hab's Kingdom of the Monarchs Adventure in Mexico was featured on Bloomberg's Where to Go in 2026 list. The article highlights Nat Hab as a key tour operator partnering with local communities to support culturally immersive butterfly experiences, including collaborations tied to Indigenous heritage and conservation-focused tourism in Michoacán.

Nat Hab's Premier Polar Bear Adventure was featured on Esquire. It spotlights Nat Hab’s conservation-led approach to wildlife encounters, emphasizing the prioritization of polar bear protection, respectful viewing practices and ethical travel standards that balance meaningful guest experiences with long-term wildlife preservation.

Nat Hab was highlighted in Fodor's 2026 Go List in the Africa & the Middle East section, which spotlights Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Stemming from journalist Geena Truman’s visit to the conservancy with Nat Hab last year, the list describes Ol Pejeta as Kenya’s most impressive wildlife destination and highlights how Nat Hab takes travelers on rhino-focused safaris within Africa’s largest Black Rhino Sanctuary in partnership with WWF.

Sherman’s Travel spotlighted Nat Hab in a story on the best land tours to experience the 2026 solar eclipse. The article highlights Nat Hab’s 11-day Iceland itinerary, noting the three August departure dates that coincide with the eclipse, including visits to prime viewing spots and expert photo guidance during eclipse viewing.

AFAR spotlighted Nat Hab in a story about the most responsible bear-viewing tours in North America, highlighting our Alaska Grizzly Ship adventure in Katmai National Park. Stemming from journalist Susan Portnoy’s visit, the story includes quotes from Nat Hab Expedition Leader Shawn Eggleston and highlights how travelers explore the park's coastline aboard the Ursus, with opportunities for uninterrupted bear viewing.

The West Australian featured Nat Hab’s Churchill’s Belugas, Polar Bears & Arctic Wildlife adventure. The story centers on the opportunity to see both polar bears and belugas in Churchill during the summer with Nat Hab, and includes quotes from Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eleanor Edye.

Cool Material highlighted Natural Habitat Adventures in its roundup of top Canadian outdoor destinations. The piece spotlighted Churchill, Manitoba, for polar bear and beluga encounters, and praised Nat Hab’s sustainability initiatives, including offsetting emissions and covering guests’ annual carbon footprint on climate-focused trips.

Parade featured Nat Hab in its Fall 2025 travel trends story, spotlighting the growing popularity of phototourism and noting our expanded Photo Expedition collection.

Anderson Cooper interviewed Nat Hab's Chief Sustainability Officer, Court Whelan, on 60 Minutes, journeying to Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to document the monarchs' unique migration phenomenon and the work being done to protect the forests where they spend each winter.

Robb Report covered the rise of single-animal safaris, including Natural Habitat Adventures, from journalist Gaby Kiedrling ahead of her polar bear trip. The piece spotlighted Nat Hab’s demand for gorilla trekking, tiger quests, monarch butterfly journeys and giant panda expeditions.

Outside Magazine spotlighted Nat Hab’s Churchill trips in its northern lights guide, featuring insights from a Nat Hab Expedition Leader.

The Toronto Star featured Nat Hab’s Churchill’s Belugas, Polar Bears & Arctic Wildlife itinerary, highlighting rare and awe-inspiring encounters with beluga whales.

Nat Hab is spotlighted in Condé Nast Traveler’s September/October issue in a story on Brazil’s Pantanal, showcasing the region’s incredible biodiversity and the role of ecotourism in its protection. The story includes a ‘How to Do It’ section where Nat Hab’s 11-day Pantanal trip is spotlighted as the top group tour option.

"A group of travelers with Natural Habitat Adventures saw a spirit bear in the wilds of British Columbia, Canada... Dana Cama captured the footage, which Natural Habitat Adventures shared on Instagram earlier today. Also called the Kermode bear, a spirit bear is really an American black bear born with leucism."

AFAR spotlighted Nat Hab in a story on the best places to view the 2026 solar eclipse, noting the best places in Iceland to experience full totality and highlighting Nat Hab’s eclipse departures on our Iceland: Circling the Land of Fire & Ice adventure. Journalist Cassandra Brooklyn details the trip as a “conservation-focused loop to geysers, waterfalls and volcanic features around the island”.

An astounding video captured by one traveler with Natural Habitat Adventures in the Himalayan Mountains showed an exceptional video of the seldom-found, majestic snow leopard.

"Churchill, Manitoba, in Canada is also one of the world’s best polar-viewing destinations, and I saw Churchill’s bears for myself on a 2024 trip with Natural Habitat Adventures. In Churchill, much of the polar-bear viewing is conducted from specially designed vehicles with massive six-foot tires that keep people and bears separated as they roam near Hudson Bay in the regulated Churchill Wildlife Management Area, where polar bears congregate in late fall to wait for the water to freeze so they can head out and hunt seals."

Travel + Leisure published a feature story about Natural Habitat Adventures’ Climate Change & Our Wide World program. The story highlights Nat Hab and WWF’s partnership and dedication to eco-conscious travel, with emission-offsetting programming and itineraries to destinations threatened by climate change, including Greenland, the Arctic and the Amazon.

Forbes spotlighted Nat Hab’s Northern Lights Photography Expedition in a story on unique aurora experiences. The article highlights the prime location in Churchill, where guests are paired with professional photographers to guide them through activities like dog sledding, snowshoeing and more.

“The apex of Natural Habitat Adventures’ 100 percent carbon-offset, 10-day “East Greenland Arctic Adventure” is a stay within view of the Greenland ice sheet. The company’s minimal-footprint temporary camp provides eight private, heated tent cabins. There’s plenty to draw you outside, too, with kayak excursions through iceberg-dotted waters and hikes to the ice sheet on the itinerary.”

Cool Material spotlighted Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp in a story on sustainable travel experiences in Alaska.

Reader’s Digest spotlighted Nat Hab in a story on the best destinations for solo female travelers in 2025. The article highlights Nat Hab as a popular choice among women traveling alone, with top trips including a “coolcation” in Canada’s Arctic and a journey around Australia’s diverse destinations.

USA TODAY Go Escape magazine's summer issue featured Stephanie Vermillion’s immersive experience witnessing brown bears up close at Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp. The story captures the surreal moment the guests experienced a close encounter with brown bear Roxie and her cub Pebble, with quotes from Expedition Leader Mike Hillman on how Lake Clark National Park is “the best bear-watching spot in the entire world.”

BBC published a list of top sustainable travel choices, and highlighted Nat Hab's Kenya Rhino Conservation Safari with behind-the-scenes talks with conservationists.

TravelPulse included Nat Hab’s Women’s Journeys as a top tour operator option for a women-exclusive experience, including a quote from Renata Haas on female Expedition Leaders and unique destinations that Nat Hab’s trips offer.

TourScoop included multiple Nat Hab itineraries in a story on astrotourism and the best experiences for stargazers. These included dark sky experiences on Nat Hab's Grand Canyon, Bryce & Zion adventure and aurora experiences on trips such as Northern Lights & Arctic Exploration, Iceland & Greenland, and our East Greenland Arctic Adventure.

“Your sweet spot for getting an appropriate, good pair of binoculars for your budget is sticking between eight and 10 times magnification,” says Court Whelan, Expedition Leader and Chief Sustainability Officer for Natural Habitat Adventures.

AFAR featured Chloe Berge’s experience exploring Mexico’s monarch butterfly migration on Natural Habitat Adventures’ Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Her story captures the magic of witnessing thousands of butterflies in flight and underscores how ecotourism supports conservation, with insights from Nat Hab's Chief Sustainability Officer Court Whelan.

Natural Habitat Adventures expanded its Women's Journeys by 75% in 2025, noting that 30% of travelers are women traveling solo. The small, women-led group tours cover destinations like Greenland, Alaska and Costa Rica, focusing on wildlife viewing and highlighting women's history in each destination. Adventure travel continues to be a female-majority space—with women comprising 57% of all adventure travelers.

For a full-blown aurora-themed vacation, consider booking a multinight tour to Churchill, Manitoba. While you can see the aurora here from late August through late April—that’s when the sky gets dark enough—the best time to see the northern lights in Churchill is February and March. That’s because the extreme cold discourages cloud formation, leading to clear skies. (With windchill, you can expect nighttime temperatures to plummet to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.) Several tour operators run aurora-viewing trips during these months; Natural Habitat Adventures even runs women-only trips.

Virtuoso featured Natural Habitat Adventures as a top tour operator for wildlife enthusiasts in a story on 2025’s biggest adventure travel trends.

AFAR highlighted Natural Habitat Adventures’ Jaguars & Wildlife of Brazil's Pantanal trip in a feature on emerging destinations, spotlighting the Pantanal region.

Often, to truly go off-grid, you need to travel to remote places; and that means getting there is half the fun. Accessible via a private bush plane—which leaves from Homer across Cook Inlet, providing views of glaciers and an active volcano before landing on a pristine beach—Natural Habitat Adventures’ Bear Camp in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, offers rustic luxury in walk-in tents, gourmet meals, and the thrill of observing brown bears in their natural habitat—all without Wi-Fi or cell service.

TravelPulse spotlighted insights from Nat Hab's Founder, Ben Bressler, and Chief Sustainability Officer, Court Whelan, in a story on unforgettable natural phenomena trips to put on your radar for 2025, including Nat Hab’s Kingdom of the Monarchs itinerary.

Court Whelan has been bringing tour groups here and photographing monarchs for more than 20 years. He shows us a spot where some butterflies have taken flight. Then, after a few minutes, suddenly… the air is filled with them.

Anderson Cooper: This is extraordinary.

Court Whelan: This is it. This is what it's all about. This is-- nature knows when to put on a show, huh, and how to put on a show.

Natural Habitat Adventures is featured in a story by Emily Pennington on glamping in Greenland and the unpredictability of Arctic travel. Based on her East Greenland trip, the piece highlights Nat Hab’s Base Camp Greenland, expert guides, and commitment to conservation-focused travel through its WWF partnership and sustainable, solar-powered camp.

Natural Habitat Adventures is spotlighted in National Geographic's safari packing guide, with expert tips from Senior Adventure Director Emily Cottingham on essential gear, layering for Africa’s winter and blending into the environment.

Natural Habitat Adventures' Northern Lights Photography Expedition pairs you with seasoned photographers who, during the day, accompany you on activities like dog sledding and snowshoeing. Come night, they'll take you to some incredible spots, including an Aurora Pod and a geodesic Aurora Sphere, to see the lights and help you capture the magic with your camera or phone.

If you’re looking for the ultimate adrenaline rush in 2025, Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp is a remote, off-grid sustainable base camp in one of the wildest places on earth, according to the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer Court Whelan. ‘This intimate, awe-inspiring experience has tremendous positive benefits, adding tourism value to brown bears—currently under threat via Alaska’s Prop 75—and inspiring people to become advocates, storytellers, and defenders of these often-feared animals,’ Whelan tells Forbes.”

Greenland is huge,” an Intrepid spokesperson said, metaphorically. That company has added a new 10-day expedition for 2025 to meet surging demand, as has Natural Habitat Adventures, another outfitter, which will offer for the first time a two-week journey that combines Greenland and Iceland.

About 80% of Greenland is blanketed by a thick layer of ice. Outfitters such as Natural Habitat Adventures lead groups to especially rugged spots you can only reach by helicopter and chartered private boat.

In my four days at Alaska Bear Camp, a safari getaway operated by the World Wildlife Fund’s travel partner, Natural Habitat Adventures, I watched the fuzzy titans wrestle, climb trees, dig for clams, and eventually mate. Here’s how you can enjoy an eye-popping brown bear safari in Alaska, too.

Looking for a meaningful trip that combines nature, breathtaking landscapes and fascinating cultural explorations? Natural Habitat Adventures, a leading conservation travel company that partners with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), recently launched five new and amazing itineraries for 2025. These journeys offer travelers the chance to discover destinations famed for their wildlife and abundance of natural landscapes, including Kenya, Canada, Greenland and more. Here are five of Natural Habitat Adventures’ new nature-inspired tours for 2025.

Planning a visit can be daunting because it's impossible to see everything the state offers in a single trip — especially if you're looking to spot wildlife. However, expedition companies like Natural Habitat Adventures create experiences for travelers to access areas that are otherwise unreachable. This includes the adventure I embarked on: staying at a grizzly bear camp on the shore of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

Kermode bears (aka spirit bears) are a subspecies of North American black bears, but — due to a rare recessive gene — they have cream-colored coats. These rare bears are considered sacred among the Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation people who've called the Great Bear Rainforest home for generations. In addition to booking a stay at Spirit Bear Lodge, you can opt for a tour with Natural Habitat Adventures.

In Mexico's Central Highlands one of the planet's most spellbinding wildlife events unfolds: the yearly migration of the monarch butterfly. Natural Habitat Adventure’s Kingdom of the Monarchs is an amazing 6-day tour that takes you on a journey to a secluded mountaintop forest to spot myriad monarch butterflies taking to the skies in a mesmerizing spectacle (they have even been known to land on lucky onlookers). The exclusive group tour also lets participants explore the incredible culture of Mexico's mountain villages as you discover traditional communities and local markets.

A narrow vessel with reclaimed-wood facings, Natural Habitat Adventures’ Delfin II looked like it belonged in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. During our round-trip-from-Lima, eight-night cruise through the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve aboard the 30-passenger ship, my fellow river cruisers and I witnessed the wildlife of Peru’s second-largest natural protected area, home to more than 1,000 animal species and nearly as many wild plant varieties. Against this backdrop, Natural Habitat’s tour is purposeful, intimate, and modern: a carbon-neutral journey created in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund to protect the places it visits.

Located in a remote and beautiful corner of Lake Clark National Park, Nat Hab 's Alaska Bear Camp provides exclusive access to observe coastal brown bears in their natural habitat. Guests stay in comfortable safari-style tents equipped with modern amenities, enjoying guided bear-viewing excursions led by expert naturalists. The camp emphasizes sustainability and conservation, providing an unforgettable adventure for wildlife enthusiasts seeking an intimate encounter with Alaska’s most majestic residents.

Traveling to the elusive seventh continent has never been easier, thanks to the rapid growth of the expedition cruise industry. But why travel to Antarctica? Visiting the White Continent is far more than just checking a box. It's an opportunity to see a part of Earth that's radically different than anywhere else — and radically removed from everywhere else — reminding you just how extraordinary our planet is.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers over 100 conservation-focused itineraries around the globe. Don Martinson says that 94 cents of all the dollars pays to partners stays in local economies. The company was launched in 1985 after its founder, Ben Bressler, visited Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence to see baby harp seals. He was so moved that he convinced local hunters to change careers and become guides for photo safaris.

On foot and on horseback, guests will cross Mexico’s Central Highlands, where forested hills are cradled by snow-capped mountains, and they will stay at idyllic eco-lodges along the way. While witnessing the magical natural phenomenon of millions of butterflies blanketing trees and fluttering through blue skies in flame-colored clouds, visitors will learn how Natural Habitat Adventures works with the World Wildlife Fund to monitor the species and protect key habitat areas.

In Churchill, Canada, you can watch the lights dance over a family of polar bears from the comfort of your sleeper car. The Manitoba town, which experiences auroral activity more than 300 nights a year, is a top destination for seeing the majestic animals in the wild. Operated by Natural Habitat Adventures, a conservation-focused travel partner of the World Wildlife Fund, the Tundra Lodge offers accommodations inspired by train cars in prime bear-spotting territory.

Travel + Leisure readers have selected their top tour operators for 2024. Check out which companies made the cut in our annual “World’s Best Awards” survey.

Travelers interested in exploring the lesser-visited regions of Iceland’s Westfjords and tranquil East Coast while supporting the country’s sustainability efforts can do so on an expedition with Natural Habitat Adventures.

If you’ve ever wanted to see polar bears in the wild, wandering the ice toward the horizon, then join an expedition tour in Churchill, Canada with Natural Habitat Adventures. You’ll board a Polar Rover, an intrepid vehicle with massive tires and an outdoor viewing platform, which will keep you and the bears safe as you explore the tundra.

In the highland forests of Michoacán, Mexico, nature tours are helping local communities safeguard millions of monarch butterflies that arrive each winter—an important migratory phenomenon that’s remained unchanged since its discovery was published in National Geographic in the 1970s.

In 2007, Natural Habitat Adventures eliminated plastic water bottles from their trips and became the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company. It then took on another ever-growing environmental issue: waste.

Do some good while seeing the world when you book with these ethical and sustainable travel companies.

In a recent podcast episode, I spoke with Court Whelan, the Chief Sustainability Officer at Natural Habitat Adventures (Nat Hab), to discuss the transformative power of regenerative tourism and conservation. Court’s journey from his upbringing in Florida to his role at Nat Hab reflects a lifelong passion for nature and wildlife conservation.

One of the things that stood out to us on this trip was Nat Hab’s attention to detail. These trips are meticulously planned so that you have the time of your life viewing polar bears. Over the six-day trip, we spent four days in Churchill and within those four days, we spent 20 hours with the polar bears!

The hairs on my neck stood on alert as the massive coastal grizzly ambled closer and closer. I’ve watched brown bears like these in nature documentaries for years, but...now the only things between us were a few yards of grass and air...I was on a Natural Habitat Adventures trip to Katmai National Park & Preserve. Several years later, I did a second bear-viewing trip with the company to Lake Clark National Park.

Natural Habitat Adventures invites travelers to go beyond the standard koala, wombat, and crocodile sightings on a new carbon-neutral, 21-day Australian safari. During a stop on Kangaroo Island, guests head into the field with Land for Wildlife, which works to rewild landscapes and save endangered species devastated by recent wildfires.

On Natural Habitat Adventures’ Southern Africa Riverboat Safari, guests participate in wildlife viewing from both land and water. The 11-day, small-group trip includes three days on a riverboat, motorboat excursions in the Chobe River, game drives in Hwange National Park, a visit to Victoria Falls, and meetings with local villagers.

Natural Habitat Adventures, a leader in responsible nature-based adventure travel, in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently deployed one of the safari industry’s first off-the-grid solar-powered electric safari vehicles in Botswana.

"The mountain gorilla is the only one of the great apes experiencing an increase in population in recent years. “Tourism is the only reason mountain gorillas still exist,” says Jordahl, who has led several Natural Habitat Adventures trips to see this endangered species."

Un safari en Australia explora las vastas riquezas de un destino que parece tenerlo todo. Y la nueva travesía de Natural Habitat Adventures es prueba de ello.

Take a tour of wild Croatia and Slovenia. The former is not a hidden gem anymore, but the latter certainly continues to fly under the tourist radar. Either way, this tour will take you to places most foreigners have never even heard of.

Australia might just be one of the best wildlife destinations around. That's why tour company Nat Hab has developed the Ultimate Australia Safari, a 21-day journey that will make its debut next year.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers a six-day summertime 'total immersion' bear camp with safari-style tents on Cook Inlet. Each season there’s at least one 'women only' week.

Located on the shores of Hudson Bay, near the tiny town of Churchill in Canada’s Manitoba province, this area is a favorite polar bear hangout, particularly in late fall. About 850 bears—as many as there are people in Churchill—gather up here waiting for the bay to freeze.

I journeyed with fellow visitors to Natural Habitat Adventures’ Alaska Bear Camp, on Chinitna Bay on the southern end of the park ... Bear Camp is a “glamping” site with eight cozy, heated tent cabins on wooden platforms encircled by an electric fence. On one side of the camp is a beach and tidal mud flats—where a subset of bears digs for clams and other food—and behind it is a salt marsh meadow full of sedges.

To make the most of your time, utilize the expert help of Natural Habitat Adventures for their week-long nature-filled Ultimate Winter Yellowstone: Wolves & Wildlife.

Be wary of vague language and terms like “eco-tourism” or “green travel,” warns Court Whelan, chief sustainability officer at Natural Habitat Adventures, a tour company that works with local and international conservation organizations in the areas it visits.

The World Wildlife Fund (in conjunction with Natural Habitat Adventures) has dozens of U.S. and international trips. And if you do travel with them, besides gaining access to memorable locations, you’ll also help support worthwhile conservation groups with your trip: a win-win situation.

Join Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund naturalist guides for a 13-day Ultimate Alaska Wildlife Safari. The agenda includes traveling by train, boat, and plane from Fairbanks to Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Katmai National Park for bear viewing.

Annie Van Dinther, an Arctic guide at Natural Habitat Adventures, has more than 20 years of experience under her belt. When she is not braving the infamously volatile waters of Drake Passage or kayaking in Baja, she and her family are enjoying the Alaskan wilderness they call home.

Just last year National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions announced it was going carbon neutral, joining industry big-names Natural Habitat Adventures and Intrepid Travel.

Sustainable-nature travel specialists Natural Habitat Adventures got us thinking differently. They wanted to show us that a zero-waste trip was absolutely possible.

Nat Hab is the first tour company to specifically launch a zero-waste trip, but it’s certainly not the first to tackle the waste problem in its operations and tour offerings.

On Natural Habitat Adventures' Ultimate Wolf and Wildlife Safari, travelers can observe wolves living wild and free, restored to their prehistoric habitat.

A week-long zero-waste trip led by Natural Habitat Adventures through Yellowstone National Park diverted 50.9 pounds of waste—99% of all the on-trip waste.

If travel is what opens peoples’ eyes to what’s at stake in our world through transformative experiences that catalyze greater action for conservation, then it’s worth getting people to these places.

"Historically, measuring and managing a company’s carbon footprint has been a very time-intensive and expensive endeavor, making it only accessible to companies with significant resources or steadfast environmental commitments,” said Ted Martens, VP for marketing and sustainability at Natural Habitat Adventures. “The bulk carbon offset program aim is to change that and make carbon management more accessible for companies of all sizes within adventure travel, and hopefully soon within the broader tourism industry.”

On a trip designed to minimize 99% of trash, the creators of the World’s First Zero Waste Adventure found food excess to be their biggest challenge.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers a 17-day private yacht expedition aboard a vessel that takes no more than seven passengers...the itinerary includes a number of shore landings and three overnights on the peninsula.

The world's first carbon-neutral tour company, Natural Habitat Adventures also led the world's first zero-waste adventure (to Yellowstone) earlier this year.

"'Bears can be cute, scary, funny, fearsome—all the things that fascinate us," says our Natural Habitat Adventures guide, Brad Josephs, who has been leading bear tours around the world for nearly two decades.

I signed up to be part of Natural Habitat Adventures' ambitious zero-waste safari through Yellowstone National Park...no other tour operator has ever pulled off a truly waste-free trip before.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers land-based tours and has been operating as carbon neutral since 2007, according to the company. Starting this year, the company reported that it will also be offsetting all of its customers’ round-trip flights to and from its land journeys.

Natural Habitat Adventures is launching its first zero-waste trip next month, as part of its Yellowstone Country tour...the goal of fitting all the waste produced from 14 travelers on this seven-day trip into a single small container is a lofty one.

On the eight-day 'Great Tanzania Migration Safari' with Natural Habitat Adventures (WWF's official travel partner), naturalist expedition leaders lead small groups through the UNESCO-listed plains during peak migration season.

Each year, over 100 million pounds of waste is generated in national parks. Natural Habitat Adventures aims to reduce that number with a new zero-waste safari in Yellowstone National Park.

Natural Habitat Adventures is set to raise the bar by operating the world's first zero-waste tour, with all waste generated on the Yellowstone country trip designed to fit in a single jar.

The bear encounter is a heady introduction to Natural Habitat Adventures' weeklong expedition along Katmai National Park & Preserve, a wilderness reserve a little larger than Connecticut at the head of the Alaska Peninsula.

Since its establishment in 1985, Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel. Charting the way with innovative sustainability initiatives while accumulating several awards and accolades in the process, Nat Hab’s employees have also done an excellent job with involving clients in their eco-friendly efforts.

This day (Feb. 27 each year) was created to draw attention to the challenges polar bears face in our warming world. Here are some ways to celebrate... Outfitters like Natural Habitat Adventures take you out the tundra to get an up-close view of these Arctic wanderers.

Need a last-minute getaway and don't mind the cold? Natural Habitat Adventures is offering an immersive eight-day wolf and wildlife expedition in Yellowstone National Park.

Camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet, explore remote fjords, and get an up-close look at the effects of climate change on Discover Greenland: The Natural Habitat Experience.

Natural Habitat Adventures will launch the world's first zero waste travel adventure in 2019 during a weeklong trip through Yellowstone Country.

Natural Habitat Adventures runs small, ship-based photography workshops that take you to remote parts of Alaska’s biodiverse backcountry such as Kodiak Island. Led by naturalists and wildlife photographers, you’ll spend eight days navigating the shorelines of Katmai National Park, photographing Alaskan brown bears, sea lions, puffins, bald eagles, and occasionally even whales and wolves along the way.

Projects like Nat Hab’s zero-waste safari aim to make people think about their own impact on the environment and take their lessons home with them.

One of the early leaders in the travel industry's move toward reducing its carbon footprint is setting its sights on another ambitious sustainability goal: pulling off what it says will be the world's first zero-waste adventure.

Hatched by Natural Habitat Adventures in 2015, the camp is a game changer for exploration, opening a world of adventure to distant expanses previously only accessible by lengthy boat rides, pricey helicopter flights, or wintertime sled dog pursuits.

Natural Habitat Adventures' Family Galapagos Adventure tour, which is available for a maximum of 20 guests, is accompanied by both an expedition leader and a special children's guide.

Enjoy eye-level encounters with Pacific gray whales on a six-day excursion offered by Natural Habitat Adventures. Highlights include six separate skiff journeys on the protected waters of the San Ignacio Lagoon on the Baja Peninsula, the whales’ traditional breeding ground, and a visit to the Vizcaino Desert, a United Nations Biosphere Reserve.

Travelers stay in a deluxe expedition camp near the Greenland ice sheet and explore fjords and islands through boat excursions and guided walks.

On Natural Habitat Adventures' six-day tour to this beloved island near Cancun, visitors can swim with the whale sharks that migrate here.

Natural Habitat Adventures runs the only luxury base camp in East Greenland, and its expedition leaders are among the most experienced in the business.

Far-flung destinations in Bhutan and Nepal can be toured with Natural Habitat Adventures, a travel company uniquely focused on conservation and sustainability.

Cruise ships and luxe lodges are familiar sights in western Greenland, but more recently, the untamed tundra of the east has begun opening up. Natural Habitat Adventures is leading the push.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers the highest guide-to-guest ratio in the Galapagos during its specially crafted sailings designed for up-close, private encounters in this isolated sanctuary of biodiversity.

With this unique trip, the search heads deep into the Minshan Mountains of Sichuan province and the Tibetan Plateau, the last wild habitat of the giant panda. A grid of secluded nature reserves supported by the WWF, these little-visited wilderness shelters are also home to moon bears, goat-like shaggy takin, blue sheep and golden monkeys.

Often hailed as one of the wonders of the natural world, Africa's great wildebeest migration is an incredible event to witness. Natural Habitat Adventures is best known for its focus on conservation and as the first carbon-neutral travel company. It is also a partner of the World Wildlife Fund, the world's leading conservation organization. Safari itineraries focus on small groups and lodges in less-traveled settings.

Shopping for a wildlife safari is like taking a multiple-choice exam. You know the right answer is there on the page somewhere but they all seem so appealing ... Working with smaller groups is more rewarding for everyone because they can sit down together and analyze their work, said Ona Basimane, a photojournalist who also serves as a Nat Hab Expedition Leader in his native Botswana.

Schultz suggests joining a group trip to experience the mysterious northern lights in this scruffy subarctic settlement on the edge of Hudson Bay. While best known for the fall polar bear migration, [Churchill, Manitoba, is] also a superb place to see the aurora borealis. She traveled with Natural Habitat Adventures, which uses climate-controlled pods with theater-style seats for comfortable viewing.

"Though they're sharks, they're docile, so it's possible to swim among them. That's the highlight of a 6-day, 5-night trip offered by Natural Habitat Adventures."

"It’s travel motivated and defined by a shift in perspective, self-reflection and development, and a deeper communion with nature and culture."

"75-foot Australis offers seven passengers an intimate, deeply immersive sail to Antarctica, complete with French chef, humpback whales, and penguins."

"We arrived at Natural Habitat Adventure’s impressive camp at the foot of domed granite peaks, with icebergs floating in the bay."

"With National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, you can go even more remote and tack on a nine-day stay at Nat Hab’s Base Camp Greenland."

"Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is teeming with wildlife that will quicken the pulse of any wildlife lover."

"East Greenland is one of the most starkly beautiful places on our planet—and has been almost impossible to access, until now."

"If you’re a wildlife lover, then the Tundra Lodge is the place for you! The hotel is literally on wheels, allowing it to move around for optimal wildlife viewing."