Responsible wildlife holiday operator Naturetrek has partnered with Byway, the B Corp leading flight-free travel planner, to offer a low-carbon alternative to flying for its wildlife tours across Europe.
*All details correct at time of publish (22 October 2025)
Naturetrek and Byway are delighted to offer their clients the opportunity to experience more than 50 incredible wildlife itineraries across Europe with a journey provided by train or ferry.
Using first-of-its-kind routing technology built on two million miles of local expertise, Byway creates trips by land and sea, away from the traditional tourist trails.
The partnership gives wildlife enthusiasts the option to travel easily to and from their Naturetrek tour without flying, with an overnight stopover in a beautiful city or town included in the package.
For those who cherish the natural world and who seek to travel responsibly, it provides an opportunity to marvel at nature’s wonders, savour the journey, and minimise environmental impact.
Naturetrek is thrilled to be able to offer its eco-conscious clients the opportunity to reduce the carbon cost of their trip by up to 90% (when train travel is compared with flying).
This further bolsters the wildlife group tour operator’s commitment to conservation causes, to which the total of its donations over the nearly 40 years of the business now stands at over £4.3m.
This includes the establishment of several wildlife reserves around the world, purchased using Naturetrek’s own profits – including in Ecuador, Italy and most recently Scotland – for the long-term protection of species and habitats in these important wildlife areas.
From a vegetarian/vegan birdwatching tour in Extremadura, stopping in Paris or Barcelona overnight before the onward train to Madrid, to a botanical tour of the Swiss Alps via high-speed TGV from Paris to Geneva or Zurich.
Here are just a few examples of flight-free wildlife holidays brought to you by Naturetrek and Byway’s new partnership:
Extremadura – a Vegetarian/Vegan Tour
A two-night rail journey from France to Spain stops in Paris and Madrid before reaching rural Extremadura, a haven for bird lovers. Spend seven nights at a 4-star finca near Trujillo, exploring nearby national parks for species like Great Bustards, Black Storks, and Raptors.
Customers enjoy home-cooked vegetarian and vegan meals made with local produce, then return via scenic rail with stays in Paris and Barcelona.
How to do it: Departing on 24 February and 27 October 2026, Naturetrek’s land-only tour costs £1,745 pp including seven nights’ accommodation, all meals, transfers, excursions and expert naturalist guides.
Byway’s rail add-on costs from £1,154 pp, including train travel from London to Madrid via Paris and Barcelona, four overnight stays (2 x Paris, 1 x Madrid, 1 x Barcelona), and 24/7 customer support via WhatsApp.
The Italian and French Alps
This wildlife holiday begins with a rail journey from London to Turin with the high-speed TGV running direct from Paris to the Italian Alps. Guests stay in the charming town of Cogne, surrounded by meadows and glaciers, and spend several days exploring the Gran Paradiso National Park.
The journey then continues across the border to the French village of Lanslevillard near Mount Cenis, a picturesque base for discovering the Vanoise National Park. Each day brings guided walks through flower-filled meadows and alpine landscapes in search of Ibex, Marmots, Chamois, butterflies, and a variety of mountain birdlife.
How to do it: Departing 25 June 2026, Naturetrek’s land-only tour costs £1,795 pp including seven nights’ accommodation, all meals, transfers, excursions and expert naturalist guides.
Byway’s rail add-on costs from £643, including train travel from London to Turin via Paris, two overnight stays (1 x Turin, 1 x Paris) and 24/7 customer support via WhatsApp.
Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps
This botanical tour of the Swiss Alps begins with a scenic high-speed TGV journey from Paris, followed by an overnight stay in Paris or Zurich before arriving in the postcard-perfect village of Wengen.
Guests stay in a family-run Swiss hotel with open views of the Jungfrau, the ideal base for an eight-day exploration of Alpine flora and the dramatic landscapes of the Bernese Oberland. Highlights include carpets of flowering Globeflowers, the glacier-fed Trümmelbach Falls and a visit to the renowned botanical garden on the Schynige Platte.
How to do it: Departing on 17 and 24 June 2026, Naturetrek’s land-only tour costs £2,395 pp including seven nights’ accommodation, all meals, transfers, excursions and expert naturalist guides.
Byway’s rail add-on costs from £764, including train travel from London to Zurich via Paris, two overnight stays (1 x Zurich, 1 x Paris) and 24/7 customer support via WhatsApp.
To explore wildlife itineraries that can be reached by train, visit Naturetrek.
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