FAQs
Why should I travel with Wild Frontiers?
The billion dollar question… Whilst there is plenty of general competition, we feel that Wild Frontiers is truly unique in the adventure travel market and the high percentage of clients who travel with us again and again isn’t down to chance. WF is a company that has been set up by travellers for travellers and the company ethos is to help adventurous souls get to incredible places that would otherwise remain inaccessible. Our London office is manned by experienced expedition leaders and it is their knowledge and passion (along with that of our experienced guides) that is evident in all aspects of the trips, from planning through to implementation. In short, we run the kind of trips that we like to do! By keeping the group sizes small we can allow for a greater degree of flexibility and cater to individual needs and this unobtrusive ‘low impact’ tourism gives travellers a chance to get off the beaten track without damaging the places they visit. In addition, a percentage of the trip profits are used to fund various NGO’s and charities in the countries we visit so that everyone – travellers and locals alike – benefit from the experience.
What makes us different?
Using passionate and knowledgeable guides, as well as a dedicated and experienced office staff, we are able to provide unique and original itineraries that allow our clients to take a journey beneath the surface of the region, into those special and secret places. Go to many UK travel websites and what you will find are homogenised travel packages lacking both originality and imagination. Most of these itineraries have simply been sourced from partner agencies in the country to which the tour runs, with little regard for the fact that the same tour is being sold around the world to any number of other organisations. The itinerary - that soon becomes a circuit - is therefore not only run by the one company as many times as it can, it is run by umpteen others as well. By running our tours only once or twice a year, and on routes we have discovered for ourselves, we are able to give a truly off-the-beaten-track experience and all the benefits that go with that.
Are you bonded?
Yes! We are a registered UK tour operator and hold both an ATOL and AITO licence which means that all your money is fully protected if you book with us.
Do I need special travel insurance for your trips?
All clients are expected to have personal travel insurance adequate for the region they are travelling to. We can now provide you with our own bespoke policy that covers you for all our destinations and all our activities. Please contact the office for more details.
I'm travelling on my own - will everyone else be in couples?
Although we get a fair amount of couples, the majority of our clients are single travellers. If you would like to avoid single supplements, we are happy to pair you with a same sex room companion for the trip. If there is no one available of the same sex as you, we will arrange a single room for you at no extra cost.
On your group trips, what is the maximum group size?
On 99% of our trips the maximum group size is 12, with an average in 2007 of 9. We believe that although it might be less profitable, it is imperative for the kind of travel we offer that the group size is small. However on our chill out trips to Rajasthan we take a maximum of 25 people which makes the trip more fun. By taking really small groups we make less of an impact, can get more involved in the communities we visit and be more flexible with itineraries.
What do I need to bring with me?
Aside from a sense of adventure and an open mind?!?… Upon booking we will send you a fact file containing information about the region plus an equipment list, recommended clothing list and any items that might be hard to come by in your destination
How far in advance do I need to book my trip?
There is no hard and fast guide, although some trips are popular and book up quickly. To ensure a place, you can simply pay a deposit at any time, and then pay the balance 8 weeks prior to departure. Also, be sure to allow yourself enough time to obtain visas and vaccinations where necessary.
I'm a fit and active senior citizen - am I too old to join a Wild Frontiers tour?
At Wild Frontiers we believe that having an adventurous spirit and a love of travel is far more important then physical age, so we don’t impose age restrictions. In terms of fitness levels you certainly don’t need to be able to run the marathon but to get the most out of the experience you need a certain amount of get-up-and-go. Every trip is different, so to make life easy we have graded each trip in terms of activity, comfort and adventure.
The Foreign Office advises against travel to the place I want to go to. Am I right to be concerned about security?
Safety and security is of PARAMOUNT importance to us at Wild Frontiers. The Foreign Office are obliged to notify people of all possible dangers relating to travel in each region and we constantly confer with them and our agents and contacts on the ground to make sure we are not putting our clients or ourselves at risk. For certain areas, the foreign office advise against travel “except when travelling as part of an organised group”.
Is it safe to travel to Pakistan?
As far as the security situation is concerned in Pakistan, we are confident of being able to carry out a full schedule of trips in 2009, albeit on a slightly different routing to itineraries we have run in the past. Life in most of Pakistan is running along as normal and while there were some inevitable issues in the immediate aftermath of Bhenazir Bhuttos' assassination and the inauguration of the new government in March 08, things in most parts of the country seem to have settled down and a general mood of optimism has returned. Most of what volatility remains is occurring in the troubled Swat Valley and tribal areas – Waziristan and along the Afghan frontier, in particular – which can on occasions have a knock on effect in towns close to the region such as Peshawar and Mingora. North of this area – in Chitral, Hunza and Skardu – there are no security concerns and the FCO has no problem with us running our trips here. As such we have decided to run most of our 2009 tours by flying direct from Islamabad to Chitral and picking up the trail across the stunning north from there. If we feel it is safe to do so, and time allows, we will add Peshawar as a day trip to some of our itineraries. If the situation in this region improves we may amend this again and drive over the Lowari Pass to Chitral.
We ran a full programme of tours in 2008, all of which travelled in total safety without any issues. Although we understand it is hard to judge from outside, on the ground in Pakistan life goes on as normal even though there are some political instabilities at the present time. We have been running trips here for over 10 years giving us a great deal of experience and in this time have established a plethora of connections that help us to gauge security. We are constantly in contact with Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral and Hunza checking on things and will amend itineraries if we feel it prudent to do so. For further information, please contact the office.
Is it safe to visit Kashmir?
Again, we believe so. The situation in Kashmir at the present time has a great deal in common with the end of the Northern Ireland issue; there are some hardliners left than can cause sporadic problems but on the whole the mood has swung inexorably towards peace. Jonny B was up here for 10 days in May 2008 and saw an unparallelled sense of optimism in the valley which in tern is leading to investment and the return of tourism. Even the British High Commissioner and his wife were up here enjoying the atmosphere of a place that can claim to have been a tourist destination for over three and a half centuries. In a guestbook entrythey said of their stay: ‘The weather, the views and the people could not have been a better advertisement for this part of the world. We will certainly come back.’ That says it all really.
What if Foreign Office advice changes after I have booked my trip?
Again, with contact with the Foreign Office, local embassies and local ground agents we constantly monitor security in each destination. Should we feel the itinerary compromises the safety of the group we will amend it accordingly. In the unlikely event that we are forced to cancel a trip due to a major incident, refunds will be applicable as per terms and conditions of booking. However, we will not necessarily cancel trips simply because the FCO advice changes.
What is included in the price of our tour?
At Wild Frontiers we believe our clients are savvy enough to see through heavily discounted ‘first price’ holiday offers and would rather know before they leave home exactly what their tour is going to cost. As such we do not charge local payments, ‘optional extras’ or force our clients to go through the annoying procedure of splitting every meal bill. Our tours are provided on a predominantly full board basis, with mineral water, government passes and permits, entrance fees and all transport outlined in the various tour itineraries.
Have we won any travel awards?
Yes, in 2007 we won bronze tour Operator of the year in the Wanderlust Travel Awards (competing against almost 600 companies). Obviously this was a great accolade, and we are thrilled (not to mention a little bit stunned!) to win such a prestigious award, but our greatest recommendations actually come from our clients. Check out our ‘clients views’ pages for each destination, to see exactly what travellers have had to say about their Wild Frontiers' experience.
Is it possible to extend our holiday?
Soft Landings and Extensions: We are very happy for you to arrive early for your tour or take an extension at the end, and have quoted prices for our group tours on both a land only basis and inclusive of international flights from the UK. We are very happy to accommodate and organise whatever additions you would like to make as this can get you onto the right time zone before your tour starts or give you a pleasant rest after the tour has finished.
What standard of accommodation do you generally use?
On all our tours – be they in a group or tailor-made – we aim to provide you with the best accommodation available. By best we do not necessarily mean most expensive but most interesting, characterful and convenient, offering you the best travel experience possible: this might mean spending a night on a yak fur rug in a nomad’s yurt or in a four poster bed in a royal palace. Knowing your accommodation represents a hugely important part of your trip, we spend a great deal of time searching out the best places for you to stay.
I have travelled independently in the past – how much freedom/independence will this trip will allow me?
We like to think of our group tours as suitable trips for independently minded people. And you will be able to do as much or as little as you want! By limiting the group sizes to 12 we can offer the benefits of group travel, whilst still catering to the individual needs of each client. Don’t worry, you will not be considered impolite if you chose to spend time on your own.
What standard of rider do I have to be to participate in your horse-trekking trips?
Our horse treks are designed for people with a passion for horses and a certain amount of experience is required. We do not recommend these trips for novice riders. If you are unsure, please ring us to discuss your experience.
I live outside of the UK, can I still join a Wild Frontiers trip?
Yes. We offer a land only price for anyone wishing to arrange his or her own flights.
I want to travel, but none of the dates/trips you run coincide with my holiday dates.
Don’t despair! We offer a tailor-make service for all of the destinations featured on our website - and a few more besides. Alternatively, if you can get your own group together (6+ persons) we are happy to lay on a private trip for you, either on one of our existing itineraries or if you prefer, we can help you devise your own.
