The Cotswolds: Exploring English Nature

A very important feature of our Cotswold adventure is the limited group size, as nature expeditions are best experienced with fewer travelers for a more peaceful and personalized experience with less impact.

Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s) and local guides, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, some gratuities, airport transfer for those arriving by air on Day 1 and on final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.

Easy to Moderate
While this is not a hiking trip, country walks are an important feature of the itinerary, connecting our route between small villages with a leisurely paced immersion in nature and the rural countryside. Travelers must be able to walk up to 3 miles at a time and up to 5 miles over the course of day, with some optional opportunities for extended walks beyond these amounts for those interested. Our walks will take place on mostly flat terrain, though we will encounter some rolling hills and uneven ground which may sometimes be wet or soggy. On our walks, we may be required to step up and over a wooden stile—a low barrier that restrains livestock but permits human passage—requiring good knee and hip mobility. We will also be on our feet most of each day with activities that require walking such as hikes in nature and extended tours of gardens, historic estates, nature reserves, organic farms, etc. Days, while not hectic, are long and full, and sustained energy is necessary to participate fully.

On custom or private departures with smaller groups, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited, since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may be assisted, pending availability, by local guides.

This more refined nature adventure is especially for those who value and appreciate nature of all kinds, both vast wilderness where human presence is absent, and natural landscapes—like the Cotswolds—where humans have been part of the mix for 6,000 years, living in harmony and stewarding the land. For travelers who have a special interest in conservation, land trusts, historic preservation, reintroduction of native species, etc., the Cotswolds are like a living laboratory for observing this commitment in action. Garden aficionados will be in heaven on this trip. The Cotswolds' celebrated gardens, both grand and small-scale, are simply unsurpassed and we will enjoy private garden tours. And for those who appreciate fine food and drink, and distinctive accommodations steeped in history and local character, our trip showcases some of Britain's very best.

Please note that on occasion, unexpected changes in the King’s schedule may force us to alter or cancel our visit to Highgrove House and Gardens on Day 4, since it is his personal residence. When that is the case, we will try to go on another date, or we will substitute an alternate activity.

Arrive in London no later than 11 am to arrive in Oxford in time for a 2 pm group orientation and walking tour. You are free to depart from London Heathrow any time after 11 am on the final day.

We can best serve you if our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk makes your reservations, as our staff is intimately familiar with the special requirements of this program and can arrange the most efficient travel. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare and additional nights' accommodations, you may find special web rates or better fares online.