Expedition Leaders

Meet our Expedition Leaders

We work with some of the best guides in the business; experts in the natural world who have spent years working, living or researching in their chosen destination. From polar researchers to expert naturalists, all of our expedition leaders have been carefully selected for their experience, personality and in-depth wildlife knowledge.

You can read more about each of our expedition leaders below, including a short biography and list of our current trips with them. Whether it’s a chartered ship to the icy wilderness of Svalbard or a hiking tour through the steamy rainforests of Madagascar, our expert guides have led expeditions to all four corners of the globe.

our guides passion and enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious, and they enjoy nothing more than sharing their expertise with our guests.

Expert Polar Guide

Alex Cowan

Polar Expedition Leader Dr Alex Cowan has worked as a researcher and guide in the polar regions for the past eight years, and is also an experienced mountaineer.

Expert Polar Guide

Beau Pruneau

Polar expedition leader Beau Pruneau grew up in the wilderness of Northern Ontario, where he learnt survival skills from an early age. He now leads our expeditions to the High Arctic.

Expert Polar Guide

Ben Jackson

Ben works as a Polar Expedition Leader and White Water Kayak Instructor, sharing his time between New Zealand, California, Norway, Denmark and the Antarctic.

Expert Polar Guide & Interpreter

Bob Gilmore

An expert in the glaciology and geology of the world's polar regions, Bob Gilmore is a former employee of the US Antarctic Program and has worked as a guide and interpreter in both Svalbard and Antarctica.

Expert Polar Guide

David Berg

Professional guide and expedition leader David Berg has extensive experience working in the world's polar regions, and is also well-versed in earth sciences, glaciology and polar history.

Expert Polar Guide

Hadleigh Measham

Expedition leader Hadleigh Measham has been living and working in the polar regions for almost a decade, and has made over 120 polar voyages to date.

Expert Naturalist Guide

Jens Wikström

Jens Wikström is a Swedish wildlife photographer and naturalist guide who has been working on expedition ships since 2011. He is passionate about remote wilderness areas and wildlife conservation.

Expert Polar Guide

Johan Fahlman

Born and raised in the wilds of northernmost Sweden, Johan Fahlman's love for the Arctic has led him to pursue academic interests in ecology, biology and geoscience, while becoming an expert polar guide and expedition leader.

Expert Polar Guide

Lauren Farmer

Lauren Farmer has been an Arctic and Antarctic guide for the past six years, and has travelled to the North Pole nine times, monitoring the effects of climate change.

Expert Polar Guide

Mats Forsberg

Having worked on ships throughout the world's polar regions since the early 1980s, Mats Forsberg has extensive experience leading Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, and is committed to protecting these spectacular destinations from the threats that face them.

Expert Polar Guide

Nate Small

A veteran of almost 70 trips to the Arctic and Antarctic, Nate Small is an expert in guiding travellers through these polar wildernesses and sharing his passion for exploration.

Expert Polar Guide

Pernille Søegaard

Pernille Søegaard works as a polar expedition leader in both the Arctic and Antarctic, and is also a competitive boulderer and indoor climber.

Find Out more

To find out more about our expert led expeditions, click the button below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Why book with us

We are destination specialists

Our team of specialists have extensive on-the-ground knowledge and have all lived, guided or explored in great detail the destinations that they sell. They will design your journey around you, at the right place at the right time.

We are wildlife specialists

As a leading specialist operator we have excellent partnerships with naturalists and conservationists. We know our wildlife and do what we can to preserve its natural habitat.

We really care about our destinations

At Natural World Safaris we frequently monitor the social, economic and environmental impact of our travel operations to ensure we are at the forefront of a sustainable and ethical tourism industry.

Meet our Expedition Leaders

Alex Cowan

Beau Pruneau

Ben Jackson

Bob Gilmore

David Berg

Hadleigh Measham

Jens Wikström

Johan Fahlman

Lauren Farmer

Mats Forsberg

Nate Small

Pernille Søegaard

Departures with our Expedition Leaders

Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer

Svalbard Photography Safari with Andy Mann

Svalbard Photo Safari With Shannon Wild and Russ MacLaughlin

Find Out more

Why book with us