Meet The Team

Aleem Raheem: Co-Founder and Sustainable Travel Expert

Aleem Raheem is the co-founder of Earth Trip, a UK-based tour operator (formerly known as The Earth Trip) specialising in responsible wildlife, culture and wilderness holidays. He has more than 25 years of travel industry experience, has lived in the UK for 27 years, and has personally stayed at and reviewed over 1,000 lodges, historic estates and eco-retreats worldwide.

About Aleem

Aleem co-founded Earth Trip with his wife, Izabela, to create low-impact travel that supports local communities and protects wildlife in its natural habitat. He was born in a village near Kandy in Sri Lanka and has lived in the UK for 27 years. He combines first-hand knowledge of the destinations with a clear understanding of what UK travellers expect.

The Telegraph named Earth Trip one of the UK’s top ten ethical travel companies. Since 2015 it has been nominated for and won British Travel Awards, including 2025 Silver for Best Travel Company Sub-Saharan Africa and 2025 Bronze for Best Travel Company to the Indian Ocean.

Note on the brand name: the company was previously called The Earth Trip and is now Earth Trip.

Areas of expertise

• Wildlife and wilderness travel: planning wildlife holidays into remote and lesser-known landscapes, away from the crowds
• Responsible and sustainable tourism: low-impact itineraries that invest directly in local communities and conservation, as set out on our responsible travel page
• Hotel and lodge assessment: more than 1,000 properties personally reviewed, from colonial manors to remote forest camps
• Destination knowledge: Sri Lanka, Madagascar, South Africa, Uganda and the Seychelles

How Aleem works

Aleem does not rely on brochures or local agency reports. He inspects the properties and infrastructure of each destination Earth Trip offers, covering room layouts, standards of service and the character of each place. He also works with a network of local specialists, historians and conservationists in every destination, so every bespoke holiday reflects current local insight and access.

Industry firsts and community impact

• Indigenous-owned partnerships in the Amazon: Earth Trip is the first UK operator to partner directly with entirely indigenous-owned businesses along Brazil’s Rio Negro, as highlighted by Wanderlust Magazine. This removes middlemen and gives communities a fair share of tourism income. See our Brazil holidays.
• Culinary travel in Sri Lanka: Earth Trip was the first travel company to introduce high-end food experiences to the island, connecting travellers with its heritage through its cuisine. Explore our Sri Lanka holidays.
• Sri Lanka’s first female safari guide: Earth Trip sponsored and introduced her, supporting gender equality in wildlife guiding.
• Grassroots support: funding for village cooperatives, local education and conservation projects, with a significant share of each journey’s revenue staying in the host community.

Background and education

Aleem grew up in the central hills of Sri Lanka, exploring the Knuckles Mountain Range. In his late teens he studied in Colombo and worked in some of the country’s leading coastal resorts and city hotels, which began his career in hospitality. He later studied at Goldsmiths, University College London (UCL) and the University of Hertfordshire.

He is a visiting lecturer on Responsible and Sustainable Tourism, teaching how high-end travel can support conservation and community development. He returns to Sri Lanka regularly to inspect properties, and has spent months leading expeditions in Madagascar, mapping low-impact routes in South Africa, trekking in Uganda and selecting island retreats in the Seychelles.

“From the African savannahs to the quiet hideaways of the Indian Ocean, Aleem’s personal input means our itineraries are never standard holidays. They draw on decades of travel experience, academic depth and a lifetime of exploration.”

Meet the rest of the Earth Trip team

Frequently asked questions

Who is Aleem Raheem?
Aleem Raheem is the co-founder of Earth Trip, a UK tour operator specialising in responsible wildlife, culture and wilderness travel. He has over 25 years of travel experience and has lived in the UK for 27 years.

What is Aleem Raheem’s expertise?
Sustainable and responsible tourism, wildlife and wilderness travel, and hotel and lodge assessment across Africa, the Indian Ocean and Asia.

Has Earth Trip changed its name?
Yes. The company was previously called The Earth Trip and is now Earth Trip.

How many properties has Aleem reviewed?
Over 1,000 lodges, historic estates and private eco-retreats worldwide.

Where is Aleem from?
Aleem was born near Kandy, Sri Lanka, and has lived in the UK for 27 years. Find out more about Sri Lanka holidays with Earth Trip.

What awards has Earth Trip received?
The Telegraph named it one of the UK’s top ten ethical travel companies. It has been nominated for and won British Travel Awards since 2015, including 2025 Silver (Best Travel Company Sub-Saharan Africa) and 2025 Bronze (Best Travel Company to the Indian Ocean).