Canada Nature & Wildlife Tours & Packages Tours & Trips

What travelers are saying

"I have been a return guest of SOW for the past 4 years, and time after time, they never disappoint. Through their trips, it is quite evident that they always treat their guests with high quality service coupled with stories, smiles, laughter, and endless knowledge about marine life, environment, and kayaking, Each of the staff have pure joy for their jobs! I have specific needs due to living with a disability and unfortunately, there are a very few companies that will "take the risk" and include me on their trips. SOW had no hesitation and just was willing to be curious to work with me to determine the appropriate options to make it work for both of us. It took open and honest communication to ensure that trips safe for both of us, while not compromising the service for their other guests on the trips. It takes understanding from both ends. Thank you for your acceptance, honesty, and problem-solving to makes things work. And the weeks of being in the outdoors with the wildlife are simply magical and bliss! These are the weeks that I look forward too over the years because it reminds me the simplicities of life - enjoying being in the outdoors, the company of others, and witnessing the beauty of wildlife. Thank you so much for your excellent care and for the heartfelt trips."

What travelers are saying

"they are taking too long to refund our cancelled holiday from May 2020. cannot get any info from them when it will be refunded back to us."

What travelers are saying

"First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfortable and happy (MTSobek tour guides are independent contractors. Tomomi also works for other Adventure/Tour companies) Secondly, Japan is beautiful, clean and the Japanese people are very welcoming. The hiking in the national parks was amazing. It could have been a truly five-star experience if MtSobek had not cut corners so egregiously. The website said (at the time) group tours are 5-22 people. The tour gets canceled if the minimum is not met. When I paid there were TWO other people booked-a mother and daughter duo. Shortly before our departure date I called to see if the tour would be cancelled. I wanted my money back but Mt Sobek was “pleased to say that the trip would not be canceled”. In other words, I could not get a refund. At the last minute a guy named Matt signed up so there were four of us. Five days into the trip Matt left and took a train back to Tokyo. I said to him “You realize Mt Sobek is not going to refund you”. He said, “I don’t care, Mt Sobek scammed us.” With tax, the tour costs $11,645 for 13 nights. For that price there is an expectation that the accommodations Mt Sobek chooses would be decent and clean. We all fully expected a ‘traditional Japanese experience’ which often means no private bath and 8 out of the 13 nights we slept on futon mats on the floor. However, Mt Sobek consistently booked us in the cheapest Ryokans (hotels) in each area in which we travelled. Most of these hotels were unclean and very out-dated. One Ryokan they booked us in was listed on a hotel website for $40 USD/night when there were much nicer accommodations nearby for $100 USD/night. (The Japanese yen is way down, the luxury Park Hotel in Tokyo was $200 USD/night. A comparable hotel would have been about $800/night in Austin.). We were the only people staying in several hotels that accomadated many more people. The most egregious example of MtSobek’s booking the cheapest rooms is when we were booked at a large traditional ski lodge at the base of a spectacular mountain. It was beautiful on the website but had two very different wings. One wing was modern, clean and beautiful with simple beds. The other wing was very old (similar to a cheap Motel 6 that had not been updated since the 1970’s). The carpet and bathrooms were disgusting and like many of the Ryocans where we stayed the futon mats seemed as though they had not been cleaned In 30 years. Only after our tour guide checked us in did we realize we had been booked in the cheap rooms. I asked Tomo why. Immediately someone from MtSobek reached out to me and said, “gosh, I’m sorry you did not realize you were going to have a traditional Japanese experience”. Really? “Traditional” experience depends upon one’s budget. In the US, “traditional” to some people may be the Marriott, a Motel 6 or the Four Seasons Hotels. We were paying for a Marriott experience and received the one-star Motel 6 experience. Upon arrival in Tokyo I expected to be met at the airport by a driver (as many tour companies do). However, several days before our arrival dates in Tokyo, MtSobek sent an email telling us how to locate taking a city bus from the bustling Tokyo airport. That is interesting if you do not speak Japanese. MtSobek cleverly uses great photography and elaborate descriptions of the national parks and the hiking while using terms like “traditional Japanese experience with tatami-mat sleeping” to disguise sub-standard accommodations. At one point we were looking on-line at the very hotel where we were staying and did not even recognize it from the website pictures. The hiking was amazing. The group size was disappointing with just the three of us. I would absolutely recommend a hiking tour through Japan, just not with MtSobek."

What travelers are saying

"I went on a private 3-day tour of Mexico City with Vibe Adventures and our guide, Jorge, and it was absolutely amazing! The tour took us to the national anthropology museum, the historic center, Xochimilco, Coyoacan and its Frida Kahlo museum, and the incredible Teotihuacan ruins. Jorge was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Mexican history and culture, which made the tour even more interesting. Visiting the National Anthropology Museum was a highlight, as we got to see artifacts from ancient civilizations. Exploring the historic center, Xochimilco, and Coyoacan allowed us to experience the city's vibrant culture and beautiful surroundings. The trip to the Teotihuacan ruins was breathtaking, and Jorge's explanations made it easy to understand the significance of this ancient site."

What travelers are saying

"I have been a return guest of SOW for the past 4 years, and time after time, they never disappoint. Through their trips, it is quite evident that they always treat their guests with high quality service coupled with stories, smiles, laughter, and endless knowledge about marine life, environment, and kayaking, Each of the staff have pure joy for their jobs! I have specific needs due to living with a disability and unfortunately, there are a very few companies that will "take the risk" and include me on their trips. SOW had no hesitation and just was willing to be curious to work with me to determine the appropriate options to make it work for both of us. It took open and honest communication to ensure that trips safe for both of us, while not compromising the service for their other guests on the trips. It takes understanding from both ends. Thank you for your acceptance, honesty, and problem-solving to makes things work. And the weeks of being in the outdoors with the wildlife are simply magical and bliss! These are the weeks that I look forward too over the years because it reminds me the simplicities of life - enjoying being in the outdoors, the company of others, and witnessing the beauty of wildlife. Thank you so much for your excellent care and for the heartfelt trips."

What travelers are saying

"First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfortable and happy (MTSobek tour guides are independent contractors. Tomomi also works for other Adventure/Tour companies) Secondly, Japan is beautiful, clean and the Japanese people are very welcoming. The hiking in the national parks was amazing. It could have been a truly five-star experience if MtSobek had not cut corners so egregiously. The website said (at the time) group tours are 5-22 people. The tour gets canceled if the minimum is not met. When I paid there were TWO other people booked-a mother and daughter duo. Shortly before our departure date I called to see if the tour would be cancelled. I wanted my money back but Mt Sobek was “pleased to say that the trip would not be canceled”. In other words, I could not get a refund. At the last minute a guy named Matt signed up so there were four of us. Five days into the trip Matt left and took a train back to Tokyo. I said to him “You realize Mt Sobek is not going to refund you”. He said, “I don’t care, Mt Sobek scammed us.” With tax, the tour costs $11,645 for 13 nights. For that price there is an expectation that the accommodations Mt Sobek chooses would be decent and clean. We all fully expected a ‘traditional Japanese experience’ which often means no private bath and 8 out of the 13 nights we slept on futon mats on the floor. However, Mt Sobek consistently booked us in the cheapest Ryokans (hotels) in each area in which we travelled. Most of these hotels were unclean and very out-dated. One Ryokan they booked us in was listed on a hotel website for $40 USD/night when there were much nicer accommodations nearby for $100 USD/night. (The Japanese yen is way down, the luxury Park Hotel in Tokyo was $200 USD/night. A comparable hotel would have been about $800/night in Austin.). We were the only people staying in several hotels that accomadated many more people. The most egregious example of MtSobek’s booking the cheapest rooms is when we were booked at a large traditional ski lodge at the base of a spectacular mountain. It was beautiful on the website but had two very different wings. One wing was modern, clean and beautiful with simple beds. The other wing was very old (similar to a cheap Motel 6 that had not been updated since the 1970’s). The carpet and bathrooms were disgusting and like many of the Ryocans where we stayed the futon mats seemed as though they had not been cleaned In 30 years. Only after our tour guide checked us in did we realize we had been booked in the cheap rooms. I asked Tomo why. Immediately someone from MtSobek reached out to me and said, “gosh, I’m sorry you did not realize you were going to have a traditional Japanese experience”. Really? “Traditional” experience depends upon one’s budget. In the US, “traditional” to some people may be the Marriott, a Motel 6 or the Four Seasons Hotels. We were paying for a Marriott experience and received the one-star Motel 6 experience. Upon arrival in Tokyo I expected to be met at the airport by a driver (as many tour companies do). However, several days before our arrival dates in Tokyo, MtSobek sent an email telling us how to locate taking a city bus from the bustling Tokyo airport. That is interesting if you do not speak Japanese. MtSobek cleverly uses great photography and elaborate descriptions of the national parks and the hiking while using terms like “traditional Japanese experience with tatami-mat sleeping” to disguise sub-standard accommodations. At one point we were looking on-line at the very hotel where we were staying and did not even recognize it from the website pictures. The hiking was amazing. The group size was disappointing with just the three of us. I would absolutely recommend a hiking tour through Japan, just not with MtSobek."

What travelers are saying

"I have been a return guest of SOW for the past 4 years, and time after time, they never disappoint. Through their trips, it is quite evident that they always treat their guests with high quality service coupled with stories, smiles, laughter, and endless knowledge about marine life, environment, and kayaking, Each of the staff have pure joy for their jobs! I have specific needs due to living with a disability and unfortunately, there are a very few companies that will "take the risk" and include me on their trips. SOW had no hesitation and just was willing to be curious to work with me to determine the appropriate options to make it work for both of us. It took open and honest communication to ensure that trips safe for both of us, while not compromising the service for their other guests on the trips. It takes understanding from both ends. Thank you for your acceptance, honesty, and problem-solving to makes things work. And the weeks of being in the outdoors with the wildlife are simply magical and bliss! These are the weeks that I look forward too over the years because it reminds me the simplicities of life - enjoying being in the outdoors, the company of others, and witnessing the beauty of wildlife. Thank you so much for your excellent care and for the heartfelt trips."

What travelers are saying

"After travelling to French Canada from Australia and doing a bus tour my partner and I (65 yrs old) started our 7 day rode around Prince Edward Island rail trail. A beautiful island, we had time to ride on a great trail , past blueberry fields which we could stop at and eat/pine trees and other trees lined the route, wetlands and flowers. Accomodation was varied and very comfortable. One night we slept above a cafe and joined the locals eating while being entertained by Irish Fiddlers. The drivers who picked up our luggage were great value telling us about local customs and history. A terrific active holiday!"