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Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel
What travelers are saying
"It is a difficult job to make everybody happy all of the time, but you ladies do a superb job. We were definitely off the beaten path, and when following that path there are sometimes unexpected surprises, but every bump was handled beautifully."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Hiking & Walking, Local Immersion & Homestays, Education / Learning, National Parks, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel
What travelers are saying
"It is a difficult job to make everybody happy all of the time, but you ladies do a superb job. We were definitely off the beaten path, and when following that path there are sometimes unexpected surprises, but every bump was handled beautifully."
All India Luxury Culture Custom Private Tours & Packages, expedition cruises, self guided adventures and vacation packages. Find the best guided and expert planned vacation and holiday packages. Read more about India Luxury Culture Custom Private Tours & Packages
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Religious
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."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Safari, National Parks, High Adventure, Small Ship Cruise, Relaxing Retreats
What travelers are saying
"My feedback on ATJ is based on a requested quote for a trip to a well-known destination in the Himalayas. As any prudent traveler will do before booking any overseas tours, I "do my homework" and "ask lots of questions" before booking a trip. Especially when there are many options and different price points involved. In this specific case, I called to inquire about a typical 8-10 day tour, and was sent a copy of a proposal from a previous client as a sample tour. As a seasoned traveler, I did some simple online research on the 5 star luxury hotels included on that tour, and after removing those costs from the quote, I quickly realized I could not justify the daily per diems being charged for just the driver, guide, meals, Government fees, and other in-country expenses. After an initial exchange of emails, I was told that future ‘revisions’ to the tour proposal would require a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit of $1,000 before proceeding further. Moreover, they requested this NON-REFUNDABLE deposit of $1,000 without committing to a fixed final price for the tour, even though the tour was only 13 months away. This meant the I as the customer, was totally exposed and at the mercy of any arbitrary price hikes the agency might choose to unilaterally impose at their will. I declined and respectfully asked for a tour proposal with the lower daily per diems they had advertised in an email to me as their ‘starting quote’. They chose not to provide that. Realizing that this company was not meeting my expectations, I booked a tour to this country with another reputable company that: (1) Didn't ask for any non-refundable deposit during initial discussions of the tour - much less a $1,000 deposit (2) Didn't leave the final price of the tour as 'open-ended' - subject to unexpected increases at the discretion of the travel agency, and… (3) Didn't have what I considered as excessive daily per-diems for all non hotel-related expenses (i.e driver, guide, meals, Government fees, and incidental in-country expenses). While I cannot comment on the company as a whole, my feedback does reflect my experience in the one and only interaction with this agency. Although I was willing to pay top dollar for a luxury experience, the daily per-diems I was quoted simply did not match the value I felt I would be receiving. Others can judge and decide for themselves if these daily per-diems and strict business practices are consistent with industry standards, and whether this is a good 'fit' for their own travel needs. I would only suggest you do your homework and compare with other reputable agencies before booking your tour."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks
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."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Transformative
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."
Highlights
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, High Adventure
What travelers are saying
"I'd like to express my great satisfaction with the tour and all the arrangements made by Paylesstoursindia. We had a wonderful time in India with our personal driver and guide Prakash who showed us the most interesting places ready to customise the tour to our requests and wishes. The accommodation was mainly in heritage hotels which were exceptional and the ambience there was also unique. Local guides were all polite and friendly, attractions really worth watching or experiencing. We will recommend this tour to our friends and family members."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks
What travelers are saying
"I booked with Tours by Locals on Jan. 31, 2019. We were on a cruise out of New York City. We were due to arrive back to port in the morning and booked this to fill our day before we flew out in the evening. Two days before our tour I received an email that our guide was no longer available and they would try to find another. They didn't and cancelled our tour that had been booked for almost 9 months."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Family Friendly
What travelers are saying
"We booked a trip to Italy with Sky Vacations and could not have been happier with the results. We didn’t want to do the usual tourist visits because we had been to Italy before. They designed a trip that took us to Umbria and Marche and Lake Bracciano and it was great. We wanted to stay in luxury, smaller hotels, do cooking classes, wine tasting and some touring and every item was executed perfectly. We’re now booking Greece with them. A great company we highly recommend."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife
What travelers are saying
"We booked a trip to Italy with Sky Vacations and could not have been happier with the results. We didn’t want to do the usual tourist visits because we had been to Italy before. They designed a trip that took us to Umbria and Marche and Lake Bracciano and it was great. We wanted to stay in luxury, smaller hotels, do cooking classes, wine tasting and some touring and every item was executed perfectly. We’re now booking Greece with them. A great company we highly recommend."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife
What travelers are saying
"We booked a trip to Italy with Sky Vacations and could not have been happier with the results. We didn’t want to do the usual tourist visits because we had been to Italy before. They designed a trip that took us to Umbria and Marche and Lake Bracciano and it was great. We wanted to stay in luxury, smaller hotels, do cooking classes, wine tasting and some touring and every item was executed perfectly. We’re now booking Greece with them. A great company we highly recommend."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Family Friendly, Local Immersion & Homestays, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Photography
What travelers are saying
"4th and final part of our se Asia tour. Another wonderful experience, this time in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Again our guide was really knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. He gave us lots of information about the sites we visited, took photos of us (saving us from having to take selfies!) and allowed us time to take our own photos. He even took video of monkeys for our granddaughters whilst I climbed to the top of a temple. He also gave recommendations for a wonderful restaurant to visit in the evening. I would also commend our driver who provided plenty of cold water and cold towels when we arrived back at the car. These were especially welcome after walking around Angkor Wat in 36c temperature. The hotel on this part was a little disappointing but was adequate and didn't detract from the overall experience. Now sitting in the airport starting the long journey home but with a memorable holiday to look back on."
Highlights
Themes
Cultural, Education / Learning, Nature & Wildlife, Photography
What travelers are saying
"4th and final part of our se Asia tour. Another wonderful experience, this time in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Again our guide was really knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. He gave us lots of information about the sites we visited, took photos of us (saving us from having to take selfies!) and allowed us time to take our own photos. He even took video of monkeys for our granddaughters whilst I climbed to the top of a temple. He also gave recommendations for a wonderful restaurant to visit in the evening. I would also commend our driver who provided plenty of cold water and cold towels when we arrived back at the car. These were especially welcome after walking around Angkor Wat in 36c temperature. The hotel on this part was a little disappointing but was adequate and didn't detract from the overall experience. Now sitting in the airport starting the long journey home but with a memorable holiday to look back on."
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