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What travelers are saying

"We have just returned from a 10 night Cambodian Experience tour with Insider Journeys from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The tour provided an excellent overview of the country, people and culture as well as a range of experiences including tuk tuks, boat trips, cyclos, temples, pagodas and of course outstanding food experiences and tasting. Accommodation was always comfortable and clean and transport well maintained. Each day was different from the last, covering from the stark reality of the killing fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat. Free time was available for exploring as well. Our guide Virak was knowlegeable, friendly, accommodating and passionate about his country and contributed greatly to our overall positive experience. The highlights of course were Angkor Wat and the nearby temples, the home stay experience, the Cambodian people and of course the delicious food. If you want to see a broad cross section of Cambodia this tour is a great choice."

What travelers are saying

"Guides went out of their way to be helpful, fun and engaging. The itinerary included numerous fascinating cultural exchanges and experiences. Accommodations were lovely with lots of character and charm. Meals were delicious, too. Cuba faces many challenges but we returned home with great appreciation and respect for the courageous Cuban people and their rich culture."

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."

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 loved my 2013 trip to Africa!!! The itinerary rocked as did the accommodations. It fulfilled my expectations beyond my wildest dreams come true. Returning to Africa in 2015 as I loved it very much. Probably will squeeze Costa Rica this year!!!"