GeoEx

Geographic Expeditions is a top notch travel company. I have travelled with them four times, and each trip was most memorable. They are very detail oriented and are always there to answer your questions. On each trip everything ran like clockwork. They always have very knowledgeable group leaders and guides and use fine hotels. My last trip was this October/​November and consisted of a group trip to Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal (Himalayan Kingdoms), and then I continued on a private excursion to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangkok, Thailand — thirty-​six days total. It was a fabulous trip. Not one time did I think it was getting too long. Even after 36 days I could have kept going. Errin Mixon was my trip coordinator, and needless to say she did a first rate job. I certainly will use their services again for further trip, and I highly recommend them

My husband and I had never traveled with a group. We like the adventure of discovering magical places on our own. But a few years ago our trip to the Galapagos was group-​mandated and our knowledgeable travel agent recommended GeoEx. We were not disappointed.
So when we learned that the way Americans were legally able to travel to Cuba was through People-​to-​People tours, we again chose GeoEx. What good luck! We went to places we would have never found on our own. All the Cuban lecturers were experts filled with information; they gave our group much to talk and think about. Our guides, Tony who is American, and Yanet the Cuban representative, were fantastic. FANTASTIC! They went out of their way to make the trip exciting, informative, and fun. Our bus driver, Eider, is an amazing person — joyous, kind, and very professional. We couldn’t ask for a better trio.
Immediately our group of 16 melded into a family. No one was late, everyone was friendly, open, courteous, and interested in the varied programs. It was a pleasure being with them. Even with Cuba opening to independent travelers, I would still recommend GeoEx as the best way to see this very special country.

I’ve traveled with GeoEx twice and have had great experiences both times. My most recent trip was the Kangshung Face of Everest Trek. The experience was beyond my expectations and GeoEx made the trip memorable and worry free. For trekking trips it is important to have experienced trekkers and a great guide. For this trip I was lucky enough to have both. All members of the group were experienced hikers and this is something GeoEx strives to ensure by having travelers fill out a detailed questionnaire prior to travel. Our trek leader was fantastic. He was very familiar with the region and engaging on both the overland cultural touring as well as the trekking portion. Additionally, GeoEx provided a knowledgeable, english speaking Tibetan to lead us on our tours of the monasteries and a great team of drivers to take us overland between cities and to/​from the trail head. On trek an experienced team of Sherpas handled all camp setup and cooking duties that made a world of difference in my being able to enjoy the hiking and relax while in camp. I will definitely look to GeoEx when I plan my next adventure.

I cast my fate to the wind last year and traveled with GeoEx to Patagonia. Needless to say the experience was nothing short of amazing and every detail was worked out. So, we again booked with GeoEx to Bhutan. This trip was as good maybe better (if that possible) our direct contact Simon at GeoEx was great. Our guide was amazing and our driver was — out of this world. The Inns were superb! We were treated like royalty! I GeoEx!

I recently returned from a week long trip to Cuba via GeoEx. What a blast! Our Cuban born guide, Duni was top notch. Both articulate and genuine, this likable man’s intent was to help you understand his country during your short stay. His sincerity with both locals as well as his guests allows him to gain the inside track on this evolving country. Hidden away within the 1950’s time warp are paladares with unique décor and cuisine. We were treated with farm-​to-​table lunches to exquisite dinners. Cuba does not use chemical based fertilizer or pesticides therefor produce is organic. The owners of paladares would frequently visit our table to make sure all was well. The ample choices of South American wines and 7 year Havana Club dark run were daily pleasures. Our overnight trip they arranged brought us the beauty of interior of Cuba. Green mountain areas, with oxen plowing the hand sowed fields, a farmer showing us how to hand roll a cigar and cigar leaf harvesting process. Havanna’s San Jose Market displayed Cuba’s love of art. We spent a wonderful morning browsing hundreds of paintings from local artists. One memento graces our wall. And of course the cars,
even a non-​car buff will enjoy these vintage vehicles. Cuba is going to be catching up with the rest of the world sooner or later. It was nice to visit this nation at the early stage of its post-​revolutionary era. Something to be said about drinking a «Hemingwayesque» frozen daiquiri and smoking a cigar at the bar that reflects a by-​gone era.

I traveled with GeoEx to Peru and had an amazing and educational adventure. Thanks to the brilliant trip planning that GeoEx provided I was able to loop together several of Peru’s main attractions including the Sacred Valley, Cuzco, Lima Lake Titicaca and the Peruvian Amazon. The highlight of the adventure was a custom mountain biking adventure in The Sacred Valley on part of the course where there is a huge mountain bike race every year. The guides were fantastic and provided so much local insight into the history that they have lived and incorporated their stories into the big picture of the history of Peru. I am big on culinary adventures as well and GeoEx went the extra mile to provide me with a private tour of the Cuzco market followed by a cooking class with the ingredients we collected fresh from the market. The tour guide for this whole experience was an incredibly talented local chef who answered all the myriad questions that sprang up as we wandered through the market stalls. As far as the accommodations and service went it was first class all the way starting with the Aqua Amazon palace on water all the way through to the majestic Titilaka on Lake Titicaca. I can’t recommend GeoEx enough and their dedication to responsible travel is the reason I chose to utilize their skills to visit Peru.

I recently made my second trip to India, almost 20 years after first visiting the country as a low-​budget backpacker. GeoEx made it a fantastic experience. Unforgettable, really. For my return trip to India I wanted to travel in comfort, learn more about the towns and cities I was passing through, use my time efficiently, not stress about transportation and lodging, and not rely on chance (or a guidebook) to steer me toward the most rewarding experiences. GeoEx helped me choose an itinerary that took me through the subcontinent’s central interior, starting in Delhi and ending in Mumbai, with stops in places like Bhopal, Orchha, Aurangabad, the magical Maheshwar (how I loved the Ahilya Fort!), and Hyderabad.
I tend to be ambivalent about guided tours, but I found the guides that work with GeoEx to be knowledgeable and very interesting in their own right. One particular guide who took me to see the ancient rock paintings in the hills outside Bhopal really enriched my experience and provided a lot of meaningful context for what I was seeing.
Hotels, meals, and transportation were all excellent. I can’t recall a single time when there was any confusion about how I was supposed to get somewhere, or who was supposed to bring me. It felt effortless, allowing me to focus on the experience. I highly recommend GeoEx… especially if you have India in mind.

We travelled with GeoEx to Cuba and regrettably were very disappointed with GeoEx’s guides and overall quality. We had anticipated a high quality experience based on the GeoEx description, more limited number of attendees and cost. Our guide, Duni, however, was highly unprofessional (although the locally mandated Cuban government guide was excellent). Duni was not the expert GeoEx had promised as a cut above other companies– he was divisive and simplistic. And, GeoEx’s local contact, Michael Sykes, was rude and aggressive when we complained that our guide had abandoned us in Old Havana at night. GeoEx did not follow up or inquire about why we had a bad experience. We would not use GeoEx again, which is unfortunate, since we had high expectations and would prefer a hands on and expert company for specialized travel.

I just came back from the most amazing trip to Africa. I spent 2 ½ weeks travelling around South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana to go on safari with a few days in Capetown at the end. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect and this was my first trip to a developing country and to my first time letting someone else plan anything for me. Geoex did a better job than I could have ever done planning this trip. I didn’t have to think or stress about anything during the planning phase, which ended up being a big relief. They worked out all the details, were great communicators and even included free emergency insurance. Thankfully I didn’t need it, but it made my family feel a lot better knowing that if there were any issues I would be air lifted out.
On to the best part, the actual trip! From the moment I landed everything was seamless including all the travel between safari camps, which is no small task considering there are no real roads in the bush. The camps Geoex chose were ecofriendly, had great amenities, an extremely knowledgable staff and in prime locations. In Botswana I was right on the Okavango delta and there were hippos in the water outside my room. In Zimbabwe I’d wake up every morning to antelope and zebras hanging out at the watering hole 100 yards away. The food was also good at all the locations, which is something I was worried about. I have dietary restrictions and often end up eating protein bars, but Geoex let the camps know ahead of time and they took special care to make sure I always had options.
Overall, Geoex was great to work with and I will absolutely use them again.

Just finished my second trip with GeoEx to Bhutan. They have very strong capabilities in this part of the world and have been my go-​to people for excusions of this sort in Asia. Everything was exactly as described and I never had to worry about a thing from the moment I got on the plane to Paro. In addition to 2 Bhutan trips, I’ve also used GeoEx for a trip to Nepal and a private journey in Japan. My spouse once used them for a month-​long private journey in New Zealand where her itineary was practically the size of a phone book — she still talks about that trip. I can’t attest to their capabilities in other parts of the world, but they have been my first call for excusions to Asian destinations. Plus, how can you not get wanderlust by simply looking at their catalogue …?

We recently had the opportunity to return to Africa and hit up some of the countries we missed the previous trip. Our first week, in South Africa, was covered… so I wanted to go with a solid company to hit up Botswana and Zambia. We’d used Kensington Tours before, but had a rather sour taste in our mouth from the experience.
The FIRST thing we discovered is that Wilderness Safaris (and Wilderness Air) pretty much locked down Botswana — everyone uses them, so it made choices a bit easier.
After a month or so of interviews, we ended up going with GeoEx. They gave us reasonable pricing, and were VERY prompt at addressing specific questions. After signing with them, they promptly sent us specific info about our trip, including a complete (but prelim) itinerary.
Bonus — a month before we left, we got a care package from them. It included two HEAVY duty canvas rucksacks, a nice guide book on Botswana and Zambia, and reading material for the plane (of course, the plot was centered in Botswana). It also included our final itinerary. And finally, it included a nice touch — a «free» emergency insurance plan, in case «something» happened with in the bush.
We completed the trip — no issues, no hassles, everything was spot on. After our return, Starla (our agent) reached out to us to check on the trip — nice touch!).
DEFINITELY would use them again, and absolutely recommend them with no reservations.

I traveled with Geographic to Africa for safari in 2007 and sailed along the coast of Turkey in 2008. Both were trips of a lifetime thanks to the amazing people at Geographic! These expert travelers think of everything. From flights (one even landed on a dirt runway!) to hotels to guides to activities to dinner, Geographic handled everything. These are not trips I would plan or take on my own. But in the hands of Geographic, I have no worries over safety or logistics. They provided access to extraordinary experiences through a network of local guides who are friendly and knowledgeable. I sat around a fire in a Massai home talking with a Massai woman my own age as our guide translated. I hiked with a nomad in Turkey and drank sage tea with his wife and daughter. I ate crepes prepared by a local family in their home along the coast of Turkey. These are experiences I could never even imagine on my own and they are daily experiences with Geographic, creating memories that will stay with me forever. I have turned to them again for a Southeast Asia expedition. I leave in a few weeks for another amazing trip to remember forever!

My son and I wanted to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and we contacted Geographic Expeditions to arrange a private trip for the two of us. The price GE gave us was $ 16,000 for an 8-​day climb — steep, but I could afford it so I didn’t complain, at least not initially. But the trip was very badly planned by GE and the local Tanzanian tour guides were ripped off by GE, so in the end I became very unhappy with GE.
For starters, all GE did for $ 16,000 was send me an itinerary typed on nice paper in an attractive portfolio and then sub-​contract the trip to local outfitters — who they paid only $ 1,600. When I got back from the trip, I told GE I didn’t mind paying $ 16,000, but why did they keep 90% of the fee and pay the outfitter who actually did the trip so little [the baggage carriers were making $ 7 a day!]. I said, why don’t you pay them a decent wage? The GE President said, «Don’t tell me how to run my business.»
The hike itself was badly conceived by GE. First, they started us hiking at 6,500′ through a mosquito-​infested jungle, ankle-​deep in mud. After two days of miserable hiking, we crested a hill at 11,000′ to see buses bringing people into a trailhead! Later, I asked GE why they started our trip at such a low elevation and they said, «To acclimatize you to elevation.» This explanation was totally absurd because no one needs «acclimatization» at 6,500′ [[I’ve never had any acclimatization issues below 16,000′]. It would have been far better to avoid the mud-​slog, start at 11,000′ and stay an extra day at the camps at 11,000′ or 13,000′ to acclimatize at elevation.
Then, GE planned for us to climb Kili and spend the night on the top, but when I asked our trip guide what he thought of that idea, he said it was «crazy.» «If you want to get altitude sickness, sleeping overnight on the top is the way to do it,» he said. Along the trail, I asked every guide I met the same question and every one gave me the same answer — sleeping on the top would seriously increase the chance of altitude sickness and they strongly recommended against it, so we made a mid-​course correction and camped at 15,500′ before the final ascent. Later, I confronted the President of GE with this information and he insisted, «I know what I’m doing.» I responded, «Who should I believe — 20 mountain guides who climb Kilimanjaro every week or some desk jockey in San Francisco?» He said he didn’t want to talk any more about it. GE doesn’t handle criticism very well.
The mountain itself is quite beautiful, even more beautiful than I expected, but the climb is marred by a huge amount of trash on the trails and in the campsites, and everyone has to camp at designated campsites, so you end up camping with 100 – 200 people around you, amidst trash and garbage. It is still well worth doing, but not with Geographic Expeditions!