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Audley, Kuoni or Trailfinders?

Namechangforthisone · 11/02/2024 09:25

Have you used them? Were they good? Did you get the holiday of your dreams? I usually book our holidays online, but next year we are considering a ‘big’ holiday in Asia. There will be lots of internal flights and specialist trips. I could book the trip myself, but because we’ve never done this type of holiday before, I’m considering booking through a specialist travel company. I’ve had my first telephone consultation with Audley and have a meeting with Kuoni and Trailfinders next week. Kuoni have come out best in a recent survey, but they don’t have any prices on their website, so I’ve no idea if they are in the running anyway. Thoughts?

We’ve successfully used Trailfinders a few times and also A&K for a v lux trip but for Asia I’d consider DIY or at least compare the prices.

I used Audley last year for a big Asian holiday. Not cheap at all but they took a huge amount of time to listen to what I wanted, get everything right, adjust things I wasn’t happy with etc. You can also book parts of the trip yourself and get them to do the rest. I didn’t ask anyone else to quote so I don’t have a direct comparison, but I have used trailfinders before and if you are wanting a complete handhold I would say Audley are much better, but therefore cost more.

Audley were amazing when we have to cancel our complicated trip to Oz because of Covid . Full refund, very helpfully managed

Beware. I nearly booked a v.expensive trip with Trailfinders as the price was better than others. Then I realised the small print offered to arrange flights in addition !

Kuoni have been fantastic but not used for a few years as expensive. Used Travelbag for our California road trip last summer and they were great, so helpful (helped on previous bookings that fell through due to Covid) Will be using them again for next years US road trip. Also found Kenwood Travel to be good. Travelbag you can submit an online enquiry form too so don't have to be sat on the phone for ages.

We have used Trailfinders and were very happy with them.

I spoke to Trailfinders about a trip to Asia - 6 weeks, travelling round- but ended up booking everything independently as it was so much cheaper. It was very easy in the end. And because I did my research we found some lovely independent places that I doubt a big travel agency would have on their radar.

We’ve used Kuoni a few times and they’re great. The lack of prices on website is a relatively new thing that does bug me but we’ve used the same lady in store for many years and I just email her and ask for budget ideas and if one I’ve highlighted is silly money she’ll quote that one but suggest I check out another option too

Hi, Great to see some answers and nice to see positive comments about these companies. Ive priced up a few thing like international flights and hotels, but it’s hard to get figures for the internal flights and transfers. The tours that we fancied can be booked directly and aren’t nearly as expensive as I thought they would be. I think I could probably get it for 10-15% lower if I booked myself, but I’m still quite tempted by the ease and guarantee of booking through a company. Does anyone know what sort of cut they get? Anyway, I’ll talk to other agents and will go from there. Thanks

No idea on the cut but definitely with tours I think it’s worth doing, we did an African safari through Kuoni the jeeps they used they guaranteed everyone a window seat, as it was the jeep would have seated 7 or 8 so the max Kuoni would allow was 6 we had 4, this meant plenty of moving around options to get the best view. Some of the jeeps we passed were absolutely crammed full, way over capacity, which was allowed as not on a public highway.

Have used Trailfinders several times and been impressed. You can give them a rough idea, an outline or a fully fleshed out itinerary and they’ll work with it, although we have ended up not booking destinations where they can’t offer much flexibility i.e. they can offer set itineraries only) as I tend to either plan the whole thing myself and then book it through them for the protection or tweak an itinerary someone else has created. For short trips with multiple legs, I can’t recommend them enough as they sort out any flight or hotel changes without fuss, keeping you informed and giving good options. But as a pp says, they don’t offer the full range of accommodation and I wouldn’t feel the need to use them for an extended trip where I had a bit of slack.

Did anyone else read only the title and think this was a baby name thread until they got to 'trailfinders'?

Use Skyscanner app for flights, external and internal. I've booked this sort of holiday myself before and it's fine but suppose it depends if you feel comfortable.

Throwing another one into the mix. Freedom Destinations. We used them for our once in a lifetime Oz trip in 2022. We told them our rough plan, they refined it, advised on what to do and what not to do and booked the international and internal flights. We had one hiccup in Australia, but they sorted it out quickly and to my satisfaction. I would used them again.

I've only ever had good reports about Audley from people I know. We used trailfinders for a big holiday and we were disappointed about how much they wouldn't break down the final figure for us. So, for instance, they wouldn't tell us how much the flights were and kept saying we are not allowed to give you that detail. For that reason we would not use them again

I’ve used trailfinders repeatedly over the years. They have served me so well. So flexible and really listen to what I want. Including several changes to plans often which they accommodate. And in terms of value for money - for decent end accommodation I have calculated I wouldn’t have been able to get the whole trip on my owm fof the overall price charged on multiple occasions. Occasionally I throw in my own accom for a few nights for whatever reason and that works well too. Can’t recommend trailfinders highly enough.

Trailfinders are good but they didn't really listen to my "I like public transport" comment and kept suggesting taxi transfers, it pushes the price stupidly in my opinion, and I like trains even buses. I ended up buying independently

@CircleofWillis 😂 More great feedback. Thanks. I had another look at the plan that Audley drew up for me. Not so sure about a couple of the excursions after reading the trip advisor views. How many times did you tweak your itineraries before booking? The poor rep (whoever that will be) will be sick of me by the time we finally sign on the dotted line. Final question. Why did you choose the company you booked with? Was it just price or did they offer something special? I must admit most of my life decisions have been made on gut feeling, so perhaps I’ll just go with that.

We used Audley last year for a three week trip across Costa Rica they are brilliant we had already booked the flights ourselves and they sorted everything else out for us. We went back and forth lots of times to nail down the details and we didn't book all our tours/days out with them they put them in as our leisure days but provided so much information on activities we could do ourselves and also all the places to go to eat have coffee etc ouside the hotels/lodges. We had a set budget and they worked really well within this when we said we wanted a larger car they would look at tweaking something else on the holiday to accommodate. When we priced it independently (we have always booked holidays independently ourselves) yes we could have done it cheaper ourselves but the difference wasn't huge and we felt really looked after. And on the excursions we were the same a few we were not keen on so they offered alternatives.

CircleofWillis · 13/02/2024 07:11

Thanks @toasty1

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Audley were great. Spoke to a named person (and always the same person every time) and got a completely personalised trip. They were also a big help with visa applications for a tricky country. I'd definitely use them again.

Our honeymoon with Kuoni wasn't great. We paid extra for private transfers that didn't materialise and the tour operators in resort weren't interested in resolving the situation. We complained when we got back, and they refunded us the money we'd paid for the private transfers, but nothing else. I wouldn't use them again. It was a once in a lifetime trip with multiple stop offs. They didn't acknowledge and time lost whilst at the resort logging complaints.

We had a quote from Kuoni for our honeymoon; I've only ever heard good things about them. But when it came down to it, the prices for what were the same hotels and flights as we could buy elsewhere were eye watering. I know you're paying for customer service and added extras, but as this was a fairly simple beach holiday, we just couldn't justify it. The example pp have of safari trucks though does seem great. And if you've not done this sort of trip before and it's a biggie, the peace of mind and customer service could make it worth it.

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Audley Travel and Trailfinders top Which? poll for best travel company

Blanket Bay, Glenorchy – an Audley destination

Audley Travel and Trailfinders have topped a Which? poll to find the UK’s best travel company.

The two companies came top of the online poll which surveyed 2,852 members in April and holiday experiences had to include accommodation and transport or an organised tour.

Trailfinders topped the poll for the third year running a 93 per cent satisfaction score, with Audley joining them at the top for the first time. Audley Travel was praised for its ‘superb’ and ‘seamless’ planning, with one Which? member saying it was a ‘class act’. Trailfinders was described by one member as ‘simply brilliant’.

While the two specialist operators were praised, there was bad news for traditional high street travel companies such as Thomson and First Choice, while beleaguered    Thomas Cook came bottom with just 61 per cent satisfaction.

The survey took in 23 companies with the top and bottom fives being:

Other companies surveyed included British Airways Holidays, The Co-operative Travel, Exodus, Great Rail Journeys, Inghams, Jet2holidays, Kuoni, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, Saga, Titan Travel, Travelsphere, Virgin Holidays and Voyages Jules Verne.

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Tags: audley travel British Airways holidays Exodus Expedia Explore First Choice Great Rail Journeys HF Holidays Inghams jet2holidays Kuoni Ramblers Worldwide Holidays Riviera Travel Saga Shearings Holidays The Co-operative Travel Thomas Cook Thomson Titan Travel Trailfinders Travelsphere Virgin Holidays Voyages Jules Verne

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Britain's best tour operators, according to you

Audley Travel has won the title of best tour operator in the 2019 Telegraph Travel Awards, based on the opinions of almost 50,000 readers, while APT, New Zealand In Depth, Peak Retreats, Rocky Mountaineer and Vintage Travel also picked up awards.

The luxury tour operator took first place in 2016 and 2017, but slipped to third place in 2018. This year the company has returned to full force, sweeping the top spot with its tailored approach to travel.

Of the five sub-categories (best escorted tour operator, best specialist, best ski, best rail and best villa operator), no previous winners have held onto their titles this year. 

Best Tour Operator

• Audley Travel
• Trailfinders

The vast majority of Audley's customers are booking expensive, adventurous, tailor-made holidays to far-flung destinations. It is a list which has grown enormously over the years, but good examples include Bhutan, the Galapagos Islands, Botswana and China. Audley’s success perhaps lies partly in the fact that these are such special, memorable places to visit.

But the operator only gets your vote because it delivers an outstanding experience and this seems to lie its ability to listen to its clients first, and then design their trip. While this might sound like an obvious approach, it is remarkable how few travel companies employ this basic principle of customer service.

Once again Trailfinders will be frustrated to find itself pipped into second place. Once a regular winner in our awards, this is the fourth year in a row that it has just failed to take the title. But, given the broad nature of its offering - from good value airfares and complex itineraries to luxury holidays - this is still an excellent performance and its experienced and well-trained staff remain an obvious port of call for advice on long haul travel arrangements.

In third place, Scott Dunn, is another consistent performer. Founded as a luxury ski operator it now offers a much bigger portfolio of tailor-made top-end holidays which stretches from African safaris, to honeymoons, winter sun beaches and polar excursions.

Best Escorted Tour Operator

• HF Holidays
• G Adventures

APT may be more familiar to you for its river cruise programme (a category it won in 2014 and 2016), but this arm of the company, which was launched in 2005, is actually a relatively recent development. APT (the acronym stood originally for Australian Pacific Touring) was founded in Melbourne and built its success on escorted coach tours in Australia. After branching out into New Zealand, Canada and Alaska by the 1990s and then travel by luxury train and cruise ships in the 2000s, it now offers an impressive programme of top-end escorted itineraries all around the world.

It has performed exceptionally well in our awards in recent years, topping the poll in 2017, and coming third last year. It wins again this year and, if you are looking for an imaginative group itinerary with excellent insights into the destination in question, bespoke experiences and efficient organisation, then - according to Telegraph readers at least - you can do no better.

Meanwhile, in second place, HF Holidays has been offering guided walking holidays and special interest breaks since 1913 - making it one of Britain’s longest established tour operators. As well as offering tours and walks in more than 80 destinations on six continents it also offers activity breaks in 18 country houses which it owns and operates in the UK.

In third place G Adventures, founded on a shoe string by a Canadian entrepreneur in 1990, has grown from a company operating a handful of trips in Latin America to an offer of more than 700 small group adventures all over the world, and it has clearly managed to maintain quality up at the same time.

Best Specialist Tour Operator

• New Zealand In Depth

Given that New Zealand once again won our best destination category, it is perhaps no surprise that one of the leading specialists in arranging holidays there has done so well. Buxton-based New Zealand In Depth has been in business since 2003 and takes a distinctive approach to customer service. Individual bookings are looked after by the same member of staff from the outset and that person is responsible for honing and then delivering the itinerary.

The staff are experts in all aspects of the country and they work particularly closely with partners on the ground, having developed long-standing relationships with accommodation suppliers, guides, drivers and so on. New Zealand in Depth also supports local tourism and environmental projects - in short, it is the model of how a specialist tour operator should work, and it has clearly impressed Telegraph readers over the last year and more.

In second place, Inntravel is a specialist in a different mould, offering lots of destinations (mostly in Europe) but focusing on interesting ways to explore them. Its mantra is “slow holidays” and many of its self-guided itineraries involve cycling or walking, though it also has a portfolio of journeys by car, train and boat. Although no longer a family-run firm (it is now part of the Hotelplan group), its performance this year suggests it is keeping its standards high.

Third-placed Neilson offers yet another different focus - if you are looking for a beach club or sailing holiday in the Med, this is where Telegraph readers think you should turn first.

Best Ski Operator

• Peak Retreats

Peak Retreats is in many ways the antithesis of the standard ski operator; while it does serve some of the big-name resorts that many Britons favour, its real mission is spreading the word about under-the-radar France. It offers accommodation in smaller villages serving famous ski areas – St Martin de Belleville or Orelle for the Trois Vallées instead of Méribel, for example, Les Carroz rather than Flaine for the Grand Massif. And, it sings the praises of smaller ski areas with a true French feel, such as Aussois, Vars and Praz de Lys.

The directors are two French anglophiles, Xavier Schoeller and Nathalie Soma, whose desire to encourage skiers and snowboarders out of their comfort zone has obviously chimed this year, perhaps also because these lesser-known destinations also tend to be money savers. But they do not mean roughing it, Peak Retreats takes care to choose quality hotels and self-catering apartments, and the directors visit every recommended property.

This year’s runners up also reflect a desire for value along with quality. Club Med’s all-inclusive model, with full-board, lift passes and lessons all covered, has gone from strength to strength. It regularly opens new hotel complexes and this season is venturing into luxury chalet-apartments, in Samoëns, France.

VIP SKI specialises in catered chalets and chalet-hotels in 10 resorts in France and Austria. The company is lifted above the norm by high levels of catering and attention to detail, as well as quality accommodation in great locations – most chalets on its books have been built to VIP’s own specifications.

Best Rail Operator

• Rocky Mountaineer
• Great Rail Journeys

The website of the Vancouver-based Rocky Mountaineer train company presents something of a dilemma when it comes to describing the two levels of service on its signature journeys through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. “Choose between excellent and extraordinary,” it suggests – the terms it uses to describe its Silver Leaf and Gold Leaf options; both offering fantastic views, food and service, with the latter scaling even greater heights of superlativeness.

Telegraph Travel readers clearly concur, having voted Rocky Mountaineer the Best Rail Operator for 2019, a step up from its runner-up award in the two previous years.

Now approaching its 30th anniversary, Rocky Mountaineer prides itself on offering maximum viewing potential by arranging overnight stays in hotels along the way so that none of the spectacular scenery is missed when it is dark. It offers three key routes – First Passage to the West, Journey through the Clouds and Rainforest to Gold Rush – in a range of packages of different duration and optional off-train experiences that as of this year have included heli-hiking.

Another company that has long been a byword for luxury rail travel (and indeed a previous winner of this caregory) is Belmond, the operator of the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and a host of other sumptuous rail adventures in countries as diverse as Peru, Thailand, Malaysia and Ireland. The other runner-up this year is Great Rail Journeys, a company which offers an extensive range of guided tours by rail worldwide, including trips on both the Rocky Mountaineer and the London to Venice Belmond routing.

Best villa operator

• Vintage Travel
• Simpson Travel
• The Thinking Traveller

Villa stays are on the up as more of us head off on multi-generation holidays, with grandparents and grandchildren in tow. Not only do these villas provide an environment that makes it easy to cater for all manner of fussy eaters, they also offer a sense of privacy that is hard to find at a hotel. The best will take you to the heart of a destination, while the in-house concierge services will show you the region’s soul – from truffle hunting in Italy to wine tasting in France.

Leading the pack this year is Vintage Travel, which has leapt up two places from 2018’s awards. Catering to a wide range of travellers, Vintage offers everything from villas with children’s pools to those designed with a digital detox in mind. They all have private pools and can be found in quiet rural locations around the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and United Kingdom.

First runner-up is last year’s winner Simpson Travel, with high-end self-catering in Corsica, Mallorca, France, Italy, Turkey and the Greek islands. Intimate honeymoon hideaways and family villas are popular favourites, with a range of activities – from sailing lessons to horse riding – on offer.

Following closely behind is Thinking Traveller, purveyor of beautiful properties in equally beautiful locations; Puglia, Sicily, Corsica and the Ionian and Sporades islands. Their experiential offering includes yacht charters and private guided tours of Unesco World Heritage sites.

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Audley Travel - UK   Reviews

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New Mill Lane, New Mill, OX29 9SX Witney, England, GB

Reviews 4.8

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Southafrica !

Southafrica ! We booked a 3 week trip to Cape Town, garden route, winelands and safari, all tailor made to our needs as a family. The service with Audley travel was immaculate from start to finish and we had an amazing experience. We would book at any time again with Audley, as they have not only great experts in the team ( Andy who is the travel expert for Southafrica), but also outstanding service throughout!

Date of experience : 09 March 2024

Reply from Audley Travel - UK

Hi Kerstin, Thank you for taking the time to leave this kind review. We are so pleased to hear about your wonderful adventure in South Africa. It is so great to hear how happy you were with the service and the tailor made trip was perfectly customised to fit the needs of you and your family! We will pass these kind words onto Andy and the team. We look forward to planning many more trips with you in the future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

I can't fault Audley…

This is the 2nd time we have used Audley Travel as we were so impressed with how they planned our first holiday with them. Charlotte was our specialist for our latest Borneo trip and planned the most fantastic trip for us. Everything ran seamlessly from start to finish. I have other friends that have used Audley Travel and they also have had excellent experiences with them.

Date of experience : 06 April 2024

Hi Sally, Thank you for taking the time to leave this wonderful review! It is so great to hear what an incredible trip you had to Borneo. We are so pleased that everything ran smoothly and you are so impressed with the service you received from Audley start to finish. We will pass your kind words onto Charlotte and the team. We look forward to planning many more adventures together soon! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Our trip to Thailand "the land of smiles" was fabulous

Our Thailand trip was fabulous. With expert guidance from Saskia at Audley we visited golden temples, ancient ruins, vibrant markets (even one on a railway line!) and a variety of stunning landscapes. The smell and taste of Thai street food and fruit beyond imagination. The music of the rainforest- gibbons, birds and cicadas calling. The serenity of the hill tribe people. The poignant Burma Railway sites and the most beautiful cemetery. Fantastic tea tasting. Getting up close and personal with gorgeous elephants. Staying in a lovely selection of boutique hotels. I unhesitatingly recommend visiting "the land of smiles" Thailand with Audley to tailor the trip to your individual needs.

Date of experience : 14 April 2024

Dear Customer, Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely review. Your trip to Thailand sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and we are so pleased we could assist you in experiencing all these amazing adventures! It is wonderful to hear how customised the itinerary was to you, making the trip that extra bit more special. We will pass your kind words onto Saskia and the team, and look forward to planning many more wonderful trips with you in the future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Very poor customer service

Booked to go to Japan many months ahead and very excited. Unfortunately our specialist rep left and her replacement was not very efficient. She promised things, calls that never materialised. I booked with them because I suffer from anxiety and wanted all the stress taken away. Her inefficiency left me stressed before we left. We missed our flight connection due to late departure and we were abandoned. No help during a weekend. Lost paid for trips and tickets as no rep. would rearrange to meet us. Now trying to claim compensation and constant stalling. Yet again booked phone calls not received. Japan is wonderful by the way but not the experience I was expecting from Audley.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Dear Julie, We were deeply saddened to learn about the challenges you faced during your trip to Japan. Your feedback is incredibly important to us, and we are committed to addressing your concerns and providing the necessary support. To assist us in better understanding your situation, could you please send us an email with your contact and trip details to [email protected] We are dedicated to resolving this matter promptly and ensuring that you feel supported every step of the way. Your experience does not align with the high standards we strive to maintain at Audley Travel, and we genuinely regret any disappointment you may have experienced. We eagerly anticipate receiving your email and working towards a positive resolution. Kind Regards, Audley Travel

New Zealand Trip of a Lifetime…

The New Zealand trip had been on our agenda pre Covid and we used Audley to help plan our self drive itinerary. Our agent, Amy, listened and understood what we were looking for and offered knowledgeable advice based on her personal experience. She came up with a planned route which pretty much perfectly matched our brief. The support information pre-visit and during the trip was excellent, taking away any anxiety about where we were headed next. Fabulous service and fabulous holiday.

Date of experience : 25 February 2024

Dear Satisfied Customer, We are so pleased to hear about your recent trip to New Zealand. It must have been so lovely to finally tick it off the pre-Covid bucket list! We are so pleased that you felt so listened to by Amy and you felt the itinerary was perfectly customised to what you wanted! We will be sure to pass these kind words about the support provided to Amy and the team! We look forward to planning many more special trips with you in the future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Fantastic tour of New Zealand

Just back from a fantastic tour of New Zealand, which was organised by Audley Travel. The trip ran very smoothly, although we stayed at a lot of different venues. All the excursions organised by the company were great and we had a brilliant time. We would thoroughly recommend using Audley for this type of trip as their agents have an extensive knowledge of the country and the different places we stayed and experiences that we did.

Date of experience : 22 February 2024

Hi Nicole, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you had a fantastic tour of New Zealand organized by Audley. It is wonderful to know that the trip ran smoothly and that you enjoyed all the excursions. We take pride in our agents' extensive knowledge of the country and their ability to create memorable experiences for our clients. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we are thrilled that you had a brilliant time exploring New Zealand with Audley. We look forward to assisting you with any future travel plans you may have. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Three perfect trips with Audley

This latest trip to Vietnam was the third time that we have used Audley Travel. In all three occasions we were listened to, so that they could try to put together a holiday that suited us. They were always quick to respond to any issues that cropped up during our holidays one one occasion they even phoned us in China! This company is not the cheapest but they are in our opinion the best that we have found and we will not hesitate in using them again for a great travel experience.

Date of experience : 08 March 2024

Hi Mr Warman, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Audley Travel. We are delighted to hear that you have enjoyed three perfect trips with us, and that our team was able to listen to your preferences and create holidays tailored to suit your needs. We are pleased to hear that our prompt response to any issues during your holidays, including going above and beyond by phoning you in China, contributed to making your travel experiences memorable. At Audley Travel, we strive to provide exceptional service and create unforgettable journeys for our clients. While we may not always be the cheapest option, we are honored that you consider us the best in terms of quality and service. Your loyalty means a great deal to us, and we look forward to helping you plan many more great travel experiences in the future. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Audley gave a us a life changing experience!

My mother and I (a female 24 year old) had an amazing 2 week holiday with Audley Travel. Brigitte at Audley Travel helped us to create an experience that worked for our interests, our budget and our time-frame. We had a life-changing trip through Jordan and Egypt including an unforgettable jeep tour of the Wadi Rum desert, a private tour of Petra, a luxury cruise along the Nile, a guided tour of the Pyramids and so much more! Every element worked smoothly and we were treated like queens throughout. We want to thank everyone at Audley Travel for this experience - we had an unforgettable holiday and felt we were in safe hands throughout the trip.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Hi Ellen, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Audley. We are thrilled to hear that Brigitte and our team were able to provide you and your mother with a life-changing trip through Jordan and Egypt. It brings us great joy to know that every aspect of your holiday, from the jeep tour of Wadi Rum desert to the luxury cruise along the Nile, exceeded your expectations. We truly appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for more unforgettable adventures in the future. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Australia Adventure

Just excellent service from beginning to end :-planning the trip, securing all the flights and hotels, and preparing the itineraries and information packs. Invaluable background information was much appreciated as well as a 24 hour help line when risk of war in the Middle East caused airline schedules to be revised.

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

Hi Clive, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. We are so pleased to hear that you had such a wonderful adventure in Australia and you felt so listened to and well looked after throughout the whole process. We will pass your kind words onto Brooke and the team. We hope to plan many more adventures together in the near future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Exceptional

We had a fabulous experience using Audley travel to arrange our honeymoon. We had Suzi look after us who was very knowledgeable, easy to chat with and understood exactly what we wanted to get from our trip. From our first enquiry to getting back home, the level of care and attention was exceptional. We really felt looked after. The trip was so well organised and lifted a lot of the stress we sometime experience when we have organised our own trips in the past. We received a gift box ahead of our trip with thoughtful items related to our destination and we received a professional looking itinerary to take with us. We would highly recommend using Audley and will not hesitate to go with them for our bigger trips in future.

Date of experience : 01 March 2024

Hi Carla, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are thrilled to hear that you had such a fabulous experience using Audley to arrange your honeymoon. It is wonderful to know that Suzi provided you with knowledgeable and attentive service, making sure your trip was exactly what you wanted. We are delighted that our level of care and attention helped make your trip stress-free and enjoyable. It is always our goal to provide exceptional service from the first enquiry all the way through until you return home. We are glad that you appreciated the gift box and professional itinerary we provided, as we strive to add those personal touches to enhance your travel experience. We look forward to assisting you with any future trips. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Simply amazing Safari

From our initial enquiry we felt more than looked after and they made sure our safari was personal to us and met and surpassed all of our needs/requests. They definitely went the extra mile to make this our dream trip.

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Hi Angela, Thank you for your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your safari experience exceeded your expectations and that we were able to tailor it to your needs. It was our pleasure to make your trip a reality. We look forward to welcoming you back for another unforgettable adventure. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Another fantastic holiday organised for us by Audley - this time to Greece

We have just got back from an amazing holiday in Greece seeing all of the best ancient sites. We knew from our previous trips to Canada, Costa Rica and India with Audley that the whole trip would flow seamlessly with brilliant guides, excellent drivers, and with Audley and their local agents to fall back on if anything went wrong. This trip was such a complicated itinerary, but our team of punctual, calm and reliable drivers, and the excellent guides ready and waiting at each site we visited, made sure all ran like clockwork. We would highly recommend Audley and would like to say a big thank you to their excellent and enthusiastic Greece expert, Lyta Blake, who organised this trip for us.

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Hi Amanda, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you had another fantastic holiday organized by Audley, this time in Greece. It is wonderful to know that our team was able to make your trip seamless and enjoyable, just like your previous experiences in Canada, Costa Rica, and India. We truly appreciate your kind words about our punctual drivers, calm guides, and reliable local agents who ensured that everything ran smoothly during your complicated itinerary. We will be sure to pass on your praise to Lyta, our Greece expert, for her excellent organization and enthusiasm in planning your trip. We look forward to helping you plan more unforgettable adventures in the future. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Superb, for once you do actually get what you pay for!

We were recommended Audley Travel by friends who had used them for their honeymoon in South Africa. We went to Thailand and Audley excelled. Our expert Anna was exactly that, great recommendations, wasn’t phased by our requests to tweak our arrangements and the 3 weeks went without a hitch. 99% our our experience was fabulous, and the 1 element we found slightly amiss was out of Audrey’s control. I had always wanted to go to the floating markets of Bangkok but did not agree with the use of drugged slow lorises for the purpose of tourist photographs. This was discussed with Anna on our return and I was assured as a company that focuses on high animal welfare, this option would be addressed. The standard of our transfers, hotels and experiences was superb. Our two highlights were Anantara hotel with both the elephant experiences in The Golden Triangle and The Sarojin hotel in Khao Lak; just exceptional. Will definitely be using Audley for future trips.

Date of experience : 02 March 2024

Hi Susan, Thank you for sharing your fantastic experience with Audley during your trip to Thailand. We are pleased to hear that our expert Anna provided you with great recommendations and that you enjoyed your time at Anantara hotel in The Golden Triangle and The Sarojin hotel in Khao Lak. Your feedback on animal welfare is important to us, and we will ensure that it is taken into consideration for future trips. We are excited to plan your upcoming adventures with Audley. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

South Africa March 2024

Our first experience with Audley travel, from a short conversation on what our travel likes and dislikes are to a full on video call within a week. Robyn Hutchons had put together a brilliant itinerary for our big trip. We didn't change a thing and signed up there and then. The attention to detail, materials (that app) and communications make everything smooth. Thank you Audley, we will be back. Tim and Jeanette

Date of experience : 04 March 2024

Hi Tim and Jeanette, Thank you very much for taking the time to write this lovely review. We are so pleased that you had such a fantastic time in South Africa, and Robyn was able to create an itinerary that you felt was so well suited to your requirements. The trip sounds amazing and we are glad that you felt so supported pre, during and post trip! We will pass your kind words onto Robyn and the team! We look forward to welcoming you back for your next trip! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Absolutely faultless

Absolutely faultless - I would recommend to anyone. - Very clear communication throughout - Adapted the itinerary to specific needs - Extremely helpful through changing circumstances (weather) during the trip

Hi Chris, Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely review. We are so pleased that you are satisfied with the service provided to you by Ewan. It is wonderful to hear that although you were affected by the weather, the situation was dealt with efficiently. We will pass these kind words to Ewan and the rest of the team. We look forward to planning many more of your holidays in the future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Amazing experience - Galapagos 2024

Amazing experience for me and my son in the Galapagos organised by Audley to perfection. Life long memories made and an awesomely organised trip made that possible.

Date of experience : 02 April 2024

Hi Ben, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience in the Galapagos Islands with Audley. We are thrilled to hear that you and your son had a memorable and well-organized trip. It is our pleasure to provide exceptional service and create lasting memories for our clients. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Cape Town, Garden route and Safari

Booked a Cape Town, Garden route and safari holiday with Audley Travel Started by finding out what we wanted to do and hearing all the great ideas the SA specialist (Andy Freeman) shared with us to then designing the holiday day by day with a perfect itinerary Audley ticked all the boxes. Great itinerary , tailored holiday.

Date of experience : 15 March 2024

Hi Claire, Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know about your recent trip to South Africa! It is so wonderful to hear how well listened to you were by Andy and that meant he was able to create the perfect itinerary for you. We are so pleased that it was everything you expected it to be and we will pass these kind words onto Andy and the team! We hope to plan many more holidays with you in years to come! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

South Africa boutique style

We decided to book a trip to South Africa but didn’t know where to start. After engaging with a specialist Andy Freeman at Audley, the process was so easy and relaxing. A few calls with Andy, great questions to know more about us and what we wanted from the trip and presto we had an itinerary designed just for us. Each of our places we stayed were boutique with amazing service, our movement from Cape Town to Zambia then to Rockfig Game Reserve went without a glitch and Andy even checked in with us during the holiday- if you are thinking of an adventure give Andy a call and I’m sure he can design one of the most amazing life trips you could wish for.

Date of experience : 12 March 2024

Hi Consumer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Audley. We are so glad to hear that you had such a lovely time away and you felt so supported by Andy not only before but also during the trip. It is so great to hear that Andy was able to listen to what you wanted and give you a trip to South Africa that he felt you would truly enjoy. Although you weren't sure where you wanted to go, Andy's expertise helped narrow it down and create an itinerary perfect for you! We will be sure to pass your kind words along to Andy and the team. We hope to plan many more adventures with you in the future! Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

6 Week New Zealand and Australia Holiday

We’ve been on an amazing 6 week trip to New Zealand and Australia, arranged by Amy Waters, who has been brilliant from our first telephone conversation to our catch up call after our trip and all the emails and phone calls in between, all our flights, hotels, various trips, car hire and transfers have been exceptional, we wanted a trip to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary and my 60th birthday, and this was a trip of a lifetime, Amy listened to what we do and don’t like from a holiday and tailored it perfectly to us. We can’t thank Amy enough for all her help, also Audley as a company have been fantastic, when I contacted the UK office from Australia, for some advice they were brilliant. Amy even helped our daughter arrange a Mothers Day surprise to be at our accommodation in New Zealand. We would definitely recommend them, and will certainly book to travel with them again in the future.

Hi Rachel and Mark, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on your recent 6-week trip to New Zealand and Australia. We are thrilled to hear that Amy provided exceptional service from start to finish, ensuring that every aspect of your holiday was tailored perfectly to your preferences. It's wonderful to know that this trip was a special way to celebrate your 40th Wedding Anniversary and 60th birthday. We are delighted that you found our flights, hotels, trips, car hire, and transfers all exceeded your expectations. Your kind words about Amy and our company as a whole mean a lot to us. We are pleased that we could assist with the Mother's Day surprise for your daughter as well. We look forward to creating more unforgettable experiences for you. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

Classic Costa Rica

We had a great time in Costa Rica based on the Classic Costa Rica tour - communication at home was excellent and usually by phone which made things very personal. My only complaints are that we changed flights in Miami for which we needed an ESTA, which was mentioned in our written itinerary but not mentioned in communications, so we had a last minute panic getting this sorted. Also, our detailed itinerary was given to us by the ground agent in the taxi from the airport to our hotel when we arrived after a 22 hour door-to-door journey, which wasn’t ideal! This could have been done before we left the UK. Also, because we made a few changes/additions to the standard tour, some trips were not necessary. This could also have been addressed beforehand and given us a little more free time. Other than this the organisation, hotels and service were excellent.

Date of experience : 27 February 2024

Hi Susan, Thank you for taking the time to let us know your experience with Audley. We are so pleased to hear that your trip overall was wonderful! It is great to hear how personal you felt the whole experience was. We are sorry to hear about the ESTA and the itinerary and someone will be in touch soon to discuss this with you further. Many thanks, Audley Travel UK

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Audley Travel - USA   Reviews

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North Washington Street 77, 4th Floor, 02114 Boston, Massachusetts, US

Reviews 4.4

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Travel to Italy and Spain - Excellent!

I solicited proposals from 3 or 4 Travel companies. Provided to each what we would like to do and see in Venice, Rome and Barcelona. Elise Cather with Audley was the only one that truly listened and provided what we had asked for. Elise was excellent to work with, provided great tips and suggestions as we reviewed and revised our agenda. Our private tour guides in each location were very knowledgeable, courteous and professional. If there was an issue, I was able to contact the local representative in each location to resolve the issue. (ie: a one-day Taxi Strike in Rome led to the cancellation of one evening event), when that happened both the local rep and Elise/Audley were very responsive to the issue. In regard to our accommodations, all were great! Each was centrally located with very nice rooms and amenities. Bottomline - when my wife and I plan another trip, Audley will definitely be the first company that we contact. Our experience with Audley and Elsie Cather was excellent from the beginning to the end!

Date of experience : July 22, 2022

Reply from Audley Travel - USA

Dear Richard Thank you so much for your wonderful review. Delivering outstanding client service and satisfaction is at the heart of what we do at Audley and we are truly delighted to hear how well Elise has taken care of you throughout. We will of course share your feedback with Elise and we look forward to working with you again on your next adventure Best Wishes Audley Travel.

Not there if you need them …

We booked our first trip with audley travel to italy. it was expensive but we added in the activities and personal touch as a perk Our next booking was to Portugal. It was the same price as italy and should have been significantly less but we were told it was about the drivers and private guides ( which we also had in Italy) It was a red flag but we were excited and proceeded Two days before we were to leave I was diagnosed with Covid and the Flu and we had to cancel the trip. We were lucky enough to have trip insurance but i must say Audley was horrible . (unreceptive and ineffective. ). They refunded nothing , not even a dinner two weeks away at a private home ..hard to believe i’m sure if nothing goes wrong audley will be wonderful ( and overpriced ) but I also feel certain they would not be helpful in any crisis and therefore we are done with them. (not even a note to say how do you feel ). Anyone can be wonderful when they are not needed at all .

Date of experience : October 02, 2023

Hi Jill Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience. First and foremost, we are sorry that you had to cancel your trip with us. We have extensive experience dealing with difficult situations and working with our clients to resolve any unexpected circumstances that may arise prior to travel. Based on your feedback, it does not appear that you received the level of support that is indicative of our high levels of service, and we apologize if this has encouraged you to write this review on TrustPilot. Our Client Experience team will contact you as soon as possible and to look into the situation further. We look forward to working with you to reach an amicable solution. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Audley Travel does not believe in client service

Booked a trip prior to covid that was delayed and canceled but the deposit was held hostage. Used the deposit and additional monies to make it the trip of a lifetime. The referred resort was of the lowest expectations compared to what Audley explained. Returned and have requested full refund do to the lack of services promised but not delivered. Update: We have reached a mutually agreeable compromise. Thank you Alicia for handling this on behalf of Audley

Date of experience : May 12, 2022

Hi Brian Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality trips and outstanding client service, so we are truly disappointed and sorry to hear your trip did not met your expectations. We are delighted to hear how well Alicia handled your issue and we look forward to working with you again in the future once the time is right for you. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Bait and Switch

I was interested in wildlife centered drive and stay trip in Tasmania for myself and grandson. Your web site quoted a 10 day trip f0r $3270.00. I was contacted by a young lady from Boston and after a little discussion she said the minimal charge pp was $10,000.00-Now that is a huge jump regardless of time of year, etc. There is no way I would trust this company for any trip

Date of experience : June 13, 2023

Hi Chas Thank you for reaching out us and providing us with your feedback. We are deeply sorry to hear about your experience, and we regret that it has dented your faith in Audley. As you will understand, the website quote is an indicative price of the itinerary outline displayed online. We recognize that this is a significant price increase and have informed our Commercial team to investigate further as a matter of urgency. In an effort to learn more about your experience, a member of our Client Experience team has attempted to make contact with you. If you would like to get in touch with us again, please do not hesitate to do so. We would greatly appreciate the chance to earn back your trust in Audley. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Adam was our Country Specialist for our recent Trip to Japan. I sent him this letter of thanks: We wanted to let you know that the trip exceeded expectations. We appreciated, connected and enjoyed each of our guides as unique people who shared their cities and culture with us. The couple of snafus were handled competently- the missing bus passes, train schedules that still were not quite right all fixed with the help of our Orientation guide! Dana was a great last guide- giving us Insight into religious practices, culture and living in modern Japan. The accommodations were fantastic, we felt spoiled by the attention. Our experiences with the people of Japan were wonderful. The random people we met were friendly and helpful - the Japanese businessman who led us to our train to make sure we got on the right one when we were a bit confused by the Tokyo train system early on...comes to mind, our language barrier was forgiven. Occasionally the google translator was called into service, and google maps was a godsend! Each of our interactions with local folks turned into a story and adventure, such as the restaurant owner who wants to be a football player for Atlanta! We took over 1200 pictures most are breathtaking. I am having trouble trimming things down for a slide show to share with family and friends that won't last an hour or more! I will include just a few here with our thanks for putting together an experience that we both truly enjoyed and will remember! Arigato, thank you! Sharon & Rick

Date of experience : May 11, 2023

Dear Sharon and Rick Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that your trip exceeded your expectations and that you were able to immerse yourself in Japanese culture. We're sure Adam was overjoyed to read your comments and see the photos you shared. Thank you once more, and we hope to send you on another adventure in the future. Best Wishes Audley Travel - USA

We love the format of Audley vacations

We love the format of Audley vacations: just my husband and me and not a bus-load of other tourists. Our trip to the Eastern Cities of Canada was loads of fun. Because Audley is short-staffed following the pandemic some of the details in our documents were inaccurate but overall it was a wonderful trip. Our first trip through Audley was to Colombia in 2019 and it was absolutely fabulous!

Date of experience : September 16, 2022

Hi Louise Thanks for reaching out and sharing your kind feedback with us. We are sorry for the inaccuracies which you found within your documentation, as you know from travelling with us in the past, this does not meet our high standards of service. We understand our Client Experience team have been in touch with you regarding this and are glad you had a great time away overall. We look forward to working with you again and to send you away on your next dream Audley trip once you're ready. Best wishes Audley Travel - USA

Audley travel did not meet their stated objective.

The Audley travel website claims vacations are 100% tailor made. Their statement is “Your entire vacation is designed around your requirements.” Sadly, this was not my experience. About the only thing that matched my requirements was the country, which was Costa Rica. I requested expat communities where I might escape snow and ice, on a yearly basis.I also requested very nice hotels with views. ( I believe the hotels are an important part of the vacation) I was told I would be staying in 5 star hotels. This was not true. One hotel had 3 stars and was quite nice. It was downhill from there. One was so dark, cold and with such an unfriendly staff I felt claustrophobic and frightened. I had to leave. I had one nice hotel, two adequate and three unacceptable. I now know there are many communities where I would have been comfortable and my requests meant. In the future I will talk with people who know the country. I paid top dollar for poor accommodations. I am an 80 year old female who asked for help to pick a wonderful place/vacation. My age seemed to be a factor as I did not understand what questions to ask or where to get real information. I trusted Audley was a good company. Not so

Date of experience : November 01, 2023

Dear BCT, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We want to express sincere apologies that your trip did not live up to your expectations. It is disheartening to hear that your vacation did not align with the tailor-made experience we strive to provide. We are sorry to hear that the communities you visited did not match your expat requirement as you did not meet many Americans along your travels. We appreciate your candidness in sharing your concerns about the unfriendly staff, the ambiance, and the overall quality of the accommodations. Your feedback has been shared with our product team and local suppliers that we work closely with to help improve services. We apologize that the compensation provided was not fully satisfactory. We assure you that your age is not and should not be a factor in the impact of our services. Every client, regardless of age, deserves the highest level of attention, and it's regrettable that we did not fully meet those needs. We understand that although an additional amount was added to your compensation, it does not make up for your disappointment. Thank you again for sharing your feedback as it is crucial for us to continue improving our services and ensuring that our team is better equipped to assist all travelers with the level of expertise and attention to detail that we aim to deliver. Best regards, Audley Travel USA

FANTASTIC SUPPORT

Thank you Jeremy Hyman and Audley travel. We appreciate your knowledge, guidance and support. Great South Africa trip planned. Thank you

Date of experience : January 04, 2023

Hi Carol Thank you for taking the time to share your great feedback with us. We are delighted to hear how well Jeremy took care of everything for you, and will make sure your kind comments are shared with the team. Best wishes Audley Travel USA

Exactly what we wanted!

My wife and I had the most amazing experience in Japan--and we couldn't have done it without Adam at Audley! When we began to plan a trip to Japan, we realized quickly that we needed help from an expert. We had never used a travel service before, but I am so glad that we reached out to Audley. Adam interviewed us and got a sense of the kind of experience that we wanted, then--with just our arrival and departure dates--he assembled an itinerary of cities, amazing lodging (including traditional ryokans), and really interesting activities with local guides that were tailored for us. He absolutely nailed what we wanted--not simply travel, but an experience that was more immersive, fun, and with the right mix of planned activities and unplanned time. His support was really helpful, including lots of time before departure to ensure that the plan fit our needs, as well as lots of advice and tips from his own time staying in Japan. The logistical support was really key to making our travel easy--including providing a mobile wifi hotspot to ensure we had internet access everywhere, supplying our JR vouchers and tickets on our first day on the ground, as well as the Audley mobile app and printed binders of our trip. Adam arranged private transfers to and from the airport, and local guides that taught us how to use transit, that gave *tons* of tips of what to see, and that were eager to share their culture with us... All of this really took all the stress out of planning and execution, and just made our trip *so* enjoyable. Thanks to Audley, and thanks to Adam for giving us memories that we will never forget!

Date of experience : November 06, 2023

Hi Bob, Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely overview of your trip with us. It sounds like you really got to explore Japan and we hope the trip was as amazing as it sounds! We are glad Adam was so helpful in not only organising the trip but also with his expert tips! We will pass these kind words along to Adam and the team. We look forward to planning many more adventures with you soon! Best wishes, Audley Travel USA

Our long awaited trip to Italy

Due to Covid, we kept postponing our trip over a four-year period. Samantha was with us all the way. We can't thank her enough. The trip was everything that we hoped for, as every detail was planned out.

Date of experience : October 18, 2023

Dear Jim & Sheila Thank you so much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that Samantha took excellent care of you throughout the entire trip planning process. It's unfortunate that Covid caused multiple postponements, but we're glad that Samantha was there to support you each time. We understand how important it is to have everything meticulously planned out, and we're thrilled to hear that every detail of your trip lived up to your expectations. Should you decide to travel again in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to help you plan another memorable experience! Kind Regards Audley Travel USA

Wonderful tour of Morocco

We have travelled several times with Audley and appreciate their careful planning and responsiveness. We began our planning with Sharidan who helped us craft a varied itinerary to explore Morocco, including a page of Arabic phrases that might be useful. When Sharidan left to pursue a doctorate, the transfer to Corinne was seamless. After an earthquake struck Morocco a few weeks before our planned departure, Corinne impressed us with her response. Reflecting Audley’s commitment to ethical travel, her message began with reassurance that all the drivers, guides and reps, as well as their families were safe. The tour provided a wonderful opportunity to discover diverse landscapes, meet different cultures, learn about Morocco, and witness the rebuilding efforts. Throughout the trip we appreciated the kind consideration of our driver who took us to amazing places, wonderful accommodation, navigating challenging driving conditions with ease. Corinne was responsive in dealing with small glitches. We feel privileged to have had this fascinating trip and will savour the memories. Thank you Corinne and Audley.

Date of experience : October 10, 2023

Hi Catherine, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! It is wonderful to hear Sharidan was so helpful in crafting such a fascinating and memorable trip, along with providing you with a helpful cheat sheet of phrases. We appreciate you detailing Corinne was so reassuring following the earthquake and was able to assist with the small glitches, including the transition of specialists was such a smooth process for you! We will make sure to pass along your kind words to Corinne, as well as to our partners in Morocco who helped you explore such a memorable country! We cannot wait to help you plan your next adventure! Best Regards, The Audley Team

Audley Travel is a total scam

Audley Travel is a total scam. I would have had less heart ache taking $20,000, pouring lighter fluid on it and watching it burn. Stay away from this company. There is ZERO service, ZERO expertise offered. They get paid in full 30 days prior and then POOF, you are on your own. AND we get to pay a premium for this. It costs more then rack rate. The one excursion we bought from Trip advisor and NOT Audley was a thousand times better. It was more professional, more authentic, more hospitable. Also hotels must literally HATE Audley - in every hotel we got put in the worst possible rooms. I would have thought the hotel companies would try to keep this company happy but we don't really know what they paid. Now I realize they paid very little and charged me a lot.

Date of experience : July 06, 2022

Dear Jill Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are saddened and sorry to hear about your recent experience with us. This does not live up to the very high standards Audley is well known for. We understand you have been contact with the team regarding your experience, and have escalated this to our Client Experience team who will reach-out to you today as a matter of urgency. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Family trip to South Africa

Audley helped us organize the family trip of a lifetime to South Africa with incredible ease and attention to detail. David was able to accommodate our big group of 12 without any issues and gave us all an incredible amount of consideration for our goals, availability, and budget. I am not exaggerating when I say this trip was a life-changing experience for each and everyone of us, and the best travel experience of my life. Audley made an otherwise impossible trip possible, cost-effective, and magical. Though they are a travel agency, nothing was cookie-cutter and everything felt highly curated to our needs and expectations. Their connections with the lodges and activities they booked for us made our experience unforgettable, exceeding all our expectations! As will happen on any trip, we had an activity cancelled due to on-the-ground issues that Audley was not responsible for. Audley's responsiveness helped us solve the problem in a matter of minutes, allowing us to choose an alternate and equally exciting activity. Leaving has only left us wanting to return, at which point we will surely reach out to Audley again. Thank you for all your hard work and attention to detail!

Date of experience : August 10, 2023

Hi Adrian Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear how well David and the team took care of everything for you, and are humbled to learn this was a life-changing experience for you all too. We will make sure your kind feedback is shared with our teams, and look forward to sending you away on your next Audley trip in the future. Wishing you all the best Audley Travel USA

Excellent experience from beginning to…

Excellent experience from beginning to end. Lucy our Audley advisor was always professional and helpful, going the extra mile on many occasions. We had a brilliant trip and look forward to booking our next one.

Date of experience : April 30, 2022

Dear Colette Thank you so much for sharing your great feedback with us. We are delighted to hear you had a fantastic time and how well Lucy looked after everything for you. We will make sure your kind comments are shared with Lucy and her leadership teams. Best wishes Audley Travel

Can't trust them with guidance

We worked with Audley for our honeymoon trip in Africa; we got wrong guidance on visa, entry requirements, that made us change our destination 3 days before our wedding day, 4 days before intended departure! If i hadn't pushed the travel agent on visa concerns, he kept pushing for me to keep with the original destination despite a rejected visa (saying I can get visa on-arrival when i couldn't). We ended up with a super stressful trip and not the luxury experience we paid $$$$$ for. I worked with a travel agency so I wouldn't have to plan my honeymoon on top of the wedding, but only to realize you can't leave it up to Audley!

Date of experience : August 29, 2022

Hi Bahar We are very sorry to hear about the disappointing experience you received from us. We would like to look into this immediately for you as this does not meet the high standard of service which we pride ourselves on here at Audley. A manager will reach out to you today as a matter of urgency to discuss your feedback in more detail. Best regards Audley Travel USA

We planned our trip 2 years ago so…

We planned our trip 2 years ago so everything should have been perfect. 1- we received a copy of our itinerary 2 days before leaving. 2- We booked it 2 years in advance because we wanted to stay at Giraffe Manor and visit the elephant orphanage. When we got there, the agency never made the reservation for the elephants so it was impossible to attend, it was a great dis’s appointment. We spent one night at Giraffe Manor and the following night we had to move to a lousy hotel near by, even though there were rooms at the Giraffe Retreat that was right there and , not only it was amazing but, by the suggestion of Tom Wilkinson, the agent, we paid more than 200$ each to use the place so why did he made us book another hotel while we could have been there. Even worst, why didn’t he book us on a flight to Seychelles that same day as, as he didn’t book us the elephant orphanage we didn’t have much to do there. 3- This is the worst part, we specifically requested the Four Seasons in Seychelles, for us it was as important as staying at Giraffe Manor. When I realized we were in a completely different resort it was way too late. The one in Mahe was not bad but the one in Pralin was not what we wanted at all. It was extremely disappointing! And there was no way to contact the agent Tom Wilkinson because he was on vacation!!!!!

Date of experience : August 30, 2023

Hi Maria We are deeply sorry and disappointed to hear about your experience with us; this is not the high level of service you would expect from Audley. Please rest assured that our Client Experience team will contact you today to go through your feedback in greater detail and regain your trust in Audley. We look forward to speaking with you. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Great job planning New Zealand/Australia trip

Audley (Haley and Lorne) did a great job coordinating complicated itineraries for 5 families travelling to New Zealand and Australia, balancing different interests, priorities and budgets. Everyone was extremely pleased with their service and some have gone on to use them again for other trips.

Date of experience : December 04, 2023

Hi Bruce Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're thrilled to learn how well Haley and Lorne looked after you throughout - it sounds like you had a fantastic time exploring the wonders of Australia and New Zealand. We'll make sure your kind comments are shared with the team, and look forward to sending you away on your next Audley adventure! Best wishes for 2024, Audley Travel USA

Italy made our trip great

Italy made our trip great. Audley Travel and our agent Jeff Procopio were instrumental in making our experience smooth, hassle free, and with no unpleasant surprises. Excellent communication. I would recommend them with no reservations.

Date of experience : September 07, 2022

Hi Albert Thank you for reaching out and sharing your amazing feedback with us. It sounds like Jeff has taken great care of everything and are delighted to hear you've had an amazing time. Best wishes Audley Travel USA

Audley Travel - RIP OFF & DISHONEST

This company is completely dishonest, will rip you off and provides horrible service. They overcharged us by several thousands of dollars which ended up being almost double the true cost of the trip (we got the true numbers from the hotels on the cost of the hotel, drivers, and tours). They provided horrible service and were unresponsive once they received our money and did not confirm the trip details until the day before. To top it all off, they tried to completely rearrange our itinerary the week before the trip and so we had to cancel a tour. In addition the one tour we did get did not even match our itinerary, their itinerary was completely out of date and we ended up having to pay several hundreds more because we had to add last minute drivers they didn't book. So we were completely ripped off, it made the whole trip way more stressful and is the worst travel company experience I've ever had.

Date of experience : April 27, 2022

Hi Mira We are very sorry to hear about the disappointing experiences you have had on your recent trip. We would like to look into this immediately for you as this does not meet the high standard of service which we pride ourselves on here at Audley. A manager will reach out to you today as a matter of urgency to discuss your feedback in more detail. Best regards Audley Travel USA

Superb experience and service

From the outset and incarnation of planning our trip to Morocco, Kerry-Ann was attentive and engaged in getting us the best experience for our country-wide tour. She explored our expectations and interests and tailored a personal tour that exceeded expectations in every way. The transport, itinerary, guides, and accommodations were all superb and made for an incredibly rich and memorable vacation. This is the second time that we have used Audley Travel to assist in our travel plans (the first being a trip to the Seychelles earlier this year), and we would highly recommend their services without hesitation.

Date of experience : December 06, 2022

Hi Paul and Colleen Happy New Year and thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear how well Kerry and the team took care of everything for you, it sounds like you had an unforgettable time away. We look forward to sending you away on your next dream Audley trip once you are ready. Best wishes Audley Travel USA

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Hi - we're booking a pretty pricey holiday through Trailfinders in the UK.

I wanted to get an idea from people..how how you found them?

They seem pretty knowledgeable and offer personalised semi-independent travel all over the world.

BUT they don't do emails.. they seem to be stuck in the stone age... their travel itineraries are frankly uninspiringly designed and lack detail (like addresses and contact details of hotel etc)

Any thoughts?

I've used them very happily for a complex itinerary which I could not do myself (too many tricky routes), mostly by email so I don't understand that comment. I did pop into their retail branch once with a query because I happened to be in the area but they have an app and you can track everything online. They are my preferred travel agents for difficult itineraries. Anything simple I would book direct myself.

Are you sure it's Trailfinders you're dealing with?

When I've used Trailfinders in the past (once) I found them good for a complex trip with email used most of the time as well as being able to do other things online - OPs comments do not match my experience.

Interesting..thanks all. Yes have tried Audley in past..they seem a little more organised, but a lot more expensive..wanted DOUBLE the amount we eventually did a Japan trip for ourselves. Audley would have been good for people who have absolutely no time/knowledge. They seemed to assume we wanted to do everything incredibly safe.

As for Trailfinders..well we will soon find out. It looks good so far, and we'll probably go with them,as we don't have time to research a fairly complicated two week stint ourselves.

And NO they DO NOT do email at all for travel customers. When I complained they even rang me to apologise for not using email. I just find I don't have time to take phone calls.

Does anyone know who their MD/owner is?

Used them all the time for years before the internet caught up and never had a problem. Do it myself now as they have only a limited hotel choice and I enjoy the research and everything else involved with booking a holiday.

I have used Trailfinders many times and their service has always been exemplary. It is simply untrue that they do not do email and as someone has said they have an APP on which you can see all your present (and past) itineraries. Their founder and owner is Mike Gooley CBE - information that is instantly available on google.

I've used them a couple of times for complicated itineraries as they had access to fares I couldn't match online. I like them but wouldn't use them for straightforward travel. Also they have a limited number of hotels in some of the places I wanted to go last time. I didn't like what they were offering so had to persuade them to do a special request at a hotel of my choice. The only bad experience I had with them was a few years ago with a Florida villa. It wan't up to scratch when we arrived but they insisted i deal with the letting company rather than taking it on for me.

They've been around for about 46/47 years so are obviously doing something right. I've not booked with them but I have been in one of their offices making inquiries, and yes, they do send out emails. It would be impossible to run a business that size without using email.

Although I haven't used Trailfinders for a few years, I'm fairly sure they have a service on their website which allows you to track your quotes and bookings with them. I think it's called Viewtrail.

Reputable full service agent. BTW, Mike Gooley was an officer in the SAS before starting Trailfinders, so choose your words carefully if you want to complain to him 😉

Yes, EssDubya, Viewtrail is the App to which I referred above. Not only is Mike Gooley a former SAS officer but he is also the owner, president and a former player of Ealing Trailfinders RFC who play in the RFU Championship.

To at least give them a positive, the smiley agent we dealt with seemed very knowledgeable about where to visit at which times (i.e. an original plan to go Cuba this Sept wouldn't have been a good one in the end seeing as the Caribbean has just been flattened!). However... she had to mention "we can't disclose the individual prices, just our final offer" a few times, and now I know why:

A (presumed) mistake on the agent's part revealed that they were planning on charging us ~£270 for an overnight stay in a 3rd World Country during the off-peak season for an 8 hour overnight transfer (a £170 p/n hotel when we asked for something very basic combined with two £50 shuttle taxis to/from a hotel a couple of miles away from the airport). Again, another £50 taxi was going to be added from our destination airport, which the (Trailfinders recommended) tour offer for £10 at the reservation check-out stage (very conveniently missed it would seem). They also mentioned that they could hold places for us for 3 days because of some 'relationship' between companies... when in fact anybody can do this through the basic tour website, which is all they show you on-screen anyway as if it's some special brochure they have. Basically, if there was any opportunity to sneak in a far more expensive option and/or make out they had some exclusive service, then they seemed to take it before giving you a single figure sum for your whole trip and then making it out to be the best deal doing.

Absolutely no need to blacklist us, shall very happily use another travel agent if we need one.

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Audley Travel Companion App 12+

Audley travel.

• 4.9 • 513 Ratings

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Description.

App name: Audley Travel Companion App Short description: Exclusively for Audley clients. Your day-by-day itinerary as you travel. Full description: The Audley Travel Companion is now available on your phone and tablet. Enjoy easy access to your Audley Travel itinerary whether you’re on or offline. You’ll be able to see exactly what you’re doing each day of your trip, as well as keep a travel journal and share your experience with friends and family. You’ll find all your flights, transfers, and accommodation details in one convenient place. Features: • Live flight information — flight updates, gate information, airport maps, and more (available online only) • Day-by-day itinerary — including tour and accommodation information, plus useful contact details and reference numbers • Travel journal — a space where you can keep notes and upload photos on the go • Sharing capability — share your experiences with friends and family while you’re away • Interactive maps – find your hotel or explore the local area using the app • Virtual postcards – choose any picture and send a virtual message to friends and family Please send us your feedback so that we can continue to develop the app.

Version 5.0

We’re always making changes and improvements to the app. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, just keep your Updates turned on. This version contains bug fixes and stability improvements.

Ratings and Reviews

513 Ratings

Brilliant reminder of a wonderful holiday

This app is great to use both pre departure to plan a forthcoming holiday and to dream of the pleasures to come! During the holiday it provides great ideas of things to do and places to visit. Afterwards you can re visit the app for a reminder of the wonderful places you have been. Everything is included: even maps and pictures of all the wonderful accommodation stayed at. A real keepsake.

Good, but there is always room for improvement

I have really enjoyed using this app whilst in India. However not being able to upload multiple photos is annoying and time consuming, especially when on holiday. I use an iPad Pro with separate Apple keyboard and have not been able to view the journal in landscape... wondered if I’m missing something. The journal seems to have been designed for updating as you go due to the time being registered as you make another entry. For me this did not make it user friendly.

Borneo 2019

I loved everything about this trip, it really was so memorable and I’ll be talking about it for the rest of my life. Everywhere we visited, our accommodation was excellent, the people so friendly and willing to please. Our tour guides and drivers did everything in their power to show us all the sights and looked after us so Well. The wildlife the trekking and the rainforest were breath taking. The food was fabulous and I would go back in a heartbeat.

App Privacy

The developer, Audley Travel , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

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