Name: Tucan Travel
Rating: 4.00

“Our journey with Tucan Travel was a seamless adventure from start to finish. Their meticulous planning, personalized itineraries, and expert guidance transformed our vacation into an unforgettable experience. We can wholeheartedly recommend this service and will definitely be using it again. Many thanks!”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 months ago

“Due to COVID, our package holiday to Japan was cancelled. This was in March 2020, and we have yet to receive a refund for this. It is quite distressing to have had barely any human communication besides standard email responses when you hold over £5000 of my money which would have been invaluable during the turmoil of 2020 / 2021. Instead, you have withheld it and have caused me a great deal of anxiety in an uncertain, stressful time. You offered a voucher, which we have made it clear that we do not accept these vouchers and require, as stated by the law, that we are owed a full refund. Your company has confirmed to ABTA that you would be returning it to us. Yet still, here we are, waiting for it. This has not stopped you from sending us marketing emails, so you clearly know we exist, but with these inappropriate marketing emails this we are unclear as to if you will honour your promise to ABTA. We will not be using Tucan Travel for any future holidays and will only be in contact to continue to request that our money is rightfully returned us. I advise that all other travellers choose to follow our example, lest you too have your money stolen.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Tucan Travel is dishonest and has lost all credibility, originally was informed that a full refund would be given to travel advisories but March 15 we were informed that a credit would be issued instead. I would have happily rebooked with this tour group in future but absolutely not now as all trust and confidence is gone, I suggest future clients look elsewhere”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“TUCAN TRAVEL IS BREAKING THE UK LAW - An absolutely disgusting company that is breaking the law. They canceled my trip due to Covid 19 and refuse to refund the money. I asked back in February what would happen if the Coronavirus spread, they replied 'If the FCO were to say it is not safe to travel and WE were to cancel the tour then you would get a refund.' Now they are saying that they won't refund as it was hard to predict how the situation would unfold and then they decided to change their booking conditions on March 15th, however my trip was booked way before this date. If you knew that the situation was hard to predict why would you lie that I would get a refund? Customer help site Which? advises that as FCO has advised against foreign travel you are entitled to receive A FULL REFUND and should not accept vouchers or credits. What Tucan Travel is doing is not only illegal but also immoral, there are a lot of people out there who are not able to use these credits or actually need THEIR money to live in these uncertain times. I'm seeking further legal action and if you are in the same position I suggest you do the same.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Right from the start... Tucan Travel provided detailed, hands on service with promptness. They were very kind to go through every aspect of the tour and allow me to create a visual of what was to be expected. Even better, my expectations were surpassed on my trip! From the tour leader, accommodation and transportation, it all flowed smoothly and at a pace that was reasonable. Look forward to booking with them again!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“We did the 'Peru Explored' tour which is a jam-packed tour full of daily cool sites and activities to visit. I hadn't previously been on a group tour but our tour guide Simon made this hassle-free and such a great experience so we'll definitely be doing another group tour with Tucan Travel. He made our Peru visit something really special and i would go back to this country in a heart-beat, there are so many amazing places I wasn't aware of and the food is one of the best foreign cuisines I've experienced. Thanks Tucan Travel”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“After planning to book a tour around Thailand with my friends with Tucan Travel, I was expecting a fun and easy time. However, it has been the COMPLETE opposite. I was told that I was expected to have a refund of £225 and instead they charged my account! After countless of phonecalls, they have still not given me my money back and said "it is an issue between you and your bank." I have not recieved any help and I have had to suffer the consequences. Yes I have been stressed, anyone would be because the company have taken money without my permission. After speaking to the manager, he KICKED me off the tour and said "I dont think you would be good for the group dynamics." Anyone that knows me as a person will know I am easygoing and get along with anyone. Now they have taken my deposit money aswell. This company has caused me nothing but stress, have taken £225 out of my account without my permission and decided to kick me off the tour. WOULD NOT RECCOMEND.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I did 2 tours: Cambodia - Vietnam and Thailand - Laos Most horrific group travel experience of my life. Hotels were of hostel quality or worse. Mold, broken plumbing (sinks not connected to plumbing stacks emptying on bathroom floor), broken fixtures, dirty walls, peeling wallpaper, broken furniture and fixtures, lack of fridges and safes, missing coat hangers, LACK OF WINDOWS, dirty linen etc. etc. - list too long to fully describe the horror. In Hue (Vietnam) I was badly bitten by bed bugs. Tucan completely dismissed that despite a complete photographic documentation by another tour guide, Charles (he was the only bright spot on the Vietnam Cambodia tour - knowledgeable and intelligent, but I believe he was an exception rather than the rule. He was also sent on a "forced" 6 week vacation, as there was not enough business for him, which is regrettable as he is probably the best guide they have but prefer to hire local guides (Charles is from Australia) who are of poor quality in areas of competence and language. Breakfast, if included was an absolute joke. Often, only menu available were fried eggs prepared hours in advance and served COLD. Many people simply skipped these meals and ate outside. Transportation a mix bag, Thailand - Laos guide, strongly defended by Tucan lacked energy and at the beginning tried to take the group to expensive restaurants where he ate for free. Tucan always denies this as not true but it is. Guide has local connections and it's not an accident he takes tourists to a specific place. Ownership is aware he brings business and it is quite obvious that compensating him with a free meal for generating steady revenue (menu is usually much more expensive than in surrounding restaurants) seems an easy and cheapest way to show appreciation. Tucan ALWAYS rejects that notion which is another proof of dishonesty.. When I contacted Australia office (while still on tour in Thailand) with my comments about room conditions, I also mentioned the guide Sunny. I've received no response instead they shared my criticism with the guide whom publicly (in front of the group) very loudly displayed his discontent. It took a while of me talking him down to calm down and stop harassing me. I also contacted the office to keep him restrained so he is not punishing me for my criticism. I had to make peace with him just to let the tour run its course but kept my group time to the minimum exploring most of the sites individually to avoid unpleasant atmosphere. My criticism of accommodations (mostly) finally met a routine response from London office with complete denial of my observations. I paid for a single room supplement extra $20 for each night where the cost of accommodation itself was under $20 per night! Which meant Tucan kept all the money to itself. I provided a breakdown of estimated cost for the tour, including transportation, accommodation, guides and few provided sightseeing. It came around $ 1,200 - $ 1,400 (very generously). I paid around $ 3,800 which means Tucan kept the difference of $ 2,400 - $ 2,600 , around 70% of the total money paid. That's OUTRAGEOUS, considering the quality of accommodation and public transportation provided. 10%-20% would seem like a decent profit but to keep so much more money at the expense of quality is criminal. Tucan always claims they book local amenities to stimulate local economy and to stay close to major attractions. That's a ridiculous excuse for a highway robbery. When questioned, they say hotels were mentioned in itinerary. It's a lie, as most of them were "similar", which means no reading prior to booking could have been done. The concept of due diligence (reading reviews of hypothetical hotel - often guesthouse or borderline hostel) is useless: no hotel will be showing pictures of broken fixtures, leaking or dysfunctional plumbing or dirt, not to mention horrible breakfast and how it's served. What appears to be the case is that Tucan is losing a lot of business, due to restructuring but also very bad reviews. Instead of learning from our comments, they are arrogant and provide biased responses (almost identical in their content) while cutting corners in bookings, securing disgustingly poor quality accommodations and often transportation to keep the revenue flowing and company financially viable. IT"S a SCAM. DO NOT TRUST THEM. They itineraries seem rich and enticing. People often get attracted to lower costs (most recently they are further more discounting their tours to get some lost business back) but it's a set up. You could go to those places and book your own hotels, 10 times better quality and transportation (you are already paying for 95% of you sightseeing yourself) and save yourself 50% of the money. Frankly speaking, Tucan is riding on the past reputation and extorting a lot of business and undeserved revenue from foolish and naive people based on the assumption that they are big and reputable. Please note, a lot of customers don't provide feedback, even if very negative. Two reasons: they want to move on and forget the horrible experience or they are very good and forgiving people. That's very dangerous. The public needs to know. We were trapped, humiliated in inhumane conditions with pre-paid vacation. What can one do? I asked for a partial refund, but that was a very naive expectation. People I traveled with before we went separate ways and met again in Bangkok told me the horror stories from their trip in Malaysia: from disgusting accommodations with bugs, lack of adequate transportation (luggage went by tuk-tuk and they had to walk!) to ignorant guide who had no clue about the country they visited and googled answers! Those people reassured me that most of their companions were appalled and will be complaining including demands for a refund. Good luck with this one! You can read some of those negative reviews in that tune and believe me, that's all true. The pattern is obvious. Some people even leave the tours as they couldn't take it anymore. So, out of self-respect i urge you NOT TO USE TUCAN TRAVEL! They are dishonest, arrogant and irresponsive. They are running too many tours and are COMPLETELY out of touch with reality on the ground. Most critically, they will never give you benefit of the doubt. They will rely on a local guide version of events which is biased and tinted, like police policing themselves. Chronic problems are gutting this company and it will take a lot of cheated and disappointed customers before they either go broke or learn their lesson and improve their standard. Luck of transparency and stealing your hard earned and paid money is a trend that in today's competitive travel industry should pretty much finish them off or force to evolve. Consider yourself warned. I am a professional traveler, travelling to over 90 countries and all continents. I've traveled solo and in groups, on budget and luxury trips. Believe me, I am very qualified to assess this company and delivered quality. I will never use Tucan again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I did 2 tours: Cambodia - Vietnam and Thailand - Laos Most horrific group travel experience of my life. Hotels were of hostel quality or worse. Mold, broken plumbing (sinks not connected to plumbing stacks emptying on bathroom floor), broken fixtures, dirty walls, peeling wallpaper, broken furniture and fixtures, lack of fridges and safes, missing coat hangers, LACK OF WINDOWS, dirty linen etc. etc. - list too long to fully describe the horror. In Hue (Vietnam) I was badly bitten by bed bugs. Tucan completely dismissed that despite a complete photographic documentation by another tour guide, Charles (he was the only bright spot on the Vietnam Cambodia tour - knowledgeable and intelligent, but I believe he was an exception rather than the rule. He was also sent on a "forced" 6 week vacation, as there was not enough business for him, which is regrettable as he is probably the best guide they have but prefer to hire local guides (Charles is from Australia) who are of poor quality in areas of competence and language. Breakfast, if included was an absolute joke. Often, only menu available were fried eggs prepared hours in advance and served COLD. Many people simply skipped these meals and ate outside. Transportation a mix bag, Thailand - Laos guide, strongly defended by Tucan lacked energy and at the beginning tried to take the group to expensive restaurants where he ate for free. Tucan always denies this as not true but it is. Guide has local connections and it's not an accident he takes tourists to a specific place. Ownership is aware he brings business and it is quite obvious that compensating him with a free meal for generating steady revenue (menu is usually much more expensive than in surrounding restaurants) seems an easy and cheapest way to show appreciation. Tucan ALWAYS rejects that notion which is another proof of dishonesty.. When I contacted Australia office (while still on tour in Thailand) with my comments about room conditions, I also mentioned the guide Sunny. I've received no response instead they shared my criticism with the guide whom publicly (in front of the group) very loudly displayed his discontent. It took a while of me talking him down to calm down and stop harassing me. I also contacted the office to keep him restrained so he is not punishing me for my criticism. I had to make peace with him just to let the tour run its course but kept my group time to the minimum exploring most of the sites individually to avoid unpleasant atmosphere. My criticism of accommodations (mostly) finally met a routine response from London office with complete denial of my observations. I paid for a single room supplement extra $20 for each night where the cost of accommodation itself was under $20 per night! Which meant Tucan kept all the money to itself. I provided a breakdown of estimated cost for the tour, including transportation, accommodation, guides and few provided sightseeing. It came around $ 1,200 - $ 1,400 (very generously). I paid around $ 3,800 which means Tucan kept the difference of $ 2,400 - $ 2,600 , around 70% of the total money paid. That's OUTRAGEOUS, considering the quality of accommodation and public transportation provided. 10%-20% would seem like a decent profit but to keep so much more money at the expense of quality is criminal. Tucan always claims they book local amenities to stimulate local economy and to stay close to major attractions. That's a ridiculous excuse for a highway robbery. When questioned, they say hotels were mentioned in itinerary. It's a lie, as most of them were "similar", which means no reading prior to booking could have been done. The concept of due diligence (reading reviews of hypothetical hotel - often guesthouse or borderline hostel) is useless: no hotel will be showing pictures of broken fixtures, leaking or dysfunctional plumbing or dirt, not to mention horrible breakfast and how it's served. What appears to be the case is that Tucan is losing a lot of business, due to restructuring but also very bad reviews. Instead of learning from our comments, they are arrogant and provide biased responses (almost identical in their content) while cutting corners in bookings, securing disgustingly poor quality accommodations and often transportation to keep the revenue flowing and company financially viable. IT"S a SCAM. DO NOT TRUST THEM. They itineraries seem rich and enticing. People often get attracted to lower costs (most recently they are further more discounting their tours to get some lost business back) but it's a set up. You could go to those places and book your own hotels, 10 times better quality and transportation (you are already paying for 95% of you sightseeing yourself) and save yourself 50% of the money. Frankly speaking, Tucan is riding on the past reputation and extorting a lot of business and undeserved revenue from foolish and naive people based on the assumption that they are big and reputable. Please note, a lot of customers don't provide feedback, even if very negative. Two reasons: they want to move on and forget the horrible experience or they are very good and forgiving people. That's very dangerous. The public needs to know. We were trapped, humiliated in inhumane conditions with pre-paid vacation. What can one do? I asked for a partial refund, but that was a very naive expectation. People I traveled with before we went separate ways and met again in Bangkok told me the horror stories from their trip in Malaysia: from disgusting accommodations with bugs, lack of adequate transportation (luggage went by tuk-tuk and they had to walk!) to ignorant guide who had no clue about the country they visited and googled answers! Those people reassured me that most of their companions were appalled and will be complaining including demands for a refund. Good luck with this one! You can read some of those negative reviews in that tune and believe me, that's all true. The pattern is obvious. Some people even leave the tours as they couldn't take it anymore. So, out of self-respect i urge you NOT TO USE TUCAN TRAVEL! They are dishonest, arrogant and irresponsive. They are running too many tours and are COMPLETELY out of touch with reality on the ground. Most critically, they will never give you benefit of the doubt. They will rely on a local guide version of events which is biased and tinted, like police policing themselves. Chronic problems are gutting this company and it will take a lot of cheated and disappointed customers before they either go broke or learn their lesson and improve their standard. Luck of transparency and stealing your hard earned and paid money is a trend that in today's competitive travel industry should pretty much finish them off or force to evolve. Consider yourself warned. I am a professional traveler, travelling to over 90 countries and all continents. I've traveled solo and in groups, on budget and luxury trips. Believe me, I am very qualified to assess this company and delivered quality. I will never use Tucan again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I received a suitability-for-tour form before Tucan would accept me for a tour to a high-altitude location. When I saw the requirements, I politely withdrew my deposit and application, realizing that I was probably beyond the age range and physical status that they preferred for this tour, although they published my age as technically acceptable. I was surprised at this scrutiny since friends who were 20 years older than myself of similar physical condition had successfully done an almost identical tour with another agency. Since I had tried to be cordial and discreet in the withdrawal of my deposit and application, it was disappointing that Tucan then told Radar Tour that Tucan had chosen to decline me. It was an unnecessarily time-consuming and unpleasant experience. I hope that Tucan will remedy this by publishing a truthful age range that is acceptable to them. I would prefer to receive no response from Tucan to this message. Thank you to Radar Tour, however, for their courtesy.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“We have just completed a 2 month individual designed itinerary for South America which was brilliant. Our tour surpassed all our expectations and our tour guides were amazing especially the guys we had in the Salt Lakes. We had a hiccup in San Pedro with accommodation but Heidi from Tucan soon sorted it out for us she was brilliant many thanks Heidi. Had no complaints about transport all vehicles were the latest models and very clean. Our drivers were all very cautious and caring. We feel Tucan give value for money. We would highly recommend Tucan for anyone travelling to South America thats wants a memorable holiday. We sincerely thank Tucan for creating such a diverse trip which has given us everlasting memories.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“This is my second Tailor Made Tour I booked with Tucan Travel and the second time I was travelling solo. I had such a fantastic 10 days trip to Mexico. The tour was great value and very well organized. Local guides were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely I recommend Tucan and will use it again in the future.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Our South American Experiences. My husband & I have recently returned from our 3rd amazing trip to South America. Each time our fantastic trips have been organised on a tailor-made basis by Tucan Travel. Our wonderful first trip in 2015, was as a group of 6, & more recently 2016 & 2018 just us, as a couple. There has been so much variety in all our travels 2015- our tours were to Easter Island, Galapagos Islands, Sacha Lodge In the Ecuadorian Jungle, Cusco, Machu Picchu & we had city tours whenever we had time in cities. Our travel companions loved every minute of their experiences. 2016 - we visited Brazil, i.e.Rio de Janiero, Manaus & a cruise on the River Negro, Jaguar Houseboat, Iguassu Falls & then over into Argentina to view the falls from the other side, then to Buenos Aires, Arequipa in Peru, Colca Canyon, Puno & Lake Titicaca. then to Cusco, quad bike riding to the Sacred Valley etc. 2018 - Ecuador TrenCrucero, Bellavista Cloud Forest & returned to Cusco, Peru where we chose to visit Machu Picchu, for the winter solstice, our 2nd visit there. From Cusco we went to Paracas Beach from where we flew over the Nazcar lines, visited the Desert Reserve, also went to the Ballestas Islands & then dune buggying! Our Peru adventure also included a visit to the Peruvian Jungle, Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion, Inti Raymi at Sacsayhuaman & more. We cannot speak highly enough of the attention to detail for each of our South American experiences. We saw & enjoyed wondrous sights & learned so much about the countries, wildlife, history & geography. Our itineraries were informative & put together with a personal touch. All of the requests of places we wanted to visit were met & suggestions of other places made & included. These itineraries can only have been made by consultants who know the countries & their attractions very well. Everywhere we went we were met by transfers or guides to help us understand the places we were visiting & to assist us in any way needed. The guides were English speaking & had amazing knowledge & love of the area they were showing us. We were always very comfortably accommodated. Our travels always went ahead without hitches. I always recommend Tucan Travel to friends & family & will continue to do so as the Tucan team is professional, knowledgable & caring. With special thanks to the 'Tailor-made' team.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“For our Honeymoon we did a custom tour of South America (from Peru, Bolivia, Argentina to Brazil) with Tucan Travel. We ended our Honeymoon with the Tucan Rio Carnival Beach Experience. I cannot recommend Tucan Travel enough! It was our first time travelling overseas for a significant amount of time and in countries that don’t speak English, and I was a little anxious about what to expect. But I didn’t need to worry about a single thing! Our entire holiday, travelling from city to city and across countries was seamless, allowing us to sit back and enjoy ourselves and take in the spectacular culture and scenery. One example, instead of us having to lug around our suitcases, Tucan Travel arranged for us to leave our big suitcases at our hotel in Cusco (Andean Wings Boutique Hotel) so that we could travel to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) with only an overnight bag. When we arrived back to Cusco, our suitcases were waiting for us safe and sound. This was all done so smoothly and professionally, I was very impressed. The local guides helped us with the border crossings (where to line up, and looking after our bags). I felt safe the whole trip with Tucan Travel– coming from someone that worries easily, this is saying something! For the local tours, we had wonderful informative tour guides who would collect us from our hotel (and return us) for fantastic and awe-inspiring experiences. The itinerary was perflectly planned to include everything we wanted, and give a few rest days around travelling - what a once in a lifetime experience to go to the Amazon and Macchu Pichu!! The hotel staff and local guides gave the best restaurant recommendations and the included breakfasts where we were staying made getting up early to make the most of our day easy. The hotels were all in the perfect position, right in the best parts of the cities so we could walk to local restaurants and attractions in our spare time and really make the most of every minute we were spending in these amazing countries. In Rio, our hotel was right on the beach front at Copacabana, central to the beach parties and may blocos! Most of the hotels gave us little surprises for our honeymoon (complimentary pisco sour, rose petals, chocolates, desserts). We were astounded at this special touch and it really made our Honeymoon unforgettable! I highly recommend the Tucan Travel Rio Beach Carnival Package – I think it is the best and only way to experience Carnival. At our hotel we were staying with a great group of fellow Tucan travellers with whom we could enjoy the blocos, Sambadrome and beach parties. Our Tucan travel guide Scott showed us how to use the Rio metro and gave us lots of tips, especially for avoiding pick pockets. The Carnival package was a definite highlight - it was a wonderful week full of both relaxing on the beach, and drinking at night with some great people. I will definitely be travelling with Tucan again!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“My trip to Bolivia and Chile was fantastic!!!. They made everything about my trip so easy and exceeded my expectations. All of my arrangements were handled well ahead of time. Thank you!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“We just finished the Costa Rica Encompassed and it was terrible. The guide was poor, the hotels we didn't think were even 3 stars. Many issues and when I filled out the questionnaire and sent a further email, it was totally dismissed. I will never sell or travel with Tucan again!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“The best holiday we have ever had. Our Sri Lanka tour was incredible and both our guide and driver did everything possible to make every day special.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“South America Express Excuse the length - hope it is of value to someone. An introduction - we are a couple in our sixties with quite a bit of recent travel experience. We went on the South America Express tour (adventure tour) of 26 days from Rio to Lima departing Rio on November 8, 2016. Went on an African adventure tour a couple of years ago (different company) so had something similar to compare this tour with. First point - we did not find Tucan very forthcoming with any additional information. What is in the brochure/website is about all you will get. They told us we would receive all the information we would require for the tour 30 days before the tour began, but it arrived about two weeks before, and turned out to be just a rehash of the brochure! They told us they couldn't tell us in advance who our tour leader would be or any of the accommodation during the tour. Having read some of the reviews relating to tour leaders, this was a concern. Also, we found out during the tour, that Tucan basically uses the same accommodation in all the places we stayed (or no more than two different venues), so we could have been given the accommodation information in advance, with the qualification that things can change at the last minute. This was a complaint from other members of the tour as well. This information can help travellers plan activities on the tour (regardless of the help that tour leaders may/may not provide) as you can find the accommodation's proximity to points of interest and what specific facilities it provides. Second point - we asked Tucan to organise a taylor-made add-on into the jungle at the completion of the adventure tour. This was done extremely well, with all transfers and information really well organised and presented. Just a shame that the same attention to detail is not given to the main tour. Third point - coming from Australia, it was important to organise visas in advance, particularly for Brazil. This added a significant cost to the trip. Also, another additional cost can be the injections and medications (malaria tablets and altitude sickness tablets). More of the hidden costs of travelling! Fourth point - if you are considering this tour, and wondering which direction to travel, we found that the more physically demanding section (Bolivia and Peru) came at the end of our tour. However, whichever direction you choose, we would recommend extra days at the beginning and end - both Rio and Lima are worth it! Fifth point - consider carefully what clothing you take. Although our tour was at the end of Spring/beginning of Summer, it got very cold at times. On the Altiplano it got down to below freezing, and some of the days were very cold as well. There were laundries close to our accommodation in many of the places we stayed, but didn't always fit in with our schedule. In La Paz we got back from an activity after the laundry had closed and we had to leave the following morning before it opened. Would recommend good quality, lightweight, quick-dry travel clothing. Sixth point - luggage. Tucan makes a big deal of what luggage you should have on the tour. As a result, we bought two-wheeled with handle, soft woven-nylon bags which included a backpack harness. We didn't once use the backpack capabilities - wheels were able to cope easily with all terrain we encountered. It is certainly easier towing 20kg than carrying it on your back! All up on our total trip we had 15 take-off and landings and only finished with a small cut on one of the bags. More solid bags may have saved a couple of our more delicate purchases, however, and would not have been an issue on the tour. We also had a travel backpack each. Seventh point - safety. Having read the travel warnings about many of the places we were visiting, we must say that not once did we fell threatened or concerned about our safety or our possessions. One member of our group had a camera bag stolen in a restaurant in Rio, but this was before the tour actually started. Eighth point - altitude sickness. We would recommend taking tablets and making sure that you adhere to the recommendations when at altitude. Members of our group were affected in different ways and at different times - regardless of age and fitness levels. Persevere - don't let it spoil your trip. Ninth point - additional activities. Certainly consider what additional activities you would like to do on the tour. We would certainly recommend - Iguazu Falls boat trip (forget about trying to stay dry; try to organise a water-proof camera); white-water rafting in Mendoza (an absolute blast); tour to Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar when in Santiago (long day but worth it, plus it gets you out of Santiago's smog); Death Road in La Paz with Gravity (Wow!!); chocolate making in Cusco (how sweet it is!); Magic Water Circuit in Lima (was a great way to finish our tour). The tour itself - having read quite a number of Tucan reviews, so much of the success of a tour of this type, depends on the tour leader. We could not have been happier with our leader, Manny. Although the youngest person in our tour group, he had you feeling very confident about his commitment and ability from the outset. He had outstanding language and communication skills, as well as excellent knowledge of all the places we visited. On arrival at a new destination, we had a very informative orientation walk (with our maps) so felt relatively confident proceeding on our own. He was always available for help or advice, and even when we had free days, he usually accompanied all or some of the members of the group to different points of interest or on additional activities. He is definitely a "foodie" and recommended different restaurants/cafes in all the places we stayed. As a result our group normally ate together, with Manny, at one of his recommendations - although this probably added quite a bit to the budget. However, with one exception, all the restaurants were excellent. He was invaluable in organising taxis, and could provide a very good idea as to how much a particular trip should cost - we are sure this saved us quite a bit on the trip. Discovered Manny's work ethic early in the tour when, going to the front desk of our accommodation at Iguazu Falls after midnight to pick up a DVD of our days boat trip under the falls that I had forgotten to collect, found Manny at the desk organising our itinerary for the following days. We began our tour with 12, plus Manny - which was a good sized group. Three left the tour in Santiago with another two joining there. We had a very friendly, easy-going group which did lots of activities together. Overall, the accommodation was as expected for an adventure tour, and as was explained by Tucan. Once again, any particular problems were sorted out by Manny immediately. There was no tea/coffee making in any rooms; no room west of Mendoza had a fridge; hot water was not always available all the time; lifts not in all hotels (it's hard work carrying bags upstairs at altitude!). Although it's not clear in the information, breakfast is included each day. However, sometimes we had quite early starts and even Manny wasn't able to organise anything before we left - but generally we were able to get something fairly soon afterwards. You can't get to see all the things in South America in the time we did without a lot of flights. However, Manny was generally able to get us through check-in together quite quickly, usually jumping the queue (which sometimes contained other tour groups). Don't be surprised to not be sitting next to your partner for the flight! The tour itself was very spectacular - seeing so many iconic sights and discovering lots of unexpected gems. Yes, some days required a lot of sitting in some form of transport, but there was always plenty to see, or possibly catch up on a little sleep. The bus trip over the Andes from Mendoza to Santiago was brilliant - some amazing scenery and roads - and they even feed you all the way! 4WD's in Bolivia were all part of the adventure, as was the accommodation there and dealing with the altitude - photos from this section are wonderful (especially when viewed from sea level). There are things that Tucan can do better but, overall, I would certainly recommend this tour. We would have loved to have done Patagonia as well but the length of the tour was a factor. If we can help any potential fellow travels with information regarding this tour, we would be happy to oblige. Remember, it is an adventure tour - go with the flow and enjoy the experience!”

Tucan Travel 4 star review on 11th January 2017

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

Thank you for leaving such a detailed review! You've covered everything in such fantastic detail. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your tour. Hopefully you will return to another part of the world to enjoy another with us soon.

Posted 7 years ago

“I am now back from an 8-day adventure trip to Peru ('PAI') and what an experience it has been!!! Everything. Absolutely everything Tucan Travel arranged went according to plan. Not only that, but the quality of every aspect of the trip could not have been better. But let me start from the beginning... I don't speak a word of Spanish yet wanted to experience Peru in the safety of a group while enjoying the raw, unfiltered sights that come with hiking in the Peruvian Amazon Jungle, climbing and venturing to locations in higher elevations of the Andes, as well as staying in prime locations in enchanted and picturesque towns like Ollantaytambo, and Cusco. I checked and compared the itineraries of different 7-8 tour companies and found time and again that Tucan Travel topped them all in all aspects of what interested me: Exciting sites + efficient logistics time-wise. In just 8 days the itinerary got us to Lima, Cusco, Porto Maldonado (the Amazon), Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes, and on to the most famous of them all - Machu Picchu, Pisco, and more ancient and memorable sites. It would not be such an exciting adventure without the excellent people of Tucan Travel on the ground. I could not imagine better Guides than we had. From Paul who was with us throughout the 8 days from Lima where the group first met, to Victor a local Amazon Jungle resident of several decades who lures Fire Ants out of a tree and a Tarantula out of its borrow, spotted Caymans in the river in the dark or enticed them to come out from a swamp, to Rafael who guided us for the best part of 2 days in Pisco, Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley, to Pedro at Machu Picchu and other sites. All of them well spoken in English, knew everything about the visited sites, and were also very passionate, personable, attentive and ready to answer a question or provide an advice whether regarding packing for the following day, the best restaurants to eat at when relevant, or where to go shopping etc. Under their guidance, the group quickly developed into a very orderly bunch of guys and gals who showed up on time in the mornings, and on time to be ready for the next leg of a journey. Logistically, there was not even one hitch - tickets for the 3 domestic flights, transfers to airports, bookings at hotels, the included meals where applicable, canoe trips down and up the Madre De Dias river to the Amazonian Lodge and more - everything worked liked a clockwork. It's even more commendable that it all worked so smoothly considering the fact that the group of 16 (max # for these trips) had people dropping and joining it throughout the week as some move on to do the 3-day Inca Trail while others join for parts of the 8-day trip. Food safety, food quantity and quality again, were far beyond what I had expected - Breakfasts (all included) were rich and plentiful which is critical for 'Adventure' travel because you spend so much in calories due to the hiking and higher elevations. Lunches and Dinners which are also included in the Amazonia Lodge were likewise excellent. Finally, I should mention where it all started for me - the Website and the open, detailed and prompt communication that Tucan Travel agents provide you with. In my case, I wanted to climb Wayna Picchu (the mountain overlooking M-P) which is not on the itinerary, however Tucan Travel came through for me big time and arranged tickets for an earlier train to get me there in time. I could not be happier with my choice to go with Tucan Travel and I think more people need to know about this great Travel company. All that means I know which company I will travel with next. The only question now is where to :) A Video of my trip will be posted on YouTube by the end of Sep-2016 in case you want more info + a Video of my climb to Wayna Picchu.”

Helpful Report

Posted 8 years ago

“My partner and i recently did a 50 day overland tour (hotels rather than camping) around Africa (Kigali to Cape Town). I submitted my feedback, however not being confident it would be read, let alone considered or shared, i decided to write a more public review. I apologize for the length. Firstly i would like to point out the parts of the tour i generally disliked. I paid so much money to sit in a bus almost all day, every day. The towns & countries blurred past in an indistinguishable manner. I could barely remember which country i was in two days ago. The tour is designed to see animals & landscape (from the bus window), however i felt i had zero experience of Africa for what it truly is. Baring the tourist trap 'cultural tours' (i dont fancy having a cultural tour whereby African children sing an english song "welcome to our school, we hope you like it" or some such rubbish. Nor do i like being asked for more money at the end), i felt i have no idea about the African culture. Now i realise i chose to join a tour, that's what the itinerary said & that's what you get. However, it's a shame to spend so much money to travel so far, for so long & experience so little. Almost every morning (except about 5 free days) was an early morning, seeing us awake before dawn. The average travel day was about 8hrs (longest being 16hrs), & this was basically every day. We did some game drives in the Kruger & Etosha NP's on the Tucan truck, which is a terrible safari vehicle - it's big, hot, crowded, difficult to move around, very difficult to see out & take photos through the tiny open windows, especially when the bus is at full capacity of 34ppl. I am aware the group maximum is 34, but this is far too big. Hotels became a problem (as we discovered), pit stops, lunch breaks, supermarket stops, hotel check-ins & simply getting everyone on/off the bus, all take so much longer. Not to mention having every seat on the bus, full, is downright stuffy & uncomfortable. There was insufficient room for baggage (crates & bags had to go into the drivers cabin). A huge disappointment with the tour, was our Tour Leader. She was a happy, enthusiastic, nice person & our leader herself, was certainly not the problem. However, ours was her first tour in Africa. Tucan had cut short her training because they had a tour booked & needed a Tour Leader pronto. She had been inadequately trained & im sorry to say no idea about anything. She tried her hardest to help us & answer our questions, but a complete lack of experience & knowledge meant she couldnt. She didnt even know the daily routes. I have no doubt after a few tours she'll make a great Tour Leader, but for us she was almost useless. Tucan will say she had an experienced leader of the camping tour following us & helping her along the way (which we saw her do occasionally), but this other leader left Tucan halfway through our tour, meaning we were on our own. I place no blame on our Tour Leader, & put 100% on to Tucan. We paid far too much money to be put in this situation. If you didnt have a leader, Tucan should not have sold a tour. Another massive disappointment lay with our accomodation issues. All was fine until our group of 21 jumped to a whopping 34. The instant our group jumped to 34 in Livingstone, there were accomodation problems. We were told the hotels double-booked some of our rooms. 4 couples had to stay in another hotel 2km away (which was apparently quite inferior). This hotel situation happened 4 times, for a total of 7 nights, & the same 3 couples were downgraded each time. My partner & i were downgraded 3 of the 4 times, over 5 nights. In Swakopmund, we were downgraded to stay in the same backpackers as the camping group. It was quite uncomfortable & for 2 nights we were all sleeping underneath the campers dorm rooms, meaning we heard talking & stomping late at night. We also had a pipe in our bathroom, so every time a toilet upstairs flushed, we'd hear a flood of water rushing down the pipe. I understand sometimes things go wrong & that's ok, but what's not ok, is when the same ppl suffer every time. It should have been shared around the group. One of the ppl who was downgraded each time, had broken her arm in the beginning of the tour & was uncomfortable enough. Having to tackle sleepless nights, difficult shower cubicles & uncomfortable beds during the downgrades, did not help. And, yes. She told our Tour Leader. Nothing changed. The Tour Leader should accept that not everyone has the same budget, & should bear this in mind when booking group dinners (one was USD40). For starters, it'd be nice if she could have told us the average cost of a meal, before demanding we decide whether we want to go. It'd also be nice if she could present 2 restaurant options on different budgets & have the group vote. Often our hotels were outside a town, meaning we had to eat dinner in the hotel restaurant (which was usually expensive) or catch a taxi into town. Prior warning would have been appreciated, so we could have bought dinner at a supermarket, etc. I left with the impression Tucan is only interested in money rather than the service offered. I would not recommend Tucan to anybody. This tour was very expensive & i booked with an expectation of having a great experience in africa. Instead we were met with mistakes, disappointments & downgrades one after another. I was actually looking forward to finishing the tour. After giving all that negative feedback, i will point out an excellent part of the tour. For the game drives in the Masai Mara, Serengetti & Ngorongoro Crater, Tucan contracted companies to take us on these. Their cars were fantastic! They seated around 6-8 ppl & the roof popped up so we could all stand up, take photos easily & have an amazing 360 degree view out the car! The parks were incredible.”

Helpful Report

Posted 8 years ago

Hi Kat, I'm so sorry to read that your tour didn't meet your expectations. We try to provide as much information as possible on our website to prepare all of our clients for what a long tour around Africa would involve. This includes early starts, long travel days, visits to school and safaris using our overlanding vehicle (which allows you to see more than those in cars due to the truck's height) We do use quite basic hotels and campsites in Africa, the accommodation varies greatly and we can't always guarantee hot water or en-suite bathrooms. Our tour leaders are all trained to an incredibly high standard and we offer extensive training programs. However, due to the length of some of our tours, it is impossible for them to have visited everywhere but they all have notes, tips from previous tour leaders and the daily assistance of office staff. Once again, I can only apologise that you did not enjoy your tour. Happy travels, Jess @ Tucan Travel

Posted 8 years ago

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