4 Star Review from Russel.
We booked with Global Journeys as they were offering a better price than Peregrine and Peregrine refused to price match. Service received from Tracey at Global Journeys was simply outstanding and I will definitely use her again for future trips. The trip highlight was definitely the desert experience... all aspects of it. The glamping, the food, the camel rides, the sunrise and sunset. Definitely would have liked an extra night there. Also enjoyed unwinding at the seaside town of Essaouira after a very hectic schedule the previous 13 days. Whilst the itinerary of this trip is good, the general level of the accommodation provided on the trip was disappointing considering Peregrine market themselves as the Intrepid premium brand. Poor internet access at some of the accommodations, no hot water for showers at one of the places (which is noted in the itinerary), dirty carpets at side of bed etc. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and overall did a good job but at times it felt like he was struggling to attend to all the needs of a group that varied in ages between 19 and 82. On that note it was frustrating having to slow down often to cater for participants who were not at the required level of fitness for the trip.
4 Star Review from Well Travelled Duo.
Overall this was a comprehensive, well paced, cultural and scenic tour with a wide variety of experiences especially as Mexico and Cuba are both rich in both geography and history. Tour highlights included Oaxaca, Mexico (indigenous prominent region) and Vinales, Cuba (tobacco region). Mexico: Tour group size: Five (over Xmas/ New year period). Accommodation and services: Generally pretty good however the Merida accommodation was a bit depressing (drab rooms, smelly, sweaty pillows). Hotel Geneva was centrally located in Mexico City, close to everything. Internet was generally widely available in hotels. Plenty of laundry opportunities (e.g. nearby laundromats) or hotel service along the way. Inclusions: Excellent local guides - very professional and knowledgeable, included breakfasts were plentiful. So much history was generously shared during each tour. Sumidero Canyon boat trip kind of felt like participating in an organised cartel (e.g. boat captain stopped the boat in the middle of river to ‘ask’ for tips from every person on board before taking boat back to home base). Tour bus driver (Carlos) was exceptional. Tour guide: In comparison to other similar tours (costings, time frames, itinerary), the tour guide did not meet expectations. Examples include: no Peregrine attire worn during entire trip (e.g. promoted other economical tour company, in attire), limited proactive, practical, logistical information shared during trip which would have significantly enhanced the experience (e.g. key info before arriving at each destination, advanced knowledge of time until next toilet stops on long journey, that bus facilities included onboard charging stations for electronic devices, why tour coach was being stopped by officials or specific Indigenous communities en route to destinations). In addition, the tour guide was unable to target communication to small group of experienced, seasoned travellers (e.g. repeatedly referred to bathrooms as place to go ‘pee pee’), allowed a single traveller to dominate tour leader’s time to detriment of others on tour, unreceptive to receiving constructive feedback (e.g. became emotional when presented with suggestions for improved service), was unfamiliar with layout of airport in Mexico City especially when navigating internal flights changes, overly reliant on an English-Spanish speaking member of travel group to assist with translation, particularly when tour logistics went ‘pear-shaped’. The trip would also have been enhanced if the tour guide used the bus microphone, as per the bus drivers suggestion, despite the small group. This would have allowed travellers at the back of the bus to listen attentively to limited logistical information shared. It is recommended that Peregrine invest in additional retraining for the tour guide. Top tip: Keep plenty of small change for tipping and using public bathrooms (five or ‘cinco’ pesos is norm in Mexico per bathroom stop). Cuba: Tour group size: Eleven. Accommodation and services: Pretty good. Hotel Nacional in Havana was excellent as was hotel in Cienfuegos. Lovely to stay at ‘homestay’ experience in Vinales and Trinadad. Good service at homestay ‘casa’ accommodation including in-house laundry services. Internet was available at Hotel Nacional (free) and/or available at ‘free wifi restaurants’ in Vinales. Internet access in Trinadad required purchasing an internet card and go to designated tourist area in township square to access internet signal. Inclusions: Plentiful food especially at home stays, Vinales tobacco farm tour was brilliant, salsa lessons in Vinales were a blast. Bus driver (Lazaro - who also happens to be a mechanic) was amazing - especially when our bus unexpectedly broke down en route. Tour guide: Superb, super professional, well organised, insightful and sincere. Olexis (tour guide) was kind, thoughtful, full of (relevant) information and went out of his way to ensure everyone's needs were met. He left a lasting, positive impression on the whole tour group. Top bloke. Peregrine: You are extremely lucky to have Olexis guiding your Cuba tour. This guy single handily saved the ‘Peregrine experience’ for travellers that participated in the earlier Mexico tour. He deserves a trip to Aussie and NZ for his efforts. Dude was EXCEPTIONAL. Top tip: Keep an open mind (and be patient) when travelling in Cuba. Also for Aussie and Kiwi travellers, if entering Cuba from Cancun you can purchase a Cuban Visa at the Cancun airport on the day of your departure to Cuba (yes, you read that correctly). Drinks outside of Havana are cheap (e.g. 1CUC per beer, Pina Colada, Cuba Libre etc) although CUC’s will be obsolete soon (recent government change).
5 Star Review from Vivienne.
I found the trip to be terrific. I was very happy with all the accommodation and arrangements. Everything pretty much ran to the schedule and I was so happy to be able to go to Abydos with this tour as a lot of tours do not go there. Obviously it was still very hot in Egypt when I was over there and there were a few occasions where I did not participate in climbing down some tombs or entering the Pyramids. My non participation on these few occasions was not an issue or frowned upon. Our group consisted of 7 people and we all got on wonderfully. The guide was superb, extremely approachable and knowledgeable. As far as booking with Global Journeys and Jemma, it was very easy, straightforward and any queries were answered straight away. I think it is unlikely that I will be travelling anytime soon however I must say that I would not hesitate to recommend your services and also that of Peregrine. P.S. I would have used that Peregrine shopping bag you posted to me every day... It was great!!
5 Star Review from Alice & Philip.
This small group tour, led by a delightful, kind local woman, was well paced with plenty of varied activities. The war museums and memorials at Kanchanaburi and Hellfire Pass were thoughtfully presented and very worthwhile experiences. The cycling tour around the historic UNESCO park in Sukhothai was fun, but tuk tuks provided another option for those who preferred to be driven. The Elephant Nature Park was impressive, as was the cultural evening at the Hmong Lodge. Delicious home cooked meals provided insights into regional cuisine. Hotels were mostly of a high standard and we felt comfortable and safe during the entire trip.
4 Star Review from Tony & Lorraine.
We did the 9 day Nile Valley Highlights small group tour with Peregrine. Overall the tour was great. Our guide, Hoda, was absolutely brilliant. Everything was organised perfectly and Hoda was extremely efficient and planned everything to a tee. We also had a very good group of people that we travelled with. Seeing the ancient sights of Egypt was amazing. It certainly isn't a "luxury" tour (I don't really think Egypt does luxury very well) but had some unique experiences (especially the overnight train ride to Luxor!!). For the price the overall experience was amazing and would highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to see the main sights of Egypt.
