At Adventure Coordinators we excel in giving you unbiased advice. We are able to do this because of our 20+ years in the industry, our personal experience and feedback from hundreds of travelers like you. If you contact us we will listen to what it is you want and get you the holiday that best suits you.
We deal with a large number of tour operators but most of our small-group tour bookings are handled by a select group of seven tour operators. Call them the Magnificent Seven. So what are The Good, The Bad and The Ugly sides of each of them?
What tours do they offer: cycling, hiking, cultural and wildlife tours in 171 countries
The good: great price point for the quality offered, good level of inclusions, many departures guaranteed, dedicated solo departures. Often excellent accommodation choices
The bad: some of the start points of the European tours are hard to get to; however, a free arrival transfer is often included if you arrive at the right time
The ugly: we have not had any consistently poor feedback about Exodus
Who is it for: solo travelers and couples looking for an active, cultural or wildlife small-group holiday. While popular with UK-based travelers, there is a fair number of international guests, mostly aged 40 and up
What tours do they offer: cycling, hiking, cultural and wildlife tours in 120 countries
The good: unique itineraries, low price
The bad: sometimes a little too in-depth on the historical sites; often heard feedback is that one has to pay a lot of expenses while on tour which other operators include (e.g. taxi to the start of an included hike). Tour leaders are sometimes flown in from the UK. Accommodation seems chosen based on price rather than location
The ugly: joining point changes often happen last minute and are not communicated leading to travelers missing their rendezvous
Who is it for: price-sensitive solo travelers and couples looking for an active, cultural or wildlife small-group holiday. Most travelers are from the UK and aged 50 and up
What tours do they offer: mostly cultural and sightseeing trips worldwide, some active trips
The good: good price point for young travelers. Guaranteed departures - once you are booked, you are going
The bad: slick marketing machine centered on founder Bruce Poon Tip and partnerships with brands such as National Geographic. Unclear if the partnerships bring any added value
The ugly: we get mixed feedback from clients; tour leaders (on higher-end tours) appear not always the most service-oriented. Antarctica-bound ship sank in 2007.
Who is it for: popular with travelers from Canada and the US. Classic-style tours, due to their simpler accommodation and fewer inclusions, appeal to a younger demographic or more independently-minded travelers; National Geographic tours offer upgraded (but by no means luxury) accommodations and more inclusions.
What tours do they offer: mostly cultural and sightseeing trips worldwide, some active trips
The good: great cultural immersions on their Original style trips The bad: after years of focusing on main-stream high-grossing itineraries, Intrepid is starting to offer more unique itineraries. A few years ago they ran co-branded trips with Peregrine which was bad for either brand. This no longer is the case. The ugly: we have not received any consistently poor feedback about Intrepid. Who is it for: Popular with Australian travelers. Original-style tours, due to their simpler accommodation and fewer inclusions, appeal to a younger demographic or more independently-minded travelers; Comfort-style tours offer upgraded (but by no means luxury) accommodations and more inclusions.
What tours do they offer: expedition cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic
The good: small ships allow for best landing opportunities in Antarctica. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable team. Leaders in their field
The bad: in the unusual event of a trip cancellation, One Ocean will try to re-accommodate you before offering a refund. Ships are comfortable but not luxurious
The ugly: we have not received any consistently poor feedback about One Ocean Expeditions
Who is it for: people wanting to experience the polar regions in depth on the best ships in the industry
What tours do they offer: mostly cultural and sightseeing trips worldwide; active program in Europe and Nepal
The good: very knowledgeable tour leaders and guides; great accommodation, especially in Europe
The bad: relatively high prices, especially in Africa. A few years ago they ran co-branded trips with Intrepid which was bad for either brand. This no longer is the case.
The ugly: we have not received any consistently poor feedback about Peregrine.
Who is it for: quality-sensitive more mature travelers looking for a trip hosted by professional guides while staying in comfort. Popular with Australian travelers.
World Expeditions (includes UTracks)
What tours do they offer: cycling, hiking, cultural and wildlife tours worldwide The good: unique itineraries, especially while trekking The bad: does not guarantee many departures until much closer to departure. Old-school booking process includes paper booking forms and medical forms The ugly: we have not received any consistently poor feedback about World Expeditions. Who is it for: solo travelers and couples looking for an active, cultural or wildlife small-group holiday. Most travelers are aged 40 and up. Popular with Australian travelers.