Your are the BEST!! Alma, You are the BEST!! I want you to know how much I appreciate you for doing a wonderful job for all of my clients : ) Have a great weekend, Helen Reid An extraordinary lifetime adventure Hi Laura, I am still in a Patagonia wonderland and revisiting so much of this epic trip. It went so well with all your planning perfectly executed. The guides were so accommodating and right there to support and meet my needs at every turn. I felt very special and fortunate. Lily in Buenas Aires was charming and Dante in El Calafate was such a pleaser and so nice. Ignacio in Santiago was so passionate about showing me everything and we had some great discussions. The drivers were all courteous and competent. I never had a worry about anything! I liked all the properties with Cerra in El Calafate and Terra Patagonia in Chile being so lovely and accommodating. Tierra was astounding in every way. The location, the staff, fabulous food, and the choice of excursions were the best. The guides were knowledgeable and so joyful to be sharing their love of their beautiful park. It became my new happy place and I did not really want to leave which is unusual for me. I am so glad that you urged me to go to the Chilean Patagonia because it overwhelmed me with the immensity of the gorgeous scenery on every turn of the trail. I send you a heartfelt thank you for creating this trip for me. I am especially grateful for you on this perfect day of thanks. Happy Thanksgiving, I wanted to share with you how perfect our EcoAdventure tour experience was. Good Morning Alma, I wanted to share with you how perfect our EcoAdventure tour experience was. Fernando and Hiem were beyond amazing. They shared their knowledge of Cusco and toured us through the city and the mountains hiking. We especially enjoyed the Alpaca farm tour and store! They guided us from airport pickup to hotel, hotel to train, train to hotel and back to the hotel. Always on time, always friendly and helpful. Beyond our expectations! The train experience was perfect, we found our guides in Agua Caliente for the bus ride to Machu Picchu. Our guide on the mountain was super knowledgeable, friendly and patient with us. Unfortunately, my stomach was not doing well so our tour lasted within the park for about 2-1/2 hours. Beautiful weather, clear and warm. She took lots of pictures of us! Our rest at the Belmond was excellent, all aspects. We even took a day off with massages and enjoyed the beauty by ourselves. Thank you for making this segment of our trip work seamlessly. I will definitely recommend your business to others in the future! Please let all the staff know what a fantastic time we had. Thank you again for organizing our Adventure. Best, You have guided me in creating flawless and memorable experiences for my clients Alma, over the decades you have been my favorite person to work with. With incomparable knowledge and experience you have guided me in creating flawless and memorable experiences for my clients. And more than that, you enthusiastically put personal pride and heart into your work and do your best to make sure each trip you construct is a personalized masterpiece! Alma, I salute you, and wish you the best going forward. Affectionately, We had an amazing time that far exceeded our expectations. Hi Kim, We had an amazing time that far exceeded our expectations. The Galapagos and M/V Angel were great. A big part of the experience were the fellow passengers. It was a really fun, interesting, international group of like-minded people which made for such a great experience. We've been communicating and sharing pictures since the trip ended. Weather was great. Boat was comfortable and staff were outstanding. The guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area. The itinerary was very full and wasted no time in giving us a full experience. And then we were off to the M/V Manatee. Except they didn't put us on the Manatee because it was starting a short renovation. They put us in a suite on the Anaconda! Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, it did. This boat, crew, and experience were absolutely 1st class in all ways. Five other passengers were on board when we arrived Monday but they left early Wednesday morning and then we had the 11- 15 crew to ourselves for 2 days! Crazy! We felt like royalty. And they too kept us really busy with amazing expressions. I could go on and on about this trip but you get the drift. Thank you so much for putting it together. Everything went seamlessly. The Ecuadorians in the travel industry are working very hard to shine a positive light on their country and we promised them we'd spread the word. It is a beautiful, diverse country. One thing that really stuck out in conversing with other travelers is the extended itineraries that some of them were undertaking. An Aussie couple were in the middle of a 42 day trip thru South America. Another woman had been traveling for 4 months. And everyone talked up Peru. SO. I'd like to learn more about that Journey trip scheduled for next October! Time to get back to the couch. Take care. Regards, It’s incredible to me how everything went off without a hitch! (trip to Machu Picchu and Galapagos) Alma, We want to thank you ever so much for the lovely trip you put together for Curt and me. It’s incredible to me how everything went off without a hitch, considering how many connections there were and different places we visited. We’ve planned a lot of trips on our own, but we knew this one was over our heads! We were so impressed with each transfer, each guide, each accommodation, each park entrance, train ride, plane ride, and bus ride. That’s a lot of detail! The guides Eco provided were top-notch, passionate about their subject and intent on us understanding. We so appreciated how they not only took us to the airports but guided us all the way through, right up to security. A blessing! Thank you for your extra efforts in securing our suite on the boat – we were so happy with it and with the entire Galapagos experience. It just couldn’t have been nicer. And we understand our daughter was communicating with you about the restaurant in Quito for Mother’s Day – how nice of you to help her with that! We were pampered all the way through! Thank you again – it truly was a trip of a lifetime. Sincerely, ...their experiences were exceptionally positive, and we did not receive any negative feedback from our providers
We hope this message finds you in good spirits. Our passengers have left us some feedback about their stay, and they seem very happy, also I attached a photo in their second visit to Machu Picchu (right). If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out. Johan Malasquez We had a great time and saw so much wildlife it was unbelievable! Hi Alma, Much appreciated!
We always love how you put together a wonderful tour! Alma, The trip to Quito and Sacha Lodge was Magnifico!!! Better than any of us could have imagined. Greetings Dear Alma! Wow, what a super time the Shields did have—thanks so much for making it happen for them!! Here's their write up...interesting about Avianca JFK/UIO!! Merry and Healthy to you and your family, The guide was excellent, so knowledgable, personable. The crew on the boat were exceptional. Hi Sheree, I would highly, highly recommend EcoAdventures. The guide was excellent, so knowledgable, personable. The crew on the boat were exceptional. We woke up at 6am, breakfast at 7am and each day was packed. Dinner was 7pm and we were in bed and asleep by 8:30. Binoculars were recommended, but we hardly used them. The animals are so used to humans you can walk up to them and it seems like they are posing for their picture to be taken. Every day was a new adventure. Mike Adams Peru!!!!!! Thank you for arranging our spectacular, surprising, extraordinary trip. Hi Alma, Thank you for arranging our spectacular, surprising, extraordinary trip to Peru! Your planning and expertise made our traveling easy and everything went according to plan. Setours executed perfectly. A special shout out to Oscar, our tour guide in Lima, and Boris our tour guide in Cusco. Oscar is the best single day tour guide I have ever had anywhere, anytime. Boris is the best multi-day tour guide I have ever encountered and is now, more importantly, a friend. The accommodations were all tops. Triple-loved Tambo del Inka, especially since our driver, Mr. Jaime, suggested we visit the local market in Urumbamba that was just 5 minutes down the road from the resort. The market was such an insight and remains an unexpected highlight. I could go on and on, but I’ll summarize with this: I definitely underestimated how interesting and beautiful Peru turned out to be. Machu Picchu is a place you have to visit in order to really comprehend it and deserves all the accolades, but the rest of what we saw, which is a fraction of the country I know, was just as beautiful and intriguing. I will return for sure. Besides, llamas and alpacas are my new favorite animals. I would be happy to answer any questions or offer opinions about our trip if you are interested. Thanks again for all your help. So looking forward to Patagonia. Best, Jonathan Keyes The trip was fantastic! The food (OMG!), the hotels, the guides and the driver were absolutely top notch. Good Morning, Marilyn! We got home last night and have to tell you that the trip was fantastic! Alma did a wonderful job! We give everyone very high marks – the food (OMG!), the hotels, the guides and the driver, Jaime, were absolutely top notch. Everything went like clockwork and the trip was 100% hassle and worry free. Bob and Sam Tyler Marilyn's forwarded reply to EcoAdventures: Hi Alma, Warm regards, Fun Adventure - Tour guide very informative...Glad we did the full trip.
Margaret Joanne and Alyssa Carolyn Leapley EcoAdventures were fantastic, all guides, drivers, hotels, etc. were beyond amazing. Hi Scott, Thanks for checking in. Costa Rica was just amazing. We enjoyed all the places we visited, EcoAdventures were fantastic, all guides, drivers, hotels, etc. were beyond amazing. Drivers were always early for pick ups, friendly and knowledgeable. Cheers! Debbie Velasquez Highly recommend this itinerary and trip. Thanks for doing a fabulous job! Dear Sheree, The trip was awesome - delay start and strike noted. Hotels were superb, guides and transportation were awesome. Peru - people are warm and friendly and police were all around and felt safe. Sadly, I had altitude sickness the day I landed in Cusco for entire trip and caught a flu during trip and am still sick. Machu Picchu trip and guide and Sumac hotel were fabulous. Highly recommend this itinerary and trip. Thanks for doing a fabulous job! Happy holidays! Jaya Alma/EcoAdventures' reply: Your skill, passion and experience were such an important, critical part of our special trip Howdy Chantal: We are safe and sound at home. Your skill, passion and experience were such an important, critical part of our special trip. Thanks also for your timely problem solving. Having your “rescue line” available was a comforting element on such a trip. And, how did you manage to arrange for Argentina to win two World Cup games while we were there? So exciting (even dogs on the street wear jerseys…the pop-up parade in El Calafate was a choice experience!). Again, many thanks. Our trip was absolutely a blast!! Good morning Elyse, Getting ready for a big Thanksgiving I hope! We have so much to be thankful for!! Our trip was absolutely a blast!! A little bit of a language barrier, but when you got the right guide that could speak some English that was great! From Lima and the lines to the Amazon and Machu Picchu the trip was perfectly laid out! Other than the altitude sickness we had an absolute blast! The food in that country is some of the best we ever had!! Thank you for everything you did to make this trip very memorable for Nicole and myself! God bless you and Happy Thanksgiving!! David and Nicole Bryant ...we are having a wonderful time in Peru! Our guides have been terrific... Hi Liz, They felt very well taken care of while traveling. Hi Alma, Mr. Bond and his sons had such a wonderful time. They mentioned many times how great the culture is, how nice everyone is, great service, etc. They felt very well taken care of while traveling. They LOVED Pacuare River Lodge accommodations. It was their favorite. The only negative thing he could produce is that he wishes he brought more USD because they didn’t take credit cards for taxis, but gladly took American dollars. Otherwise, his trip was amazing in every way. Thank you for your help. Andrea King ...for the most part everything was perfect and they had the best 50th wedding anniversary celebration with all of their family!!!! Following is the back-and-forth between EcoAdventures and Great Escapes Travel regarding one of its clients: ----- Original Message ----- Well, we cannot control weather or force majeure!!! As always it is great to work with you and your company. Thank you, Hi Donna, Hello Alma: On July 01, tropical storm “Bonnie” was passing near the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, but the weather was affecting the country. Selvatura: I am afraid this is not accurate. The client decided to change the Hanging Bridges for July 1. Monteverde Reserve: After the tour at Selvatura, we got confirmation from the Monteverde Reserve that they would not open the reserve for security reasons. There was a possibility that strong winds and debris, branches, or even trees may hit the clients. The tour was canceled. At this point, our guide moved the visit to the Frog Pond to July 02. As they were not going to do any other activity, the client asked what other tour they could do, and he suggested El trapiche, but again they had to wait until July 2 to see the weather conditions. Finally, it was possible, and the clients were fully aware this was not included, and they had to pay it. There was no complaint about it. At this point, we are waiting for the refund for the entrance fee to the Monteverde Reserve. Bureaucracy is significant at that place, and things are moving slowly. I will let you know when we have it. Best regards, ----- Original Message ----- From: Donna Marko - Great Escapes Travel Hi Alma, XXXXX (client name) stopped by to report back on the family's big trip. They did not receive the Zip line, they had the “Park tour only” with bridge walk. Pura Vida! Christy - Pura Vida! We are home! It was an awesome trip! We loved exploring and having the different locations! You really are wonderful and we have a couple families you should be hearing from who want to go to Costa Rica as well and will be reaching out. We absolutely loved the transportation you booked. The drivers were incredible and it was like a private tour vs. just a ride to next spot! They were full of info, stopped at cool spots and showed us different areas that really were like an adventure! DIRIA - The towel situation they charge if you lose any is $10 a towel so maybe advise to bring a few of their own. We saw people doing that. We got lucky and the surfer shack gave us a few but this was the same at each resort. We had a corner king bed room and it was pretty small. The kids had 2 full and they brought in a cot for Shane so it worked out great. I would recommend asking for bottom unit on the right side if you are facing ocean. Seemed like the best ones you could walk right out onto grass or the ones above that. Worked out great for us just if we got to pick next time. I would recommend if someone wants to get surf lessons just get them in a row through resort or rent a board for week. Our boys LOVED surfing and we rented everyday. The lessons were a huge help! If the weather permits we would have done a catamaran but loved our day at the other surfing beach I sent you pics of and Lolas. So fun. I would definitely do Black Stallion we just had weather that we couldn't rely on! ATV was a blast and we walked right to it. Staff at Diria was amazing, setting was just beautiful, breakfast was great and if we wanted to eat right there it was perfect. I would absolutely stay there again. I highly recommend it and again, we are not pool people. We went to the pool bar a few times (the big pool is across the street, not on the beach) but it was beautiful. And I bet in busy season is hopping! I recommend people bring LOTS of 1s and 5s. We tipped a lot and they were so grateful and would give us free shots and hugs and lots of local tips! ARENAL SPRINGS - Pools are beautiful and so are the grounds. Drinks and food spendier here but we took taxi or Uber into La Fortuna for dinners and it was awesome. One night we ordered in and all just chilled because our rooms were so incredible and we were pooped. That was awesome. Breakfast was incredible too and the views are stunning. There wasn't a lot to do at night for the kids so thats where maybe going to the Arenal Resort might be better for more options like bigger pool with slide, games, etc. For us this resort worked out great but if we were there longer, it would be nice to have a few options for the kids like shanes age and older at night. XANDARI - TOURS - I would definitely have done catamaran and sailing too if it was better weather! We did ATV and loved ours. I think a more jungle one or Black Stallion would be awesome! We loved our Canyoneering and I would have tacked on rafting to that one too. I could see doing an Arenal Lake day or something like that. We did zip lining too. I think if we could do multiple in one day vs spread out, that would be the way to go! It was an amazing incredible family trip! Costa Rica is special and I feel like we really saw and did all we could. The upside of the rainy season is the lushness (like Oregon). It is sunny in mornings so you soak up that time to do adventures and lay out. Rains everyday in afternoons sometimes for a few hours then clears, sometimes a monsoon for rest of night. Dry season would be hotter and sunnier but also not as green. I can't imagine not doing without you! The transportation, confidence we felt, and locations/resorts, were perfect for our family! We had people texting us and want to meet for coffee next week to go over recommendations and I am giving them ideas for what they might like as a family but HIGHLY recommending they book it all through you. I am sure I will have more but I will send you pics and whatever else I can think of! LAUNDRY - We had it done in Tamarindo by a service which was awesome because we were so stinky and it was humid and muddy so it was a big help! LOVED our trip! Planning our next adventure! Thank you doesn't cover it so drinks and dinner when Tony is home is a must! Jennifer Peters ..was the best thing he has EVER done and is soooo happy Hi Alma, (The Peterkofsky family) - Having a great time. Now in Monteverde and did the zip line today. Ben said it was the best thing he has EVER done and is soooo happy. Peterkofskys The trip was fantastic! Yossi, We cannot thank you enough for being our guide here in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The trip was fantastic! We learned so much about your culture and fell in love with the people, traditions and beauty of the land. We hope to return. We wish you and your family all the best. Thank you!! Kathy & Steve Hirschfeld They LOVED their trip! Good morning Alma, I talked to Patricia Green yesterday. They LOVED their trip. I wanted to thank you for all the help and cooperation with your support for me. They are talking about taking another Aqua trip next year. Badonna Retin Thanks for all of your wise guidance and assistance!!! Hi Alma, Just wanted to share with you that the Bobrow family had a great time last week. Thanks for all of your wise guidance and assistance!!! Look forward to seeing you and Aaron in PVR. Best, Les Burger Thank you for all you did to make this trip so special for us! Hi Christy, Between COVID tests and the possibility of flight cancellations, we felt beyond fortunate to arrive home as scheduled! Black Stallion should definitely be kept in the repertoire for Tamarindo! Alex was great...very entertaining! The zip line was fun, and the ATVs were great too. Although~I wouldn't send super picky clients here. His property is pretty rough, incomplete and dirty. It was obvious the barbeque was delivered, which was a relief, as I was nervous when I peaked in the kitchen...ants, crawling over dirty dishes. It was pretty gross. We had a ball though and enjoyed our afternoon there. Tamarindo was great for the kids. They loved having beach time, and got plenty of time surfing. Kris and I found the area similar to downtown Cabo. Party atmosphere, young people, predominantly tourists from surrounding areas. Very few Americans. Infact, there were a few challenges communicating, even at the hotel. The hotel wasn't as bad as we had anticipated, although I would never recommend it. Staff in the buffet restaurant really tried to be helpful. The food wasn't bad. Hard to mess up fresh fruit which was always delicious. Reception was a nightmare every time we had to deal with them, right from the beginning. Took 45 minutes to get checked in, only to finally get up to our rooms and find the keys didn't work! Pool staff was flat out rude, and often ran out of towels. We never got into the sushi restaurant and asked every day. The hostess there was unbelievably rude. The location was nice, though. I did like being out of the middle of town. Oh!~~ NYE~~ The beach club was great...BUT getting there was total chaos! The taxi made us get out as traffic was totally stopped. We were about a mile away, and walked, weaving through the traffic. Even the boys were a little freaked. After supper, we walked along the main street and popped in and out of a few places. The kids went to the beach when Kris and I were ready to go back. Our ride back was something out of James Bond! Up and down alleys, our driver hit a car and kept driving as the passengers were piling out! One of the craziest rides ever, and I've had some crazy ones...Sau Paulo, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Rome...etc. The Springs was everything I'd read about, and hoped it would be! We loved every minute! The service, the property, the views! I hope you get a chance to visit! Three nights is great, but I think four would be perfect, as you spend so much time off property with excursions. I didn't realize there was a huge lake just a few minutes away from us. If we ever go back, I would like to spend a day up there. We saw it as we were driven out to Tamarindo. (sharing that with you, for your visit) We sure appreciated all your help and patience! Thank you for all you did to make this trip so special for us! Happy New Year to you and your family! ...the trip was a success overall, but there were some disappointments. Hi Alma, And happy 2022. I checked in with Kathleen today, after giving her a week of recovery time following their trip. I hope you don't mind my passing on this feedback. I know I appreciate hearing the experiences of end-users, as it can sometimes allow me to make modifications for other travelers going forward. Kathleen said the trip was a success overall, but there were some disappointments. Arenal EcoAdventures' response We are also adding to our Cover Letters that we send with the final documents to make certain they have WhatsApp or similar installed on their cell 'phones so that they can call the 24/7 emergency numbers that we provided without roaming charges. We incorrectly assumed that everyone has WhatsApp or one of the other programs on their 'phones. Monteverde EcoAdventures' response We are going to add to the comment asking folks to be flexible, especially with the very busy season. Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response It sounds like they engaged in talking among other tourists: talking up their experiences and comparing them with others' experiences. There are always going to be other people possibly exaggerating their experiences. Can she enlighten us as to what were the other tours that the other guests took where they saw an array of aninals so that we can recommend them in the future? Monteverde (continued) EcoAdventures' response Tamarindo Thanks for all your work on this trip Alma. Travel Planner for Kathleen Stock We also follow up on any complaints and take them very seriously! Following is a real back-and-forth discussion regarding dealing with customer complaints: From Sheree Dreewes/Foothills Travel Hi Alma, I have sent a message to Brian asking him for more details about his experience in Quito. I appreciate you following up on this so quickly, it is important that the guides and tours leave a positive impression on our clients. And (on another note) you are right, so often we only highlight the negative and forget to pass along the great experiences! Sheree ----- Original Message ----- From: Alma Megeath/EcoAdventures Hi Sheree, Thanks very much for sharing, and I am pleased that 99% of the trip was a success! I will take note of the comments regarding shorter stays at Zuleta and Bellavista, depending on the clients. If they are avid birders then three days at Bellavista are justified, but if not, then two days would be adequate. We need to better qualify the clients. I will also pass along their very positive remarks to Bellavista (the guide, Freddie) and the Galapagos cruise (M/Y Treasure of the Galapagos and Fabian). We too often fail to send the positive news along with the bad news, and they do love to hear the positive news! Regarding the Quito services. This has me quite concerned, as you can tell from the copy I sent you of my correspondance with Metropolitan Touring. I know it is probably a hassle, but could you ask Brian to elaborate: Thanks very much! ----- Original Message ----- From Sheree Dreewes/Foothills Travel Hi Alma, I thought you might be interested in Brian Turner’s feedback below! Sheree Dreewes/Owner ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian Turner/Client Hi Sheree, I hope your trip to Puerto Vallarta was excellent as well. Ecuador was very fun. Considerations for the future: Overall an excellent vacation and one that will be remembered for years. Best regards, Brian Turner Partnering with an expert like you is more important than ever. Hi Alma, I wanted you to know that I had an email this morning from Shery Phillips. They had a wonderful trip. Thank you for all of your help. Partnering with an expert like you is more important than ever. I appreciate you and your help! Sheri Smith They (EcoAdventures) have NEVER let me down and my clients come back happy Hi Christy: I’m so glad you are in touch with ECO. I’ve used them exclusively for FIT’s in South America. They have NEVER let me down and my clients come back happy with the desire to go back. Vicky Voll Christy Damas Everything went smoothly and on time, the hotel, the tours, the flights, the transfer. Hi Cindy, Just two weeks ago, my group and I were blissfully cruising along South America, with not a worry about THE virus. Since our return, our world has turned upside-down. How are you and the team coping? I’ve had to cancel everything through June. Sure hope this will go away Soon! Everyone in the Iguassu Falls side trip enjoyed it! Everything went smoothly and on time, the hotel, the tours, the flights, the transfer. I think the ladies, especially, were thrilled with the tour guide, Nacho? Please forward our thanks to him. And to you, Cindy, for Always putting together the Best trips for me! Appreciatively, Flo Loo They (EcoAdventures) are an amazing partner Message to Travel Shoppe President Chery Verrastro and all TS Travel Specialists: Hello All, Mariann Adcock Follow-up message from Travel Shoppe President Chery Verrastro to all TS Travel Specialists: They (EcoAdventures) are an amazing partner. I also encourage us to support Eco when we are all back selling travel. Keep sharing the good news! Cheri Verrastro Overall, they had a fabulous trip...They went gaga over the Belmond at the (Iguassu) Falls Hi Alma, I just had a nice long talk with Lonnie and wanted to pass on his comments. Overall, they had a fabulous trip. They couldn't say enough about the Amazon cruise. The ship was beautiful, the activities very interesting. They had the best suite on the ship with expansive views forward and to the side. He thinks they had a 3-star chef onboard because the food was outstanding. They loved Machu Picchu. I had heard some unflattering comments about the Sanctuary, but they thought it was lovely. Of course the location couldn't have been better. The only negative thing they had to say was that the room in Cuzco was so small, they asked for a small table to be removed so they could open their bags. Other than that, they liked the hotel. They went gaga over the Belmond at the Falls. On their second day, the Brazilian Goverenment closed the Park, but since they were inside of the park, they had the Falls all to themselves. They had the best time at the hotel, raving over everything. The driver that picked them up at IGU was 45 minutes late, complaining that he had car problems, but wasn't convincing enough for Lonnie. He offered his services for the return airport transfer for $90, but the hotel arranged it for half that price. He said the people throughout the trip were very accommodating and friendly. So thank you for all the planning and of course, all your rescue efforts in getting them out of there. You were wonderful. Thanks again, You have gone over and above! I so appreciate you. Alma, Diane Matheson Great Trip! All of our drivers and tours have been great! Jackie, Alma, Looks like you have a fan for life! Frank, Alma, Many thanks for making him happy :0) Frank King, CTC I really had a wonderful time. The trip was very well arranged for a solo traveler. Hi Dotty, Charu Andaz ...very pleased with your arrangement and she (Cinda) had a wonderful trip Good Morning Alma, My client Cinda Giberson just returned from her trip you did to Belize and she was very pleased with your arrangement and she had a wonderful trip. Thank you for your great service — looking forward to using you in the future. Jackie Garmire Amazing trip!!! Like 3 trips in one. Irene, I'll call you as soon as I remember how to talk. Sign language is now all I can do. More pix to follow in a few days. Again thank you for making a wild trip smooth, safe and unforgettable. Eda Zahl Breathtaking! Our trip was fabulous. Maureen, Our trip was fabulous. Peru was breathtaking and all of our accommodations and guides were excellent. Thank you again for another amazing trip. Hytham Imseis Super fantastic ... EcoAdventures has been on top of everything. Good morning Cindy & Alma, I had sent Kim a text to ask how all is going. I am sharing her response with you below. Thanks for all of your help. Hi Bobbie, Super fantastic. Tango last night was wonderful and the horseback riding this morning was the best I've ever had. We ran until we couldn't run anymore. EcoAdventures has been on top of everything. Tomorrow, we decided to catch the ferry to Colonia, Uruguay. We will go on the hop-on hop-off bus and have lunch. I'm on Facebook if you want to watch our adventures. Hope you're well. Kim Shepherd A perfect trip!! - Look forward to working with you again. Hi Alma, Just spoke to Carol Ries and they had a fabulous time. A perfect trip!! Look forward to working with you again. All my best, Sylvia Victoria This is why I love you guys!! ... EcoAdventures is an outstanding company to work with. Wow, Angela, What an amazing adventure this was for 3 generations of Mortyn’s. Will willingly share details and photos with you when we can get together. Don’t you LOVE that??!! Kim Mortyn ...travel and tour was very well organized and executed. Alma, Allen Houtz wanted me to pass his compliment on to you.... "The Machu Picchu travel and tour was very well organized and executed. We loved it! (beautiful weather helped!)" Thank you for making us look good to our clients! Frank King, CTC The planning of this trip's itinerary was a work of art Hi Nancy.... I just wanted to let you know what a fabulous time Jan and I had on our trip to Ecuador. Our guides and the accommodations in every place we visited were wonderful! Ecuador is an amazing country with such friendly people. The food was also very healthy and tasty. The planning of this trip's itinerary was a work of art. We enjoyed every place we stayed and the side trips were so informative. Jan and I did agree that the highlight of the trip was the Amazon and our stay at La Selva Eco Lodge. I would recommend this same itinerary to anyone wanting to visit Ecuador. MANY THANK YOUS from Jan and I. Sincerely, Virginia Strom-Martin Trip is a huge success meeting or exceeding expectations. Hi Kim, Trip is a huge success meeting or exceeding expectations. Climbed Huanapicchu this morning and on the train back to Cusco. Great guide Sergio for almost 5 hours yesterday in Machu Picchu. The Sanctuary was worth the price. Thanks, Client of We couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. Dear Nancy, Thank you so much for arranging our anniversary trip. As you know, John and I had different but complementary goals for traveling to Peru. This was John’s first visit, and seeing Machu Picchu was his lifelong dream. He also is passionate about food and was looking forward to tasting Peru’s world-class cuisine. I wanted to take a look around after studying in Lima and traveling around the country 40 years ago. They had a trip of a lifetime and I thank you for all your hard work! Hello Alma: My two ladies are back from the month long trip in Chile and they had a wonderful time. They were very impressed with the guides, drivers and the Singular Hotel as well we the Scorpios cruise and Easter Island. All went according to plan except for two things. The driver to take them to the ship in Patagonia had insisted that the cruise left at 18:00hrs not noon. My clients had the front desk call the local tour number and then the ship. It was confirmed that the ship did depart at noon and the clients rushed out at 1030am to make it. That could have been a disaster and we don’t understand why they had a different departure time. The second comment is that the locals did not appreciate being tipped in USD dollars. They much preferred their local currency so my clients had to go to banks to exchange their cash. They had a trip of a lifetime and I thank you for all your hard work! Patricia VanLaarhoven ...impressed with the crew’s ability to provide comfort and safety to such a diverse group of guests Hi Josie, Riley and I had a trip of a lifetime in the Galapagos on board M/C Alya. Thank you so much for arranging the trip on relatively short notice. Although the accommodations and service were almost luxurious, this was no pampered trip. We were challenged every day (always within our physical limitations) during excursions up rocky cliffs, hiking across primitive landscapes, and snorkeling in warm clear oceans. M/C Alya is an 8 cabin, 16 passenger sailing catamaran, with crew of 10 including a chef, a hotel manager, and our dedicated naturalist Renny. Each day started early with buffet breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by a morning hike to one of the islands in the Ecuadorian National Park where we focused on a species or two unique to that island. These excursions were designed for photo opportunities within meters of the wildlife. Each hike was followed by a wet suit snorkeling opportunity from one of the Zodiac boats that took us in close among the reefs. We then returned to the Alya for a great lunch and an hour’s rest before repeating the morning sequence during the afternoon. Each evening before a table service dinner, Renny provided a short lecture on what we could expect the following day. I was very impressed with the crew’s ability to provide comfort and safety to such a diverse group of guests ranging from 20 to 72 years of age in varying degrees of health. There was only one safety mishap when a guest stumbled on a hiking path and fell into a cactus. All of us pitched in to help with tweezers and she recovered nicely. Several passengers were concerned about the potential for motion sickness (and I do believe some precautions are warranted) but no one became ill. Thanks again for arranging a most satisfying father-son adventure. Rick Adamson They have not felt this pampered since their honeymoon 20 years ago. Hi Alma, The Cabeens are still traveling, but I have received several texts from them regarding their trip thus far...they are currently in Machu Picchu. They have been upgraded at almost every hotel, and they have received special treats in celebration of their anniversary. Avianca even upgraded them to first class for their flight from Lima to Cusco. I know that all of this was at your request and I can not thank you enough! Their comment was that they have not felt this pampered since their honeymoon 20 years ago. Thanks to you and your suppliers!! I am sure I will have more to pass along to you once they return but had to let you know how happy they are and how well they have been taken care of so far. Debbie Wallace ...an amazing trip! We had excellent guides throughout...and fabulous accommodations. Hi Alma, I want to thank you and your staff for putting together an amazing trip! We had excellent guides throughout, transfers that were always timely and fabulous accommodations. In Quito we were (pleasantly) surprised that our half-day city tour turned out to be a full day. I can't use enough superlatives to describe our experience on the M/Y Natural Paradise. The staff, food, ambiance, quality of the naturalist and flexibility of the company couldn't be beat. When most of our group, as well as other guests aboard, were disappointed giant tortoises weren't on the program, they arranged for those of us disembarking the final day to see them with another naturalist en route to the airport. This company totally understands keeping guests happy. The rainforest portion was exactly as advertised. We enjoyed the flora, particularly the tour of the farm, which is mostly an orchard with lots of fruits that were new to us. Those of us who'd been on the Amazon cruise you planned for us in Manaus back in 2013, couldn't help but notice how much more flauna we saw there, but it's a different place. Once again, thank you, and I hope some year to do Patagonia with you. Warmly, Would this trip be worth it? Thanks to everyone's help, it was definitely worth it. All, We want to thank everyone involved in making our trip to Ecuador and Peru such a wonderful experience. It was our trip-of-a-lifetime and biggest bucket item. Specifically, Debra Stern was our travel agent at Direct Travel and she was a perfect advocate for us. Her thoughtfulness, and attention to details, made for seamless travel and a magical trip. We recognize that this was a team effort. Debra brought in EcoAdventures to arrange travel details in South America. In addition, EcoAdventures used Turismo Magic in Ecuador, and Setours in Peru, to provide guides & drivers, arrange for hotels & restaurants, and purchase permits & entry fees. All this work made for an amazing vacation and learning experience. Every guide was extremely knowledgeable and a perfect host to represent their country. All of the travel accommodations were first-class. To be honest, this trip was our largest purchase, after our home and two cars, and we were anxious about the cost. Would this trip be worth it? Thanks to everyone's help, it was definitely worth it. The highlight of our trip was the time we spent in the Galapagos onboard the 16-passenger catamaran Cormorant. Haugan Cruises did a superlative job. The crew and ship were fantastic. The itinerary was well thought out and it was so much more than we expected. We would like specifically to name and thank all of our guides: Ivan (Quito); Harry (Galapagos); Boris (Sacred Valley); Hugo (Machu Picchu); Petro (Cusco); Daniel (Lima); and Michael (Lima). They were excellent and we highly recommend each of them. We would also like to recognize our hotels: Patio Andaluz Hotel (Quito); Costa del Sol Wyndham (Lima); Hotel Pakaritampu (Ollantaytambo); Belmond Sanctuary Lodge (Machu Picchu); Aranwa Cusco Boutique (Cusco); and Arawi Hotel Miraflores (Lima). They were all excellent, but two really stood out. First, the Sanctuary Lodge for providing showers to guests who have checked out. We hiked Machu Picchu Mountain in the rain and this was an unexpected luxury. Second, the Aranwa Cusco for upgrading our room to a suite. This room was amazing and we felt like we were staying in a museum. We really appreciated that each hotel included an excellent breakfast. We would like to give special recognition to the Tunupa Restaurant in the Sacred Valley for having an amazing selection of local foods and ingredients for lunch. One last item worthy of mentioning: The drivers in Lima are crazy. They turned from the wrong lanes and split lanes (three cars in two lanes). We were very impressed with the skill of our driver who smoothly navigated us through these congested roads. We are so very appreciative. Thank you for everything. Sincerely, ...everything went so well and smooth. Enjoyed all of it! Dear Alma, A quick follow up to my client’s vacation. Mr. and Mrs. Les and Lola Brown had a fabulous trip in South America. They said everything went so well and smooth. Enjoyed all of it! Sincerely, Debbie Zetterberg They had a fantastic time! All the hotels and other arrangements were great. Hi Cindy, Spoke to them (McWalters and Larson) last night. They had a fantastic time! All the hotels and other arrangements were great. They loved having the day room in Lima at the end. They especially enjoyed the Galapagos and were happy they decided to go on the catamaran. Other passengers and crew were great and food was also good. They had rain up at Machu Picchu which put a small damper on their time there but were glad they stayed at the Sanctuary. They gave my name to some friends who may want to do all or part of the same trip so if they call me, I will call you. Thank you for everything! Debra Stern ...thank you and Eco for the fabulous job...they had a wonderful time and all went perfect. Hi Alma, I just want to thank you and Eco for the fabulous job you did on Smith, Blanshan, and Deering, they had a wonderful time and all went perfect. I know absolutely nothing about this area of the world and I am always honest with my clients about this. I never use any other company for Central and South America and I refuse to do a trip if someone requests another company that’s cheaper. All your staff is a pleasure to deal with and I just want you to know that. Thanks for putting up with my million questions. Jeanne Russo It made it a very pleasant trip to have us being met at every stage of our tour. Hi Alma, I would like to thank EcoAdventures, Setours and Karen Sullivan for the very well organized tours that we had in South American on our recent trip. It made it a very pleasant trip to have us being met at every stage of our tour. We were greeted from the time we stepped off the plane and all along each of the stops. Everything was taken care of very efficiently. We were handed vouchers for every stop along the way with detailed instructions and local phone numbers in case of an emergency. The instructions and tips provided by EcoAdventures were very helpful. The drivers and particularly the guides were very efficient and knowledgeable. We enjoyed all the tours. The hotels that we stayed in were exceptional. The El Mapi Inn in Aguas Calientes was excellent. The rooms were very large, nicely decorated and the food was well presented. The Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel was in a class all its own. The hotel itself was beautiful and the rooms were particularly nice. Again, the food was very good. I would particularly like to recognize our driver from Cusco to the Sacred Valley. I became ill on this part of the trip and he arranged for me to be seen at a CIMA clinic in Ollantaytambo. The clinic was very efficient, ran tests, gave me medication and got me on my way within a few hours. They were very professional. I would also like to recognize Sebastian in Lima. I again became ill and he was very efficient and quickly got an appointment for me at the British American hospital. Again I was treated very professionally and efficiently by the hospital staff. I couldn't have treated any better. Thank you for a well organized trip. Priscilla Beckman …party LOVED everything you did for them. The great guides…great hotels…even loved the tango show Hi Alma, I just had a phone call from Tom Oldfield…calling from Santiago while waiting for his flight home. He wanted me to know that his party LOVED everything you did for them. The great guides…..great hotels….he even loved the tango show (a surprise to him). Thank you again for all that you do!!! Karen Karen Sullivan All tour personnel were friendly/personal, timely and provided great tours. Hotels/meals were excellent! Teri, Hope you are enjoying the fall! Sorry for the late feedback. Came home on a Monday and traveled on a Tuesday with work running since. Had a great trip. I filled out the questionnaire for EcoAdventures tours, writing down names of personnel and comments and now have misplaced it. If you can forward this brief feedback I would appreciate it. All tour personnel were friendly/personal, timely and provided great tours. Hotels/meals were excellent, hotels were at locations that let us have our free time to walk around and have our own time. Vehicles were clean and drivers professional. No flight delays and only had one rainy day (the day for the Machu Picchu mountain hike). Other than that light jackets and temp was just right. The layout of the tours was excellent and we enjoyed our free time. Ended with a nice stop in Guatemala. That is where we ended up with rain. Thanks for the coordination. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday. David Ayala The sights, the food, the hotels, the guides, were all fantastic!! Hi Magda, Just got back. And had a fabulous trip! (sic to Peru) The sights, the food, the hotels, the guides, were all fantastic!!! Thanks for all your helMp! Take care, Lisa and Steve Carr Still dreaming of Peru! Christy, OK, we are home, settled and still dreaming of Peru. It was a fantastic trip. I am so glad we worked with Cindy and took her recommendations on staying longer and downgrading some of the hotels. Here is my detailed feedback on each aspect of the trip so you have it for your next client. :) Lima Sacred Valley Machu Pichu Casa del Sol Hotel was perfect - So nice, great dinner and breakfast. Extra day in AC was not needed and I should have caught it. No worries, we just moved the train ride - had to do a bit by car...it all worked out. Cusco Three days in Cusco was great. Plenty of time to tour, wander, relax, shop and eat. Setours gave us a free lunch in Cusco due to the pick up mishap. Calle de Medio - food was very very good. The set meal was not a lot of options tho - we just ordered extra off the menu and paid for it. All in all it was a fantastic trip. I will totally recommend it to others and having the tours and transport arranged made it so easy. Thank you for all your help in making it happen. Hugs, Jennifer Turner Client of It was a good trip ... Everything about it was sequenced well Sandy, Typically when we return from a trip I write to thank you for the travel arrangements, and to offer some thoughts on the experience. Peru is a well-known tourist destination; Chile is often overlooked. The contrast between the two countries raises observations about globalization, national identities and even about US/Mexico relations. One thing that we quickly noted is how South America ’mirrors’ North America, moving away from the equator in both cases, both topographically and culturally. In this paradigm, Peru is like Mexico, with rugged and mostly dry mountains, some tropical jungles and pervasive examples of indigenous cultures that survive to this day. Even the food is spicy, exotic and wonderful. We would call it “Indian,” but they would not. Chile, on the other hand, is like California. It is European in manner, quite modern and very efficient. This, is typical of the triangle of countries, including Argentina and Uruguay, in the Southern ‘cone’ of South America. It may also have something to do with smallpox and the eradication of indigenous populations, but we’ll stop there. It also relates to the price of copper. Patagonia, farther south in this model, is like British Columbia and Alaska, as one approaches the South Pole. All this makes sense if one looks at a globe, and remembers that it is a Eurocentric conceit to consider north to be on top. Einstein would tell us that there is no top or bottom to the Universe; it all depends on where one stands. Maybe South America is on top ? Maybe the globe spins sideways ? Everything about this trip was sequenced well. We were fortunate to start in Valparaiso, Chile, with Heidi’s cousin, Todd, who more or less placed that city on the map and had it declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Valparaiso is very much worth a visit, with colorful streets, buildings and walls, and a unique polyglot of mostly European maritime cultures. It is bit like Monterey, California, meets Salem Seaport, meets the Arts District in LA. The Hotel Palacio Astoreca, in a rehabbed mansion, was very pleasant and well-located. Todd also introduced us to the seaside community of Zapallar, sort of a Chilean Carmel or La Jolla, only better. It is a high-end residential community, where we stayed in Margaret Thatcher’s rooms (where she rested after thanking Pinochet for backing her in the Maldives) in the very European Isla Seca Hotel. It is classy and elegant. As you know, we experienced every possible snafu while flying to Peru, but eventually arrived. Your tour operator established an itinerary that I thought was quite carefully ordered. We stared the first day at a llama petting zoo (which was very cute), a high end alpaca wool clothing store and the outdoor market at Pisac. This was a cultured and very colorful introduction to Peru. The Luna y Sol Hotel in Urubamba is exquisite, with beautiful grounds, an excellent restaurant and, of course, a big wall to keep out the real Peru. Our second day in the so-called Sacred Valley (a name I don’t like, and suspect they don’t like either) was for adjustment to altitude and to start to enter the Inca world. We visited lesser known ruins at Ollantaytambo, Maras and Moray (the salt pans are fascinating), and got a ‘free’ half day in the afternoon, which we spent in pottery studios and getting lost in Urubamba (would that be a title for a novel or film?). The next morning we started the Machu Picchu ascent. You know how nice the train is, and the bus ride of course, and that MP is truly one of the most impressive sights in the world. Period. Given the amount of visitors, I thought it was very well curated by the Peruvian government and UNESCO. We hiked down, worth the effort, and went back the next day. It managed to rain hard, but only at night. The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is outstanding, and the restaurant too. All of our tour drivers and guides were punctual and helpful and I liked them. I thought it was good to go to Cuzco last, after Machu Picchu. We had a better sense of the place and its culture and history, and we could relax a little, shop and explore. I dragged the entourage to more ruins at Sachsayhuaman and Puka Pukara, and was particularly impressed with the architectural treatment of the Inca Sun Temple found under a Spanish convent, which was exposed by a recent earthquake. The Spanish buildings fell down; the older Inca buildings did not. Food in Peru is amazing: four hundred types of corn, hundreds of different potatoes and quinoa. Peruvian food in Peru is among the world’s best. We ate at Limo and MAP Café and they were top flight. The Hilton Garden Inn was not our first choice hotel, but it was clean. Then we flew back to the 21st century in Santiago, Chile. There is more to Santiago than guidebooks can really convey. It is a city of neighborhoods, and we tried to visit several: Lastarria and Bella Vista in particular, which have an old/new artsy vibe and lots of contemporary culture. It is a modern city, not a tourist place, but a very good example of how similar large cities around the world have become. The tallest building in Chile is designed by an architect from Connecticut. On the other hand, this year’s Pritzker Prize for architecture went to a humble young Chilean who designs affordable housing. The W Hotel is a W hotel, in an antiseptic neighborhood that makes Orange County look hip. And then we flew home. It was a good trip. Thank you, Dan Rosenfeld THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU again! Hello again, Alma THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU again. Carol & Chuck Tannenbaum had a wonderful trip! They LOVED everything that EcoAdventures did for them! They thought the guides were fantastic and even the people doing the transfers only were super. They will never want less than a private guide again (well…they probably will…but say they won’t). You spoiled them. They were upgraded at the Cuzco hotel — loved that a lot. Carol found out that she doesn’t do well at that altitude. But the O2 provided helped so much! They loved Buenos Aires — and really understood about Chuck not being able to walk back from the boat at the end of the waterfall trip. He grumbled about it then, but was fine in the long run, and they are pleased to be getting the $70 refund. Thanks again to you and your staff and your contacts! Sincerely Karen Sullivan We really appreciated having the lifeline here...we would have been utterly lost otherwise. Alma, We wanted to drop you a brief note to thank you and your amazing team (Maria Silvia and Adriana) at Hello Turisimo. While yesterday turned out to be one of those stressful, panic-filled days where nothing seems to be going your way, they really came through for us. Adriana gave me the right advice to get on a flight to Bariloche and Maria Silvia found us a clean, affordable and central hotel in Bariloche where we could get a good meal, a shower and good night's sleep for a very reasonable price. She also went the extra mile to contact the lodge on our behalf to let them know what was going on with us. We really appreciated having the lifeline here...we would have been utterly lost otherwise. Thank you for your excellent planning and as you can see from this photo taken in Bariloche we are having a good time and looking forward to the rest of our time here. Thank you! Monique and Matt Mulbry We’re home from a wonderful adventure! Everything was PERFECT! Hi Scott! We’re home from a wonderful adventure! Everything was PERFECT! From our arrival in Lima to our return from Baltra, we were treated like Royalty! Many, many compliments to EcoAdventures! They never missed a beat—the guides were amazing and so knowledgeable, our accommodations were fabulous and the itinerary was excellent! I fell in love with the Andes all over again. They won my heart as an impressive Mountain chain when we cruised the coast of Chile, but to be up close and personal with them in Machu Picchu was breathtaking. We were fortunate to not be affected by the altitude—no issues for Mac or me! My favorite town was Cuzco, loved the Hiram Bingham dinner train from Machu Picchu, enamored by the gracious people—learned so much about Pre-Incan civilization and the people. I could go on and on and on. My best to you always, Sherri Thank you very much for organizing such a great trip Hi Alma, My clients, Steve and Becky Nuckolls have returned from Peru and the Galapagos and I wanted to report that they had a fabulous trip. They loved what they saw in Peru and the boat in the Galapagos was wonderful too. They were very, very impressed with Setours in Peru—their guides were terrific and they were very professional, fun and kind. Quito was great—much more interesting than they expected. And the Galagapos totally exceeded their expectations. So thank you very much for organizing such a great trip and I’ll call you for my next booking. Lynne Lynne Miller Everything went like clockwork and EcoAdventures was fabulous. Hello Bobbie, I’m back from an amazing trip to BA. Everything went like clockwork and EcoAdventures were fabulous. Of course, the falls were incredible, but I would highly suggest the horseback riding. We ran for hours through miles of grasslands - keep that on your suggested list. Thanks again for everything. You are a champ! Hugs, Kim Shepherd Easter Island - It was a blast and thank you very much for the help Dale, It was a GREAT trip. Home last Tuesday after 30+ hours working on getting home. Everything worked out super, our rides were waiting at the airports, our tours were exemplary, the accommodations as advertised and the flights were fairly efficient. Items of particular to remember for the next person who wants to do a similar trip: 1. Our Easter Island Tour Guide, Mai-tou, was in a class of her own. She is the daughter of a husband/wife archaeology team that worked in the 1960s to reset the main Moai line up. She grew up learning about Easter Island culture and is able to bring a lifetime of knowledge to the tours. I can't imagine a better tour guide. 2. The three days of tours, two full days and one half day, was perfect for us. This allowed us to visit just about every site that can be reached by regular (non 4wd) car) on an unrushed schedule. Thus, I would advise anyone else to do the same. 3. February is the time of the very special cultural two week celebration that occurs on the island. Though not particularly established for tourists nor advertised, it was wonderful to participate in what events we were there for. 4. LAN operates very new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, I thought the planes, crews and the entire experience was superb. I will admit being in Business Class helped. It was a blast and thank you very much for the help, Everything was smooth, adventurous as well as relaxing Hi Debra, I just wanted to email you to let you know what an amazing trip to Costa Rica Danny and I had. Aside from the initial hiccup with flight delays/changes, everything was smooth, adventurous as well as relaxing. Thank you so much for your help in planning the trip. Thank you again! Sheena Link Just a great over all experience - history, archaeology, good food, interesting culture, reasonable prices! Hi Alma, Thank you for starting us in the Sacred Valley and then moving to higher altitudes; made it easy to acclimate. Our two main guides were outstanding. Aranwa Sacred Valley - peaceful site, great grounds, spacious room. Best massage I think I've ever had. Sushi served in the bar was excellent, using local trout as well as seafood. One suggestion is that they provide more lighting at the desk and/or the two chairs in the sitting area. The two haciendas for lunch - very nice. Wouldn't it have been great to be a 16th century Spanish noble family??! Just a great over all experience - history, archaeology, good food, interesting culture, reasonable prices. Marcia Thanks so much for the great trip planning as well as my education during the process! Dear Cindy, I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful trip you planned for Lisa and Steven Randolph and Miranda Lovejoy. Please thank Bill as well as he was very helpful when you were out! Thanks so much for the great trip planning as well as my education during the process! My apologies for not getting back to you sooner, the Randolph's were busy and just now got back to me. They had a "phenomenal" time. The most beautiful area, the trek was beyond their expectations. The guides with EcoAdventures were far superior to other groups they encountered. With EcoAdventures they were with smaller groups and very remote away from the crowds the majority of the time. They thought the guides were superior to others as well. They went on and on about how much more they thought they got from having booked with EcoAdventures. The food was also outstanding and they were impressed with the way various dietary needs were met. The hotels were very good, especially noted was the Arawi Hotel. They really thought being met at the airport was very important and extremely helpful. The experience was outstanding!!! Thank you for helping me with this. Hope to work with you soon. Karen Bainter Costa Rica - The people were warm & friendly, the food was good, the land is beyond beautiful and the creatures were amazing!!!!! Hi Cindy – Just thought you might like to read this lovely trip report below from Patti Grcina - thanks for making me look good – but I will be sure to let Patti know that I couldn’t have done it without EcoAdventures!! Thanks as always, Cindy - you’re the best! From: Patti Grcina Buenos Dias Sarah! We LOVED Costa Rica. Thank you for putting together a fabulous trip. All went 100% smoothly and EcoAdventures is excellent. The drivers were delightful, informative & punctual. The accommodations in all three locations exceeded our expectations. The people were warm & friendly, the food was good, the land is beyond beautiful and the creatures were amazing!!!!! I’ll send you a few pictures. Mawamba Lodge in Tortugero was nicer than I had anticipated. It felt very remote (access only by boat or sea plane), which was a good place to unwind. They provided 3 lovely buffet meals per day with many food selections, the rooms were large & clean. The grounds were pretty and were teeming with wildlife (Butterfly sanctuary, frog area, we saw parrots, sloths, iguana, giant sea turtle (at night), toucan, bats, crazy insects). Situated literally between the Caribbean Ocean beach (back of property) and the interesting canals (front of property). Nice bar/lounge/swimming pool. We kayaked in the canals and saw more amazing lizards, caiman, monkeys, turtles, birds, etc. Tabacon Resort was lovely in Arenal. The site of the volcano is spectacular. The thermal hot springs are amazing, beautiful, relaxing. The pool slide & bar were fun. Delicious buffet breakfast included. We went on a hanging bridges tour with a naturalist guide who was very knowledgeable and showed us poisonous frogs, snakes, more birds, spiders, monkeys. On my birthday (which my daughters made very special), we zip-lined with Eco Glide. Have you heard about them? They have the “optional” Tarzan Swing during the zip-lining and it was the craziest, most adrenaline-producing thing I’ve ever done. OMG! Everyone in our group did the Tarzan Swing and every one in my family were screaming like babies (including me). Literally a free-fall and then you are swooped up into the trees, Tarzan style, swinging back & forth. The town of La Fortuna was fun for shopping/eating. Tabacon provided a cute birthday cake for John & I. Buena Vista Villas – Tulemar. Gorgeous location, literally tucked away in the rain forest with fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Had a hot tub on the balcony, three separate bedrooms with bathrooms, and a washer/dryer (which was well used). Everyone very friendly. Nice pool (infinity edge). The monkeys, who we initially thought were cute, were actually little terrorists! They came on our balcony and when they were done eating, they banged on the windows, tried to get in the door, aggressively shoved the furniture, and then pooped on our balcony! Cute little faces, though J . We went on a nature hike in Manual Antonio (we were lucky enough to see all four species of monkeys in Costa Rica). We went on a catamaran another day and saw humpback whales and dolphins and went snorkeling. The villas had kayaks for use on their private beach, which was heavenly. Glorious, warm water. They also gave me a birthday gift basket with snacks, wine, and a floral arrangement. So, there you have it. We had such a wonderful time and I can’t thank you enough for all of your planning and effort. Also, thank you once again, for the bottle of wine. Pura Vida! ...our experience was amazing and beyond belief!! Everything went perfectly... Hola Donna, We are home from Peru, and we wanted to let you know our experience was amazing and beyond belief!! Everything went perfectly and Setours did not miss a beat! Thank you, thank you for arranging such an incredible travel for us :) We will send some pics and write some more soon, but wanted at a minimum to say thanks! Darrin, Kelly, and Easton Many thanks! Clients of Everything has been flawless ... we hope to return again someday soon. Hello Norimar, Everything has been flawless, the Hotel de Cataratas has stolen our hearts and we hope to return again someday soon. The Mio Hotel is gorgeous, very “original”, contemporary and funky! Great location! Our tour guides: Bernardo in Iguacu and Claudia in Buenos Aires along with our drivers have been wonderful, personable and informative. I am pleased to say we are both the proud owners of new Argentinian leather coats! We met some of your other Olivia clients enroute to the Tango show, that was an amazing show! Swimcerely, ...we enjoyed an almost flawless vacation Hi Sharon, ...had fantastic time in Peru and everything that you and EcoAdventures set up was incredible! Hi Suzanne, Thank you again for setting up a fabulous experience in Peru! Our trip to Argentina was an unforgettable adventure Dear Maggie, We had a fabulous time in Quito and the Galapagos! Hi Marti, EVERYTHING WAS BEYOND PERFECT!!!!!! Dr. Dhar just called me to RAVE about his trip. He wanted me to pass on his thanks as EVERYTHING WAS BEYOND PERFECT!!!!!! The guides were totally outstanding. I do not believe I have ever had a happier client! THANKS ZILLIONS! The care you provide to the clients is totally outstanding and thanks so much. I cannot wait to book my next trip with EcoAdventures! WOW. We had a wonderful time. Wendy, Take care, They LOVED LOVED LOVED the Mindo Valley Experience!!! Hi Alma, Oh my gosh!! I had the best trip ever!! Hi Marilyn, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! What a great vacation?!! Let me start out by saying...supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! What a great vacation?!! From the beginning in New Orleans to Atlanta to Santiago at the Ritz Carlton. With a guided tour around Santiago followed by Temuco and up the mountain to Corralco Resort in the Andes mountains, snow skiing was great! After 3 days, back to Temuco with a stop in Santiago, then on to Callma, shuttled to San Pedro Atamca where we were greeted by an oasis in desert. 3 days hiking, four wheeling, sand boarding and living in plush surroundings with private tours! Back to Callma, stopping in Santiago and then flying to the magical island of Easter aka Rapanui....WOW!!! The Harenoi was comfortable; but, Laurie and I made an early morning expedition to Hotel Explora....well, let me tell you, I don't know what a king lives like; but, if he goes to Rapanui, he stays there!!! Go to the website and check it out!! Here we hiked to craters, walked through caves, fished, and learned all about the moai. We truly were treated like royalty at this place. This trip bonded my family together in ways that are unimaginable before my princess and prince go to college. I can't believe we trekked through mountains, deserts, and islands on this adventure! I cannot repay you enough for your kindness (and putting up with me) during the planning required for such an adventure. If there is anything (and I mean anything) that I can do for you or your clients around New Orleans, please feel free to contact me. Once again (thanks)! I'm glad that we had all the help and planned excursions. I would definitely recommend EcoAdventures again. Hello Kristina, Thank you and EcoAdventures for helping us plan our trip to Peru. The Setours team in Lima met us at the airport and made us immediately feel that we were in good hands. Everything worked as planned without a hitch. Even Eileen met us initially to assure that we would be pleased. I've filled out the form, at last. (Attached) Sorry for the delay as Setours wanted it right away. I know we purposely picked the 'economy' hotels to keep our rates down. The only questionable hotel was in Lima our first two days, Casa Andina Centro. With no air-conditioning we had to keep the windows open and being on a busy street it was too noisy to sleep. Not a good start. But the rest of the hotels more than made up for it. Sonesta Podesta (sic Sonesta Posada del Inca in the Sacred Valley) was very nice and we wish we had had more quality time there to enjoy. Unfortunately our dinner there was not acceptable. The waiters were very poorly trained, rushed, and the food was thus not enjoyed at all. All of the breakfasts we had at all hotels were amazing, lots of fresh fruits and quinoa were such a treat. We were impressed with the knowledge of all the Tour Guides. I'm glad I had read about the Incas before my trip so I was familiar with the names of the emperors and some of the history. They were all friendly and helpful, never made us feel rushed. In fact, Margo let us dally at Awanakancha when Jim spotted a mother vicuna about to give birth. We watched it all-about 20 minutes worth. When the baby slid down the hillside Jim alerted the caretakers who went up the hillside to put the baby girl in a safe place for the mother. As we were leaving the caretaker came to us and thanked Jim and gave him the opportunity to name her. So now there is a baby girl vicuna named Samantha on the hillside! They said they would send us a picture of her but to date we have not heard back from the email Jim sent. One suggestion for the guides, they spoke very fast and with their accents we were not able to understand much of what was said. If they could slow down or repeat especially the important points it would be helpful. Jim was able to communicate a bit in Spanish, but even he had difficulty. Steve was the easiest to understand at Machu Picchu. The tour was well-paced, allowing for gradual ascent of the steps and time to catch our breath as we listened to the next details. We were pleased to have a second day there so we could enjoy Machu Picchu on our own and also gave us time to explore Aguas Calientes. I'm glad you suggested that, Kristina. Our last tour in Cusco was with a small group of seven in the van. We quite enjoyed the people. Jim suggested that rather than the individual tour guides we had that small groups would have been quite acceptable. I didn't write down the names of all the vans, but they were all comfortable and the drivers were very good. Finally, I'm glad that we had all the help and planned excursions. I would definitely recommend EcoAdventures again. Thanks, Kristina, for all your advice. Muchas gracias, Setours! Mary Warner and Jim Simons We had a fantastic time as EcoAdventures & you arranged a fantastic trip (to Machu Picchu) for us! Cindy, From: Jack Schubert Jack J. Schubert, CLU, LUTCF It was beyond my wildest expectations! Cindy, The cruise (Via Australis) was great! Hi Nancy, I am off to Taiwan tonight. Terry Terry Parsons We will be back to you for future Latin America travels. Bill, Thanks again for all of your help, and we will be back to you for future Latin America travels. Cindy Walker CTC From: Colleen Klamm To: Cindy Walker The trip was absolutely fabulous! There are no regrets. The manager of EcoAdventures stayed in contact with us while we were in Quito to verify every step of the way and offer additional information or recommendations. Very good! I highly recommend this group. Very comfortable, safe, yet adventurous, fun and informational. Colleen I will definitely call you for my next South America-bound clients. Hi Bill, Please see message below from Ann Bennett -- and let me add my thanks to hers. I will definitely call you for my next South America-bound clients. ;-) Warm regards, Karen Hi Karen, Let's get together when it's convenient and I'll fill you in some more, Ann Bennett ...it's going to be a very long time before we can top this trip. The Du Bois returned and had a great time. You'll enjoy reading what she emailed me as soon as she got back. Thanks again for your help - Linda Hi, Linda, I think it's going to be a very long time before we can top this trip, and Osa was our E ticket! What a fabulous vacation this turned out to be, and Costa Rica is an ecological paradise. Everything fell into place so nicely: all the drivers were there on time and acted as tour guides themselves. The hotels were very good, with El Parador the farthest from town. As the boat drove up to the dock at Aguilar de Osa, we expected Ricardo Montalban to be standing there, welcoming us to Fantasy Island, except we weren't coming in on a plane! All of the guides were excellent, knowledgeable and so quick to find that elusive creature. We walked and walked and saw so much. Osa is really a jungle and not for the faint of heart, but it might be as close to heaven as we will get. The tapir and puma did not make their presence, but four different kinds of monkeys, two- and three-toed sloths, macaws, a boa eating an iguana, and vultures attacking a monkey all put on quite a show. There is so much biological diversity, that it's hard to explain it all. As we sat at dinner on the last night, we talked about what we liked, didn't like, what we would do differently. The consensus was Not Much. The highlight was the people: their genuine friendliness, their pride in their country as well as respect for what they have, their graciousness towards the visitors, and their contentment with their lot in life. Granted tourism is their bread and butter, but their efforts towards us do not feel forced. Leaving the airport was probably the least pleasant part because they've created so many lines for different things: taxes, kids with parent, and lines for those w/o kids. But thanks for getting us to the airport early! Lots more to tell you when we see you and pictures galore! Thanks from all of us, Linda. Soleil had the time of her young life! Best, Client of ...couldn't say enough about how perfect all the EcoAdventures arrangements were. Dear Cindy, ...the trip was amazing!!! All went like clockwork and all tours were fantastic! Hey Alma, Thank you all again for all you did to create a unique and memorable experience for us all. Dear EcoAdventures, Thank you all for your work in putting our trip to the Galapagos and Quito together. The trip was wonderful and unforgettable for Lisa, my brother and me. The people you work with in Quito were wonderful, kind and very knowledgable. Please pass on our thanks to them especially Maria Alexandra and Patricio. They increased our knowledge and appreciation for their unique country and people. The Ocean Spray experience could not have been better. The entire crew, especially our guide Harry Jimenez, were superb. Thank you all again for all you did to create a unique and memorable experience for us all. Cheers, John Northway We had a fabulous trip, very much due to your excellent planning. Dear Elizabeth: Ollaintaitambo, the Sacred Valley, the glaciers, etc. fascinated us. Machu Picchu truly forms the top jewel in the crown. Truillajo and Chiclaya and the Moche sit right underneath. No other tourists visited - sad because the site really excited us. The grounds with its pyramid and temple cover as much space as Machu Picchu. We also visited a Chimu site. In Lima itself, a huge village inhabited by the Lima and then the Wari sits right in the middle of the town. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, you did one heck of a job. You have returning customers forever. Nan Castle ...they couldn't stop raving about the entire experience. Hi Alma and Anne, Hope all is well with you both; I just wanted to let you know that I finally met up with my clients Diane Schroeder and James Chestnut over the holidays and they shared their enthusiasm and photos from their Peru/Macchu Picchu trip that you planned for them (and their friends) last July. They gave high praise to EcoAdventures' arrangements, the hotels, seamless transfers, food, cultural education, and especially to the guides and porters on their Inca Trail Trek. They realized that it took BEING on the trek to fully understand the scope and nature of all the planning, and they couldn't stop raving about the entire experience. There were a dozen other folks also listening in, so perhaps some seeds were planted for future travelers and travels! Lu Maggiora CTC I am so pleased to report that the trip plan was a huge success!!! Hi Alma: It was the most amazing trip. Everything worked perfectly. Hi Alma, Subject: Peru and Equador They couldn’t say enough about what a class act EcoAdventures is. Hi Bill, Just wanted to drop a quick note to tell you that the Lewis’ had a fantastic time on their trip to the Sasha Lodge and the Galapagos. They couldn’t say enough about what a class act EcoAdventures is. They were talking nonstop about all of the different animal encounters and viewings. Everything went off without a hitch, as I’m sure you expected. They were so pleased that I was able to recommend such a good company and were also very impressed with the documents and travel bags. It’s because of your vast knowledge that we were able to book this together and I appreciate all of your help. ‘Til next booking, thanks again, Laureen Tallman Loved LOVED our trip! Hi Mimi, ... ...nothing but rave reports... Bill, We have looked at his many pictures and they are just wonderful… Hope to do business with you soon. Thanks, We loved our guide in Quito and Mindo, and the hotel in Quito was totally charming. The Galapagos Islands were like nothing else. Hi Rose, We loved our guide in Quito and Mindo, and the hotel in Quito was totally charming. The Galapagos Islands were like nothing else. We all loved it. The animals are fearless and so fun to watch. Our Galapagos guide (Latin Trails M/C Journey I) was good, but not very personable, like our guide on the mainland, who felt like a friend. Our guide was Edison and our driver, who was also really nice, was Fausto. Our flight "e-tickets" showed a different Miami-to-SFO flight than we were actually booked on. I figured that out when i confirmed our flight online the night before. Also the EcoAdventures itinerary had the correct flight info. Thanks, The activities were all good. Our driver and other guides were all excellent. Marcia, (forwarded from Casto Travel - client of EcoAdventures), Everything worked out great. The hotel was simple, but had great views, decent service, and decent food, and we loved their hot springs. We had dinner at The Springs hotel. Their volcano views were further, but the property was possibly the most beautiful hotel I've ever seen, and I've traveled extensively. The food was exceptional. If anyone doesn't stay there, I highly recommend at least a meal and walk around. The activities were all good. Our driver and other guides were all excellent. Canyoneering was my favorite thing. Our two 50 year old women were quite apprehensive, but the guides talked them into trying it and they both made it down with no issue once they started, and loved it. Everyone was very pleased with the trip, sorry to be leaving in the morning. BTW, another great trip would be to stay at the Beace Lodge, The Springs' twin hotel on a volcano 1-hour from San Jose in a cloud forest. We would have taken two nights there and two nights a Manuel Antonio. Perhaps a future trip... Thank you! Philip Devorris All in all, a big success! Thanks for everything. Hi Badonna (forwarded from Northridge Travel - client of EcoAdventures), Wanted to let you know that we had a great trip (to Costa Rica)! In particular, Panorama Tours was superb. Everything went like clockwork and the guides were excellent. The San Jose Marriott is a very lovely hotel with a terrific breakfast, and we loved Nayara. What an exquisite resort! The attention to detail was wonderful, the spa was excellent, and the people were delightful. I wouldn’t recommend Gaia though. It doesn’t live up to its potential. Looks cool/sexy in the photos which don’t reveal the poor quality finishes and furnishings. Importantly, key things didn’t work well in either of our rooms: the a/c and lighting. In every aspect of the resort, design seems to have trumped function which, in the end, diminishes guest comfort. Also, they tried to jerk us around. Prior to our arrival, they called and said there was some problem with our rooms but they would give us their best accommodation, the 2000 sq ft villa. Well, it turns out that 1000sq ft is a not very useable roof terrace, and the villa has a lovely master suite with a dim dark 2nd bedroom and small bath. Certainly not suitable for two couples. We didn’t accept it when we saw it and they gave us two junior suites. I’m glad we had these because I don’t think we would have liked the standard rooms. The was our excursions worked out was perfect. There is no reason to go early in the day unless you really want to. The Sky Tram and Sky Trek Tour was fabulous….not for the faint of heart though! And so was Hanging Bridges, but a guide is necessity there. We actually thought the Manuel Antonio Park tour was over-rated as the place was very crowded but we enjoyed the Mangrove tour. All in all, a big success! Thanks for everything. Rena J. Pasick Although their Holland America cruise was great - it was the arrangements by Eco that stood out as a highlight. Alma, Cindy & Bill, We had a wonderful trip! Everything went very smoothly...BEST trip I have ever taken. Hi Bill, "We had a wonderful trip! Everything went very smoothly. I absolutely love Peru - the amount of time in each place was perfect, tour guides were excellent. BEST trip I have ever taken. Thanks for all the work you did putting it all together." Nancy said that the hotel in Puerto Maldonado made a birthday cake for her. Not sure who came up with that idea, but it was a hit! I have had a short chat with Nancy, and she said that the guides in Cuzco and Machu Picchu were GREAT! Thanks again for all of your help!! Barbara Stavig-Doane Hi Bill, ....enjoyed the Pisac mkt - could have spent more than 2 hrs there. Flight over Nazca Lines was good - felt very comfortable with pilots, plane etc. The Pisco tour and Tacama winery tour were both interesting. Paracus Hotel was amazing!!! True luxury for the price. Excellent food, excellent service. If the sand dune rides can be done from there I would stay there versus Las Dunas. Setours did an amazing job with everything. Yes Machu Picchu was amazing. Enjoyed the hotel in Aqua Calientes. San Blas Hotel in Cusco was also great. Highly recommend foody people go to Chi Cha for dinner in Cusco. Felt safe the entire trip however Nancy and I were careful. EVERYTHING on the trip was top notch and worth every penny! Barbara Stavig-Doane - Nob Hill Travel Tabacon was fabulous - Mawamba lodge was good - Xandari was fabulous! Hi Cindy and Alma, Thought you would enjoy this feedback from the Glockner party. Thx again for your expertise and direction, Tabacon was fabulous – 4 nights were perfect. The hanging bridges and zipline were very good. We saw LOTS of wildlife on the hanging bridges tour. Arenal hike was ok – pretty easy 2-3 miles and not as much wildlife. If the lava had been flowing it would have been a lot better. I thought it would be a 4 hour hike and it was barely 2 hours. We switched it to the morning since it rains every afternoon so I’d recommend doing that one in the am usually (or not if there is no lava). We used mountain bikes (for free) from Tabacon in the afternoon which was not well advertised, but fun. The one tour I saw that looked interesting that I would have liked to do would have been a canyoneering tour – rappelling down waterfalls. The river rafting was AWESOME, but we had to arrange it there to do the class 3-4 rapids and pay $60 extra. The water was really running fast that day so most of the trip was in class 4 with a couple of class 5 and very few class 3. The original class 2-3 (same Sarapiqui river but downstream) trip would have been too mellow for us. Mawamba lodge was good. The drive/boat in/out though is very, very long – 2 hours gravel road and then 2 hour boat ride. On the way in the ride had some narration, but I wouldn’t really call it a tour. The morning tour was very good for seeing wildlife. We didn’t do the included tour in the afternoon in order to kayak the route instead which I would highly recommend ($35 extra per person) – you get to go on special smaller canals and get closer to wildlife – very mellow anyone could do it. Food was very basic there so I’m glad it was only for 2 nights. The accommodations are nice, but no A/C and lots of bugs so I’m also glad that was a 2 night stay, but you really do need the two nights because the turtle night trip was fabulous – basically everyone who signs up can go, but it costs $30 per person extra – cash only. You literally walk up to the turtles and watch the eggs drop into the nest. The season is June-Sept so I’m not sure the long travel in/out would be worth it when the turtles were not laying their eggs. They hatch in Sept/Oct but that happens more randomly. Sept probably would be the best month to see laying and hatching. Warn people to bring enough cash there since there is no ATM and anything in the park needs cash, not credit. The one negative about the lodge (besides lack of A/C) was the guide to visitor population was not great and so tough to hear. Our guide probably had 30-40 people and so on a single walk more than half the group couldn’t hear. That was one of the great things about the kayak trip – it was just us and the guide. They should have divided our group so only around 10-12 people (ideally same language so you wouldn’t have to wait for the translation each time, but it was a good Spanish enrichment) instead of having so many. However, the actual guide (when you could get close) was very good and extremely bilingual. Xandari was fabulous! I’m staying there anytime I need one night near the airport (it would have been out to far to see San Jose, but it is very close to Poas Volcano so it would be good from there). Our room for 4 was awesome and the dinner we had that night was great. We got a better hike in there than the hike at Arenal. Thanks for setting that up instead of the Hilton. Susan Glockner ...she raved about EVERYTHING...said it pays to go with a first rate company. Hi Cindy, Spoke with Michele Gabai today for one hour as she raved about EVERYTHING. The accommodations, guides, sights, etc. She said it pays to go with a first rate company. The first flight was canceled from Lima to Cuzco but the airlines put different people on different flights and somehow they made it to their destination. The only thing that was an oversight and she blamed herself but not checking probably was the Cuzco to Lima/Truijillo flight day where you had listed 10 a.m. for a 12:30 p.m. flight and the company said 11:30 a.m. pick up ....... they would have missed their flight. They had luckily gone by your voucher and were waiting at 10 a.m. so by 10:15 a.m. the hotel called the tour company and they hightailed it over in 10 minutes to deliver them. Their time for this one was way off. So of all of their arrangements, this was the only thing off. That is terrific ............ Again they just loved their trip. They had just a wonderful time and particularly were grateful for the outstanding guide they had in Quito...The Galapagos cruise was perfect... Hi Bill, The Galapagos cruise was perfect - they especially enjoyed the other passengers immensely. Not surprising since they are such nice people themselves. You put together the most awesome time for us! Subject: FW: OMG I thought you would enjoy reading this from Mary Walker who just arrived yesterday! She emailed me through out the trip...all raving about the service and hotels. THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You are AWESOME! :) Rosalena Huarcaya -----Original Message----- Rosalena, You are our hero! Fondly, Loved, loved, loved, loved, loved it and want to go back :) as does the whole family. Cindy, Jaguar Reef Lodge: it was fantastic. We had those three 2 bedroom villas... which were a few steps away from one of the pools and right on the beach. The rooms were very nice and spacious. Beds actually pretty comfortable, albeit firm. Full living room, kitchenette area, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms in each (in the master the bathroom was en suite... other was across the hall). We had a balcony overlooking the pool, beach and ocean. There was a nice breeze the entire time so it never felt too hot (except a couple times in the restaurant). When we got there the resort was pretty deserted, so the first couple days we had the pool & beach to ourselves. They had kayaks on the beach to use, snorkeling gear, etc. Lots of hammocks. Beach volleyball + pool volleyball (that was the pool in front of us... kids played a ton of pool volleyball). The food was good... although the first couple days we were starving. Then we figured out how to work their system a little better and were fine :). Everything when we got there was order off the menu, but by the end when a bunch more people had arrived they were doing buffets (they were still good). Service in the restaurants was a little slow (when ordering), but not terrible. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. A big wedding party & lots of other people came in by the end of the week so I was glad we backloaded our excursions. Excursions. We did 4 (plus Jon went diving): Anyway, would highly recommend Belize as a vacation destination & the Jaguar Reef Lodge to anyone. Thanks for getting it all arranged!!! Megan Thomason My clients, Cynthia and Kelby had an amazing amazing FLAWLESS trip! Alma and Team, I am so grateful for you and the Team at EcoAdventures, Inc. You are consummate professionals. Your loyal fan, ...it was a wonderful trip, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Elfi, And it was such a wonderful treat to find a bottle of wine waiting for each of us in our cabins! That was very thoughtful of you and we toasted to you as we drank it one evening with dinner. If you want to see some photos, once we get them uploaded, I’ll send you the link. Thanks again for all the help – it all worked out beautifully. We all had a very fun adventure! Nan Waugh Client of Loved everything...one of the best trips of their lives! Hi Alma, All our connections and transfers worked out. The hotels/resort were all very lovely--I would recommend them all. Hi, Melinda, We had a great trip in Central America. Please thank EcoAdventures and Via Maya, their subcontractor in Guatemala. All our connections and transfers worked out. The hotels/resort were all very lovely--I would recommend them all. Mopan River Resort turned out to be very fun--a lovely setting. The hosts were very accommodating. We had good tours there plus a wonderful time sitting on our deck watching the river and relaxing. Tikal was outstanding. We ended up skipping the tour and wandering around on our own for about 10 hours, both days combined. Staying so close at the Jungle Lodge was great-much better than being in Flores. The hotels in Lake Atitlan, Antigua and Copan were very lovely and comfortable with very nice staff. Via Maya assigned the same tour guide to us for our boat trip at Lake Atitlan and for our last 3 days trip to Copan and back. His name was Leonel. We really liked him so please forward our thanks. Hope you had a good trip to Hawaii. Bonnie Braeutigam Just returned from So America and the trip went beautifully! Hi Alma, Anne and Bill, Just returned from So America and the trip went beautifully! The hotel in Santiago was very good; the Villa Casa Real was fabulous; and the gals had a great time in Rio. I have to commend Francisco, our guide in Chile, he did a great job as well as the bus driver. In Rio, the guide was a doll--he took my sister and I to the domestic airport in Rio--Princess staff on the vessel was not aware of the 2 airports. One of the gals called this morning, they too have returned, and wanted a special commendation for the guide in Rio (I apologize that I can not remember his name!). Sue felt that he went above and beyond! I am very grateful as I was unable to do this portion of the trip with them. I was very happy to hear how well Rio went for the gals. Please....can I have the email address for the manager, Andrea, at the Villa Casa Real? One of the gals may have left a jacket and I need to inquire as to the wines we had at the Villa. You will never know, as a travel agent, how good I felt when we arrived at the Villa Casa Real! The gals are still talking about Antonio..... You folks did a great job for me! WOW. WOW WOW...WOW, WOW! How awesome was that? Our kind of trip. Sign me up for that anytime. Thank you for putting together another flawless trip. Had we been lounge lizards looking for excessive pampering... this would have been terrible. They had us involved, informed, and in the water with amazing animals. Tom Brunner You've done it again!! The perfect trip. Yes, Jan, You've done it again!! The perfect trip. The 8 day trip was necessary because nothing was repeated and those who got on half-way didn't see half the animals/birds/sea life. Each island is different and so are the critters (the whole idea of natural selection and adaptation!!). It was a VERY active Expedition--certainly not a "cruise"!! Everyday the PA system anounced the 7 am wakeup call, 7:15 breakfast, 8:00 on the Zodiacs to the shore of a different island from the day before. Hiking in a group of about 10 to 12 with a very well-educated and well-spoken guide. Groups were by languages so no need to listen to endless repetition. The hike, with frequent rest stops, was usually about 2 km--sometimes very hilly--and lasted about 2-1/2 hours. Then went swimming/snorkeling either at the beach or deep water. Back to the ship for lunch, while the ship motored to another island. Then, at 2:00 another onshore excursion/hike. Back in time for sunset at 6, dinner at 7:30. Sheesh! What a day! EVERY day! The Captain of the Santa Cruz entertained one night (the half-week people missed it!). He has a GREAT voice, plays the guitar, and was devilishly good looking!!! The ship was in the process of being painted as we sailed--desperately needed. But everything the crew could clean was spotless. All were incredibly friendly--informal, yet respectful. Super! Meals were excellent with plenty of variety. Good wine list (limited to Chilean and Argentine and Ecuadorian wines---but they were excellent!) The small hotel in Quito was a wonderful choice. Casa Aviso--maybe 8 or 10 rooms--wonderful staff! Good location, though not central (not really a disadvantage--cabs were unbelievable CHEAP!) Nearby excellent restaurants (especially the one next door). Staff got up and served us breakfast at 4am!!! They were neat--couldn't have been more helpful! The guide our first day (exploring Quito), Marcos, was exceptionally knowledgeable, articulate, and helpful. He was really great! We had him all to ourselves--such a rare occurance! When I saw "City Tour" I must confess I thought, "Oh Lord, big bus, drive past the sights, snap pictures through the bus windows, and wait for stragglers when we stop for shopping at a place that kicks back to the guide! NOT SO here!!! I've been working on my photos since waking up Sunday--We had such fun with our cameras....especially underwater! Snorkeling with the incredible sea life was an awesome experience. Tom's a great swimmer and diver, so he got unbelievable closeup shots. We used up 6 disposable cameras among the 3 of us--that made it so much more fun to dive!!! But then a woman (one of Tom's adoring "harem" of admirers!) lent him her "REAL" underwater (with video) camera and asked him to take photos for her. He could dive 20-30 feet deep and got unbelievable closeups of everthing---including video of him chasing white tip sharks!! Client of ...had a fabulous time on their trip to Peru...They are spoiled now with private guides!!!!!! Hi Bill, I just wanted to let you know that they (Marich party)
had a fabulous time on their trip to Peru. Next year they're hoping to go to Chile. The only thing they commented on was the size of the room (small) in Cuzco and the fact it didn't really have a window and that they wished the Hiram Bingham was longer and not the
shorter version they got. They raved about the private guides, the food and everything else. They did take the hotel's private boat on the Ballestas
Islands and loved it. They are spoiled now with private guides!!!!!! Thank you!!!! The ground tour through EcoAdventures was just one fabulous surprise after another. EcoAdventures' comments: Hi Alma, Here is a report from the Hardcastle Taylors. They LOVED their trip and wanted to share this with you. Thanks again for being an operator we can count on to take good care of our clients! Tracy Greetings, Tracy! Hope you’re doing well and have been having fun. We just returned yesterday (brain dead but happy) from the most fabulous holiday we’ve EVER taken! I could go on and on and on but I’ll just say that the weather we had for the entire trip, including the ground tour, was the best those in the know had seen in YEARS. We all had to keep pinching ourselves to make sure it wasn’t just a wonderful dream. The ground tour through EcoAdventures was just one fabulous surprise after another. The accommodations, particularly 2 really, really interesting ones, were great. The wine tours, although that wasn’t necessarily a focus that we would have chosen, turned out to be fascinating and oh, so fun. And most importantly, we had some absolutely wonderful tour guides, a couple of whom I would have loved to bring home with me. We worked with 3 of their affiliate tour groups and all their representatives were professional, extremely helpful and great fun. Again, I could go on and on, but please pass our extreme pleasure with their services to Alma. We were given an opportunity in Iguazu Falls (OMG, was that unbelievable) to complete a client satisfaction survey, but not with the other 2 tour groups so we want to make sure they get this feedback. Thanks again, Tracy, for arranging the most wonderful journey we’ve ever done (and we’ve done a few). We can’t stop smiling! Looking forward to seeing you again soon. Take care! Our best, Okay, anyone envious yet? Hola! We are staying now at a wonderful small family owned inn (outside of Mendoza) a short walk from wineries with swimming pool and with great food and it is mucho calor. Walked to an incredible gourmet restaurant last night with wine pairings with every one of the 5 courses total cost $30 per person. Went for bike ride today and then laid by the pool. Okay, anyone envious yet? Manana, we leave Noah to his own travels before he returns to Aptos in about 10 days and Kris and I head back to Buenos Aires for 2 nights and hopefully a Tango show returning home on Feb 1. Earlier update below: We are now in Mendoza for 3 nights. We got stuck for a night in Buenos Aires at a lousy hotel (Eco note: hotel provided by Lan Chile), (but had an interesting buffet style dinner at a very local non touristy restaurant) because of a Lan Airline problem. So, missed an airline connection and a night in Bariloche but had 2 nights in San Martin de Andes, a small beautiful Swiss like town by a swimmable lake with beach and neat shops (lots of chocolate) and good restaurants. We then had a fun day and night in Bariloche (more chocolate, craft fairs and shops) a much bigger town by a huge lake surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains and stayed in beautiful hotel overlooking Lake Nahuel Huapi. Today the airflight from Bariloche to Mendoza took us over some of the most spectacular scenery we have ever experienced of many beautiful clear blue lakes surrounded by huge snow capped mountains (and its summer here with temperatures from high 50's at night to 80's in day). We walked for miles in a big park today with 7 continents fountain and rose garden and crew races on the lake. We had a late lunch at the #2 rated Trip Advisor restaurant in town that was fantastico and not muy caro (Pablo the chef came out and talked with us about the restaurant and wineries and Northern Ca.). Tomorrow we move to an inn near a winery for 2 nights!! Most all the Argentines we have met are muy amables. And Noah is out partying tonight with some interesting Canadian guys we met while waitng for the same delayed airflight. Traveling can be stressful at times but we continue to enjoy our trip very much and will soon send pictures. Besos, Clients of Our trip was AMAZING!!! Flawless!!! Hello Alma, Terry Oremland EcoAdventures arranged a fantastic trip!
Hi Magda, 1) EcoAdventures arranged a fantastic trip! I would strongly recommend using them again for this type of trip for other clients. They used Setours in Peru. Everything was on time with meeting at the airport, hotel pick up/drop off. 2) City tour was perfect 3) The hotel in Lima, Casa Andina Private Collection was wonderful. Quiet area, wonderful staff. On our 2nd stay they upgraded us to a suite at no extra cost. 4) The cruise on the Delphin II was fantastic!!! The room was awesome, staff & food amazing given it’s all served on a boat in the Amazon jungle area. Cruising the different rivers in the area we were the ONLY tourist boat. Everything else was dugout canoes, small cargo barges and a couple of taxi type boats. This area has not really been discovered by lots of tourists which was super nice. The pace is busy if you choose to do everything & we did except for the 2 hour walk in the jungle. The night boat trips were wonderful. 5) Naturalist guides on the boat were fantastic. We saw so many birds, monkeys, sloths, flowers, a 5 foot Anaconda snake & I caught a piranha in the river! 6) The Inkaterra Lodge Reserva Amazonica was beautiful. The grounds are so manicured & again the food was wonderful. The southern jungles in Peru are much hotter than on the cruise. Never experienced that level of heat or humidity. Most likely because we did not have air conditioning just fans. Our room or cabin was wonderful, towels & linens were very high end. We really relaxed at the lodge & utilized the spa facility. Just sitting in our screened in porch was a wonderful bird & butterfly show all day. We traveled in the dry season, but it can rain anytime. We were very lucky & only had rain one night. In the dry season the rivers are down by 45 feet. There is still lots & lots of water. The only caution to clients is that anything on land means a steep climb up stairs or something that might look like stairs. We discovered going to South America is pretty easy with only a 2 hour time change if you stay on the pacific side. 2011 is India! You delivered everything and more than you promised. Hi Alma, I now have clients for life! Hello Alma, I just spoke with my clients, the Brennans, about their big trip to Central/South America. They had a wonderful trip! They were quite pleased and impressed on how well they were taken care of by EcoAdventures! Thank you so, so much!!! I can't wait to use your company again! Donna Caruso ...compliments on how wonderful the (South America) trip was, how smooth everything flowed... Just wanted to pass along that my client Cheryl Davies just got back from her extensive South America trip and complimented on how wonderful the trip was, how smooth everything flowed, and the fact that everyone there was so accommodating. I want to thank you Bill for doing such an outstanding job and I look forward to working with you and EcoAdventures again. The trip was the perfect combination of relaxation and exhilarating activities! Hi Linda, We are finally back from the whirlwind that was the wedding and the honeymoon and wanted to say thank you so much for planning such a wonderful honeymoon for us. We enjoyed it thoroughly - the trip was the perfect combination of relaxation and exhilarating activities that kept us active and busy! Everyone was so nice in Costa Rica - the staff was amazing, the hotels/amenities were great and we loved exploring the beauty and scenery of the country. You did a great job and we wanted to thank you personally. Warm regards, The Rohde family is back and they are raving about the arrangements! Dear Anne - Hi Elliot, Elliot Serfaty Everything went perfectly and I highly recommend the company you went through. Hi Bill, The Shanfield’s are home and I thought you’d like to see the email she sent me...... Becky we had a GREAT trip to Guatemala. Everything went perfectly and I highly recommend the company you went through. The owners of the company actually accompanied us on the tour of the market and Lake Atitlan and they were delightful. They met us at the airport in Guatemala city each time, which was so nice of them. - The Shanfield’s Thanks for all your help, until the next booking..... Best regards Becky Knaup AWESOME TRIP! Hi Stephen, wanted to say hello and let you know Mindy and I had an AMAZING trip (to Costa Rica). The weather was awesome, the place was beautiful, the locals were lovely...and all around we just had the greatest time. We did most everything there was to offer. We almost went river rafting but decided against it at the last minute just because we were so tired from all the other stuff. And since it was rainy season, the river was at a level SEVEN in rapids!!!! Again, thank you for all your help. Everything worked at perfect and we did not have one problem. Talk soon. The arrangements all went very smoothly with the car transportation... and the hotels were lovely. Hola! We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica! The arrangements all went very smoothly with the car transportation... and the hotels were lovely. The Arenal Springs Spa hotel needs some work since they are relatively new and haven't worked out all the practical problems but the staff is lovely and accommodating. I would say that the Tamarindo area was my least favorite but that was just because of the sandflies which somehow didn't care that we had all kinds of bug repellent on us. We made all our land arrangements with the hotel concierge and they were great. We ziplined twice and kayaked once. The weather was raining during the afternoons so we planned most all our excursions during the morning. I was just delighted with the flora and the fauna and the animals that roamed freely around our hotel at Capitan Suizo. We had a resident baby raccoon, a few monkeys that were very people friendly, iguanas and many birds. The Panorama driver/guides were very pleasant and stopped in various places for us. I'm happy to talk to you some more about the trip if you wish. My photos are on a disc and if I can figure out how to put them online I will send them to you. Thanks a whole lot for all your help in making this a very memorable trip for Stacie and me. Best regards, Client of Tami Hodges ...nothing but rave reports ... Everyone was so great and helpful. Bill, I just wanted to let you know that my client Mr. Richard Knight had nothing but rave reports on his trip to Peru. The tour guide in Lima "Segundo" was great , as was Sophia in Lima. Richard in Machu Picchu was "the best". Also said to mention "Pascuel" too. Everyone was so great and helpful. We have looked at his many pictures and they are just wonderful… Hope to do business with you soon. Thanks, Sharon Shaw, Travel Consultant They were really happy with all their hotels and activities in the itinerary. Hi Cindy, Kind Regards, Your patience and professionalism made my work so much easier. Hello to you both (Elizabeth & Bill):
I just heard from Dianne Finkelstein and she was so happy and excited about her trip with you. Thank you so much and I hope to work with you in the future. Your patience and professionalism made my work so much easier.
All the best,
Janet Najarian ...thrilled to know that you are doing the itin for us! Hi Alma, I took your GREAT advice and
called Delta. The air contract I got was just as you said - Q and all
other taxes included in fare quote - making the deal work. Out of LAX
it actually was better for group than SNA. Amazing!!! ... So, I called
the office to tell Sandy to watch for the contract, mentioning I had
taken up your entire day with Waldorf. She had so many nice things to
say about your presentation awhile ago - and was thrilled to know that
you are doing the itin for us! Will read what you sent and we will be
in touch tomorrow. The group mother who is my contact was of course
really blown away when I told her about the SIX HOUR bus ride fortunately
avoided. Sandy said "we need some days like this when we actually
get to be travel agents - not just searching a screen for the cheapest
fare to Phoenix." I would like to pass on our commendations to Setours, the travel agency used by EcoAdventures in Peru, whose service was truly excellent. To Whom It May Concern, ...had a great time in CR. The hotels, tours and transportation all worked out well. Hi Tracy, Just wanted to let you know that Julie and I had a great time in CR. The hotels, tours and transportation all worked out well. Please let EcoAdventures know too. Thanks!
Douglas Childs AIA ACHA Fun trip to BA, Mendoza and Rio - The hotel locations could not have been better ... Our tour guides were excellent and added local flavor to our visit. We, three couples, recently completed a fun trip to Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Rio de Janeiro. The weather was great and the experience was memorable. Not enough time but, we did see enough to thoroughly enjoy ourselves. The hotel locations could not have been better and the Hyatt in Mendoza was outstanding. Our hotel in Rio was not the best but, not much time was spent in the room. Our tour guides were excellent and added local flavor to our visit. All connections were on time and the guides were very helpful at the airports. Thank you Your presentation was excellent and we both learned many interesting things about Latin America and Costa Rica. Hello Alma, Thank you for all your great help! Good Morning Bill, The Flahertys
and the Starbirds returned from their trip to Guatemala and had a wonderful
time. I have not heard a detailed report but did receive a call telling
me what a great trip it was. Just wanted you to know and thank you for
all your great help! Joanne Wilhelmsen Bill B. had a great time in Guatemala and said what a great job EcoAdventures did. Hi Bill, EcoAdventures and Setours did an outstanding job in arranging this trip. Hi Magda (& Cindy), Thank you, Albert R. Lobo Well, we have to say Guatemala exceeds expectations. No hitches, no glitches! Well, we have to say Guatemala exceeds expectations. No hitches, no glitches! Perfect weather, beautiful country, magnificent Mayan antiquities! My little bit of Spanish gets us by and is appreciated by natives for the effort if nothing else! Michele R. Campbell, Ph.D. One of the most memorable, care-free, and perfectly individualized trips I have ever been on. Hi Elizabeth, I have already contracted Rebecca, my mother's travel agent ... about scheduling my next CR vacation with you in spring of 2010 ... I can't wait to return. Again, thank - you for everything.
It was a perfect solo adventure with a company that respects the land,
animals, and people of Costa Rica. My clients returned
-- had a fabulous time -- all arrangements went very well. My best, I take the good work of organizations like yours for granted until something happens! Hi Alma, Marti Sealander I'm gaining a tremendous amount of knowledge just by speaking with you! Bill, I highly recommend EcoAdventures for your discerning clients. To All Leisure, I thought I would like to share with all of you my experience with EcoAdventures. Through what I observed at the EcoAdventures seminar which was held at Sorrento a couple of months ago, I was very impressed and decided to touch base with Alma (the President) to do a proposal for a group of 7 couples who endeavors a trip of their lifetime to South America with a very special request, strict vegetarian meals throughout their trip. Alma paid attention to every little detail in tailoring a proposal for my group PROMPTLY. I was very impressed with her very well thought-out suggestions for a very demanding group. She was very quick in addressing to every of my clients’ multiple queries and concerns. She exudes compassion, expertise, professionalism and teamwork. I almost wanted to experience EcoAdventures’ product myself! Though the trip will not be consummated until November 2008, most of my clients already committed to the deposit required. I had total confidence that my clients will no doubt receive the best itinerary to South America and the best times ever for their 2008 destination they chose. I believe with EcoAdventures in the wings, they cannot go wrong. I highly recommend EcoAdventures for your discerning clients. Yen Flynn He raved about the way your plan went down and how well they were looked after. Hi Alma, I had a call from a client by the
name of Tom Kennedy. His wife is Dorothy. Tom has been on 15 trips with
us over the years. He called to say thanks for all the good times AND
ALSO TO PRAISE ECOADVENTURES FOR THE TRIP OUR AGENT CATHIE WORKED WITH
YOU ON TO SEND THEM SOMEPLACES IN SOUTH AMERICA. HE RAVED ABOUT THE
WAY YOUR PLAN WENT DOWN AND HOW WELL THEY WERE LOOKED AFTER. Your arrangements went off without a hitch. Dear Alma, Wonderful time in Peru!!!! Hi
Bill, We will be using your company again very soon. Bill, We will be using your company again very soon for our return trip and other clients who are interested in a CR experience. Thank you, The
Chavez's are home and they loved the trip! The Chavez's
are home and they loved the trip. They had high praise for your company
and Argentina! Gilbert is a very apprehensive traveler and he didnt even have a clue, (no matter how much I tried to tell him) how well they were going to be taken care of. Thank you! Leilani
Burns I hope to be able to send more clients your way. Alma, Just to let you know the Galapagos cruise was wonderful. Even though I am not in good shape I did keep up on all the hikes and climbing in and out of the dingy. I met some wonderful people and we are exchanging pictures of Galapagos and Machu Picchu. The Friendship Group thought everything went really great. The hotels were great. Everyone loved the Pakaritampu Hotel. They called it the garden hotel. Some wished that we went back there after a day in Machu Picchu since it was only one hour's train ride. I want to thank you for the time and effort you put into putting the package together. Also, Charles Switzer had a wonderful time on the individual itinerary you put together for him. I hope to be able to send more clients your way. Mary K. Cloward They loved the hotels and the wonderful guides they had. Dear Alma,
My client came by Sunday night to show me their 3 albums of pictures from Peru with EcoAdventures. What a great time they had. They loved the hotels and the wonderful guides they had. In Cuzco they went to see the Inca Museum which to their eyes is the best Inca Museum they have seen. They also enjoyed Caesar and Betsy in the rainforest lodge (Posada Amazonas & Tambopata Research Center). They were so knowledgeable!
Thank you for such a great team work! Sincerely, Pascale LeJeune, CSS, CTS, NCS Wow, what a trip! We had a great time! Yes, we love Costa Rica. The tour guides/drivers they sent us were really good. The couple that met us at the airport and took us down to the coast in Quepos were husband and wife. She spoke English very well and he was learning, they were really nice (Maria and Alex). The driver that picked us up in Quepos understood English but didn't speak too much, he and Charlie took lessons from each other. He was also very nice. The driver that picked us up after our cruise spoke pretty good English (Mario) and he and Maria were teamed up to take us to the volcano the next morning. WOW, you have to go and stay at Xandari if you have not done so! That is so so nice! The people bent over backwards to accomodate us. The grounds are gourgeous! We walked down the 266 steps to the waterfalls on the grounds (either I miss counted or both but it is a lot more than 266 steps). We were awed by the falls and the surroundings, but let me tell ya, there were not kidding when they said it was steep! We did it and are glad for it, but next time we will hopefully be in better shape! The cruise was really nice. Yes, you were right when you said we would love it. No lines to speak of the crew was nice and yes, they all knew us and us them before it was over all too soon. Our only suggestion to them was to skip Nicaragua and maybe go to Panama instead. The stops were good, not a whole lot to see but very beautiful. Thanks for steering us in the right
direction once again. We can't wait to go back! I look forward to hearing
about your trip while we were gone, hope it was all you could ask for.
I have attached a picture of us at Lancanster Gardens. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here's to wishing you a Happy New Year! Melanie & Charlie THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME LOOK
WONDERFUL AGAIN!!!! Thanks
for . . . making their vacation so memorable! Wonderful job on difficult booking! Bill - KUDOS!!!! to EcoAdventures... I was just talking to the (clients) who just arrived home last evening from Costa Rica. KUDOS!!!! to EcoAdventures....they are a very, very fussy couple and not shy about telling me criticism. Well, they have nothing but positive things to say about CR and EcoAdventures. They thought the driver/car was perfect and Peace Lodge outstanding as well as Guanacaste resort (can't think right now of the name)....(Paradisus Playa Conchal 6 nights) all inclusive....perfect for them....didn't tire of the food....thought the staff was friendly and warm, and told me they didn't want to come home. That is the ultimate compliment. They are very hard to please and we pleased them!!! Belize clients are very excited and can't wait to begin their 2nd honeymoon!!! Thanks again and thanks again to Bill... Marian Finkelstein No reason to use anyone else when you do such an excellent job! I want to thank the staff at EcoAdventures, Inc. for putting together a fabulous vacation to Costa Rica for my family this year. You did a great job on our itinerary…everyone in the family enjoyed themselves. All the hotels were "top notch" and just what we were looking for. Your guide, Carlos, was one of the best I've ever experienced. We actually tried to trip him up a couple of times with some tough requests but to no avail, we asked and he delivered! His knowledge on flora and fauna was amazing and made our trip throughout the countryside special! For our next trip to Latin or South America we will be certain to ask the staff at EcoAdventures to put it together. No reason to use anyone else when you do such an excellent job. Thanks again EcoAdventures! Sincerely, Tyler Peak South American adventure - exceedingly pleased . . . and were thankful for your expertise Hi Alma, Argentina /BA/San Martin de Los Andes/Bariloche/Iguazu . . . they absolutely loved it I know you'll want to know this . .
. they absolutely loved it. There was not one complaint that came to
me . . . In Iguazu most of them were sorry they didn't sign up for the
Andes extension, they had so much fun. Keith Tucker Chile . . . It was totally awesome Just wanted to send you a quick email
to say THANKS!!!!! for setting up such a wonderful trip. It was totally
awesome — all of the connections, arrangements, etc. went off without
a hitch, all of the adventures were Think it was probably our favorite trip ever, so thanks so much for all of your hard work to make it happen. The horseback ride, in particular, was phenomenal — everything was great. Anyway, thanks again. Trip was fabulous! Just wanted to tell you Bill's trip was fabulous! The guides were great. He was very pleased with our hotel choices. One flight was cancelled/delayed but obviously that was not our fault. So, thanks for all your hard work. Had a fabulous time! Hello Alma, Colleen Your trip to Costa Rica was superb! Just wanted
to let you know that your trip to Costa Rica was superb. Both my husband
and I who had been to Costa Rica, and our friends who were first time
visitors, enjoyed our stay immensely. Accommodations were very good
and ending at Makanda was a wonderful finish. The trip went perfectly! Just wanted to say that the trip went perfectly. All details, arrangements, transfers, etc. were absolutely seamless. The Radisson was great, with free happy hour (!) every evening; and employees who were very helpful in giving us directions, advice, and instructions to taxi drivers. They were also helpful in regards to that whole 3rd person in the room problem, which they helped us to solve quite nicely. Metropolitan Touring was impressive. They were friendly, timely; informative re: flight schedule changes, etc., and our Cotapaxi Tour and Otovalo day were both wonderful, and far beyond my expectations. Our guide Cecelia and driver David for the tours were absolutely awesome with information, skill, and flexibility re: our requests (they actually picked us up @ 6:00 A.M. so that we could visit the livestock market @ Otovalo prior to the regular market). Galapagos and the Flamingo and its crew; our guides there and all of our experiences were wonderful. Food was excellent; service excellent; and the schedule allowed us to see as much as possible. Galapagos is amazing, and I was very pleased to have such a satisfying experience. Sacha Lodge was also excellent - food, lodging, guides - all were top-notch. The jungle was fascinating, and I was really happy that we added that trip on as an extension. Wildlife was incredible, and I couldn't get enough. Some were not as thrilled as I was - anacondas and tarantulas and agouti - oh my! Our group
did well together, and by the way, your friend Robin is a great gal
- I enjoyed getting to know her. Argentina /Buenos Aires/Montevideo . . .excellent plans you made for us We are back home and want to tell you how much we appreciated the excellent plans you made for us. All the travel guides who met us and took us around were excellent and full of information. We were especially glad someone met us on the Argentina /Buenos Aires/Montevideo portion of the trip. Even tho' Terry speaks Spanish fluently, the airport protocols were very confusing and we were glad to have the help from someone who was taking care of us. We said when we get "old" and can't travel alone, we can have you make the arrangements for us and we will be able to manage okay! Thanks for arranging everything so well.
We enjoyed ourselves the whole trip, thanks to your excellent planning. Back from Costa Rica
. . . We had a fantastic time! . . . We had a fantastic time in Costa Rica (as suspected) . . . We didn't have any problems; everything was perfect and hassle free. Even our flights with Continental were on time and they had our special meals. We loved the country and the people. . . The hot springs were fabulous. I think we went 3 times in 2 days. Monteverde was perhaps the highlight of my trip (although I could have permanently taken up residence at the hot springs). The area was magical. We enjoyed the skywalk and we went on a guided tour of the Monteverde Reserve, which was awesome. From Monteverde we went to Manuel Antonio. . . . The beaches are beautiful and the park was gorgeous. . . All of our hotel accommodations were great. We liked all the properties. They upgraded us from a junior suite at El Establo to a full suite. It was like living in a Swiss chalet. We had two floors all to ourselves with a great view of the mountains in the distance. We woke up each morning to a beautiful rainbow. At Si Como No they upgraded us from a deluxe room to a deluxe suite. So once again we hit the jackpot. The room was fabulous. It was a first class property. . . We loved the food everywhere we went in Costa Rica. We never did get our fill of beans and rice. . . I just wish I had brought back some guarro. Ann Edwards Costa Rica - Everything was well laid out . . . we were free to enjoy the beauty around us. My husband and I recently took a trip to Costa Rica and had booked everything through you and you contracted with Central American Tours. Central American Tour Company and EcoAdventures are two outstanding companies. Everyone we came into contact with was courteous, helpful and very friendly. We were particularly pleased with Francis from CAT. Francis helped us whenever we had a question or concern. We had contacted him on a number of different occasions and he was always willing to help us with our varied requests. To be specific, he arranged for a change of hotels when we were unhappy with one of our accommodations. Also he rearranged flight plans for us when our flight from Quepos to Palma del Sur was cancelled. Francis really eased our minds and helped make our trip all the more memorable. You have a great company. We have told everyone that if they ever want to go to Costa Rica, that they should book through your company. Everything was well laid out with the vouchers and drivers so we were free to enjoy the beauty around us. All of the employees we encountered were fabulous. Thank you for making our trip one that we will never forget. Sincerely, Peru & Bolivia - All went well with our trip . . . a great value for the money! . . . Quick note to let you know that all went well with our trip. We had a good time. The hotels were all good and with very friendly staff. They were unique too. Antara in Lima was fantastic. All transportation was good. The drivers were safe. The guides were par excellence! I could not believe the caliber. The guide in Lima was unbelievable and kept interest of all 4 teenagers — which is a HUGE compliment. Of course Machu Picchu was the highlight and we had sufficient time to do some hiking and bask in the wonder of the place. Lake Titicaca was fantastic. Met all our expectations! All in all — there were no significant hitches and was a memorable trip. I will not hesitate to recommend EcoAdventures to my friends. It is a great value for the money! Thanks for all your help! Sincerely, Buenos Aires & Uruguay - Thank You! My husband and I were in Buenos Aires recently (Jan. 27-30, 2003) and wish to commend to you the guide who picked us up at the airport and transfered us to our hotel and finally on to the Buquebus to Colonia. His name is Ignacio Frydman. He provided us with valuable information about the city, spoke excellent English, had a marvelous sense of humor and checked up on us to see that we were happy and comfortable. He made our introduction to Buenos Aires a memorable one and we wish to make certain an employee of such calibre is recognized by the company in which he works. Should we return to Buenos Aires someday or have friends who will be visiting, we will recommend your services and most definitely Ignacio Frydman. Please thank him again for us. Sincerely, Ushuaia - They had a wonderful time! Explora was an interesting experience for Scottie....all the others staying there were gung-ho, macho outdoor jocks. She wanted to sit outside, looking at the gorgeous scenery, reading a book. Not only don't they have an outside area, but they wouldn't hear of someone not "doing" and "going". Scottie is a strong woman.....went out with the group and came back with a guide when she'd had enough. Their favorite part was Terra Luna (which they said was absolutely gorgeous.....no justice done by the Website) and their drive around the lake to Chile Chico. She said that the whole southern part of that lake is breathtaking. The first part of the journey from Balmaceda to Terra Luna, is a paved highway. They stayed a second night at Terra Luna, cuz they loved it so much. They then went to Chile Chico and went to the Hostal Patagonia that they'd cancelled the night before. She said that Chile Chico itself isn't even a town, and that the Hostal Patagonia looked like a rundown old hacienda. They almost turned around and fled, but opted to check it out. She said it was surprising when they entered.....it was perfectly acceptable inside. They found places out of Ushuaia that were to die for. They followed the families on New Year's Day.....everyone heading out for family picnics. They drove on the high road on the hills/mountains surrounding the Beagle Channel....said it was breathtaking and really memorable. Every family they met invited them to join them. It was pristine and clear when we sailed out of Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel last year, so I can imagine what their vistas were. She called and "dumped"
for 2 hours last week. Her only real surprise was their drive on the
Carreterra Austral, with high fences on both sides of the narrow road.
She had packed a picnic lunch....thought they'd explore off in the country
somewhere. Great trip. Thank you! Everything worked out perfectly, the hotels, the tours, EVERYTHING! Hi - We've been back from our trip for a few days now, and I haven't even emailed you to thank you for such a wonderful trip. Everything worked out perfectly, the hotels, the tours, EVERYTHING. Buenos Aires was beautiful and we didn't feel at all threatened like everyone said we should feel. The people were friendly and polite. We went to a ranch one day to watch the Gauchos work with the horses - a typical bar-be-que, which they are very big on. It's a good place if you like beef - everything was meat, meat, meat. We even went over to Uruguay for a day. That was beautiful. Iguasu was fantastic, as I knew it would be, and it was such a good idea to stay on both sides. We went under the falls, and hiked in the jungle. It was great. That hotel (Tropical Cataratas I think it was called) on the Brazil side was one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever seen. Then on to Rio, which I loved. Your friend Monica's ideas were all very helpful, and I especially like the cod fish balls. We saw all of the typical sights which were really prettier and much more spectacular than pictures. We also went out on a tropical island tour which was great for a day on a boat and on a beach. That was fun! We also went to a Tango show and wanted to go to a Samba show, but we didn't have time. We walked all over everywhere. We were careful, but we felt very safe, also. Thanks again. It was a great experience, and I would recommend EcoAdventures to anyone. They really knew what they were doing. Hope to see you soon. Your traveling pal, Belize - one of their best vacations . . . . . . the Sellers who went to Belize had such a wonderful time at the Mopan resort you recommended—they swooned about it—the fabulous food and service—they had a great time with the owners—said it was one of their best vacations—loved their room at Ramon's (Ambergris Caye) too. Thanks again, Extraordinary assistance I received . . . for my honeymoon booking As I am closing files and clearing
emails from this past year, I am reminded of the extraordinary assistance
I received from you for my . . . honeymoon booking. This couple had
a great time. They returned home happy . . . (all due to your
instruction). Thank you for sharing the wealth of knowledge that is
within EcoAdventures. Inca Trail Romance Casey Family Trip - Costa Rica - Everyone enjoyed it 100% We are back from our trip and I just wanted to let you know that everyone enjoyed it 100% We were particularly impressed with the guide and driver we had. They were both exceptional! My mom participated in everything including the zipline canopy tour and she even went across one cable without a guide to help brake. The family was very impressed with "my" planning but I assured them that everything had been carefully suggested and arranged by you. Thanks again for making things go so smoothly. Sincerely, Way Beyond Their Expectations Roz called to say they had a fabulous
time. Their trip was perfect and very special, and was way beyond their
expectations. That's what we like to hear. They were just so enthusiastic...
Thanks for the great job. I Want To Tell You That I Am Very Impressed! I want to tell you that I am very impressed! Your travel documents are complete to the point where I would use them as an example of what should be universal throughout the industry. I have been singing your praises to everyone I meet who may want to use your company for their clients. I am especially impressed by the copies for my agency as well as an extra client copy of the itinerary for her to leave with her family/friends...thank you so much and I have no doubt that the same attention will be paid to my client's travel as has been spent in the thorough compilation of her travel documents. Makes me look good...perfect!!! Heather Hintzpeter Holme, CTC, DS |
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