Very disappointed with Geoex. Being much more expensive than other high end travel groups I expected an elevated experience. Either in accommodations, food or the leaders. We did not experience this at all on the ancient Japan trip. It was actually below the less expensive experiences we had with other groups such as backroads , Nat geo and my sobeck. Very disappointing read more

We recently had the opportunity to return to Africa and hit up some of the countries we missed the previous trip. Our first week, in South Africa, was covered...so I wanted to go with a solid company to hit up Botswana and Zambia. We'd used Kensington Tours before, but had a rather sour taste in our mouth from the experience. The FIRST thing we discovered is that Wilderness Safaris (and Wilderness Air) pretty much locked down Botswana - everyone uses them, so it made choices a bit easier. After a month or so of interviews, we ended up going with GeoEx. They gave us reasonable pricing, and were VERY prompt at addressing specific questions. After signing with them, they promptly sent us specific info about our trip, including a complete (but prelim) itinerary. Bonus - a month before we left, we got a care package from them. It included two HEAVY duty canvas rucksacks, a nice guide book on Botswana and Zambia, and reading material for the plane (of course, the plot was centered in Botswana). It also included our final itinerary. And finally, it included a nice touch - a "free" emergency insurance plan, in case "something" happened with in the bush. We completed the trip - no issues, no hassles, everything was spot on. After our return, Starla (our agent) reached out to us to check on the trip - nice touch!). DEFINITELY would use them again, and absolutely recommend them with no reservations. read more

I just came back from the most amazing trip to Africa. I spent 2 1/2 weeks travelling around South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana to go on safari with a few days in Capetown at the end. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect and this was my first trip to a developing country and to my first time letting someone else plan anything for me. Geoex did a better job than I could have ever done planning this trip. I didn't have to think or stress about anything during the planning phase, which ended up being a big relief. They worked out all the details, were great communicators and even included free emergency insurance. Thankfully I didn't need it, but it made my family feel a lot better knowing that if there were any issues I would be air lifted out. On to the best part, the actual trip! From the moment I landed everything was seamless including all the travel between safari camps, which is no small task considering there are no real roads in the bush. The camps Geoex chose were ecofriendly, had great amenities, an extremely knowledgable staff and in prime locations. In Botswana I was right on the Okavango delta and there were hippos in the water outside my room. In Zimbabwe I'd wake up every morning to antelope and zebras hanging out at the watering hole 100 yards away. The food was also good at all the locations, which is something I was worried about. I have dietary restrictions and often end up eating protein bars, but Geoex let the camps know ahead of time and they took special care to make sure I always had options. Overall, Geoex was great to work with and I will absolutely use them again. read more

I had taken a trip to Togo, Benin and Ghana with this company a few years ago and it had been well executed. Sadly the quality of their services has gone down. The company they subcontracted to in Alaska had us in good lodges Winterlake and Tutka Bay but the transfers were terrible until I complained and then Geographic Expeditions was still not helpful. Nor were they helpful when I contacted one of their local people (Lindsay Mondschein) about a flight they had booked for me. Fortunately the company they subcontracted to (Within the Wild) is family run and when I complained they went to far as to send their son in law for a 4 am transfer to the airport in Anchorage. I can book myself into good lodges but what I expect when I contract with a company like GeoEx is a seamless experience and that is not what I got from them. They are good at selling (the person who sold me the trip, Kim Keating, was on the phone with me constantly until I booked) but then they transferred me to Daniel and then later added Linda de la Torre and I never knew who was in charge, not that it would have mattered much..... Thumbs down. Don't plan on using them again. read more

My son and I wanted to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and we contacted Geographic Expeditions to arrange a private trip for the two of us. The price GE gave us was $16,000 for an 8-day climb---steep, but I could afford it so I didn't complain, at least not initially. But the trip was very badly planned by GE and the local Tanzanian tour guides were ripped off by GE, so in the end I became very unhappy with GE. For starters, all GE did for $16,000 was send me an itinerary typed on nice paper in an attractive portfolio and then sub-contract the trip to local outfitters---who they paid only $1,600. When I got back from the trip, I told GE I didn't mind paying $16,000, but why did they keep 90% of the fee and pay the outfitter who actually did the trip so little [the baggage carriers were making $7 a day!]. I said, why don't you pay them a decent wage? The GE President said, "Don't tell me how to run my business." The hike itself was badly conceived by GE. First, they started us hiking at 6,500' through a mosquito-infested jungle, ankle-deep in mud. After two days of miserable hiking, we crested a hill at 11,000' to see buses bringing people into a trailhead! Later, I asked GE why they started our trip at such a low elevation and they said, "To acclimatize you to elevation." This explanation was totally absurd because no one needs "acclimatization" at 6,500' [[I've never had any acclimatization issues below 16,000']. It would have been far better to avoid the mud-slog, start at 11,000' and stay an extra day at the camps at 11,000' or 13,000' to acclimatize at elevation. Then, GE planned for us to climb Kili and spend the night on the top, but when I asked our trip guide what he thought of that idea, he said it was "crazy." "If you want to get altitude sickness, sleeping overnight on the top is the way to do it," he said. Along the trail, I asked every guide I met the same question and every one gave me the same answer---sleeping on the top would seriously increase the chance of altitude sickness and they strongly recommended against it, so we made a mid-course correction and camped at 15,500' before the final ascent. Later, I confronted the President of GE with this information and he insisted, "I know what I'm doing." I responded, "Who should I believe---20 mountain guides who climb Kilimanjaro every week or some desk jockey in San Francisco?" He said he didn't want to talk any more about it. GE doesn't handle criticism very well. The mountain itself is quite beautiful, even more beautiful than I expected, but the climb is marred by a huge amount of trash on the trails and in the campsites, and everyone has to camp at designated campsites, so you end up camping with 100-200 people around you, amidst trash and garbage. It is still well worth doing, but not with Geographic Expeditions! read more

We travelled with GeoEx to Cuba and regrettably were very disappointed with GeoEx's guides and overall quality. We had anticipated a high quality experience based on the GeoEx description, more limited number of attendees and cost. Our guide, Duni, however, was highly unprofessional (although the locally mandated Cuban government guide was excellent). Duni was not the expert GeoEx had promised as a cut above other companies-- he was divisive and simplistic. And, GeoEx's local contact, Michael Sykes, was rude and aggressive when we complained that our guide had abandoned us in Old Havana at night. GeoEx did not follow up or inquire about why we had a bad experience. We would not use GeoEx again, which is unfortunate, since we had high expectations and would prefer a hands on and expert company for specialized travel. read more

I cast my fate to the wind last year and traveled with GeoEx to Patagonia. Needless to say the experience was nothing short of amazing and every detail was worked out. So, we again booked with GeoEx to Bhutan. This trip was as good maybe better (if that possible) our direct contact Simon at GeoEx was great. Our guide was amazing and our driver was - out of this world. The Inns were superb! We were treated like royalty! I GeoEx! read more

Just finished my second trip with GeoEx to Bhutan. They have very strong capabilities in this part of the world and have been my go-to people for excusions of this sort in Asia. Everything was exactly as described and I never had to worry about a thing from the moment I got on the plane to Paro. In addition to 2 Bhutan trips, I've also used GeoEx for a trip to Nepal and a private journey in Japan. My spouse once used them for a month-long private journey in New Zealand where her itineary was practically the size of a phone book - she still talks about that trip. I can't attest to their capabilities in other parts of the world, but they have been my first call for excusions to Asian destinations. Plus, how can you not get wanderlust by simply looking at their catalogue ... ? read more

We recently used Geoex for a trip to Tibet in Oct. Due to the high altitude illness, we had to shorten the trip. On our way back to US, we had to stay in ChengDu for a couple of days to recover. We asked the Geoex to book our hotel in Chengdu and transportation from the airport to the hotel. GeoEx almost double the standard hotel fee and tripled the car servcie fee from the airport to the hotel. We sure feel very much being ripped off. GeoEx is one of the expensive travel agents, and good at customizing itinerary for your liking, but I am not sure we are going to use them again. It is not right to rip off the customers when they really needs your help. read more

I have traveled with GeoEx for the past 22 years. I have traveled alone, in a private group in a custom trip or in a large group...and the experience has been consistently EXCELLENT. They know their destinations, select the best operator, and have used every bit of feedback I have given over the years to prepare fantastic trips around the world: Bhutan, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Galapagos, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Siberia, Tanzania, South Africa, Egypt and so many other magical adventures. GeoEx is a professional organization, who understands what the traveler needs and uses all its resources to make it happen. GeoEx consistently has exceeded my expectations and those of the travelers with me. I look forward to any opportunity to travel with them again! read more

Just back from a fabulous trip to Cuba with Geo Ex- our second trip with them and even better than the first. Great time to go with Cuba, and we all agreed that this was the way to do it. Highlights were talks with economists and writers, dance productions and great food in local paladares! Go now! read more

my family and i are in the process of planning our second trip with GeoEx! we took our first trip with GeoEx about five summers ago...we scheduled a trip to the Galapagos! WOW! what an amazing trip! it was my first "adventure travel" trip and i loved it! my children/step-children varied in ages from 5-25years of age. the trip planning was perfect from beginning to end. GeoEx took care of all the details...even helping us with suggested menus, etc for small children. the activities planned were perfect. our trip planner listened to all my concerns and helped come up with a great itinerary to fit our needs and abilities. my husband had a motorcycle accident about 6 weeks before the trip, so he couldn't go. GeoEx helped us get a satellite phone so we could communicate with him while we were gone. my kids still talk about the trip like it was yesterday...thanks GeoEx for the great memories! this trip, we are headed to Turkey. the planning process has been fantastic again. we have a different trip planner since we are talking about a different part of the world...she has listened to our needs and the family is very excited about the trip and the many different places we are going and things we are scheduled to see! i would HIGHLY recommend GeoEx...and i have done so to many friends/family members over the years! happy travels! christy read more

Geographic Expeditions is a top notch travel company. I have travelled with them four times, and each trip was most memorable. They are very detail oriented and are always there to answer your questions. On each trip everything ran like clockwork. They always have very knowledgeable group leaders and guides and use fine hotels. My last trip was this October/November and consisted of a group trip to Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal (Himalayan Kingdoms), and then I continued on a private excursion to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangkok, Thailand - thirty-six days total. It was a fabulous trip. Not one time did I think it was getting too long. Even after 36 days I could have kept going. Errin Mixon was my trip coordinator, and needless to say she did a first rate job. I certainly will use their services again for further trip, and I highly recommend them read more

I did not find the trip with Geographic Expeditions to offer exceptional quality or overall value equal to the cost of the trip. In my opinion the guide was moderately engaged throughout a relatively long tour (18 days), with concern for logistics outweighing any interest or effort in furthering a lasting cultural experience. While this is necessary, a high end trip can and should provide both. Ironically, the title of the trip appeared to be more of a marketing approach (In Search of the Yeti), for minimal to no cultural lore was incorporated into the visit to a newly opened region of Bhutan (trek into the Merak-Sakteng region). I recommend that travelers comfortable with more independent options carefully research internal operators. I also recommend that travelers look at packages offered under some of the even high end hotels (e.g. Uma Paro is fantastic) where you can travel and explore with a guide and driver and/or small group. Comparing costs is an eye opener. I have done both and found variation with the interest and approach of guides. Finding a good guide matched to the interests of the travel is key. I did not get this with Geo, but made the mistake of assuming the guide would be exceptional. I still respect and admire the company, but found this experience to be a costly dissapointment. I was told after the fact that since it was "exploratory" that is what sometimes happens. In such cases there should be a reduction of cost, or minimally of the additional "single supplement" added for solo travelers. read more

We just returned from an amazing trip to Cuba! My wife and I have traveled with GeoEx since 2007. We take at least a yearly trip with them. I use them for our "roads less traveled" trips because of their expertise, professionalism and personal touch. They have always more than exceeded our expectations! The staff at GeoEx, the planning of the itineraries, the attention to special likes and requests are some of the reasons we continue using them, and why we refer our friends and family to them. We feel that even with all the past wonderful trips, this trip to Cuba, was even more so. You heard a lot of people say " I want to get to Cuba, before McDonalds", well this is exactly what you experience in this trip. The groups are small, which makes it a more intimate experience. In addition to the outstanding accommodations, you have a GeoEx guide, In our case Tony, and a local guide Anabel, plus your air conditioned motor coach driver, Oscar. They made our stay special. Organized activities outside of those planned, and made sure the trip was seemless. The real Cuba we all wanted to experience was fully delivered. We had a truly stellar list of speakers! They were experts in their fields, fully open and candid in their information and opinions. It was truly a stimulating, engaging and didactic experience. The itinerary was extremely well designed both in content and structure. You gained a historic and cultural perspective of the Cuban people. The personal interactions with Cubans of all means, made this a truly rich cultural experience. You are left with a total different perspective of Cuba. Most of us return with more questions than we arrived with. Something which I think points to the success of this trip. Because we are made to realize how truly complex this country is, and leaves us yearning to further explore it. Possibly the biggest surprise was the food. Not only quality, quantity but the great flavor and presentation of the dishes. From the magnificent breakfast buffet at the hotel Parque Central to the many paladares. Tony made some great reservations for us on our open nights. I cannot think of another company that could deliver such a rich experience, so professionally well organized, directed and executed. I would recommend this trip to anyone, without reservations! And I have! read more

Returned from an amazing trip to South Africa! They connected me to some really great guides, and I visited some very untouristy places. South Africa is truly incredible - I wish I had more time there. My wallet is a bit thin right now, so I won't be able to do another trip with them for a while, but I would like to do their Galapagos trip next. read more

I traveled with Geographic to Africa for safari in 2007 and sailed along the coast of Turkey in 2008. Both were trips of a lifetime thanks to the amazing people at Geographic! These expert travelers think of everything. From flights (one even landed on a dirt runway!) to hotels to guides to activities to dinner, Geographic handled everything. These are not trips I would plan or take on my own. But in the hands of Geographic, I have no worries over safety or logistics. They provided access to extraordinary experiences through a network of local guides who are friendly and knowledgeable. I sat around a fire in a Massai home talking with a Massai woman my own age as our guide translated. I hiked with a nomad in Turkey and drank sage tea with his wife and daughter. I ate crepes prepared by a local family in their home along the coast of Turkey. These are experiences I could never even imagine on my own and they are daily experiences with Geographic, creating memories that will stay with me forever. I have turned to them again for a Southeast Asia expedition. I leave in a few weeks for another amazing trip to remember forever! read more