|
1. WHAT
IS A TRAILFINDERS’ PRIVATE JOURNEY?
Each year,
TrailFinders offers a small number of travellers the
opportunity to join us on one or more special voyages of
discovery through some of the world's most interesting
regions including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Peru, South Africa, Namibia,
Egypt, Jordan, Argentina, Chile and Mali.
TrailFinders designs these journeys so as to ensure that
each guest is given the opportunity to visit all major
highlights in all countries visited without having to worry
about the logistics of doing so. This form of travel
maximizes efficiency and value. The pre-planning allows us
to visit more locations in less time without being rushed
and the small group approach ensures that the total cost of
the journey is less than each guest would have had to pay
had they done it themselves on their own. The hassle factor
is low and the satisfaction level is very high.
On each
journey we travel together as a small group - never more
than 16 guests. For the Ecuador and Galapagos Journey the
maximum group size is reduced to 14 and for Mali to ten.
Even though we travel as a group we do not spend all our
time together. Guests are encouraged to set off on their own
during periods of unscheduled activity and to participate in
independent discovery whenever they wish.
Each group
is accompanied by at least one, and often two TrailFinders’
experienced tour leaders, generally chosen from our own
staff. Local guides join us in every location as well to
provide cultural, historical and social insight.
It would
be impossible to follow such an itinerary for the same
duration and at the same cost while travelling independently
- either the total cost or the duration would have to be
increased to visit the same sites in the same way.
2. WHY
HAS TRAILFINDERS CREATED THEIR OWN JOURNEYS WHEN SO MANY
OTHER COMPANIES ALREADY OFFER SEVERAL CHOICES?
Our
clients made us do it! They were searching for specific
kinds of journeys and couldn’t find them anywhere, so they
asked us to create them with all the required elements. They
wanted the following: a high-value itinerary that included
all major sites visited in the optimum order with no
backtracking; unique, interesting accommodation with
character having above-average comfort levels (but not
necessarily deluxe) and situated in excellent locations; no
camping; many diverse types of local transport including
aircraft, mini-buses, boats and in some countries elephants,
camels and others; colourful local markets; hand-picked
guides and drivers; a high level of safety and security;
delicious and safe food; a knowledgeable tour leader who has
recently visited the area, hotels, sites and restaurants;
and, some free time to explore on their own.
It is with
these objectives in mind that we created our Private
Journeys.
3. IS
YOUR PRIVATE JOURNEY DESIGNED FOR ME?
We
generally design our Private Journeys for those who are
travelling to the designated area for the first or second
time. Our journeys are carefully designed to ensure that we
encounter new sites, sounds and experiences every few days.
The
itineraries provide a comprehensive selection of the
diversities of the area in a short time and consequently we
do not dwell in any one place for lengthy periods. We do
however stay in each place long enough to get the ‘feel’ of
it and we move on before we can tire of it.
If this
philosophy appeals to you, our journey may be just what
you’re looking for.
4. ARE
YOUR JOURNEYS IN THE “BUDGET” CATEGORY?
No. We
generally design our small-group journeys with a high degree
of comfort built in. We aim for accommodation around the
4-star category on average throughout most of our trips with
the exception of Mali, where we use the best available
hotels en-route. We try to select unique hotels with local
character whenever possible.
The food
is always wonderful and safe. We don’t cut corners in order
to save a dollar and potentially jeopardize an otherwise
enjoyable experience.
Having
said this, you will find that the journey delivers very high
value for each dollar spent. Guests on our previous trips
have consistently told us that they were very satisfied with
the cost of the trip and the value they received.
5. WHY
NOT OFFER SOME ALTERNATE PRIVATE JOURNEYS WITH LOWER COMFORT
LEVELS?
The
philosophy of our Private Journeys does not support the use
of a lower comfort level in the locations where we travel.
However, for those who prefer to travel at the mid-range or
budget level, we have many other products available from
some of our regular suppliers that make use of simpler
hotels and guesthouses. The experience and feel of such
products will not be the same as those of our Private
Journeys.
6. DOES
THE PRICE INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL AIR BETWEEN CANADA AND THE
STARTING LOCATION?
No. The
cost of our Private Journey includes all hotels,
transportation, guides, drivers, admission fees, sightseeing
and many meals from the time the trip starts in the joining
location until the final day, but the cost of the
international flights from Canada is not included. We do
this so our guests are free to choose whichever airline,
routing and schedule they wish and to choose to purchase
tickets or use points from their frequent flyer accounts.
For those wishing to purchase airline tickets we would be
pleased to provide suggested schedules, options and prices
for your consideration. We are experts in international
airfares.
7. DO I
NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY DURING THE TRIP?
No. Since
we include most of the major tour items in the price,
additional costs en-route are kept to a minimum. You will
need to spend some money on personal expenses including, but
not limited to items such as laundry, drinks, extra meals
and shopping. In order to help you plan for this,
TrailFinders has prepared an estimate of all extra costs
associated with each of our Private Journey itineraries.
This summary is included in our information packages and on
our website.
8. HOW
ACTIVE AND MOBILE DO I HAVE TO BE?
Our
journeys have a cultural and historical focus and are not
endurance races. They are not about white-water
rafting, bungee jumping and long-distance trekking. They are
generally moderately-paced, however you should be prepared
for a reasonable amount of walking, standing, stair
climbing, some uphill walks and the occasional stroll across
uneven ground. We suggest that prior to departure you should
be comfortable walking at least two or three kilometres at a
stretch, some of it uphill.
We would
like to point out that some countries may have relatively
poor safety standards and consequently our guests will not
necessarily find the same degree of support that they may be
used to at home. For example, very few hotels in Asia will
offer safety bars in bathrooms or showers. As well, street
conditions may present challenges including open holes,
uneven pavement and other hazards. Marble floors may be
slippery and stairs may be poorly illuminated.
In
general, if you are relatively healthy and reasonably active
you will do just fine on one of our journeys. We have had
guests with some mobility problems with us on many of our
departures. If you are in doubt, please discuss this with us
and we can help you decide if a specific journey is right
for you.
9. WHAT
KINDS OF PEOPLE TRAVEL WITH YOU ON THESE JOURNEYS?
We usually
have quite a diverse group and yet everyone generally fits
in well. Our guests often tend to be retired or close to
retirement however we do have some guests who are in
mid-career. About 80% of our guests are travelling with
their spouse, about 15% with a friend or relative and we
sometimes have single travellers with us as well. Our guests
bring with them an interesting variety of backgrounds and
interests.
10. DO
I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TRAVEL WITH?
We highly
recommend it. Single accommodation is very expensive. While
we try our best to keep the single supplement cost as low as
possible, the reality is that accommodation can be a
significant part of the trip cost and the single traveller
who occupies a room on their own will have to pay the entire
cost of the other half of the room. As well, tour companies
and ground handlers often add even more to this amount due
to other costs associated with single occupancy including
reduced group size and lost revenue.
In
Galapagos, for example, the yachts generally have eight
cabins. Consequently the occupants of each cabin would pay
roughly one-eighth of the total cost of the yacht or about
one-sixteenth per person in a twin-share. A single guest who
occupies one cabin would be required to pay one-eighth of
the cost of the yacht or about twice as much as those who
are sharing. This makes the trip very expensive for the
single traveller. We have no control over these costs and we
must pass them on to the single guest.
In order
to keep costs reasonable for single guests we have
experimented with the concept of matching up those who wish
to share, but this has not been a particularly successful
undertaking and we no longer offer this. Instead, we prefer
that singles who wish to travel on our Private Journeys
attempt to encourage a friend or relative to come along with
them. This not only lowers their cost but generally results
in a much more enjoyable experience.
Finally,
on some of our journeys we are not able to obtain single
accommodation at all due to the limited number of rooms
available in some of the smaller hotels and lodges.
11. CAN
I READ WHAT A FEW OF YOUR CLIENTS HAVE SAID ABOUT YOUR
RECENT JOURNEYS?
Certainly.
We collect and analyse written feedback from every guest
after every journey.
Here are a
few comments sent to us…
I count my
experience with you one of my great travel experiences ( and
you may quote me) and shall be watching future ads with
great interest.
D.M. Port
Carling ON
Robi and I want to thank you very much for providing us with
such a terrific historic trip through Thailand, Laos,
Vietnam and Cambodia. Thanks to your great leadership and
care this was the most enjoyable trip – you took care of
everything. We want you to know how much we appreciated it.
D.F. Ottawa
Murray and I had a sensational trip. It was all we expected
and more! Your ground handlers were efficient, knowledgeable
and lovely people to deal with. Everything went off without
a hitch. Your choice of hotels was flawless. Our only regret
was that we had too little time to enjoy the beautiful
Legend Hotel in Chiang Rai. You advised us correctly when
you thought that we would or would not need a guide. We
loved Luang Prabang and the Three Nagas; the trip on the
Mekong and Angkor.
E.B. Toronto
I've never been on a trip where daily I learned so much
about current affairs, history, cultural diversity, flora
and fauna... I'm still on a high from this trip!
L.V. Victoria
Thank-you so much for all your concern and assistance in
helping us. Receiving the cheque from you to cover the
additional expenses we incurred is a benefit over and above
and is much appreciated. You are an exceptional agency in
every way. This compensation is further evidence of your
first-rate service. Thank-you again.
G.G. Ottawa
For service above and beyond the call of duty! Thanks.
L.B. Ottawa
With respect to planning, integrating and implementing
itinerary items on our Private Journey… “It was this that
made the whole tour worthwhile – I could not have come
anywhere near achieving such a trip myself.”
C.O. Ottawa
Your execution was excellent. Having planned a number of
holidays on our own in the past, we realize the difficulty
in planning and executing a trip with this number of
different connections. We were pleased with how smooth it
was delivered, given all the things that could go wrong.
P.H. Ottawa
We've already talked to a number of people about our trip
and about your organization. It was a wonderful experience
with a wonderful group of people.
J.B. Toronto
All in all, it was a great trip, Rick. I keep re-living it
through my photos. The planning you did for our safety,
comfort and enjoyment was very much appreciated. Thank you.
A.B. Ottawa
12. CAN
I SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS RECENTLY TRAVELLED ON ONE OF
YOUR PRIVATE JOURNEYS?
Absolutely. Many of our former guests volunteer to make
themselves available to discuss their experiences with
prospective travellers.
13.
WHAT WRITTEN INFORMATION CAN I EXPECT TO RECEIVE PRIOR TO
DEPARTURE?
We provide
a significant amount of written information both prior to
departure and en-route in order to prepare our guests for
their journey.
A few
months before departure we issue a comprehensive Trip
Planning Guide containing information such as geographical,
cultural and site data, packing recommendations, discussions
on money, customs, air & land travel and much more.
Just prior
to departure we issue a package containing the final trip
itinerary, hotel contact numbers to leave with friends
and/or relatives, an update on money, final packing
recommendations, in-transit instructions, arrival
instructions and trip documents including air tickets,
insurance policies, and so on.
During the
trip we often have a series of simple handouts and maps
related to sites being visited.
14.
WILL I TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES?
Our
journeys are designed with the “avid amateur photographer”
in mind. Every day, all day we will introduce you to a
steady stream of enticing and photogenic human, historical,
architectural and scenic subjects. Based on the experience
of previous groups we would estimate that you are likely to
take twice as many pictures as you would on a normal
vacation. Some of the guests have taken over 100 photos per
day. There is a new photographic subject around every
corner.
15. I'M
STILL NOT SURE YOUR JOURNEYS ARE FOR ME. CAN I TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THEM? DO YOU HAVE PICTURES?
Absolutely! In fact we highly encourage everyone who is
considering booking one of our Private Journeys to spend an
hour or two with us, either in our office or on the phone
and if possible, to attend one of our slide shows. We want
to make sure you know what you are getting into. If you
aren’t located in Ottawa we can sometimes make arrangements
to do our slide presentations in your community, but if not,
we can certainly spend lots of time with you on the phone.
We have a toll-free number so our prospective guests can
call us anytime they need information or advice. |
