Go with Jacada! If you try to do the trip yourself, you may hit a few high notes. With Jacada you get a symphony! Emily orchestrated every element of our trip to South Africa. Cape Town, Franschhoek wine country, Ngala game preserve, and the incredible Royal Chundu were all spectacular. Each element building on the last. The guides at each location were knowledgeable, professional and clearly loved their subject. The safari guides at Ngala —beyond belief. My wife is gluten intolerant. Emily, Angela, and each of the locations made sure she was more than accommodated. Her chefs table birthday dinner will be talked about for years. Helicopter rides over Victoria falls!! If you want a trip of a lifetime go with Jacada. We talk about never being able to go on a vacation again that will top this one. Next time we will surely go with Jacada.
Jacada made this trip to a wonderful destination run really smoothly. They understood what we were looking for in this trip and made excellent recommendations, put us in touch with professional and friendly local guides. The people we dealt with at Jacada were very professional and reactive.
Jacada did an amazing job from start to finish. One of the best vacation experiences of my lifetime. Every detail was to perfection and thought out to the specific needs of our family. Can’t wait to use them again.
I have never used a travel agency before, but after careful research and due diligence, I decided to use Jacada. I travel often for work and do not have a lot of free time on my hand to work out details, so an agency was required to help me plan a surprise trip for my wife. I worked with the Jacada team to create the first 2 week vacation my wife and I have had in 12 years – South America was the destination. Due to family issues on my end, we had to postpone the vacation once, so this trip was 18 months in the making and Jacada was understanding about the delay. I asked for a totally private experience with private transfers, private tours and private guides. They delivered!
The Jacada staff (Jacob Jewitt-Jalland and Omar Nunez) were excellent to work with and I am sure there are numerous people behind the scenes who I never spoke with or met and who contributed to our awesome experience. From the start, Jacob was patient and understanding in listening to me regarding the experience I was looking to create. He drafted a cool itinerary based on those conversations. From there, we tweaked the itinerary (at least ½ dozen times), locations and experiences. He was very knowledgeable about each of them (having done them himself) and was able to answer all the questions.
Once the itinerary was set, Jacada went silent (which is what a good company should do) until we were about 90 days out and decisions had to be made. Omar and Jacob were excellent in responding to any additional questions, ensuring that we had all our set meals sorted (for excursions) and that we were not only clear on what was going to happen but excited as about it as well!
Once the trip started, it was white glove service all the way. We were met at the airports, taken to our hotels, VIP check-in’s, picked up for excursions (with tickets in hand) and privately guided all the way (we waited in very few lines). The experience spoiled us, and it will be hard to go “back to reality” of booking our own shorter vacations (we will always use Jacada for special vacations).
Jacada’s partners (Enigma and Wanderlust) also provided superior guides and supporting staff. They are trained, professional guides who really know the areas they take you to explore. I would be elated to have any of the guides or staff we met on our vacation show us around again.
Additionally, you cannot book a 15-day 8 city tour without something going wrong. One of the hotels (Posada Bemberg and/or Casa Bemberg) pulled a bait and switch on all of us (my wife and I, Jacada and Wanderlust). Instead of a 5-star room at the Posada (which was closed for “renovations”) we were put in the Casa Bemberg which is a 1 star hostel at best. We had to spend the night as we could not get in touch with our guide because we were in the jungle and there was no cell phone reception. You can read my review on that experience on Travelocity. Responsibility for this fall squarely on the owners of the Posada Bemberg and not Jacada or their partners.
When these things happen, service recovery is critical. Jacada and Wanderlust did an exceptional service recovery job and although a stain on the trip, our bad experience was soon forgotten, and our white glove experience continued. It is now a great story.
Finally, everyone we met (guides and representatives from Jacada Partners) commented on how detailed and demanding Jacada and their agents are. They (Jacada) constantly send their agents on the same excursions they recommend for their clients and to gather local intelligence. That is very evident when you book your adventure and when you are on the ground experiencing your adventure.
Bottom line, I am a demanding client and Jacada delivered. I will recommend them to anyone who asks and promote Jacada to those thinking about a special vacation. They are a fantastic company and I thank them for a great experience!
Jacada helped me plan and execute a fantastic trip to Croatia. Our travel experts, Melanie and Heather, were a wealth of knowledge and answered countless questions from me along the way. I’ve booked with Jacada several times before and I KNOW that I will book with them again. Exceptional customer service and outstanding trips every single time. I cannot recommend them enough!
The trip I took to Iceland in June 2019 with Jacada was amazing. Murray Mitchell at Jacada was so easy to work with during the planning process and everything ran smoothly once we were there. They were even able to reschedule our massages at the Blue Lagoon due to a flight delay.
Our tour guide, Agnes, was the best. She was fun, accommodating and had a wealth of knowledge about Iceland. She even suggested making some changes to our itinerary to make our experience better. Can’t rave enough about her!
I will definitely look to Jacada for other trip planning where I want a personal tour.
Loren
Anyone who requires a complicated travel itinerary be put together with numerous options and attention to your needs and desires, should consider using Jacada. They have put two such itineraries together for me and I’ve been completely satisfied. Everything went like clockwork with some surprising upgrades and private experiences. While you may pay a premium for such services, it’s worth knowing your dream holiday will provide lasting memories and be executed flawlessly.
This was our second trip working with Jacada. For our daughter’s 12th birthday, we decided on Costa Rica.
Emily and Berni, our travel designers, helped us design a trip that made our daughter feel like the center of the world. They even sent her a gift prior to departure.
At every turn Jacada made us feel special, whether it was the bottle of champagne waiting at our first stay, or our daughter special birthday dinner out under the stars along the Pacuare River, or a departing dinner at Grano De Oro hotel in San Jose.
There where a few issues along the way, but this is allowed Berni to shine; she was able to address issues at the moment. A lesser company would not have done this. It is how things were dealt with that really shows the quality and care given to my family.
The list of highlights is too long to share in total but a few things we did included: zip lining, canyoning, rappelling, horseback riding, birding, and whitewater rafting. We saw toucans, macaws, sloths, all four species of monkey, dart frogs, and more! We loved every minute.
Currently, we are starting to plan our next adventure, and we will be working with Jacad again for sure.
I hope this helps you all make an informed decision.
Best,
Scott
We have used Jacada for Iceland, South Africa, South America and Italy.
Their travel designers are first rate. In many cases they are from the destination of interest or have been to the location(s) and have stayed in the hotels that they are recommending. The continuity that Jacada creates between the various service providers i.e. hotels, excursions, transport is superb. Personal note, the big bus tours are “ok”, but after you have experienced a Jacada arranged private driver/tour and conversation that flows from such an immersive experience there will be no going back!
I came to Jacada with a non-standard itinerary, and they put together everything I requested to travel in 4 southern African countries we had never previously visited. They chose great lodges for us, and coordinated 15 short flights with a minimum of sitting around in airports. There was someone to meet us at every stop, and, with all the moving around and opportunities for things to go wrong, the whole trip went off flawlessly.
Worked with Jess & Gilda on my trip to French Polynesia. They were responsive and enthusiastic and we felt taken care of the entire way. Every detail was accounted for and we barely had to do much finger lifting the whole planning process. It was an amazing trip, truly luxurious. I look forward to working with them again.
The entire Jacada staff is very attentive in the oversight of your travel needs. Jacob, who resides in London, was in constant contact with us from the time we initially selected our itinerary to the time we returned. Jacob ensured our travel would be free of problems and our time in Peru would be safe, exciting, and memorable. At we arrived at every destination, the staff on the ground were locals with superior knowledge of the locale.
We loved working with Tessa Van der Walt and Jacada Travel for our trip to Africa. The entire trip, from beginning to end, was wonderful!
Every detail of our Italian adventure was planned. We didn’t have to worry abut where to go, where to get tickets, or how to get there. It made the whole vacation so relaxing and enjoyable. It was a trip of a lifetime! Thanks so much Jacada Travel
JACADA DID A GREAT JOB FOR US TOURING THROUGH CROATIA
Quick response, listened to what we wanted on our trip and planned a great vacation for us.
Jacada Travel was the first travel company we had used for travel in Africa – and the first one we had used in over 12 years. The service was superb – on time, as advertised, and friendly. The guides were superior and made our two week adventure not good, but totally great in every way. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience – on the adventure and also our conversations with Em. She is wonderful.
Eager to go, full of curiosity, and utterly ignorant about East Africa, I scoured the internet and decided to contact Jacada. Byron listened carefully and turned my random suggestions into a perfectly organized, extraordinary experience. My daughter and I felt well cared for every step of the way and the Jacada team was always quick to reply to any queries or concerns. Byron even took the time to meet with us at one of our stops. We traveled through four countries in two weeks, from mountain gorillas to myriad zebra crossing the Serengeti, and never once had to fret or stress about the logistical stuff, confident that Byron and his colleagues had us covered which allows us to truly savor the experience . Thank you.
Our family trip to Peru was incredible! Jacada was easy to work with and really listened to our ideas then made it happen. Every hotel was amazing! Our guide Edgar was extremely knowledgeable and fit in very well with our family! He was the best guide we have ever had. We will be booking our next trip with Jacada.
We had never spent or considered spending this amount of money for a vacation. We decided that for my 50th Birthday we would plan a vacation filled with my favorite things in life and worry about the cost later. Given the price tag we were concerned/skeptical that the trip would not meet our ever growing expectations. I can say with full confidence that Jacada met and exceeded our expectations. First and foremost, Melania in the London office really listed to what my wife and I wanted out of our vacation, our preferences, our tastes, our allergies, our budget,etc.. This was reflected in exceptional hotels, the personal attention with the tours/guides, the class of restaurants, the pace of the trip (not wanting to pack the days so much that we would need a vacation when we returned back home). During the trip, we were well taken care of by IDI Travel on the ground in Italy. From the moment our entry flight was re-routed to Torino, we had calls from Veronica and Heather (Jacada, London) arranging for new transport back to Milano. Frequent check in calls from the team were considerate and thoughtful. When we both came down with a stomach virus in Lake Como, the IDI team was exceptional. Not something you plan for but it happens. Fortunately, we recovered in Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Gritti Palace. Not bad places to be on the mend. We would entrust our next vacation to Jacada without a second thought.
Our trip was across the north of Italy. Overall a little cooler than we expected but only a little rain. The best part was that there were no crowds, the exception being Venice. Itinerary: Milan – Piedmont – Lake Como – Venice – Milan. Highlights to mention: Last Supper, Barroero Hazelnut Farm in Cortemilla, Marchesi Di Gresy Winery in Barbaresco, Boat Ride on Lake Como, Bellagio, Room at Gritti Palace, Camiceria Ambrossiana for bespoke dress shirts. Special thanks to Nadia our driver/guide in Piedmont (Grazie Mille per Tutto!) Just a vacation of a lifetime. Many thanks to Jacada for such a special holiday.
My husband and I just returned from our first trip to Italy – and first try with Jacada travel. My goal was to see a number of cities, stay in beautiful accommodations, and have private tours set up to familiarize ourselves with each city while learning about the key sites. We wanted to see all the sites, but not be racing around on tours that started early every morning. We’re somewhat picky at this point, and can say that our experience with Jacada, and this total vacation, was one of the very best that we’ve ever had. It seemed that every day – and every time that we left a city and went on to the next – we were off to our next very well organized adventure! Overall what I’d say is that they met every commitment that they made. From the very first pickup at the airport with someone holding a sign with our name, every transfer was stress-free, and actually quite enjoyable, with professional drivers/guides in beautiful/clean cars/vans who were also warm and welcoming, every hotel was 5 star as promised with unique features to many of them, and every single tour guide was top rate (on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best, we would rate every single one of them a 5!) and both knowledgeable and friendly, with a depth of information that made every site special. Even when we had a small issue (which every long trip is likely to have) and we reached out, we received immediate response from Jacada as well as the local provider. As we’d be transferring between locations, the local company would check in to see how things were going, and what more they could do. We would definitely use Jacada again, and are already thinking about the next adventure!
My husband and I are regular global travelers and this trip to Vietnam from May 23 to June 10, 2019 was the best trip of our lives – all thanks to the expertise and professionalism of Jacada Travel. Our Jacada agent Keith masterfully planned a custom trip for us that was perfectly-suited for our goal – to get a comprehensive and inspiring picture of Vietnam with once-in-a-lifetime experiences so that my artist husband could create an international series of paintings while there to unveil to his collectors at our home gallery in Houston. Keith, as well as our concierge in Asia, Gilda, took care of absolutely every detail. During the trip I rarely needed to contact them – but when I did they delivered immediately by informing our guides and drivers of a few special requests and facilitating an important meeting with the general manager of the Metropole in Hanoi. All of our accommodations were gorgeous and luxurious to the max. Our primary guide, Kevin, was kind, smart, funny, patient and absolutely entertaining. Many friends and family members have visited Vietnam and raved about it – but no one had the experiences we had: actually getting into the rice paddies to catch fish, snails and crabs, kayaking + squid fishing in Lan Ha Bay, practicing Tai Chi on the deck of our luxury junk the Ginger, receiving a “team” of butlers at the Metropole in Hanoi to make sure we were properly taken care of…and so much more. I truly appreciated Jacada’s detailed advice on tipping, procurement of visas and currency exchange – no question was left unanswered. We loved and appreciated the custom and beautifully bound travel package we received in advance of traveling – the perfect short-course of reading of history and customs related to the exact places we would be visiting. All of our transfers were executed perfectly by guides and drivers. It’s a huge help when a guide walks you through the check-in process at airports by standing right with you through the lines and communicating with the ticket agents for you. The sum that we paid to Jacada was absolutely worth every dollar. I enthusiastically recommend their services and I look forward to booking through them in the future. Thanks! Ryan Lindsay and John Ross Palmer, Houston, Texas USA.
Jacada did a great job with our Iceland vacation. Their experience and recommendations made our trip easy and fun. There were a couple little glitches that came up and they were quickly and seamlessly handled. Everything from guide to the hotels were outstanding. I will use Jacada again! Milda and Heather were always quick to respond to men inquiries.
We have used Jacata for our last three (3) trips (Africa, Peru & Croatia) and were extremely pleased with the service and professionalism.
Recently returned from France and have nothing but praise for Hanna at Jacada for organizing an amazing trip. Seeing the D-Day sites in Normandy had been on my travel bucket list for years. With Hanna’s help, I was able to accomplish that. She organized an excellent private guide who made the sites come alive. The itinerary was personally tailored to my deep interest level. Hanna also arranged a fantastic guide to show me the World War I battlefields in Verdun and the Meuse-Argonne. This too was personally tailored to my interests. I was able to use Paris as a hub for both Normandy and Verdun. The accommodations in all three locations were amazing and the private transfers and first class train tickets made the whole journey seamless. I can’t say enough about Hanna and her team. I’ve been a long time Jacada customer and happily suggest them to anyone who desires a first rate travel experience.
Jacada was amazing! From our initial inquiry to the end of our trip they were with us the entire way. They listened to our thoughts on what we were looking for and designed a trip just for us. While traveling, representatives from Jacada met us at every point, ensuring an effortless trip through the airport, train station, and several tourist spots. Our drivers and guides were delightful, and full of local knowledge. We just can’t say enough about our experience. We will definitely be using Jacada for future trips!
Tessa was extremely helpful and knowledgeable ! She truly made my planning so seamless and stress free. I didn’t have to worry one bit and was able to focus and enjoy my vacation.
Jacada arranged a fabulous holiday for us in Equador ( Galapagos Islands) and Peru (Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley). Their attention to detail and the ongoing support is exemplary. Jen, our travel designer, worked with us for months prior to the trip to insure everything we wanted to see was included and that the pacing was geared to our needs. Pickups were always on time and with very informative and friendly individuals. All guides were great but Edgar was a particularly good guide, very informative and passionate about his country, Peru. I would recommend Jacada if you are planning a vacation.
Excellent experience from start to finish.Susann was brilliant and the hotels and trips she recommended were spot on. Everything ran to time – no problems – and everyone who we met and all the staff at the hotels were delightful. Other people did not have such a good experince as we did with their premium booked holidays not with Jacada – so we would certainly recommend Jacada and would not hesitate to use them again.
We have used Jacada for trips to Africa and South America. Each experience has been fantastic. They provide top notch reliable service!
Well organized trip. Took into account our likes and dislikes with respect to accommodations, restaurants , sightseeing. Answered all our questions. Guides that were arranged were very knowledgeable and passionate about the country. Having a rep present at the airports made the transfers stress free. The hotels were top notch. The detailed pre planning resulted in a wonderful trip.
Could not have been easier – Jacada listened to us and tailored a once in a lifetime holiday! From the accommodations to the excursions to the guides -all were first class.
We had a great trip to France planned through Jacada. Everyone we worked with
at Jacada was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and personable.
We plan on using Jacada again for any luxury trip we take. We highly recommend their
services.
The organisation of our tour of Ecuador and Peru was excellent. Very efficient service from Jen and Romanet both of whom responded quickly to our queries.
Amazing!
This was my 2nd solo trip with Jacada to South America and I can’t say enough great things about them. Everything is so organized and I was well taken care of by everyone on the team. My activities that included other travellers proved how spoiled I was with Jacada’s connections whether it was learning local history, access to local foods or special cooking classes or restaurant visits. Experiences are with thoughtful, conscientious companies that allow me to connect and support communities and environment. Each new accommodation has a personal note from my Jacada travel expert, which as a single traveller, makes me feel connected and looked after.
5 stars all the way.
Thanks Emily!
Jacada was a fantastic company to work with in the planning of our vacation to Peru and Ecuador. Susann Pietschmann was our main contact at Jacada and she has traveled to South America quite a bit and is very knowledgeable of the area and I would trust her input and suggestions without a doubt.
Jacada partnered with a great team in Iceland that provided us incredible guides, phenomenal hotels, and exquisite food. We loved every place we went and were especially appreciative of how much time Murray Mitchell took with customizing our trip and ensuring that we were taken care of. We felt though Iceland is an expensive place to travel we did spend a lot of money that likely wasn’t all for the trip, but instead went through the different companies that assisted us with our travel. Even still though it was a phenomenal trip
The service was perfect.
Hannah and Michele were an absolute pleasure to deal with. Changes we made to our schedule were met with understanding and alternate arrangements were offered. The hotel that was recommended was superb and one of the best we have stayed at in our extensive travels. Our restaurant reservations were handled promptly and professionally. All communications were thorough and timely. Everything was professional from beginning to end. We highly recommend Jacada as one of the top travel planners in the field!
Dedicated team, great recommendations and flawless execution!
The attention to detail, flow of the trip and recommendations along the way were phenomenal. I would highly recommend Tessa van der Walt for planning your dream vacation!
This review is long overdue! Jacada curated a mother/daughter trip for us to South America. The entire process from initial contact to arriving back at home was absolutely FANTASTIC. Both of us are very “type A” and like to take the reins, making elaborate schedules and plans and bookings. It was incredible how comfortable we were leaving ALL the organization and planning to Jacada. We spent 2+ weeks traveling through Chile and Argentina, and Jacada complete nailed it — the trip was exactly what we wanted. From the destinations to the experiences and the exact guides we were paired with. Towards the middle of the trip, we stopped even looking at our itinerary! We were so confident in the work Jacada had done that we would show up for a flight hardly knowing where we were going! We’d land on the other end, find someone holding a sign with our name, and not even know what hotel we were heading to. We were completely taken care of, and we were in constant contact (as much as we wanted to be) with the Jacada team. Cannot recommend them enough. It will be difficult to take a vacation with any other agency… this experience was worth every penny!
Overall very satisfied. Only one misstep – one hotel was not quite up to par. Also, we should have upper level rooms in the various hotels, which is not always the case.
All tours were wonderful and well planned. Duration of the various tours should be indicated to facilitate dinner reservations.
We would recommend Jacada as a reliable partner for travels.
I use jacana travel for the last 5 years they provide the best service, best hotels . one thing for sure you don’t have to worry where ever you go it will be the best this country has to offer.
From the beginning when we were quoted in Canadian not US funds to the end when the Jacana representative met us at the airport for a 2 minute walk to our shuttle “unexpectedly” the service was perfect.
The advice about the boat and size/seasickness was good advise after talking to others on smaller boats & the safari camp was amazing. We felt completely taken care of from start to finish.
Our trip was simply PERFECT! Truly exceptional. Looking forward to the next one!
The entire team was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and highly responsive to our desires when constructing our trip to Peru. We are very well-traveled and, I believe, are qualified to say Jacada is top-notch. Highly recommended.
We just returned from our trip to Iceland. It was wonderful! We had so much fun and really enjoyed all the beauty of Iceland. Our 2 tour guides were great, very informative, fun and knowledgeable. The pace of the trip was really good with a nice balance of walking and riding in the car. Jacada put together a fun and exciting trip for us. We will use them again on future trips.
