The folks at Jacada started by asking questions of what we were looking for in our desired South African experience. They made recommendations and happily and patiently worked with us as we made our selections. They were very knowledgeable about how best to plan our sequence of destinations. As a result, our entire experience met or exceeded our expectations.
We experienced some minor hiccups along the way (through no fault of Jacada), but Jacada helped resolve the situations really quickly and ensured that we were able to continue to enjoy our holiday.
The folks on the ground that Jacada works with are top notch. A good deal of homework has obviously been done to ensure a positive experience.
You can rely on Jacada to help you plan a top-flight holiday.
Jacada Travel helped us plan a very special holiday to Quito and the Galápagos Islands in February 2017. Both Emily and Susann put together a stellar vacation plan for us – every last detail was suited to our specific tastes and desires. All drivers, guides, accommodation and experiences were nothing short of fantastic. They were kind, helpful, fun and professional. The Galápagos Islands are not to be missed, we are so glad we got to experience them. Quito was both beautiful and extremely interesting. We had the most wonderful holiday. We would not hesitate for a moment to recommend Jacada Travel to help anyone with their holiday dreams. It is an outstanding travel organization. Well done Jacada! Thank you so much for everything you did for us.
Donna & Bryan Alexander (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Joyce did an excellent job of arranging all the logistics for our 3.5 week holiday to Vietnam and Cambodia, to such an extent that after day one, I didn’t worry about where I was going or how I was going to get there as I knew we were going to be well looked after. Our holiday was a mixture of both cultural and military history experiences, and Joyce was able to satisfy both requirements, even engaging guides who were well versed in the more subtle aspects of military history. Joyce identified some fun and different experiences for us to do, so we obtained a good cross section of the culture and the people. We stayed in very good quality hotels both of a more boutique nature as well as those of a more main stream nature – having gone with Jacada once and understanding how they select and test out the hotels their guests are to stay in – I would probably use more boutique hotels next time. Joyce also provided some excellent suggestions for evening meals and made our reservations before we left so that we didn’t even have to think about at the end of a very busy day – “where are we going to eat”. Even when a two night side trip had to be cancelled because of bad weather conditions (fog) that was set in, the Jacada team with our guide came up with a new arrangement for a different location within a few hours – seamlessly and very well executed. I have no hesitation in recommending Joyce and the Jacada Travel team – my husband and I had a really wonderful holiday.
Jacada guided us throughout Vietnam and Cambodia–and did a superb job. We had a complicated trip–many boat rides, trains, and flights and guides picking us up. Everything worked! Jacada also came up with a handful of unique experiences–a private concert and dinner, sunset boat cruises with gin and tonics, stops at tiny restaurants, and more. Did I say rides in carts pulled by oxens? A unique and lovely holiday. Thank you, Jacada!
We decided to take a family trip to South America, but having never been there before, we contacted Jacada Travel to see what they would suggest. After sharing with them our ideas of what we would like to see, they created a plan to see everything we could in the 10 days we had available for our family trip. Their experience in the region of Patagonia was so helpful and they arranged fantastic hotels and tours for us. Every guide and driver was so informative and helpful. We will definitely book our next trip with Jacada Travel.
I located Jacada Travel on a random internet search. I booked travel to Vietnam/Cambodia, on a personal trip for my wife and myself. The service was great..very knowledgeable guides ,great hotels, and they kept in contact with us during the entire trip. I would strongly recommend Jacada Travel !!!
Me and my wife could not have ask for a better honeymoon trip! Anna, took very good care of us. I only gave her a 3 day notice on planning our trip and she did not disappoint!
Typically we book our trip ourselves, but this trip we decided to book with an agency as we were going to lots of different places in Asia. We spoke with Rachel who planned our trip with us after a long conversation with my husband about our interests and things we wanted to see and do. The itinerary presented was well put together and everything went smoothly throughout our trip. It was nice to have someone else do the planning. Rachel got back to us in a timely manner if we had questions and always followed up with a call despite the time difference as we are in Canada. I would definitely use Jacada again. We enjoyed the privacy of the trip and all the details they presented. This was definitely a once in a life time trip!
Our family of 5 adults met in Guayaquil, coming from three different cities across the USA. All transports from the airport to the hotel Hilton Colon were arranged and made easy for us. Jen arranged a city tour for the next day, which was the perfect introduction to the area and the right amount of time. We departed for the Galapagos the day after.
The Eclipse was our floating home, with about 35 fellow passengers for the next week. We explored 10-12 islands, saw countless endemic birds, sea lions, iguanas, tortoises and even a penguin or two. We could not have been more pleased with our naturalists, the food and the superior quality of service we enjoyed on the Eclipse.
It would have been nice to know ahead of time that there would be a separate group of people, who had booked through another company (Abercrombie and Kent), who then had the advantage of a concierge who accompanied them, set up their beverages (wine) and signed them up for excursions before the rest of the passengers had a chance to do so. In such a small group, this felt like an unfair advantage. Guess you get what you pay for. Being surprised by this once onboard, while annoying, did not ruin our vacation.
Our return to Guayaquil was as easy as our coming, and we were back at the Hilton Colon in time for their New Year’s Eve party to end all parties (extra charge for that). Incredible food, decorations, music and service. Viva la vida local!
Jacada was wonderful to work with. After we booked the trip we considered changing the dates. Rachel created another itinerary for us and was quite patient while we decided what to do. During the trip they checked in with us to make sure the car, driver and hotel was working out and they called to let us know that one of our flights would be delayed. I have no problem recommending them to friends and I look forward to traveling with them again.
We had a wonderful trip planned through Jacada. We enjoyed the venues and the excursions. This is a beautiful place we’d recommend to anyone who wants to go on a new adventure.
Jacada Travel was totally unknown to me when I called them for general information on our trip. They were totally knowledgeable and offered many suggestions for improving our experience. They were always readily available to answer any questions and handle any issues. The end result was a fabulous trip that we never could have imagined.
Thanks to George & Susann at Jacada, we had the most amazing adventure in Argentina and Chile. George picked 5 places for my family (my husband and me and three kids — 17, 15, 12) to visit — all incredibly distinct and special. During the planning process we had many talks about what kinds of things my family would love and he totally got us. Each stop offered something incredible and at the end of our journey, we couldn’t decide on a favorite hotel or experience. It was all fabulous. The logistics were also without a hitch as all transfers were perfect. We were taken care of from the minute we arrived until the minute we left. I can’t say enough about Jacada and their services. They gave us a trip of a lifetime.
Always knowledgeable about hotels, excursions, etc., amazingly efficient and attentive to detail, and dedicated to creating a one-of-a-kind travel experience. Top-notch!
I have taken two trips now that have been coordinated by Jacada and both were amazing. The services were very professional and the travel consultants were always available to answer questions or make adjustments to our plans. The providers they select in country are top notch. I would not hesitate to recommend their services. They really make travel planning stress free!
We have used Jacada 3 years in a row for Christmas holiday travel both in South America and the Iberian peninsula, and each time they have organized a memorable and hassle free vacation experience. We have recommended them to our friends and are happy to do so by this review in a more global way.
Jobi did an excellent job organizing our 2-week maiden trip to South America! She gave us many good suggestions on sightseeing, food and accommodation . We ended up with a 14-day trip exploring three Wonders of the World! The trip was well paced according to our liking. Jobi was mindful of our likes and preferences, and indeed commendable in her efforts to ensure we were comfortable & well looked after in every city. For example, she made sure each hotel we stayed in were well aware of our food allergies; and we were so impressed that one of the hotel team already knew of our preferences when we dialed for room service) !
Jobi also took time to attend to the many questions we had prior to trip.
Jacada’ recommended local guides and concerige sevices were well received. They were always on time and waiting at every destination. This is especially crucial for us as we were traveling across the world to a very foreign land.
Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
I came across Jacada travel researching a trip to Galapagos Islands and after speaking with a consultant over the phone, they prepared an itinerary suggestion for our trip. From this point on, it really was the attention to detail that set Jacada apart. Rather than a simple itinerary, we were sent a link to a personal website that had our itinerary set up, with photos of the places we’d stay, the things we’d see. It was easy to tweak the itinerary to adjust for our preferences, and the price was competitive with booking each component of the trip myself, without any of the hassle.
When we arrived in Ecuador, we were greeted at the airport and transferred to our hotel. The next day, the same guide and driver picked us up at the hotel and took us on a half day city tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, and was greeted with hugs and kisses at every site we visited – it felt very much like we were on a VIP tour.
At every hotel, there was a hand written note from Jacada, personally addressed and wishing us a pleasant stay.
My only criticism is that you can’t book bits and pieces through Jacada – it was an all or nothing service. We’d booked accommodation in Mendoza separately and I would have loved to have Jacada organise our local tours whilst we were in the area, but on inquiry, that wasn’t an option, which was disappointing. I can understand why they wouldn’t want to solely arrange tours as a service, but given we’d spent a considerable amount with Jacada on the Galapogas itinerary, I would have expected them to extend the same level of service to the rest of our itinerary, irrespective of whether the accommodation was booked through Jacada or not.
Having said that, we are planning our next vacation and I will definitely see what Jacada can offer for our trip to Europe.
Two weeks in Japan – our second trip with Jacada. Great advice on where to go, what to do, where to stay. Lots of ideas and experiences we just wouldn’t have found on our own. Terrific organisation and logistics on the ground. Really outstanding service and can’t wait for our next trip!
I chose Jacada virtually sight unseen–simply by plugging in “luxury safari in South Africa” last February. Several company names came up and I began corresponding with two. Quickly, Tessa at Jacada stood out because she immediately grasped what our family was looking for and what we needed and understood the parts of the tour that I didn’t even know how to ask questions about. She created a luxury tour with lodges, hotels, private tour guides and transportation that was literally seamless. While we were too late to get into the lodges we thought we wanted, Tessa found us lodges that were easily comparable or better. We were so pleased with all that she did to make sure we felt comortable, confident, and so happy on our 12-day family trip.
Every aspect of our trip was well arranged. Every person we encountered on this trip was pleasant and willing to go the extra mile to make our stay memorable. Chile is a beautiful country, inhabited by very friendly people. Lily did a great job working on the nuances of our itinerary, which needless to say worked perfect.
Jen Richt planned a wonderful trip for us to Chile and was responsive, attentive, and thorough. We would highly recommend her
Absolutely incredible! Makes me kick myself for not using Jacada or a travel agent before. Every detail was taken care of, making it incredibly relaxing for my son and me. Jen was very attentive and the special little personal gifts made the trip extra special. International travel can be stressful, especially with children, but private pick-up at the airport and guides handling all the little details is worth gold. This really is a first-rate personal travel service. Thank you Jacada!
I’ve traveled to Ecuador and Myanmar with Jacada Travel and let’s just say you can count me in as a repeat Jacada Traveler. Everything was planned out in detail for us, custom tailored to our needs and interests, so that we didn’t have to worry or think much other than to just relax and sight-see during our trips. The transition from one city to another was seamless, with local tour guides handing us off to the next tour guide and making sure we checked in at each airport smoothly. I won’t spoil all the wonderful things we received during our travels with Jacada, but just know that traveling with them exceeded our expectations.
Jacada was very helpful in planning and taking care of our first trip to Iceland. We didn’t know what to expect from this country so it was great that they were very informative from the beginning. They even made sure we felt at home by having our local snacks at the hotel when we arrived. Our accommodations and our guides at Iceland were also excellent. Definitely would use Jacada again in the future!
Incredibly trustworthy travel agency that is a one stop shop for the trip of your dreams.
First time visiting Peru and I got really sick getting over there – probably food poisoning from something I ate before I left US. Jacada and their guides were with us every step of the way, getting me the medical attention that I needed and they were all so caring and flexible. With their help and the help from the local hospital, I was able to recover fully in 2 days and resume our trip – even climbing up to Wayna Pichu afterwards!!
Thank you Jacada, Lily, Susanne and our local guides Nilo, James, Daniel, Marisol for the most fabulous 25th anniversary trip!!
Jacada took the time to ascertain our priorities when it came to designing a package for our trip to Ecuador and the Galapogos Islands. Everything went off without a hitch. The guides were excellent and their choice of accommodations was first-rate.
Out trip to South Africa was fantastic. They listened to what we wanted and designed the trip that matched to those wishes. Everything went smoothly to the trip. From meeting us at the gate in the airport, the hotel choices, the restaurant choices, everything went very well. I highly recommend them.
Jacada handled all of our in-country travel for a recent trip to Vietnam, from hotels to guides. The people at Jacada listened well to our desires and then organized a wonderful tour that exceeded our expectations in every way. A great company to work with and our personal contact, Kate, was excellent.
From the very start of my experience with Jacada while researching a trip to Iceland, I was impressed with the prompt, courteous and professional service I received. My travel expert, Melania, was extremely personable and treated all of my inquiries and requests with professional poise and knowledge. She was exceptionally prompt in all replies and quickly put all my concerns aside.
The trip she put together for me was perfect and matched my vision exactly. I wouldn’t have changed anything!
Without a doubt, I would highly recommend Jacada to anyone for booking high-quality, luxury travel in the future.
~John
Lily at Jacada Travel did a wonderful job planning our trip to Peru and Galapagos.
Every aspect of the travel experience was right on and taken care of from recommendations of sites and length of stay to printed boarding passes at our departure. Selection of hotels and restaurants choices were perfect. Hiking was as advertised, spectacular and tough, but doable thanks to the excellent guide.
I would highly recommend Jacada travel to anyone looking for an unforgettable trip. We worked with Rachel- and she was highly organized and efficient throughout every step of the process. I normally enjoy planning my own trips, but with wedding planning I was just too overwhelmed. I reached out to Rachel (she had planned a friend’s honeymoon) and within 4 days she had our whole trip planned! She was very responsive to emails and incredibly easy to communicate. As far as the actual trip goes- I really can’t say enough good times. We went to Thailand and Cambodia, and the whole experience was perfect- start to finish. If you want to really immerse yourself in a local culture without any hassle of planning- book with Jacada!
My wife and I recently returned from our honeymoon to Vietnam and Thailand designed by Jacada Travel. From the moment we arrived, we thought Jacada, their guides and selected hotels did an excellent job of making us feel welcome and important. Our tour guides in both countries were friendly and knowledgeable. Rachel Beck and Gilda Tang were a pleasure to work with and made some excellent hotel and restaurant recommendations. Jacada is attentive to detail and will follow up with you throughout your journey to ensure everything is running smoothly. I would not hesitate to recommend Jacada Travel for planning a fun and memorable trip!
Great, great experience and would for sure use them again. This was honestly the first time I let a travel agent handle my schedule, so I was nervous, but must say that they did an amazing job!!!!
The itinerary was exactly what we would have designed ourselves – there was something for every member of our group. And the guides were wonderful too. We had a fantastic trip! We would definitely use Jacada again.
65 year old Canadian cardiologist who has traveled moderately previously (Nairobi, Nepal, SE Asia, etc) with the most recent trip to Kyiv Ukraine who wanted an organized excellent educational tour of Peru (Cuzco, Lake Titikaka, Machu Picchu, Amazon, Lima). Jacada was superb with great pretrip internet and telephone consultation as well as guiding my wife and myself thru the entire visit (not intrusive yet comprehensive). When we asked for something additional they organized it to our satisfaction. Fernando the guide in Cuzco/Sacred Valley was the best guide we have ever had, knowledgeable, taking our requests in stride and supporting yet not pushing us. If you want to visit and enjoy a Peruvian trip this is for you.
Jacada Travel identified our travel requirements to South America very carefully and came up with an itinerary that suited us perfectly. The hotels, guides, drivers and food were great. Our travel designer, Jobi arranged welcome notes and gifts at various stops which made our holiday extra special. We will definitely use Jacada Travel again.
Jacada arranged a week’s holiday for us in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The whole experience was not just unforgettable, it was a week of new sights, new sounds and new feelings. From our greeting at the airport, we were made to feel so welcome by all the friendly people of this bustling city, who simply couldn’t do enough to make our stay a memorable and enjoyable holiday. Our visits to the many temples and monuments were enhanced by our knowledgable guide, who educated us in the best possible way about Cambodia’s rich history and even about the principles of Buddhism. Everywhere we went, we were driven by the same driver, who, in a city which seemed to have very few rules of the road, remained beautifully calm and not once made us feel anything but totally safe and secure. He was always ready with cold towels and cold water, whenever we returned to the vehicle.
The staff at Shinta Mani Club, where we stayed, were without exception friendly, polite and anxious to please. The hotel restaurant was an absolute delight. I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough.
All this wonderful attention to detail is, I believe, a hallmark of Jacada Travel’s service. There were lovely little touches, from the beautifully presented Travel Guide and itinerary, to the champagne on arrival, to the temples guidebook, and thoughtful extras, like a sunset boat ride, a luxurious candlelit dinner, a visit to a local family for Cambodian snacks and fresh coconut juice and even a ride in a bullock cart. The whole week, culminating in our departure at the airport when we bade farewell to our guide and driver, went seamlessly and smoothly.
Our trip to Vietnam was beyond any of our expectations. Accommodations were all exceptional, the guides were excellent, and the people behind the scenes did so much to make our trip over the top.
All of our African travel was extremely well planned and quality of tours and personnel at jacada are one step over and beyond expectations.
Tess and her team listened, asked questions, made recommendations and were very flexible throughout our planning process. She put together an amazing experience that far exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were incredible, service impeccable, food excellent and each day surpassed the previous. Absolutely incredible experience.
I had the most amazing, awesome vacation of my life!
Jacada’s group of professionals made our trip to Peru very special. They anticipated situations and provided the best experience possible.
I hadn’t been to Latin America for many years (decades, actually), so in planning for a wide-ranging trip to multiple destinations over a month, I was relying on my memories of a very different time/place. Were it not for the up to date knowledge of Jacada staff, I would have been searching in vain for places that haven’t existed for many years. Jacada made great suggestions for new experiences and we found that every detail was truly remarkable. Having traveled a lot around the world, I’ve got lots of memories of places, but I think this trip has to be up there with the best!
We used Jacada Travel to organize our trip to South Africa as we were finding it difficult to arrange some of the transfers and to decide which safari lodge to stay at. It was the absolute best decision we could have made! Byron listened to what we wanted to see and do and then developed an amazing itinerary! The accommodations were excellent and the service was outstanding everywhere we stayed. Every detail was taken care of including having someone meet us at Johannesburg to expedite us through Customs and onto our next flight. We never had to worry about transfers or tours – all was taken care of in a flawless manner. The tour guides were knowledgeable and personable and the drivers were courteous and professional. Angela (our concierge at Jacada) answered all of our questions before the trip and booked restaurant reservations for us beforehand. She was able to change the day of one of our tours when the weather forecast called for rain. We were truly treated like VIPs throughout the trip! This was such an incredible trip all thanks to Jacada. I have no hesitation in recommending them to develop a luxury vacation you’ll never forget!
Jacada provided us with the utmost in professionalism in planning our trip to Peru. Accommodations were beyond expectations and guides provided were both personable and willing to do whatever needed to be done to ensure that our trip was perfect. Along the way, they even threw in a few unexpected surprises which enhanced our experience even more. Not only will I unconditionally recommend them to friends and family, I already have while also contemplating my next adventure for them to plan and organize for us.
Emilie at Jacada was an excellent partner in planning our vacation.
She listened to what we said and went about delivering…we would give her 5 stars but….
Peru was wonderful…lived up to expectations and beyond and the little touches around our wedding anniversary were really appreciated.
Ecuador…Emilie was concerned that travel issues between :Lima & Guayacil would impact on our Galapagos Cruise so we were scheduled an extra day in Guayacil…which was a day too many. Would have preferred to stay in Lima and enjoyed that City more.
Its also a bit of a pain to have organise international flights separately…much better for us if Jacarda had done this is well.
But Galapagos…fantastic…she had worked out who we were and put us on the right boat…and sort of understand why the extra day in Guayacil but not necessary.
Well done Emilie and Suzanne for admin support…we had a great time and would use you and highly recommend you to others!
An adventure, different than any other vacation. Attention to detail by Jacada’s personnel and “hands on” service was beyond belief. Guides were unbelievably knowledgable. That alone made one feel comfortable.
