Testimonials
We have now taken 3 trips that were planned by Jacada and each one has not only been memorable but exceptional. On our last trip to Indonesia, we had a Guide by the name of Dewa in Bali that constantly went out of way to make our trip special and changed the agenda to meet our desires. I can't say enough about how it makes a difference.
In addition, the group at Jacada (Gilda, Jane, Jen, Sarah and Byron) are the best. From hassle free experiences to the personal touches - Jacada is Great!
As always, Jacada is kind, considerate, always thinks ahead and is understanding to the experience and the traveler. Our best moments have happened through Jacada Travel.
Every detail was handled to perfection. Murray and Heather put together a magical trip we will never forget!
Planned a last minute 11 night trip to Morocco with Rebecca. Her and her team were absolutely fantastic. We gave them a tall order in asking for booking on such short notice (and then changing the dates mid-planning!) and we could not have been happier with the results. Highly recommended.
Jacada did an amazing job of putting together our fantastic journey to the Galápagos Islands & Machu Picchu. We stayed in beautiful hotels, most of them Belmont’s. Our ship, the La Pinta, for the Galapagos part of our trip was very comfortable & the crew & guides were top notch. Our guides in Quito, Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu, & Lima were all very knowledgeable & helpful.
Beauty and customer service beyond belief!
We stayed at the Galapagos Safari Camp for four nights and it is an experience we will not forget. There are several things that made it special; the people, the location, the amazing “tent”, the tour guides, the incredible food and last but not least, Jacada Luxury Travel who planned and coordinated this amazing trip. Without Jacada, we would have never of known about Galapagos Safari Camp.
People: From the first second of arrival we had the best possible experience. Getting to the Galapagos is a bit of a journey but arriving at the camp you are greeted by a smiling face (Anabel, Andres, and Alejandro), a cup of local tea and a nice cold washcloth to refresh yourself. This was only the beginning of our experience. The staff knew us by name, engaged us always in conversation, gave us advice on things to see and were generally wonderful. The small number of guests makes it very intimate as there are only 9 tents at the camp.
Location: The camp is located away from the “city” and ports – it is secluded, silent and very private. I enjoyed the 20 minute drive to and from our excursions… it was a great way to prepare for adventure and discuss the fun we had on the way back. The camp is located in the highlands so can be a bit misty (at least when were there) but the lodge and grounds are really something to see. Ecologically designed to make a minimal impact on the island (solar water heating etc.) but made no impact on comfort or convenience.
Tour Guides: Fernando Zambrano is an amazing and super sweet naturalist guide. Very knowledgeable about every destination he took us to. Also very respectful about the wildlife and environment around us. My wife is very leary about snorkeling and almost didn't go. Nobody pushed her but the comfort she felt with Fernando, she ended up going snorkeling both times we went out. He held her hand the whole time and guided her to see a range of sea life including sea lions, sea urchins, lobsters, schools and schools of beautiful colorful fish plus a couple of white fin sharks (Thankfully my wife didn't see them). It was an epic experience for her as it was for me. I would definitely recommend purchasing a waterproof go pro if you don't already have one. One major ability of Fernando was to point out the amazing wildlife. My wife was able to get some of the most amazing photos that will be lasting memories of our beautiful 20th anniversary trip. When we toured the east side of Santa Cruz, we went kayaking and to our surprise, we saw about 20 sharks about 8 feet below our kayak. Pretty amazing to see and experience.
Incredible Food: Everywhere we went we were fill with amazing food! From the gourmet experience for breakfast and dinner at the Safari Camp (beyond amazing!) to the food on the excursions everything was top quality and delicious. If you like great food… trust me this is the trip for you!
A bit about Jacada: Jacada Luxury Travel was super professional from start to finish. Going to Galapagos was not our first time travelling with them and it will certainly not be our last. There was a bit of a situation about 2 weeks before our departure, Ecuador was experiencing civil unrest in Quito Ecuador. Jacada notified us of the situation and kept us up to date every single day. We did purchase the trip insurance and thought about cancelling but due to it being an indigenous strike and not a labor union strike, our insurance would not cover us so of course we waited for the strike to end and decide if we'd be travelling to Ecuador. We made the “investment” in travel insurance but shockingly the insurance would not cover a general strike! Advice, get the trip insurance where you can cancel for no reason. Just in case.
The insurance deal was a bit disappointing but Jacada stepped right in and provided alternate solutions such as skipping the tour to Quito and just going direct to the islands as there were NO problems in the Galapagos Islands. Thankfully the strike ended 5 days before we departed and we did decide to travel to the Galapagos Islands. We did skip the city tour in Quito and spent one night at the airport then traveled to the islands the very next morning. To my complete surprise, Jacada was able to get our money back for the two nights we missed in Quito and covered the night at the airport. It was certainly not expected but SO appreciated. Jacada has a wonderful reputation and super strong relationships with their vendors. My wife and I would like to give Berni De Luca a very special thanks for keeping us informed and calm through that very stressful situation in Quito. Of course many thanks also goes out to Emily Opie for arranging our itinerary.
We had a wonderful time and memories that will last forever. Thank you again to Jacada!!!
Ray and Lisa Kuczera
Travel connections, tour guide services and accomodations all exceeded expectations. The region was beautiful. The entire experience was fantastic.
Great Service. Very responsive. Lots of attention to detail and little addons to make our holiday a great success.
Experienced and thoughtful travel planning done in a collaborative fashion, for customized personal tours. Unique and off-the-radar sites and dining options are suggested and were much appreciated! Our tour went like clockwork - we felt very pampered and looked after.
We had an amazing trip including our wedding arranged by Tess at Jacada travel. The attention to detail and thought that went into every stop along the way was incredibly done. We are frequent travelers and have used other travel companies but none can compare. We will definitely use Jacada travel again.
Fantastic safari to Tanzania organized by Em from Jacada. The process was seamless, and Em made sure every detail was in place before we went. This was truly one of the most remarkable trips I have ever taken, and the memories will stay with me forever.
Tessa was amazing! Every detail was taken care of. This was my first time to use a travel agency. I will definitely use Jacada again!!
Ireland - We had a wonderful trip. I think we lucked out with the weather as it was amazing. The country is beautiful and we enjoyed our excursions, guides and hotels.
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Murray and Heather worked with us to ensure a fabulous experience in Italy. The guides, drivers and other people sent to help us make connections were responsible, knowledgeable and gave insight to dining, history and culture you don't get from group tours or guide books. The accommodations across the board were first class and unique. Jacada Travel delivers what they promise.
Easy to work with and always make our trips special! Thank you Jacada
Excellent travel agency; very thorough; professional; great luxury options. We enjoyed our experience.
Really great trip and every detail was perfectly planned! Thanks!!
Jacana Travel was instrumental in creating an amazing and most enjoyable vacation/trip to Rwanda and Tanzania for my group. Bryon Thomas was the key person who created this amazing itinerary and he was incredible, knowledgeable, professional, honest, humble and most importantly a joy to work with. He was spot on with putting together everything we hoped this trip to be and I would not want to work with anyone else but Byron. I would highly recommend anyone to work with Jacana Travel as they MADE our trip, and once again ,y hats off to Byron Thomas the man that made this happen for us. Jacana Travel was beyond amazing to work with!!!!
Exceeded expectations! This was the first time I used a travel agency and was leery, as I didn't know what to expect. I contacted and spoke with three other companies, but felt that Jacada was the best fit.
For our African travels, Em was our Travel Designer, who took the time to listen to want we were looking for. We spent over an hour talking on the telephone so that she understood what was important and what we were comfortable with. A few days later, she presented an itinerary for us that was within our budget and hit all the highlights of what we wanted to see and do.
Leading up to our trip, Em and Angela (Travel Concierge), asked if there was anything specific we needed during our travels and answered any questions we had.
About a week before our trip, they contacted us to walk through the itinerary and the details of the trip. After the call, we felt like we were well taken care of and didn't have to worry about anything.
Our trip was amazing, and EVERYTHING was taken care of. We enjoyed all the camps that Em had picked for us and we could not have been any happier. After our return home, Em called us to follow up on how our trip was and if there was anything that they could have done better.
When we need to use a travel company, we will only use Jacada Travel as they delivered on what they promised and made sure we were well taken care of!
Jacada put together a wonderful vacation for me. Melania and Heather went above and beyond in answering all of my questions and making sure my trip was perfect. I will definitely be using them again for my next getaway.
Emily organized an absolutely flawless safari in Kenya for our family of 4. She was communicative and really understood what we were looking for.
While there is no way to get around the crowds of tourists in the Masai Mara during the Great Migration, it was well worth it. This was our 6th safari in the continent of Africa, and Emily still managed to make it a unique experience. I would recommend all the properties that we stayed at.
Great job, Jacada! We will be back :)
Jacada Travel created us an amazing trip to Italy for my wife and I. All i can say is "WOW" all the private tours and tour guides, the hotels and restaurant choices all exceeded our expectations by far. This was our first time using Jacada Travel and i can tell you we will absolutely be using them on our next adventure! They planned out everything for each of our 12 days down to the pick up times at our hotel for the days excursions and duration's when we would be back at our hotel and the attire requirements for the day and evening which was so helpful. From the moment we arrived in Rome to the drive to the Amalfi Coast to the Island of Capri and train ride back to Rome from Naples and everything in between we were well taken care of. When we landed in Rome the moment we exited the plane we had a person from Jacada right there which took all the confusion away as to where to go not to mention bypassing all the long lines and when we fly back we had the same service once we arrived at the airport we had a person from Jacada right as we got out of our vehicle...and let me tell you the lines were crazy long "it was nuts "and they got us checked in and we were able to bypass all the long lines again making the end of our trip so relaxing. We wanted High End Travel with Top Notch Service "The Best of the Best" and we are pleased to say Jacada provided it! A trip we will remember for a life time! Thank You!
Rebecca was incredible to work with! She was so patient with all of our changes! She went to great lengths to make sure our trip was perfect. 10/10 would love to work with her again.
It was one of the best trips ever. I cannot think of a single thing to improve on. Excellent guides and a well planned trip.
Zoanne Landry
Working with Byron Thomas of Jacada Travel was a pleasure. He took the time to listen to what my dream vacation was and planned everything accordingly. His knowledge of Africa made it possible for him to interpret our wishes into a perfect trip, Kudos to Byron and the Jacada Team. I would not hesitate to use Jacada for my next trip.
We were able to experience the Singita Lodges (Kwitonda, Mara River Tented Camp and Faru Faru Lodge) - all were SPECTACULAR. I can’t rave enough about Singita. They were warm, welcoming, and made us feel at home from the moment we walked through their lodges till the moment we left.
"B+"
When Jacada is at its best, it is truly a magical experience. It is not easy setting up dozens of interfaces and events and both Em and Melania did this very well. They cared deeply about pleasing us.
Perfection is difficult to achieve though and I don't see that they have 100% control over all their partners and misc. personnel.
Example 1. Most of their guides are top notch pros, but not all. We purchased a gift in a Switzerland gift shop ($20 item) and left it in the limo. I emailed the guide when we returned to the hotel and asked her to see if she could get it back; it was a sentimental gift that my wife's daughter had requested. Though it was inexpensive it meant something. She did not respond. The next day she said nothing. I asked about it and she said, "Oh, the driver had already left so I couldn't ask him." She did not care a bit. The driver (whom I tipped generously) had to have seen the package and he simply kept it instead of making a phone call.
Example 2. Most of the time their pickup and driver coordination is perfect but not always. The driver in Tanzania picked us up from the airport at 11 PM and attempted to take us to the Legendary Lodge. He spoke almost no English. He got very lost for maybe 20 minutes and did not communicate what was going on. We were in a remote area of a rundown neighborhood and he was backing up into alleys and driving over unpaved roads and ruts. He stopped at a dimly lit house and talked on his cell. He did not have a professional dispatcher controlling him. He was winging it. He did not tell us what was happening and my wife and I were very concerned. Frankly, I was freaking out inside and was one minute away from demanding we go back to the airport. He did find our lodge though and all was well but this was an unnerving experience.
Overall, I will give them a "B+". I will probably use them again.
Great customer service and excellent attention to please travelers. Jacada team goes the extra mile.
We gambled, not sure we should trust Jacada. It was a foreign company we found on the internet, but they offered individualized personalized travel that we wanted for a trip to Tanzania. Well, let me reassure you, it was worth every penny paid. Jacada has been amazing and the attention to details was great. Nothing was overlooked. Emily proposed an itinerary based on what we wanted and the duration of the stay. She then worked with us as we fine tuned it. Angela helped with all the paperwork and insurance details. Our trip exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend the FaruFaru Lodge in the Grumeti Reserve. Amazing room, amazing food, great service, and a watering hole right there that the animals come to almost non-stop. And take the dawn hot air balloon ride! What an interesting fun way to see the animals.
Thank you Jacada, Emily and Angela. Our trip of a lifetime was exactly that!
My husband and I finally checked off one of our bucket list items with the wonderful help of Kit from Jacada Travel. Their highly personalized and professional level of service exceeded our expectations and made things extremely easy for us. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for the perfect trip .
My husband and I used Jacada Travel to help plan our dream honeymoon to Peru and every step of the way they exceeded our expectations. From the moment we reached out to express our interest, Susann (our travel designer) spent time to really get to know both of us and craft the ideal trip. There was plenty of information ahead of time and the staff at Jacada made sure that all of our questions were answered promptly. Once we arrived in Peru, every person we interacted with --from the airport pick ups to the drivers and tour guides were kind, helpful and made our trip that much more enjoyable. A particular shout-out to Ronald from Enigma Tours who took us on a journey through the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco -- he was incredible. All of the accommodations were also top notch, and just the little touches along the way made the experience feel so special. In addition, Jacada helped get us restaurant reservations ahead of time so we were able to dine at Central in Lima -- a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that no one should miss!
We feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to go on the this trip and we are grateful that Jacada made it such a special and unforgettable experience!
5 Stars
From the moment we arrived at each of destinations, Jacada arranged for the easiest of transfers from the airport to our luxury hotels with a terrific car service. The representatives met us directly outside our gate, assisted with our luggage and walked us to our private car. Each hotel was beautiful with A+ concierge service from check-in to check-out. The entire trip was effortless and most comfortable in all ways possible and Em and Angela from Jacada did an outstanding job in making this all possible. I highly recommend Jacada for all of our travel needs and will definitely call upon them for another amazing journey.
F and L Lepoutre
Hanna was very flexible in creating various potential itineraries for us and we had a fantastic trip! All of our guides except one were excellent and Jacada gave us a discount on that excursion. I would definitely use them again!
This was my second travel experience with Jacada. Last fall my husband and I visited South America, which included travel to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu and I have now just returned from a gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda and safari in Kenya with my adult daughter. My first experience with Jacada was beyond expectations and the second certainly did not disappoint. Rebecca’s service was exceptional from our very first contact. She tailored the trip exactly to our needs, wishes and budget and offered helpful tips and suggestions to make the trip as memorable as possible. She even included thoughtful gifts for my daughter’s young children that were related to our visit to the Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi. The itinerary, internal flights and transfer pick -ups were seamless so that it was a completely stress free holiday. Her accommodation suggestions were superb. We were fortunate to be one of Jacada’s first guests to the newly opened Sangita in Rwanda and it was stunning! Rebecca and extended Jacada staff as well our knowledgeable, professional and friendly guides and lodge staff all worked together to create unforgettable memories for my daughter and myself. I will definitely be booking a third trip with Jacada..
Jacada Travel was excellent not only in their ability to personalize our New Zealand itinerary, but also in the service provided by their team as well as accommodation and tour guide selections. Their country liaison, Debbie, was extremely helpful while we were on vacation. Truly, a customer-focused oversight throughout the planning and during the trip. Thanks you, Jacada!
Keith, Gloria and the rest of their team could not possibly have done anything more to make our Vietnam/Cambodia trip more incredible. Everyone and every place knew our food ticks, my birthday and so very much more I can’t list them all. There was not a bad meal, guide tour or hotel. We cannot recommend them more highly, if there were ten stars they would have it. We will definitely use them again in the future.
Jacada Travel organized an amazing trip to Sicily for my wife and me. The hotels were all perfect (especially the Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea in Taormina), the guides were both informative and engaging, and the suggested activities were interesting and fun (particularly the horseback riding on a wine tour and cooking class in Syracuse).
As older adults it was important to us when planning a vacation that was more physically demanding, that we have time if needed, to rest. Being with a group would not permit that, hence our decision to seek a private escorted tour and we could not have been happier. From the moment we landed, until we departed, Jacada personnel were there and available to us. What an amazing trip! Every hotel was amazing with exceptional service. Every meal was so delicious and special, truly unforgettable. Our culinary tour was conducted by a chef who shared some recipes with me as we ate a perfect lunch. We will never forget the views which were breathtaking, the food which was so fresh and delicious, and the warmth and friendliness of the Peruvian people.
The trip was excellent. Murray and Heather from Jacada were very responsive to our interests, needs, and preferences. They planned a trip that matched our interests. Both of our guides were outstanding - adapting to our interests at every stop on the way. Basically, they helped us fall in love with Iceland. Thank you.
99.5 % of the trip was absolutely fantastic! We had one guide in Cape Town (Stion) who was less than top notch; one guide at Victoria falls (Alex) who was quite bad and the food/service at the hotel in Victoria falls was very poor. But... the Nelson hotel in cape town was beautiful; the safari far exceeded my expectations (our guide Rhu knew the area inside and out and found us amazing sites daily.) The mobile camps were very comfortable. The food in the bush was superb! People were so friendly and helpful and accommodating. I am still dreaming of Africa. It was a trip of a lifetime.
Great experience. the trip was organised in an excellent way. Everything was great. Really pleased.
We could not have been more pleased with the expertise provided by Tess and the Jacada team in the planning of our trip to South Africa. Tess took the time to listen to the type of experiences we wanted to have, the sights that we wanted to see, and then shared with us her extensive experience in making suggestions for additional elements to include on the trip. Prior to the trip, a detailed backgrounder on each of the cities and countries we were to visit was mailed to us, as well as a finalized itinerary (which was tweaked a few times over the 18 month planning period!). With the exception of one resort, each of the properties we stayed at met or exceeded our expectations, with Tess having briefed each property that we were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary - such a nice and personalized touch! Where we did run into an issue, the staff manning the 24 hour emergency contact line were extremely helpful in working towards resolving the issue, including following up directly with the resort management. In addition, all the small logistical items ran like clockwork - our drivers was always waiting to meet us as scheduled, the vehicles were clean and well maintained, and the airport arrival staff were also always easily visible and very helpful. We can not say enough good things about our guide in Cape Town - Russell was absolutely fantastic, and the two days we spent with him were highly entertaining, as well as extremely informative. In addition, Justin and the team at the Dulini River Lodge were outstanding - literally every want or wish we had was taken care of, combined with a surprise celebratory private dinner! Thank you so much, Tess, for pulling together a once in a lifetime African experience for us.
Hit on everything, didn't miss a thing. Amazing trip. Highly recommend.
We selected Jacada after completing an on line search for a travel firm that we thought would meet our needs for a trip to South Africa. For the year prior to our departure Jacada attended to all of our logistical needs very professionally and thoroughly. However, we still did not know what to expect when we arrived in Capetown, South Africa. Suffice it to say we were overwhelmed with their service which started with us being the first passengers met at the airport by a Jacada representative as we deplaned. As we continued our journey from Capetown to the Winelands to Sabi Sands game reserve and finally Tongabezi, Zambia we felt as though we were receiving attention only meant for royalty. All the people working with or for Jacada were polite, pleasant and professional. We did not have to worry about a thing. Plus, the hotels/lodges we stayed at were first class and all the meals we were served were absolutely delicious. Additionally, the guides we had at all of our locations were extremely knowledgeable, courteous and fun. We cannot say enough positive things about our experience with Jacada.
Jacada Travel provides the market contemporary travel itineraries and arrangements for a new generation of holiday makers, who are tired of big groups, crowd of tourists and at your own pace leisures. Of coz, the wine and food aspects enhance the travel itinerary a lot. THANKS to the team of experienced travellers behind in planning all these trips.
We had a wonderful time on our Royal Discovery of England trip. Our travel designer checked all the boxes on our bucket list. She efficiently managed our sightseeing schedule, booking us in excellent hotels and making all our dinner reservations for us. We were transported to each location we visited in style, and we had the best chauffeurs! A very memorable trip.
Every step of the trip was carefully recommended and planned. A best in class travel experience.
Excellent service, hotel selections and guides. Top notch in every way
I wanted to take my wife on an Africa Safari for her 60th birthday. I contact Jacada travel and was put in contact with Em Hunter who had lived in Africa. Em put together the best trip of our lives. I have traveled to all 7 continents but this trip ranks above all the rest. We were treated like royalty at ever location we visited and transitioning between camps was smooth and flawless. I have nothing but good things to say about Em and Jacada. They made the trip incredible.
Everything was done for us and ready to go. It made our trip with four kids easy!
