Testimonials

Excellent 4.9 out of 5

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11th Nov 2015
Outstanding Planning by Jacada

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, which was entirely planned by Rachel Beck of Jacada. Rachel suggested the itinerary; planned the activities in each location, which she tailored very well to conform to our interests (as we had described them to her in phone conversations and e-mails); made all of our excellent hotel, travel and transfer arrangements; arranged for us to be met by a guide at the airport in each location, wisked through the terminal, and driven to our hotel; and arranged for us to have excellent, helpful, guides who led us through the planned activities in each location. Rachel’s itinerary turned out to be excellently planned and her colleagues at each location carried it out flawlessly. It was a pleasure to work with Rachel and Jacada –Rachel is extremely competent, and during the planning stage she was always very responsive, helpful, and accommodating — and I recommend her and Jacada without qualification.

Abrams
28th Oct 2015
Verified order
Jacada helped us put together our dream vacation to South Africa!

They were amazing! Instead of fitting us into an already establishad tour, they allowed us to design the tour we wanted and accommodated all our eating quirks and also our budget!

Jeri
27th Oct 2015
Verified order
Trip of a Lifetime! Amazing Service!

I have just returned from South Africa, a trip that I have waited over 25 years to take, it has always been my life long dream to go on safari and Byron and his amazing team made it happen.

I found Jacada Travel purely by accident while I was researching safari’s, as I was travelling alone it was very important to me to have the right agent working on my behalf. From the first time I contacted Byron to let him know what exactly I was looking for, the service has been nothing short of OUTSTANDING.

He put together an itinerary for me that was privately guided, the accommodations were beyond exceptional. Firstly it was 4 nights at the Sea Five boutique hotel in Camps Bay, just outside of Capetown, then it was on to 2 nights at the Birkenhead House in Hermanus for shark diving and whale watching, the view of the ocean and breaching humpback whales from the Birkenhead House was absolutely breathtaking. Then it was on to the highlight of my trip, Chitwa Chitwa for 4 nights and 2 daily safari drives (a total of 8). This place is magical, from the view of elephants playing around in the waterhole from the deck of my lodge, to the abundance of animals I was privileged to see during my drives. On my first drive I was lucky enough to see 3 of the Big 5, elephant, lion and buffalo, the next morning drive I saw the other 2, leopard and rhino.
I left a piece of my heart at Chitwa and will cherish my time spent there forever<3 The guides and hotel staff everywhere I stayed were phenomenal, and the service from Byron and Alec was like nothing I have ever experienced, right down to my little black travel book which I received about a month before my departure date, and to the little welcome notes that were waiting for me upon check in at my accommodations. Five stars doesn't seem like enough, I wish I could rate them much higher. My advice to anyone looking to book a trip of a lifetime is don't look any further than Jacada Travel, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Thank you Byron and Alec from the bottom of my heart for putting together this wonderful trip and giving me the memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. <3

Tina
26th Oct 2015
Verified order
Excellent Experience

Our tour of Peru was terrific. Lima was a very pleasant surprise. Our morning tour guide took us to the main attractions in the old city and some special sites, particularly the oldest house in Lima which was not to be missed. Jacada was very helpful in arranging a car and driver for the afternoon to visit the fishing wharf and Christ statue overlooking the city, both highlights of our Lima Visit.
Our adventure continued through the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco with a terrific guide, Johan Sueros. He was extremely accommodating and knowledgable. Very patient with us working through the challenges of the high altitudes and taking us to a few unscheduled locations such as the Cuscos market. Both train rides we took were exceptional (Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu and the Andean Explorer) and our time at Lake Titikaka was stunningly beautiful.
In all locations the service from Jacada was perfect. Always there to ensure our travel connections were flawless. All of our accommodations were high quality, especially the Casona Inkaterra in Cusco and the Titilaka on Lake Titikaka.

Paul
26th Oct 2015
Verified order
Amazing trip to Peru!

We used Jacada for our trip to Peru to see Machu Pichu. Everything was perfect from the planning process, through the trip and our return. We had many complicated logistics and our guides were always there to take care of us, share their knowledge and show us the sights.

Just to re-iterate further…Emily (Jacada Travel Specialist) who planned the trip for us was absolutely amazing. We had ZERO worry the entire time once we booked with Jacada. If you’re debating whether or not to use them, don’t.

We would recommend without hesitation Jacada – we will be using them again soon for a trip to Iceland.

Lisa and Ray

Lisa
24th Oct 2015
Verified order
fantastic 5* travel concierge company

From the initial review of the Jacana website to contact with George our travel consultant we had big expectations… Peru was on our bucket list and our first trip to South America.
It was without a doubt one of the most well organized, seamless travel experience we have had, and we are a well traveled couple.

Our guides when we touched down in Peru for each leg of our journey were true professionals and clearly enjoy what they do and have a love and knowledge of their country that created the perfect environment as we travelled around the country.

It really is a 5* guided travel service that makes you feel that at any turn you can be helped or guided with your every need. We had the privacy of beautiful hotels, private tours and being able to manage seeing places without going when it was busy with tourists.
I know that people visit Peru because of the famous Machu Picchu however there are so many more magical places that will make us return to this warm and wonderful place, this was truly helped by the expert planning from Jacada.
We will being using their travel planning services going forward.

Fiona
22nd Oct 2015
Verified order
Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Experience Debs and Neil

This has to be the best holiday that we have ever taken. From the very beginning Jonny guided us through the booking of a spectacular itinerary to suit what we wanted to see and experience during our visit to Africa.
We stayed in five different places during a two week period. Each location and accommodation were excellent, our favourite being the Lamai Serengeti Camp. The guides and accommodation staff were superb, we were made to feel very welcome and looked after.
During the holiday we enjoyed day drives, night drives, a bush walk and a balloon ride then went to relax on the beach at the Breezes Beech Club in Zanzibar for four days before flying home.
we would highly recommend Jacada Travel, in particular our African expert Jonny who booked everything for us, communicated with us throughout and made everything run like clockwork-thank you!
Debs and Neil

Debbie
22nd Oct 2015
Verified order
Amazing Vacation with Superb Attention to Detail

Wonderful vacation to South Africa with Jacada Travel. Trip planning by Byron was thoughtful, innovative and responsive. We achieved all that we wanted to plus lots of additional experiences along the way that only true experts on South Africa would be able to recommend and provide. The trip itself was flawless. Every driver and private tour guide was on time, professional and friendly. Each of the hotels, resorts and safari camps was excellent. But equally as important as the luxury accommodations and gourmet food was the chance to see and experience aspects of the real South Africa and feel that we had a chance to meet its people and, however briefly, be part of its world. We have no hesitation in recommending Jacada Travel and will use them again in the future.

Susan
21st Oct 2015
Verified order
Jacada is fabulous! Trustworthy and reliable!

As a travel agent, I’ve booked several trips through Jacada and every experience has been a pleasure. All team members are extremely knowledgeable, professional and lovely in demeanor. I will surely continue to partner with Jacada to ensure seamless journeys for my clients.

Lagomarsino
04th Oct 2015
Verified order
Absolutely the Best

If you want a seamless dream vacation the best travel agency for that is Jacada. Nothing but good things to say about this company and their employees. Especially Tessa van der Walt.

Heather
29th Sep 2015
Verified order
South Africa 2015

Thanks to Byron and Alec with Jacada we had a fantastic trip visiting Cape Town, Sabi Sands, Zambia and Botswana. There recommendations on where to stay and excursions were perfect- from Manna Bay in Cape Town to Londolozi in Sabi Sands (saw the wild dogs) to Royal Chundu (Zambia) and finally to Duba Plains. Fantastic!!!

Tod
26th Sep 2015
Verified order
A Memorable Safari

It’s one of the most relaxing vacations we had.
The itinerary and locations were timed perfect. The accommodations and their location were amazing, we could watch animals while sipping our morning coffee or while eating dinner.
The escort guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and we enjoyed interacting with him. The driver guides were great too. Together they made every effort irrespective of time to meet our expectations.
The food was wonderful and the chefs catered to our needs specially me being a vegetarian.
The flights between destinations were worth, they saved a lot on travel time.
This is our second vacation with Jacada and I think they are best in customizing a vacation.
Overall it was a dream come true Safari.

M
25th Sep 2015
Verified order
You cannot do better than this

Never in a million years did my wife and I ever think we would visit Africa as it was not on our radar
We have travelled quite a bit and had some brilliant experiences,Africa to us was just a giant Zoo,too touristy,not what we wanted
,because of our previous experience with a Jacada South American trip we new that if ever we did go to Africa then it would only be with Jacada,so we decided to swallow our pride and go for it
During our pre trip chats with Byron it was obvious to us that this was going to be special.
Not for Jacada the bog standard accomadation and tour guide.this turned out to be the trip of a lifetime purely and simply because of the quality of the guides who in my opinion could not be bettered,we saw things including a lion kill that other groups missed out on because of our guides patience and knowledge even the small things such as identifying every bird that we saw
As far as accomodation goes,we do like our comfort and are discerning as far as hotels and lodges go the 4 lodges we stayed in were amazing once again down to the quality of the staff,we were overwhelmed by the friendliness and pure efficiency by everybody,maybe that is a natural trait of Tanzanians
Listening to all of my friends and family who have done safaris in the past no matter how hard they could not convince us
I do not think that any other company could top what Jacada did for us,they may not be cheap but you only get what you pay for is our experience in life
What I think is also important is that my wife and I are in our mid sixties yet we found the whole safari experience with Jacada incredibly comfortable and a pure joy

Rawlins
24th Sep 2015
Verified order
Our First Safari in South Africa

Going into our first safari to South Africa, my husband and I were a little intimidated. Throughout the planning phases, Jacada was very accommodating and made us feel at ease. Once we arrived to South Africa, everything was an absolute delight. From the transportation to the accommodation, everything went according to plan and flowed so smoothly. Traveling with Jacada gave us peace of mind throughout our entire trip and we were definitely pleasantly surprised. I would like to use them again in the future and will highly recommend it to others.

Linda
24th Sep 2015
Verified order
Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari – a first rate experience.

Some thoughts regarding the climb: The guides and staff were excellent. Jacada truly arranged a luxurious climb. My son and I had a support staff of 28 to accompany us on our climb. I have nothing but positive thoughts regarding the staff, meals and accommodations. It was as comfortable as possible, given the circumstances and challenges of climbing Kilimanjaro. As for the climb itself, there were two difficult aspects; a) breathing at the high altitude and b) the hike on the day you summit is very difficult and requires a positive attitude to make it to the top. Besides those, the hardest thing for me, was the temperature at night. We woke up one morning with ice covering our sleeping bags. But, we wore plenty of layers and managed to sleep. Overall it was a fantastic lifetime experience and being with my son, made it extra special.

What can I say about the safari? It was beyond expectations in terms of luxurious accommodations and seeing – up close – all of the wildlife of the Serengeti. If I had to pick a favorite lodge, which is a difficult choice, I would select the experience at Faru Faru at the Grumeti Game Reserve. The accommodations were spectacular, the intimacy of the lodge we particularly enjoyed, and the staff was outstanding. We loved the experience of being able to go off road to view the animals. We were able to get so close and see the wildlife without binoculars. Sometimes a little too close. HAHA. However, having said that, please don’t take away any negative thoughts about Serengeti Lamai or Ngongorgoro Crater Lodge. All three were spectacular experiences. The Ngongorgoro Lodge was really something special. All three of our safari guides – we rate as excellent. They were polite, knowledgeable and took excellent care of us. We were extremely lucky in that we saw the big five, a cheetah kill, four river crossings (one that lasted over 30 minutes) and a crocodile kill. An outstanding safari and trip.

The Legendary Lodge in Arusha was a great place to base our trip. The lodge and staff were outstanding and took very good care of us.

Thank you for your help in arranging a fantastic trip.

Ranae
11th Sep 2015
Verified order
They were always helpful and professional

I thought Jacada travel were very professional and helpful with anything from planning the trip ,transfer and what activities to do.

Jens
05th Sep 2015
Verified order
Bucket List Trip to Machu Picchu

We just returned from an amazing 11 day vacation to Peru from the U.S. We toured Cusco & Lima, hiked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, biked the country-side of the Sacred Valley, all while staying at beautiful and well appointed hotels. George at Jacada did an excellent job of turning our bucket list dream into reality. I can’t wait for our next adventure.

Falana
04th Sep 2015
Verified order
Jacada did an extraordinary job in creating an amazing trip to Africa

What an amazing trip to Africa! Jacada designed a truly amazing itinerary for us and accommodated our unique requests while also planning a few unexpected extraordinary extras for us like a surprise birthday safari dinner campout under the stars in Malawi’s MVuu park for our family and travel partners. Jacada exceeded our expectations for a luxury vacation in Africa: where we visited Rwanda and experienced 2 days of gorilla Trecking , Malawi where we were awed by the elephants and hippos on a boat safari, and Kenya where we caught the start of the great migration. We were greeted at the airport at each of our destinations and at all times were in the care of wonderful guides, drivers, and staff.
It was truly stress free and although we covered a lot in 2 weeks, we came back rested, charged, and with fantastic memories. The accommodations were all wonderful, the guides very knowledgable and friendly, and the seamless flow of the trip perfect.
Jacada accommodated all of our unique requests, while also putting in some wonderful experiences we wouldn’t have known to even ask for. They truly customize your vacation to your personal wants and needs, and provide exceptional service throughout from start to finish. Jacada’s expertise in personalized travel ensured we had an extraordinary vacation that exceeded expectations, and were filled with memories of a life time. We will definitely use Jacada again for our future travel. We were truly impressed and grateful. Thanks to Jonny for the planning, and Byron for the photography advice.

Molly
31st Aug 2015
Verified order
Trip of a lifetime for my family

Our family had a wonderful experience at every location set up for our safari trip in South Africa. We were able to customize to our desires. Londolozi Camp was fantastic and we saw all the animals we had hoped to see. Moving on to Victoria Falls was a nice change of pace and a unique wonder to behold. Lastly in Botswana, our stay in the Okavango Delta was great. Both Stanley Camp and Chief Camp offered unique viewing experiences. We learned so much about animals seeing the big five and many many more. There is nothing like the star light sky or the glorious sunsets. The people were wonderful and the food very tasty. If you want a luxury but outdoor exhilarating experience this trip will exceed your expectations. Jacada did all this to make it possible. We thank them for all their organization and follow up during the trip to make sure all was going smoothly. Thanks to Jonny for his help in making this the trip of a lifetime.

Valerie
17th Aug 2015
Verified order
Perfect!!

As a self planner, I was a little skeptical about using a travel agency. However, for our Inca Trail hike it was necessary. Jacada Travel was perfect in every way. Our guide couldn’t have been any better. He had amazing knowledge and was so much fun. Everyone from our travel agent George to our porters to driver took excellent care of us. Our accommodations were 5 star. We’ll be using Jacada when we plan our safari!

Sally
12th Aug 2015
Verified order
Great adventure

Well planned and well executed.

Wendy
12th Aug 2015
Verified order
Peru and Ecuador

Jacada are simply outstanding. From the first call right through to the end of your trip and beyond. The level of customer service is breath-taking. We dealt with Ciara and she could not have been more helpful. Her level of knowledge was excellent leading to a very relaxing, thoroughly enjoyable holiday. On first glance they may appear to be quite expensive, however it soon becomes apparent Jacada are outstanding value for money once you experience the end result. We could not hold them in higher regard nor recommend them enough. We will definitely book our next big trip through them again

Sam
11th Aug 2015
Verified order
New Zealand Family on Safari- (Savannah Lodge and Ngala Lodge-Sabi Sands and Kruger National Park

We are a family of four, -including two adults plusTeenagers from New Zealand.
We are widely travelled and have been frankly disappointed with the minimal level of service we have, in the past received from travel agents/planners, who have usually offered very much “predictable packages”, without any feedback/experience of the properties, and offering no information we couldn’t find out for ourselves.
Our experience with Jacada was totally the opposite .We travelled to South Africa on a safari, and from the pre planning to arriving back home afterwards, every detail was taken care of with close attention to our requests and preferences, uniqueness, a bespoke character, and an indescribable level of luxury at the Lodge properties we stayed at.If you are price sensitive, Jacada’s costings will probably give you an initial shock, however, they do indicate price ranges on their beautiful website, and they work with luxury products and properties.Thanks to Jonny for putting the glamour back into travel- his enthusiasm is infectious, and his personal experience of these properties and of safari travel is very specialised- it is his core business, so you are dealing with someone whose total focus is on this type of travel.
Jacada- highly recommended, a very positive experience- I wish they offered more destinations, as I loved the experience of being personally met, greeted and guided through the initial stages of arriving in a new country/city.
We’ll be back!

Rosalind
11th Aug 2015
Verified order
Galapagos Trip on the Oceanspray

Our trip to the Galapagos Islands was one of our top trips that we have taken. Everything was amazing! The boat and service was top notch. Once there everyday life is forgotten and you are in paradise with wildlife that you will not encounter so closely anywhere else.

Working to schedule the trip with Jacada was so easy and they had the answers we needed. From beginning to the end of booking our trip, we felt it was going to be one of a lifetime and it certainly was. In the future, we would book another trip through Jacada.

Scott
29th Jul 2015
Verified order
Myanmar

My trip in Myanmar was fantastic. Jacada Travel did a superb job.
I do a lot of travel to far-flung places and I’ve used a few tour packagers.p over the years. OThis trip to Myanmar was different because I wanted to travel solo and at my pace. I knew nothing about Jacada and discovered them on the Web. As an American female traveler in Asia, I felt i needed a little extra personal attention and a couple of special arrangements so I was willing to spend a few extra dollars for comfort and safety. My agent at Jacada proved to be excellent: She listened carefully to all my advance special requests–from budgetary concerns to unique sightseeing excursions. Most hotels were on the luxury side which was a treat; I was promptly met at every airport transfer by a professional rep with driver; and the recommended daily itinerary was stimulating and relaxing. I had highly intelligent and informative guides who were really wonderful to spend time with.
Would I recommend Jacada Travel? –You bet I would.

NYC
24th Jul 2015
Verified order
Amazing Safari Honeymoon by Jacada Travel

Jacada has been so easy to work with, we felt they arranged a very personalised 11 night trip. We are first time Safari tourists and are not accustomed to outdoor environments for long periods of time.

Pretrip:
-Joyce@Jacada quickly assessed the type of accommodation we should be best paired with within our budget, and the order we should visit the camps, to give us the smoothest entry into the Safari life. I am now so grateful the bulk of the trip was not the bucket shower type of camp (I previously thought “no problem”!).
-She personally visited these camps so if I had a particular question about the camp she could answer me almost immediately based on her experience. She also had a lot of little traveller tips for us to ask for/try at the camps to make the most of our stay.

During the trip:
-Jacada arranged for someone to meet us inside the airport and take us through the customs.
-Joyce left us greeting notes at every camp, it was a very thoughtful touch. Also thank you Jacada for the little gift bag at the beginning of the trip, the fleece scarf was so handy, my husband used it every day on game drive as he underestimated how cold it would be and didn’t pack one. Somehow you thought one step ahead and guessed we might need it but forgot it?!
-Joyce especially arranged alot of “extras”, we felt like special guests at all the lodges. e.g. private game drives at private concessions/camps that run shared game drives, upgraded rooms, we were always allocated the rooms with the best views, honeymoon dinners – there was another couple on honeymoon at the Crater Lodge, but their dinner table was not fancily decorated and by the fireplace like ours.
– Zero logistic problems despite a hectic schedule
– Assigning the very best guides who were funny, charming, and very experienced. We caught some spectacular moments, and we shared some very funny stories that will remain in our hearts forever.

Post trip:
-A very welcome back email, and a followup lunch to ensure the trip was what we expected!! It WAS, and so much more.

Thank you to Joyce and the Jacada team for the professional and personalised adventure.

Jacqueline
21st Jul 2015
Verified order
The best travel company by far

On July, 2015 our family traveled to Iceland with Jacada. It was by far the best trip we have ever gone on. Tours and activities were perfectly organized, individually tailored to our interests and every day was awesome. Our guide, Eythor, was incredibly knowledgeable, listened to us and added unique activities based on our interests (including finding a local zoo for our boys once he saw how much they liked animals and a pizzeria once we started feeling a bit homesick for NY food). I will definitely travel with Jacada next time around.

Lorna
17th Jul 2015
Verified order
Jacada: Travel agency used by 6 person NYC family

Jacada planned and executed our vacation to Myanmar and Thailand with brilliance and perfection. We were so happy with Kate, our planner, and Alec our concierge. Myanmar is a tricky country to navigate, and their plans, guides, agendas, and hotels were all perfect. Arrangements were flawless. We can’t wait to use Jacada again!

Steve
17th Jul 2015
Verified order
Peru with Jacada

My husband and I just returned from a magical trip to Peru- expertly planned from beginning to end by George with help from Susann at Jacada. Our guides were just terrific- responsive and outstandingly informative. And we can’t rave enough about Peruvian cuisine and the restaurants George recommended. We feel so fortunate to have experienced magnificent Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Lima – our trip simply couldn’t have been better.

Ehrenkranz
02nd Jul 2015
Verified order
A beautiful experience!

Jonny at Jacada helped my friend and I create the trip of a lifetime! Every detail was meticulously planned. I would recommend them in a heartbeat and can’t wait to use them again for my next adventure.

Amanda
25th Jun 2015
Verified order
S. Africa

Everything was superb, except for a guide in Franschoek named Leslie. She immediately shared her “world view” on controversial topics without knowing us at all; it was very off-putting. She also lacked basic knowledge of several local topics, with a typical response of “you’ll have to Google that,” rather than saying she would find out and get back to us later in trip.

Ron
25th Jun 2015
Verified order
Truely out of this world honeymoon planned for us by Jacada Travel

We wanted an amazing trip for our honeymoon to Malaysia and Borneo, we contacted Jacada Travel and from that moment on our travel advisor, Rachel was extremely helpful. She planned our trip based on what we had said we were looking for and even suggested things we’d not heard of to try.

Our experience from start to finish on the trip was just fantastic. All of our guides were waiting for us as expected whenever we moved to a new place and the guides were so passionate and friendly which really made or whole experience special.

John
25th Jun 2015
Verified order
Wonderful trip to Costa Rica

My family and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. George and everyone at Jacada were so quick to respond to any questions. They listened carefully to what I said we wanted to do on this trip and planned a great itinerary for us. Jacada made having a memorable, amazing
family trip so easy and enjoyable for us. I would highly recommend them to anyone! We will be using them again, for sure.

Sarah
08th Jun 2015
Verified order
Excellent trip!

Everything was perfect start to finish. I was well looked after and everything happened as the Rachel had outlined. The hotels were excellent and the tour guide was always well prepared. It could not have been better planned. I had an amazing time!

Kaitlin
05th Jun 2015
Verified order
Jacada is one of the best companies we have had the privelge to work with.

From the very first communication Ciara and Susanne were a delight to work with. Our initial inquiry was for a 3 week trip to Peru and the Galapagos. The proposed program submitted to us was the right length, and it took two revisions to set the quality and standard of accommodation we wanted. The Galapagos offers a variety of ships. Wanting something larger we settled on the Silver Galapagos which offered a range of creature, that met our needs. From our arrival in Lima until our departure from Quito we were met by fantastic guides, and drivers. The knowledge of the guides and service provided everywhere was terrific. Every hotel booked was far better than expected, and the service everywhere was perfect. Little things like receiving a personal note at every hotel from Ciara with personal recommendations of things to see and do, and local restaurants to visit was an added bonus, and a great welcome everywhere we went.
Personal service and detail is something Jacada have perfected. Our travel experience was nothing short of amazing. Everyone wants that dream vacation. Dream vacations have, however to be first created. Ciara, Susanne and the Jacada team did that for us. “Brilliant”

DeHaan
25th May 2015
Verified order
Incredible honeymoon thanks to Emily Opie with Jacada

Incredible honeymoon at Fazenda Catuçaba and Pousada Picinguaba through Jacada Travel thanks to Emily Opie
My wife and I had an unbelievable honeymoon at Fazenda Catuçaba and Pousada Picinguaba for 8 nights in April. Our Latin American Travel Designer from Jacada Travel, Emily Opie, was absolutely incredible. She worked with us for months to ensure we got the perfect trip. We had plans to be near Sao Paulo for a few days after the honeymoon, so Ms. Opie scoured the South American continent for places for us to go. Our trip was a bit difficult to plan because we were bringing our dog with us. Emily worked so hard to try and make Argentina work, but even with a doctor’s note, no domestic airlines in Argentina would allow us to book, so she went back to the drawing board and found us these fabulous two spots in Brazil, that turned out to be heaven on earth. I don’t even want to know the number of hours and the contacts Emily had to make, but she never gave us and she was so kind. Upon our arrival at the Sao Paulo airport we were greeted by a driver, who allowed us to the opportunity to go to the bathroom and exchange money. We didn’t touch our baggage. We took the drive out of the city into the countryside that eventually led us onto a dirt road to Fazenda Catuçaba. When we entered the gates of the Fazenda we knew we had reached paradise. We were immediately greeted by the hotel manager, Marcel who told the driver where to take our luggage and then led us to the main house for snacks and drinks. When we went to our room we found our bags put away and rose petals scattered all about the room. Our room was fabulous and very spacious. We had no issues with mosquitos, so we were able to leave our windows open at night to allow the cool breeze in. If needed we would have been provided fans for warmer nights and a fire on cooler nights, but neither were necessary. We had a very comfortable and large King size bed and a beautiful bathroom with both a large two person shower and deep tub. I’ve seen reviews of people complaining that you have to throw toilet paper in the garbage can, but the garbage was always cleaned so it wasn’t an issue at all. I applaud the Fazenda for working hard to protect the environment. Though we were given a nice snack upon our arrival we went and had a late lunch in the dining room. We were always given a little nook that was to itself so that we could have a romantic private dining experience. Our only dining guest was the occasional friendly cat that would come by for a visit. Lunch was served either in the dining room, the porch, or in the front yard under the trees. Our lunches and dinners ranged from zucchini soup, seasoned beets, okra, carrot, green bean, and potatoes amongst other things. We had great vegetable crepes, baked chicken, fish, shish kabobs, pork chops, and the best steak we’ve ever eaten. The desserts were incredible (pies, orange cheesecake, puddings, caramel drizzled bananas, apple tart (which I had to get seconds of)). Our meals were often prepared by Helo, who was a fabulous cook. She knew enough English to translate for us what we were eating (we weren’t familiar with some of the local vegetables and soups) and was so friendly to us.
We were not given a rigorous schedule and were allowed to do as we pleased when we pleased. Dinner was served over a wide period of time, giving you the flexibility to eat when you wanted. Dinner was always several courses and was far more than we could ever eat. It always included a plain lettuce salad, generally a type of soup, a main course, side dishes, and a fabulous dessert. We were asked on several occasions by Marcel, if we were okay eating a certain meal prior to them preparing it. An added bonus was that we had no cell service on the property or phones in our rooms. This was the ideal place to get away and disconnect. This disconnection proved to be part of what made the Fazenda so great. Therefore don’t come here if you plan on keeping up with your work e-mails, skyping friends, or watching YouTube, because it’s not going to happen. You’ll be all the better because of that too. We realized on the first night that the crickets would serenade us to sleep every night and that was all we needed. Some have complained that the cost of activities or meals was expensive, but by going through Jacada everyone was included, therefore we didn’t have to worry about cutting back on certain things or not doing certain things. If we wanted a snack, we got a snack. If we wanted to go on an extra trail ride, we did so.
Prior to our daily activities we would have a wonderful breakfast outside on the porch, which always involved the freshest fruits, eggs, and the most wonderful coffee and juice ever. The key to the meals is that everything is freshly grown and made on site and doesn’t have any chemicals or preservatives. We fell in love with horse riding, which we did nearly every day and in fact was the core reason we extended our stay at the Fazenda by an additional day. My wife’s horse was Catazuza (which she requested each day) and I rode two horses, one whose name was Paradiso. We were accompanied by our fabulous guide Juliette, who was so great to allow us the liberty to free ride since we are experienced riders. We on various days took trail rides that took us through the mountains, other farms, the rain forest, meadows with grazing cows, farmers homes where we were greeted by their dogs, little fields and valleys, and a perfectly hidden little gem of a waterfall, which was an awesome place to swim and relax under the falls. We even got to ride through the town of Catuçaba, which was a lot of fun on horseback. On two occasions we had picnic snakes that Marcel or a member of his staff prepared for us and had ready for us to enjoy. The tranquility of the rides was heavenly. Whether it was the parakeets singing and flying around us to the locals that we met on their farms, there was a sense of peace and old world charm you just don’t get back in the states. It seems that each day we had snacks around 11am and then around 2pm we a full lunch. Even on the day we took our hike to Nuclo Santo Virginia (one of the forests in the Atlantic rainforest), our English speaking guide Fabrico, led us several miles into the forest before he unpacked a wonderful picnic for us to enjoy on the rocks of the river. We never ever were hungry that is for sure.
We loved the lunch that was prepared for us at the lake. We spent the afternoon there and loved that the staff had prepared us blankets to tan next to the lake and a completely stocked guest house with additional snacks and drinks. Granted with as much as we had at lunch we didn’t need any snacks. We were given the option of having a driver come back and get us, but we chose to walk the 2/3 mile walk back to the Fazenda as it was so pretty. On one afternoon Marcel and Juliette arranged for us to go on a cattle drive, so we helped herd the cattle up the mountain from the Fazenda to a mountain top pasture. We were able to ride along with the cowboys and help herd the cattle past a school bus and keep them on the path. On this afternoon we went from there straight to the mountain top for our sunset picnic. Juliette laid out our wine and snacks and allowed us time to watch the sun set as the clouds came over the mountain and engulfed us with a wonderful breeze and beautiful surroundings under the really unique architectural designs. Juliette was so kind that she let us stay later than we probably were supposed to, so we ended up coming off the mountain by the moonlight and arriving back at the Fazenda long after dark. This was probably a highlight of the trip and an experience my wife will never forget. We loved hearing the horses clip clopping on the cobblestone as we came back to the Fazenda that was already lit up by the gas lights that the staff refilled each day.

We took an independent hike around the property one day. The only drawback, which wasn’t a real problem, was that the directions weren’t very clear, so we made a wrong turn, but after climbing under a fence or two we got back on the right path. You did go through pastures with high grass and bulls and cows, but none of the ever posed a problem and to me just added to the experience. We stopped back by the lake and grabbed some water and snacks and chilled out before we came back to the Fazenda for lunch.
Marcel arranged for Nilton to drive us to Sao Luis do Paratinga for an afternoon of self-touring. Though it would have been helpful to have a guide, the town really wasn’t big enough to warrant one. Nilton didn’t speak much English, but we agreed to meet back on the town square at a certain time and he gave us his card with his phone number in case we had any problems. The town was a nice little town, but didn’t have much to offer, so I wouldn’t recommend it, unless you just want to be amongst the local town people, and walk around the shops. The drives to and from the Fazenda were always neat (though a bit fast, winding, and bumpy) we always enjoyed the various things that would greet us in the road ranging from horse riders to free roaming cattle and mules.
For our final night the Fazenda arranged for us to go to a rodeo in Lagoinha. Our driver took us to the rodeo, which didn’t start until 11pm. He helped us get through the entrance since no one there spoke English and he waited until the parking lot until we were finished. Marcel even met us there to make sure we were okay and had a great time. It was very safe and there were lots of families there. It was an awesome date night and we had so much fun watching the bull riding and then dancing at the concert they had afterward with a live band.
Fazenda Catuçaba was a heavenly place and all the people (Marcel, Emily, Juliette, Nilton, Fabrico, and Helo) made it the greatest place we’ve ever stayed. Marcel is a second to none, top rated, hotel manager. He had to get over burdened as he was one of the few people who could speak English, and all of the guests seemed to speak English and utilize him for translation, but even though he was there at 8am until 9pm (and in the case of the rodeo until at least 2am) he never seemed upset, always worked hard to make sure we were taken care of, and always told us when we asked about something, “yes, it is possible.” He was a true pleasure and great asset to the Fazenda.

We spent three days at Pousada Picinguaba as the second part of our honeymoon after spending five days at Fazenda Catuçaba. We had a great driver who took us from the Fazenda right to the Pousada. The Pousada is located at the end of the road out of Ubatuba. This quaint little fishing village wasn’t bustling with tourists and traffic and had just one street in and out. The road ended at a place where the fishermen bring their daily catch and there was a little elevated walkway that took us to our house. We had a very private 3 bedroom and 3 bathroom house nestled on the winding pathway under the trees above the beach. The views were amazing and the hammock on the porch was luring especially thanks to the sound of the waves and the birds nearby. The house was filled with lots of books to read and a nice music collection. The refrigerator was filled with various drinks that we enjoyed. Some have complained that the cost of activities or meals was expensive, but by going through Jacada everything was included, therefore we didn’t have to worry about cutting back on certain things or not doing certain things. If we wanted a snack, we got a snack. If we wanted to go on an extra excursion, we did so. On a few afternoons we would order off the menu and the staff would bring us snacks of shrimp, rice, refried beans, grilled vegetables, pasta, bread, and various desserts of fruit and chocolate (so a snack was actually a full-fledged meal).
On our first afternoon we took a kayak out on the water and watched the fishermen pull in their days catch in their nets, as well as see some sea turtles come up and greet us. We weren’t as pleased by the meals at the Pousada as we were at the Fazenda, but they were still good. Some of the more exotic seafood wasn’t our thing (baby octopus and fish soup for instance), but it was buffet style next to the pool so you did get all you could eat. We didn’t care as much for the fish that we had each night, but again it was still nice dinners and the desserts were always A+ (loved the key lime and chocolate tarts). I presume that the lighting was only by small candles on each table to keep from having issues with mosquitos, but it did require us to use the flashlights on our phones to see what we were eating. That being said we never had any issues with the mosquitos. We have read where they were a big issue with others, but maybe the time was just right for us (April 12-15). We even told the staff they didn’t need to turn down the mosquito nets on our bed each night because they were no issue. It was really nice coming in from dinner each evening and having our beds prepared, shutters closed, and the air conditioning nice and cool. The master bedroom having its own air conditioning system with a remote control thermostat was a huge plus for us. They also were quick to remedy any problems we had. We were billed for two drinks that we had received one evening, but after explaining to them that they were not what we thought they would be and were not made to our liking, they didn’t charge us for them. That was very kind of them because it really was a “lost in translation” sort of thing where we asked for what we called a Strawberry daiquiri, only to find out after making one they don’t have strawberries and the drink they made us had salt along the rim and more of a tequila like taste.
The biggest highlight of staying at the Pousada was the half day excursion on their large schooner. We were taken for a wonderful trip by our captain to various beaches and islands. The young waiter that accompanied us made sure that we were completely taken care of and had all we wanted to drink. He was even able to point out certain things about various places we passed by. We absolutely loved the first island we stopped at. We were given the option to swim to shore or be taken by a small motor boat, which we did. We were able to lie out and tan on the sand and also go snorkeling. The snorkeling was really good because we saw lots of neat fish and some corral. The water was so clear you could always see the bottom. On this island there were probably no more than 7 other people there when we were, but beyond that we were by ourselves. We were taken to another island where we got to walk around on the sand and play in the water completely alone, until the captain called us back to the ship for lunch. We had wonderful sandwiches and salad. The only thing we didn’t like was the cold fish, but that was just us. They had by far the best watermelon I’ve ever eaten. We did feel slightly rushed on the cruise, but we were able to get the captain to stop at one last beach where we collected sand dollars.
The Pousada arranged for Rosa to take us to Paraty for a half day excursion with a great English speaking guide that had been reserved with Paraty tours. It was a neat town preserved in its original form. We had Italian for lunch at a nice little restaurant that our guide took us to. The Pousada also provided us with a wonderful massage the last evening we were there. We had to leave around 4:00 in the morning to get to an event near Sao Paulo and the staff made sure they took our luggage to the car and even prepared us some sandwiches to eat along the way. Our driver to our next location drove us the five hour drive safely and after dropping off my wife took me to pick up my rental car and then proceeded to work with the rental car agency to make sure that I was taken care of and had the right car. Throughout our journey we were given messages from our travel specialist at Jacada, Emily Opie, asking if we were doing well, and if there was anything we needed. Even though we went elsewhere on our trip for an event that lasted five days, Emily made sure that we had a car pick us up to take us to the airport to get home. We arrived at the pickup spot an hour late, but our driver was there waiting for us patiently and knew that we were pressed for time, so he drove extra swiftly to ensure we got on our flight. He even was very helpful in ensuring that we got our rental car returned and that they car agency we used for the few days we were independently travelling didn’t take advantage of us.

Chad
22nd May 2015
Verified order
We had very personalized service

I appreciated the pesonal attention we received from our travel agent, Tess. She was attentive to our particular travel needs and responded to our tastes. We had a wonderful trip to South Africa and Zambia, which included some of the most comfortable accomodations I’ve ever encountered. Most importantly, Tess was always available to answer questions and willing to answer all questions, and make changes when we wanted them. All of the places we stayed were ‘high end’ but they were incredible value for the cost. Absolutely wonderful! I would definitely recommend this travel service, and Tess, in particular.

Amy
21st May 2015
Verified order
A truly first class experience down to every detail!

We have traveled extensively in Western Europe and North America and have always self booked our own tours and accommodations with great success. As experienced as we are, we were out of our comfort zone with Africa. This was our first experience working with a travel agent and Jacada Travel was simply outstanding. Our agent, Tess did an excellent job interviewing us about our interests and travel style and created a spectacular, fully customized agenda for us. Every detail was covered from transfers at the airport to top notch private tours, and excellent restaurant recommendations. This was one of the best vacations we have ever been on, largely due to Jacada’s planning and execution. They truly brought our dream African vacation to life! We are already thinking about planning a future trip to South America or Antarctica with Jacada. We highly recommend Jacada travel for your African adventure!

W.
15th May 2015
Verified order
The personalized service and extraordinary insight into planning an incredible trip were unmatched.

Without reservation, my wife and I would highly recommend Byron at Jacada to plan an African trip. His instincts as to what we’d enjoy, his choice of recommended accommodations, and his personal attention to detail were unparalleled.

John
15th May 2015
Verified order
Could not have asked for anything to be better!

From the very 1st email contact until the final drop-off at the Lima airport, Jacada & its staff were EXCELLENT!! Wonderful, knowledgeable guides, spectacular hotels & restaurants, & George & the staff “behind the scenes” made everything easy. We loved our trip to Peru, & would highly recommend Jacada in the future.

Caryn
13th May 2015
Verified order
Peru Trip

During our one-week Peru vacation we visited Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. Jacada Travel did an excellent job throughout, from planning to day-to-day delivery of services during the trip. Hotels were first rate. Drivers and guides were extremely helpful, personable, professional and informative. The trip was well-planned, well-executed and within budget. My family and I enjoyed our adventure to Peru immensely, thanks in large part to Jacada Travel. We will not hesitate to use Jacada Travel again. Special thanks to Emily, who worked up the itinerary and took care of all the bookings within Peru, and to our wonderful guides, Julia and Julio. Other than purchasing our international airline tickets, we had nothing to concern ourselves with other than enjoying the fantastic sites, foods (including Pisco Sour) and people of Peru. It was truly a memorable and outstanding journey.

Tony
05th May 2015
Verified order
Attention to detail creating uniques experiences

Emily and Susann planned our trip to the Yucatan and Flores, Guatemala to explore the Maya. Working with their partner, Catherwood Travel, they put together unique experiences from the guides, meals and hotels to the many Maya ruins that we visited. Four out of six of our I guides were Professional Archaeologists. I have used Jacada in the past and will use them again.

I cannot thank Emily and Susann for their hard work and creativity enough.

Cliff Crusan

Cliff
03rd May 2015
Verified order
2 months Epic World Tour. Antarctica to Iceland Chasing The Northern Light

I would give Jacada Travel the BEST of the BEST that I could!
I and my wife took a 2 months around the world trip with Jacada travel in February – April 2015. We spent one month in South America and Antarctica and the rest in Europe.
S.America Chile – Torres Del Paine. Ecuardor – Quito – The Galapagos. Peru – Lima – Cusco – Machu Picchu. and And Antarctica!
Then we go to Switzerland. Iceland Chasing the Northern Light with our private plane!!! And continue to Norway before arrive home in Bangkok!

Everything was ince perfect and you could not feel the JACADISM feelings anywhere else!!!! That is what so special about JACADA! You feel safe and at the same time you feel so privileged. And our travel designer Jobi, and Joyce, there are so thoughtful and always think ahead for what we need and what would make it more special for us!!!
I declared to be their life long clients!
We love Jacada! And if you want a life time experience give them a call!!

Fiona
01st May 2015
Verified order
Private Brazil Tour

I had a great experience with Jacada. Their tour guides and drivers were friendly and professional. There were no issues as we moved from one area of Brazil to another. Communication between guides in different locations was seamless. Jacada delivered on all that was promised and I would use them again without reservation.

Danner
30th Apr 2015
Wonderful company!

We just came back from our two week honeymoon in Vietnam and had a fabulous time thanks to Jacada’s Rachel and Alex. They were both very attentive and responsive to our needs from the beginning and made trip planning easy and fun. They were even able to make several last minute changes to our trip after we changed our mind on a few things. They never got upset and were so accommodating. They even did everything in their power to make sure those changes did not cost us a thing! Now that’s customer service! Would use them again in a heartbeat!

Sostrin
18th Apr 2015
Verified order
Wonderful

Would definitely use Jacadatravel again, our trip was wonderful and fulfilled all our expectations…….and more.

Gill
16th Apr 2015
Verified order
Awesome!

We went to Jacada Travel to plan a trip of a lifetime to South Africa and Victoria Falls for our multi generational family and they exceeded our expectations. Every lodge they chose for our family was the perfect mix of comfortable luxury with great staff who introduced us to the culture and spirit of Africa.
We celebrated 3 birthdays during our trip and Samantha was so attentive to details that every celebration was perfect.
They also made great use of our time so we didn’t waste hours over nighting in Johannesburg waiting for a flight.
Thank you Jacada Travel!

Stephanie
16th Apr 2015
Verified order
Jacada took great care in every aspect of my trip.

From planning through execution, Jacada did an excellent job on my adventure trip to Thailand,Laos and Cambodia. They even introduced me to a Mekong River cruise which was like icing on the cake. I would use Jacada again for sure.

Steve
15th Apr 2015
Verified order
Wonderful Experience!

Travel Specialists that provide all the logistics for your dream trip. Essentially you tell them the dream trip you have in your mind and they put it together along with suggestions that you may not have thought of. A representative is waiting at airports to help with any issues including missed flights which is a great help if you are unable to speak the language. Guides and excursions are provided to fit your needs, but are flexible as it is a private journey. The dream trip with out any of the work doesn’t come cheap, but is worth every dollar spent.

Dawn
13th Apr 2015
Verified order
Jacada Travel designed the trip of a lifetime for us.

Tessa, has the impeccable ability to plan an exciting itinerary. We had eight different airline flights, and the planned assistance and transfers at each airport was very helpful and appreciated.
Each location we stayed had luxury accommodations with a wonderful restaurant. It was great experiencing such elegance and style.
Riding the Blue Train was a unique opportunity – fantastic food, amazing views and comfortable accommodations. This was opulence on rails.
The beautiful Royal Malewane safari was marvelous. We had spectacular drives and was able to see the Big 5 the first two drives.
We also enjoyed a massage at the lovely spa. The lodge is lavish, with the dining area outside with a view of the surrounding bush.
We had an amazing trip with some wonderful memories.

We highly recommend Jacada Travel.

Phyllis
Ariel view of waves breaking on a forested shoreline