Global Basecamps

My travel group of 4 used Global Basecamps to plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan and I have only incredible things to say about the company. I reached out to the company about a year before our travel dates, and over the course of that year our Japan trip representative, Laura, spent so much time with us to plan our perfect trip. We talked on the phone and emailed, and Laura was consistently a fantastic communicator. We had a general idea of what we wanted to do in Japan, but what I most impressed with was the knowledge Laura had of the country. She listened to the types of activities that our group enjoys doing, then she provided spot-on recommendations for our trip. I can honestly say that if it weren't for Global Basecamps then we would have missed out on so many incredible parts of Japan. They planned a 2 week trip for us that included the big cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), but also includes so many rural areas and small towns that were just beautiful (Takayama, Hakone). Laura also recommended and planned a 3 day hike through the Kumano Kodo area, which we had never heard of until speaking with her. This allowed us to escape to nature while on our trip and soak in the Japanese countryside. Global Basecamps took care of literally all of our logistics--hotels, ryokans, trains, buses, taxis, etc. We were provided a full, easy-to-read itinerary prior to our start date, and we used these guides throughout the trip. The guides provided our logistics information as well as restaurant and sightseeing recommendations for every city. This was a great resource for us. We were provided local contacts during our trip so at any point if we had a question or need we had someone to reach out to. The level of service provided was spectacular. Global Basecamps provided us personalized service, superb trip planning, and ultimately a Japanese trip that we will never forget. I cannot recommend this company enough. If you are looking to plan something incredible then use Global Basecamps.

We have used Global Basecamps for a trip Kenya and to Peru. Both trips were amazing. Global Basecamps did an excellent job organizing the trip for us. They are very good at creating a custom trip for your specific travel goals. They are extremely responsive and patient (we always have a ton of questions!). We just booked another trip to Vietnam with Global Basecamps for later this year! Yay! For all three trips we used Meagan Yash as our contact and she is GREAT!

Global Basecamps planned an incredible trip for our family to the Galapagos Islands and Mainland Ecuador. The itinerary was fantastic and the experiences were authentic and special. We swam with white tipped reef sharks, kayaked, snorkeled with sea lions, and thoroughly enjoyed our time in The Galapagos. We had a great stay in the treehouses at Galapagos Magic and enjoyed a couple nights by the water at Finch Bay. Our trip on the mainland included visits to Guayaquil, Cuenca, Quito, and Zuleta. Highlights included the drive from Guayaquil to Cuenca (with a beautiful hike in Cajas National Park en route) and our time in Zuleta. Zuleta was magical - the setting was gorgeous. The Global Basecamps team was amazing pre-trip and throughout our trip - we were very appreciative for all that they did to make our trip perfect.

Two weeks in Thailand and Global Basecamps nailed it! Allison Tucker really took the time to understand what kind of experience our family was looking for and then revised our itinerary accordingly until it was perfect. Our trip had everything... discovery, culture, active adventure and always a wonderful boutique hotel to return to at the end of the day. She even sent us off with a list of personal restaurant recommendations. Above and beyond in every way. We will definitely be calling these folks again for our next vacation.

This is the best travel company! I booked trips to Tanzania and Japan with Lauren H. and her attention to detail was amazing! Truly once in a lifetime journeys that I will never forget. I especially like that they work with local travel specialist that really know everything that their destination has to offer and the service was exemplary. I my heart was warmed when we visited the children at a local Masai school that Global Basecamps and their local vendors sponsor. The children were so happy about the suitcase full of school supplies that we brought. Such a special memory!

We have nothing but positive things to say about our trip to Japan that was planned by Laura H. at Global Basecamps. The itinerary was perfect and we felt that we were able to see and experience so much in just two weeks. Laura was very responsive and answered all of our questions very promptly via email or phone. We received info-packs prior to our departure that allowed us to feel well prepared and plan our daily activities. Everything flowed seamlessly, from airport transfers, to hotel check-ins, to guided tours. The hotels were all nice and comfortable with very helpful staff. We had the opportunity to visit Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Yokohama. Our guided tours in Tokyo and Kyoto and our bike tour in Kyoto were all outstanding. The timing of our trip allowed us to see the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom. We also got to experience a baseball game. We honestly cannot think of anything that Global Basecamps could have done better. We highly recommend them and are already starting to plan our next trip with them!

We scheduled a trip to Thailand through Global Basecamps and the service, recommended accommodations and in-country travel arrangements were excellent. I would use Global Basecamps for any upcoming trips and would have no problem recommending to anyone looking for a trip to Southeast Asia, India or Africa. Everyone was extremely responsive and the coordination of in-country assistance and knowledge about Thailand was unparalleled. Loved our recommended itinerary and loved our trip! Global Basecamps made it happen.

I just returned from a Global Basecamps trip to Japan including Tokyo, Kyoto and Hakone. Laura H put together a personalized tour package for me. She listened to my preferences and followed through on every one. Her attention to detail was much appreciated. The trip package included all accommodations, necessary transit passes (trains/subways/buses), and advanced tickets to requested venues. Our private guided tours in Tokyo and Kyoto were great. And as luck would have it, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom everywhere. It was beautiful. I highly recommend Global Basecamps and look forward to future trips with them.

What a great experience with Global Basecamps. We used them for 2 trips to Africa and they were both amazing. Every detail was taken care of and nothing was missed. Follow up and communication is awesome. They are certainly travel experts.

I worked with Andres and he planned the most wonderful trip for my two children and me. We did the Classic Inka Trail Trek and spent a total of 8 days in Peru. I haven't done a lot of traveling outside the US and had never taken an 'adventure vacation' so I relied on Andres for everything from selecting the perfect hotels to what to pack for the hike. His advice was perfect! The pre-trip information was really helpful, each hotel and excursion was exactly what I was hoping it would be and the trip went off flawlessly. I would use Global Basecamps again in a second - I certainly hope I get the chance to plan many more trips with their assistance.

Michelle coordinated an absolutely amazing trip to Thailand for my mom and I. She handled every detail except the flights. Her expertise, responsiveness and ability to put me at ease made this a great experience. This was my first time using any sort of travel company and I'm so mad that I didn't do it earlier. Michelle was able to create and coordinate the trip of our dreams. There is no way it would have gone so smoothly if I had planned it! The guides, hotels and tours were all wonderful. I will never plan an international trip without GBC!

I had not known about Global Basecamps until I found them while searching for tour arrangements to Peru. Their responsiveness and pre-planning were superb, and we just returned from our November 2019 trip. Global Basecamps exceeded our expectations in every dimension. The hotels were lovely, comfortable, very service oriented, and so well located. The meals were delicious, and the arrangements -- airport transfers, luggage transfers, bus, train, and other entry tickets were flawless.

Our tour guides, Juan Carlos and Erick, our driver, and local tour manager were highly skilled, knowledgeable, engaging, and extremely helpful.

The whole itinerary was perfectly structured. The earlier Inca sites built up to our days at Machu Picchu and the timing of the two day entrance MP permits worked perfectly. The Inca spirits smiled on us and we had great weather -- it only rained when we were inside eating or at night!

We will definitely ask Global Basecamps to arrange our next adventure.

My wife and I wanted to thank everyone at Global Basecamps for helping create an absolutely incredible trip for us. Your recommendations and suggestions were spot on and the accommodations were amazing! We particularly enjoyed the Cross Hotel in Osaka (quite possibly the nicest and most modern hotel we've ever stayed at and the breakfast was GREAT!) and the Best Western Hotel Kyoto (fantastic service and an excellent location). Soaking in the gardens, culture and history of Japan was what we wanted from our vacation and it more than met our expectations!

The trip as a whole was phenomenal and the in-country guides (Makoto in Tokyo and Tadashi in Kyoto) were exceptional. Tada especially was great, he was very funny and knowledgeable about Japan and its intriguing (and sometimes downright crazy!) history. The country and the people were incredible and having the guides with us was icing on the cake. Both of those gentlemen are incredible individuals and we are very thankful to have met them.

Our itinerary was very well organized and everyone at GBC was very patient with my many requests. We couldn't have asked for a more friendly, understanding, and professional group when designing and overseeing our vacation. The prices were more than competitive for the amount of services and assistance offered. Definitely one of the best trips we have ever had, we have been (and will continue to) recommend Global Basecamps to our friends and family for all of their travel needs!

Thank you all again for a wonderful trip and we will look forward to utilizing your services again in the future!

We just returned from the most incredible adventure through the Galapagos and the Ecuadorian Andes that Global Basecamps planned for us. From the beginning, Andres, our US liaison, kept us informed and made sure we gained the most from our experience. In-country, the guides were fantastic! They were knowledgeable, courteous, and passionate about their country. The hostels and hotels we stayed in were warm and welcoming, and our hosts were gracious and accommodating. Needless to say, I want to go back, and I want to work with the same people who took me to Ecuador the first time! There is still so much to see and I am confident that Global Basecamps can get me there!

Three couples just returned from two and a half weeks in Japan, arranged by Global Basecamps.

When we decided to visit Japan, we wanted to be on our own but needed advice in designing and facilitating an itinerary. GBC did each phase very well.

Designing an itinerary: Laura Hagler listened well, recognized our interests and presented us with a proposal that included a variety of environments, including hiking a pilgrimage route in the mountains south of Kyoto from onsen to onsen, and visits to a lovely mountain village, Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto. Travel days were held to a minimum.

The accommodations, breakfasts, guides and transportation were very good quality. Hotels were very well chosen for excellent locations, usually very close to stations.

The detailed itinerary with specific details of train departures, etc was extremely well thought out and presented.

We learned how valuable a local contact can be: when we got to the airport to leave Tokyo, I realized that my cellphone was missing. I called the hotel, who had it. When we got home, I called Laura who activated the Japan office who took over and have sent the phone on its way. Excellent customer service!!

So, they did excellent jobs at each step of the trip.

Japan is an amazing place to visit, heartily recommend it for people from a wide variety of interests, food, fashion, gardens, societal structures, architecture, art, etc. Trekking from onsen to onsen is a wonderful experience,

I had an outstanding experience when I booked my honeymoon in Japan through Global Basecamps. From start to finish, the customer service was above and beyond and we had the smoothest travel experience possible. I worked with Laura Hagler to plan and finalize our trip and she was excellent; thorough, responsive, patient, and full of great ideas.

The level of care and detail shown to all our bookings to maximize the experience was apparent throughout. Aside from the very detailed travel packet and travel instructions we received, we were always pleasantly surprised to find out that our reserved seats on all our buses and trains gave us the best views possible. We had the unforgettable experience of seeing Mt. Fuji from our shinkansen and we would have missed it if we'd been seated on the other side of the train.

Finally, Global Basecamps went above and beyond when I ended up needing to see a doctor while in Japan. Navigating a foreign healthcare system when you don't speak the language is pretty terrifying, but everyone at GB and at their partner organization in Japan worked with incredible speed and care to get me to a local clinic and get me back on my feet. They even put someone on the phone to translate for me at the doctor's office, and followed up with me to make sure I was being taken care of and make sure I was feeling better. What could have been a honeymoon disaster ended up being a very small hiccup and I was incredibly grateful for the support.

I truly cannot recommend Global Basecamps enough. We had an unforgettable honeymoon and we plan to go through Global Basecamps for all our travel in the future. Thank you times a million to Laura and the GB team!!

Our trip to Japan went very well, and met our expectations completely, and even exceeded them at times. We liked the varied selection of hotels, and always they were as described. We most enjoyed the Ryokan in Takayama, not surprisingly. We loved the building and baths, and were especially impressed with the renovation - beautifully done and making for very comfortable conditions. The inn keepers were so kind and welcoming, gracefully explaining the "house rules," such as where not to wear shoes, and that our meals would be served in our room. The meals were incredible.

All our guides were good, but we most enjoyed and appreciated the expertise of our guide in Kyoto, Yayoi Ooka. She was well-informed and most personable. We felt we became friends by the end of the tour. She showed us the real gems of the city, and how to get around on the buses and subway.

We weren't sure ahead of time about the visit to the Tondaya Machiya, but ended up liking this excursion very much because the young woman who did the tea ceremony (along with an extensive tour of the historic home) was exceedingly serious, knowledgable and professional.

We liked the order of visits to the various cities, because we felt we saw a range of life and geography in Japan. We liked the combination of public transportation you put together, and so appreciated having many of the tickets ahead of time. We did a lot of walking which we wanted to do. So, the rigor was just right.

We recently took a 3 week trip to Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It was a trip of a lifetime! Before finding Global Basecamps, we knew where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see and do in Africa, but couldn't find anyone who would plan this three country trip together in the time frame we wanted. We were so fortunate to find Global Basecamps, especially Meg Yash! Meg attentively listened to our ideas and said without a doubt she could make it happen, and she did!!! During the planning stage, Meg always made herself available and took the time to address our questions, making us feel like we were her only clients! She expertly planned our itinerary with accommodations and excursions that best fit our needs. Our trip was so personally tailored to who we are as travelers and Meg went out of her way to make sure our trip was what we always dreamed of! Our itinerary was executed flawlessly with travel arrangements that included many different carriers and spanned multiple countries. Our 3 week trip to Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa was AMAZING and we will have memories that will last forever! Thank you Meg, for making our dreams come true! We will, without a doubt, plan our next adventure with Meg at Global Basecamps.

We just returned from a trip to Peru (Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley). Sometimes using the internet to book a trip like this can be risky. In this case, Global Basecamps GREATLY exceeded our expectations. The local guide service that they booked us through was fabulous. When we booked the trip, the cost seemed very reasonable for what we expected. In actual fact, we almost felt a little decadent for how we were treated. We just had three of us in our group but we ended up with a total of 7 porters (1 head porter and 6 porters), a chef (who was amazing!) and a guide. The guide was fluent in English, Spanish and Quechua so communication was completely easy. He advised us every step of the way but made sure to tailor his advice to the specific interests we had. This was truly a trip of a lifetime and we owe a huge debt of thanks to Global Basecamps and InkaNaturaTrails (the company Global booked us with in Peru). I would not hesitate an instant to use Global Basecamps again.

I worked with Lauren at Global Basecamps to plan a trip to Peru and she was fantastic! She responded promptly with great options and was very thorough in answering all of my questions. I ended up taking the best trip of my life so far and would definitely recommend her services to everyone!