Vaya Adventures

Fantastic experience: My family likes to travel and we don’t usually use travel agents. Made an exception in this case because Dervla made such an effort to get to know my family and what we enjoy. The trip she created was perfect for us and stands as the favorite of all our travels. Vaya and Dervla are outstanding.

Fantastic experience: Our trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos, booked through VAYA Adventures was fabulous! I can't say enough about our daily guides who were thoughtful, expert, and amazingly knowledgeable about everything! Loved the daily excursions and the experience of seeing the wildlife in their natural habitat was really wonderful! Vaya's Gabrielle was delightful and extremely helpful. I really asked her a lot of questions, (even feared I was a pest for my inquiries), yet she always responded with immediate replies and totally helpful information! I am ready to book another VAYA trip through her. Really appreciate all she did for us!

Fantastic experience: This was our second trip with Vaya Adventures and once again they did not disappoint! Gareth worked with us to put together a memorable trip to Jordan & Egypt. We went in February and there were no safety issues at all. From our arrival in Cairo to our departure in Amman we had an extremely positive experience with all our guides, drivers, the locals, hotels and their staff, food and of course all the historical sites. Gareth was wonderful to work with! He is very knowledgeable about the area and always made himself available to answer questions and accommodate any requests we had. He was even able to get us into the new Grand Egyptian Museum which is not yet open to the public. When you work with Vaya they design an itinerary with your interests and activity level in mind. They also have a fantastic phone app that has everything you need for your trip right at your finger tips. They always provide top notch guides and wonderful accommodations. I cannot recommend Vaya Adventure enough and all our future trips will be with them.

Fantastic experience: We had the most memorable time on our trip to South Africa with Vaya and felt completely safe and taken care of the entire time! Our two hotels were absolutely incredible! Heather was great and knew exactly what we wanted – it was like she had known us for years. The food and experience is what we would have picked for ourselves the whole time. Our hotels were magnificent and we really enjoyed how the whole trip was structured.

Fantastic experience: Without a doubt this was the most organized, well-run trip we have ever experienced. Our tour guide in Cape Town for the Cape Point Peninsula tour was exceptional, a local with a front of knowledge the limits of which we never found. Fast forward to Leopard Hills and our safari - here are located the most friendly and courteous people you could ever wish to meet. The food was exceptional (and ever present!). Our guides amazed us with their knowledge and enthusiasm, and the trackers are something to behold, also happy and kind and willing to chat, answer questions, and teach us everything we want to know. Every desire that we expressed in our initial sketch of what we wanted was handled and met, and Gareth/Stephanie never failed to respond quickly to any contact/email. I have already asked them about preparing us for our next trip.

Fantastic experience: This is a fabulous, first class tour company!! From the first conversation with Gabrielle Venturi to the end of the trip many months later, every interaction and detail organized was top notch. We had never had an individualized tour before and now we won't travel any other way. The accommodations, guides, food, and touring experiences were first class. We felt completely safe in South America and extremely well taken care of all along the way. You must check them out for any travel!! Bravo, VAYA Adventures! You're the best!

Fantastic experience: We have worked with Vaya on many trips over the last 15 years and would not go anywhere else to plan a trip, if they offer a location we’re considering! Our friends are usually quick converts after one trip with Vaya. Last trip was to the Amazon in Ecuador. As always( Liz) we really appreciate your attention to detail. You were absolutely right about every point you made. Hacienda Zuletta was definitely not to be missed, and I am so glad we listened to your recommendation and stayed there. Napo was a life-changing experience. Our guide Delfin was absolutely incredible. If you have an option to recommend a guide for your future clients, please request him.

Fantastic experience: Vaya Adventures planned an incredible, adventurous once in a life time family trip for us across Peru (Ollataytambo, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lima) and Ecuador (Quito, Galapagos Islands). Gabrielle Venturi patiently worked with me for nearly 1.5 years to ensure that my family's preferences are met. I have 2 boys (14, 9) who are active and adventurous, and needed an itinerary that mixed in the exciting excursions alongside with the historical/cultural learning tours. We wanted a balance of both. And wow, I was impressed with just how perfect the agenda was for our family!! There were lots of food tastings, hands-on activities, cultural tours, nature walks, museum/historical site visits, and everything was seamless, from air, to land, to sea. We never had to worry if someone would pick us up, or if a tour guide would meet our needs. There was one hiccup with a chocolate tasting vs chocolate making but Gabrielle immediately found us an alternative --- and that chocolate making course turned out to be a HUGE highlight!! From mountain biking, mountain climbing, hikes, walks, animal visits, we checked every box we wanted to!! THANK YOU VAYA! I will use you again and have been recommending you nonstop to friends who wondered how our incredible trip came about!! Shoutout also to Miguel in Peru! He was the best guide and taught us so much! He took great care of us and the kids loved him too.

Fantastic experience: Wow...our Galapagos cruise was the best trip ever! I would highly recommend this trip and Vaya Adventures. All transfers went so smoothly and the guides were passionate about sharing their knowledge. Every detail was taken care of for us. We celebrated my husband's birthday during the trip. Jeff must have noticed this from the passport information we provided. We were pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of wine waiting for us on the Anahi to celebrate the occasion.

Fantastic experience: Great trip. We had not travelled with Vaya before and we were most impressed. Good thoughtful advice up front. Responsive to any questions we had. Well thought out plan for the trip and properly tailored to our needs and desires. Very helpful to have us met at each airport and to have good informative guides throughout the trip. Liz Gaugert was extremely helpful, even when she was on vacation she responded promptly when a question arose. Nice to have the hotel variety we did. This was primarily a hiking trip, so we were not expecting 5 star accommodation throughout. At Tierra Patagonia, we definitely got it! It was wise to put this one at the end of the trip since everything about that hotel was a home run. The other accommodations were great and might not have appeared so if we had just left Tierra Patagonia, yet we enjoyed them all.

Fantastic experience: We used Vaya Adventures in Nov 2022, to put together a Brazil destination package, complimenting the F1 race experience we were interested in. Marci proposed excellent locations, mix of urban and rural spots, several geographic areas, and worked with me to fit the dates and a group from many different departing cities. The accommodation was superb, the tour guides were knowledgeable and passionate about their locations and their work. We had a very well mixed amount of time spent on hectic guided tour spots, and also days off to roam on our own. I would certainly use Vaya again for any part of the world they chose to include in their offerings. David Seychell, Mississauga, ON

Fantastic experience: Our trip to Madagascar exceeded our expectations! The plan was great (we saw and did amazing things) and the lodges were just what we needed. Great service and amazing food everywhere we stayed. The guides were top notch too - especially Franklin who was one of the best guides we've ever had the pleasure of working with. He was very attentive, and made small adjustments as we went to make sure we had the best experience possible. Dervla Pinto was fabulous! We had the pleasure of meeting Der in person in Uganda and trusted her to put the trip together for us. She did a phenomenal job - we were well prepared for everything and knew just what we were getting. We'll happily recommend to our friends and family, and will come back if (when) we head to Africa again! Thanks for everything!

Fantastic experience: We planned our honeymoon to Argentina with Vaya and had an incredible time. Our travel specialist, Emily, listened to our requests to help shape the perfect itinerary to make sure we had the best experience while remaining in budget. Emily understood that we wanted a mix of adventure and relaxation, setting up some truly unforgettable experiences like rafting in El Chalten. Her communication was clear and frequent while answering our questions and adjusting our trip as necessary in the lead up. We usually plan our own trips end to end, so it was a bit of an adjustment at first not planning every little detail, but we were so grateful to have worked with Vaya especially during a time where our personal lives were also very busy. We had the most amazing time in Argentina. Our itinerary was a great balance between planned activities with enough free time for us to feel like we could do the things we most wanted. We appreciated the front-loading of activities and adventure with a more relaxed back half of the trip. We really feel like we saw and experienced everything we wanted (and then some!), including the beautiful landscapes and environments in Argentina.

Fantastic experience: Vaya was phenomenal. They recently planned a trip for me to Africa (Uganda and South Africa). It was life altering. Beyond excellent. The hotels were amazing. Specifically Bwindi, Kyaninga and King's Camp were utterly spectacular. Guides: Hamza was stellar. Phaldie was also excellent. Niel and Albert at King's camp were incredible. The best day of the trip? In my opinion was the day we saw the Chimpanzees, and then had a community experience. We learned about bananas with a man who makes the juice, beer, and gin. Then we cooked with Sophie in her home and made a stew. We walked through the gardens, and then went to a school. The children sang to us. That community experience left us both changed. I cannot adequately express the overwhelmingly emotional nature of that day. Each aspect of it was by itself incredible - but together it was show stopping.

Fantastic experience: Best organized trip I've ever taken! It was flawless. From pickup at airport to drop off. Exceeded expectations. 5 stars all the way! Dervla Pinto was very professional, organized and an expert on travel in Tanzania. Dervla spent a lot of time with us to put our trip together and found a super guide who is French speaking which made the trip that much more enjoyable for us. She ensured that all the resorts knew that my wife and I were on our honeymoon and we got special treatment throughout our trip from every resort. Flawless execution of the trip. Many thanks Dervla! My wife and I did a 10-day Safari for our honeymoon in Tanzania that covered the Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Jafari was our guide from start to finish and we loved our experience. He is an amazing guide. Friendly, warm smile, calm demeanor, very patient (at our request, we stopped a lot to take thousands of pictures…), very experienced (over a decade being a professional guide in the region), knowledgeable (knows all the wildlife and where to spot them), kept us informed and safe at all times and is fluent in English and French. He is also a fantastic photographer and helped us with the settings on our cameras. We plan on returning to do another safari, this time with our kids and we’ll most certainly book with Jafari. THANK YOU JAFARI for the most amazing memories that will last a life time!

Fantastic experience: You put together a thoroughly researched and inclusive package - best I've ever encountered. No surprises, plus full contact numbers in the event anything went wrong (it didn't). Gabby contacted me in Quito on the first day to let me know she would always be available should anything change. Our guide at Selva Lodge, Danny, was one of the most knowledgeable, kind and respectful we've ever met - we lost track of the number of flora and fauna we saw. The combination of local jungle hikes, the observation tower, quiet paddles around the inland lake, and external visits up the Napo River make this an exceptional adventure for those interested in natural wonder.

Fantastic experience: I cannot begin to say enough good things about Vaya Adventures, and specifically about our experiences working with Marci. I just came back from my second trip through Vaya in the past calendar year. Our first trip was to Peru to do the epic Inca Trail hike, sandwiched between some time in the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Lima. I originally found Vaya while searching for a company for the Inca Trail, not necessarily intending to use a travel company for the entire trip. From my first conversation with Marci I felt like she understood the vibe I was going for and was intrigued about the process of working with a travel agent. Now I think it's really going to be hard to go back to doing it on my own. Marci had her work cut out for her, as I'm very picky, very opinionated, and have a lot of questions, especially since this trip was booked for April 2020...October 2020...April 2021...and finally April 2022. At every point in the process she was patient with me, responsive, helpful, and just a delight to work with. We were thrilled every step of the way. The boutique hotels she chose gave us a variety of experiences. The transportation was seamless and so helpful. I didn't know what a difference private transportation could make after hiking for 4 days. Our guides were unbelievable, so knowledgeable, friendly and kind. She instinctively set a great pace for us of adventures and relaxation, pampering and tours. I came home and immediately started scheming about another trip. We just returned from our trip to Patagonia, an even bigger adventure involving two countries, 5 flights, and 7 cities/towns. The logistics were flawless, our guides were once again an absolute delight, the hotels she chose absolutely perfect. We could not have taken a trip like this without Vaya. I love to travel, but own my own business and don't necessarily have the time to research all the places I want to go. I've come to understand why a company like Vaya is so incredible because you can tap into their extensive knowledge to create a dream trip, which simply means I can get on the road more often!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic experience for my entire family! The guides were great and the lodging greatly exceeded my expectations. All of the accommodations were excellent, but a special shout-out to El Mapi! All guides were great. German Cruz in Peru was particularly helpful and insightful. Gretchen was impeccable in making sure we had everything we needed. My daughter cannot eat gluten, and she was extremely helpful in making sure that we would not have any problems.

Fantastic experience: Vaya thought of every detail. We had a fabulous trip and already have two friends planning on using them. Every place we stayed was first class. Our guides were the BEST! Our drivers were equally as good. They anticipated our every need as well as accommodated our unique desires.

Fantastic experience: We spent almost 3 weeks in Peru and the Galapagos and it was a fabulous trip! I can't praise it enough. We were well cared for the entire trip and the transition between locations and guides was seamless. Liz had prepared us very well and the pre-trip information contained everything we needed. The guides were really good and were fluent in English. Their knowledge was extensive and I don't think we were able to stump them once! They were able to answer all our questions and speak extensively about their area and country in general. Their professionalism was understandable when we found out the education and training requirements for guides in their country(s). Liz was very patient and thorough with our questions and arrangements. Her follow-through was excellent. She walked us through the planning process and provided clear options that made it easy to make decisions. The zip line is probably my favorite memory. I have done quite a bit of zip lining, but this was unexpectedly unique. Our guide went with us and I think she enjoyed her first zip lining experience as well!

Fantastic experience: Our trip was AMAZING, made more so by the fantastic organisation Vaya (Gabrielle) did on our behalf. Every segment of our trip went according to plan, with all the Guides and Drivers on time at meeting points, with no language barrier issues at all. Our instructions throughout were fully comprehensive so we were never in doubt with our itinerary, and we felt totally safe with all our surroundings. In terms of each section of the experience, the balance was perfect! We had the right amount of time to really enjoy them, but at the same time the trip flowed well so that we really got to maximize how much we could do for the whole journey. The intermittent “rest periods” were perfectly timed and excellent in allowing us to recharge our batteries, especially at altitude. We also wanted to say that all of our Guides were incredible, and too the Drivers, and not only the depth of knowledges shared, but also the care and attention we received from them was absolutely “First Class”! Please pass on our heartfelt thanks to all of them. Gabrielle was amazingly helpful and very attentive throughout, making the trip planning and organisation a very enjoyable and stress free experience! We will wholeheartedly recommend Gabrielle, and Vaya, to all our friends. We look forward to speaking again soon about our next adventure with you!

Fantastic experience: Our 10-day trip was excellent at the end of May. This trip was planned for 2020 but Covid-19 made us postpone it for 2022. Our trip organizer Marci has kept in contact for 2 years and has been able to keep the original prices for almost everything. She was very responsive to any frantic email I sent and answered any questions we had. She also made sure we had support at the locations and in the US too. I felt very safe and pampered before, during, and even after our trip!!! Thank you for this great experience. We had knowledgable and friendly guides at each location, who helped us have all the adventures and visit all the sites we wanted. For example, Marcelo in Rio de Janeiro had great knowledge of when to go and where to go, would move earth and sky, so we could see Cristo Redentor in some sunshine and was open for any call from us day and night. He suggested fantastic restaurants, cute artsy walks, and was right there for us when we needed him at 10pm to help get medicine for my husband from a pharmacy. We are still keeping in touch. There are 3 events that are special for us. The first is the Tango Show at at El Viejo Almacen in Buenos Aires. The atmosphere of the show, the music, dance, and traditional songs were magnificent. We felt quite enchanted. The second moment is rather visiting a place. Our family have seen many times the movie Bossa Nova over the last 5 years. Arena Ipanema Hotel was about a 10-minute walk from The Rock that is an important site in the movie. It is like a special park and offers beautiful views all around and one can watch the surfers too. The third and most wonderful moment was when close to sunset on our last full day in Rio we realized that we might be able to see Cristo Rendentor and the magnificent view of the bay that afternoon. Marcelo, our guide, and Carlos, our driver, raced us up to the visitor center where we purchased our tickets and just in time for a fantastic sunset we reached the iconic statue. It was unforgettable! Thank you Vaya, we'll go with you guys again in a couple of years!

Fantastic experience: It was great visiting many of the Galapagos Islands and seeing all of the wildlife both on land and in the water. The activities each day were very good and a nice mix of activities each day. We enjoyed the staff, the vessel, fellow passengers and the whole experience. Our vessel was the Alya, and it was very comfortable and clean. All of the staff on board were very attentive and we enjoyed talking to all of them. The vessel was great for 16 people - I would highly recommend it.

Fantastic experience: Our group of 4 used VAYA Adventures to book our South America vacation originally scheduled for Spring 2020. Liz Gaugert planned our vacation for 2020 and like many other travelers we finally were able to enjoy a beautiful, active trip the Spring of 2022. From start to finish, Liz was professional, responsive to all our questions and knowledgeable about the countries of Peru and Ecuador that we wanted to visit. Everything from our Galapagos snorkeling/hiking cruise to the lodge to lodge hiking around Machu Picchu were perfectly planned. We had airport pick ups/drop offs, city tour guides and all our flights were scheduled in a timely manner, even to allow time for mandatory negative COVID tests. Everything during our 3 week adventure went as planned and Liz and the team at VAYA can plan a wonderful trip for you too!

Fantastic experience: Guides were super friendly, wanted to make us feel our trip was all up to us, very knowledgeable. When you cry when you say goodbye to your guide, you know they were amazing (Angela). She was patient with all my questions, laughed with us, encouraged us to get all we could from our time in Peru. She really made our trip!!! Drivers & guides all on time and easy to locate.. Vehicles were super clean. Drivers were professional & drove safely. Cruise on the Delfin was incredible, food, crew, accommodations all great. Champagne delivered to our hotel was an unexpected treat! Angela was just so wonderful, her passion was infectious. Visiting the little native community to learn about how they made the textiles (Amaru) was so very special. We have such an appreciation for Peruvian history, culture, and beliefs because of Angela. 2 visits to Machu Picchu was perfect, any less would not have been enough. The train ride up there was just spectacular. Emily Green was very responsive to my many questions! She listened to our vacation wants and gave us great, honest suggestions.

Fantastic experience: Our first trip to South America was unforgettable. We are very pleased that we chose Peru. The guide that was assigned to us first 5 days in Cusco and all tours including Machu Picchu were fabulous. Wilfredo was always on time, very involved in all aspects of each tour, explaining the culture the history and whatever we did, he was always sharing stories and giving us an in-depth explanation which helped us learn so much about Peru in a short amount of time. The visit to the Amazon was amazing. We stayed on the DELFIN I for three nights and four days, it was an incredible experience. Only if I could have had a camera attached to me at all times videoing... that would be amazing. THAT COULD BE A FUTURE IDEA TO GIVE EVERYONE A BIRDS EYE VIEW OF YOUR SERVICES ;) THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the upgrades, the champagne on our Anniversary evening, the special cake while onboard the Delfin I. We will be sharing this trip for years to come and hope to visit again. A HUGE thank you to Emily! Without her amazing help, we couldn't have experienced this first trip to Peru like we did.... Thank you all on the Vaya Team!!!

Fantastic experience: Marci was great! We wouldn't hesitate to use her again. We had an issue with our flights, and she was available at night and on the weekends to help smooth things out. All the guides were very well educated about their communities and country. Their knowledge of the history of Peru and Inca ruins was very enjoyable. All the guides were very accommodating with any request. Both of our hikes were spectacular. The day trip to Machu Picchu and the two day hike to Rainbow Mountain were challenging but experiences that will remain with us forever.

Fantastic experience: We were thrilled with the trip to South Africa and Mozambique. It exceeded our expectations on multiple fronts. We’ve never been to Africa before and Dervla did an incredible job of walking us through this journey and helping to craft a trip that fit our wishes exceptionally well. This is the second trip we’ve had with Vaya travel and we’re thrilled with that consistently high-quality service provided. Dervla was so fun, professional, thoughtful, detailed and effective. She was accessible when needed and had great suggestions based on our input. Look forward to going back to Africa and having Dervla craft us another gem. Each of the four places we stayed were remarkable in their own way. So thankful for the high-quality recommendations.

Negative experience: Really bad experience with them. They did not solve my problem

Fantastic experience: A friend and I recently completed a private tour of Colombia with Vaya Adventures. Everything was wonderfully arranged and the tour company was very on top of things. Our contact at Vaya, Liz, answered all of my questions and tailored the itinerary based on our tastes and what we were interested in. We were contacted during the trip to make sure that all was going well. The local guides were top-notch, and did their upmost to make sure we saw the things that we wanted to. The hotels that we stayed in were wonderful, and consisted mostly of boutique hotels/inns. Transportation was via modern air conditioned cars. I can not say enough positive things about Vaya. I would take another trip with them tomorrow!

Fantastic experience: Our trip was in a nutshell, AMAZING. Jack McCabe was a pleasure to work with, not only over the phone but through our numerous emails. He worked tirelessly to customize our adventure to fit our needs. From the moment we landed in Peru, we were treated wonderfully. I am a person who pays close attention to details and Jack was up to the challenge to make me comfortable with all our plans. I contacted him numerous times with a myriad of questions about our trip and he never made me feel like I was a bother. During our planning time, he referred me to Gabrielle to assist with some food/restaurant questions that he felt she had better knowledge of. I would definitely work with him and VAYA again and suggest others to do so. Tomas, our guide in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco was the BEST!!!!! He MADE this a trip to be remembered for a lifetime. He was not only so knowledgeable about all things in the region, you could tell he was passionate about it as well. I felt that he truly cared about us the days we were with him and he is my new hero. The mountain biking day in the Sacred Valley was superb and the fabulous lunch we were served along the way was a wonderful surprise. Hiking the Inca Trail Express and Wayna Picchu were two things that I will remember my entire lifetime. Although, at times quite strenuous, the feeling of accomplishment after doing so made it all the more worth it. That first peek of Machu Picchu after reaching the Sun Gate is a thing of beauty. Do not hesitate to work with Vaya when planning your trip to Peru or others places in South America. They definitely exceeded any expectations we had and helped us have a trip of a lifetime!!!

Fantastic experience: We've used Vaya for two major trips in South America, one through Patagonia and this last one to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. We could not have been happier with the very personalized service, the itineraries, the accomodations, and the selection of guides. Gabrielle Venturi was exceptional. Gabrielle had handled the previous trip for us and we've recommended her to others. She wowed us again on this trip.

Fantastic experience: If you are traveling to South America I highly recommend Vaya. My wife and I used Vaya for a 2 week trip to Brazil and Argentina in April, 2019 and the experience was outstanding. The accommodations, guides, transportation and planning were all superb. We never had any trouble getting anywhere because everything was pre-arranged. We were able to just enjoy ourselves because everything was taken care of. Chris Watkins at Vaya was great. He worked with us to plan the trip, changed things when we asked and made great recommendations. He was quick to respond when we had questions and very easy to work with. We had 4 different guides and each of them were great. Eugenio in Rio was especially helpful and went out of his way to make things easy for us. He even showed up at the airport on our way back through Rio (10 days after we had been with him) to make sure that we got through the airport with no trouble. And the drivers were great too. If I ever return to South America I will use Vaya again for sure.

Fantastic experience: My husband and I went to Patagonia with Vaya in late March/early April 2019 and had the most amazing experience. We've been wanting to go to Patagonia for years and decided that now was the time to do it. We felt like we didn't have the time to figure out all the logistics so decided to entrust our trip to Vaya. I'm so glad we did. Vaya put together such a flawless, special trip. From the varied and extraordinary hotels to the knowledgeable guides to the comfortable and convenient transport - Everything went off without a hitch. Patagonia is a truly beautiful and unique part of the world. We feel very fortunate that we were able to visit this remarkable region, and are extra appreciative that we were able to travel there through Vaya. We feel sure that this is only the first of what will (hopefully) be many trips with Vaya. Can't wait for the next one!

Fantastic experience: Everything happened seamlessly, was so informative and professionally handled....and was absolutely one amazing and awesome moment after another...so so wonderful!!! We, without a doubt, had the most excellent drivers and guides. We always felt safe! The drivers knew which routes to utilize and when to adjust. Our guides and drivers interacted with respect and collaboration with each other and with each of us! Believe me, we asked unending questions! And they happily answered each and every one of them! The information every one of the guides shared with us, whether historical, current events, pride in their country, etc., significantly enriched our experience all along the way....So often, a couple of people in our group could not participate in an activity and alternatives always were offered. Gabrielle Venturi our connection with Vaya was absolutely awesome...flexible...responsive...listened to our wishes...and managed all six of us with great care!!! We find ourselves reflecting on moment after moment, memory after memory. It is so difficult to express the joy and appreciation we feel. Trip of a lifetime!

Fantastic experience: We were very impressed and happy with our trip. Vaya had everything covered and all went smoothly and hassle free. The tours were wonderful, the guides, drivers and all who assisted us in each location were very knowledgeable, helpful, and very nice. The accommodations were awesome, just as we expected it to be. Highly recommend Vaya Adventures.

Fantastic experience: The trip was amazing. We had decided on the basic itinerary, but Liz helped us figure out how to make it all work. She helped us re-think the order of our trip, organized every hotel, internal flight and tour. Her advice was absolutely spot on, her recommendations for hotels and things to do right up our alley. Every place we stayed was magical in its own way. All of our guides were superb. Every one of them was enthusiastic, kind, and knowledgeable. We loved it all and were so grateful we had Liz's help. She was always available, so enthusiastic, and just an amazing resource. We owe her a great debt for such a terrific trip. Thank you, Liz you are a true gem! .

Fantastic experience: We had another terrific South American journey- our third - with Vaya Adventures. This time we travelled to Columbia and the entire experience was expertly planned and carried out. I recommend without hesitation.

Fantastic experience: The trip was amazing. Everything went smoothly and we felt supported every step of the way. The hotel rooms and river accommodations exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend Vaya's services.

Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful trip to Chile, with all details arranged by James Kinard at Vaya. Hotel selection was excellent. transfers went smoothly. He also organized trips for 2 other couple friends of ours and they had similar excellent experiences in Chile. We would highly recommend Tierra Patagonia and Tierra Atacama as destinations. Beautiful spaces and wonderful staff. Great excursions. We felt like we were well cared for! Terrific guides! They carry oxygen for treatment of altitude sickness, extra water and snacks and a defibrillator. We felt safe even in remote areas.

Fantastic experience: Chris, my agent, listened to my ideas and offered suggestions. He provided valuable coordination of the schedule: hotels, flights, ground transportation and day tours. All arrangements went smoothly— guides were excellent, transportation was flawless. When we hit one major glitch— flooding in the Atacama Desert that made it inadvisible for us to go there, Vaya and its local partner stepped up and provided an excellent alternative. A crisis, not of their making, tested them— and they performed attentively and commendably.

Fantastic experience: Vaya covered all of the bases with all details covered from our landing in Buenos Aires to take off in Santiago. We worked with Chris Watkins at Vaya and he did an excellent job dealing with two families traveling together. Our trip to Argentina, Patagonia, and Chile was greatly enhanced by these folks!!

Fantastic experience: We don't know where to begin to describe an experience that was absolutely perfect in every way...from the beginning planning stages to the visits to two amazing and unique South American cities to a fantastic cruise through the Chilean fjords and excursions in the Tierra del Paine national park. This was a long-awaited and planned trip for our 50th wedding anniversary, and every surprise was a good one. Our destination specialist LIz made sure we had a warm welcome everywhere we went, and provided us with wine, alfajores (indescribably delicious cookies) and a special spice on our first arrival to Buenos Aires. The hotels, cruise ship and guides were all aware of our special celebration. She took care of all the details, which made this the best vacation experience of our lives. When we plan our next trip with Vaya, I'll be on the lookout for Liz. "Excellent" seems like an understatement. "Awesome" in the true sense of the word would be a better description.

Fantastic experience: Our Destination Specialist was Gabrielle Venturi. Overall, the trip was was well-planned and outstanding. It covered a wide and diverse variety of locations in Argentina from north to south (Buenos Aires, El Cafate, El Chalten, Barioloche and Mendoza). Gabrielle is very responsive and knowledgeable of Argentina's best locations, accommodations and guides. You can't fake first-hand experience. The guides were all timely, knowledgeable and spoke better English than we did! The full day trips included unique settings, and tremendous food and wine, including a gourmet beach lunch during our kayaking session. We stayed at a wide variety of unique, spacious, clean and quiet accommodations, ranging from modern hotels (Buenos Aires) to unique and historic estancias (El Calafate), wonderful views in El Chalten and Barioloche, and direct access to 1,300 Mendoza vineyards. Every place we went was an adventure and unique in its own way. The guides and hotel staffs were all knowledgeable, timely, courteous and sweet. We loved the Argentinian tradition of hugging and kissing and will never forget the wind of Patagonia (among other things).

Fantastic experience: Our agent Chris listened to me and what our goals and budget were and he exceeded our expectations. Great communicator. We had great hotels, amazing guides who were knowledgeable and in tune with our group. Could not have asked for more!!

Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful three weeks in South America. It was such a pleasure to arrive in unknown cities with a guide and driver at the ready to orient us and make us feel welcome. Our stellar experience started with the responsive, customized trip planning provided by Liz from our very first phone call right up to our last minute changes. Liz is easy to talk to, very knowledgeable and a good listener. She inspired our trust, gave excellent suggestions and assisted us in planning a superb vacation from start to finish.

Fantastic experience: Best trip EVER or equal to our S. Africa trip! Liz at Vaya, did an excellent job detailing a three week adventure for 4 to Santiago, Patagonia and Buenos Aries. Excellent accommodations - not over the top but lovey and unique, our guides, drivers and all excursions were perfect. I will call upon Vaya next time we travel.

Fantastic experience: I used Vaya Adventures to help plan a once in a lifetime trip for some of our friends and family. We chartered a cruise around the Galapagos Islands with a few of us then continuing on to the Amazon. Being that we chartered the entire boat, the planning needed to be done well in advance, so I had contacted them over 18 months before the trip. During that entire time, Liz, our agent, was always quick to respond with any questions, and helped out with suggestions. The trip itself couldn't have gone any smoother. Every connection and transfer was seamless, and the boat and Amazon lodge were perfect for us. It was an amazing trip that our friends and family will be talking about for years.

Fantastic experience: This is the second trip with Vaya and everything was absolutely perfect. They listened to all our requests and designed a great 2 week trip around chile that exceeded our expectations. we plan to use them again for future SA travel and have recommended them to friends.

Fantastic experience: My daughter and I had a fabulous trip. I want to get to the Chilean side of Patagonia next time. We loved Patagonia and every aspect of our trip.

Fantastic experience: Flawless execution in every area. We could not have been happier with the quality of the guides, drivers, local guides and accommodations. Jack McCabe was very responsive. He answered all my questions and tailored the trip to all my requests. He did a great job.

Fantastic experience: We cannot stop gushing about our Peru trip to whoever will listen. Vaya helped us plan the Machu Picchu adventure of our dreams, and we cannot wait to travel to South America again. We started out in Lima with city and culinary tours, then made our way south and hiked/biked our way around the Sacred Valley (Pumamarca, Pisac, Maras, Moray, Ollyantaytambo), taking the Inka Trail Express to Machu Picchu, then ending with fabulous food and history in Cusco. We were blown away with the ease of transfer, professionalism of the guides, comfort of the accommodations, quality of the restaurants, personalized items added to our itinerary (stargazing and mountain biking) and, of course, the magnificent countryside we were fortunate enough to explore for nearly two weeks. Truly, our only regret is that we did not stay longer. We would have loved to see Lake Titicaca and the Peruvian Amazon, which we will be planning with Vaya as soon as we can!

Fantastic experience: We just got back from our trip to Peru. Vaya adventures planned an amazing trip. Everything was taken care of. The hotels were wonderful, the guide Nick very nice, and kept had so much information to share. Jose the drive was so helpful and kind. Gabrielle at Vaya was wonderful to work with. We were a family of 6 and I would recommend this travel company to anyone thinking of going to Peru, hiking to Machu PIcchu.

Fantastic experience: Marci was very helpful, responsive and attentive to all my questions and needs. And based on all the guides, accommodations, etc. that she booked for us she does a great job! We are looking at the Chile/Argentina tour for a future booking and would be glad to work with Marci again.

Fantastic experience: Liz organized an outstanding trip for us!! She consulted with us about our wishes for our itinerary, sent us lots of useful information about various options and activities, asked thoughtful questions, and thought of every detail from providing packing information to reading material about Ecuadorian culture, history, food, music, art, etc. The delightful Natalia was at the Quito airport to meet us, along with our driver Carlos; they were both so gracious and knowledgeable about the city. Loved our hotel - great location, welcoming staff, and beautiful property.Highlights for me in Quito: our visits to Guayasamin Chapel and residence and Oswaldo Viteri's home and studio. The flight to Guayaquil and Baltra was easy, and the Ocean Spray (sleeps 16) exceeded our expectations - every stateroom had a private balcony, nightly meetings were held in a large library/living room space, the food was very good, and we loved our attentive steward Joseph, and our fantastic naturalist guide Carlos. Our fellow travelers came from all over the world and were delightful. We got out in the panga every day, hiked trails, saw orcas up close, penguins, giant sea turtles, rays and other marine life, iguanas, sea lions, blue- and red-footed boobies, and huge land tortoises. Rescued two turtles. We could not have asked for anything more - the trip was perfect in every way.

Fantastic experience: Our trip to Patagonia was fantastic ... everything went very smoothly from the second we arrived in Puerto Natales until we left El Calafate. Patagonia Camp was exceptional. The superior yurt (yurt #13) was fantastic, and the unobstructed view of Lago Toro was indescribable. The staff at PC was incredible - I would recommend PC to anyone. It was beyond comfortable! The hiking guides were outstanding - we had 3 different guides at Patagonia Camp. They were all very good - different personalities, which added to the flavor of our trip. All were knowledgeable and accommodating, and they were ‘alert’ to the hiking abilities of the group members they were guiding. The guide in El Chalten (Pablo) was superb! It was a long hike (15 miles, 9.5 hours), but he got to know our abilities very quickly. He knew when to 'push' us, and he knew when to take break. He was incredibly knowledgeable, and we had great dialogue all day long - he brought the incredible vistas even more to life (if that was even possible given the sheer beauty of what we saw/experienced) – imparting his knowledge really made the hike incredible. I would recommend Pablo to anyone! Our land transport drivers were excellent - arrived on time, very accommodating to stop at scenic overlooks and for necessary breaks. Gabrielle at Vaya was fantastic ... she worked with us on the itinerary and provided us with a tremendous amount of information – we felt very prepared when we arrived in South America. I thought she went above and beyond having a 30-45 minute conference call with our party pre-departure. She had excellent recommendations for us, and we took her up on several recommendations, particularly in El Chalten. She brought things to life before we even arrived, and what she described was very accurate. I will recommend Vaya to others traveling to Patagonia, and I know we will eventually return, and we will call on Vaya to help us arrange the journey! Thank you for being so knowledgeable and professional - we could tell you love what you do!!!

Fantastic experience: This was a trip of a life time. Our agent Marci did an incredible job in helping us plan the trip. She took into account what we wanted to do and put together a great itinerary. She was very attentive to details and was very prompt in responding to emails and phone calls. I would highly recommend her and would want her to plan any other trip we would take to South America. SHE WAS FABULOUS!!!!!! Also really liked all the printed materials we received prior to the trip as they were very important in helping us plan what we needed to take with us and certainly enjoyed the history on the different countries we visited.

Fantastic experience: Vaya Adventures is truly the best travel service. We visited Machu Picchu and the Galapagos islands on the same trip and received very high-end service and support from the company (Marci K.) and from our local guides. Case-in-point, we experienced a significant travel disruption during our recent trip to Machu Picchu and was given several options on how we could address/overcome it in order to make it to Quito and the Galapagos; the company and local guide were hands-on, honest, communicative, and supportive during the disruption! If we go back, we will definitely use Vaya Adventures again!

Fantastic experience: We had an amazing vacation in Peru organized by Vaya Adventures - beautiful landscapes and wildlife, interesting history, excellent accommodations and great food! James, our destination specialist, did a great job of helping us customize the Vaya vacation we selected to meet our family's specific needs, and the Vaya representatives on the ground in Peru did a great job of helping quickly adjust our itinerary when required due to problems encountered on our arrival and departure from Peru. All of the materials that Vaya provided helped us ensure that we packed properly and were adequately prepared for all facets of our vacation. All of our hotels were of the highest quality. The highlights were our floating hotel in the Amazon - The Delfin I - along with La Casona in Cusco. Our guides were all excellent - very knowledgeable about the history and places they took us. They were prompt and personable and spoke good English. The drivers also did a good job of keeping us on schedule and securing our luggage when necessary. We will remember so many special moments of our trip from our gourmet dinner at Astrid & Gaston and visiting the the Fountain Park in Lima, to the amazing Amazon Cruise on the Delfin I, to the mountaintop picnic and hike at Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, to the Hiram Bingham train and Machu Picchu, to cooking class in Cusco and finally to the beauty and service of La Casona. A fantastic adventure!

Fantastic experience: Name: Steve Randich Countries Visited: Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Uruguay Approximate Date of Trip: May - June 2017 Overall trip rating: Excellent Overall trip comments: flawlessly planned and executed. No missteps, problems or surprises. Hotel Rating: Excellent Hotel Comments: Brazil hotel was the best, esp. service. Buenos Aires hotel neighborhood was excellent. Santiago hotel was great as well, large rooms. All hotel meals and breakfasts were excellent. Guide Rating: Excellent Guide Comments: all guides were top notch. highly informed in all cases. we received end to end high touch service, esp from Patty and Manuel. Would not change any of them. Pre-departure Rating: Excellent Pre-departure Comments: Staff Rating: Excellent Destination Specialist: Jack McCabe Staff Comments: perfect. trip was perfectly planned and was responsive to flight schedule changes. Special Moments: the winery tour and lunch in Chile was excellent. the Chilean cuisine cooking class on Sunday with bus trip to market was great. a pleasant surprise. the tango show in Buenos Aires is highly recommended. trip to Uruguay and lunch was nice. Hikes to the falls were excellent.

Fantastic experience: Overall trip comments: thrilling experience. we felt like kids. each day brought something new. we ran out of unique words to describe it. travel agent was great. Anahi crew was fantastic. Guide Rating: Excellent Guide Comments: Gallo was excellent. He has a perfect combination of traits. He is so enthusiastic. He is knowledgeable about the island, the geology, the people, the history, the wildlife. He is flexible. He would let us linger at specific areas that were interesting to us. We didn't feel rushed. Pre-departure Rating: Excellent Pre-departure Comments: very detailed Staff Rating: Excellent Destination Specialist: Gabrielle Venturi Staff Comments: outstanding. very accessible, friendly, responsive. made the process easy. hope to work with her again.

Fantastic experience: All of the coordination by Vaya was wonderful. GREAT Guides. PUMA was specifically very good for the Machu Picchu sections. All airport and van coordination was great. LOVED the hotels.

Fantastic experience: Our Galapagos trip was excellent - well organized, wonderful cruise ship, fantastic staff, amazing naturalist/guide. We couldn't think of any way it could be improved. It was the experience of a lifetime !

Fantastic experience: We wanted a trip where we didn't exhaust ourselves or waste time pouring over maps and trying to get from place to place. This trip was a splurge for our 30th wedding anniversary so although we have often arranged our own trips in the past, this was our first adventure to South America and the help in organizing the best routes, considering activities that maybe we didn't think to do or weren't in guidebooks or the internet as well as having drivers, guides, and inter-country flights booked became invaluable to making the trip spectacular and smooth. The various independent guide companies hire wonderfully educated and motivated guides who made our days interesting and fun. We are staying in touch with some of them! Lastly, we had wonderful fall weather and several days in each of the four regions we explored in Argentina so that we relaxed, got energized from walks and hikes, and inspired by museums, landscape, and stories from our guides. Thanks, Vaya Adventures!

Fantastic experience: Vaya takes the worry and hassle out of planning a trip. We have traveled with them 3 times. All seamless. Their choice of lodgings is always a treat. From small boutique hotels, old haciendas, former palaces, always interesting and fun. Guides are outstanding and flexible if you want to change itinerary.. The travel planning with James is easy. Just give the dates, where you want to go and what you want to do and he will do the rest. We highly recommend Vaya.

Fantastic experience: Overall trip rating: Excellent Overall trip comments: Absolutely a fantastic trip! We could not have been more pleased. The hotels/B&B's were wonderful, the tour guides absolutely excellent, especially Nick, who was with us for three days during our Cusco/Machu Picchu trip. He stopped being a tour guide and started being our friend about 5 minutes into our tour, and I believe we will be friends long past this trip! You absolutely exceeded every expectation we had! Hotel Rating: Excellent Hotel Comments: We were awe struck by how wonderful the acccomodations were. All were excellent, and each unique in its own way. The most striking was Second Home. We had a chance to meet the sculture Delfin, and we had to tear ourselves away from the back yard and view. Guide Rating: Excellent Guide Comments: All of our guides were excellent, as were the drivers. Our favorite was Nick, who was with us for three days during Cusco/Machu Picchu. He was amazingly knowledgeable, personable, and was very gentle in his encouragement during our hike to Machu Picchu. As I stated above, he stopped being a tour guide and started being a friend immediately, and we intend to stay in touch with him, and hopefully have him visit us some day. Pre-departure Rating: Excellent Pre-departure Comments: Great information, and accurate in every aspect Staff Rating: Excellent Destination Specialist: Liz Gaugert Staff Comments: Liz listened carefully to what we wanted to do, worked hard to develop an agenda that met our needs, and was always immediately responsive (time zones considered) to my emails.

Fantastic experience: My wife and I (seniors, over age 65) spent 32 days visiting Patagonia and Peru this past February, 2017. We were consistently impressed with our customized VAYA itinerary that was based entirely on the advice and options received during a year of interactive planning with VAYA agent, James Kinard. We particularly appreciated the quality/friendliness/efficiency of our pre-arranged local guides, as well as the varied types of excellent accomodations arranged for us in all three countries we visited (Chile, Argentina, Peru). Although we consider ourselves well travelled (mixing it up between small group and personally arranged tours around the world), there was simply no way that we could have executed this adventure so perfectly without VAYA's deep knowledge and solid connections across South America. Also noteworthy was our impression that VAYA clearly enjoys a stellar reputation everywhere we went, which we learned during casual conversations with our various local guides. Of course, our trip was also made exceptionally enjoyable by the fact that we were incredibly lucky when it came to local and seasonal weather conditions that might otherwise have made some excursions much more disappointing -- for example, our Cabo Hornus landing by zodiac from the Stella Australis was amazing, yet we were told it is often not possible (about 40% possible at any point in time due to surf/weather conditions); as well, our multiple excursions in the jungle (Reserva Amazonica) and mountains (Machu Picchu) of Peru during their peak rainy season miraculously occurred during brief (~6 h) breaks in otherwise torrential daily rains.

Fantastic experience: Vaya planned a trip for us to Machu Picchu and Lima, Peru that more than lived up to our expectations. The trip was well thought out; Vaya listened to and heard what we wanted to do and what we wanted to avoid. Vaya provided us with smart, experienced and fun guides who add enormously to the experience. The suggested hotels and resorts were just perfect and Vaya gave us great ideas for side trips and restaurants. Vaya is the place to go if you are planning a trip to South America!