Active Adventures Reviews 602

Active adventures is an awesome place to go and experience a breath taking scenery and amazing staff so if anyone who loves the outdoors I recommend active adventuresI can’t wait to schedule by next visit.

The Volcanic Adventure was awesome. This trip had the right mix of adventure, exploration, and fun. From bubbling mud, to amazing views from mountain tops, somehow we managed to squeeze in a year full of adventures into 5 days. All the activities were enjoyable and in our case enjoyed by people in their twenties through a couple in their seventies. Our guides were gold and set the tone for the best week ever with their humble nature, service quality, and genuine care.
Hiking, biking, and rafting is definitely the best way to experience the volcanic region of New Zealand’s North Island, and I am so pleased we did it with Active Adventures and our group of new friends.
Jamie

This review is for two separate aspects of Active Adventures, one is the administrative side and the other is the outdoor adventure side.

The outdoor adventure side is five star. I took the 2-week South Island Adventure and the guides were first-rate. They were experienced, timely, knowledgeable about all aspects of outdoor New Zealand and simply made the trip, next to New Zealand itself. All I had to do was show up each morning at the appointed time and they managed the rest. I had a fabulous time.

The administrative side is zero stars. I booked the Milford Track Adventure for Nov 04, 2024, on April 02, 2024, and made the final payment in July 07, 2024. The terms are full payment must be received 90 days before the adventure. On Sep 18, 2024, 47 days before the adventure, I was notified that Active Adventures cancelled the Milford Track Adventure. The reason was vague, that they didn't have enough bookings to operate the trip. That doesn't add up because they would have known that 90 before given the payment requirement. Nonetheless, the trip cancelled. In the months of planning this trip I had several other add-ons in other parts of New Zealand and South Korea. Their cancellation caused a great deal of rearranging of my schedule at significant cost. Also, I was unable to change my South Korea plans and that meant I missed the last two days of the South Island Adventure. I was directed to Active Adventures from another tour company. They intervened to make certain I was treated as fairly as possible under the circumstances, and that helped. However, this cavalier cancelling of their Milford Track adventure and the vague reason for doing so is the reason I will not do business with them again. Traveling to New Zealand from the USA is no small effort. It takes planning and funds. Active Adventure didn't seem at all concerned about that. As you'll see as you read the reviews, I'm not alone in having Active Adventures cancel on short notice. I suggest thinking twice before using this outfit.

Fantastic trip to Botswana with Barrie and his family. They went out of their way to look after us producing amazing meals in very remote cams often over wood fires. The wildlife was unbelievable and many new experiences were obtained.

Our trip with Active Adventures was beyond memorable - the only description that comes close is magical. We biked and did some short walks and a short snorkel, and that was just the first day after a half day of travel! A visitor has to be awed by the incredible, strange and unique wildlife, but our guides Pepo, Pablo and Paulo elevated the trip with their knowledge and passion to a truly unforgettable experience.

One word - WOW! As a previous traveler with Active Adventures I decided to try out their Kenai Fjords & Denali Adventure through their sister brand Austin Adventures. The trip was incredible, our guides were knowledgeable, supportive and fun, not to mention so well organized! Every single detail was taken care of, and I felt that we got to see the ‘real’ Alaska rather than just the tourist traps. A fantastic mix of hiking, kayaking and rafting while seeing bears, moose, caribou & bald eagles! It was a trip of a lifetime, can’t wait for the next one!

My family has traveled on three trips with Active Adventures. All were well organized and led by excellent guides. Unfortunately, our 4th planned trip with them in Nov 2022 to Machu Picchu ended before it began because of a fatal collision on the LIMA airport runway which closed the airport for 2 days, caused all airlines to cancel all flights, and made it impossible for us to get to Cusco in time for the Active trip.

While the cancellation of the trip was not their fault, Active was unsympathetic to our insurance saga and ultimate loss of the entire $20,580 prepaid to them. Our customer loyalty - spending tens of thousands of dollars with them on three previous trips and referring friends to travel with them - was completely snubbed. The company was unwilling to offer even a nominal reimbursement, or discount on a future trip to encourage us to return. We were told that all funds had been committed to the trip; the issue was entirely between us and our insurance company. Period.

This tragic event fell under the Force Majeure provision of Active’s cancellation policy, though we did not learn that Active cancelled the entire trip until about 6 months later. While our family was forced to cancel a few days prior to our meet-up date, we had no idea if other guests were able to make it – if they had arrived prior to the accident or were traveling domestically. Thus, we assumed that our late notice cancellation was the reason we were not entitled to any refund. We filed a claim with our insurance company, but they would not cover because this very unusual circumstance was not specifically listed as a covered benefit. We appealed since the circumstance was NOT specifically listed as an exclusion to coverage either, but to no avail. (How do you fight with an insurance company owned & underwritten by a company worth over $800 billion?). So, we lost all prepaid expenses.

Given the circumstances, it made sense to me, then and now, that Active Adventures would have already paid their employees and some reservations for the trip. However, I would hazard to guess there were some expenses that they had not yet paid (for example, restaurant meals) and some expenses where a refund to Active would have been possible (for example, some accommodations). For instance, we were to arrive in Cusco a day before our group meet-up, so we separately booked the same hotel for one night. When we had to cancel it, the hotel offered us a full refund.
Additionally, Active would have made a profit on the trip as expected.
Yet, after canceling the trip, Active was not willing to act in good faith and offer even a penny to us for our loyalty to them.

Active Adventures’ arrogant attitude towards us was surprising, disappointing, and repugnant, and thus the reason for the “1” star review.

I had a great trip with Active Adventures. We did the Ultimate South Island Adventure and everything was top notch.. Active Adventures took great care of us and we felt the trip was well worth the cost. The whole process was great! We started out by talking with Hannah on the sales team and had pre-trip conversation with Jazz who made sure we were prepared to the for our adventure, we had remarkable guides (Mel and Kayla) who worked tirelessly to make this a trip of a lifetime, we even had a follow up call from Jordan after our trip to see if we had any feedback. What a great trip from start to finish. Thank you Active Adventures!

My Wife and I traveled with Active adventures on their 2 week South Island adventure. This was without a doubt one of the greatest trips we have ever been on. Amazing guides, spectacular itinerary, and we walked away with a group of life long friends!

This company engaged in behaviors that I believe were an attempt to scam me out of thousands of dollars.

I spent almost $6000 on a 14-day tour. After I made the purchase online, the company called me and told me that they raised their prices and that I would either have to pay $10,199 or have the duration of my tour reduced from 14 days to 8 days. I'm not saying that they are scam artists, but this behavior struck me as something a scam artist would do.

I saw one review indicating that customer service was lacking when things go wrong. I want to echo that perspective. There was justification for active adventures to deny the most fit and active member of our group to participate. But it had knock on effects for more than half of the rest of the group. Active Adventures was inflexible and frankly uncaring in their policies causing a loss of a few thousand dollars to me. Even when the possibility to be more flexible was there, they did not allow it. I would not use this company for any trip if there is any possibility that your plans might change or that AA would not allow all your group to participate.

This is an amazing tour company, superb guides and small group feel allows for unique experiences. I have used this company for previous South Island NZ trip which was one of the most amazing experiences of a lifetime. My complaint centers around customer serivice when things do go awry. I was unaware that Ecuador was 6 month minimum require my from date you return from travel and did not realize until I tried early check in for my flight and was asked for updated passport info. I understand clients from around the world but this is a universal requirement for all visitors. When I informed customer service, they were unsure what to do. I had told them airline recommended embassy. They said that sounded like a good place to start. There are several other avenues to try, including companies that offer 24 hour service. Unfortunately with current backload of passports.. you can not even reach passport office in US, companies offering expedited services so backlogged that instead 24hr service, it is 2 weeks. Emergencies are now 3 days. After speaking with several people who fly often internationally-what you can do is go directly to major passport office with ticket info for flight, passport, and paperwork and if leaving <24 hours they can usually get you new passport in about 3 hours. I totally understand that CS can’t be held responsible but when request that universal requirements be posted somewhere in prep for trip esp since giving passport info/flight info/travel insurance ahead of time.. I was told basically not their problem. Also for experts in travel and luxury small group vacation company, I expect staff to be better prepared with assistance for customers. I was only told that trip not refundable and even if could get passport that logistics since not meet group on day of departure from Quito to Galapagos to difficult. So am amazing company but disappointed with handling when plans go awry.. felt unsupported, no other options given about reschedule or any information. Lot on my part for researching what to do. Not even CS was aware that country rules regarding passport, also airlines can also have own rules and decline entry even when passport entrance rules for country are less than 6months. Just better info for universal requirements and better CS when things do go wrong

The Pika trip was a replacement trip that my son Ted and I had originally planned for Bhutan in the fall of 2020, but Covid got in the way. The Pika Trip was completely up to the standards of my four previous Active Adventures trips(Dolomites, Nepal, Patagonia, Machu Picchu). Each of them was a trip of a lifetime experience and the Pika was no exception and it was right here in the USA.
The Austin Adventure guides (Alisa and Steve) were hardworking, accommodating, knowledgeable and flat out fun to be around. As all four previous trips were outside the US, I had found that international travel can be a bit tiring, however once in the hands of the guide(s) you could just relax and enjoy the new world. Surprisingly it was the same on this trip. Once we met the guides it was all “no worries”.
The food….well we ate like kings. If you have not yet had a buffalo steak…well I am long over due for another. The lodging?….a couple of our rooms were almost too nice for a hiking trip. This was NOT camping. :-)
And the scenery, do I dare say was spectacular. Photography is my hobby (some say disease) and the colors….oh my the colors.
Sooo, I am now 75 years old and had in mind that this would be my last Active Adventures trip. Am now rethinking that. All you young’uns out there, if you are debating, 75 comes around pretty damned fast. If you have the means, sign up. It is best way to maximize your trip, have a helluva good time and experience the world around you to the fullest.

This Dolomiti experience with Active Adventures was all I had dreamed of and more. Before and during the trip the staff was promptly and thoroughly responsive to any concerns, which I greatly appreciated, and the trip itself was a magical blend of different delights within the Dolomiti -- hiking, biking, rifugios, the challenging Via Ferrata, rich World War I history, gorgeous scenery and weather, great food, and then beautiful and comfy accommodations to cap it off at the end of each incredible day.

Our guides, Richard and Marika, were the absolute best, highly knowledgeable and helpful, as well as fun and entertaining, always providing a safe environment within which to enjoy the Dolomiti. In our case it was necessary for Richard to modify the itinerary in order to meet the needs of everyone in our group, and he did this seamlessly and beautifully, allowing each of us to fully enjoy our experience.
The transfer drivers and all other details were thoroughly covered, which allowed for things to flow well from start to finish. This trip was definitely a lifetime highlight for me, and I'm grateful to Active Adventures for providing such an incredible opportunity.

After two years of being cooped and limited, and at a SENIOR status(...), I rediscovered the beautiful skies in the mountains, the waterfalls, the pleasure of kayaking on a scenic lake, and the pleasure of having excellent guides who know, not just all the details of the sites, their detours and special vistas, but take you to the best local feed places at the end of a long and hard day. DO IT! You owe it to yourself.

Our group rode Alps to Ocean last week with Elle and Caleb. We had the most wonderful time with them. Very organised, easy to get on with, full of information and boy can they cook.
Thanks so much for a fun filled, positive week.

It is simply impossible to write a review that would do justice to our guides, the places we saw, and the amazing animals, but I will do my best.
First of all, the guys from Galakiwi, Pablo and Paolo, were just beyond anything I expected. I thought we'd have a professional guide or two but both Pablo and Paolo were more like family by the end of the trip. Pablo was just astonishing in the completeness of his knowledge, the breadth and depth, and his passion for his beloved Galapagos, especially Isabela. I was spellbound every time he spoke. He knew I wanted to see the Galapagos penguins and the blue-footed boobies because he asked each of us what we most wanted to see at the beginning of our trip. He made sure to take us to places where we were most likely to see them and I did indeed get to see them. I was so touched by his love for the Galapagos. I was prepared to love it before our trip and now will be a lifelong advocate for its conservation. Pablo went way beyond the call of duty by helping my husband buy something he needed at the Farmacia and then going to buy more of it when my husband couldn't find it again. Paolo is a treasure. He schlepped our bags and fitted our gear and handled the logistics so that nobody had to think about any of it. He was joy to spend time with; my husband and I just admired his humor and joyous spirit, his sweetness, his love of his family, and his fun and irreverent facts about life in Ecuador. (They call it CumbaYORK!!! Hilarious and spot on!) My husband and I are very curious and love feeling like we've actually talked to a real person when we travel. I especially appreciated his kindness in helping stay on my feet when walking around Las Tuneles.
The properties were fantastic! We got to stay in the dome room at Casa Blanca on San Cristobal. Hotel Albemarle was lovely (especially after we figured out that the rooms DO have air conditioning. Whew!) and Juliette, who managed it, was helpful and went beyond the call of duty to make coffee at 5am for my husband and me. The Hotel Isla Sol was in a great location and it was actually nice to wrap up our stay in the middle of a developed town after the seclusion of Isabela.
The places we visited were beyond my wildest dreams and there was such a good balance between learning, sheer fun, beauty beyond comparison, fragility of the ecosystems, and immersion in the culture of Galapagos. Kicker Rock (or Leon Dormido) was amazing. The boat cruising all the way around it so we could see its beauty from every side was very nice. The boat captain was also alert for sea life while we were traveling to and from Kicker Rock so we got to see a bunch of dolphins. The San Cristobal Interpretation Center was very interesting and gave a very good history of the Galapagos. This was one of the reasons I felt like I had really learned something about the Islands and their history beyond what I knew about Darwin and his finches.
I think it was actually good that we couldn't go to Floreana. Not having that stop enabled us to go to both Sierra Negra Volcano and Las Tuneles. I can't imagine missing either one of those. Both were majestic. Our whole group was of the opinion that future tours should be just like ours and include the opportunity to go to both. Saving time by taking the plane to Isabela from San Cristobal was a great bonus. I loved the tortoise breeding center and the work they're doing. Kayaking on Isabela was perfect. I saw my beloved penguins and blue-footed boobies. On Santa Cruz, we got to go to the Charles Darwin Research Station and see the important work they are doing. I loved the lava tubes and seeing the giant tortoises in the wild in the Santa Cruz highlands.
Our trip was perfect. It could not have been better!

I originally planned to take one of the trips to Patagonia but had to change plans due to COVID closures. The Tortuga was offered as an alternative that could still be done in the spring.I always wanted to go to the Galapagos but was put off by the fact that most trips are boat based and I wasn’t excited about living on a boat for a week or more. Once I found the trip was entirely land based I didn’t hesitate for a second. As on previous trips taken through Active, everything was meticulously organized and there was never a dull moment. I saw beautiful pristine landscapes, an incredible variety of wildlife, preservation and protection facilities, gorgeous beaches, and so much more. This trip, I said yes to everything which meant mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, scuba diving and lots of snorkeling - as well as educational visits to scientific facilities and an incredible inter island flight through mist and rainbows. Although I’ve been vaccinated and most in group had, I still appreciated the detailed safety protocols and also appreciated the concern for the safety and welfare of the local residents. Honestly, if I had been able to imagine this trip before I left, my imagination couldn’t have done this good a job. All the group members were fun people from lots of different backgrounds and we even had a couple of avid birders, which was appropriate for this trip. Our naturalist guide Pablo was a veritable encyclopedia of the geology, flora, fauna, and history of the island. His intense love for this place came through in everything he did and said. His main man Paolo, from Galakiwi, worked tirelessly in the background to make sure everything happened in the right place and time from gettIng our luggage to the airport to making sure we all had dessert at dinner. What a team! I cannot thank you enough for giving me this unexpected opportunity. Sometime the unexpected adventures turn out to be the best!

It was an amazing experience and the guides were great!

My trip with Active Adventures was great! Everything was as promised, and the advance-trip staff, trip leader, all were great and professional and I have no complaints!