TripADeal Reviews 842

TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

3.3

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 174 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Customers frequently praise the staff, particularly the tour guides, for being welcoming, informative, and going above and beyond to ensure a pleasant and stress-free journey. Many appreciate the well-organized tours and the opportunity to see numerous attractions, often highlighting the value for money. However, some people were dissatisfied with the holidays, citing issues with hotel locations being far from city centers and the lack of included entertainment. There are also mentions of unexpected additional costs, inflexible policies regarding changes, and concerns about the quality of some accommodations and transportation not matching advertised standards.

What people talk about most

Staff

Users describe positive interactions with staff, particularly praising tour guides for being knowledgeable,... See more

Holidays

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about holidays. Many customers express satisfaction, describing holidays... See more

Location

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of location, with some expressing dissatisfaction with long travel... See more

Service

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with service. Many reviewers praise excellent tour guides,... See more

Price

Clients share ambiguous opinions on price. Many reviewers praise the affordability, noting that trips are... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Hotel in Hanoi was too far from the city centre.The guides were all welcoming and we had a great group of people to travel with, Ha Long bay was pretty, but TiTi island was a nightmare, way too many b... See more

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Recent trip to New York for 2 people. Accommodation was well situated and comfortable. On our flights we were seated 2 rows from each other. Tripadeal not interested in resolving this. My advice, a... See more

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

We paid extra to travel direct from Melbourne to Hanoi and speaking with others who went on other airlines it was worth it. Hotel in Hanoi was not central so either had a long walk or taxi into sho... See more

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Excellent service from our friendly Tour Guide Dragon and the Coach Driver Miyagi.Whatever short comings we had during the tour was made up by both of them in that beautiful country and we were treate... See more


Company details

  1. Travel Agency
  2. Sightseeing Tour Agency

Information provided by various external sources

TripADeal is Australia's #1 Travel Deals Site, with savings of up to 80% on accommodation, adventure activities and all-inclusive holidays across Australia and Asia.


Contact info

3.3

Average

TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

842 reviews

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Replied to 12% of negative reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Don’t book with Trip a deal

We travelled to Sri Lanka with TripADeal in November 2025 and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience.

During our tour we were caught in the middle of a cyclone. While we understand that weather events are outside anyone’s control, what was most concerning was the lack of support from TripADeal during this time. Communication was limited, assistance was minimal, and we felt largely left to manage the situation ourselves.

We were advised to cut our trip short by our tour guide but not by trip a deal itself which meant missing part of the itinerary we had paid for. At a time when travellers need reassurance and guidance, we did not feel adequately supported.

While the tour itinerary itself may have potential in normal circumstances, our experience during the emergency significantly impacted our overall impression of the company.

Based on our experience, we would be cautious about booking with TripADeal again, particularly for destinations prone to extreme weather events.

28 November 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

FORMER TRAVEL AGENT WOULD BE VERY HESITANT!

As a former Senior Executive Corporate Travel Agent, I would be HESITANT to book with Tripadeal (TAD) in future.

Originally booked in 2019 to travel in 2020.  That was cancelled due to COVID.

Info given to me by Consumer Affairs Victoria said TAD should REFUND my money in full.

For years, I argued and TAD REFUSED TO REFUND unless they deducted a $300 cancellation fee.

In May 2025, I was in Bali & thought I might use my credit.  I emailed TAD and asked about doing same tour booked in 2019.

Some HORRIBLE woman from TAD told me I had to use my credit by the following Sunday or I would FORFEIT ALL MY CASH!

After holding my funds for SIX YEARS, why the sudden urgency?

I asked friends if they wanted to come with me in the November & they had to apply for time off work.  Nobody could get an answer in just a few days.

As my friends couldn't commit with less than a week's notice, I felt I was rail-roaded into paying $1100 FOR THE SOLO TRAVELLER SUPPLEMENT!

Then the arguments began!  TAD always told me my credit was for ONE PLACE on the tour.  Now they were saying my credit was $1599.  Tour now cost $1999.

They insisted I pay the difference.  I argued credit was for ONE PLACE on the tour regardless of price difference.  They got interest on my money for 6 years!

In the finish, I PAID THE DIFFERENCE.  I was irate!

The woman told me I would never book with TAD again.  Why?  I felt they were ripping me off at every turn.

This woman was so hysterical to deal with, I insisted that I liaise with somebody more senior.  Thankfully, they obliged.

TAD offered a tour to Shanghai, Zhangjiajie & Guilin for $1499.

Chengdu, Zhangjiajie & Guilin was $1999.  I asked why the Chengdu option was $500 more.  All I got was, "That's just the way it is."

Then to COMPLETELY SLAP US IN THE FACE, despite paying the extra $500 for Chengdu, the PANDAS WERE AN "OPTIONAL" $80 EXTRA!  How bad is that?

Once departure date was settled, I got flight details sent.  FLIGHTS WERE OUTSIDE THE TERMS & CONDITIONS OF TAD!

I alerted the 2 guys I had been dealing with & they both said flights were fine.  THEY WERE NOT!

Furthermore, on final day, my flight out of Guilin was scheduled for 10pm.  Then it moved to a more suitable 7pm.  Then it was changed to 10am.  Then it moved to 7am & they wanted us to HANG AROUND in Shanghai for 12 hrs for the connection to Australia after getting up at 3:30am to depart hotel by 4am.  THESE FLIGHTS WERE UNACCEPTABLE!  I FORFEITED those flights & booked my own flights.

On tour, we had one Chinese domestic flight.  Flight details were NEVER SENT TO US!  They were supposed to be sent 4 - 6 weeks before departure!  Even at Chengdu Airport, we had no idea which airline or flight number!

I asked TAD office MONTHS AGO for a copy of the eticket as the airline require this to credit my Frequent Flyer points.  I am still waiting.

I have done 4 or 5 tours to China in the past.  We always left Australia in the morning & arrived in China late at night.  Off to bed, then hit the ground running next morning.

I was DISGUSTED to see TAD had us on OVERNIGHT flights from Oz, a long transit upon arrival, then another long flight to Chengdu.

AFTER 21 HRS OF TRAVELLING, we were expected to get on the bus & do half a day of touring.  EVERYBODY WANTED TO SLEEP.  This was absurd!

I will NEVER understand why tour companies do not include "tips" as part of the tour cost!  THIS CREATED ABSOLUTE CHAOS!

THREE DAYS on the bus were dedicated to collecting tips.  Once in Sichuan, once in Hunan province and again in Guangxi Autonomous Region.  Guides had to explain to everybody that "tips" were mandatory and had to be paid as part of his/her income, plus all the people behind the scenes in China who booked hotel rooms, tickets for attractions, arranged bullet trains etc.  I HAVE NEVER KNOWN SO MANY ARGUMENTS!

Some people argued "tips" should be optional otherwise they should be called a surcharge, levy or a fee.  I had to agree!

Some wanted to pay in AUD.  Some wanted to pay in NZD.  Some wanted to pay in Chinese yuan.  Everybody seemed to have a different exchange rate.  CHAOS!

MY GREATEST WARNING TO ANYBODY:  Some China tours are brimming with optional extras and your hand is ALWAYS in your pocket.  THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE TOURS!

Most of the "optional" activities are things you really want to do, right?

The tour already cost $1999, then I was forced to pay the Solo Supplement of $1100, tips $108, then OVER $1,000 IN "OPTIONAL EXTRAS".

What seemed like a reasonably priced tour to an inexpensive country became really quite expensive!  Over $4200 (plus spending cash) for just 9 days in China.  (Days 1 &11 were in the air).

Would I recommend TAD?  Probably not.  Unless they had an itinerary nobody else offered.  They're 100% owned by Qantas & they have the same ARROGANT CULTURE.

If they ban me from future trips, I will update this review accordingly.

Tread carefully!

18 November 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Sophie and Patricia in Japan

My friend Sophie and I went on the Unbeatable Japan tour with tour guides Dragon and Blair. They were helpful, understanding, knowledgeable and super organised. They made the trip a real pleasure. The trip was great value for money and we had a well balanced program of activities, information and down time if we wanted it. Trip A Deal sent information in plenty of time and the tour information was really helpful. I would definitely go on another Trip A Deal holiday. The optional tours were well planned and we loved watching the Sumo wrestling training and the day tour to Hiroshima. Patricia

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 3 out of 5 stars

LAPLAND

LAPLAND: TripADeal (100% owned by Qantas Group) – A Disappointment 3 stars,
Rovaniemi – Five Stars
TripADeal: Disappointing - Overall travel experience significantly impacted what should have been a truly once-in-a-lifetime journey
TripADeal was a disappointment. Visiting Lapland Rovaniemi Christmas Village itself was a five-star experience. It is an incredibly beautiful part of the world and something my family and I would absolutely recommend people travel to and experience - however, we would not recommend booking with TripADeal.
Poorly Designed Itinerary
The itinerary was poorly designed. Many stopovers felt unnecessary and added little value, often arriving late in the day, leaving minimal time to explore shops, markets, or attractions.
Much of the tour was spent on the bus, with meals mainly at service stations. While the guide was knowledgeable, speaking for hours on end became overwhelming rather than informative. The Northern Lights experience was limited due to driver hour restrictions. When considering the total cost of the trip, a second driver should have been provided to give guests a real chance to experience this natural phenomenon.
Flight cancellation and Additional Costs
Our trip got off to a disappointing start when Emirates cancelled our flight on the morning of departure, citing “unforeseen circumstances.” The replacement flight from Adelaide appeared to combine guests due to low passenger numbers saving the airline money but causing stress and extra costs of around $800 for extra meals, and airport transfers. In addition, because of the flight cancellation, we lost a day in Helsinki. Not only losing one day but we arrived late the next evening which meant we couldn’t tour the city, as shops and markets were already closed, and we had to leave early the next morning. On top of that, two prepaid hotel rooms went unused. When asked for a refund, neither TripADeal nor the hotel were able to provide a clear explanation, stating that the accommodation was part of a “bundle” and therefore could not be itemised or disclosed. As a result, they refused to refund these out-of-pocket expenses.
Currency Impact
It’s also worth noting travelling from Australia involves a considerable exchange rate difference. At the time of travel, the Australian dollar trade was 44% below the euro plus, despite the favourable exchange rate from AUD to SEK, Sweden is very expensive requiring a significant amount of SEK - as a result, this increases the overall expenses across accommodation, dining, and travel. These additional costs accumulate quickly, particularly for a family of four, making our financial loss even more significant.
Insurance Reimbursement
When claiming our out of pocket expenses through Qantas Travel insurance (underwritten by AIG) we were reimbursed a total $88. Fine print in the policy effectively blocked any further compensation, denying us a refund for the additional travel costs and lost accommodation caused by Emirates - which is extremely disappointing, especially given that both Emirates and Qantas are large corporations generate enormous profits, with CEOs receiving multimillion-dollar salaries, often at the expense of travellers who spend years saving for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

20 December 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

9 Day Unbeatable Japan

Just returned from the 9 Day Unbeatable Japan Trip A Deal holiday. My son and I had an amazing time and we would highly recommend this trip. Our Tour Guide Dragon, made sure the trip ran smoothly and without incident even though he needed to adjust the itinerary slightly due to so much snow and the resulting road closures!! Optional activities were explained clearly, including any costs associated. Thanks Dragon and Trip A Deal. We'll be back! :)

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I went on a tour of Japan

I went on a tour of Japan. The tour guide was immensely helpful and clearly explained everything and even gave us detailed information of the history of the places we went to. We were given directions of food and options of more tours if we didn’t have plans on allocated free days. I felt safe travelling even though it was my first time overseas as a younger person. I’m incredibly grateful for the trip a deal team and everything they helped us with. It was an amazing trip and I would recommend.

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Unbeatable Japan Tour exceeded our expectations

We went on the Unbeatable Japan tour in early February 2026. The tour was very well organised and we enjoyed each and every day. Dragon was our tour guide and was absolutely excellent. He went above and beyond to ensure everyone was looked after throughout the tour and was happy to assist with questions 24x7. He shared lots of quality information about attractions we visited, the hotels we were staying at and even assisted after hours with recommendations on the best places to eat near hotels we stayed at. During our tour there was a major snow storm in southern Japan which resulted in many freeways being closed and necessitated some major detours. Dragon and team however quickly re-planned things (ie: within 30 minutes) and we were able to visit other high quality attractions (eg: an underground ice cave and experience snow at the base of Mount Fuji) instead of those that had been originally planned on that day but were no longer accessible due to road closures. It was incredible and the commitment to service from Dragon and team was far beyond what we've experienced in our home country. Credit also goes to our bus driver for the tour who drove very safely throughout, particularly in the snow storm where we saw many other vehicles involved in accidents. The tour included many major attractions on the main island of Japan (which you see in many different Japan travel brochures when doing your research) and also included some free days which we found really useful too. We also took the optional part of the tour that went to Hiroshima by bullet train which was quite an experience in all aspects. The Unbeatable Japan tour was unbeatable not just in terms of how many cities and attractions in Japan it packed into just 9 days, but also the competitive price. The hotel rooms were sometimes on the small side (which I understand is normal in Japan) and some of the hotel rooms quite dated, however, for us that was perfectly fine because we just wanted a comfortable place to spend each night - we didn't need the Hilton. In Australian terms, I think most of the hotels would have been 3 to 4 star. The free breakfasts offered at each hotel varied from good to excellent (most were excellent). It was a great value holiday with down to earth people in the tour group - everyone was friendly. The tour group included a wide variety of people, from married couples, people in their early 20s, seasoned travelers, solo travelers, LGBTIQ. Everyone was made to feel welcome, both in the group and in Japan. Overall, we would highly recommend this tour based on the exceptional tour guide (Dragon), what a great time we had, number of attractions covered and value for money. It's a great tour, particularly if you're a first time visitor to Japan.

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great trip overall

Great trip overall! Had a great time seeing all the sights of Japan and our tour guide Dragon was very good at adapting to snow causing disruptions

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Did a Japan trip

Did a Japan trip with some friends, booking was simple and I was able to call up customer support multiple times no issue. The hotels were nice to stay in and had decent locations. Flights were at a reasonable time with short layovers and seats were surprisingly well chosen. Was a rather cheap trip all up with a great tour guide Dragon. Even when faced with issues the changes to the plan were fair and enjoyable. I cant speak on frequent flyer points as my friend wanted them all, for a cheap trip it was perfect. (It's fine for young adults and solo travellers but it is what you make of it, better conditions than contiki ong)

1 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

9 nights Unbeatable Japan = Wow

9 nights Unbeatable Japan = Wow! This was our first time booking an overseas holiday with a tour company. With many positive reviews from family & friends we thought we would go. Our experience was fantastic. We had a good vibe from the moment we met our tour guide, Dragon, and his assistant. Having tickets to venues all organised allowed smooth entry and maximising our time at locations.
Due to snow falling there were unexpected highway closures. Our driver & guide worked to figure out the situation, keeping us up to date. Alternative locations were offered and our group decided on the substitutes, which did not disappoint. Much rather the change of interinery than hours late to hotel the night before our departure.
We loved it so much we can't wait to go back to Japan.

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We were so impressed with how the tour leader considered every aspect of our tour and understood our cultural differences and helped us understand the differences and be mindful and appreciate the cul

We were so impressed with how considered the short 8 day tour of Japan was. The many places we went and cultural aspects that our tour leader shared with us made the tour so much more meaningful. Thanks Dragon for a tour with so many highlights. We were so lucky to have an amazing group to tour with also . Exceptional value .The extra stop at a Green tea plantation and factory is as a wonderful surprise as was staying next to Hamamatsu Castle on our last night .We went during the busy period of the autumnal festival and there were challenging moments for our bus drivers to get us to the points of interest. The tour leader used his knowledge of the time of year and traffic to change the order of the tour and get us to all the places with time to enjoy them - so much atmosphere with so many locals out and about enjoying their seasonal celebrations. It was wonderful to experience it . So different to have so many people around you from the space we experience in Australia.

11 November 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Qantas Frequent Flyer Points and Bonus Points

I haven't been paid the correct amount of Qantas Frequent Flyer points. Some points of mine were paid in error by Trip A Deal to my brother and also I have been short changed points.
They have basically told me that they can't fix the error and my brother needs to transfer the excess points back to me. I am still trying to get confirmation in writing from them so I can go to my brother with proof. As for the shortfall I am still waiting on a phone call back which is outside the timeframes I have been advised. Their staff are more interested in telling me that this is their busy period for sales so after care obviously doesn't matter to them even though it is their error.

26 September 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid AVoid AVoid TripaDeal

Avoid AVoid AVoid TripaDeal
I have travelled to 80 countries and some them several times.
I have dealt with many travel tour companies and this is the worst by far , had very few problems with the others such as Intrepid, inspiring vacations and g travel just to name a few.
Here are just some of the problems and we have not even departed yet and it cost A$30k for 2
1. Misleading Deal Urgency:
When we initially booked the trip, the deal was advertised as ending that very night, which led us to book online at a late hour with no option to speak directly with the travel team.
Later on, we discovered that the deal had been extended multiple times, which would have allowed us to contact your team and potentially address our concerns more effectively, maybe avoiding some of the problems.

2. Qantas Points Allocation:
The booking was completed on my travel companion’s computer, which meant that the Qantas points, worth 30,000 Australian dollars, were credited to her account. This has created an awkward situation, as I specifically chose this trip partly for the points, and it has been challenging to reconcile the point allocation with our friendship.

Additionally, I previously emailed Tripadeal regarding this issue and was informed that it wasn’t possible to book separately and still earn points. However, I encountered another traveler who claimed that they often book separately with Tripadeal and still receive the points, which contradicts the information I was given.

3. Itinerary and Communication Issues:
We also faced difficulties in accessing and confirming the itinerary details. Despite my extensive travel experience with other companies, it was challenging to get the information we needed and to secure additional nights before and after the trip. The current itinerary is also quite exhausting, with early morning departures and tight connections, which is not ideal for a trip of this cost.
Other companies offer extra trip days at a cost prior to and after the trip to allow for tight flight transfers and jet lag .
I have been told this is not an option once the trip was booked should have been done from the beginning however in the beginning we did not have the flight itinerary. Now there are 4am starts 29 hrs of straight travel prior to going straight into a 32 day tour
That is very poor travel planning

4. Lack of Support:
Throughout the booking process, there was limited support and communication from the travel team, they should have realised it is a punishing itinerary for any one.This was not the experience we expected given the significant investment in the trip.

I am not the only one who has had these problems with this company. Friends of mine recently did a China trip with them and said it was terrible poorly planned with little time
And taken to restaurant that were tourist traps

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Incredible value for a bucket list trip

Very happy with our 10 day South African trip. Our flights from Perth were with Singapore Airlines (my favourite!), with only a 3 hour layover in Singapore which was perfect. Coming back was just as easy - although the flight from Cape Town stops at Jo’burg for an hour
Our 3 days at Kruger (1 full day tour and 2 x 1/2 day tours) were amazing, we saw a lot more animals than we expected to - and the lodge we stayed at was very comfortable.
Then the 4 nights in Cape Town were fantastic too. The hotel was excellent and the two tours we went on were very interesting and enjoyable.
Definitely recommend this for the price - 2 people for AUD7,000 including all flights really can’t be beaten.
This was a taster of Africa for us and we definitely want to go back for more.

29 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 3 out of 5 stars

We took an advertised 17 days "ultimate…

We took an advertised 17 days "ultimate Japan tour starting 31/10/25.
*Change of flight was not communicated until we questioned it. Maybe this was more of Qantas fault.
*The local guide was evasive about questions sometimes and also tended not to wait for everyone come off the coach before heading off or started talking. As a consequence, two couple got lost at different time and had to find their own way back to the hotel paying own taxi fare.
*When contacted to question the supply of the 16th meal as per itinerary (the local guide refuse to sort this out for us and asked us to contact TripaDeal direct which was a bit difficult when we did not have voice call for our overseas SIMS), we were told that it would be the inflight breakfast. We always thought that meals provided by airline is separate from meals claimed to be provided by touring company.
*On a positive note, we did appreciate the guide's help in taking my husband to the hospital for medical attention at Hiroshima.
*On return, TripaDeal sent an email asking for feedback. When going through the survey, I found that the wording and questions do not make allowance for negative comment.

31 October 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

They changed the COUNTRY and won't refund in full (CONTAINS ADVICE TO GET YOU A FULL REFUND)

Major breach of Australian Consumer Law – avoid. Use a chargeback to recover your money.

March 2026 Update – SUCCESS:
A chargeback through our credit card company returned the FULL amount. If you have had a similar experience where TripADeal has not delivered the service you purchased, Australian Consumer Law protects you.

TripADeal repeatedly disputed our request, our Letter of Demand, and even the chargeback itself, writing to our credit card provider and relying on their own terms and conditions. Fortunately, our bank was far more reliable than TripADeal in applying the law and charged back the full amount.

Do not assume TripADeal is giving you accurate legal information.
Do your own research. You can even ask ChatGPT to help guide you through the process. Paste this prompt into ChatGPT:

“I paid for a travel service in Australia that was significantly changed or not delivered as contracted and the company is refusing a full refund — please explain my rights under Australian Consumer Law (major failure), how to pursue a credit-card chargeback, how to file in NCAT/VCAT/QCAT, and show examples of successful tribunal cases where consumers won refunds in similar situations.”

Chargebacks can often be initiated up to 150 days after you became aware of the problem, which provides a significant window to act. Start the process immediately. If TripADeal eventually refunds you properly, the chargeback simply cancels — so there is no downside to starting it early.

Original Review

OMG, never again.

We paid $4,598 for a China tour followed by a cruise to Japan. After taking our money, TripADeal later advised the cruise destination had been changed to South Korea instead of Japan, including two days docked at the same Korean port. This is not a minor itinerary tweak — it is a fundamental change of destination.

To be fair, the change was made by the cruise line. However, TripADeal’s handling of the situation was a legal and financial disaster.

We cancelled solely because of this change. Despite this, TripADeal attempted to keep the majority of our money and advised that only $770 would be refunded, citing “unrecoverable costs”. (They later increased this amount to around $2900).

This position is contrary to Australian Consumer Law. Substituting one country for another constitutes a major failure. When a major failure occurs, the consumer is entitled to cancel and receive a full refund. A company’s internal terms, supplier arrangements, or “unrecoverable costs” do not override statutory consumer rights.

TripADeal’s own correspondence acknowledges the itinerary was changed by the cruise line. Qantas Customer Care (TripADeal’s parent company) confirmed that where a service cannot be delivered as described, a full refund may apply under Australian Consumer Law — yet TripADeal still refused to comply.

As a result, we pursued a chargeback and tribunal action.

Bottom line: If you book a destination-specific holiday, be aware that TripADeal may change the destination and then attempt to keep most of your money. Our experience suggests a serious disregard for Australian Consumer Law. Proceed with caution.

Kerrie Ann Barnett (Team Leader Sales & Service ) and Sarah MS (likely Sarah Mathieson-Smith) were the two Trip a Deal representatives putting their names to emails or letters that placed Trip a Deal's terms and conditions above Australian Consumer Law.

23 December 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

No reply regarding negative feedback after 2 months.

WE embarked on the India Heritage tour on Oct 28 to Nov 13 2025. Below is my review sent to Tripadeal regarding the trip. It is now Jan 9 2026 and still have not had a reply. The highlights were true highlights. The Sihk temple and kitchen - not on the itinerary- was outstanding. The Forts, Temples at Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, The Chand Baori Step well, Tiger reserve and houseboat experiences were fantastic. Cochin was underwhelming. All accomodation was Good to OK given that we were on the Premium package - level of service in hotels was just OK. On arrival we were issued with an alternative itinerary which unfortunately was not followed and we missed quite a few activities. Time in Delhi was very good. We covered everything plus more listed on alternative program. Guide was informative but was extremely difficult to understand, especially when on the microphone on the bus. Day 2 trip to Jaipur - arrived late so no chance for the short orientation tour. Late because we spent nearly 2 hours in a rug/craft centre where 3 of the 19 in the group bought something!!! Total waste of time. Optional cooking demonstration put off until the following evening. Day 4 trip to Agra. Again late arrival due to the obligatory jewel/craft shop stopover. Again one or two travellers purchased something whilst a number of frustrated people waited and waited. We were supposed to visit the optional activity of the Baby Taj and Mehtab Bagh that afternoon - did not happen. Next day 5am departure to Taj Mahal which was great. Baby Taj and Mehtab occured in the afternoon which was a total waste of time after viewing the Taj Mahal in the morning. Mehtab Bagh was a view of the Taj Mahal across a dirty river - waste of time and money. Guide was losing enthusiasm. Optional Food trail tour that evening was great even if brief. Day 5 trip to Khajuraho was advertised a 6.5 hour train journey. What a disaster - over 9 hours on a second class sleeper train. Happy to have a one hour experience on an Indian train, but 9 hours, sharing a compartment with an elderly Indian gentleman whose bodily hygiene wasn't great and he snored, farted and grunted his way for the entire journey. Itinerary said on arrival we would visit the temples. Not possible in the dark!!! Day 6. Only one of the two listed optional activities took place - the Tiger reserve. Did the temples that afternoon. Day 7 we did the missed optional activity to the Raney falls. Back for lunch then on a later train for the supposed 6.5 hours trip. Again it was 9 hours!!! Arrived at hotel in Delhi around midnight. Had to be up for 7am bus to airport. Day 8 we were dropped of at the airport, no guide to assist us with where to go in the airport. We then discover it is not a direct flight to Cochin. Our guide was a very pleasant chap, but again he was extremely difficult to understand - we missed so much of the information he was attempting to deliver. On arrival at Cochin we were then on a bus for 4 hours to arrive at out hotel in the dark. Optional activity at Bird Sanctuary did not take place at all!! Day 9 on houseboat was great. Day 10 - another unscheduled stop at a massage facility in Periyar. Again we waited nearly 2 hours while 5 of the 19 had a massage. One street full of tacky tourist stores for 2 hours. Again arrived at isolated hotel, nearly an hour away from Periyar in the dark. Day 11 - supposed to see spice gardens and tea and coffee plantations. Could only see this if you chose to do the Wildlife Sanctuary option. Even they did not get to do this. 14 travellers remained at the isolated hotel for the entire day. Day 12 - trip to Cochin. Very underwhelming city - just a big bustling city. Day 13 our paid optional activity 'Heritage Walk' was not happening because our extremely difficult to understand guide said he could not be in two places at once so we had to do the other activity. Day 14 Hotel check out was 12 noon. Bus was picking us up at 6pm. Told hotel was full and we could not stay in rooms longer. This was false information. We all booked rooms for an additional 6 hours at our own cost. Trip home thankfully uneventful. This was our 6th Tripadeal tour. The previous 5 were fantastic and we encouraged friends to join us on the Indian tour. I would have to rate it 5/10 . Very disappointing! Itinerary’s not followed, time wasted in 'designated' shops, guides with very poor english, optional paid activities not delivered or not delivered in the order listed. Late arrivals to hotels. Train travel times not listed accurately. I think Tripadeal is doing itself a disservice by using ' specialholidays.com' as their agent - it is ruining your brand in India. There is no way we would recommend this particular trip to anyone. We apologise for the negative review, but you need to know what was happening on the ground. We look forward to your response in the near future.

9 January 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

cheap lousy flights between midnight and 6 am

Tripadeal charged us over $8000 initial fee for their swiss train experience. Then they booked our flights without any input from us and it turned out we had been given 3 out of 5 night flights with one 15 hour flight from singapore departing to zurich at 1.30 AM. When we asked if we could change to an earlier flight or to go via frankfurt which has morning departures they refused to help us and muttered something about their business model being built on cheap flights. We cancelled the whole thing but are yet to see any refund. We are resigned to having lost all our money. Be warned.

24 December 2025
Unprompted review

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