1.800.344.6118
Contact UsRequest a QuoteRequest a Catalog

General Comments About Adventure Life



Click to view additional Testimonials :
Amazon | Antarctica | Argentina | Belize | Bolivia | Brazil | Chile | Copacabana | Costa Rica | Ecuador | Falkland Islands | Galapagos | Guatemala | Guyana | Honduras | Nicaragua | Panama | Patagonia | Peru

Scot McClellan (Machu Picchu by Train Tour, Jul 2009)
The tour was among the best experiences I have had when travelling. It was active, cultural, and eye-opening. Beyond being enjoyable, the trip touched the soul of both my wife and myself.

The agents at Adventure Life worked with us as we customized our itinerary to meet our wishes. Adventure Life was supportive throughout the process.

Every lodging we stayed at was excellent!

Our guide was Marco Palomino Tocre. Marco was an exceptional guide who was extremely enthusiastic throughout the trip. His passion and knowledge made the trip a truly exciting experience. We learned so much from him.

We ate primarily at lodges, hotels, and restaurants. We had great food throughout. In Cusco, Marco made recommendations that were excellent.

Patricia Sasscer (Finch Bay EcoHotel, May 2009)
I cannot say enough about how well this trip was organized. Our group of 11 was able to stay together in a very relaxed manner, and our needs were always taken care of in a friendly and congenial way. My traveling companion, who shared a room with me commented that it was the best vacation she had ever taken. Many thanks to Adventure Life for making our trip such a pleasure!

April Marlow (Islands and Incas + Machu Picchu by Train Tour + Cruise on Beagle, May 2009)
We loved them all! Sanctuary Lodge was great, mainly because of the location, but also the service and food was outstanding. But we also loved Pakaritampu in Ollantaytambo. What a magical place! Beautiful grounds with 3 resident llamas and view of the Inca fortress. And the Mansion Del Angel in Quito is like a Victorian dollhouse! So cute, with roses and roses petals all over. The Beagle is a beautiful ship. We did not see another ship that we would have rather been on. And with only 12 passengers, it was just perfect. We would not have liked to be herded around like the bigger boats.

You were great. When our flight was delayed leaving Cuzco and we missed our flight to Quito, we ended up with 6 hours in Lima. I called your rep and she sent a van for us so we could explore Lima instead of sitting at the airport. Likewise, when we caught an earlier flight from the Galapagos, and ended up in Quito 3 hours early, I called your rep in Quito and she was there in 15 mins with a ride to our hotel, and information on what to do and where to eat. We were all very impressed with their helpfulness, friendliness and professionalism.

We were totally impressed with Marco Palomino. His knowledge is incredible and we learned a lot from him. But also his manner and style was what made the trip. We could not have had a better guide, period. On the Beagle, our naturalist ... Read All

Honora Bauman (Islands and Incas + Incas and Rainforest + Machu Picchu by Train Tour + Cruise on Eric, Letty & Flamingo, Apr 2009)
I've been fortunate to travel more than most people so I think it's getting harder and harder to impress me. This trip certainly did the job! As much as you hear about the Galapagos, you have to experience it first hand to understand how special it is. As someone with an interest in nature photography I know I'll never find another place where it's so easy to get amazing wildlife photos. Peru was equally impressive in so many ways. Of course the ruins were amazing and the Colonial cities also. But the people were also wonderful and we loved their crafts, music and food. I'm sure we gave quite a boast to the local economy with our shopping. Our only regret was that we couldn't bring back one of the baby alpacas. But we settled for lots of photos instead.

We worked with Mary, Reilly and Marissa and they were all great about answering our questions and providing some advice.

I can't say enough about the guides. Ivan and Orlando, our guides from the Flamingo were really knowledgeable and so much fun. Teddy was equally knowledgeable and we shared a similar sense of humour. We had a great time with him.

We were particularly happy with the entire crew of the Flamingo. It was obvious that they worked long and hard each day but they were always really warm and enthusiastic. The impromptu concert during dinner one night was definitely a highlight. The staff ... Read All

Eileen Singer (Galapagos Multisport, Apr 2009)
that was the most amazing trip that I've ever taken. The guide was stupendous and the locals were phenomenal!!! I could do the same trip over and over again, and not ever be bored!!

my daughter had her 15th birthday in San Cristobal. Kudos to the wonderful staff at the Hotel Opuntia for the decorations, song and cake!

I had the pleasure of not just taking my family on the most fantastic tour of the Galapogos, but having the privilege of meeting local people who had hearts of gold and personalities brighter than the millions of stars that we saw every night!

David Fogt (Discover Panama, Mar 2009)
Each day, the accommodations, meals, people and activities exceeded our expectations. This was our third trip, and another outstanding one, with Adventure Life. A.L. provides a structured trip with all necessary transportation and personnel support, while at the same time providing ample opportunities for individual elective experiences.

Kathleen Rollins (Hiking Galapagos, Feb 2009)
We had the best guide - Sebastian Jurado. Amazing - friendly, bright, knowledgeable about a wide range of subjects, capable - just great! This trip (Hiking Galapagos) was my third with Adventure Life, and it was fabulous. Our guide (Sebastian Jurado) was great, and the islands were a series of wonders, from the breaching whale to the dancing sea lions to the view from the top of the Sierra Negra volcano. A trip to remember!

I loved the small hotels, especially on the islands.

Linda Neikam (Sacha Lodge, Feb 2009)
I loved Sacha lodge and will recommend this to all my friends. The Eugenia Hotel had lots of charm and very accommodating staff. We were shocked when we got to the Pinsaqui Hacienda. It was so beautiful that we didn't want to leave. Bellavista is a jewel, rustic but after a half a day we felt like we belonged there.

Every step of the way your staff was waiting for us. We never had to look for them, they were prompt and always interested in making our vacation perfect. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. Everyone was so friendly and always, acknowledged us with friendly waves and smiles. I can not think of anyway to improve the service.

The food in Sacha was very good, the food in Bellavista hot and plain. We were so cold sometimes that the hot was all we needed.

Although we packed bug spray and anything else we could think of, generally the various lodges provided us with rain poncho's, boots and umbrellas. I came away with a love for Ecuador, the people and country. I will definitely return.

This trip was one of the best I have ever had and I look forward to traveling again with Adventure Life.

James Fein (Machu Picchu by Train Tour, Jan 2009)
Tour was great. Concerns (though no problems) about water, food, crime, bathrooms, etc made it an adventure, as this was our first real third world travel (Galapagos cruise was not really the same). The effect of the farmers strike almost made it too adventurous, but we are very happy we went and extremely happy with your people and their support.

The thing we learned is that a good guide may have great knowledge and insights, as Boris B did. However, when you really test a guide is when things start to go wrong, such as the strike cutting the train tracks and blocking the roads from MP. That is when Adv-life, and Boris in particular, really made a difference. Boris and the support network in Lima and Cuzco kept us calm and informed and made the whole trip a positive experience. You have to have full confidence in a travel company- guides, drivers and everybody. Everyone at Adv-life came through for us.

Drivers were great as was Rueban in Cuzco. As noted the trip back at night was tricky and your people really came through when needed.

Inkaterra in MP is well worth the upgrade. San Augustin hotels in Lima and Cuzco were OK, but not great. Room in Lima was tiny and there was no hot food at teh buffet when we had to depart at 7AM. Perhaps there are no good options. Sauce Hostal in Sacred Valley was very nice we had the best room in the place and it ... Read All

Peter Thacher (Adventure Pacifica, Dec 2008)
Marrissa was great. She really helped us plan everything.

With a couple picky eaters in our bunch - everyone was very accommodating.

Flying back from Costa Rica, my wife and I had a conversation that could have been titled, "Holy Smokes, did we just have that much fun?" I am sifting through 1,500 photographs to make a condensed version of our experience for friends - words just don't do it justice. With three young kids, 9, 7 & 7, there was nothing they didn't want to do; wet caving, sail fishing, Tarzan swing, whitewater rafting, night tour and lots of hiking. They loves life's adventures - thank you Adventure Life!

Sharon Starko (Easter Island, Dec 2008)
Hotel Gomero on Easter Island was great. Surprisingly large room, amenities such as in-room drinks (very handy) and exceptionally clean and bug free!!

Loved our guide Freider. He had amazing knowledge not only about the island's native culture but of archeology and geology. He really helped make our trip! He also helped us get setup with additional island transportation and took extra time to make sure that we had the most fulfilling and enriching travel experience. He is very proud of what he does and it is very apparent.

The tour was VERY well planned and executed without a flaw. Our guide was very flexible and helped work around our schedule of things we wanted to do, plus he planned excellent day trips for us, catering towards us.

Once again, you all outdid yourselves! From the pre-trip communications, to the post-trip follow-up, and everything in between, you all are flawless vacation planners! Consistently on time, affordable, with very well planned and thought out Adventures, and amazing and knowledgeable staff...I have been telling all my family and friends about what a great company you all are. I would go to every corner of the world with you all if I could. Thank-you again for an AWESOME Adventure!!!

Paul Lipscomb (Islands and Incas + Machu Picchu by Train Tour + Cruise on Journey II, Dec 2008)
Responded promptly to all calls/emails. materials provided were clear and turned out mostly to be very accurate.

Most the hotels were very exceptional, comfortable, and great rooms. Cusco/Ollantaytambo and Aquas Calientes were just wonderful. Noisy (neighbors playing music all night) in Quito but place itself was superb. Most of us arrived in Lima for very short time before going to Cusco. Hotel long way from airport...probably closer would be better. Cormorant II was a kick and more than adequate. Good staff on board.

Very good food on boat. Cook was great and served well rounded meals. When we ate out with Peru guide's support/advice, it was great.

Marco Palamino in Peru: over-the-top excellent guide who gave top-notch tour guide info/support and also helped in many practical matters (getting left behind stuff back to us...helping with altitude sick members). Smart...passionate about subject, deeply/personally connected to the places/topic.

In addition: Adventure Life provided clear, timely and consistently excellent service from the first contact through the entire trip. Even to this request for feedback. The accommodations/hotels were really exceptional, and in case of Peru, the guide really more than I had even hoped for. Logistics were never a problem once we 'arrived' and before our final 'departure' from the trip. It made the experience ... Read All

Catherine Waltman (Earth, Fire and Water, Dec 2008)
I believe Monika initially was providing us help and then it was Marissa from then on. All support was excellent. I had several "last minute" questions and she always got back to me right away.

Again excellent. The Bergerac at San Jose was great. We got to stay in Room 14 on our arrival with a wonderful balcony. Tiskita was fantastic and so were the other lodges. We were very comfortable at all times.

Again, given all the logistics that had to happen, the drivers were always on time. We waited maybe 10-15 minutes after our flight back from Tiskita but Jose our guide said we were not scheduled for an hour later. I think they had moved our flight up. But even this did not cause much delay.

Jose Romero, our guide for Arenal and Monteverde, was fantastic. We could not believe the 3 of us had a private tour guide. We were interested in birds and wildlife and he helped us find and identified for us many, many birds. He was always friendly and witty and had a great attitude. We want to get him again the next time we go to Costa Rica!!

Our drivers was absolutely great - even on the winding dirt roads to Monteverde. The food at Tiskita was incredible. Yes all staff was excellent that we came into contact with and everyone went out of their way to be sure we were satisfied.

Tiskita food was very good. Of course, they had their fruits from the orchard ... Read All

Susan Larson ( Cruise on Millennium, Oct 2008)
Small groups were nice since it allowed us to take more or less time at each site as our interest demanded.

Guides were spectacular! Every request was attnded to. Every question answered.

Meals on the boat, Millenium, were Excellent. Cook was very creative. Portions were just right. The variety of fruits was wonderful. Accommodations to my meal restrictions was sensitive.

Most exciting event: One day as we were drying off after snorkeling, one of the other snorkelers told me that a white tipped reef shark was following me. He waited to share this information until we were back on board the boat because he didn't want to scare me. While the reef shark may have been harmless, the next day while we were snorkeling, our guide started shouting, "Shark! Shark! Get back in the boat! Shark!" We scrambled back into the boat. There were actually two bull sharks about 8 meters in length and judging by their posturing, they were looking for dinner. Bull sharks, according to other experienced divers, are the most aggressive sharks in the world. In spite of the scare, I felt our guide was in total control and handled the situation with calm assurance.

Doug Lucas ( Cruise on Diamante, Sep 2008)
Mansion del Angel in Quito was charming with a very pleasant and helpful staff. Accommodation on Diamante was basic but comfortable which was what was expected.

Our guides in Quito (Andres) and on Diamante (Alejandro) were truly outstanding. We could not have been better served.

We still can't believe the cook was able to produce such wonderful meals from such a tiny galley. Our only complaint might be that there was too much however we didn't gain weight because we were so active on nature hikes.

Galapagos is a very special place and cruising on a boat as small as Diamante was exactly what we had hoped for. This trip ranks a very close second with our safari in Kenya and Tanzania two years ago which we don't believe anything could equal. Each day and each island we said nothing could top this - and then the next day and island did exactly that. Watching a frigate bird steal a fish from a sea lion and observing a flock of blue footed boobies "dive bomb" in formation onto a school of fish were two of the many many highlights. Learning to walk with care lest one step on a herd (or whatever the collective name is) of marine iguanas was a most valuable lesson.

Robin Storey (Islands and Incas + Cruise on Coral II, Sep 2008)
Teddy, our guide in Peru, was terrific, and the naturalists in the Galapagos were knowledgeable and very friendly. Everyone else who helped us with our travels were wonderful.

Especially enjoyed the barbecue dinner. Food was plentiful - not gourmet but adequate. Snacks following our outings were appreciated!

Important to pack lightly; be prepared for tourista and consider how you'll deal with the altitude (we took Diamox which worked well so we had no problems). While in the Galapagos, you are very out of touch with no news, internet and little cell phone coverage. That can be very relaxing but good for people to know that in advance. Very disappointed with the international cell phone we bought to use on our trip. Make sure you have lots of memory cards for your digital cameras! Fellow travelers were great and it was fun to meet people from all over the world. For most of your time in the Galapagos, there are no stores so don't think you can pick up what you need in a shop.

James Storey (Islands and Incas + Machu Picchu by Train Tour + Cruise on Coral I, Sep 2008)
Our guide in Peru,Teddy Romero, was excellent - a real wealth of historical, archaeological, and naturalist knowledge. The naturalists in the Galapagos were very good too.

The total experience in the Galapagos was fabulous. The boat was very comfortable and the crew was very nice and accommodating. We had day after day of jaw dropping sights and otherworldly vistas. The naturalists were very good and made sure that we saw all the various animals and learned about their habits. There was a good mix of hikes, beach walks and snorkeling. Each island had its own unique wow factor. A real photgrapher's paradise. I was very happy with the way we saw the Inca lands. Some people took the train right from Cusco to Machu Picchu and back, but by taking the car trip through the sacred valley, we say far more and got a much better appreciation of how extensive the civilization was. We spent the night in Ollantaytambo and even got to hang out in the town square for the Friday night festival. My compliments to whoever arranged for us to get the two front seats in the train to Machu Picchu - with full plate glass window view!

Ronald Hoile (Cruise on Spirit of Endeavour, Sep 2008)
Coming from UK I found the pre-departure support both by e-mail & phone calls excellent. Felt I had a personal service.

Spirit of Endeavour cabin (deluxe) was great & the catering was amazing (or awesome as you Americans would say!)

Captain Mike & crew clearly had our interests at heart & sailed into amazingly narrow waterfalls, ice etc. We chose an American ship to avoid the British public (with whom we work every day). It worked...the ships guests were cosmopolitan - Americans, South Africans, Australians & us. Made some new friends too.

Karen Lauridsen ( Cruise on Millennium, Aug 2008)
The tour was fantastic!! We had an amazing trip! The islands were beautiful and the guides knowledgeable and fun!

This trip was more than we expected! Adventure Life was above and beyond our expectations. Thank you for an amazing trip to the Galapagos Islands! We look forward to traveling with Adventure Life!

Lynn Jensen (Cruise on Antarctic Dream - OW, Aug 2008)
The Antarctic Dream is a wonderful ship. The dining room views are awesome. We were in one of the suites, which had a slightly strange odor. The smell was so strong in the other suite that it couldn't be used, which is quite sad.

More than I could possibly imagine. The captain of the AD was incredible and took us places I never imagined I would see. I can't tell you how great it was. And the other passengers were great -- so fun to meet them and adventure with them!

Blue ice flows in the Arctic with blue skies above are unimaginable. But when the lanky young polar bear with deep black eyes wandered curiously down to the ship to stare at us, it was a life changing experience. That night, with the sun still above the horizon, we took the zodiacs out to the ice flow and stood like the bear on the floating islands of ice. The sea was perfectly flat and the sunlight streaming orange. I could have stayed on that flow forever. PS I have pictures to prove it! (not the stay on the ice flow forever part....)