Extraordinary experiences, locations, and memories
Extraordinary Journeys
- Located In:
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United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- IATA, APTA & Safari Professionals
- Tour Types:
- Custom luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Leslie Keller | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our Botswana Adventure-Perfection!
Along with a group of Asheville folks, my husband Graham and I travelled to Botswana for what was truly an Extraordinary Journey!! John Moody planned this trip, as he did our previous trip to South Africa, to perfection! Such beautiful camps, absolutely stunning wildlife-we saw everything!! It was a magical trip, memories that all of us will treasure for a lifetime.
Amazing and responsive
We used EJ for our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar earlier this year. We travel a lot as a family and normally plan things ourselves. It became clear pretty early on that we'd need help with planning a safari. It also became clear that EJ was the company best suited to us. It was't just the level of service or degrees of expertise provided (at this price point, I think there any number of companies that are at least comparable in that regard), it was the way they listened. Pearl and her partners spent so much time really trying to figure out what kind of experience we wanted, and then designed a trip which satisfied all our desires, including a few we would never have known to ask for. The end result was truly unforgettable; not just a dream safari, but OUR dream safari! Not only would we recommend them to anyone (and have done so many times already), but we wouldn't think of going back on safari without their help. Extraordinary indeed!
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Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Honeymoon Safari In Tarangire NP
Both my husband and I were blown away with the professionalism, organization, warmth and friendliness, quality, knowledge, and overall every aspect of our safari. We can't stop gushing about it to everybody we talk to, and can't wait to go again! The staff at the Kichuguu greeted us with juice, warm towels, and never let us carry our bags. They were kind, courteous, attentive to our needs, and respectful of our space. Their attention to detail in the room was evident - that is the swankiest lodging in which we have ever stayed! On our last night, they made our honeymoon extra special, giving us our own table under the starts and offering us a bottle of Champagne on the camp! The food was outstanding, the amenities first rate, and we definitely felt like we were part of the family. They were also super enthusiastic to be there and share their knowledge of wildlife calls with us around "Bush TV" and in the morning they greeted with a cheerfulness that really kickstarted our day. We definitely felt like VIPs. At EJ, Alli and Kim were hyper-attentive and helpful and prompt with their correspondence, easing us through packing, payments, and letting us know what to expect upon pick-up. The pre-trip document had itineraries, great tips, guidelines, suggestions, etc. It was a convenient, first-rate resource both before and while in Tanzania, and we referenced it several times. All of the pre-travel docs were easy and convenient to fill out. Overall, Kim and Alli did not pressure us into something that we did not want or need. We told them what we wanted to see/experience and they came up with a tailored itinerary that checked off every box we gave them. It is evident that they have a strong and professional grasp of the products that they offer.
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Email Sean | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extraordinary
Over the past two years I have more than once given Extraordinary Journeys an impossible task of planning the safari I dream up with minimal notice (I am talking about bespoke safaris with weeks notice). Each time Kim and her staff have pulled it off seamlessly. No doubt, it could have never been possible without their experience, planning, coordination and execution. This involves an unsurpassed level of dedication to their clients whether it involves putting in extra time unexpectedly or after hours work to make sure I was good to go! I highly recommend the team at Extraordinary Journeys without reservation.
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Email Geoff Grenert | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
John Moody and Extraordinary Journeys have proven to be the very best at what they do.
We have traveled throughout most of the world, at times by ourselves, as well as with tour groups, and I must say that traveling with you and Extraordinary Journeys is the highlight of all of our travels. Of course, being in South Africa, and being so close to those magnificent animals, brought us so wonderfully close to nature and our place in it, that it made the trip that much more special. Being able to reach out and actually touch a lion or a leopard, in the wild, was thrilling. Fortunately I was warned not to.
The accommodations were first class, the in-country travel was both smooth and interesting, and it proved to be an exceptional educational experience. The Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela's home, Soweto and the history of that beautiful country is etched in my memories forever. Table mountain and CapeTown alone were worth the trip. Your choices of hotels, Safari Camps, restaurants and guides was as good as it gets. The people you contract with (especially Clive and Johan) are professional, informed, interesting and they cared about fulfilling all of our needs and answering all of our questions, some before we even asked.
So, I have to give you FIVE STARS. But beyond all of the above, I have to commend you and your staff for making this a trip of a lifetime. From the initial contact with Frances, all the way to our boarding the plane home, your attention to detail, constant communication, close attention to everyone on the tour, and just being the perfect and generous host, you and EJ were as good as it gets.
And I have to admit, that in all of our travels, either personally planned by us, or through a travel agency or through a tour group such as yours, EJ was by a wide margin, the very best.
Thank you and Frances and the rest of the staff at EJ for providing the trip of a lifetime.
Best regards,
Geoff Grenert
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Email Dr. Donna Riechmann | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations!
Our trip, led by John Moody of Extraordinary Journeys, was just that - extraordinary. From the planning stages to our return home, we were well taken care of. We have traveled extensively, both on our own and with tour groups, and this trip was superior in terms of customer service, attention to detail, and accommodations. Of course, being on safari was a huge highlight, and we could not have been more impressed with the people we met and the thrill of spotting wildlife, from herds of elephants to a solitary cape buffalo. I highly recommend Extraordinary Journeys for their ability to plan and deliver exceptional travel experiences.
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Email Linda | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extraordinary Promises but Ordinary Delivery
My husband and I decided to skip our wedding and use the money for a once in a lifetime trip to Tanzania. We choose EJ because we wanted to climb Kilimanjaro before going on a luxury safari and beach trip.
Our final iteneray information regarding our treking company was wrong upon our Intial booking. Once our final documents were sent to us 3 weeks before our trip, our trekking information was incorrect again. After pointing out several inconsistentcies we were provided with "correct" information. Once in Tanzania and meeting with our guide the provide and confirmed information was incorrect again. Examples are if our sleeping Bags were included as part of our climb, having space for them in our bag, if we were going to be tested for oxygen levels daily and the tipping process. Additionally our Kili guide was told a different time than we were to meet him and ended up waiting for over 2 hours because of EJs mistake while we were on a planned day excersion.
As for our Intial arrival we booked an escort through customs. The escort did not arrive until we were through customs and already received our bags.
Our one day trip to Arusha National Park was supposed to include a walking safari. However when I asked the guide about it he seemed very surprised and we had to abtain an additional permit at an additional cost once we arrived at the park.
We arrived at our final destination in Zanzibar and there was some confusion as to our included beverages. EJ said we would have cocktails on the beach, ect however once we arrived we were told no cocktails were included. Upon reaching out to EJ I was told "we are not always aware of what "premium drinks" mean." It is my expectation that if a luxury travel company makes a recommendation of a location they are aware of what is provided.
Overall we were very disappointed with the level of organization and execution. Especially when you are promised the moon when booking. It is unfortunate because we spent close to $25,000 on a 2 week trip and the amount of mistakes was truly extraordinary.
We have voiced our disappointments along the way but we often get canned responses with no real action.
With the amount of travel companies out there I highly recommend you choose someone else if you have multiple legs of your trip.
Reply from Extraordinary Journeys
Posted on Sep 13, 2018Hi Linda,
We have emailed, called and texted you numerous times and have still not heard back from you.
We take feedback very seriously and were especially surprised with your review since we had been in touch with you throughout your trip. We always made ourselves available and put an incredible amount of work into your trip from the minute you reached out to us. We always answered you promptly and in detail, even in the evening and over the week-end, outside our office hours.
We feel it is important to point out a few key details that you did not mention:
-You received over $300 of free Kilimanjaro rental equipment.
-We gave you a $100 refund for the delayed meet and greet.
-We had one of our special guides buy you wine and spend the first evening with you, as we wanted to be sure you and Chris were happy and well looked after.
-We made sure you got an early check in when your flight was changed and you arrived at 7am, since you did not want to pay for the additional room and we didn't want you to wait until 2pm.
-We bought champagne and drinks along the way to celebrate your honeymoon.
-We coordinated with everyone to make sure you got your camera back at your next lodge after you left it in the vehicle.
-You were given free Pina coladas at Xanadu despite the fact that only beer, wine and local spirits were included as noted clearly in all your documents.
We would have loved to talk to you because everyone on the ground confirmed that you and Chris were having a fantastic time. In fact, we have a full time client liaison, whose only responsibility is to check on clients while they are traveling and make sure they are getting all the best guides, rooms and care from the managers at each property.
After receiving your review we went through every interaction with you, including over 40 emails back and forth, multiple text messages and many more long conversation over the phone. We also reviewed your detailed final document and nothing was misleading. This is a document the client receives before the trip and that we review in a departure call before the trip to make sure there are no questions unanswered.
When we started planning your trip there was some confusion over the Kilimanjaro climb, so right away our team got on the phone and addressed everything in a very detailed phone call from someone on our team who used to run climbs when living in Tanzania. As a courtesy for any inconvenience, we covered all your equipment costs. Everything was stated clearly and correctly in the final booklet.
All the details pertaining to the climb, including the time the guide was to meet you, were given to us by the climbing company. You never mentioned that there was a delay, even though we were in direct communication and you were sending us photos of yourself on the climb, telling us how excited and happy you were.
We did have to check with the climbing company after the review to find out what happened. The final documents said you would be met at 7:30 for your safety briefing, and it seems the guide arrived around 8:00 am. We are still unsure where the 2 hour delay mentioned came in. Needless to say we are not happy about your guide arriving late and it is even more upsetting that you assumed we were at fault.
The second hiccup was the late VIP meet and greet on the first day, when they arrived 20 minutes after you landed. We felt awful, so we jumped onto this and sent over a great local guide to meet you at Rivertrees with a bottle of wine and she said that you were happy when she left you. We also managed to get Rivertrees to arrange for an early check-in and sent you a check in the amount $100 (credit for the meet & greet).
In regards to Arusha Park, we checked all written correspondence and there was never mention of booking the walk and our final document said "game drive”.
Finally, for Xanadu we never misled you about the drink situation and we certainly didn’t say that cocktails were included. Here’s what we wrote:
Includes: All meals, local beverages (soft drinks, local beers, ciders, house spirits, house white & red wine - excludes premium brands), laundry, water sports activities (kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and snorkeling from Xanadu’s beach).
Everyone on our team bent over backward to ensure that you and Chris were having a great trip.
We care about everyone that travels with us and were very sad to read this and not be able to talk to you despite all our efforts.
Kind regards,
Elizabeth
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Email Cindy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An extraordinary trip with Extraordinary Journeys!
Extraordinary Journeys made our highly anticipated trip to Zambia and Tanzania absolutely brilliant! Kim Green, Laura Cicalese and their team listened to our requests and put together a journey that exceeded my expectations. We visited Tanzania, Victoria Falls and Zambia, and saw amazing wildlife and had incredible adventures and experiences. They took the time to find out what we liked to do and what we hoped to see, then tailored the trip to the information that we provided. It was very helpful to have several telephone conversations with Kim and Laura, and they were always available to answer our MANY questions. I hope to have the chance to travel with Extraordinary Journeys again!
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Email PVL | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional Experience Start to Finish
The trip to Rwanda and Kenya was exceptionally well prepared and executed. The staff at Extraordinary Journeys has direct hands-on relationships with local guides and tour operators providing the most VIP experiences for customers. The pre-departure call was critical and every detail is reviewed: air, hotels, itinerary, add-on experiences... everything! The quality of service is the highest I have received and therefore the safari itself was beyond my best expectations. The guides (Anderson in Kigali, Loyce at the Rwandan gorillas, Gladys at Mara North Conservancy) were the best. The timing was perfect: exactly the right amount of time for each experience. 100% satisfied!!
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Email Carol | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A life-changing experience!
Extraordinary Journeys organized a safari i Tanzania for me along with my 14 and 17 yr-old granddaughters. The organization was perfect and I took the personalized guide EJ provided me on every excursion. It was helpful and made our trip very manageable. Our driver was excellent, spotting animals long before we did, and the animals! Well! We took a great tourist guide of Tanzania with us and checked off 19 different animals we saw and many beautiful birds. We also saw magnificent lizards and trees. The sunsets were glorious, the lodges comfortable and exotic, and service everywhere friendly and impeccable. To experience all of this splendor with my two granddaughters was truly a life-changer. We'll never forget it.