Traveler Tales

"We had Uncharted, a high end adventure-travel company, plan our visit. It was one of the best decisions we made. Uncharted provided 24/7 support throughout the trip, including having a doctor call me at 11 pm the night of arrival to give me a prescription for a medicine I lost. Thanks to Uncharted, we were met by a Menzies or a Wilderness representative at every hotel stop and flight. Each representative handled our carryon luggage and we were escorted through expedited security and passport control, and, where needed, baggage check. On the few occasions we had travel issues, Uncharted, and/or the Menzies or Wilderness representative helped resolve things. They were key in helping us find and recover hand made items we had purchased at one of the safari camps but had left at the Maun airport. This support, plus flying business class for the long flights, made a huge positive difference for the trip as did having private safari guides who only needed to take our wishes into account on the game drives. This was indeed the trip of a lifetime for me. And I have the photos to prove it."

"Just checking in to say thank you — you’ve truly outdone yourselves. Every part of this trip has been seamless and beyond anything we imagined. Kenya feels magical, and we keep saying how grateful we are to have such dream makers behind it all. It’s been a pinch me moment from the moment we got here.”

"You made an absolutely FABULOUS trip for us. Beautiful places with animals - exactly what we wanted. Two game drives each day, spectacular views, knowledgeable guides, chefs extraordinarily creative and who dance and sing well.

The people at Borana and Mara Expedition Camp, no matter what their role, were wonderful and provided everything we wanted and well beyond. So warm and caring. Abundant animal populations at these two locations - Mara Expedition was beyond our dreams. We experienced some pretty rare events and sightings. Our guides at these two places made it happen. Very smart, warm and funny and we all enjoyed being together.

Thank you, Sandy.”

“[The Santorini] was a great way to end our honeymoon! As soon as we arrived we were greeted by the friendliest staff. We knew this was paradise and we couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect honeymoon spot. We enjoyed reading on the beach, paddleboarding, relaxing by the pool, massages, incredible meals, and even a birthday celebration. I can’t stress enough how fantastic the service was from Heidi, Wynand, and all the staff. They made our stay as enjoyable and perfect as possible. We hope to come back again! ”

“All [properties] were unique, different, and amazing! Our favorite was Little Vumbura-staff was gracious and kind. Our guide, Russell Crossey, was excellent!!! Location, wildlife, rooms – 5 stars!!”

“Sandy and Chip…thank you for your help in putting together a magical two weeks in Kenya. When your daughter cries because she does not want to leave…we knew we had hit a homerun.”

“First of all, we would like to thank you for arranging such an incredible itinerary! It was truly a trip of a lifetime! We had the most amazing time! All of the technical aspects (transfers, flights etc..) were seamless. We felt so well taken care of. The lodges, guides, staff, safaris, food and experience were all beyond our expectations and we could not have asked for more. The safaris were beautiful and we have such a new found amazement, awe and respect for the gorgeous wildlife we saw. Just experiencing the terrain was inspiring. We saw the Big 5 in the first few days!”

“Robyn, We are back from the very best honeymoon ever. It was perfect in every way…We were never left waiting at an airport or for a car and we were always whisked away quickly to the comfort of a smiling face and air conditioning.”

“Robyn, thank you, we had a wonderful trip! There were no delays or problems with the flights, everything was perfect…every single person tried to make us happy at every lodge we stayed…thank you again for all your help and for making this trip possible! I truly think this safari could not have been better!”

“Sandy…we left our heart in Africa. The whole family had such a fantastic time and every moment was spectacular and magical. Thank you so much for organizing such a memorable trip for us. We loved James too. We cannot thank you enough.”

“Spent 5 nights in the glorious Lamai Serengeti where our room opened directly onto the Serengeti plains and we saw herds of wildebeest every morning…We had one of the very few female guides in the country and she was all ours the whole time. She was amazing, showed us cheetah with cubs, lions eating wildebeest and nursing baby cubs, we saw hippos and zebra and herds of elephant and crocodiles and did a hot air balloon to see the sun rise one day. It was spectacular.”

“All accommodations were fabulous. Hospitality was incredible all over South Africa. Everything was planned perfectly, including transfers. This was the trip of a lifetime. Everything went so smoothly. We loved it all.”

“This was the most memorable trip we have ever taken. To be in such close proximity with these majestic creatures is an experience we will always cherish! …Thank you Sandy! We will highly recommend you and your company.”

“Sometimes when you have high expectations of a trip you are disappointed at the actual trip experience itself, however, not the trip that you planned for us. The bar kept going up with each day we had, each safari we went on and each person we met!”

“Brittany, we can’t thank you enough for your help with planning our trip to Nicaragua! We had such an amazing time. It was everything we were hoping for: relaxing and beautiful, peaceful yet energizing. With both our work schedules as crazy as they are, it truly was the perfect trip to clear our minds and enjoy ourselves. Thank you so so much! We can’t wait to look into planning our next adventure.”

“The Reina Silvia was excellent. The yacht was well appointed and clean, but most of all the crew and our naturalist/guides were excellent in all respects: knowledgeable, friendly, and anticipating our every need. The animal encounters were amazing and our days were filled with activities. We loved it!”

“Sandy, you really put together a perfect trip for us, taking the time to plan an amazing itinerary…without your expertise and guidance we would not have been able to design such an incredible trip…This was the most incredible vacation we have ever had!!! Thank you Sandy!”

“Blown away. A great combo of academics, culture, museums, city and mountains, urban and beaches.”“It’s taken me awhile to catch up with life back home, so this email is late, though probably better timed, as I think about and savor the trip everyday. Many rich memories. You really pulled out all the stops for us. Every, and I mean every, detail so beautifully handled. Like I said earlier Amit, on my best days, maybe I get to have a four star life, so to be treated to 5 was such a treat. But, what I shall most remember is the interactions. The guides were terrific, not only knowledgeable, but kind and incredible interesting men. The city walking tours were some of both Alex’s and my favorite as well as the cooking demonstration, private concert in Varanasi, and quite frankly Amit, dinner in your home, and a chance to be with you, your gracious wife, and adorable daughter. The festival…well all I can say is I’m glad I took pictures, it helps…because words fail to express what an incredible experience that was. How they used that fort to stage the concerts, the music itself, the sound system, lighting, food and drink, interesting guests, and a chance to hang out with the musicians. Stellar. You were wise to insist we went to Chatra Sagar, depute the drought, an amazing place. I have written Ishan separately, but believe me, he is an incredible asset to your organization. He really went all out with big small details, and once again our driver/guide was the absolute TOP. So many many thanks. ”

“Sandy, I need to express my gratitude for your hand in the utter perfection of all my trips with your company. You are the pinnacle of travel planners-you really work hard to get the little things just right. You are a genius at the singular experiences… Thank you for outdoing my every expectation and dream!”

“The whole trip was a total blast and came off without a single hitch. All food, all flights, all transfers, all rooms were perfect. A first for me in over fifty countries of leisure travel.”

“I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks for the exceptional trip you arranged for us in New Zealand—it was a memorable experience that exceeded our expectations. We especially appreciated the personalized attention throughout our journey, and having Cara from Ahipara available gave us invaluable peace of mind. The itinerary was absolutely wonderful, thoughtfully planned to showcase New Zealand’s beauty and culture. From the breathtaking landscapes to the local experiences, we could not have wished for more. A special thank you as well for the birthday surprise massage for my mom and me—it made the trip even more special. Thank you again for your outstanding service; we look forward to planning future adventures together!”

“Working with Uncharted was such a pleasure, and we now know we can count on you for all of our future big adventure trips. We started planning this vacation just a few months in advance, and despite the tight turnaround, everything was booked in time and went off without a hitch. Sandy and her team were incredibly quick in providing us with a proposal, making revisions as needed, and preparing us for our departure. She also offered valuable advice and suggestions on places to see and worked hard to accommodate all of our requests, ensuring the trip was everything we hoped for.”

“Uncharted provided the most personal, unique and breathtaking experiences for us! We won’t travel anywhere without Uncharted as our travel guides. The carefully chosen outposts and locations allowed us to experience these spots in ways we can never find or experience on our own. We love the attention to detail and the appreciation for learning deeply about the cultures and people at each spot. We have also never eaten so well!! Uncharted trips have brought our family closer together as we have been able to share these life changing experiences together. Many of Our favorite family memories have been created on our unchartered vacations. Thank you all!”