Whether you’re snorkeling with sea lions in the clear blue waters of the Galapagos Islands, or sipping sundowners on the tan-colored plains of the Serengeti, you know that we are there for you anytime.
Our 24-hour White Glove Service® guest assistance begins before you leave home with our pre-departure documents. You receive a welcome phone call after you arrive at your destination. Our WGS® guest assistance team maintains contact at various times throughout your journey to insure that your trip runs smoothly or address any problem that may arise. WGS® can be tailored to your particular needs and interests. Big Five is leading the way in guest relations for the travel industry.
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I want to thank you for all the thoughtfulness that went into our amazing South Indian adventure. We have a friend who knows a photographer and writer, Stephen Huyler, who seems to be the only person , in our circle, that has been to Chetinad, and is a
regular guest at Chidambara Vilas. It was a thrill to be a guest in this magnificent home.
Our guide and out driver made our visit the first 6 days of our trip all the more special. While professional to a fault, (guide) made us feel like family as we travel the lonely roads of Chettinad looking for the perfect Chettinar mansion to visit. She is so well informed and discussed the local customs, history, cuisine, religion, architecture and arts with great enthusiasm. She was a real pleasure to spend our time with.
(Driver) was the only man behind the wheel that we would have trusted to navigate the mountain road coming down from Periyar in a monsoon storm! On that, we could not have been more charmed by the accommodation at Spice Village. Upon arrival, I asked if it was possible to stay in Sir Paul McCartney’s cottage. The manager, surprised and with a knowing smile, wanted to know how we knew about it, only to book us into the secluded cottage. It was the perfect place to read and listen to the rain as it came down during our stay there. (Being from So.Cal. where it never rains, it was a real treat for us.)
Upon check-out we told the manager that there could be some changes to their web site as it doesn’t begin to explain the property or the delicious meals that they served us while there.
Our drive down to Kerala was ambitious and we arrived in heavy rains as we boarded our houseboat for our backwaters tour. Because of the weather, we were not able to go into the small channels, but went straight out on to the lake. The crew fixed us a beautiful lunch, and we took a nap in the comfortable cabin. The captain was a very personable man, and when we told him at dinner not to give us too much food, he smiled and said that whatever we did not eat, his crew would finish! A great experience!
I don’t think we have to tell you what an amazing experience the Falaknuma was. I have clients who had been “In Residence” some years back, and told me about the carriage ride up to the Palace. (We) are completely into granting ones fantasies, so when we got off the houseboat in Kerala, we emerged in linen suites, ready to be received by the palace Livery.
I guess it pays to play the part, because we were certainly treated like royalty. The general manager greeted us after the first day asking us how we were enjoying our stay and seeing that we were utilizing spa, asked if the hotel could pick up our next spa treatments. We were also treated to dinner, compliments of the Palace in the Nizam’s dining room, 101, for a very special meal served by our butler.
We also had a very informative day in the Palace Library with the Librarian who selected books for us as we had requested knowing more about the Nizam and his environs. (On our walk with the Historian, champagne included, we told him that we had looked on the internet for information about what the Palace had looked like when the Princess opened the doors after 40 years and who was with her. Of course it was him, and they encountered wild dogs and poisonous snakes! (We hung on every word!)
After a rose-petal departure, we returned to Kochi and the delightful guide! Having arrived later that we thought, (guide) had his work cut out for him as we commenced on a walking tour of the Fort. He was very well informed about the politics and the culture of the region and we gleaned a tremendous amount of information from him in the short time we were in Kochi. It was all the more challenging by the fact that while in India, we were on a shopping trip for our business, and stopped to look at some earrings for a client. Not finding what we needed, (guide) took us to a place that not only had what we were looking for, but we spent another hour with the merchant as well. Needless to say, this made out sunset walk on the promenade into a adventure in the night market, complete with (guide)’s iPhone flashlight app to light the way. Entering Broyntan Boatyards room for the first time around 8:30 p.m. we changed our clothes and enjoyed a very creative meal in the Historic Restaurant. After we finished a whirlwind day and it was off to bed, a very comfortable bed indeed, for a 3 a.m. departure. Our driver, I am sorry his name escapes us, was terrific and got us to the airport on time for our flight to Hong Kong.
In conclusion, we were so happy to be working with (agency) and Big Five, the two completely got the theme of our South Indian Dream and we will never forget both of your thoughtfulness in the planning. 10,000 Thanks
(Clients) had an incredible time on their trip. You did an amazing job and made “trip of a lifetime” possible for this wonderful family. Thanks so much for all of your effort to make this booking a huge success. They are already looking into another trip for next year to the Middle East and I will send you the request.
On another note, the school visit was truly life-changing for them. I could not have made this possible without you and your expertise. They called me yesterday wanting to know if it would be possible to provide desks for the teacher and students and how they would go about doing this. I think they had already talked to one of the contacts that was with them about this possibility. Is there someone you can put them in touch with or can Big Five assist with this? I know this is asking a lot but I’m trying to help them – they really want to help the school. Let me know what you think.
Thank you again – I will certainly contact Big Five for all future Africa programs!
I’m sorry for the delay in sharing our thoughts about our recent trip to South America. We absolutely loved our trip to South America. We would say the number one highlight was the Galapagos where we very much enjoyed being on the Santa Cruz ship, and all the expeditions each day to the different islands on the zodiac boats with the knowledgeable naturalist guides. I believe we saw 13 of the Big 15 Wildlife. It was a very busy week but we loved every minute of it.
We also loved Peru, visiting Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu very much lived up to it’s deserved reputation as one of the wonders of the world with it’s beautiful & pristine natural setting. It is really hard to fathom how the Inca’s built this granite citadel using those large boulders and no mortar. Unbelievable. All 3 of the hotels were wonderful in different ways, and the airport pickups and transfers to hotels all were on time without any problems. We also enjoyed all of the guides you arranged especially the ones in Cusco & Quito who were the stand outs. The Hiram Bingham train both to & fro was also a new and fun experience. We enjoyed the experience of the train, the meals and drinks, and the music. We also loved spending the day touring in Quito, and thank you for having us stay in the Casa Gangotena Hotel which we absolutely loved.
Also, our trips to Bogota & Rio de Janeiro were interesting and fun, and our South American airline transportation worked well and on time. I had preconceived negative ideas about both cities, but we thoroughly enjoyed our stays in both. Rio is far more beautiful than I expected, and we had fun social venues each night on top of Sugarloaf and at the Museum of Tomorrow.
Thanks again for all you did making this definitely a trip we always will remember.
Y’all met my clients expectations and even surpassed them. They had an amazing trip. I thank you both so much! I’m so totally impressed with Big Five and (Destination Specialist).
Thank you Thank you thank you
We had a wonderful trip! Big 5 did an excellent job and we loved the two people assigned to us in Nairobi. They were super nice, took great care of us and were excellent guides. Governors Camp was a perfect base for the Masai Mara and we had a terrific guide there. Very happy with everything. Thank you again for putting this trip together so quickly. Best regards. T.
Your White Glove Service® was excellent. (Destination Specialist) was great. It was a difficult trip to plan but it was done expertly. All transfers to and from airports went off without problems. Everyone was helpful. Tour in Quito was excellent.
This was about creation and evolution. It was eye opening for my entire family. Hopefully, it will help them appreciate the world and the importance of conservation and respect for the earth and what it has to offer.
It was a great active and educational trip. Thanks to Big Five and (Destination Specialist) for making it happen.
Good morning,
I wanted to thank you personally for taking the time and reaching out to find my necklace at the (hotel)! I was amazed it had been found and held – what great integrity and customer service they exhibited! And again, I so appreciate you talking to the right people to find it. Your care for me and my daughters when we were in Egypt was phenomenal – truly a wonderful experience made better by your care and coordination of all logistics! You did am amazing job!! Thank you so much!!
All the arrangements that you made for us worked perfectly. We were well taken care of both with wheelchairs in the airports and transportation and accommodations on the ground. The guides were all very capable and personable, but we especially enjoyed (guide) in Phnom Penh, who lived through the Pol Pot terrible times and freely shared her personal experiences.
We survived the heat and humidity and were lucky in that it rained only one afternoon. There were some evening showers but that didn’t affect our touring. (Guest) really enjoyed riding the elephant bareback, but that was the one event that I didn’t do as I felt there was too much walking involved. I took advantage of my free time to get a Thai massage. I was able to take part in all the other planned activities. When the guide at Angkor Wat saw me show up at the airport in a wheel chair, he arranged for a wheel chair for the longer distances at Angkor Wat.
What will I remember most? The beautiful architecture of the temples and palaces, the green, green scenery, the so gracious and welcoming Thai people, the many curves in the road going up and down over the mountains. Also, as it was the slow season there were few other tourists in general. Frequently we would be the only patrons in a nice restaurant and we would have 3 or 4 wait staff to take care of us! Thanks so much for all your careful planning.
We returned from our trip yesterday, and I wanted to write you about our experiences now, before the din of daily life begins again. Thank you very much for the care and attention you and your staff provided our family; it was an awesome experience!
Our guides made the trip. (Guide) in Hanoi greeted us at the airport and took care of our every need. He went out of his way to share personal experiences as well as historical highlights, and we knew we were in expert hands as we maneuvered through the challenging city traffic with him by our side. A few of the highlights in Hanoi were the electric car ride through the Old Town and lunch at a local place specializing in Bu Cha that he recommended. When it was time to say good-bye, he also helped us secure our airline tickets and get everything arranged before leaving. These little touches meant the world to us.
(He) was no easy act to follow, and (Guide) in Saigon did not disappoint. He has a hilarious sense of humor, and he and his driver kept us laughing as they transported us to emotional stops for Americans, including the Cu Chi Tunnels, along the Mekong Delta and to the Military Remnants Museum in Saigon. His infectious good humor helped balance the impact of these visits. The highlight for our son was the evening Vespa tour on our last night and the meal we had with (Guide) in a local eatery.
Our last guide in Cambodia – was also wonderful. He put up with our panting through the heat and humidity and shared his knowledge of temple history and architecture at each stop along the way. The circus show on our second night – and our trip to “Pub Street” – are memories that we will cherish.
The accommodations were consistently fantastic. Hanoi’s Metropole was like stepping back in time to a more elegant age, the Saigon Sofitel was perfectly located for evening strolls and had an impressive gym and the resorts in Hoi An and Siem Reap were luxurious and relaxing. The cruise aboard the Au Cu 1 through Halong Bay delighted us in every way.
Now we are back at home, buoyed by our fond memories of everyone and everything we met, and saddened that we had to leave. My husband and I are already tossing around ideas for our next adventure, and we will be sure to turn to you once again for your expert guidance. Thank you, thank you for all you have done to create an unforgettable experience for our family!
Having never been to Central America, it was important for our family to work with an experienced operator with trusted connections. Our amazing travel advisor recommended Big Five, and together, we experienced our best vacation ever. Our accommodations were fantastic.
While living in the jungle without electricity, waking up to the sound of howler monkeys and rappelling down 100ft waterfalls definitely pushed our personal comfort zones, it was always done within the parameters of safety, fun and new experiences (in addition to push comfort!).
Having (Big Five Destination Specialists) thoroughly explain the uniqueness of our vacation choices only added to the excitement upon arriving. The finely-detailed itinerary made for no surprises. Logistically, it was great to have people waiting for to take us to our next destination. Their local contacts checked in with us throughout our vacation, making sure all was well. Top marks for another great family vacation.
While at Saruni Samburu, the guests had wonderful safari. They spotted a number of animals including highlights of a family of cheetahs as well as lions and had an enjoyable close experience with elephants. Yesterday, on their full day in Samburu they enjoyed breakfast in the bush and some exciting wildlife viewing. After lunch they chose to relax in the villa the rest of the afternoon before heading out on a sunset/sundowner drive around the conservancy. Within seconds out of the lodge, they were already captivated by a number of birds they were looking for and spent the rest of the drive concentrating on birds. Being (guest’s) birthday, (Big Five) arranged a cake and over dinner, the Saruni Samburu staff dance and sang traditionally songs around the table with all other guests in celebration.
They left very happy and (guest) with a tear in her eye. She explained how it was only the day before that the doctor gave the go ahead for them to go on this trip and they were quite nervous about it; however, she is so thankful to have been able to experience this – that despite their age and health concerns.
I was thinking about you yesterday. I am going to call you when my clock is in order. This was a trip of a life time. I was so overwhelmed at times that I actually cried. Yes, tears of joy and the beauty around me. The guides were incredible. I am one happy lady. With a huge smile on my tired face.
Dear Big Five:
Please accept our upmost appreciation for the attention to detail in planning our African safari to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Our entire trip from the arrival in Nairobi, Kenya to our departure from the same city was flawless. The Big Five ” meet and greet “ staff in all the cities we travelled through were exceptional, in particular in Nairobi. Our personal driver , transported us throughout Tanzania for five days was superb.
Your extensive knowledge of all the lodges we stayed at payed off in a wonderful showing of the Ngorongoro crater, Serengeti plains and the Masai Mara. At every lodge that we stayed at the staff gave us a wonderful private romantic anniversary dinner.
This was truly a trip of a lifetime. We highly recommend, without reservation your services and it would be our pleasure to serve as a personal reference should you request it. Under separate cover, I will forward some photographs of our adventure.
We look forward to having you plan our next family safari to South Africa.
Warmest personal regards,
We wanted to tell you how much we appreciated (Destination Specialist)! He was kind, patient, professional and capable, and we really felt he had our best interest at heart.
We had spoken with a couple of other company’s and heard their bids as well as their “pitch”, but (he) was the ONLY one that heard exactly what we wanted and provided it all so effectively and with a lot of humanness!! Our trip was challenging, with my turning 60, wanting safari, whales and waterfalls, and he did it all!
We felt SO cared for in the process of arranging the trip that we completely felt like Big Five had our back if we ran into any trouble once we got to Africa.
And that was VERY important to us. We will absolutely use Big Five for any more travel we have, especially for trips around nature, animals etc.
Thank you for providing such extraordinary service!
Amazing Company! Working with Big Five Tours & Expeditions was a great experience. Every aspect our tour was outstanding and we would not have changed anything with our itinerary. (Destination Specialist) took the time to get to know what we wanted and expected and was bang on with everything on our trip.
Just wanted to give you some feedback on our trip. It was fantastic and we would recommend (the hotels). In Placencia, (hotel) in particular was so chill and low key, with easy access to the beach, snorkeling, fishing and dinners/lunch out in the little village. It was also extremely clean and beautifully decorated. Any clients looking for a quiet and relaxed coast experience would love it. Thanks for your help on this trip! A great combo of adventure and relaxation for the whole family.
Just to let you know, we had a wonderful time on our trip. We were phenomenally lucky with the weather, and saw everything we hoped to see. We really loved the hotel on Seraya at the end of the trip – the place is really paradise! Cheers, and thanks!
Dear Big Five,
We were so happy with Big Five’s service. Everything went as planned and there was not one thing on our trip that went wrong. When our flight was delayed we received a phone call right away updating us. Big Five uses great companies as well in Costa Rica. We were also very impressed with the White Glove Service® guest assistance, and the phone calls when we arrived at the hotels. We felt they were in constant communication with us throughout our trip to ensure it was perfect without any bumps.
Big Five made our trip so enjoyable and it was so smooth. The suggested hotels and excursions were so much fun and every driver who picked us up arrived exactly On time. Big Five made our trip very enjoyable without having to worry about anything. We really trust the company to plan another vacation for us and we will for sure recommend Big Five to our friends!
We all had a wonderful time. At Safari Camp – everyone was fantastic! The staff, food, spotters, guides, accommodations and transfers. Cape Town, Sabi Sands, Ngala, all great. This was our first trip with Big Five and we look forward to traveling with you again. From all of us… Thank you!
This was a wonderful trip for us, we were well taken care of in all situations. A pleasant surprise in “Unknown” India and we visited Delhi, Jaipur and Kolkata. Although this was our first trip with you, we would love to travel with Big Five once again on our next visit to China.
