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.
We love to hear from 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.
Dear (Travel Agent)
Thank you so much for all your assistance in making our trip to Peru a reality. As you know, (guests) have been serious about going for the past five years. Our husbands were both pleased that the trip happened this year. Your recommendations of Big Five was instrumental in making this dream come true.
With their help, we were able to see each site on our list. Paired with the most knowledge your guides made our entire journey a trip-of-a-lifetime. Recent nearby fires and packing for possible evacuations have kept me busy since before we left for our trip. The fires are now out or close to containment so I can now find time to sort through my many photos and catch up with correspondence. Many thanks.
I just returned from a month long travel adventure that began with 11 days in Myanmar with Big Five. Thanks to our fabulous travel agent, who contacted you when our first booking with (another company) fell through this summer, we were able to book a customized trip with Big Five and squeeze it into very specific dates. As (Agent) told me at the time, “this could end up being a good thing.” It was! Every aspect of our trip was fabulous–beyond expectations. I wanted to personally thank YOU for the extra effort involved in putting together such a wonderful itinerary at the last moment. I know you and (Agent) both jumped through hoops, and we are most appreciative.
All of the Big Five guides we worked with were top notch, and our hotel accommodations were breathtaking, especially the Governor’s Residence in Yangon and the Inle Lake Princess Resort. We loved our time with Thet Thet San at Inle Lake and Kakku. She was so passionate and knowledgeable; an absolute delight to work with. (We were still talking about her when we got to Uzbekistan at the end of our travels.) She maximized every moment without ever making us feel that we were rushed. Her personal touch with the villagers, from the lotus weavers to the boat makers, the paper makers and the silk weavers, was very authentic. They were all so happy to see her and greeted us with incredible hospitality and big smiles. Inle Lake was the highlight of our entire month of traveling!
I also want to comment on how much we appreciated the White Glove Service® that we received. To give you little background: the Irrawaddy Cruise on the Kindat Pandaw was a dream in every aspect, EXCEPT for the fact that the guides that they had hired for the week long trip were very substandard. There were two, and both of them were incredibly difficult to understand–their English was very poor–and their ability to tell a good story, put it into historical context, and keep a large group engaged and moving together was non-existent. As a result, we didn’t get nearly as much as we would have liked to out of the Bagan portion of our cruise. After that first disastrous excursion I shared my frustrations and concerns with the Purser, and asked if there was a possibility of getting better guides. While he was understanding, his hands were tied to do anything about it. He heard the same complaints many times over from the other passengers, who were from the UK, Australia, Tasmania, and Canada. Other than that, the river cruise was fantastic.
After the first day’s disastrous excursion with the Kindat Pandaw guides, I emailed the WGS hotline and explained our concerns. They responded immediately and arranged for private guides to work with us in the major cities and attractions for the rest of the cruise. Your WGS® team communicated closely with the Purser, and we were extremely well taken care of for the remaining itinerary. (Guide) in Mandalay provided an excellent finale to our trip to Myanmar. We were very grateful to be able to experience the sights there with a guide that was so efficient, knowledgeable, and personable.
We probably will never have the opportunity to return to Myanmar, so it was terribly important to get the most out of our experience while there. Your 24-Hour White Glove Service® Guest Assistance team made that happen. I wanted you to know that Big Five delivered Big Time on their WGS brand promise.
Thank you for everything!
R.W
Guests) had a spectacular stay filled with many amazing sighting, walks and runs in the bush which (Guest) loved as this was her daily exercise. They experienced a wonderful picnic in the bush, a boma dinner, bush dinner, tapas evening and a wonderful wine & food pairing menu. (Guests) both enjoyed a few treatments at the spa. Every morning, (Guest) had her favorite scrambled egg sandwich before heading out on drive and then mid-morning they all enjoyed a peanut butter, honey & banana sandwich. The sommelier spent some time speaking to them about different wine choices but in the end they were so happy with the Paul Cluver Riesling that they enjoyed this every night with dinner. On a few evenings they enjoyed a private dinner on the deck. Their Guide & Given their tracker made the stay extra special for (Guests) as they tailor made each drive. The guide even managed to find an African wild cat for them, which is an extremely rare sighting. They have already informed us that they will go back for the same stay next year and are already planning everything.
We had an awesome time at Greece, thanks to Big Five. The hotels provided excellent accommodation & the local guides were very co-operative. There is but one observation that we would like to make. We did not have a very good experience with one of our airlines, Ryanair (Santorini to Athens). Though we did not book these tickets via Big Five but we strongly recommend that you discourage all your clients against flying through this airline in future.
A special thanks to (Destination Specialist) for her valuable assistance & efficient co-ordination in all aspects of the trip.
D.J
