VOLCANIC ISLANDS & EVOLUTIONARY WONDERS

We had a wonderful trip to Guatemala and Belize, thank you both for organising it for us. The hotels you selected were all very comfortable and we especially loved the traditional one in Antigua. The local guides were all excellent, so knowledgeable and friendly as were our drivers. We had a slight problem at Guatamala airport as our itinerary didn’t have information about either the carrier or time of the flight to Flores but a very helpful person at check in found our booking and all was well! The itinerary you planned was really interesting and exciting. We loved the visit to the Mayan ruins, kayaking on Atatlan lake, the volcano hike where we had pizza freshly cooked at the top of the mountain and the pontoon experience turned out to be amazing. We had an unexpected waterfall descent which was great fun and the highlight of the day was seeing a jaguar at close quarters swimming across the river in front of us . Even the guide who had spent the last 13 years in the area had never seen one before! John enjoyed the zip wire experience at the lake while I was able to enjoy the nature park it was set in with its walking trails; these included some exciting hanging bridges with incredible views. There was also a butterfly house and lovely gardens. We thought that the timing of this experience would have been better if it was on the day we arrived at the lake. We arrived by 1pm and had the whole afternoon free. It was really rushed to fit in the zip wire experience the morning we left because of catching our flight. It might also be worth mentioning that the volcano climb can be done on horseback. A lot of people were making use of these to take them up the trail so it could be an option for anyone unable to tackle the hike. I’m sending you some photos in a separate email. Again many thanks for all your planning which allowed two over 80 + year olds to have another adventure!!

What a wonderful kayaking trip in a beautiful group of PNG islands. The trip was expertly run by local guide Javith, his wife and excellent cook, Lisa and skilled boatman/fisherman, Levi. I experienced a perfect blend of kayaking, snorkeling and cultural experiences in these islands inhabited by the friendliest people you could imagine. This is a pristine kayaking destination with healthy coral reefs, providing a stunning snorkeling experience. I highly recommend this trip!

I had the most amazing time on my 10 day tour of Nicaragua. Pioneer created a perfect itinerary for me as a solo traveller, which allowed me to see all the highlights of the country and immerse myself in the culture. I visted the main cities of Leon and Granada, which involved lots of sightseeing, but I aso had the oportunity to make a piece of traditional Nicaraguan art with a local artist in Leon. I also did a home stay on Ometepe Island with a lovely Nicaraguan family, which allowed me to practise my Spanish and learn more about the local community/culture. I also stayed on the Corn Islands off the Caribean Coast of Nicaragua, which were pure paradise! Rafe and Teresa were both super helpful when orgnaising my trip and quick to respond to email queries and calls. I was disappointed at first that I wasn't on a group tour (as I was travelling alone)when I arrived in Granada, but my guides were all brilliant I didn't mind too much in the end. I found the gifts left for me in my first hotel room on the tour a nice personal touch, especially the Nicarguan rum, which went down a treat! Before I started this tour I'd been with another group on a yoga retreat in the jungle in the South Nicaraguan. I got ill there at the end of the week with a bad stomach. My tour guide when I arrived in Granada to start my trip was very helpful and went out of his way to take me to a Doctor. After the medication he prescribed I was right as rain again. Big thanks to all the team at Pioneer Expeditions for such a memorable trip!

Having met Laurenne a few years ago and then planned this holiday with Rafe a year ahead for a group of six of us, we had time to look forward to it in the knowledge that we were going to enjoy our wildlife adventures, but what an under-estimation that proved to be! The sheer number and variety of bird species we found, the diversity of forests and coastal environments, the incredible scenery, and the friendliness of everyone we met – it all came together to give us an absolutely wonderful holiday. Our guide, Martin, really enhanced our travels, not only with his knowledge of the birds and his ability to find them, but also his enthusiasm for his country and other fauna and flora. He was a careful driver and very attentive of our needs, plus spot on with his ideas for extra activities, and very good company too! A huge thank you to Pioneer Expeditions and their local agents

We had the most incredible time on the 5 day Komodo Kayaking trip. Matias and the crew on the boat offered a 10/10 service, from tasty food to amazing local knowledge and all so friendly and helpful. Kayaking across beautiful ocean, snorkelling around pristine reefs with turtles, dolphins jumping infront of the boat, bats, Komodo dragons and camping on small islands - such an incredible adventure and we miss it so much! The Pioneer team were wonderful, and we couldn’t fault their organisation and guidance when planning the holiday.