Upmarket, tailored holidays and adventures in wonderful locations throughout Asia, Africa, South…read moreAmerica and so on. We have travelled with UTC three time in the last two years and have been more than impressed every time. Each of our itineraries (2 in India and 1 in Kenya/Zanzibar) was well-thought out and allowed us to see all we wanted, whilst giving us time to relax as well. Seamless organisation by ground staff at all locations. At times we felt like royalty as we were whisked through crowds, got the inside view and learnt from locals keen to share their local treasures and special places. Everywhere we have stayed with UTC has been stylish, from tented bush camp to exclusive boutique hotel. Highly recommended!

From the owner: The Ultimate Travel Company is a tailor-made tour operator, offering luxury holidays and every kind…read moreof travel experience imaginable - from tailor-made journeys and luxury beach holidays to escorted cultural tours and weekend breaks in Europe.

Trailfinders are an amazing survivor in the travel world, in the age of internet bookings -…read moreespecially when, I suspect, most of their core clientele are capable of using the internet. (Other travel agents presumably only survive catering to that shrinking number who don't have internet access). But Trailfinders know their stuff - they are good at recruiting seasoned travellers, including (but not exclusively) lots of antipodeans and South Africans, who have themselves been there and done it. As Shopoholic says, they are good for complex itineraries, or advising on odd-ball plans like train travel in exotic places, or booking adventure activities before you go, not all of which feel secure on-line (it can be hard to check out the credentials and liability insurance on-line). A very useful new service is providing innoculations and other such preparatory medical advice for visits to the tropics. There are several addresses in the Kensington High Street area, each specialising in a different part of the world. Recommended.

It seems really odd to be writing a positive review of a traditional travel agent in 2007; I do…read moremost of my bookings online, but I have to say that for complex itineraries, it is still difficult to beat Trailfinders. They know their stuff, they advise according to your budgets and your tastes, and their prices are very competitive (although you might want to check hotels separately, I got some better rates by going direct or online). Staff is generally really pleasant and intelligent!