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Has anyone used Collette Tours?

It's sadly lacking in wildlife. One full day on the road getting from Johannesburg to the doorstep of Kruger Park - a day that does include a drivealong of the lovely Panorama Route . Then a day in Kruger, "in search of the Big 5" (according to the itinerary). Then back to the hotel.

The next day is a killer. Breakfast. Drive back to Johannesburg to the airport and board a flight to Port Elizabeth .

The itinerary would have been much better in my opinion to have flown to Port Elizabeth - not driven to Kruger. The guests could have had two days in the very good Addo Elephant Park. Then get on with the trip.

But - when you are selling to an overseas customer, Kruger has the 'name'. Addo sounds pretty one-dimensional. Which it is not.

Final word. Price is good for the trip as it is. As with all trips that try to do it all, there's a lot of time on your fanny in the bus, or whatever vehicle they use.

How do I know? I speak from experience. I operated Holy Land bus tours before I discovered Africa!

Dave Patterson - Owner - The Africa Safari

I just returned from this exact tour and have to say I had a great time.

September/October was great tempatures were warm but not ridiculously hot. For the morning of the safari you will need warm clothes to start as it is cool but did warm up later in the day. Rainy season had not yet started so milaria wasn't an issue. Runners were a must for a couple of days, the rest of the time summer sandals worked well. a mosquito net is not all needed as the hotels were all 4-5 stars just like in canada/usa aside from in Kruger park, it was nice but not as nice as the rest as the area is a little more isolated. At all locations we went the tap water is drinkable aside from Kruger it is not recommended even though it can be. Every place gave you a bottle of water each day and the tour gave you one bottle on the long bus days.

Suggest, do not take any cash as they charge ridiculous fees to do exchange. It's cheaper to pay the bank fees for the couple withdrawals you might make.

With all that said the trip as a whole was great, on the last day our vehicle to return us to the airport didn't arrive. The hotel was great and called the company which ended up paying the hotel to take us so it worked out well. I would suggest if the tour guide is gone because you have a later flight call the bus company (number supplied in your package) about 15 mins before they are suppose to pick you up to confirm they are coming to avoid unwanted stress of arriving at the airport on time..

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

It is also very easy to self drive and book your own accommodation etc.

I too am looking at this tour and would be interested to hear of any new experiences with Collette and your opinion of this itinerary if you've taken it.

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I am scheduled to travel to the French Riviera via Collette Tours and was inquiring if anyone ever used them and if so, are they good?

colette tours = http://www.collettevacations.com

it's a canadian/english company

may be that could be cheaper if you use a local company ?

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Anyone heard of Collette for tours.

We received a brochure from a company named Collette. They have a tour/cruise of Egypt that has great prices. Anyone know of this firm?

Yes, I have had brochures from them in the past, though have never travelled with them. An acquaintance regularly travels with them, and only has good things to say about them, most recently about a tour in the US. Katy

Collette is a family owned tour company based in the USA (with offices in other countries) that has been operating for many decades. Reputation is positive. Accommodation and meals are likely more moderate than the higher end Tauck tours company, for example (hence the prices you referenced).

Collette Tours is based in Rhode Island, USA. They have offices in other parts of the World too.

Collette is a third generation, family-owned company with offices in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

They have been around for eons. At times, they do mailers to certain demographic areas to amp up interest or business.

Here is a sample of their tours -

https://www.gocollette.com/en/find-your-tour#q/continentnames=Europe&currentPage=1&sortDirection=desc&sortBy=

History - https://www.gocollette.com/en/about-collette/collette-history

I've not done a Collette tour. I have done 11 Rick Steves tours and 10 Road Scholar tours with #11 coming up in October.

I looked at the Collette website and looked at the Italy tour just because that is what came up and because I'm not familiar with Egypt. What I see right away is that they have a number of "optional" tours which includes some of the good stuff you'd hope would be included on any tour. Price these out along with the base tour price to see what you will really be paying. Tour companies like Rick's and Road Scholar are very upfront with what they include on tours and don't have optional charges. We did have an option of a gondola ride in Venice when I took the 21 Best of Europe. The guide hired the number of gondolas needed plus musicians and we divided the cost and paid him back. I think it was 25 or 26E per person.

I did find an FAQ section as I was searching to see if tips for the guide are included. They are not. Here's what their verbiage says:

"The land price does not include air travel, airline fees, airport or departure taxes, transfers, visas, customary end-of-trip gratuities for your Tour Manager, driver, local guides, hotel housekeepers, cruise ship waitstaff, and any incidental charges."

I think the going rate for tips for a guide is $5-7/day per person and $3-5/day per person for the bus driver. You'll also be responsible for tipping local guides (not sure, maybe a couple of Euro since you're in a big group?), housekeeping maybe a Euro a day. This will figure into your bottom line budget.

https://www.gocollette.com/en/collette-gives-you-more/faq#extras

I didn't explore the website enough to see what the normal group size is but take that into consideration.

Good luck with your search! I am not an expert on Egypt but this is not a country I'd go for the least expensive tour. I'd probably go as high end as you can manage just assuming they would have the best security in place.

I used to work in the travel industry. They have been around forever. My mom took one of their tours and enjoyed it.

As the others have mentioned, Collette has been around since 1918, so they've been offering tours for awhile. The reviews on this site seem generally good - https://www.tourradar.com/collette-vacations .

I've researched Collette in the past, but my impression is that their tours are structured somewhat like Trafalgar , with 50+ tour members in each group. I much prefer the "Rick Steves model" with smaller groups of about 30, but of course those tend to be a bit more expensive since there's fewer tour members to split the cost of a full size coach, tour guide, driver, etc.

I would recommend taking a look at Scenic USA for the Egypt tour. They are an Australian company with branches in the US. The Egypt tour is a small group tour (24 or 26 people). We have travelled with them twice (Cambodia/Vietnam and Egypt/Jordan) and have been very pleased. There are no hidden costs. Our tours included airfare, transfers, tips and the visa in Jordan. The group will mainly be Australian with some Americans. I wouldn’t go cheap on a tour to Egypt.

I have looked at Viking as well as Vantage World Travel (we have done 3 great cruises/tours with them). Also, some of the other big name river cruise lines. Going rate for a 10-11 day tour is a little less than $6000 pp. Scenic seems to be even more at $6,395. All seems to include five star hotels and I am sure quality tours. Some include airfare from NYC to Cairo.

I took a closer look at Collette's tours and the hotels that are included are what I would call 4.5 star. Not Hilton, but not far below. Perhaps their tours include a full tour bus instead of half a tour bus, but other than that, the differences are minor.

When Collette gets it done for about $2500, it is appealing.

I have already done Egypt (been there twice) and the second time did Cairo and that area again, then did the Nile river cruise. At the time (1985), most of the cruise ships were owned by hotels. The one that I did cost about $300 pp in a triple room. It was with the Marriott Hotel chain and we stayed in the Marriott in Cairo as well. The Hilton cruse was about 50 % more, but went to the same places. I agree that one doesn't want to do Egypt on the cheap. However, it appears that Collette is not cheap, just more moderately priced for a few reasons that don't seem problematic. My wife has never been to Egypt and I want her to enjoy the trip. It appears that Collette would fit our expectations.

You might also have a look at Insight Vacations as their tours feature smaller "Rick Steves" type groups (they actually remove some of the seats from the coach to make sure the group stays small).

Let me chime in since I used to work as a tour director and I'm familiar with Colette. (And I can counter some of the things the Rickniks have said.)

Collette is an excellent company with a very good reputation. Yes, they do try to fill a coach but that may not happen. Some sightseeing is included and some is optional which means you have the choice of doing that--for an extra fee--or doing something else on your own. You can get a list of these before you book to see what they cost or they may already be listed in your tour brochure. Tipping is not included but seriously, is it that earthshattering? The tour documents you get will suggest tipping amounts for your tour director and bus driver. The tour director will tell you the suggested tip amount for everything else. And remember, tipping is always optional. (On Rick Steves tours, all of this is included whether you like it or not.)

But since RS doesn't go to Egypt, I don't understand why it was even brought up. It's like someone asking for a recommendation of a Chinese restaurant and someone else responding saying they like Indian food. How does that help the person asking the question?

" But since RS doesn't go to Egypt, I don't understand why it was even brought up. It's like someone asking for a recommendation of a Chinese restaurant and someone else responding saying they like Indian food. How does that help the person asking the question? "

My word, Frank. I brought it up because if someone has never been on a tour then it is helpful if they understand "tour brochure language". By reading what is included on RS tours one can compare to other companies to see what they do and do not list. It doesn't matter if it's the same place but it's easy to pick out the differences comparing the brochure language in an Italy vs Italy tour.

If cost is a concern, then yes on a 13 day tour where you are with the guide and driver for maybe 12 of those days then $70 for the guide ($140 per couple) + $48 for the driver ($96 per couple) plus misc. tips can make a difference if a traveler is not expecting it.

From the extra info the OP added after I posted, it's clear they've done tours before and are experienced in the ways of tour brochure language so they'll know to have cash on hand.

I have only heard good things about Collette tours. As for Egypt, we went in February with Trafalgar Tours "Wonders of Ancient Egypt." The tour and guide were excellent. Yes, there were 39 people in our group, but we never felt like we were a "herd." Tips were not included in the VERY reasonable price, but we expected that, as tips usually aren't. I would recommend the tour we did of Egypt (2 nights Cairo, 7 nights on a cruise ship on the Nile, and 2 more nights in Cairo). All our accomodations were excellent, meals were superb (especially on our ship), and our guide not only discussed the history of Egypt, but gave us insights into the culture, the religions and the more recent history of Egypt. We all felt safe and I have to say the whole group was congenial and delightful to sightsee with. Some of us took the one optional tour to Abu Simbel (well worth it!) which entailed a round trip flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel. That was about $300.00 pp extra, but our tour cost was in the very reasonable range, but not cut-rate. We checked out Insight, as we had toured Turkey with that company and liked it very much, but they only had pricier tours for Egypt (10-12 people). That group shared our boat for the cruise portion, and they all looked gloomy all the time. I do believe we had more fun, saw more, and liked each other better! We went at a good time of the year for the weather. Summer prices were less, but the weather is much hotter then. If you go to Egypt, have a great time. (And do some research before you go. You get more out of the trip.)

For an Egypt tour, look at Odysseys Unlimited. They offer two different tours there.

I often hear offers from Collette tours, in our area they work with groups to run essentially charter tours, likely their standard tour, but maybe the local TV Anchorman, Weather guy or Football Coach goes along and does the advertising to fill the tour. I may be wrong, but I got the impression that they probably have larger groups, try to hit the highlights in lots of places, and maybe more of a commodity experience (moderate hotels, moderate meals (if included))

I have not been on an organized tour, but I would make sure it fits your travel style. Though for Egypt, I would resort to a tour for safety reasons, and probably tolerate more imposition to my travel style than for a Europe trip.

Hi geo, I took a tour (solo) with Collette a few years ago, the Pacific Northwest and California. It really wasn’t a good fit for me. There were 2 large busses traveling together. Both busses were full with 2 people in each seat. We had assigned seats and sat next to the same person all week. At each stop, 100 people piled out of the busses to use the rest room.

With one exception the hotels were fine, we ate breakfast and a buffet dinner there. Lunches were not included. On one occasion, some of my tour-mates cleaned out the entire breakfast buffet and stuffed their purses full of muffins for lunch (no kidding).

The tour was basically a drive-by. We were told “Mount Hood is over that way. We don’t have time to stop but you can get a postcard at the gift shop.” I think we stopped at every gift shop between Seattle and San Francisco.

The travelers were 70+ years old, mostly women. Tips for the driver and guide were expected.

I would definitely use a tour company to see Egypt, but based on my experience, I can’t recommend Collette.

Collette also has a 'small group' division called Explorations. We wert to Italy with Explorations this Summer and there were only 9 of us on the tour - it was amazing and so easy to move from one place to the next. I now can't do a larger tour, as I think you lose the personalization. I think 19 is their max and I believe Rick Steves is 28 - much better than 40.

I have taken two Collette tours with my mother, who loves Collette. As others have said, it is a reputable company that has been in business forever. My thinking is that they are at their best with relatively inexperienced/insecure groups who live a long way from major airports. They work a lot with local organizations --- churches, chambers of commerce, banks, and such --- to arrange tours. A representative from Collette comes to the town several months before the tour and provides a seminar on what to expect, how to pack, and how to handle money --- basically, the same stuff that you would get from reading Rick Steve's travel tips. They provide transportation from your home town to the airport, which is a really big deal to my mother, who lives in a rural area. Basically, they take care of you from the time you leave home until you return from your trip.

I recall when I took my first trip with Collette, my mom and most of the tour group were flying out of one airport, and I was supposed to meet them in Atlanta. Well, their plane was delayed and they all missed the connection. I was the only person from the group on the flight to Rome. I was totally prepared to get public transportation from the airport to Termini and then walk to the hotel, but they took care of me and made sure that I got to the hotel. I didn't have to worry about a thing.

Also, because many of the tours are locally organized, you are often traveling with friends, which is another big deal for my widowed mom.

On the plus side:

Hotels are excellent and centrally located. The hotels were more or less on a par with the accommodations I have had on Smithsonian tours.

Food is excellent.

Tour guides are excellent.

They handle your luggage for you.

On the minus side:

There are a lot of add-on excursions and meals.

You need to budget for tips.

You will see the major sites, which is fine for a first time visitor, but you are not going to get an in depth cultural experience.

You will likely have more people than with a Rick Steves tour.

So, it all depends on what you want. For my mom, Collette is perfect. She doesn't have to worry about any logistics and can relax and enjoy the trip. For me, with easy access to a major airport and no problems navigating new places on my own, there's not as much of an advantage.

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Editoral Review of Collette

With a history that goes back to 1918, their experience speaks for itself. They provide comprehensive, well-managed guided tours for travelers seeking an exploratory, comfortable travel experience.

Collette - Quick Facts

Founded in 1918

Group size: It varies. Collette offers private and customizable tours, as well as small groups of between 14-24 guests

Typical age range: 45+  

Average tour price: $2,996

Accommodation style: 4 star and above hotels and unique locations

Top regions: USA & Canada, Europe & UK

Commonly compared with Tauck and Trafalgar 

What Makes Collette Tours Stand Out?

• Flexibility & personalization
• Expert tour managers
• Easy booking process
• Private & Customizable tours
• Balances iconic must-sees with immersive cultural experiences

A long history in guided tourism means Collette knows every inch of guided travel. Take care of all the details like it’s second nature, and even though it's old hat every traveler is new and they dig into that. Collette recognizes that no two traveler is the same and approach each planning experience from a perspective of flexibility and personalization.

Their goal is to ease the hardship of planning and organizing for the traveler so you can fully enjoy the experience without worry or stress. At Collette, they know guided travel and have been successfully leading tours around the world to a growing, devoted customer base for nearly 100 years.

Collette tours are about letting you, the traveler, experience unbelievable, classic, and unique moments around the world.  

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Collette?

• Travelers aged 45+
• Moderately active travelers
• Upper budget range

Do you love the ease of mind that comes with having every detail taken care of when you travel? Details that allow you to relax and enjoy the special little moments of discovering the world; learning about new cultures, awe inspiring wildlife encounters, and leisurely meals highlighting local cuisine? Then you are ideally suited to Collette tours.

The Collette traveler is typically older, in the 50+ range. Travelers who enjoy the finer things, value a premium to luxury style of accommodation and transportation, yet have an adventurous spirit will love traveling with Collette.

Recent retirees and active seniors who are game for anything are the kind of traveler who relish a tour with Collette - check out this group in Costa Rica - taking part in Costa Rica's famous ziplines!

If you don't want to be encouraged to jump in and push your comfort zone a bit, you may find yourself out of step on a majority of Collette tours. They have several offerings though, so don't let that discourage you. 

Collette is ideal for active travelers who enjoy a comprehensive guided tour, with a lot of activity, and local experiences. These tours can involve extensive walking, sometimes over uneven surfaces, so a certain basic level of physical fitness is required.

Tours with Collette are classified by 5 basic physical levels, to help you find one best suited to you:

Level 1 - Mostly flat services and minimal walking. You should be comfortabe with climbing a few stairs, plus getting in and out of the coach 

Level 2 - Average physical ability is required such as long stairs and walks of a few hours. Some walks may be over uneven ground.

Level 3 - Slightly longer distances and more frequent walks can be expected. Expect stairs and some uneven surfaces such as cobblestones or nature trails.

Level 4 - Expect to be on your feet longer, including periods of standing and more extensive walking periods. These tours may also feature nighttime activities, so you'll be active for a longer period of time.

Level 5 - Very active travel. Expect adventure experiences and activities, early mornings and late nights. You can also expect to experience the elements so be ready for rain, wind, dust, what have you.

Free days are included in most Collette tours, giving travelers time to relax, take walks on the beach, or maybe do some shopping.

If you’re the kind of traveler for whom the a glass of champagne out in the blazing sun of the Australian outback, gazing at Uluru, sounds idyllic - then Collette would be perfect for you.

Top Destinations

Collette tours travel all around the world, to all 7 continents including Antarctica . They are well known for Central and South America, Australia, and Africa. They also offer an impressive variety of North America tours including several in the United States and Canada.

Travel styles include everything from river cruises to family tours to faith based tours.

Collette Travel Style

Collette promises the “trip of a lifetime” through exclusive outings, luxury touches, and appreciating the moments of anticipation before the world reveals itself. Their travel style is about discovering new cultures, embracing the explorer within -- in time for a cocktail at the end of the day.

They have 6 broad classifications for travel style: Classic, Explorations, Spotlights, River Cruise, Faith, and Impact Travel:

1. Classic Collette Tours - This is what they call their Flagship collection, group tours that make the postcard come to life. Visit all the must see sites, enjoy cultural experiences, all with a professional and knowledgeable guide, there to help make your travel as seamless as possible. Groups are on the larger side

2. Explorations - These tours are about going deeper, meeting locals, and getting off the beaten path. “Authenticity” is a big word for Collette Explorations. You’ll experience the destination in a smaller group, an average of 18 people, allowing for access to more local experiences not available to larger groups. Classic sites will also be included in your itinerary, but the focus is mostly on unique experiences.

3. Spotlights - Have a shorter amount of time and don’t want to miss anything? Collette Spotlight tours are designed to maximize your city stay or short getaway experience. These are primarily walking tours, packed with sightseeing, historical and cultural information, but with some downtime as well. Typically these tours are between 5-9 days.

4. River Cruise - A very popular mode of travel, particularly for 50+ travelers, river cruising is ideal for those seeking a leisurely vacation, unpacking only once, enjoying gliding by beautiful sites and participating in various guided shore excursions. Collette river cruises go around the world, including China, Egypt, and Europe.

5. Faith - For those travelers interested in visiting religious sites, Collette has a group of tours dedicated to faith based travel. Visit world famous icons and learn their ancient histories.

Collette Faith tours visit everything from grand churches to the humble beginnings of the three major world religions in the Holy Land. Tours are history based with an emphasis on finding deeper spiritual significance and meaning. They also have trips to the Oberammergau Passion Play .

6. Impact Travel - Being a responsible traveler is an important component on all Collette tours, however if you’re seeking to do more to give back, their Impact Tours are a great way to do so. Sightsee with a purpose as you assist with local initiatives, volunteering among the community, helping in classrooms, and protecting local wildlife.

Why Choose a Tour with Collette?

• Flexibility in planning
• Extensions available pre or post tour date
• Private airport transfer
• Expert planners 

If you are looking for an entertaining, fully escorted, active tour to explore new cultures, and enjoy unique experiences, Collette could be for you. They provide a dedicated guide, and handle all the details throughout the tour.

Free time is available on some days, but for the most part expect fairly full itineraries and a good amount of walking on their group tours. Some optional excursions are offered during the tour, so you can tailor your experience to a certain extent.

This is a great opportunity for meeting fellow travelers in a similar age range. Collette tours are open to everyone, but the majority of people on your tour will be older - in the 50+ range. Collette tours are ideal for travelers who want to have fun, enjoy the outdoors, and are open to new experiences.

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About the company.

True adventures go beyond incredible destinations or inclusive packages. Collette delivers a sense of possibility across all seven continents.

Since 1918, we have been sharing our love of travel. Today our worldwide travel collection features comprehensive land tours, river cruises, rail journeys, small group tours, family trips, garden holidays and more. With Collette, wake each morning on tour with a new experience in front of you, and when your head hits the pillow, you will know it has been an amazing day. Best of all - we seamlessly handle the details. All you have to do is enjoy the adventure.

Everyone at Collette believes travel is vital to a life well-lived and our executive team sets the tone. Drawing on a diverse set of skills that includes operations, sales, information technology, law and financial planning, they work across three offices to bring you the best experience possible.

There are so many benefits to letting someone else take on all the details that come with having The Perfect Trip. See why more and more travelers choose to Go Guided — and why they never go back.

5 Reasons to Go Guided:

Go Tour Managers!

On Day 1 of your trip, you’ll meet a friendly person who sure does know a lot about your tour and the destinations you’re visiting. This highly skilled professional is your tour manage and from the moment you meet this key player on your tour, you’ll know you’re in good hands. With their rich travel backgrounds, as well as their useful information about language, currency, and all things local, you can relax and enjoy the ride.

Go Culture!

Visiting a destination gives you a taste of the local culture. But imagine actually becoming part of that culture. Staying overnight in an Irish castle like Old-World royalty…feeling the cool waters of the Great Barrier Reef envelop you as you snorkel in its turquoise paradise…or rolling dough with an Italian chef to make the perfect pizza. It’s not just about all the iconic spots that will make for the best photos, it’s about diving into another world that makes for the best memories.

Go Product Team!

Our product experts are probably on the road right now — scoping out the best of our worldwide destinations. They go, take it all in, and find the moments they love best. Those are the moments they create for you. Those experiences and sights comprise each itinerary and make each one extra-special. Best of all, you don’t have to plan a thing. You just need to choose which itinerary best suits you.

Travel is social by nature. Guided travel is extra social. Meet a cast of characters: your fellow travelers, tour manager, driver, local guides and more. The social aspect of guided travel is one of the best parts! Many travelers on our tours have forged lasting friendships. Think of all the wonderful people waiting to meet you out in the world.

Go Worry-Free!

Your peace of mind is the most important thing to us. And that starts with our roundtrip home to airport sedan service. Forget taxis, airport fees, or public transportation. We will get you there...and back. And if for any reason you need to cancel your tour, you can do so — right up until the day before departure — and receive a full refund (thanks to our travel protection plan).

There are many ways to experience the world:

Among Collette’s worldwide collection of tours we offer a variety of guided travel choices. No matter where (or how) you want to go, Collette can take you there.

Small Groups, Big Experiences

From vibrant cities to remote villages, immerse yourself in other worlds. As part of a small group, enjoy accommodations chosen to capture the spirit of the destination, savor spectacular local cuisine, and take the time to explore on your own. Along the way Explorations sets the stage for the unexpected moments that make travel so special. With just 12-24 passengers, these are the personal adventures that today’s cultural explorers dream about.

Amazing Family Moments Included

Collette's Family tours bring travelers of all ages together to experience the world’s greatest destinations. There’s no better classroom than the world, no better education than taking a walk through history. Today’s parents — and grandparents — want to share the riches of travel with their children and grandchildren. Each tour in our family line is specially crafted with the best local experiences, iconic must-see's, family-oriented hotels and immersive cultural activities. Children ages 14 and under enjoy substantially discounted rates.

Collette's Cancel for Any Reason Travel Protection Plan

The Traveling Well Experience

Our commitment to your well-being and enjoyment.

There’s no denying that life and travel will likely look a little different for the foreseeable future, which is why we worked with our partners all over the world to create enhanced protective measures for our guests. These measures are intended to help safeguard guests’ health and well-being, while allowing for an enjoyable travel experience.  

From flexible booking to more open space on the coach and much more – all aspects of travel have been considered. This is  The Traveling Well Experience .

• Travel Protection Plan  – cancel for any reason up until 24 hours before departure, plus provides numerous on-tour protections
• More Physical Space  – on the coach, in restaurants, and more
• Wellness Protocols  – for partners like motor coach operators, hotels, restaurants, and airlines
• Enhanced Tour Manager Training  ­– our tour managers are destination experts and highly equipped to handle a variety of unexpected situations – including illnesses and emergencies

Before Your Tour

Cancel for Any Reason Waiver

Our Travel Protection Plan financially protects you in the event you need to cancel or move your trip to a different date. Learn more here

Pre-Tour Health Screenings

We will ask all travellers to complete a wellness declaration form before joining their tour.

Private Sedan Service

Your ride to and from the airport will be stocked with fresh water for every pickup and all surfaces will be disinfected daily and after every passenger.

Specific details will vary by airline, but standard operations typically include flight attendants wearing masks, sanitizing all surfaces between flights and physical distancing. For links to major airlines, head to the bottom of the page, or visit your airline’s website for specific information.

On Your Tour

Smaller Groups

Tours will operate with a number of empty seats to allow guests to space out for a more comfortable experience.

Your Tour Manager

We have employed new and enhanced hygiene & physical distancing protocols for tour managers. They are local experts and highly trained to handle a variety of unexpected situations — including illnesses and emergencies. They are also available 24/7 for guests throughout the tour should any situation arise.

Use of Face Coverings

Face coverings will be included with your pre-tour documents and will be required throughout many experiences on tour including the motor coach and air travel.

Motor Coach

All surfaces will be sanitized often, including regular cleaning of high-touch areas with disinfecting wipes. Hand sanitizer will be available at all times and drivers will wear protective gear when appropriate.

On-Tour Experiences

We work closely with our local partners to ensure adequate physical distancing during meals, experiences, and sightseeing. Guests may be rotated in smaller sub-groups when necessary.

On-Tour Insurance Coverages

When you purchase our Travel Protection Plan, you’ll have access to telehealth services should you need it, plus you’re covered on tour for emergency assistance, baggage loss, trip interruption, medical expenses, and more. Learn more here

Self-Screening

We will ask all travellers to monitor their health throughout their tour, with protocols in place in the event someone becomes ill.

Specific protocols will vary from destination to destination, hotel to hotel. Overall, rooms and areas like restaurants, fitness centres, etc. will be deep-cleaned regularly, with rooms disinfected thoroughly between guests. High-traffic areas like lobbies and elevators will be cleaned hourly.

After Your Tour

Post-Tour Survey

After you get home, you’ll be able to share your opinions of your tour experience, allowing us to constantly improve for the benefit of future guests.

Collette Trips & Specials

Combine two tours and save $300 per person

Want a tailor-made trip instead?

Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
• Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics

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National Parks of America

About this tour.

Experience the grandeur of the American West as you explore five fantastic national parks on this exciting journey. In Arizona, contemplate the vast beauty of the Grand Canyon, and in Yellowstone, relish iconic sights like Old Faithful and Yellowstone Lake. Marvel at the magnitude and color of Zion’s cliffs and the hoodoos and spires at Bryce Canyon. Enjoy 2-night stays in Springdale, Utah (Zion) and Jackson Hole. Drive through the incredible Bighorn Mountains and the great Sioux Nations Territory before seeing Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument. Meet a local Lakota Native American at dinner and learn about their fascinating way of life, past and present. Gain new appreciation of the great outdoors on this journey that takes you from the Grand Canyon to Mount Rushmore National Memorial and everywhere in between.

Your Tour Includes

• 9 Handpicked Accommodations
• 2 Choice on Tour Options

Included Highlights

• Grand Canyon
• Lake Powell

Your Tour at a Glance

10 Breakfasts

2 - Moderate

Travel Style

Customize your tour.

Optional Excursions

Starting at $110.00

Activity Level

• Level This Tour

For specific details about this tour's activity level and other info to know before you book your trip, click here.

Extension Style

Travel styles, highlights and inclusions.

Must-See Inclusions:

Spend a night at the spectacular Grand Canyon.

Visit Yellowstone National Park, home to the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

• See one of the country's most famous landmarks, Mount Rushmore.

Cultural Experiences:

Explore the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a tribute to Buffalo Bill Cody.

Meet Native Americans and discuss their unique and colorful culture.

Culinary Inclusions:

Experience a chuck wagon dinner* and cowboy entertainment.

• Bryce Canyon
• Salt Lake City
• Jackson Hole
• Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks
• Old Faithful
• Bighorn Mountains
• Crazy Horse Memorial
• Mount Rushmore

Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

• *No Hassle Refunds
• Traveling Well Safety
• No booking fee, *no change fees
• Top Rated Travel Protection

Share This Tour

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Getting Prepared

Know before you go, travel tips, enhance your tour.

• Choice On Tour

Pre and Post Night Stay

Unique Experience

Cultural Experiences

Enhance Your Trip

• Tour Extensions

Hotel-Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale

If your interests stretch beyond the beauty of downtown Jackson Hole, we have a special treat for you! Swing your own paddle for a thrilling ride through the white waters of the Snake River. An experienced guide conducts the trip, and you provide the paddle power. This unforgettable addition to your vacation is an experience you will talk about for many years to come.

Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Snake River on a gentle float trip. Your guide will paddle while pointing out interesting sights along the way. The trip is a great way to see the beauty of the river and the geology that forms the Snake River. The river is home to a variety of waterfowl and native animals including moose, deer and river otters. It is also the nesting area of our nation’s symbol, the bald eagle, as well as ospreys. You will enjoy an included picnic lunch.

See one of the country's most famous landmarks, Mount Rushmore.

Accommodations

Arrive earlier.

Pre Night: Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale From $90 per night

Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale

Yavapai east at south rim grand canyon, lake powell resort, holiday inn express/springdale zion park inn, radisson hotel salt lake downtown, snow king resort, yellowstone national park lodges, best western sheridan center, courtyard by marriott rapid city, need more information.

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Call us toll free at 800.340.5158

Trip reviews.

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Reviews 2.7.

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Tour promoted as European Christmas markets

Tour was specifically promoted as European Christmas Markets, however, the dates of the tour did not coincide in the opening dates of most of the markets. That soured the entire aspect of the tour. When weather in connecting city caused cancellation of return flights which had been originally been made through Collette, Collette said they could do nothing to assist and dumped the problem in our laps.

Date of experience : November 25, 2023

Worst tour I have ever taken

Worst tour I have ever taken. We paid for an escorted tour but were essentially provided with a Bed and Breakfast. No guided tours in a the capital city of Lisbon on our 3 day stay. Limited admissions to other sites on the 16 day journey. Very poorly planned tour. Will never travel with them again. Do not use them...find another company

Date of experience : October 01, 2023

Not Worth The Hype And Money

I booked The Treasures Of Egypt tour for May and paid over $5000 as a single traveler minus the airfare. The experience got to a rough start when the person who arranged for my transfer to the hotel in Cairo failed to pick me up as we agreed. In fact, he did see me arrive and gave me the option to wait in the car or in the coffee shop, which I chose latter. After waiting for a couple of hours, the man never showed up and I had to look for him all over the area near the terminal entrance. After several attempts and with some help from a few strangers, I finally found him. The trip initially went well until midway when I caught a bad cold from some travelers who went on the trip despite being sick. They were coughing and were not masked. I was bedridden and was unable to see Abdul Simbel, the Sphinx, and most importantly, the interior of the Great Pyramid—my main reason for going on this trip. Worse of all, the tour director had us wake up as early as 3:00 in the morning and was very overprotective of me. Some of the travelers were rude to me and made jokes about me. The Galebeya party was not what I expected. Instead of folk entertainment by native dancers, it was only the travelers that provided the entertainment. When the tour ended, I had a very hard time getting home as the airline (a Middle Eastern carrier) I booked with banned me from traveling for being “a risk to my own health and safety” and it took me a couple of days before I was able go home on a Western carrier. If you ever decide to go to Egypt and take a tour, please do yourself a favor and book with another tour company, and if you do become sick BEFORE the trip, please do yourself and your fellow travelers a favor and stay home. That’s what travel insurance is for. You will save your fellow travelers and avoid the horrible agonies that I went through.

Date of experience : May 12, 2023

Toured London and Paris with Colette

Toured london and Paris with Colette.I booked and paid for a Louve tour and later told it was not available it was later refuned and I had to book on my own. I paid for airport tranport and no one was there to get me. I called the office and was told to take a taxi and Daniel our tour director would pay for it. We arrved at the hotel and Daniel did pay for the taxi. Not a very good start to a dream vacation.the hotel in London was quite nice. The hotel in Paris the Pullman the elevators would take 15 minutes to get down. There was no water in the room and it was 6 Euro per bottle. The elevator was stuck not on a floor with door partialy open for about 5 minutes. Be assured the rooms that they book do not have a view at all. We went to the Eiffel Tower for dinner and had the worst seat in the house. There was a handicap lift in front of us. We sat alone at a table just the 2 of us. I previously dined at the same restaurant as an individual with my husband and had a far better experience. It was quite evident at dinner the clients that were going on to another city had the best and only window seats. Due to the cost of this tour it was a bit disapppinting. I would say overall the experience rated a 3. My suggestion as an avid traveler do your research and ask questions in advance.

Date of experience : June 24, 2023

Dishonest practices!

Unreputable and dishonest! Deserves less than 1 star! I have previously been on 2 tours with Collette which were wonderful, but with my most recent experience with Collette, I will never give them another penny of my money. I booked in 2019 what would have been a lovely tour in Europe for 2020, which also included the Oberambergau Passion Play. Unfortunately due to Covid, the tour was rescheduled for 2022. By the spring of 2022, all the countries included in the tour had rescinded their requirement to receive the Covid "vaccine,"in order to enter their borders, however Collette was still requiring the injection in order to participate on their tour. I had checked with my travel company, (RCI) 9 months prior to the departure date to see when I needed to cancel the trip before inccurring a penalty. I was incorrectly told I had until 30 days before departure to cancel. Just after the 4 months to departure date, I recontacted RCI, and found that if I cancelled at that time, I would incur a 75% penalty. (Due to the inclusion of Oberambergau on the tour, Collette had imposed a high penalty for cancellation.) I spoke with my travel agency, (RCI), Collette, and my travel insurance company, (Generali) about this issue. Each entity pointed to one of the other entities to provide any recompense, but NONE took any responsobility. When I spoke with a high level rep at Collette, I was told they had inccurred a penalty regarding the Oberambergau portion "due to my cancellation," so they would not refund me any $$. IF they did have some sort of penalty, they did not lose a penny by my cancellation, as they RESOLD my spot, and at a HIGHER price. Despite the assertion of that high level rep that I spoke with, the spot I gave up WAS RESOLD; I know because I checked right BEFORE I spoke with her and again right AFTER. The tour was SOLD OUT for my travel date. Losing $7500 is a lot of $$ for me, but apparently Collette could care less how it treats its (now former) customers!

Date of experience : September 20, 2022

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Victoria the best!! - Moscow Top Tours

• Europe    
• Russia    
• Central Russia    
• Moscow    
• Moscow - Things to Do    
• Moscow Top Tours

Our guide Victoria picked us up at our hotel, helped us navigate the metro, then led us on a... read more

Victoria was an excellent guide who could keep one engaged all through the day by making the tour... read more

Victoria the best!!

Why is Victoria a great tour guide? As a female and single travelor my safety was my number one priority. Victoria was mindful of my concern and when I arrived to Moscow there she was waiting for me. She made sure we got my hotel room at the airport before we left on our tour. She also looked after my best interest by checking at three currency exchanged places for rates before she suggested i exchange money. I came home with some of the most amazing pictures and most important a wonderful memory. To today I'm still in touch with Victoria, I think I made a friend for life!

Thanks Bertha, that was a great time with you !

Victoria was an amazing tour guide! With a limited amount of time (I had about 8 hours), she showed me the highlights of downtown Moscow (Bolshoi theater, the Kremlin, the Red Square and others!) as well as some markets and wonderful metro stations! I loved the old sculpture park and the walk next to the river! I don't think I would have taken advantage of my time (and wouldn't have enjoyed as much) in Moscow if it wasn't for Victorias tour. She is very accommodating to ones interests so that helps a lot. Highly recommendable for customizable tours.

Cristina, thanks for the amazing review! I still remember YOLO!! All the best, Victtoria

We went to Russia in June. Victoria was our tour guide in Moscow and she is wonderful. She went above and beyond, reaching out to us via email before our arrival to inquire about our interests so she could custom tailor our tour. She gave us an excellent tour that exceeded our expectations. At the end of our tour, she took the time to make us a list of good restaurants and shopping areas. She is knowledgeable, friendly and fun. I highly recommend her to all who want a great tour guide.

Dear Carol, thank you very much for such a warm review! All the best from Moscow, Victoria