Plotpackers Reviews 776

I’ve just returned from the most unforgettable adventure along Colombia’s Caribbean coast with Plotpackers, and my heart is still so full. This was my second trip with Plotpackers, but my first with a local guide – and I can honestly say it was 1,000 times better than I could have imagined. Having JD as our guide transformed an already great itinerary into something truly special.

We began in Cartagena, spending three incredible nights exploring one of the most vibrant cities I’ve ever visited. A lovely walking tour through the old town gave us a feel for its history and charm, and JD brought the stories to life with his knowledge and enthusiasm. The highlight here was our boat trip to the Rosario Islands – turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and a day that felt like pure paradise. JD made sure every detail was taken care of so we could just enjoy ourselves.

From Cartagena we headed to Santa Marta for two nights, using it as our base to explore Minca. Lush greenery, waterfalls, and coffee plantations filled the day. JD’s connections meant we met locals along the way, and his knowledge of the area – its wildlife, history, and culture – was incredible.

Next was Palomino, where we stayed in an incredibly beautiful hostel that felt more like a resort. Palomino itself is a dreamy beach town where we tubed lazily down the river, browsed market stalls, and enjoyed fresh seafood. JD guided us through it all, making recommendations and making sure everything ran smoothly.

Tayrona was another highlight. Our hostel here was fantastic, with volleyball games, great facilities, and stunning surroundings. Visiting Tayrona National Park was optional, but those of us who went were treated to what felt like a private tour. JD pointed out animals we would have missed, told us the park’s history, and made the day unforgettable. Even when strikes at the park threatened our plans, JD handled it calmly – keeping us updated, coming up with alternatives, and always prioritising our safety and enjoyment.

Our final night back in Santa Marta was the perfect ending. JD took us for sunset juice on the beach before our farewell dinner – a thoughtful, personal touch that summed up how much he cared about the experience we had.

I want to highlight how exceptional JD was throughout this trip. For his age, his knowledge of Colombia – and South America more broadly – is remarkable. He shared history, cultural insights, and local stories everywhere we went. He arranged restaurants, communicated clearly, reminded us of what to pack, and found out everything we might need at each stop, from Wi-Fi details to menus. He knew everyone along our route, which made every transfer and check-in feel safe and effortless.

Even on departure day, JD went the extra mile, organising private, safe airport transfers for each person in the group. It’s rare to meet someone so capable, caring, and committed to making a trip memorable. Because of him, I not only experienced Colombia’s beauty but also felt welcomed into its culture.

The Caribbean coast itself is breathtaking, but what made this trip truly unforgettable were the people – the six amazing women I travelled with, and most of all JD, who made sure every detail was perfect. I would gladly book another Colombia trip with Plotpackers if I knew he would be my guide.

This trip was definitely one for the books!!! Had the best time, the best food, the best group of girls anyone could ever ask for, and the BEST tour guide EVER (looking at you, JD). I am so grateful to have explored the beautiful Caribbean coast with the best girls and the best tour guide. JD's organization and communication was stellar. He's very well organized and always had a backup plan in case something went array. For example, there were protests at Tayrona national park so the roads were closed off. Not only was he on top of what was happening and updating us, but he had a backup plan in case we weren't able to go. He really went above and beyond for us and I truly do not think we could have asked for a better guide! Overall, this has been an amazing trip and I cannot wait to come back to Colombia and explore more of this beautiful country!

Did my second Plotpackers trip recently to Peru. The trip was incredible, and Deborah was the perfect guide. The itinerary was amazing, packed with lots of fun activities and informative tours (some with our guide and some with guides from other companies, for example for Machu Picchu and white water rafting). All accommodations we stayed in were great and the internal transport was all taken care of. Deborah was the best guide, being incredibly informative, attentive and friendly. Dominique was also the best host, making sure everyone always had the best time and the best photos. Would definitely recommend booking a trip with Plotpackers and if you have Deborah or Dominique with you, you are in good hands and will have the best time.

I joined the PlotPackers Peru group trip (15th–26th July) and, while the fellow travellers were amazing, the company and its tour guide were a huge disappointment. I would not recommend PlotPackers to anyone and will never book with them again.
From the start, information in the itinerary was misleading or poorly communicated. While we knew not all meals were included, we were often left with only one option for lunch — usually overpriced — without advance warning. This happened repeatedly, and had we been told even the night before, many of us would have brought our own food for the long bus journeys.

PlotPackers outsources almost everything to PeruHop, whose $200 ticket covers most included activities apart from desert glamping and the Machu Picchu trek. Our “tour guide” simply handed us over to PeruHop guides, rendering her role nearly pointless.

In Paracas, the itinerary claimed the Ballestas Islands tour could be taken at any time, but in reality it’s only available in the morning — something we only learned on the bus. This left our afternoon empty, so we booked an ATV tour at extra cost, only to later discover it visited the exact same locations as the free PeruHop tour the next day.

The guide’s lack of presence and support was unacceptable. She rarely taught us anything about Peru’s rich culture or history, and her nightly “briefings” came late, often revealing new information that caused unnecessary stress and late-night scrambling before early starts. When someone in the group was bitten by a dog and needed rabies shots, she was nowhere to be found — leaving non-Spanish speakers to navigate a doctor visit alone, and even fend off attempts to charge twice. When two group members had their bank cards eaten by an ATM, she sent a GIF in the chat instead of offering help. Altitude sickness was common in the group, yet she was absent, offering no advice or support.

The Machu Picchu portion was especially poor. Meals were inedible, accommodation for one night wasn’t secured until the last minute, and the room provided on the next night was covered in black mold. I had to push for myself and my roommates to be moved — after two failed attempts. We were also encouraged to pay extra to visit the Hot Springs with the promise of a hot shower (since our accommodation wouldn’t have one). The fee was higher than expected, and the showers there were cold.

This trip was filled with avoidable stress, misinformation, and neglect. In truth, I would have had a smoother and far more enjoyable experience booking the trip myself. For anyone considering it: PlotPackers relies entirely on PeruHop and Viajero Hostels, and adds very little value.

When we complained as a group, PlotPackers brushed us off and offered only $100 in credit toward a future trip — the same “credit” they give away in regular promotions. Based on my experience, they don’t take valid complaints seriously. Save yourself the money, the hassle, and the disappointment.

My trip to Colombia was incredible! The country is so beautiful and welcoming! Some of the trip highlights were the Cartagena walking tour, island hopping, day trip to Minca, tubing in Palomino, and Tayrona National Park! The hostels we stayed at felt like resorts with beautiful pools, beaches, and delicious food! Additionally our tour guide Hugo was amazing! He was so kind and helpful! He helped us plan extra activities including watching the sunset on a rooftop, trying unique fruits/dishes, and even a pizza making class! To top it all off I made lifelong friends on this trip! I highly recommend booking a trip with Plotpackers & with Hugo!

Found this trip because of @mariekoldal on TikTok. The most AMAZING trip to Colombia, more than I could imagine. Big shoutout to our tour guide Hugo for making this group feel like a family. He always had good tips and recommendations!! Strongly recommend this trip if you’re in to costal and jungle vibes.

Our guide Deborah was an absolute gem to have. She was so informative, engaging and showed such passion when explaining her culture and her country. The trip wouldn’t have been the same without her. Dominique was also a fantastic leader and friend to all of us, ensuring we had all we needed and the support to explore a country and travel with confidence. Peru was a true pleasure to have experience and I will deffo be going again!

What a fantastic life changing experience! Dario, my guide for Ecuador was so lovely and had such fantastic knowledge on the Guyabeno reserve! He also gave us some fantastic advice for our free day, which my group decided on Baños. Dario was super accommodating as well as gave me some great advice on how to deal with altitude. I couldn’t recommend this trip enough. I can’t wait to return to South America one day!

I had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Surfing in the ocean was definitely a highlight, such a great experience with beautiful beaches and waves. The hostels were picked really well: clean, social, and in great locations. The activities included were fun and well-organized, but I was expecting a bit more to be covered in the price based on the initial advertising. Overall, I loved the trip, just would have appreciated more clarity on what was included. Plus our guide Olman was so lovely and made the trip run smoothly.

I had a wonderful time during the Thailand plotpackers trip!! I feel like I experienced so much of Thailand and its culture and had so much fun. My tour guide, Mai Yongkhum, was absolutely incredible! She was always there if you needed help with anything and really helped us better understand the Thai culture. She was super fun and very kind and made the trip so amazing for us all. I couldn’t thank her enough. I would definitely recommend plotpackers and Mai!

My experience was great ! My trip to Indonesia was amazing. Love how Secilia explained every place she took us.

My trip to Bali, Indonesia was amazing got to meet great people, visit beautiful places and learn about their history and culture. Our guide couldn’t have been better Sicillia made sure everyone enjoyed every minute of this trip. From the welcome dinner, to the Rice Terrace, cooking classes, waterfalls to the very last dinner. This is a great way to travel as a solo traveler or a group you will not feel left out at any point. I would totally recommend the Bali trip with Sicillia.

Our trip was wonderful!!! Our guide, Mai Yongkhum, was fantastic and went out of her way to create fun experiences for us such as attending a Muay Thai boxing match, trying a variety of local fruit, etc. She was a big help with any questions we had and we all learned so much from her.

Most of the hostels were in great condition with AC and amenities such as a pool, although one did not have AC which was not my favorite. The variety of activities was nice along with the interspersed free days. Would do again in a heartbeat!

My first trip with plotpackers was amazing! The tour went so smooth and everything was planned so well so it was such a stress-free and peaceful experience while also really getting the full Thailand experience. Our guide, Mai, was AMAZING! She was so flexible, communicative, and took care of us so well. She also gave us a ton of extra activities to do that taught us a lot about Thai culture and history. I would definitely recommend plotpackers and especially Mai to everyone wanting to travel to Thailand without all the stress that comes with traveling to a new country.

My trip to Colombia through Plotpackers was amazing! Every activity we did exceeded my expectations and our guide, Hugo, was amazing. He was generous with his time and knowledge (and he had a lot of it!). This was my first time traveling to Latin America as a solo traveller, and I felt safe and taken care of throughout the trip! I would 100% go on another Plotpackers trip!

I had the best time in Peru and really loved getting to see so much of the country. Some of my favourite things included the dune buggy experience, glamping in the desert and ziplining and seeing Machu Picchu. There was a lot of long journeys but it was worth it to see everything. However, I was under the impression that more meals were included but I think the website has been updated since I booked the trip last year and now accurately reflects the meals included.

Our guide - Deborah - was amazing and made sure we always knew what was going on. She was so kind and looked after everyone so well. It was my first time on a trip like this and she made it much less intimidating. She also had so much knowledge about Peru and I learnt so much from her.

Overall, I had the best time and really recommend the trip to Peru!

I have had a wonderful experience. the nature was beautiful, such as the things we did on this trip. i truly loved our guide Cicilia. she was amazing and knew so much about the culture.

I loved my experience with Plotpackers on my trip to Peru. We saw many parts of the country and did some once in a lifetime activities such as glamping in the desert, mountain biking through the Andes, and hiking to Machu Picchu. I felt at ease not having to worry about transportation or accommodation, as PlotPackers had that covered. I was under the impression that more meals were included than there actually were - so do be aware of that going in. Going back to read the overview, it was the correct amount, but I just hadn’t realized going in. Our guide, Deborah, was amazing! She was so kind and knowledgeable and I enjoyed learning about Peru from her.

I’d like to commend Plotpackers for the incredible itinerary and for how quickly they responded to all my emails and questions. In Vietnam, I felt like I got to experience a bit of absolutely everything—the activities were diverse, well-planned, and so well-priced.

I truly got a great sense of the country and its culture, and I felt like I saw everything I needed to see. I'm beyond happy that I chose Plotpackers for this trip—it was genuinely one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had.

I’d also like to compliment our local guide, Nick. Having a local guide made such a difference. He was incredibly knowledgeable, helped with anything we needed, and somehow managed to organise activities within minutes. He added so much to our group—not just with his insight, but with his energy and friendship too. I always felt safe with him around, and his presence really elevated the whole trip.

Thank you once again for the unforgettable experience your company provided.

Such an unforgettable experience with strangers who became one of my very good friends❤️❤️
Sicilia was the absolute best, it wouldn't have been the same without her she always had everything planned in advance which made things quite easy for us!