Travel Beyond - Travel Agency

This was our second time working with Melanie at Travel Beyond for a trip to Africa. We made the mistake of using a different travel agency last year and were constantly talking about how much better our experience with Travel Beyond had been. We won’t make that mistake again! Melanie has so much personal experience in Africa, which is extremely helpful. They also cover every detail so that you really don’t have to worry about anything! They send a very detailed package with a detailed itinerary and detailed tipping guide. She was great with answering all of our questions and setting up local contacts who stayed in touch during the trip as well. The lodges and their staffs staffs were all top notch! Travel Beyond is the only travel agency that we want to use from now on!

Well, travel beyond did it again. This is the fifth or sixth time we’ve used them in Africa and each time they have put together a trip where every detail is taking care of. I don’t want to have to navigate customs transfers where to stay where to eat around airport, etc. etc. when I am going on a Safari and travel beyond takes all those elements out of your hands and provides an experience that is absolutely seamless. And once you get to the camps, it only gets better. I’m very particular on what I want as far as a Safari goes ( i.e. super comfort but not over the top luxury. No dress to impress. Great food, great mattresses and great animal viewing.) travel beyond listens and delivers. We just got back from Botswana with our family, including two grandchildren and it could not have gone better. The places that they put us in were intimate and the staff was clearly familiar with children.(or not talking babies here 10 and 15.) and accommodated food, allergies. We will just continue using travel beyond anytime we go to Africa. I’m hoping they expand into Asia.. Hint hint.

If 10 stars were an option, I'd give them to Travel Beyond and particularly Dianna Upton. She and the Travel Beyond team designed and arranged the trip of a lifetime for us to Thailand and Cambodia. Every detail was attended to. The lodging properties were gorgeous and comfortable and personable. The itinerary allowed us to fully explore two nations from a cultural as well as historical and environmental standpoint. The help in international transfers for flight changes proved to be a great asset. We highly recommend Dianna and Travel Beyond for your next travel adventure.

No one is better than Travel Beyond when it comes to international travel. I have been on 2 trips to Africa (Kenya and Botswana) with Travel Beyond and they truly roll out the red carpet for their clients. Everything is handled top to bottom and the trips are absolutely amazing. I cannot say enough good things about their company, their integrity, and how much good they do in our community and communities they visit. 10/10!

This was our second trip planned to Southeast Asia by Dianna Upton. It was an incredibly thoughtful and well executed itinerary. Somehow she managed to plan a 2 week multi generational trip (travelers ages 3-74 yrs) with no one feeling left out or stressed. Our guides had expansive knowledge and resources and we always felt well taken care of. 10/10 would recommend!

Travel Beyond created an amazing itinerary for our trip to Kenya and Tanzania. Something magical happened everyday of our three week trip. The safari camps they chose for us were varied in location and style, but they were all top notch. We saw a leopard kill an impala and carry it right by our vehicle, hundreds of elephants walking across the plains to spend the day near the water, baby lions emerging from the bush with their mother, cheetahs taking down a gazelle, beautiful birds, a male lion mating with the females in the pride, a hyena chasing a leopard into a tree and so much more. At Giraffe Manor, in Nairobi, we were wakened by giraffes wanting to be fed from our bedroom window, then they joined us for breakfast. Travel Beyond did so much to make this the incredible journey that it turned into. We would not have gone at the end of January if it weren’t for the encouragement of Kayla and Maggie. They pointed out that this is the time of year that the babies are born. It was amazing watching young elephants frolicking in the water, lion cubs playing tag, and a mother cheetah showing her two young ones how to hunt. Kayla and Maggie are, not only very knowledgeable, they are good listeners. They understood our desire to focus on wildlife photography and made sure we had guides that were experts at giving us the perfect shots. We will use them again when we return to Africa.

Over the course of 17 days in Ecuador and Peru visiting the Galapagos Islands (Quasar Evolution), Quito, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, we had the most unforgettable journey that covered so much, and there is hardly anything we could even think of doing differently. We can not begin to thank Jennifer Gillmore and Nicole Cooper at TravelBeyond enough for helping us set up the trip of a lifetime, or we should really say “two trips of a lifetime in one!” They made all the key arrangements - hotels, guides, transportation, restaurant recommendations, etc., and answered any number of questions from the time we first started planning this trip until the day before we took off for Peru. I have travelled a good deal making my own plans and reservations, and in this case can clearly see the benefit of going with true experts to plan the journey from start to finish. If you are considering either Machu Picchu or Galapagos, call Jennifer and Nicole and have them help arrange a trip you will never forget!!

Our family had an amazing time in Tanzania and Kenya thanks to Craig and Maggie and the team on the ground in Africa. Our guides were spectacular, our accommodations were six star, our grandchildren had an experience they will remember forever. We are already talking about when we can take another trip to Africa. Thank you, Travel Beyond!

Wow. Simply wow! Melanie and Elle crafted an outstanding 15-day, somewhat logistically complicated, private safari to Tanzania and Kenya for my PhD daughter and me. From the carefully chosen camps to the hotels and flights, everything ran perfectly. These outstanding ladies even left personal notes for us in the camps. Not once did we have to call or wonder where our driver or guide was. 5 stars for Travel Beyond!! No. Wait. 100 stars! Thank you, Melanie and Elle for booking our trip of a lifetime. We have 2,000 more photos of all kinds of amazing animals! My daughter and I are already planning a return trip in a few years and I wouldn't dream of booking with anyone else. Bravo!

This was our first time using a Travel Agent and Kayla, Elle and the Travel Beyond team exceeded our expectations! The planning process was very thorough and detail oriented to meet our needs. The trip was effortless on our part, making us able to truly enjoy our trip to Africa! The accommodations were beautiful and I would highly recommend Kayla to plan your next trip!

After extensive research and calls with many of the African safari tour companies, we decided to move forward with Melanie Reger and Elle Ervin at TravelBeyond and are so grateful that we did. Melanie was extremely knowledgeable, kind, and honestly created a dream itinerary for my husband and I on our honeymoon. We ended up traveling to Uganda for a gorilla trek, to Kenya (Lewa and the Masai Mara) for safari, and ending with another safari in the Serengeti in Tanzania. Each experience and camp that we stayed at was vastly different to the other and all of this was in thanks to Melanie's expert advice and experience. She curated a perfect itinerary (and more!) based on what I had told her our wishes were for our trip. We couldn't have asked for a more eye-opening, wonderful, and seamless experience. Not only was she very thorough with the entire itinerary, she was also always just a text or phone call away whenever we needed help with anything. If your budget allows, don't look any further. All transport, accommodation, FOOD, and staff were top-notch and exceeded all expectations. You will get what you paid for and more. We were definitely slightly hesitant to spend the amount we did but are so grateful we did now that we are back home from our trip. We felt so safe and looked after our entire trip. We always had a greeter or airport staff to welcome us as soon as we got off our flights (big or small) and to help navigate immigration and airport security. The entire trip was seamless and SO efficient! We were able to skip long queues and honestly treated like royalty. Nothing like we had ever experienced before. Melanie was also extremely helpful in helping us prepare for the trip with vaccination recommendations (required and recommended) as well as a complete packing list from TravelBeyond that she helped go through with us. We could not have done with without Melanie and the entire TravelBeyond team and are forever grateful! Bonds were made, tears were shed, and memories were made that will last a lifetime. We can't wait to go back.

Dianna and Natalie were awesome! Knowledgeable, professional, responsive - they planned a top-notch adventure through Indonesia with every logistic buttoned up. Thank you both so much!

The most organized trip we could ever have had. They made this trip perfect. I've always made my own travel plans but figured going to Africa (Kenya) I should get help as to where to stay on safari. From getting off the plane in Nairobi to leaving 2 weeks later from Nairobi we never had a hitch. Picked up and taken everywhere. Just the 2 of us on the safari. Can't say enough for how organized it was and great places we stayed. Never rushed, saw everything we wanted to. Thanks to them it was perfect.

Travel Beyond is the best travel agency I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I just completed my second trip through Jennifer and Nicole this time to Equador and Peru. This is my 4th trip through the company. These ladies always listen to my interests, and tailor the trip accordingly. I never google my hotels, restaurants or tour info. ahead of time as I like to be surprised. I fully trust Jennifer to plan my trips. Everything this company sets up is absolutely fabulous! It truly is luxurious and we are always amazingly surprised along the way. We fly through security and customs at airports. Our guides know the "ins and outs" of working around busy tourist sites, and throw in unexpected gems. Everyone is extremely safety conscious, and they all truly want to please where we are absolutely spoiled rotten! We stay at the most beautiful hotels and eat at the best restaurants in the areas. Jennifer and Nicole make sure everything is covered including tipping advice for every circumstance. Traveling is a nuisance to most people but Jennifer, Nicole and the entire team nationally and abroad make it so I am never ready to return home. Why would I want to when I am learning about new cultures, surrounded by lovely people, and all of it running so smoothly in the lap of luxury? I am in heaven!!!! The only drawback is that you can't check off these destinations and consider them done. The experience is so grand, you want to go back again and again.

We are so grateful to Kota and Cali for planning such an amazing trip for us. We were a group of 4 women traveling to South Africa and Botswana and we never felt unsafe for one second. My kids and I have travelled for the Christmas holiday for 10 years and this was their favorite trip - so far! Kota truly listened to what we wanted and who we were as a family and planned the perfect trip for us. This was beyond words amazing.

We just got home from the best trip we have ever taken and we have Travel Beyond and Kota Tabuchi to thank for it. This was our first trip to South Africa and I can honestly say it felt life changing. From the incredible Safari in Kregar national Park to diving with seals in Cape Town we came home with great memories and a new lease on life. At every stage of the trip we felt incredibly well taken care of could fully relax into the experience. Kota and the entire Travel Beyond team are exceptional at what they do. Our trip was only 10 days but we felt like it was much longer because we were able to pack in so much to each and every day. A big shout out to our local guides who became not just guides but friends. We can't thank-you and Travel Beyond enough.

Travel Beyond is the best! I have been traveling with them since 2007, and takin multiple trips. This year looked a bit different with the pandemic and all of the closures, yet Travel Beyond stayed ahead of the change. They planned a wonderful itinerary to a beautiful country - complete with top rate guides, wonderful tours, a fantastic and fun driver - shout out to Vlad - and a coffee tasting in Panama that is a new favorite of ours! We went to Santa Catalina and stayed at Catalina's hotel - a secluded beach boutique hotel hidden in a small town with snorkeling tours just up the rode. Dianna, our travel agent, was superb and had tons of local tips and recommendations, caring for our every need. We love coffee and good food, and Panama did not disappoint. I would recommend Travel Beyond and Panama to anyone - easy, close, fun and wonderful people - and food :) For the record, they are so good I stopped even thinking about planning my own trips - they make it easy and fun and put you in the heart of the adventure you're looking for!

Best Safari Trip imaginable. Melanie and Natalie were the absolute best. A different level of service they offer. All details covered........I mean all of them.

The Travel Beyond Team exceeded our expectations every step of the way. They planned our trip from Uganda to Kenya where we trekked with Gorillas, hung out with the Big Five, and gave us an A+ experience we will remember for the rest of our lives. It was like waking to Christmas Morning everyday. Even with the COVID pandemic, they helped us rebook our entire trip, and the end result was perfect.

We had only used a travel agent once before and usually book our trips online. But looking at South Africa we needed some help. We found Travel Beyond by reading through travel blogs, and were so happy we found them! The entire process was great to work through. It was the first time I didn't associate travel planning with stress. Kayla was great and provided fantastic advice. She put together a number of options and creating a great 11 night trip from a luxury safari, then onto Cape Town and wine country. Many thanks to Kayla and the rest of the Travel Beyond team! Next trip is Argentina, and we'll be using Travel Beyond .

Our family has now used Travel Beyond 3 times for 3 very different vacations (Tanzania, Peru, Vietnam and Cambodia), and each time has been what has felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Their attention to detail, level of service, and care in what they do really showed along each of our trips. We always felt special and well-taken care of. The hotels/lodging have always been outstanding, with friendly staff and outstanding service. It's amazing that they can find ways to make you feel so comfortable and luxurious so far from home and seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Our local guides have been incredibly knowledgeable on all things: history, culture, food, politics, etc. that I almost felt bad for just how many questions each day we would ask them! But they were always gracious and helpful. I can't say enough good things about this company, and our only wish was that they provided services in more countries across the globe. We can't wait for our next adventure with them!

My husband and I decided to plan a vacation in the Seychelles. Not knowing anything about that side of the world, a friend recommended Travel Beyond, he read about them in Travel & Leisure. I contacted them and was referred to Sue who has been to the Seychelles. Sue answered all my questions, recommended hotels in our price range, booked our air for us, including inter-island air, transfers, and was in constant contact with me during the whole planning process. We stayed at Bliss on Mahe, and LaReserve on Praslin. Both exceptional properties! We had an amazing vacation and would use Travel Beyond in the future! A South African safari is on our wish list, so we will definitely be calling them when we make those plans. Thanks Sue and Travel Beyond!! Janice V.

We just return from our first African adventure. Working with the team at Travel Beyond was PERFECT. Our objectives were to see animals and have cultural experiences. Not knowing where to go we ultimately decided on three wonderful camps in private conservancies (3 nights each). All travel and transportation arrangements were outstanding. Safari was followed by 5 nights in Capetown. The logistics were perfect. Our guide Dave was OUTSTANDING. Accommodations, touring and dinner reservations were perfect. Thank you to Kota & Callie for their amazing help & patience.

EXCELLENT Travel Agency! I am an experienced traveler, have used many different travel agencies, and am pretty picky. My husband and I just returned from a fabulous safari in Kenya. When you spend a good amount of money + a lot of time planning, and this is your vacation for the year, your expectations can be high and often disappointment ensues. Not with Travel Beyond! From start to finish Craig Beal LISTENED to what I wanted, helped me choose the BEST camps, organized our transfers on the ground, and air travel. Going to Africa on safari was my childhood dream and Craig and his team really did make my dreams come true! They even helped me when I came down with a terrible cold while at the first camp. I emailed Craig, he immediately contacted the next camp we were en route to, and they sent someone out so there were meds waiting for me when I arrived. This saved my trip. I can't recommend Craig Beal and Travel & Beyond enough for the most amazing adventure of my life!

Our trip to South Africa and Botswana was our second trip with Travel Beyond. Last year we went to Argentina, including Buenos Aires, Patagonia, and the Iguazu Falls. Jennifer put together a trip for us where we felt that we came away with a true understanding of the beauty of Argentina. Every part of the trip was planned for us in detail. This year, our trip to Africa was also meticulously planned. The three safari camps that Katie chose for us allowed us to explore the richness of the varied terrain and animal life in the two countries. As well, Katie was able to build in an informative trip to Cape Town and a visit with old friends in a different part of South Africa. Every itinerary is custom designed to the individual needs and desires of the client. We plan to use Travel Beyond many more times in the future.

This was our second trip through Travel Beyond and we can't wait to plan a third! Previously they planned our Kenya trip and we just returned from Thailand and Cambodia. They have such an in-depth knowledge of the resorts and activities. You get more culture than sight-seeing; more local flavor than tourist stops. They tailored our trip with just enough tours and relaxing down time which was perfect for us. All of their local guides and drivers were completely professional and wonderful. Kota Tabuchi planned a perfect Africa trip and Dianna Upton helped us have the perfect Southeast Asia trip!

I just returned from the most wonderful vacation, thanks to the knowledge and detailed planning of Jeanie Fundora at Travel Beyond. Everything was perfect from the travel arrangements to the lodgings to the tour guides. We spent 4 wonderful days in Cape Town with guided tours every day. The guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and adjusted the tours to meet our interests. And we had 3 amazing days on Safari. The lodge recommended by Jeanie was perfect - friendly staff, great accommodations, fabulous food and most importantly lots of animals! I would definitely recommend Jeanie and Travel Beyond if you want the most amazing vacation.

Craig and the Travel Beyond team planned a fantastic South African safari for me and my family. They were very responsive and worked with us to find properties that met our needs. We loved the lodges they recommended and they made the safari process so easy, including requesting specific safari guides for us based upon their institutional knowledge of the guides. I highly recommend working with Travel Beyond. We will definitely work with them again for our next trip to Africa.

Rose Loggi at Travel Beyond helped us plan our dream trip to South Africa. Rose is so great and spends the time getting to know what you really like - by phone, email - she always gets back to you right away. We were on safari for 12 days, 4 different locations, and we were taken care of every step of the way. We cannot wait to start planning our return to Africa with Rose and Travel Beyond!

We had wanted for several years to go on safari, and had narrowed it to Kenya, Tanzania, or Botswana. We usually do all of our own travel planning (we've been to many countries), but after researching safaris, it seemed this was one trip (12 days) we shouldn't plan alone. We relied on online reviews to narrow our travel agent search, and after talking to Craig, the owner of Travel Beyond, we felt confident that we would receive solid guidance and excellent service. We only had a broad "vision" of what we wanted to experience, but Craig, along with Rachel David, helped us crystallize the trip. We decided on Botswana because we did not want crowds, and we wanted a true bush experience. Rachel was able to articulate various options, sent us itineraries, sent us more itineraries, and went outside their normal network to get us the variety of lodges and camps that we were seeking. We could not have been happier with the process, the communication, and the locations (four tent camps and one lodge, in eastern and northern Botswana). Our transfers, escorts and transportation were flawless. There were small, personal touches from Travel Beyond along the way that also made our trip so special, and an experience we will never forget. We don't hesitate to recommend Travel Beyond.

I decided to contact Travel Beyond regarding a planned trip to South Africa after seeing numerous posts in FlyerTalk threads from the owner. I submitted my initial inquiry online and was promptly contacted by Marguerite. We had a very thorough phone discussion regarding interests, budget, etc. Marguerite followed up with suggested itineraries and we worked together to finalize the details. Working with Marguerite was an absolute delight and the trip far exceeded my expectations. Knowing the trip was in celebration of my 50th birthday, they even arranged a couple of special surprises for me while on Safari. In the past, I've generally preferred to handle my own travel arrangements but my experience with Travel Beyond has shown me the tremendous value a travel professional can bring. I will definitely look to Travel Beyond for future travel needs.

My daughter, grandson and I just returned from the 14 day BOTSWANA WILDSIDE TOUR with Sunway Safaris. When I started the process I knew nothing about Africa or safaris. I found the tour that looked interesting and contacted Sunway. They suggested I use Travel Beyond. Travel to Africa and booking a safari can be difficult. Marguerite and Callie at Travel Beyond were fantastic. Very informed and responsive. The trip was unbelievable and I could not have done it without their assistance.

Where do we even begin to thank Jeanie, Melanie & Travel Beyond for the life changing trip to South Africa they planned for us. There are no words to describe the experiences we had while on our honeymoon..suffice to say we have been home for three months & Africa is still a part of our daily conversations. This company is OUTSTANDING, our itinerary was spot on, we had no issues whatsoever as we had a large amount of travel throughout our trip. Each of the resorts were staffed with the kindest, most helpful and accommodating people you could ever imagine. We will ABSOLUTELY be using Travel Beyond for our next South African Adventure. Jeanie and Melanie, thank you for taking the time to tailor make our honeymoon into a dream come true. No matter how many questions/ides we had, we were met with nothing but positive and helpful feedback..these are the kind of people you need when planning a trip like this. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the trip of a lifetime!!!

My husband and I had an excellent experience with Travel Beyond! Our agent, Pam Buttner, took care of us every step of the way for our trip to South Africa. She really got to know us, booking our stay in the best locals for our personal tastes and interests, and recommending the perfect restaurants and day tours. She even set an hour aside for a phone conference prior to our trip to make certain that all of our questions were answered. And she was on the phone with us right after our trip to make certain that everything was perfect. It was! Our stay at More Quarters in Cape Town and our safari adventure at Tinga Narina in Kruger made this vacation the best we've ever experienced, and we've both traveled extensively. We've never felt so pampered. Thank you, Travel Beyond!

We have traveled extensively around the world, and have never used a travel agent before, but decided we could use extra advice when planning our #1 Bucket List Trip to South Africa with our family of four. After reading reviews on TripAdvisor, we made a call to Travel Beyond. Best call we've ever made! Marguerite worked with us tirelessly, and listening to our wish list, helped us plan a magical three week trip that exceeded our (very high) expectations. We visited the Garden Route, Route 62, Winelands, Cape Town, Blyde Canyon, and two safari camps in Kruger, and everything was arranged impeccably from the minute we were greeted at the airport in Joberg. Marguerite was able to find accommodations for us that were perfect (and places I had never heard of even after years of doing my own research). Marguerite answered all of our questions, met us at the airport to give us insider tips before we launched on our adventure, and has followed up with us since we returned one month ago. I don't think we will ever travel again without utilizing the services of Travel Beyond. I would give them 10 stars if I could!

When my girlfriend and I were considering panning a trip to Africa neither of us knew where to start. I figured I would do some online research to help determine where to visit, or where to stay. The more I researched, the more confused I became. I logged on to Trip Advisor and began to ask questions in hope that someone would help steer me in the right direction. Most responses that I received we vague and not very informative. However, Craig Beal the owner of Travel Beyond answered all of my questions with an in depth answer. His answers were not only helpful but very informative. The more questions I asked, the more in depth his answers became. At this point I knew I was talking to an African Travel expert which really helped put my mind at ease. His knowledge of Africa reassured us that Africa may be the vacation that we had always dreamed of. With that said, we decided that Africa would be our next vacation, and wanted Craig Beal to handle the arrangements. We figured that being the CEO of a company he would just pass us off to one of his employees. However he advised us that he would be our travel agent, and was with us every step of the way. We did have contact with some Travel Beyond employees throughout our booking process, and their professionalism was comparable to Craig's. Several weeks prior to our departure, Travel Beyond provided us with a detailed itinerary of what our vacation entailed. Our trip was 16 days long and stretched across numerous countries in South Africa. We took a total of 20 flights between the both of us, and everything went exceptionally well. They did such a great job timing all of our transfers, and flights in order to maximize our days of leisure. Travel Beyond even provided us with a "Tipping guide" which helped out tremendously. They with all of the hotel's contact information which we gave to our families, in case of an emergency. Travel Beyond even asked us for copies of our passports in case we happened to loose them during the trip, they would contact the US embassy on our behalf. Craig Beal even conference called us one week prior to our departure to go over all of the trips details. They really removed all of the guesswork from the trip. The only thing we had to do was show up. The Hotels and Lodges that Craig placed us in were exactly what we were looking for. It felt as if they were tailored specifically for us. The staff at the Lodges/Hotels went above and beyond to fulfill all of our needs, whether it be dietary, or medical. It was a clearly an indication that Travel Beyond doesn't just affiliate themselves with any business. They deal with affiliate with other corporations who strive to put the client first, such as themselves. To sum up our trip to Africa.. It was he best vacation of our lives! Craig even called us after our trip, to get our feedback, which made us feel more like friends, and less like clients. It is safe to say that Travel Beyond will be handling all of our vacations fr the rest of our lives. Thanks again for everything! Craig & Genesis