All about Group Bookings and Tailor-Made Tours

With Michelle Desmarchelier
Group and Tailor-Made Tour Manager, Kumuka Worldwide

Michelle first came into contact with Kumuka while on the road travelling in Africa during the 1990s. She noticed that she was not only spotting their trucks at some of the continent’s top wilderness parks, but also at some of the lesser-known cultural enclaves. She then followed Kumuka Worldwide as it developed over the past decade, eventually jumping (her words, not ours) at the chance to join the team. “It’s amazing to come on board during this exciting time of development for the Group and Tailor-made division… I’m thrilled to work for such a dynamic and progressive company, one that’s not afraid to think outside the box.” Michelle brings with her a love of travel and a passion for getting the most out of life. We believe her enthusiasm and knowledge successfully carry over into the experiences of our clients.

“The options for destinations and itineraries are limited only by the imagination of our clients,” notes Michelle, “though Kumuka’s knowledge can be called upon to fill gaps or to suggest experiences the customers may not be aware of.” It seems clear that if your heart is set on experiencing anything, from witnessing the real march of the penguins in Antarctica to riding the dunes of the Sahara into the fabled town of Timbuktu, Kumuka will get you there, and get you there smiling.

One notable trip Kumuka recently arranged was a sailing and kayaking trip along the astounding coastline of Alaska for a group of seven people celebrating their joint 60th birthdays. Another saw them organise a tour of Europe for a group of 200 students. One of Michelle’s most interesting clients was a group of six Australian ex-Army nurses who were planning an anniversary tour of Vietnam. “Whether you’re young or old, part of a big or small group, we’re here to give you the best possible holiday.”

Trips can range from private three-day add-ons to one of Kumuka’s popular group tours to round-the-world journeys lasting months on end. Michelle notes that the average length of the tailor-made trips they’ve planned so far is about three to four weeks.

Michelle ensures that by melding their know-how with all your wishes (both big and small) during the planning stages, your Kumuka trip will be as successful as it is personal. “We are on hand from the initial enquiry right through to the booking and confirmation stages. Between us, Kumuka staff have set foot on every continent, so any queries, from the cost of a latte in Venice to the state of toilets on the trekking trails of Nepal, are easily answered.”

During the planning stages, you can choose from an endless array of accommodation and transportation options: “We can offer anything from family stays in Peru and tea houses in Nepal to 5-star hotels in Europe and luxury lodges in African national parks.” Seeing that you can choose to get from A to B by way of camel, yak, bicycle, bus, train or Mercedes Benz vehicles, it’s clear that the transportation options available are just as entertaining and varied.

With Kumuka arranging your tailor-made trip, some of you may be wondering whether you’ll have to have a guide shadowing you along the way – not the most romantic option for a honeymoon! Michelle makes it clear that this is not the case: “If guides are wanted, clients can either have a fully-escorted trip or have local guides meet them at specific points along their journey. Others can go guide free and simply have Kumuka sort the logistics of flights, accommodation and transfers.”

Besides the amount of time you have available, the only other limiting factor is, of course, your budget. As with anything tailor-made, you should expect to pay a little more than what you would if you joined one of Kumuka’s set departure group tours. The actual daily budget will depend solely on exactly what you want to spend on items like accommodation and transportation. Michelle adds: “I like to let clients tell me how much they want to spend and then work around their requirements.” She also recalled a recent trip where she had to organise a family safari to Kenya for a group of three families (spanning four generations) while sticking to their strict budget. Michelle said she enjoyed the challenge of fulfilling all of their desires, which included spending time in local Maasai villages and visiting some of the nation’s prime wildlife reserves, while not stepping over their spending limits or compromising their comfort.

So, if you’d like experts arranging your next ports of call, or if the thought of organising the logistics for your dream adventure holiday has always seemed like a nightmare in wait, Kumuka’s tailor-made trips may just be the perfect thing for you.

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