Planning Your Trip with Boutique Explorer
Off-the-beaten-path cultural and culinary experiences.
Everything is designed around you, just for you (we don’t “recycle” itineraries or use trip templates).
Planning your perfect trip.
Discovery.
First, we learn about what you are looking for in this trip. We may be travel experts, but before offering personalized insights we’ll chat about your vision, interests, priorities, and personal travel style. Your entire itinerary will be curated just for you, whether your interests lie in:
Cuisine, from amazing street stalls to high-end gems.
Art, craft, architecture, and design.
Unique, stylish accommodations with local flavor.
Local culture, with a focus on immersive, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Pristine natural environments and stunning landscapes.
Boutique wineries, breweries, and distilleries.
Designing your itinerary.
Then we begin designing your private trip (taking your feedback into account along the way). Throughout the process, we share expert insights. Has one of the destinations you’re interested in become touristy? Is there a hidden gem you didn’t know about?
Everyone’s “perfect” itinerary is unique, which is why we don’t recycle itineraries. Your entire trip — from the destinations, to accommodations, room types, and unique private experiences — is crafted completely for you.
Booking your trip.
As soon as you have approved the itinerary we’ve designed for you, it’s time to book your trip. We handle the behind-the-scenes process of meticulously coordinating the details, so you can just sit back and begin daydreaming about your adventure.
Though we prize efficiency, because of how much personalization is involved in each trip, there is no way to fully automate this human-centric process. It is a time-intensive “labor of love” that helps ensure everything is in place for a highly customized and seamless trip.
Preparing for your adventure.
While we work on the above behind the scenes, we’ll also guide you through the process of preparing for your trip.
In the first couple of months after booking, our detail-obsessed travel coordination team will confirm key travel details with you (such as dietary and medical needs, visas and passports, and much more).
As your trip approaches, we’ll also provide you with essential pre-departure information and answer any questions that arise.
About one week before your travels, we deliver your detailed final itinerary in an attractive and easy-to-reference digital format, which you’ll be able to access seamlessly throughout your trip.
Your final itinerary will include:
Additional tour and experience details
Extra destination information
Transport and logistical details
Your local and emergency contacts
And much more
Then it’s finally time for your long-awaited trip!
Enjoy the optimal balance of seamless planning, room for spontaneity, and stress-free adventure. From start to finish, we keep close tabs on your trip and are here to make everything as enjoyable and effortless as possible.
While it’s always a treat to come home after an amazing trip, return full of anticipation for your next adventure!
FAQ.
These are some of the most common questions we receive, but if you don’t see the answer to your question please contact us here and we’ll be happy to help.
Who are your trips for?
The majority of our travelers are couples, families, small groups of friends, and solo travelers.
What’s included in the cost?
Each itinerary is unique, but our trips typically include all of the following:
Accommodations. All of your accommodations, in boutique and luxury properties thoughtfully selected based on your taste and priorities.
Private tours and experiences. Unique private tours and experiences with local experts, curated around your interests — along with as much free time as you’d like.
Transport. Your in-country transport, and expertly-planned logistics for peace of mind and convenience.
Some meals. Daily breakfast at your accommodations, and often additional meals and unique culinary experiences depending on your itinerary.
Expert insights. Insightful recommendations for immersive experiences along the way.
Pre-departure information. Essential pre-departure information to help you prepare for your trip, and answers to any questions you may have.
Extraordinary support. Personalized, thoughtful service from start to finish.
How much do your trips cost?
Pricing varies depending on various factors. We always provide a clearer estimate of pricing before you make any deposits, as it’s essential to be on the same page when it comes to expectations around budget.
Here are some of the key factors that determine pricing:
Destination. As everyone knows, some destinations are more expensive than others.
Seasonality. Are you traveling during a popular, in-demand time of year?
Number of travelers. Pricing is typically based on double occupancy. While we don’t charge a single supplement, for solo travelers some services do tend to cost more on a per-person basis when not shared with other travelers.
Accommodations, experiences, and transport. We know some travelers love splurging on accommodations, others prioritize unique experiences above all, and many simply want the best of everything. We’ll tailor your itinerary to ensure you get the best experience and value based on your personal priorities.
For each of our travelers, we begin with the goal of putting together the best possible itinerary, taking both your priorities and our firsthand expertise into account.
This includes painstakingly selecting accommodations (down to thinking about which room type or suite you’d personally appreciate most), organizing your itinerary to include immersive private tours and experiences around your interests (balanced with as much or little free time as you would like), arranging seamless transport logistics in line with your preferences, and all the other small but essential details involved in expertly coordinating a seamless trip.
The final price of your trip is based on the itinerary itself, and all that is included, along with factors such as your travel dates (for example, during peak seasons pricing may be higher) and the number of travelers in your party.
We typically require a small preliminary itinerary design fee, which allows us to dedicate our time and efforts to each of our clients, and give each trip the personal love and attention it deserves. The amount varies depending on various factors (such as trip length, itinerary intricacy, etc.) and is fully applied to the final cost of your trip.
Please note that each of our tailor-made trips is offered as a completely customized package, just for you, and itemized price breakdowns are not provided. While some travelers don’t have a particular budget in mind, if you are working around a specific range or desired limit, just let us know and will be more than happy to discuss the possibilities.
How far in advance do we need to plan?
Our travelers tend to be advance planners.
Depending on the season and destination, the best guides and accommodations can book up around a year in advance.
If you have any questions, please reach out!
Take the next step.
Get in touch to start planning or brainstorm your next adventure.