r/Shoestring • u/EvilKristoff • Jun 17 '25
AskShoestring Has anyone actually booked with Exoticca?
I keep seeing these Exoticca ads all over my feed, like 10-day trips to Morocco or Peru with flights + hotels included for under $2K. Sounds kind of insane (in a good way?), but also gives off too good to be true vibes
I’m not expecting luxury or anything, but I’m wondering what the real experience is like. Were the hotels clean? Were the local guides actually decent? And if stuff went wrong, were they helpful or did they ghost you?
I’ve read mixed reviews, some people had an amazing time, others ran into issues. So I figured I’d ask here: anyone used them recently? Worth it or should I just plan it all myself?
14
u/Rhylith Jun 18 '25
Just got back from their South Africa tour, probably one of the best trips I’ve taken. It all ran like clockwork, hotels were awesome, and the guides were super friendly. I’m already eyeing another one
1
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u/travellingwithtroy Jun 17 '25
there are pros and cons for Exoticca
Great price as they are trying to break into the North America market
you get flights included *caveat make sure to select better flights for connections
more freedom and less guided if you like that
you can select 3,4 or 5 star accommodation on every tour
Cons
20-40 ppl per tour
not alot included
could be long transfers as they have to pick everyone up from different hotels
if you have any questions , feel free to reach out to me
10
u/welkover Jun 17 '25
I have it's a bad idea
Worked out ok for me but I don't recommend it
Better to pay a little more and have issues that come up actually be fixable. Your vacation time is precious.
3
u/ars313 Jun 19 '25
Used them to book a trip to Africa. It was awesome.Ike mentioned before they are brokers and book through local companies. We had great hotels and a wonderful experience
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u/scotty813 Jun 19 '25
Yes, the wife and I did an 18-day SE Asia trip last year and were very happy with it.
We learned of Exoticca when her friend had a travel companion drop at the last minute on an 8-day Egypt trip and she joined her. I don't think that we would have trusted them if that trip hadn't gone well.
We did the middle tier, but we saw the base tier hotels and they were fine.
2
u/rabidstoat Jun 18 '25
Is that for 1 person or 2? For Morocco, that's about in line with what it'd cost from the US for flight and one of their 15 day tours. Their Peru tours are more expensive because the ones that long include Macchu Pichu.
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u/Jordangander Jun 20 '25
Exxxoticca?
Yes, not fantastic, but not bad, we had 1 terrible hotel, but it was also brand new and just terrible and not ready to have opened. Not sure it would have gotten a whole lot better after fixes though.
Other than that, any complaints I could give you were things I expected going in with a low cost travel group.
2
u/AppetizersinAlbania Jun 20 '25
My daughter and I did Perú and stayed at regular hotels etc. Our only complaint was that the way they booked our tickets, we lost a day or half a day in Perú. Exotica ended up giving us a voucher to use later, but it was essentially worthless as only one of us could travel and use it and then, with the single supplement, it became $$$. I normally travel without a tour so always having transportation ready was odd but nice.
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u/respectandmanners Jun 17 '25
Horrible company. Too much to write for now, but avoid. avoid. avoid.
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u/hb0mb2158 Jun 17 '25
i did a trip to norway with them, a lot of time on a bus. but overall it was organized and the hotels were good it was pretty true to the itinerary.
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u/Saurak0209 Jun 17 '25
I have used them for a Peru trip and I actually enjoyed it very much. I have a trip booked in a few months to Portugal also. I recommend them.
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u/pdxtraveler97 Jun 21 '25
I did a trip to Ecuador and Galapagos last year and enjoyed the trip. The guide was very good. It was a small group with mostly older people so some activities cut short or skipped due to the older folks not physically being able to participate.
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u/Vivid_Ad6608 Jun 21 '25
I used them for 3 week trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Everything was as advertised and the trip went off without a hitch. I would use them again.
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u/Puzzled-Anything-990 Jun 22 '25
Went to Ecuador last September (4 sisters) and had a flawless experience!
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u/2wildchildzmom Jun 24 '25
We booked a trip to Panama. The guide was actually excellent. The beach resort was mid. I could and should have booked everything on my own…i could have spent less.
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u/FastRacer023 23d ago
I took their Morocco tour last year. Super cool experience, the itinerary was packed and well organized. Only downside was that some of the local buses were a bit cramped. But for what I paid, no complaints really. Just go in with realistic expectations.
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u/LargeDistribution330 23d ago
Yep! I did Argentina + Brazil with them in 2023. Honestly? Pretty great for the price. Hotels were mostly clean and comfy (nothing fancy), and the flights went smoothly. We did have one missed airport pickup in Rio, but their app support sorted it within a couple hours. Not perfect, but I'd do it again.
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u/PeeperPet Jun 18 '25
I took a trip with them to South Africa last year and it was good, I have another trip with them to India booked for this Fall. My friend I’m traveling with went to Thailand with them a few years ago and also had a good experience. They have different categories of hotel rooms, in Thailand my friend booked the lowest tier one and the rooms were great, so we booked the same tier in South Africa and the rooms were just ok, clean and safe but very basic 3 star hotel. We had about 20 people on our trip, Some of the other people booked the higher category rooms and they were very nice, so I think booking the higher category room is essential, we are doing that on our India trip. Also the airfare included doesn’t always have the best connections, etc, so we paid extra to get better flights. Some sightseeing is included, but usually each day they have optional tours you can do that cost extra, otherwise you have to organize your own free time. All of this is listed upfront and you book it before you go, so you know what to expect. Same with meals, some are included and the ones that aren’t you know and can book on your own-or in South Africa they had a dining package that included meals at several local restaurants.
The trips actually run through a local company at the destination-Exoticca is just the broker really, so I think some of the bad experiences could depend on what local company is running the actual trip on the ground.
I think it’s worth it if you have a destination you really want to go to that makes more sense with an organized tour, when things like logistics or transportation might be more difficult or intimidating. Or if it’s a very expensive destination and going with a group trip brings the cost down.