Wheel & Anchor Reviews 26

Malta was our second trip with Wheel & Anchor, Egypt being the first one. Both experiences exceeded our expectations. Everything was extremely well planned, with no glitches, and the hosts were very helpful and kept us up to date, even making slight changes along the way. Food was always 5 stars and we did get to see sites that are usually not experienced by other travel groups. Great guides and great traveling companions who are interested in history, culture and arts. Well balanced free time, good hotels and the programs were as presented in the pre-trip videos. Highly recommended and we are planning to do Croatia which should be a fabulous experience.

Bali was my second wonderful trip with Wheel and Anchor. Our small group , several of which were solo, enjoyed a well curated long stay trip. It provided a balance of activities giving time and opportunities to explore and create individual experiences too.
The host was supportive and provided leadership to our companionable group, organizing local guides and was flexible with plans. Travel with like minded people expands the experience and makes it easy.
I would be pleased to travel with Wheel again.

Excellently organized and managed tour. Every aspect of the tour was just great - very interesting itinerary, wonderful local guides (especially Zaheer, the lead guide). Great accommodation, especially the hotel we were in for the last three days which was exceptional. We had a super host who made sure we all had a wonderful and safe trip.

Excellent hotels & resorts, incredible meals and very interesting restaurants, fun excursions, and the tour host outdid herself. Definitely value for the money spent!

Wheel & Anchor is more than a tour operator: they build a community of travellers. Their trips are unique, with quality experiences & accommodations. Many repeat clients testify to it.

First let me start with the bad parts. Ok I am done. There weren't ANY!! What a trip from top to bottom. It all starts with The People and from the Guy with The Vision, all the "behind -the -scenes" staff, the guides, the captain , the crew- not one weak link and that says everything. Accommodations and meals... first rate for both and all allergies and preferences were addressed. The itinerary is a work in progress( because I believe this was the inaugural trip) but it was all new, wonderful and magical nonetheless.Special mention to North our guide from Thailand on. She made things happen that were not scheduled and that was above and beyond -and a wish fulfilled. The Caves...add it into the program..just sayin' :) This entire trip and their service far exceeded my expectations. Wheel and Anchor made me feel special and appreciated and I look forward to figuring out my next adventure with them. Home run!

This was my 2nd trip with Wheel & Anchor, and I’m doing a 3rd next month. The eco trip to Costa Rica helped me experience parts of the country I never would have learned about without their expert pre-planning.

I’m a widow and a loner, who cherishes solitude. W&A provides exactly the blend of alone time plus companionship with like-minded, friendly, open travelers. Suits me perfectly.

I highly recommend travel with W&A, and am browsing their site to see which I’ll sign up for next year.

This was our 3rd trip with Wheel and Anchor, this time an eco adventure to CoAlsta Rica. We saw 3 different areas of the country - all unique. The Cloud Forest at Savegre, the Rainforest at Rio Chirippo and the jungle when we stayed at Luna Lodge down in the Osa. We had a fantastic guide in Martine - who was informative, funny, charming and a lovely person. Added bonus - her husband Jeison who was a great copilot.

We made our first trip with Wheel and Anchor last spring in Croatia and we were so impressed with the experience that we have now booked a second trip with them to New Zealand. The trip was very well organized and the guides were top notch.

This was my 8th trip with W&A and there will be more.
We just returned from the Morocco Adventure and it was amazing.The host(ess) was wonderful, the guide very dedicated and knowledgeable. Our bus driver was a real pro and got us around safely. I feel like we got a very good feel for Morocco, its people, culture, food and diversity of the landscape. The desert and camel riding, the cooking class in Marrakech and Medina visits were amazing. Even better, we stayed in Riads in or very near the Medinas, each with their distinctive character.
I have 4 trips planned with W&A in 2026. I think that shows how much I like them.And what I really appreciate about W&A is they care and listen to their customers.

I travelled to India with Wheel and Anchor through their “Explore India on the Ganges” tour. This was my 6th trip with them. I am always pleased with my W&A adventures but this one exceeded my expectations. The guides were excellent. They provided close encounters with local people as well as visits to well known attractions. Rather than a tour, W&A brought us on a well curated adventure which included fabulous food, amazing accommodations, terrific transportation (train, bicycle rickshaws, boats, tuktuks, buses, cars and jeeps), religious ceremonies, temples, visits to cottage industries, strolls through small villages, tours of big cities, and wonderful local guides at each location. Amazing attention to detail. W&A is a bit pricey, but, if it fits your budget it is worth every penny.

My recent Wheel & Anchor journey along the Ganges River was exceptional. The program was thoughtfully curated, and every detail was seamlessly executed. Onboard, the accommodations, amenities, and meals were truly outstanding. The experiences throughout the trip were transformative—enlightening, humbling, and genuinely magical. I wholeheartedly recommend this remarkable river cruise and itinerary to anyone considering it.

Just came back from Central Asia, the Silk Road. Ouzbekistan was my mane interest, but we got to discover Kazakhstan and Kirgistan and it was a very big plus. Every trip with W&A is a discovery, depending on the choice you make, live away, sojourn or experimental trip. The host we had was perfect in every way. The accommodations were very well chosen, in the old town when possible, which made it possible to continue our discovery of the towns we were in. The local guides are well chosen and very knowledgeable. But the beauty and the people of Ouzbekistan were the highlight of this trip. They are welcoming, warm, open and curios. If ever you thought of discovering that part of the planet, do not hesitate and look up the webinar of this trip. You will start dreaming of your next adventure immediately.

This was our 3rd holiday with Wheel & Anchor. (Amalfi 2023, Peru 2024, Norway 2025)
Love the smaller groups, excellent hosts and local guides at every stop. Excursions are very well thought out and accommodations are very good and in great locations. Just the right amount of free time to wander and check out restaurants, we love eating!
Presently "counting our dollars" to check out our next excursion!

I spent a month in Cyprus on one of their LiveAway trips. Really got to discover this unique country that I knew so little about. Some great excursions with knowledgeable guides, and plenty of time to explore on my own too. The best part of the trip was the people. We had a lovely small group of Canadians travelling with us that we really go to know. Some of whom I have been in touch with Canada since I got home. I don't usually do group travel, but I would highly recommend this truly unique Canadian small group travel company.

TURKEY

Nothing but rave reviews for Wheel and Anchor, the tour host, the itinerary and probably one of the best tour guides. After 4 days in Istanbul, it was nice to journey off the touristy route and stay in small quaint towns with exceptional accommodations, food and beautiful countryside.
The extension to Cappadocia was beyond words to describe, especially the hot air balloon ride!

Turkey has so much to offer, love the people and their culture.
I’m In the process of booking my second trip with W&A. I know I won’t be disappointed

Thanks to our guide, Martine, we were able to experience Costa Rica at its diverse best from the cloud forest to the rain forest ending at the sea. We certainly went via those roads less travelled to lodges off the beaten track that focused on our connection to the environment. Meals, with one or 2 exceptions, were included and featured locally sourced foods. One of the memorable experiences was happening upon the annual sea turtle festival on the Osa Peninsula. Not only did we “mingle with the locals” but had the unique experience of watching the baby sea turtles being released and making their way to the ocean. As a very early “baby boomer”, I did find the hikes a bit challenging at times. Other memories include the spa treatment with mashed avocados, chocolate, a sugar scrub and washing off in the river; bird watching in the early morning and 11 degrees; the “avatar adventure”; and the boa constrictor!

We travelled to Nice and Provence in May and the concept of a small group tour with all gratuities included at a more relaxed pace sounded good. However, the time was all wrong, and we think the organiser should have taken this in consideration. For example: the tour had an entire free day where those touring are left on their own (suggestions are given and a city card is given for transportation and some free or discounted attractions) and the free day in Nice was on a Tuesday when almost all museums are closed, including the famous Matisse museum. When next we moved to the Forcalquier area, there were two consecutive holidays on Wednesday and Thursday, and on Friday people also took off from work to link with the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Thus, the crowds were immense. Moreover the Olympic flame was passing by there exactly when we were staying in the area, so the sleepy town was not sleepy anymore. The day when we were making a stop in Aix-en-Provence was also the same day the Olympic flame was going through, resulting in unusual crowds, street closings, high security, interfering with the sightseeing. While in St-Rémy de Provence the day scheduled for some free time was on a Monday, again, when the museums were closed. The tour should have had different dates in order to avoid this.
Also this company includes breakfast and lunches but no dinners (except for the farewell one on the last day of the tour). The lunches took about 2 hours of the day as they were in sit-down restaurants previously booked. All know that restaurant service in France is slow. So, a time of day we should be sight seeing, two hours are taken for lunch. Dinners should be included instead. The last thing one wishes to do is to look for restaurants in the evening after some sightseeing during the day specially in France when reservations are a must or one can spend time going from place to place in order to dine and not even knowing the quality of the food being served, the cleanliness of the restaurant, etc.
The other thing is that this company included the coverage of alcoholic drinks at lunch, so those who do not drink are subsidising the wine of those who drink. We were only six people in the tour and four drank at least two bottles of wine at every meal the tour covered. It is unfair for the non-drinkers. Alcohol should not be included. By doing so, the company could very well afford covering dinners rather than lunches.
There is too much free time, since besides the free time built into the tour as explained, the pace is slow.
The hotels in Nice and St-Rémy de Provence were in excellent locations and the one in Forcalquier was in a beautiful setting but not in town which necessitated a taxi both ways if one wished to go to town.

I have just read the other reviews on the 5 X 5 Scandinavian trip that we just came back from and want to say they are VERY accurate. The accommodations, restaurants and guides were all checked out ahead of time and they were wonderful. This is our first time with Wheel and Anchor and will not be our last. The service was outstanding and perfect. We are sure that everything they do will be of the highest quality. Gordon loves to travel and it shows in everything he does. We would give more than 5 stars if they were available.
Lynn and Gary Sturch

Wheel and Anchor is an excellent company providing superior travel experiences. I just completed the 5 x 5 Scandinavia and the Baltics tour with Gordon and I can’t imagine how it could have been improved. This was my third travel experience with W & A and I look forward to more. The hotels are always well-chosen to provide comfortable but unique accommodations, the meals are excellent, and the local guides are well informed and approachable.