"Once a fan now Disillusioned: Luxe Tribes’ Brazil Trip Falls Short"

I have previously enjoyed three luxurious trips with Luxe Tribes—to Egypt, Tulum, and Cartagena—where every detail was meticulously planned. From personalized airport greetings with Luxe-branded signs to comfortable travel buses, attentive hosts providing water and snacks between meals, luxurious hotels, and memorable boat rides, each experience was exceptional.

As one of Luxe Tribes’ biggest fans, I referred numerous friends and clients, bringing a new companion on each trip. Anticipating a similar experience, I chose Brazil for my birthday and New Year’s celebration, inviting friends and clients based on my past positive experiences. This trip was one of the most expensive, especially around the holidays, and I expected Luxe Tribes to really go all out. Regrettably, it felt as if we were receiving scraps, and the trip did not meet the established standards. The Luxe Tribes trip fell short of expectations, lacking the luxury and attention to detail previously experienced. The airport greeting was unprofessional, transportation arrangements were impersonal, and the hotel failed to meet luxury standards. Activities lacked cultural immersion and organization, with safety concerns during the Little Africa tour and a disappointing boat tour. Dining options were mediocre, and experiences like the samba class felt uninspired. Friends and clients invited by the me left early, feeling dissatisfied, overshadowing my birthday celebration. The trip did not reflect Luxe Tribes’ usual quality, leading to requests for a refund and recommendations for the company to restore its luxury standards.

"Having traveled with Luxe Tribes…"

Having traveled with Luxe Tribes several times, I thought by now they’d have the whole “luxury and well-organized” thing figured out. Spoiler alert: they don’t. My recent NYE trip to Rio de Janeiro? A comedy of errors—if only I had paid for laughs instead of shelling out $4,000 expecting actual luxury.

Let’s start with communication. Or, more accurately, the complete lack of it. I emailed multiple times about late check-out. The response? Crickets. They must’ve thought “silence is golden” applied here.

Next up: the accommodations. Luxury? Try a basic 3-star hotel with no early check-in. What better way to start a “luxury” trip than standing around exhausted with nowhere to go? Our first dinner was at—wait for it—a chain steakhouse we could visit back home. Gourmet, right? This set the tone for the trip: poorly planned pub crawls, lackluster meals after long, tedious bus rides, and an overall rushed, chaotic vibe.

Then there was the “Little Africa” tour, an on-the-fly addition that started with cultural promise but ended with the group frantically fleeing a dangerously overcrowded area. One entrance, one exit, lots of fear. Definitely not what I signed up for in the name of “immersive travel.”

Ah, and who could forget the pirate ship masquerading as a luxury boat cruise? I guess someone thought an uncomfortable, cramped ride was the epitome of sophistication. And that “forest tour” they hyped up? A scenic trip to… three different angles of the same waterfall. We barely finished snapping pictures before we were rushed off on what felt like a roller coaster ride down the mountain. Thrilling, but not in a good way.

To round out the “luxury” experience, dinner on the last night? Nonexistent. The first night’s bar-hopping? Standing in long lines because VIP access was apparently optional for this VIP trip.

Sure, there were a couple of decent moments—like a helicopter ride and fireworks on the beach—but when you’re paying thousands for luxury, you expect more than fleeting highlights in an otherwise chaotic mess.

Bottom line: Luxe Tribes occasionally gets it right, but the inconsistency, poor communication, and questionable safety make them a risky bet. When you pay for luxury, you expect luxury—not a pirate ship, waterfall photo ops, and a side of anxiety. Until they fix these glaring issues, Luxe Tribes isn’t worth the gamble.

"South Africa Trip- Johannesburg and CapeTown"

This was my first time working with Luxe Tribes, and they did a great job! They started by providing us with a sample itinerary, and we worked with Elizabeth prior to making the payment and in the lead-up to the trip to make any necessary activity adjustments. Elizabeth was a pleasure to work with—attentive, responsive, and highly informative.

Our tour guides, Eric and Lucien, were absolutely fantastic! They ensured we had everything we needed, helped us fully experience both cities, and offered excellent food recommendations. With our permission, they even took us to additional spots not originally on the itinerary, such as Lesedi Village and an ostrich feeding experience, which gave us a deeper understanding of the culture. We had so much fun!

We also appreciated having free time in the afternoons and evenings to explore on our own. If I could have stayed longer, I definitely would have.

One small suggestion for improvement: I wish we had the option to pay for the preselected dinner locations ourselves. While the food was amazing, we're not big eaters, so the pre-paid credits sometimes went unused, leaving money behind for the restaurant rather than being repurposed for other expenses.

Overall, I had a fantastic experience and will definitely work with Luxe Tribes again!

"My friend and I traveled from the Caribbean to Ghana"

My friend and I traveled from the Caribbean to Ghana to learn more about our ancestry and history. This was a private trip which gave us many opportunities to alter the itinerary as we needed, both prior to heading there and whilst there.
The team was extremely accommodating, polite, courteous and went above and beyond to ensure our safety and comfort.
The hotel was wonderful and clean and the food was amazing everywhere we ate. We learnt a lot about the slave trade and Ghanaian culture and interacted with persons who shared their own experiences.
The afrofuture concert was a bit disappointing as we saw 2 acts only night one and there was no idea as to a line up or a start time so you were just hanging around hoping someone would perform. Dj’s were playing but you don’t need to fly to Ghana to hear a DJ. You go to hear African music. I am from Jamaica and I could have heard what was being played at home. (This had to do with Aftofuture organization, and nothing to do with Luxe Tribe)
Otherwise, a very memorable experience, with a lovely luxe tribe support team. We always felt safe and heard!
David was our guide (and we had Kofi for a day), both were just phenomenal and Anthony was our driver…he is amazing and kept us safe on those crazy roads.
Big up our luxe team in Ghana 🇯🇲🇬🇭

"My Luxe Tribes Experience: From Hopeful to Disheartened"

I’ve used Luxe Tribes several times, starting with a Eurotrip for my 30th birthday. That first experience was okay at best. Despite being advertised as a luxury service, my travel agent failed twice to present accommodations that met the standard I paid for. I had to research and select my hotels to ensure a comfortable stay.

Hoping that my initial experience was a fluke, I joined one of their group trips to Seychelles. This time, Luxe Tribes delivered on its promise of a luxurious and memorable experience. It was well-organized, the accommodations were top-notch, and I left feeling like I had found a travel company I could trust.

Unfortunately, that trust was short-lived. My next group trip with Luxe Tribes was to India, and it was a disaster. The itinerary was chaotic, leaving us constantly on the go without time to enjoy or rest. The accommodations were far from luxurious despite being advertised as such, and the experience was so lackluster that most of the group was ready to go home halfway through.

Still, I believed in Luxe Tribes’ mission and wanted to give them another chance. I booked their NYE trip to Rio, expecting a turnaround experience similar to Seychelles. **Boy, was I wrong.**

This recent trip was nothing short of a mess. We stayed in a 3-star hotel that was far from luxurious, and they booked us a pirate ship for a supposed "luxury" excursion. The entire trip felt cheap and disorganized, yet it came with a hefty $4,000 price tag. What’s worse, Luxe Tribes placed us in unsafe conditions during a Little Africa tour. What was advertised as a cultural experience turned out to be a street block party that was dangerously close to a favela. It was overcrowded, a fire hazard, and outright irresponsible.

This trip left me feeling scammed and furious. Luxe Tribes’ inconsistency in delivering on their promises has destroyed any trust I had in their brand. While they may occasionally deliver luxury experiences, the risk of being let down is far too high, especially for the prices they charge.

I can no longer recommend them. Their inability to consistently provide safe, luxurious, and well-organized trips makes them a gamble I’m unwilling to take again.

"I LOVE LUXE TRIBES"

I really enjoyed collaborating with Elisa and the Luxe Tribes team! I felt very supported through this entire experience as a solo traveler. This is also my first time planning with a travel agency and it was all successful! Every moment from the deposit, the pick up down to the drop off was planned and executed beautifully. Luxe Tribes and I will for SURE collaborate again in the future! I already started saving some placed on my account ♥️ In essence, thank you for this experience. This is forever be in my heart ♥️

"Nothing LUXE about this trip. "

I just returned from my inaugural trip with Luxe Tribes to the vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and oh, where do I even begin?

It all started with my initial reservation, where I specifically requested a solo room. Less than 60 days before departure, a chilling email arrived from the coordinators: solo rooms would incur an additional fee. Confused, I fired back an email, questioning why I was receiving this notice when I already had a single occupancy booked. Silence. Days turned into an agonizing wait until the dreaded room assignments landed in my inbox—surprise! I had a roommate. My follow-up emails were met with a deafening quiet, until finally, they claimed they were “looking into it.” As the clock ticked closer to our departure, I pleaded for clarity. The response? They could do nothing, but would gladly cancel my reservation, keeping half of my payment while offering me a mere credit for a future trip. So, I was left with the bitter taste of their negligence and a hefty loss.

Despite the chaos, I chose to embark on the trip. Upon arrival, a group of us stood at the airport, anxiously awaiting our Luxe Tribes transport. Minutes turned into an eternity as we waited, only to be greeted by a random woman calling out names like she was conducting a roll call! We lugged our bags across the street, only to discover we were being shuffled into Ubers instead of the luxurious transportation we had envisioned. So far, this was anything but a luxury experience.

When we finally reached our hotel, which was barely three stars, we were met with the disappointment of no early check-in and still no sign of our hosts. Some adventurous souls opted for excursions while the rest of us sat in limbo, waiting. Eventually, we settled into our rooms, and our hosts finally arrived to whisk us off to dinner at Fogo de Chão—a Brazilian steakhouse chain that we could find back home in the States.

After dinner, we headed to a pub crawl, but upon arrival at the first stop, the vibe was flat. Everyone was glued to their phones, and more than half the group decided to retreat back to the hotel. The following day, we ventured to the iconic Christ the Redeemer, which was a breathtaking sight, but the excitement quickly faded during an hour-long bus ride to a lackluster lunch. The meal options? Steak and rice or fish and potatoes. For this, we endured an hour on the road?

The helicopter tour that followed was a highlight, but it was just a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. Then came Monday, where the real drama unfolded. Some of us participated in a cooking class while others ventured to Little Africa, a request from the group that wasn’t part of the original itinerary. The hosts scrambled to find a guide, and while the initial part of the tour was filled with cultural richness and vibrant dance, it quickly spiraled into a nightmare. The tour guide allegedly led the ladies into a crowded space that turned into a scene of fear and tears, with only one way in and out. They fled, one woman describing it as a “night from hell.”

And just when I thought things couldn’t get crazier, the
promised a boat cruise!!!
However, this was no luxurious yacht or sleek catamaran; instead, the ladies appeared crammed onto an uncomfortable boat.
All in all, there was much left to be desired on this trip.

But wait! There was a party at a nearby restaurant that was quite nice, and afterward, we found ourselves on the beach, watching a stunning display of fireworks light up the night sky. That moment was truly beautiful, a brief respite from the chaos that had defined our journey.

"Perfection! Best trip yet! "

MY 6 Day.. Travel getaway, was fantastic! I loved how I was informed of any changes, updates, drivers. They let me know who my driver was for the day. Sent out reminders about planned events. Easy to contact with any questions or concerns, I had during my trip! Resort was beautiful! I had a wonderful time! I couldn’t have done it without my agent Jessie! She was great! Will definitely be booking with the company again!

"7 day Costa Rica trip"

I traveled with Luxe Tribes to Costa Rica for my birthday and it was the best vacation I’ve ever been on! Our tour guide Carlos was very genuine and knowledgeable. The meals that were included were fresh and packed with flavor (great restaurant choices). The resorts they chose for us to stay in were very nice and clean. We actually did everything that was advertised on the itinerary and they even surprised me with a birthday cake at dinner! I’ll definitely be booking with them again.

"Zanzibar experience the Luxe way"

I usually plan my own vacations but for some reason got overwhelmed with trying to plan my l ast trip. I wanted a specific experienceSo I recuited the help of Luxe Tribes. This was my second trip with Luxe within the last year ( SA in a group and Zanzibar solo). The effort they put into making sure each trip is amazing is really what keeps me coming back. They added a two day Dubai stopover to my itinerarydue to the lenght of my flight inclusive of upscale accommodation and activities as well. I enjoyed the personalized itinerary and the quick response from the in country host. All I had to do is select appropriate outfits and make myself available by pick up time. All in country transportation is included wich makes it convenient to get to activities and back. The willingness to make sure that I was safe and comfortable at all times was superb. They provided a well rounded experience that includes mostof what the country has to offer.The excursions were top notch and the accommodatio ns were upscale. I enjoyed the activities to the fullest - everything was to my standards.