Gecko's

At a glance...

Local leaders, local accommodation, local transport = a true local experience.
Value for money – you only pay for the ‘must haves’, which keep prices down.
Small groups - like-minded travellers, great fun, minimal environmental impact.
Gecko's strikes the perfect balance between visiting the ‘must sees’, free time & getting off the beaten track.  With 182 departures in 49 countries, Gecko's has a trip for you no matter where you want to travel.

Gecko’s offers wicked value, grassroots adventures for people who want freedom and flexibility as well as the convenience and fun of small-group travel.

Gecko’s only employs local leaders who are born and raised in the region so you’re sure to be taken to places that only the locals know, you travel on local transport and stay in local accommodation.  There is no better way to really understand what makes a country tick.

If you want to see the world from street level and not through the rose-coloured glasses of the well-worn tourist trail grab your passport and get amongst it with Gecko’s.

Most Gecko’s travellers see themselves as independent travellers, but have limited time, and prefer the companionship of a few like-minded souls.  With Gecko’s, you don’t have to queue for tickets, lug your backpack around town looking for a hotel or wait two days for a train, everything is taken care of. Better still, the prices are comparable to doing it on your own so you get the value of independent travel, with the back-up of 29 years experience in adventure travel. 

Gecko’s have the following inclusions in each itinerary. Apart from your accommodation and local transport, you’ll also find they include some meals and fees to the key places of interest in each destination. However, Gecko's also ensure there is plenty of free time for optional sightseeing and making your own discoveries.

Gecko’s is regarded as an industry leader in ‘Responsible Travel’.  While lots of companies have jumped on the ‘eco travel’ bandwagon and use it as a marketing tool, Gecko’s actively puts something back into the communities they visit, and has done long before it became the ‘trendy’ thing to do. Gecko’s is 100 per cent committed to employing Gecko’s style of travel, using local leaders and using accommodation and transport, meaning the money you spend in the region stays in the region and improves the livelihood of local people, rather than being siphoned off by a international company.  Gecko's also supports a number of charities around the world.

Having a local leader also helps to adapt to the culture too.  In Thailand, for example, it’s rude to put a fork in your mouth while eating (kind of like putting a knife in your mouth here).  Experiencing things like this, that’s grassroots travel.

Asia

Asia is a ‘second home’ for about half the staff at Gecko’s.  It is right on their doorstep and offers an amazingly diverse range of experiences.  The food, people, history, scenery and religions are as different as they are wonderful…and they know how to show you the best of it. 

The regions they cover are..   Thailand – Burma – Indonesia – Malaysia – Singapore – Laos – Vietnam – China, including Tibet and Hong Kong –Trans Mongolia - India, Sri Lanka and Nepal…Gecko's have got Asia covered.

Latin America

Latin America just might be the most stimulating, enchanting, exciting region on earth!  From the decaying grandeur of old Havana, to the lofty peaks of the Andes, it is the adventure travellers’ paradise.

The regions Gecko's cover are..   Peru, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Cuba

MIDDLE EAST

For a glimpse into the history of civilisation, Gecko’s trips in the Middle East and North Africa are more interesting than any history lecture.  From the iconic Pyramids and Sphinx and Abu Simbel in Egypt, the ancient Troglodyte caves in Tunisia or the atmospheric marketplaces of Morocco, this region is as diverse as it is spellbinding.  With new tours through Tunisia and Libya even the most hardcore adventure traveller who has “seen it all before” will uncover new ground in countries new to the tourist trail.

Gecko’s adventures offers trips through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.

Africa

Africa has a raw vitality unmatched by any other destination we can think of, Africa's game parks are simply the best in the world and Gecko’s think they offer you the best way to explore it.  The reasons are simple. They keep the groups small (compared to a huge truckload of overlanders) and the prices are awesome.

The vehicles are excellent, with big windows and plenty of space.  The managers in Africa have picked out excellent campsites and the camping equipment is all top-notch.  What really sets Gecko’s apart, is the safari leaders.  They have hand-picked the friendliest and most knowledgeable guides around and they will make the difference to your experience AND they spend more time inside game packs than most other companies.

The local leaders really help you adapt to the culture too.  In Southern Africa, for example, Sangomas, or witchdoctors, pride themselves on their ability to relay your future path by throwing old bones in the air and interpreting the pattern they make when they land. Knowing little things like this, that’s grassroots travel.

The regions Gecko's cover are..  Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe.