Uncharted Philippines is such as amazing company. They have exceeded my expectations with every interaction. Leo was very responsive from my initial interaction with him, and through the whole process. He checked with me periodically during the trip to make sure our expectations were being met, and to communicate any updates for our trip. He made a great itinerary for my wife and me (private tour), communicated all the expectations, documentation, and other needs very clearly. We had a very busy and full 12-days, and the Uncharted team never skipped a beat.
As with any great company, the individual team members each attribute a unique piece to merit success. Our guides were those individual pieces, and they were all unique and amazing people. In 12 days, we explored Manila, traversed rice terraces in Banaue, Batad, and Sagada, explored the waterfalls of Laguna, snorkeled and did an intro. dive in Anilao, and spent a wonderful week in Palawan. In each region, our guides were local to the area, so not only did we have a great experience with them, we also gained knowledge from they insights they shared.
Our manila guides, Dondon, EJ, and Jason were great company. Jason safely and efficiently tackled the Manila traffic, while joking and conversating with us the whole way. He knew shortcuts to save us time and never seemed to get tired/sleepy! EJ flexed his knowledge of Intramuros Manila, and helped us with getting various things settled upon arrival (currency exchange, necessities shopping, etc.). We explored areas of my childhood that my wife has only seen in pictures, and it was great to re-visit these areas. Dondon braved the 4 waterfalls we visited, and always made sure we were safe on the trail. He took great pictures for us and knew a great local eatery to sample some unique Filipino dishes. Too bad I didn't get to sample his cooking (I hear he's a great chef).
Jonathan, or rather, Jhon was a great guide through the Cordillera region. He was so pleasant, friendly,and funny. He grew up and lives in the region, and it was great to share in his pride of his home province. He shared a great deal of knowledge of both the region and the local trails through the rice terraces. Hiking the rice terraces was a great challenge (especially in the rain), but he ensured our safety and had a good gauge of our pace. On our trek to Batad, we finished early enough to eat our lunch at Cavinti Falls, before proceeding to our lodging in Batad. At the lodge, we had such a great time hanging out with Jhon and the various guides who all congregated there for the night.
In Palawan, Jonel was our guide. Jonel is so friendly and respectful, and was always thoughtful of our safety. We had a fairly active adventure in Palawan, where we snorkeled, swam, kayaked, and trekked through the jungle. Jonel never skipped a beat. He was not only by our side the whole time, but he cooked several lunches for us as we island hopped throughout the week. Who would have thought, he's an athlete, guide, and a chef!
Through our whole trip, Ana checked in with our guides to make sure everything was going well and sending any updates as they arose. And of course, Leo not only put the whole thing together, but was in communication with us, even after we had already left the Philippines. All in all, not only were the experiences he put together amazing, but his whole team is amazing. We left the Philippines, knowing that we made new life-long friends and can't wait to contact Uncharted Philippines for our future adventures. They really lived up to their mission of adventure tourism, as I have never had so much fun from being exhausted from and during my trip. If you're looking for a great adventure to an amazing and foreign place, look non further than Uncharted Philippines. They are a professional company, and their whole team is experienced, friendly, genuine, and great to work with.
