Our travelers’ favorite trips in 2025: the year’s best travel experiences

Curious to know what like-minded travelers are saying about us? To round off the year with a smile, we’ve selected some of the most memorable traveler stories for vacations taken with us, each one carefully crafted by our local experts in 2025. From a solo adventure in Chile to the most relaxing getaway to Greece, these are the top 2025 trips that our travelers loved and won’t soon forget.

Traveler stories round-up: the best travel experiences in 2025

Kathryn O’Donnell’s trip to Chile

A brilliant experience! I have been totally impressed from start to finish. Travelling alone on a different kind of holiday made me apprehensive but my local guide, Alejandro was always patient, practical and flexible.

The whole trip ran like clockwork with pick-ups, transfers, etc. and he was there every step of the way to make sure everything went smoothly. I felt as if I were in safe hands throughout. Any queries or concerns I had were dealt with swiftly.

Mai & Hendrik Broekman’s trip to Norway

We are so glad we decided to use TravelLocal for our trip to Norway vs planning it ourselves. The local agent we were connected with were wonderful to work with – flexible with all our trip/tour interests and suggesting things we hadn’t thought of.

They chose each hotel to be easy walking distance to transport or to attractions and made sure we had advance tickets, even for flybus. But we most appreciated them when we unexpectedly used their emergency number at night.

Riccardo became our “friend in Norway” so we were no longer traveling alone. He even followed up to be sure things were going smoothly again. Worth every penny.

Read more: Our travelers’ favorite trips to Europe: Austria, France and more

Alex and Eileen Flaig’s trip to Portugal

My husband and I travel often, and a few years ago we discovered TravelLocal, and since then, they are always our go-to agency when creating an itinerary and booking a trip. The local experts have always been amazing, and [our local expert] Joana is no exception.

My husband and I usually have a pretty good idea of what we would like to see and do, but always rely on the suggestions of the local expert to fill in the gaps. Joana listened to our preferences- such as, we prefer hotels with character over a chain type hotel- and we stayed in converted convents and mansions. They were amazing. And the locations were perfect. We mentioned that we would rather eat local cuisine and are not interested in high end dining, and all of the restaurants that we had reservations at (or that were recommended) were delicious.

Another way that Joana listened to our preferences is that I do not like crowds very much. Joana recommended that we go to Mafra instead of Cintra and we were so happy we did. We had the palace practically to ourselves! After our tour, our driver Marco mentioned that while we were inside he heard from his colleagues that Cintra was packed and traffic was very heavy. I would have been miserable and enjoyed Mafra very much! We would like to thank Joana again for such great attention to detail and helping to make our Portugal trip amazing!

Babett Naumann-Kresse’s trip to Indonesia

We had a wonderful and unforgettable time in Borneo and Java. All the domestic flights, drivers, and guides worked perfectly. Our time in Borneo will remain a cherished memory forever. Our hearts ached when we left the houseboat. We always received a warm welcome and were exceptionally well looked after.

Unfortunately, we had health problems in Bali, and it was incredible how quickly, efficiently, and without any fuss everyone received help. Everything possible was done to change the itinerary immediately. We never felt alone and were overwhelmed by so much helpfulness, empathy, and kindness. THANK YOU! We will entrust our next trip to [our local experts] Diwan and Febby again!

Read more: Our travelers’ favorite multi-country trips around the world

Susan Mills’ trip to Tanzania

In Zanzibar, we were blessed with incredible support every step of the way. Our driver, Ahmad, was truly the best—from picking us up in Stone Town to our airport transfers, his care and reliability made everything feel seamless.

Chris offered an amazing tour of Stone Town, sharing stories and warmth that made the city come alive. At the resort, Alex was simply outstanding—our personal, professional guide at every turn, always ready to help and ensure our stay was spectacular. We felt honored by the kindness and dedication of the people who stood with us, turning our visit into a memory we’ll carry with gratitude.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself; it’s about creating yourself. So live the life you imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau

Jenna Swann’s trip to Greece

Vangelis heard and delivered on every. single. thing. we asked for. This vacation was hands down the most relaxing time we have ever had. It ended too soon (after 2 weeks) and we left wanting nothing from it.

We got everything we asked for and more. From the excursions to the hotels to the transport to the sites…everything was absolutely perfect. I cannot recommend this site and especially [my local expert] VANGELIS any more.

I honestly booked this thinking maybe it was a scam and too good to be true and it turned out to be the best decision I’ve made and by far the best vacation I’ve ever had. Thank you so much!

Read more: Our travelers’ favorite family trips to Greece, Brazil and beyond

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