Help centre

Questions, answered.

The things travellers ask us most often. If yours is not here, our inbox is at the bottom of the page — a real human reads every message.

The planning process

How does it actually work?

Four steps. One: you tell us where you have always meant to go and roughly when. Two: we have a short call (15–20 minutes) to understand the kind of trip you want and confirm fit. Three: we match you with a planner who lives where you are going, and within a few days you receive a draft itinerary. Four: we refine it together until it is right, you pay the deposit, and we book everything.

From the first conversation to a confirmed itinerary usually takes about two weeks for straightforward trips, three to four for more complex ones.

How long should I plan ahead?

Three to nine months ahead is the comfortable range. The most coveted lodgings — small ryokans, owner-run riads, conservancy camps — book up six to nine months in advance for peak season. Last-minute trips are possible but you will have fewer choices on stays.

If you are flexible on dates, our planners can usually find something interesting within four weeks.

What if my dates are not fixed yet?

Tell us “Spring 2027” or “ten days in summer, flexible” and that is enough to start. Our planners will design around the season and recommend the best two-week window for your destination. Dates only need to be locked once you confirm the deposit.

Pricing & payment

What does it cost?

Two parts: a flat design fee (paid to Go Next Global) plus the actual cost of your trip (paid to suppliers via us, or directly).

The design fee is quoted in writing once we understand your brief, and varies by trip complexity. Trip costs depend entirely on what you are after — our travellers typically spend between £4,000 and £12,000 per person for ten to fourteen-day itineraries.

The first conversation and a rough outline are free. You only commit once you have seen a draft itinerary.

When do I pay the deposit?

Only after you have seen and approved your draft itinerary, and only after you have agreed to the trip-specific booking terms. The deposit secures your stays and any time-sensitive components (private guides, flights, bush-pilot transfers).

The final balance is typically due 60 days before departure. Exact terms are set per trip and disclosed in writing.

What if I need to cancel?

Our cancellation schedule is generous wherever we can be — we believe people should be able to change their minds. The catch is that small lodges and owner-operated suppliers often impose stricter cancellation windows that we have to pass on. Comprehensive travel insurance, which we make mandatory for every traveller, covers most cancellation scenarios.

The exact schedule is part of your booking terms.

What we book

Do you book flights?

Yes, where useful. International flights you can usually book yourself for less, so we will advise but leave you to it. Internal flights — the Reykjavík–Ísafjörður propeller, the bush flight from the Mara to Zanzibar — we book on your behalf and integrate into the itinerary.

What is included?

Stays, ground transport, private guides where used, key meals and reservations, internal transfers, and any private experiences the trip is built around — a tea ceremony, a winery visit, a desert camp. Plus 24/7 concierge support while you are on the ground.

What is not included: international flights (unless requested), incidental meals, gratuities, and travel insurance — which is mandatory and you arrange yourself.

On the trip

What if something changes mid-trip?

Our concierge team is on call 24/7 while you are travelling. A flight cancellation, a weather change, a sudden illness, a restaurant that disappoints — we re-route in real time. You travel with a single phone number that reaches a real human in your time zone.

Will I be travelling with other people?

No. Every trip we design is private and bespoke to you. There are no group departures, no shared coaches, no scheduled tours. The only other people on your itinerary are the local guides, hosts and chefs your planner has chosen for you.

Our planners

How are your planners chosen?

Personally, by us. Every planner has been interviewed in person, has lived in the country they design for — most of them all their lives — and has been on the ground with at least one of our team. We do not crowdsource, and we do not list “verified” partners we have never met.

The list is small on purpose. There is a planner for each of the eight destinations we currently cover, and we would rather grow slowly than add countries we cannot vouch for.

Which destinations do you cover?

Currently: Japan, Italy, Vietnam, Morocco, Patagonia, Iceland, Kenya & Tanzania, and France. New destinations are added once we have found a planner who genuinely lives there and meets our bar — usually one or two new countries per year.

If your dream destination is not on the list, write to us anyway. We may know someone we trust there, even if they are not formally on our roster yet.

Still have questions

The fastest way is to ask us.

Drop us a note and a real human will reply within one working day — usually sooner.