Reviews

Customer Testimonials

What are our roadies saying about us? Check out some of our 5 star reviews below – taken from our Google Reviews page.

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Rocky Road Travel is AWESOME. I just returned from a week long Syria tour and I have not enough words to describe the whole experience I had with them. From day 1, when I first wrote asking for more information about the trip, to this day, Shane has been professional, friendly and ready to reply all my questions. He was also very patient when I had some issues with my bank and one payment was delayed for more than a couple of days. In Syria we were treated with the best of the best: Rami, the local guide with so much passion and knowledge about his country and more connections I could count; and Bjorn, the partner team leader. Both made sure that our time in the country would be unforgettable and they certainly accomplished their mission. Syria was definitely the highlight of my three weeks in the Middle East and safety (for those wondering about this detail) was never remotely an issue. Syria actually was the place I felt the most safe and welcomed in the region.
As others have commented here, travelling with Rocky Road is not only great value for money. It is an impactful experience. I highly recommend them for trips to unusual destinations and I can't wait to be on the road with them again!
Glaucimara Silva
Brazil
Our family of four did the full Iraq tour in December 2021/January 2022. The trip was fantastic, and since it was low season - we had most of the historic sites to ourselves! We booked it as a private tour and the additions were perfect. The itinerary was extensive and we had very full days that took in many historic sites, important religious shrines, and a nice taste of Iraqi culture. The hotels were better than expected (most were 3-4 star establishments) and wifi was readily available at all of them. Our guides were very good, and the sites were awesome. Favourite places? Uruk, Babylon, Ur, Hatra, Mosul, Acre...too many to list. What a great opportunity to see Iraq in the early days of its tourism industry! If historic sites are your interest, you cannot select a better destination. Rocky Road Travel arranged everything and was highly responsive to all of my questions ahead of time. Highly recommended!
Lance Goddard
Canada
I traveled to Iraq (southern Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan) with Rocky Road Travel in Oct/Nov 2021. I had an amazing time and really felt it was one of those special once in a lifetime experiences. The trip booking process was easy and straight forward, with Shane available by email or WhatsApp. Payment was simple and all the necessary visa information etc was provided promptly. The local guides were incredible, warm and welcoming, knowledgeable and informative, and alot of fun. You never forget how someone makes you feel and the Iraqi and Kurdish people are what really make this a special experience. Their warm welcoming hospitality will make you want to return for more. The trip itinerary was well planned and covered alot of ground. There is a large variety of sites to see and experience and never too much of any one thing. It's a great mix. The accommodation was better than expected with clean modern hotels for the most part. The food is worth visiting for alone. Absolutely delicious ( I'm still dreaming of the chicken liver sandwich in Sulaymaniyah 🤤). The many tea houses we visited were beautiful and unique and always came just when we needed to rest and refresh. Overall I highly recommend Rocky Road Travel and will travel with them again. As for Iraq, it a beautiful and special place that will capture your heart.
Una Cuffe
Ireland
Syria tour, Amazing experience! From the booking process till the goodbye at the end of the trip, Shane and his team did a great job to assist, organize and manage it. They made sure to answer to all my question and to make me feel confortabile with it. “On the field”, Bjørn (tour leader) and Rami (local guide) did their best to let us enjoy the country at its fullest: having a nice balance between free time and tour schedule; showing us as much things as possible (without resulting tiring nor stressful); letting us engage with locals during the visit; assuring that everyone was having good time. Highly recommended.
Matteo Galli
Italy
My husband and I just came back recently from a private tour in Socotra and it was one of the best trips we've undertaken! Being the outdoor enthusiasts that we are, Socotra was just amazing. Pre trip admin was a hassle free process and Shane was nothing but friendly, professional and prompt to respond to all our queries. The Socotra FAQ and packing list provided was also very helpful. We also appreciate that Rocky Road strives to be eco-friendly and sustainable in it's practices. During the trip, we were very well taken care of by our wonderful crew. Our guide Adnan was especially knowledgeable, and he made our trip so much more enriching and insightful with his sharing about the island, people, culture, flora and fauna. His extensive network also meant that we had access to places that other tour groups didn't seem to have ie. chilling out with the locals at their hideouts, and spending a night at a local's home when wind was too strong to set up camp etc, while being warmly received by the hosts and sharing a community meal with them. The beauty of some of the wild pristine places on the island is just unparalleled, and made all the more special when we had the places to just ourselves most of the time! From stunning beaches with clear blue waters, to breathtaking vista of a valley filled with Dragon blood trees, and swimming in a pool in a canyon, seeing the resident pod of dolphins in action and snorkelling and seeing a wide variety of sea creatures just offshore, everyday in Socotra was an adventure. Will strongly recommend a trip to Socotra with Rocky Road Travel for those up for a dose of sun, sand, sea and nature and with an adventurous spirit!
Kok Shee Mun
Singapore
We joined the 14 day entire Iraq Tour, and my goodness did we have a good time! Excellent guides, well organised and informative tour which shows you a truly authentic and local side to Iraq. The trip is curated perfectly. If you are wondering whether to book through Rocky Road, I would 100 percent recommend them and will definitely travel again with them.
Rebecca Farmer
Scotland
Shane with Rocky Road Travel arranged my trip to Socotra, which couldn't have been an easy job for him since I was so indecisive and had a thousand questions leading up to the trip. My week in Socotra turned out to be one of the greatest trips I've ever taken (and that's saying a lot as I've been to every continent!) I had my concerns about traveling alone to an island that's part of Yemen, but I felt completely safe and taken care of before and especially during my trip. My local guide, Rafat, went above and beyond in every possible way to make sure I had a safe, comfortable, fun, fulfilling, and photogenic trip (and well fed)! It's a long way from Los Angeles, but I really hope to go back to Socotra one day, and without a doubt I'll book more trips with Rocky Road!
Renée Lusano
USA
I ended February 2022 with an amazing tour of Socotra! Shane was very helpful in answering any questions and resolving any pre-trip issues. And Lana helped me when having issues transiting through the local airport. Our local tour guide, Rafat, is hands down the most enthusiastic guide that I've met. He took the time to answer our questions about Socotri culture, led each and every outdoor activity, handled our negotiations in Hadibo when we wanted to get souvenirs, and helped us to communicate with our larger group of guides and cooks which really enriched the experience for everyone in our group. He also takes phenomenal photographs. All in all, the landscape is amazing, the people even more so. Incredibly friendly and generous. I'd recommend this trip to anyone.
China Walker
USA
Travelled to Socotra with Rocky Road travel and had an amazing trip! Had to change flights and Shane was so accommodating. I had lots of questions before the trip and he answered them with ease, and always replied promptly. Highly recommend them for your next adventure! Already looking up other trips to do with Rocky Road!
Kate Maher
Ireland
At the beginning of May, I had the chance to visit both Syria and Iraq with Rocky Road Travel. Two countries that are very similar on the one hand, but at the same time very different. Visiting places like Palmyra, the Citadel of Aleppo, Babylon or the spiral minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra - just to name a few - was unique. The tour was very well organised, both before and during. And here comes the reason why this is a very honest 5 star review: it is always easy to give 5 stars when everything goes smoothly. In our case, unfortunately, the flight from Damascus to Baghdad was cancelled due to a sandstorm in Baghdad. Both Joel on site and Shane in the office were looking for a solution. The first suggestion had not yet convinced me, I was a bit frustrated about the situation - for which no one can do anything - and then they came up with the second proposal, which convinced me and in the end I was very happy that I had made this trip.
Carsten Winter
Germany
Never being a person for tours but gave Rocky Road for Syria a go, I was super worried about doing a tour in case I got stuck with a group I didn’t like or if the tour was bad in general, But from day one of the tour everyone in the group became great mates and the flexibility of the tour from the guides was unbelievable. I had always heard the stories of “you can’t walk around Syria alone” but with Rocky Road Travel if you want free time to go walk anywhere you want you have it and any time a person on the tour asked to see something that wasn’t in the tour the guides did their best to make it happen Absolutely would recommend Rocky Road for anyone wanting to do an off the beaten trail country!
Ben Justin
Australia
Rocky Road Travel provided efficient, professional and very pleasant tour operations! As a group of 5 friends going from Lebanon to Damascus, they delivered on all points: - Preplanning, including visas and giving great advice on what we needed to bring. - Transport - Efficient guiding through border - Very professional and friendly driver - The best guide ever. Highly recommended.
Jørgen Berg Lauvsnes
Norway