Follow Alice

Follow Alice describes itself as "a boutique tour operator offering a selection of the best adventure trips around the globe." It began on Kilimanjaro: the about page says the idea came when Reto climbed the mountain in 2014 with Chris as his lead guide, and that Reto teamed up with Chris, Kazi and Chris's brother Robert to set up the business. Its Tanzanian company, Follow Alice Tours (T) Ltd in Moshi, "holds all the necessary licences to run Kilimanjaro climbs and safaris," and the UK company, Follow Alice Ltd, is at 207 Regent Street, London. Trips are led by what the site calls local leaders, described as local entrepreneurs the company equips "to run a successful business as a local leader in their country." The about page adds that the company takes "out the middle man": "We're the folks you make first contact with online, as well as the ones who wave goodbye to you at the airport after your trip!" The destination menu covers Africa (Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, and gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda), Asia (Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka), Europe (Iceland and Sweden) and South America (Peru). Prices are shown in US dollars.

Destinations and trips

The homepage features trips with starting prices and lengths: Climb Kilimanjaro, 7-9 days, from $2,935; Tanzania Safari, 2-9 days, from $1,390; Nepal Peak Climbing, 17-19 days, from $3,390; Everest Base Camp Trek, 12-19 days, from $1,790; Luxury Nepal Adventures, 4 - 12 days, from $1,590; and Budget Nepal Adventures, 4 - 7 days, also from $1,590. The Kilimanjaro trip is sold on "expert guides. High-success routes, small groups, safe acclimatisation." The wider menu adds Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, Kenya Safari, Zanzibar Beach Holidays, Climb Meru, Annapurna Circuit, Manaslu Circuit, Discover Bhutan, Explore Sri Lanka, Wonders of Iceland, Kayaking Sweden, Machu Picchu Trekking and Explore Peru. The photo feed shows an Everest Base Camp trek with helicopter return, a Great Northern Parks safari, a custom-made trip in Uganda and the Lemosho route on Kilimanjaro.

One quirk worth knowing: the FAQ says "We don't offer budget tours ourselves" and that the company specializes in "mid-range to premium group tours, as well as luxury private trips," offering to connect budget travelers with a partner, even though the menu carries a Budget Nepal Adventures trip.

Groups, guides and the team

The FAQ says: "We keep our groups small, usually between six and 10 travellers, and never more than 12." Private trips are also offered for travelers who want their own itinerary. The team page names the local leaders. Chris Sichalwe, the Tanzania local leader, "has summited Kilimanjaro over 300 times" according to the site. Sonam G. Sherpa leads in Nepal, Richard Adika and Diana Schreiber in Kenya, Jenny and Shaun in Uganda and Rwanda (Shaun started guiding in the Rwenzoris 20 years ago; Jenny has worked in Ugandan and Rwandan travel for over 10 years), Sarah Confer and Mario Trebeño in Cusco (Mario has guided treks since 1998 and speaks English, Spanish and Quechua), and Arturo Rojas in Lima. Trip managers include Meera for Tanzania, a former wildlife conservationist, and Puru for Nepal and Bhutan, and an operations executive, Bejul, works with lodges and ground teams on logistics. The company's CTO, Marco, is described as a former Kilimanjaro client. The FAQ says the company has been remote-working "from day one" and is legally incorporated in both the UK and Tanzania, and the name comes from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with the motto "Come as a client, leave as a friend." The head office is remote: the site says its HQ staff are "a group of digital nomads, sprinkled across various timezones," while "all of our local leaders and their support staff ... are locals."

Before a trip, the FAQ says, travelers get "detailed packing lists and fitness tips to visa advice and travel logistics," a personal trip manager, and on-the-ground support from the local team. Solo travelers who are open to sharing can be paired with a traveler of the same sex to avoid the single supplement, subject to availability. The company also plans family trips, noting that many national parks and lodges offer discounts for children, and adventure honeymoons; the FAQ says most of its trips take place in Africa and Asia. The Tanzania Safari page pitches the country for "the Big Five as well as the Great Migration."

Booking, payment and prices

Trips are booked by enquiry through the site's form, by phone on +44 203 289 2088 or +1 785 859 4930, or by email at travel@followalice.com. The FAQ says "prices for our scheduled departures are typically based on double occupancy," that a single supplement applies for a private room or tent, and that prices "don't include international flights," though some trips include local flights. Payment is by major credit cards, bank transfer to accounts in USD, EUR and GBP, other payment services on request, or cryptocurrency. A homepage banner offers $150pp off trips booked before 31 January with a code, with exclusions. The site says "over 70% of your trip price stays in the local economy" on average and links to an impact report. It claims to be "one of the only travel companies worldwide with perfect 5* reviews," shows a Trustpilot widget and marks each featured trip 5.0, without a review count.

What the site does not specify

The homepage and about page do not set out deposits, payment schedules or cancellation terms; the footer links to separate Terms and Conditions. The size of the single supplement "varies depending on the trip" and is not given. The starting prices are not broken down by what is included, so each itinerary's inclusions have to be checked. The site does not say which trips outside Tanzania are run by Follow Alice's own staff and which by the local leaders' own businesses.

Who it suits

Follow Alice suits travelers planning Kilimanjaro, a Tanzanian safari or a Nepal trek who want a small group capped at 12, a named local leader and a trip manager handling the planning, and couples or families who want the same kind of trip made private. Travelers looking for the cheapest possible climb or trek will find the FAQ pointing them elsewhere.