Why are your tours so expensive?

As the founder of SoFe Travel, I read this question a lot in the comments of our Facebook group, but I never hear it from our repeat travelers.

Let me explain.

Every tour operator negotiates prices. That's just business. But there are some things I refuse to negotiate, and understanding the difference is probably the most honest thing I can share with you about how I run SoFe Travel.

When we can’t stay at boutique hotels, we choose chains like Marrott or Novotel, and we definitely negotiate with them. We also negotiate prices with vehicle rental companies and the few large corporations we work with.

But we don't negotiate with the single mom who guides your entire trip. 

The one who's on the clock from the moment you land to the moment you leave, who knows every back road, whose friends with every local family, the one who shares every unwritten rule about how to show up respectfully in her community. She sets her rate. We pay it. Because she's not a line item, she is part of our team in a big way, and she's the whole vibe of the trip.

We don't negotiate with the family-run restaurant where we take you for your welcome dinner. The one that's been there for thirty years, that doesn't have a website, that you'd never find on your own. They feed you like you're a guest in their home. We pay them whatever they ask for and add a nice tip on top.

We don't negotiate with the village homestay, the community-supported experience, the local artisan who teaches your workshop. These people are the heart and soul of your experience and people who I now call friends. They are trying to support their families and lead a life of joy, just like us, and in my opinion, there is no haggling with that.

Nothing really goes wrong on our tours.

That's not luck. And sure travel is never perfect, but nothing catastrophic that we could have prevented happens. And trust me, it could.

Before you ever step foot on a trip, someone from our team has already been there. And it’s usually me. I've stayed at the hotels, eaten at the restaurants, walked the routes, tested the experiences. I've tried multiple guides, multiple ground operators, multiple versions of the same moment always looking for the one that actually delivers. I've built relationships with people on the ground who value trust over dollar signs, and I've walked away from the ones who don't.

The smooth trip you experience is the result of a lot of trips that came before it. And trust me, it’s not always glamorous or even lots of fun.

None of this is cheap. In fact, it takes us a couple years of consistent departures to fully realize our investment in a tour.

I believe in human connection.

Our daily operating team is three people. That's it.

SoFe Travel is company that takes women to some of the most remote corners of the world, and I do it with a small, intentional team, because I decided a long time ago that every touchpoint should be human.

When you email us, a human replies. When you have a question before you book, you can text or call us directly and a real person will get back to you. We're not staffed like a call center (we are three people, after all), and if you leave a message or send a text, we will get back to you. That's a promise.

Try it for yourself! Here’s our number: 858-757-SOFE (7633)

We could automate more. We could cut costs, use more bots, respond with templates. A lot of companies do. But that would make us a different company, one that's optimized for efficiency instead of connection.

And connection is the whole point.

If you've been sitting on the fence about whether a SoFe trip is right for you, I'd love to actually talk to you about it. Not a form. Not a chatbot. A real conversation with someone who can answer your actual questions.

Or if you're ready to see where we're headed this year:

Either way, we're here, and we're human.

Warmly,
Amanda
Founder, SoFe Travel