Rickshaw Travel

Rickshaw Travel, tailor-made travel with local impact

Rickshaw Travel is an independent travel company based in Brighton (UK) that has been designing tailor-made holidays since 2007. Its approach is built around flexible itineraries made up of local experiences, hand-picked small-scale accommodation and 24-hour in-destination support. The company presents itself as one that seeks a positive impact in the places it visits, supporting communities, local projects and wildlife, and working with local hotels and guides.

Destinations and experiences

The agency organises trips across Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, North America and South America. In Africa it covers Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zanzibar. In Asia it includes destinations such as Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and South East Asia (Borneo, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). In Central America it works with Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama; in South America, with Argentina and Antarctica, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Galapagos, and Peru. In North America it offers Canada, and in Europe, Albania, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Lapland, Portugal and Sicily.

The catalogue is structured around "bite-sized trips" that customers combine to build their own itinerary. The company also has a specific line for families, Rickshaw Family, with trips adapted to this audience.

Highlights of the new catalogue

Among the recent additions shown on the website are Kenya, with safaris in the Maasai Mara and Indian Ocean beaches; Japan for families, with bullet train journeys, stays in ryokans and at a Buddhist temple in Koyasan; and Egypt, with visits to the Pyramids of Giza, felucca sailing on the Nile and riverside accommodation, boutique desert camps and Nubian-style stays.

Accommodation and travel experience

The accommodation selection includes family-run guesthouses, jungle lodges, luxury safari tents and boutique hotels, all chosen for their local character. The company stresses that accommodation is part of the experience and not simply a place to sleep.

Team and way of working

The team is made up of destination specialists with first-hand experience of the places they sell. The process begins with choosing the bite-sized trips or itineraries, which the customer adds to their travel plan and requests a quote for; from there, a personal specialist works with the customer to put together the final itinerary. The company has a managing director and a team based in Brighton.

Responsibility and financial protection

Rickshaw Travel states its commitment to responsible tourism, minimising the negative effects of tourism and supporting local projects, such as a community school in Cambodia and a marine conservation project in Borneo. The company has ABTOT financial protection and Travelife sustainability certification. It offers 24-hour local support during the trip and coordinated transport and logistics.

Customer service

The agency can be contacted by phone and email. Telephone opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00; Saturdays and Sundays it remains closed. On bank holidays it opens from 9:00 to 15:00, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday. The company also maintains a travel blog and an inspiration section with guides and tips.

Location and contact

Telephone: 01273 322 398 · Email: hello@rickshawtravel.co.uk