History of Tucan Travel in About Us @ Tucan Travel

History of Tucan Travel
Market leaders in Latin America - and expanding worldwide

Privately Owned & Passionate
Travel addicts Pip and Liliana Tyler founded one of the first ever South American adventure tour companies in 1987 and named their business Tucan Travel, after the famous South American bird with its traditional Spanish spelling. As their reputation for offering excellent adventurous public transport tours spread and demand increased, the Tylers decided to expand and joined forces with fellow tour operator Matt Gannan in 1997, and with his fleet of expedition vehicles the company started pioneering many of the first overlanding routes in South America.

The directors’ formidable combined knowledge and ongoing passion for adventure travel drove Tucan Travel’s expansion to worldwide destinations in the early 2000s and in 2003 Budget Expeditions was developed as an independent youth brand for 18 to 35s. In 2008 the youth brand was amalgamated back under the parent brand as a travel style. Tucan Travel now offers more than 450 adventures in 72 countries across 6 travel styles and is one of the most successful tour operators of its size in the world, with destinations including Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia and Russia, East and Southern Africa, Latin America and Antarctica. We are proud to be independently owned by the original founders and staffed by equally enthusiastic adventure travellers at our offices in London, Sydney, and Cuzco, at our operations bases in Cape Town and Bangkok, as well as our tour leaders and drivers on the road. When you’re researching who to travel with and only the best will do...
look no further than Tucan Travel!

We can proudly guarantee the high standard of our tours because in 95% of destinations we operate them ourselves and do not sub-contract to other operators. On occasions where we use local guides, they are trained and supported by us and are expected to adhere to the top quality service our clients have come to expect. Staffed by a team of avid travellers, the company shares and encourages its clients’ exploratory spirit and the desire to see the world in an authentic way.

Tucan Travel owns a fleet of comfortable, modern Mercedes Benz custom-built vehicles which comply with European emissions standards and are well equipped to deal with the demands of the varied terrain on tour. The company is committed to offering exciting and adventurous itineraries while encouraging responsible travel practices on the road and in its offices. We offer our clients the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions of our tours and pledge to reduce our company emissions by managing our energy efficiently and offsetting business travel.

Overland adventure travel is comfortable, safe and inspirational for people of all ages, cultures and fitness levels. Why not share the adventure with us?