The Private Secret South Coast with Luke by Jeep with Photography

Boring guide, bad photographer

I hired Luke in June of 2023 for 5 days of private tours with my family of 4. Luke’s website said he preferred not to your with children, so I clarified beforehand and he told me that was kids under 5. We communicated extensively before our arrival, and he told me “tours include transportation, guidance, side entrance fees, and photography. The only that are not included is accommodation and food.” We were excited to see non-touristy, off the beaten path stuff, and to really get to know the country. A significant bonus for us was to get a nice assortment of family pictures, as my kids are growing up fast. The reality was disappointing. We went to precisely one off the beaten path stop (an off-road trail to a small waterfall) in four days. Everything else was the standard spots everyone else went to. Luke was not particularly engaging, especially with the kids. I had to reprimand him to stay off his phone while driving, because otherwise he kept texting on the highway. And the photos he took we terrible. Over 4 full days, he send over a total of 53 retouched pictures, many of them were duplicates and not one was “great.” Our tour guide in the ice caves put more effort into taking family pictures in the 5 minutes we handed her my phone. It got so bad, that we considered leaving Iceland early – but since we couldn’t change our flights, we decided to cancel the last day with Luke (I told him I’d pay whatever he thought was fair for the final day, and he charged 80%). Once we got rid of him, we loved Iceland and finally learned what all the fuss was about. I do not recommend booking with Luke.

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback Purav. I’m deeply sorry to hear that your experience with me didn’t meet your expectations, and I sincerely regret that you left feeling disappointed. I take your concerns very seriously and want to address some challenges that may have impacted your experience. The weather during your trip was consistently rainy for all five days, which made it challenging to capture the quantity and quality of photos I typically aim to deliver. I also understand how jet lag and Iceland’s summer daylight can disrupt sleep patterns, particularly for children, and I could see how this lack of rest affected the overall mood during our tours. While I did my best to balance engaging with your family and giving you space, I realize now that I could have handled this more thoughtfully. Regarding the itinerary, I regret that the mix of popular sights and off-the-beaten-path locations didn’t fully align with your expectations. The wet conditions on some remote roads limited our access to certain spots, but I’ll work on communicating these possibilities more clearly and ensuring better customization in the future. Additionally, I take full responsibility for any unprofessional behavior, including my phone use while driving. This was unacceptable, and I’m committed to ensuring it does not happen again. Although I’m deeply sorry that your time with me fell short, I’m glad to hear that you were able to enjoy the rest of your time in Iceland and discover its beauty. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to me and will help me make the necessary improvements to provide better experiences in the future. If there’s anything further I can do to address your concerns or make this right, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

via Tripadvisor

Awesome 5 stars experience. Highly recommended.

Luke is awesome….. both as a person as well as a tour guide. And on top of that he takes amazing photos. He has great in depth knowledge about Iceland and knows all the good places to visit. Plus he is always ready to make extra efforts to deliver what the guests want. My only regret is that we just had him for 1 day….If I ever visit Iceland again or if any of my friends ask for recommendations…..he will on top of my list….

via Tripadvisor