Sally Murray

My expertise

India
Sri Lanka
Adventure Travel
Costa Rica

I'm based in

Hermitage

Available for new enquiries

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to be here.

You are absolutely in the right place, if choice feels overwhelming, online reviews feel confusing, time is short, or you are staring at a special occasion or complex itinerary and you simply do not know where to begin. If you want real first-hand knowledge, clear guidance and a human you can rely on, I am here to help.

From first ideas to final touches, I offer a personalised service where I take the time to get to know you, your likes and dislikes, dreams and aspirations. This means I can create experiences perfectly tailored to you, and memories you will keep forever.

I bring over 35 years of experience from a career in travel since leaving school, from high street roles with both well-known and independent agencies to management and training positions across different areas of the industry. This depth of knowledge is what I draw on today, carefully shaping each journey around your needs and travel style.

Travel is not just my job, it is my passion. My most recent trips have included the Maldives, India, Lapland, Sri Lanka, Peru, Costa Rica and Iceland, as well as destinations closer to home such as the Amalfi Coast and revisiting Greece and Corfu. I love to experience many different styles of travel myself, from small group adventures and cruises to relaxed beach and villa stays. Seeing the world in different ways keeps life interesting and allows me to share so much knowledge and expertise with you. This first-hand experience, combined with the contacts and insight I gain along the way, is fed directly into your plans so that your itinerary is informed, thoughtful and truly bespoke. As an Adventure and Touring Ambassador, I care deeply about how and where we travel and the positive impact that travel can have.

Over time I have also built a small, trusted team around me, with amazing expertise across a variety of destinations and holiday types. Whatever you are dreaming of and wherever in the world you have in mind, you can feel confident that together we have the knowledge, ideas and support to help bring it to life. Whether you are a solo traveller, couple, family or group, and whether you are picturing a relaxing beach escape, an inspiring city break, a multi-centre adventure or a luxury getaway, we would be delighted to help. Together we will find a time that suits you, explore your ideas, and begin a travel journey with a trusted team by your side at every corner.

Now that is more than enough about me, so let us start talking about you and your travel plans.

Please get in touch if you would like some help bringing your next trip to life.

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

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Explore my guides and blogs

Portugal - Discovering the Alentejo

Portugal - Discovering the Alentejo

A Hidden Gem with Endless Adventures I've always been drawn to off-the-beaten-path destinations, which fits perfectly with being an adventure and touring ambassador. This trip to the Alentejo region in Portugal was a fantastic opportunity to explore a lesser-known part of the country. A special thanks to TAP Air Portugal, Visit Portugal, and Visit Alentejo for hosting this incredible trip and pro

01 Sept 2024 6   min read

Costa Rica - A Jungle Adventure

Costa Rica - A Jungle Adventure

Costa Rica – a name that conjures images of lush rainforests, exotic wildlife, and the spirit of Pura Vida. My recent trip to this Central American gem far exceeded my expectations and left me with memories I will cherish forever, and even more first hand knowledge in my role as an Adventure and Touring ambassador. I felt like we only scratched the surface of this incredible country, and I am alr

19 Aug 2024 6   min read

Morocco, Mount Toubkal trek – Small Group Adventure

Morocco, Mount Toubkal trek – Small Group Adventure

This trek was one of many commitments I made during Covid, to do something personally challenging, live life to its full and give back to others. I persuaded my sister Jan to join in, which gave us a great opportunity to spend time together on training hikes and to raise money for 3 amazing charities close to our hearts. This blog is intended to share what an amazing experience this was, that ma

19 Jun 2024 6   min read

Bella Italia - Escorted group & Solo Holidays

Bella Italia - Escorted group & Solo Holidays

Bella Italia ! You may have visited “Beautiful Italy” before or never reached this “bellisimo angolo d’Europa” (beautiful corner of europe). Either way with my own adventures taking me back to Italy this summer for a fourth visit, this time to explore the stunning Amalfi Coast (practising my Italian as you can see !), I wanted to share with you the abundance of fulfilling experiences Italy offe

02 Jul 2023 6   min read

Magnificent Europe by River Cruise

Magnificent Europe by River Cruise

What an amazing experience this was! This 5-day taster of a luxurious, unique and intimate way to travel was incredible. The places we visited, the beautiful scenery and the onboard experience has me promising myself a return to the river. Even though I class myself as a very open-minded traveller (being a travel professional and all that jazz!), river cruising did surprise me. I hadn't fully ap

21 Feb 2021 5   min read

Dubrovnik revisited

Dubrovnik revisited

For any of you who follow me on my social media, you know how much I love talking about not just future destinations I’m hoping to visit but also places I’ve been to. In this part of my Travel Diaries, we are going to the “Pearl in the Adriatic” - Dubrovnik. I’ve been to Dubrovnik a couple of times, and this blog is about my second visit but I must admit, I cannot wait to go back! My first exper

28 Jan 2021 6   min read

The stunning "Seychelles" - Part 2

The stunning "Seychelles" - Part 2

Praslin & La Digue After three nights on Mahe we set off for Praslin, the second largest of the Seychelles. I would totally recommend island hopping in the Seychelles, it was very easy to transfer and make the short 20-minute flight to Praslin and what a remarkably beautiful place! The second largest of the Seychelles Islands. We stayed 2 nights at the Hotel Paradise Sun, a great option for thos

17 Dec 2019 3   min read

The stunning "Seychelles"  - Part 1

The stunning "Seychelles" - Part 1

Mahe, well where do I begin? I already knew this would be an amazing experience, anyone that has ever been here, seen pictures or just spoken to someone that has been – would agree it is a truly beautiful destination. My opportunity to see if this place was for real and not just one of those places you dream of visiting, became a reality in March! We took the direct flight from Heathrow with Brit

17 Dec 2019 5   min read

Love the Lakes ! Fresh Air, Scenery, Activity & Dog Friendly !

Love the Lakes ! Fresh Air, Scenery, Activity & Dog Friendly !

As a child myself, I spent holidays in Cornwall, Wales, the Lake District and Scotland, with great memories. Now as a parent myself over the years we have done many of our own UK family holidays, however never got as far as the Lake District, so I really wanted to make sure that my own children, (aged 14 and 9 years old) had the opportunity to experience more of the beautiful country we live in. T

06 Oct 2019 4   min read

What my customers say

Perfect every time I cannot speak highly enough about Sally Murray of Travel Counsellor's. This holiday was such an incredible experience and the whole trip was seamless. From the moment we arrived at the airport everything was perfect. She had organised a fantastic driver / guide who took us through three national parks and saw lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and so many other animals that we were only feet away from. Every place we stayed was fantastic, the staff were helpful and welcoming and we enjoyed the food, drinks and much singing and dancing from the staff. Both my wife and daughter had birthdays while we were away and after Sally told them, we ended up with four cakes and songs! It was not the first time Sally has organised our holidays and it definitely won't be the last! Perfect every time

Colin Drain

Ilford, Greater London

Surprise birthday trip Sally and Matt couldn't have been more helpful in helping organise a recent trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. From arranging travel to suggesting restaurants/bars and booking trips, nothing was too much bother. Regular check ins and updates kept everything running smoothly and made arranging this surprise holiday a pleasure. We have used Travel Counsellors before and will definitely use them again. If arranging a trip seems a bit daunting, we would 100% recommend giving them a call. You won't regret it.

Roslyn May

Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

Excellent service and support at all times We have always had excellent service from Sally at Travel Counsellors for all of our holidays. Sally and Elan recently helped us with a holiday to Peru. We arrived at the airport to start our long haul flight for a 2 week holiday to find our flight was cancelled - but Elan calmly sorted it out for us. We are happy that we have support there at all times, even though we don't usually have any issues.

Samantha Jennings

Chalford Hill, Glos

Sally is a superstar! Sally was absolutely fantastic in helping us organise a family holiday for 11 people, including a safari followed by Mauritius. From our very first interaction, she was warm, approachable, and took the time to really get to know us and understand what we were looking for. Throughout the planning process, she was knowledgeable, responsive, and made what could have been a complicated booking feel effortless. When we encountered travel disruption on our outbound journey due to flight delays, Sally and the team went above and beyond to minimise the impact on our holiday. They worked incredibly hard to extend our stay on safari, ensuring the children didn't miss out on too much of the experience, which we greatly appreciated. Sally's dedication, professionalism, and genuine care for her clients really stood out. She made us feel supported every step of the way and turned what could have been a stressful situation into a positive outcome. I couldn't recommend Sally highly enough and would happily book with her again in the future.

Lauren Carlyle-George

Penarth, South Glamorgan

Sally Murray is the ultimate professional, very knowledgeable and highly efficient. I would without doubt recommend Sally to my friends and family

Dale Randle

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

We have just had the most amazing time in Costa Rica. Sally really listened and understood what we wanted from our trip and every detail was taken into account. Sally is very organised and nothing was too much trouble. Thank you Sally!

Joanne Westbrook

Hermitage, Berkshire

Outstanding service from start to finish! Sally has been absolutely fantastic throughout the whole process of planning our Florida holiday. From the very first conversation, she really listened to what we wanted and has put together an itinerary that is so much more than just a holiday, it's a once-in-a-lifetime family adventure. Nothing has ever been too much trouble. Sally has been incredibly patient, knowledgeable and responsive, answering every question (and there have been a lot!), making recommendations based on our family, and booking some truly amazing experiences that we would never have found on our own. Her attention to detail has been exceptional, and it's given us complete confidence that everything has been taken care of. We genuinely feel we can relax and look forward to our holiday knowing it's all in safe hands. If you're looking for someone who goes above and beyond, takes the stress out of planning, and creates unforgettable trips, I honestly couldn't recommend Sally highly enough. We wouldn't hesitate to book with her again and will certainly be recommending her to all our friends and family. Thank you, Sally, for making our dream holiday a reality!

Kate Quaintance-Blackford

Curridge, Berkshire

Personal service, peace of mind, Sally helps me to be able to relax and enjoy our holidays

Julie Hartley

Nottingham

Sally was absolutely wonderful. She took my ideas and budget and found us the perfect short break to New York. I was unsure about using this type of service, having always just booked for myself before but would highly recommend and I will definitely be using Sally again. I can't wait to book my next trip!

Camilla Brown

Hermitage, Berkshire

After researching our first trip to Japan with much looking online and browsing so many itineraries we just could not find an exact fit for what we wanted. I went to Sally Murray knowing that she would be able to help tailor our trip. She was great from the start. We had a full discussion of what we wanted to see, where to go, experiences, how many days in each location (this was something that standard itineraries don't give you), budgets, type of flights etc etc. Sally put together an initial trip for us to go through. This included everything and more and was a great easy to see thorough plan. We tweaked things here and there and went through with Sally making some changes together to reach our perfect holiday. From the start and all the way through to our return Sally was there for us. Everything was perfect and we followed our itinerary easily but it also had space for us to do our own thing and add in experiences. Sally gave us an A5 booklet of our whole trip which stayed in my bag the whole time and we just followed the plan - so easy. I thoroughly recommend Sally who has great experience, is patient, thorough, flexible, knowledgeable and has the right contacts to make your trip just right for you. Guiding you all the way. First class service.

Lynda Bywater

Hermitage, Berkshire

Sally is amazing at what she does, I have recommended her numerous times to friends and colleagues and wouldn't book my holidays with anyone else!!

Nicola Hughes

Cheltenham, Glos

These guys rock! Fast, simple, supportive and awesome customer service every trip

Steve Wilson

Boxford, Berkshire

Girls on tour in Canada. Having used Sally and Travel Counsellors before for booking flights to NZ, this 10 day trip to Canada was our first whole trip with them. I travelled with a close friend who is disabled with MS and who mobility wise is restricted to using a mobility scooter for any walking other than very short distances. Travel Counsellors not only planned our 9 night stay with some excellent hotels, but also took care of all our transfers between them and to and from the airport being mindful of our need to transport one mobility scooter as well as all of our luggage. Communication was excellent at all times, by online meetings prior to our departure and then by WhatsApp directly to them when any queries arose. Consequently we always felt safe and in good hands. Our day tour to Niagara Falls was also pre arranged with again thought given for use of a mobility scooter. Assistance with AirCanada was good at both ends of the trip with no problems. We cannot thank Sally and the team enough for everything they did to make our bucket list trip amazing……

Susan Condliffe

Hermitage , Berkshire

Sally delivers the perfect service. Always available, she listens to what you want and makes it happen. She has organised a Disneyworld anniversary trip, birthdays in NYC and now a safari in Tanzania. We couldn’t be happier.

Colin Drain

Ilford, Greater London

Sally has been excellent and really listened to what we needed to make our holiday tailored to us. Super experience.

Joanne Fackrell

Stoke Gifford, Bristol

Exceptional Service once again ! Excellent service as always from Sally our Travel Counsellor with some great help from Mahul who specifically knew our destination area of Fort Lauderdale. Having local knowledge of which trips to look at and areas to explore made a huge difference. Mahul also negotiated a great discount for us on the local resort tax. The place we stayed was perfect for us from the brief we gave our TC. An added bonus of being able to upgrade to Premium Economy on the return from the USA for only an additional £200 each was SO worth it. Thank you for suggesting! Our overnight return flight was a joy. As always a wonderful holiday and our TC never disappoints. It’s so good to know we are in safe hands when rules & regs do change especially when travelling to the USA. Until next time.

Claire Ambler

Calcot, Berkshire

Holiday of a lifetime to Nepal & Bhutan We had the most exceptional holiday in Nepal & Bhutan which, 2 days before we were going, was probably NOT going to happen. Thanks to Sally, our Travel Counsellor, she managed to change our flights and our holiday of a lifetime happened. Everything was absolutely fantastic.

Andy Spencer

Kintbury, Berkshire

Wow what an experience. The whole holiday was fantastic. Sally Murray our Travel Counsellor produced an itinerary that delivered 100% in every aspect. There wasn't any flight, transfer, hotel, tour, recommendation that didn't deliver everything that was promised. We have wonderful lifelong memories. I would highly recommend friends and family to use Sally and Travel Counsellors in future

Dale Randle

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

Our amazing trip to South America, taking in 6 different locations in 3 countries, was put together thoughtfully by Sally and her team. Attention to detail was excellent and everything went smoothly and to plan so we were able to thoroughly enjoy our ‘holiday time’ without any concerns over practicalities. I would highly recommend Sally, and will definitely use her services again for our next adventure!

Nicky Melville

Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire

Wow, what a trip, very well organised, can't do anything about the bonkers Icelandic weather.

Carolyn Wilson

Boxford, Berkshire

Lapland Adventure Sally helped arrange our recent amazing trip to Northern Finland. She listened to everything we wanted for our family holiday and gave us options to think about. She communicated with us throughout, including while we were there, helping to sort out an issue. She worked her magic and everything was sorted very quickly and easily for us. We all loved everything about the holiday - accommodation, setting, activities. This is our second holiday booked through Sally and we would happily book with her again and have recommended her to friends. Thank you Sally!

Wendy May

Hermitage, Berkshire

Well worth it ! Despite the atrocious weather which led to the cancellation of a couple of trips we had a great time, helped by TC reorganising a couple of things in place of the cancellations and in general the well organised nature of the trip. Felt we got a good idea of what Iceland is about and would certainly like to revisit at some point.

Mark Merrell

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

Excellent group trip to Iceland. Sally was a great host who made the trip run very smoothly in spite of the weather! Would absolutely recommend Sally for future trips.

Nicki Ritchie

Hermitage, Berkshire

Always professional and forever friendly !

Tracey Fitzmaurice

Warwickshire

I absolutely love having Sally (and Catherine!) as my personal travel counsellor! She completely takes away all the stress that I usually feel about holidays. Always comes up with really interesting ideas and all of the holidays that she ever books for me are perfect! I would never want to book with anyone else!! ☺️🥰🙌

Cat McKay

Thatcham, Berkshire

Sally was amazing and made sure I could be the travel princess for a change and experience a trip the way my husband does! Everything went to plan and we managed to take both kids on their first trip abroad without any stress!

Beth Burgess

Newbury, Berkshire

The Big Trip of a Lifetime This was a well planned trip following initial video communications to set and approve the itinerary. Our travel consultants, Sally and Matt, were extremely helpful in all matters and we had a wonderful time and incredible experiences in Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. The whole programme ran smoothly. The trip included flights, pick-up and drop-offs, accommodation, hire cars, trips and excursions and our meeting up with family and friends along the way. We were able to contact their local partners in case of any problems. We would have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending Sally and Matt.

Anthony Roberts

Tiverton, Devon

Our dreams came true I cannot praise Sally and the team at Travel Counsellors any more. We had dreamt of visiting Finland and seeing the Northern Lights for many years. To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary we decided to finally make our dream come true. Sally came highly recommended and she delivered from start to finish. I would not hesitate in advising anyone to let Sally make their dream come true. Our only problem is deciding where we go next!!!

Kevin Haynes

Cheltenham, Glos

Excellent communication - especially listening to customers’ requirements. A great service - always with a smile.

Alexander Manson

Newbury, Berkshire

My partner and I recently went to Florence and had a very smooth travelling and holiday experience. Everything that was organised by Sally was perfect.

Clare Jones

Compton, Berkshire

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Tailor-made for you

Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.

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Personalised service. Always

When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.

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Stress-free travel, and more time
for what matters most

I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.

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Support when it matters most

If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.

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01635 766 008

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