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Combined Reviews
Product Reviews
Posted 29th of Mar 2019
Important Egyptian sites were available to visit. They were visited.
Product Reviews
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
This was a great trip and worth every penny. Our Egyptologist tour guide was 'Big Mo' which made all the difference. He was knowledgeable, kind, and hospitable. He made sure we had a solid introduction to each tour site and then was available for more detailed information if we wanted. Book a tour with 'Big Mo' if at all possible!
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
The trip was amazing. Just like I said overpriced
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Excellent tour. From the moment we landed in Cairo until we left, we were well taken care of. We experienced so much of Egypt -- from temples and pyramids and tombs to a bonfire dinner and sing-a-long on an island. Our guide (Waleed) was exceptional. His love and knowledge of Egypt was evident throughout the tour. He helped Egypt come alive for us. We were very pleased with the tour.
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
With all we did and the amount of travel, I was shocked at how cost effective the tour company made it. You get your money's worth after you think about busses, felucca sailboat, overnight train, hotel rooms, and the amazing tour guide.
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Good value... guides are awesome!
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2019
My Egyptian tour was the trip of a lifetime, The Egyptian and Nubian people were friendly and welcoming. The food and hotels were fantastic and the country of Egypt was stunning!!!
Product Reviews
Posted 5th of Jan 2019
Worth every penny! Go to Egypt with Encounters Travel!
Product Reviews
Posted 4th of Jan 2019
Really enjoyed the various excursions especially the overnight felucca, hot air balloon, abu simbel and Camel ride against the pyramids
Product Reviews
Posted 14th of Aug 2018
Very good value for money.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jun 2017
The whole experience was wonderful.
Product Reviews
Posted 5th of Apr 2017
Did not like the overnight train, but enjoyed everything else. We did not spend the night on the sail boat, but enjoyed sailing in the afternoon and retuning to the hotel.
Product Reviews
Posted 9th of Oct 2016
Awesome!!!
Product Reviews
Posted 15th of Apr 2016
A little rough and ready in places, overnight train and sleeping on the felucca, but still these and others are experiences that I would never have normally opted for but I am glad I did as I completely enjoyed them. The optional balloon ride, even if you are frightened of heights, like me, is a must.
Product Reviews
Posted 15th of Apr 2016
We did not get all our meals as specified. When we did the meals were very low budget and equal to street food.
Product Reviews
Posted 8th of Feb 2016
Excellent
Product Reviews
Posted 5th of Feb 2016
This tour hit all of the major attractions, was an excellent value and I truly enjoyed spending time with and learning about the Nubian people
Product Reviews
Posted 4th of Feb 2016
Good
Product Reviews
Posted 19th of Jan 2016
It was the greatest trip of a life time! I wish I could have stayed longer, I wouldn't have changed anything.
Product Reviews
Posted 18th of Jan 2016
I thought they selected a wonderful guide for the trip. The one part that I really hope that they change is the night at the Bedouin Camp. It was not authentic and it was so out of the way. I think that people would prefer to spend the extra money for a night in a hotel with a bed and your own bathroom.
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Jan 2016
I loved all the people on the trip and our guide Waleed was wonderful.
Product Reviews
Posted 14th of Jan 2016
We had a wonderful time and great memories. We felt safe the whole time and would recommend this trip to anyone of any age as long as you can walk a lot. They are with you from arrival to departure and any problems that arose the guides would try their best to solve. They also showed remarkable patience for other people in other groups we saw that were acting like idiots.
Product Reviews
Posted 12th of Jan 2016
This was a great way to see all the primary historical sites in Egypt efficiently and with ease. I can't imagine how slow and difficult it would have been otherwise. It was also a good jumping off point to then spend a few weeks on or own seeing other parts of the country and focus on modern day Egypt
Product Reviews
Posted 10th of Jan 2016
Don't miss out on this opportunity.
Product Reviews
Posted 9th of Jan 2016
This was a holiday I had longed for since I was 5 years old. The Grand Adventure was certainly that! I managed to go inside the large pyramid and King Tuts tomb, visit Abu Simbal, Karnak, Edfu, Aswan, Luxor, Cairo, Petra, the Dead Sea, cruise on the Nile, ride camels, a donkey, horses, quad bikes, spider cars, shuttle boats, an hot air balloon and horse drawn carriges, swam in the Red Sea, got spoiled at spas and generally had a brilliant time. Saw and did so many things that had only been a dream before. Special thanks to tour organisers Ant in London, Khalifa in Cairo, guides Big Mo (our hero), Mohamad at Hurghada and Manseur David in Jordan. Thank you for the holiday of a lifetime ** Carolyn McKay
Product Reviews
Posted 8th of Jan 2016
Excellent
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2016
It was a wonderful time and I recommend this to all of my friends and family.
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2016
Would (have) recommended to friends
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2016
Excellent Tour guide, Waleed K. is the best!
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2016
Morocco was lovely and I enjoyed the souks, massages, etc.
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jan 2016
Excellent
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
I loved our guide Mohamad. He did an excellent job of explaining the history and current culture.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
All the guides and services were excellent!
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
great
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Nubian Adventure is not a tour for relaxation, but really, who goes to Egypt to relax? I really felt like we saw as much as we possibly could in the time we were there. And our Egyptologist, Waleed, was the star of the trip. He was so knowledgeable, so kind, and so smart. We all cried at the end of our trip. We felt like we had known him forever. For those who are concerned about safety in Egypt, I never once felt unsafe. There are police and security guards everywhere and more importantly, smiling faces everywhere. The Egyptians so very friendly and very happy to see tourists. I can't express how magical this trip was. I can't wait to go back.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Great itinerary and fantastic tour guide- Aboudy. It would be better if they planned for more meals. Going 10 hours without food is a bit tough. Also, we loved the felucca ride but please remind the boat staff to provide blankets if they have them on board! More time at each place would be better for photos.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
I would not have been able to explore Egypt this way on my own. Words can't describe.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
My wife and I had limited time so the 9-day tour seemed perfect. I still can't believe how many sites we were able to see and activities we were able to experience. Sheriff's knowledge of Egyptian history and sense of humor made this trip informative and fun. We did many of the add-ons so the schedule was hectic, but that's how we like to travel when our time is limited. I especially recommend the hot air balloon and Abu Simbel!
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Excellent
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Excellent
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Again, everything was excellent!
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
PURE MAGIC! Thank you so much!
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
This was an amazing introduction to Egyptian history and culture. The tour was very informative and yet, fun.
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
I had a great trip! I don't think it would have been half as nice if I hadn't used Encounters!
Product Reviews
Posted 28th of Oct 2015
An amazing experience! Great for the adventurous at heart! Was wonderful to see all of the sites, would have preferred a little less time on the falucca and perhaps Abu Simbel being included.
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Oct 2015
We had a wonderful time in Egypt and made some great friends while we were there! Our only concern was that everyone got food poisoning at the end of the trip so food hygiene standards may need to be addressed at places the tour visits. Our guide Maghed was the best! He became a genuine friend.
Product Reviews
Posted 23rd of Oct 2015
Takes in some amazing places: Troy, Ephesus and Cappadocia among others. Amazing, especially the hot air balloon over Cappadocia.
Product Reviews
Posted 19th of Aug 2015
There is room for improvement on the Nubian adventures.
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Aug 2015
Awesome holiday! Fantastic experiences in a absolutely wonderful country. Truly enjoyed the people, their culture and history. *On this particular trip, I would advise taking in-country flights over rail travel for overnight transit based on price and amenities.
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Aug 2015
It was an amazing holiday and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Product Reviews
Posted 16th of Aug 2015
Just fabulous from beginning to end.
Product Reviews
Posted 16th of Aug 2015
Loved the tour and thought we experienced the best Turkey had to offer. At times would have liked just a little bit more time to explore at our own leisure. Particularly would have like to have stayed closer into the township of Cannakkale .
Product Reviews
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
The trip was as above and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, all destinations were as expected and lived up to our expectations.We went with the idea of visiting Turkey and especially Gallipoli which achieved our goals.The historical part of thetrip was very well done and memmorable.
Product Reviews
Posted 5th of Feb 2015
Very well planned and good arrangements.However since we missed out part of our trip we expected some discount for not using facilitiesfor about 6 days.
Product Reviews
Posted 16th of Jan 2015
Turkey was amazing,hotels were really great,nice group of people on the trip, the tour guide was fine, not too amicable,in fact kept to himself mostly, did not liaise with anyone one, I have travelled quite a bit,and found that the trips that are the most pleasurable are the ones where the guides mingle with the people! We hardly sampled local foods, which was disappointing!
Product Reviews
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
some hotels were not up to the star rating given general complaint was food being served cold
Product Reviews
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Other than the hiccup with the hotel on the first day, the tour itself was excellent. Our guide Yuksil was great - very helpful and knowledgeable. Really well organised and run.
Product Reviews
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Guide was very good and knowledgeable about Turkey, past and present. However, he failed to deliver on our expectation of the folklore evening in Cappadocia, despite telling him of our preference for that tour 'extra' on the second day of our tour, I.e., plenty of time to make arrangements. We were told it wasn't going to happen only a couple of hours before the expected performance time. By then it was too late to arrange a hot air balloon ride, which would have been our second choice because that had taken place the same morning. Tour sites were well chosen and hit all the highlights.
Product Reviews
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
The tour was well organized and the tour guide and driver were excellent. Being a small group everything ran smoothly.Really appreciated the cold water being provided on the bus as we had some warm days.
Product Reviews
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
Exceeded expectations, great guide, a comfortable, hassle free, interesting and informative tour in a wonderful country.
Product Reviews
Posted 12th of Aug 2014
Provided a bunch of feedback to Fez Travel at the end of the tour but will give the cole's notes: - Was confused when we got into town because the tour was not called "Turkey Encounters" as we purchased but instead "Flying Carpet Tour" run by Fez Travel not Encounters Travel. - Tour guides were not the ones advertized on the Encounters website but one of Fez' guides. -Guide was very personable and helpful so far as helping is with what we needed. His English was good enough to this extent however when it came to relaying historical backgrounds of the sites we were visiting his English was only "adequate". He tended to tell us everything he knew (or could communicate) up front and then send us to roam the grounds on our own. I was a little bit envious of some of the tours who had native English speaking guides who were going into more details; especially where dealing with ruins like Ephesus, Aphrodisias, etc. - On the flip side the local guide got us places I am not sure we would have otherwise visited (i.e, cave family's house). - Some of the visits to the craft industry shops were awkward. The fashion show / leather stop was out of place (i.e., nobody was interested, the fashion show was a bit contrived, and the sales tactics were a bit agressive given nobody showed any interest in leather). - All of the hotels were excellent with the exception of one. The Best Western Khan in Antalya does not belong in a higher priced "comfort" tour. It is old and run down. It was the only hotel in which we were given separate beds as a married couple. It also seemed odd that the Istanbul (TRYP by Wyndham) gave us a large room with a nice view on our initial visit (starting the trip) and then a very small room with no window at all on the night before we left (almost as if they were trying to impress us on the way in but it didnt matter so much on the way out after the Fez feedback had already been provided). As a sidenote, the whole selection of Antalya as a two day stop seems poor. There was very little to do in this town and it seemed like more of a stopover required as a result of the time required to get to the next stop in Capadoccia. - The optional visit to the Turkish bath needs to be better vetted by the tour company and Encounters. The place we were taken to seemed a bit unsanitary and run down. I think we went here because the tour guide knew the family. This should not be a reason for selection of a location. *** - They did not properly separate them men from the women and one of the girls ended up being bathed by one of the male attendants... we were told later that the man was noticably aroused by this exchange which was reported to the tour guide. The tour guide apparently returned and the attendant was summarilly dismissed. I did not let it impact my rating of the tour as the latter bit didnt impact me personally or my wife (other than the cleanliness part) but the fact that that choices in these places is left up to the nepotism/cronyism of specific tour guide is HIGHLY questionable. I would never do something like this again unless it was at a new, clean, and highly rated establishment that I pre-vetted. Sadly I was not given the option to check the location in advance. - Our bus broke down a couple of times over the course of the tour. Once due to flat tire and once because I believe the clutch or gearbox needed servicing. These resulted in delays and unexpected stops in our itinerary. - We skipped Ankara as the guide asked us to vote on whether we wanted to get into Istanbul early. We voted for this since we had an early flight the next day. They seemed a litle rushed to get rid of us that day though. I have brought up a lot of constructive items here but I want to be clear that we did really enjoy the trip and the guide worked very hard to make the tour a good one for the rest of us.
Product Reviews
Posted 12th of Jul 2014
The tour was a good mix of organised activities and time to relax or do our own thing. The jungle trek was amazing. Hotels were reasonable for the price. One thing I would suggest is that for the days after the night train journeys that an early check in could be arranged at the hotel as it was it was hard to just keep going until the afternoon having had little sleep and not being able to have a shower or change of clothes. or book travellers into a first class train carriage where they are more likely to get a reasonable nights sleep.
Product Reviews
Posted 9th of Jul 2014
The tour was very good and our guide from Fez travel Can was very knowledgeable and kind. His sense of humour and realism was refreshing. The breakfasts and dinners at some of the hotels wwas not of the best standard except for in Istanbul when it was excellent. The food stops on the tour were also not fantastic and could be improved. The food quality has brought the tour from an excellent standard down to a good.
Product Reviews
Posted 19th of Jun 2014
Very good service and travel arrangements on tour, good hotels, good guide for visiting interesting places
Product Reviews
Posted 18th of Jun 2014
Turkey was much greener and more modern than I expected. The historic sites were impressive and the tour went at the right pace. The hotels were all good quality, in good locations and had some impressive buffets. Of course there are plenty of ancient ruins, but each tells a different story so there were plenty of wow factors. My only regret was not giving myself more time in Istanbul.
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
Nubians part good. Hurghada hotel good but a bit too focused to the all inclusive package market
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
The tour is great, thoroughly enjoyed it. Only comment would be if there was possibility of making it a day longer so that can enjoy last few days of the trip. The long drives between Cappodocia and Istanbul and (from memory) Pammukale to Cappodocia aren't the best of days and a lot of time spent just in transit on the bus. If there was a way to include another stop some to break the long trips up and allow more time to visit somewhere else in turkey I think would be much better. Other than that an excellent tour will recommend to anyone going to turkey!
Product Reviews
Posted 29th of May 2014
I found our guide to be very good. I did think the extras we had to pay for where ridiculous. I have read the documents again and it reads as if our Abu simbel trip is included and we only have to pay entrance fees but in the end we have to pay 65 pounds for this trip.
Product Reviews
Posted 25th of May 2014
The hotel was very good with excellent facilities but the restaurant in the evening was dire - a dead give away. It was nearly always empty which is a real pity as they got the much harder bits right. Tour itself was good and well organised with a knowledgeable guide. Usual chaos with traffic but beyond anyone's control. A great 4 day break.
Product Reviews
Posted 24th of May 2014
lifetime experience!
Product Reviews
Posted 23rd of May 2014
GREAT TOUR! Ilker was a great tour leader and we met some amazing people.
Product Reviews
Posted 23rd of May 2014
It was good but felt rushed... guides gave little information about important tourist sites like Gallipoli. At one point we were sitting on the bus listening to irrelevant stories while we were all dying to get off and know a bit of history... Cut into our time and meaning :-(
Product Reviews
Posted 23rd of May 2014
**
Product Reviews
Posted 31st of Mar 2014
I liked the service and the tour guide & driver on the tour. They were professional and provided very good service. I thought 1-2 hotels on the trip were not quite 4-star. It also happened that this group of people was always late for schedule and our walk pace was too slow. It really needs the guide to make people on schedule and be punctual for the activity. Overall I think the time management of this tour needs improvement.
Product Reviews
Posted 27th of Feb 2014
good value for the amount of ground covered, but the trade-off is much much less detail. encounters trip notes should have made it clear that at sites eg pergamum the tour only goes to the forum and not the aesclepion, arguably the most important bit; also, at pamukkale that swimming in the antique pool is extra, and at topkapi, extra for harem visit. this is slightly clearer in the trip notes provided locally - by which time it's too late. there was a bit of pressure from our local tour guide to pay extra and fly back from aksaray instead of bussing to ankara and back to istanbul - made sense because visit to ankara only included visit to ataturk mausoleum, not the more important museum of anatolian civilisations. overall though, it was an enjoyable way to see so much more of turkey.
Product Reviews
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Guide in Hurgarda was very good and an asset to the organisation
Product Reviews
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
too much of a road trip with insufficient time allowed to visit important ancient Greek and Roman sites, museums et al; hotel buffets did not provide water at meals rather wanted to sell beverages; uncomfortable hard sells after visits to rug, leather, jewelry factories
Product Reviews
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Very good tour guide, visits and most hotels good.
Product Reviews
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Good
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
Excellent value—I purchased it initially on Groupon and Encounters Travel allowed us to make additions.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Perfect adventure! Food, Tours, Service, Guides, even transportation!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Jan 2019
All the sights were great and our tour guide explained and told History on all we saw.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The tour for the price was EXCELLENT!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The price was great and the people wonderful!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 2nd of Jan 2019
Bucket list experience. A must.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 4th of Dec 2017
Amazing value for the price. We loved our guide, Big Mo!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 21st of Nov 2017
See above review for more details.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 15th of Sep 2017
We really got to see a lot for the time we spent in Egypt and Encounters made sure no time was wasted in waiting for transportation and rooms and things like that. We had a great group, a great guide, and really learned a lot. All accommodations were exceptional and we couldn't believe how we did everything for such a good price
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 12th of Jun 2017
There was a time many years ago that I wanted to travel to Egypt and didn't because of the cost. This trip was, to me, very affordable. I think everyone should experience this trip. The tour guide was alos excellent, Sherif Mohammad.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 8th of Jun 2017
Incredible trip; our guide was really knowledgeable and answered all questions regarding history.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 7th of Jun 2017
Great tour! Safe, comfortable, and fascinating. It was a joy to travel to so many wonderful places and always know I was in good hands.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 7th of Jun 2017
As stated before it was a great trip
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Jun 2017
Amazing trip. It was well layed out and guided. We also we're lucky to have a great group in which we all got along really well.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Jun 2017
Exceed expectations and very professional.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 10th of Apr 2017
excellent value on all aspects - tours, transportation, accommodations and included fees
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 9th of Apr 2017
Price was excellent! Very affordable for 2 people.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Apr 2017
The tour was exceptional for the price I paid. Really saw and did so much.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 5th of Apr 2017
Prices were great. Our US dollar went a long way.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 18th of Mar 2017
Very well organized with knowlegable guide.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 16th of Mar 2017
This tour is incredible - we saw all the major sights in Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor, and enjoyed several days at the Jaz Makadi Resort in Hurghada. The tour is arranged more or less chronologically and you have the same guide the entire time, so you really get a great experience following the cultural/religious/political development of ancient Egypt over several thousand years.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 16th of Mar 2017
Sights coverd and seen breath taking. Total enchament.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 16th of Mar 2017
Good value for price just be aware of additional tours.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 14th of Oct 2016
Discover Egypt was very educational. I learned so much about Egypt that left me yearning for more. I would love to visit again. Thank you Encounters
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 9th of Oct 2016
Great time in Egypt, thanks especially to Waleed
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Oct 2016
Excellent
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Oct 2016
I've traveled extensively and never had a better trip. They met my son and I at the gate coming off the plane and stayed with us til we were at our gate leaving and everything in between. Sheriff was an excellent guide and much fun. I can say I will never go back to Egypt because I was shown everything I wanted to see and more, and I was expecting a lot. Completely satisfied! Egypt is a safe place to travel now and your crazy not to book this trip. The Egyptian people are friendly and fun. You will thoroughly enjoy it.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Oct 2016
The time spent with the locals was the most enjoyable portion of the trip. I feel there was entirely too much packed into a short amount of time. The vacation felt more like a school trip as opposed to a vacation. I did not enjoy the 4-5am wake-up calls and obligations during vacation.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 13th of Sep 2016
Excellent
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 13th of Aug 2016
see above
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 6th of Aug 2016
All I know is Sheriff was one fabulous interesting, educational guides I will ever encounter. The choices of sites could not have been better.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 28th of Jul 2016
Good
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 11th of Jul 2016
See above
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 12th of Jun 2016
A fantastic tour with a great mix of education and free time. A great taste of this amazing culture
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 9th of Jun 2016
Got to see most the main sites.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 8th of Jun 2016
Excellent
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 15th of Apr 2016
Excellent itinerary. So much to do and see. Best trip I've done so far
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 15th of Apr 2016
Again, great tour.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 27th of Oct 2015
I could not have wished for a better introduction to Egypt than Encounters Travel/Egypt Uncovered tour. The Egypt Experience tour is very comprehensive, excellently designed and efficiently ran by the local staff. Accommodation included in the tour is superb; the tour guides are knowledgable and enthusiastic; all key sites that should be visited on a first trip to Egypt are included in the package; and local travel runs extremely smoothly. Moreover, enjoying a private tour of such quality has made of this trip an unforgettable experience that I hope to repeat soon. Thoroughly recommendable!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 25th of Oct 2015
As above
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
Maggs our guide was low key, knowledgeable and fun to be with. I would insist on using him. Abdul our driver was always there, safe and worked hard. Using Egyptian Encounters MADE the experience!!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
Amazing sights, a well organised tour!
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 1st of Nov 2014
100% couldn't have been better. Superb guides, good hotels. Tatty room on the boat but after complaining got a different one.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Fantastic tours and guides with good knowledge - the holiday does go at a pace however, to get everything in - no lie-ins if you really want to see everything! Egypt is a place I wouldn't really want to negotiate/navigate through on my own - Encounters saved a LOT of time and stress.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
Nubians part good. Hurghada hotel good but a bit too focused to the all inclusive package market
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 24th of May 2014
The welcome agent and drivers were excellent in Egypt. The Egyptologist guides superb, especially with including our two children, aged 7 and 9 years. We had a private family tour as went March 2014 when few tourists were visiting Egypt but found everywhere safe and everyone so friendly.
Product Review 2 NA
Posted 15th of Mar 2014
I enjoyed the way the Jordan portion was organized but Cairo was lacking. Next time I would like to shorten the time spent in Cairo and extend more in Jordan.
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
The trip was amazing. Just like I said overpriced
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
Just amazing affordable price.
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
We had knowledgeable tour guides who really gave us a the context within which to visit the ancient sites. We were there during the off season, so much less crowded but operating hours for the sites were shorter. Meals and accommodations were all good quality.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Aug 2018
Exceptional tour and value!
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2018
Very good value for money.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Aug 2018
Hotels and amenities were great. Ours was a small tour group which made it much better because we were older and would have slowed down a large group.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Jan 2018
Our trip went off without a hitch and it was absolutely magnificent! We got lucky and no one else booked the same dates we did so we got our guide, Dipess, all to ourselves! Dipess was the most caring soul and we loved spending our time with him! He always made sure that we were well taken care of and he always had a smile on his face! He took care of everything, including our accommodations and meals. Our porter, Razkumar, was also absolutely amazing and never complained about helping us with our bags. We couldn't have done it without either one of them and we were so thankful to have them both! We saw many other trekking companies and guides, but we were convinced that we had the best! It was an amazing experience and one that we will remember for the rest of our lives!
Product Review
Posted 19th of Dec 2017
Very good value for money.
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Nov 2017
Loved, loved, loved this tour. Everything was top notch. The accommodations, the sights, the people.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Nov 2017
Wonderful trip made even more enjoyable by efficient arrangements and a very informative and helpful guide.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Nov 2017
A fabulous trip. Wonderful experience being part of a small group touring a truly amazing country. Sami, our guide, was fantastic - superb knowledge, delivered in a fun and relaxed style. A really outstanding, memorable trip.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Sep 2017
Good itinerary, good guides.
Product Review
Posted 18th of Jul 2017
Sights were great. Easy way to see Jordan and safe.
Product Review
Posted 6th of Jul 2017
Great tour and a great value
Product Review
Posted 9th of Jun 2017
I enjoyed the trip. Only issue is that the tour guide changed a part of the trip because he didn't want us to do something. Not the fault of encounters. But otherwise the trip was great. I would like to say that travelling from Fez to Marrakech should be on a plane or train. Driving was too long and wasted a day.
Product Review
Posted 8th of Jun 2017
Well worth the money! We would use Encounter Travel again!
Product Review
Posted 16th of Mar 2017
Amazing and surreal. We found the gorillas within an hour and the experience of being up close and personal with gorillas is a once in a life time adventure.
Product Review
Posted 9th of Oct 2016
all Nepal people were great, would love to go again
Product Review
Posted 30th of Aug 2016
Bolivia is fantastic, such an amazing country and stunning landscape! The tour was good fun and had a wonderful rage of activities and good accommodation. The hotel in Sucre was lovely. Be aware that on the 3 day salt flat trip it gets really cold and the accommodation, as stated is basic. We could have done with a bit more tuition/ advice on how to take the photos on the salt flats as ours were not really successful. Marco was a very knowledgable guide and knew of some good places, but could have imparted some essential information in a more timely manner (eg on climate conditions/ the need for a torch etc). Overall it was a spectacular place to be!
Product Review
Posted 10th of Aug 2016
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 8th of Aug 2016
This was a good package for the budget and time. Many of the cultural stops were tied into local artisans, this can good and bad, dependng on how you react to a potential sales pitch after. The desert camp was outstanding. We traveled in a group of 6 which we good, but they said it could be as high as 25 - that would be a downer.
Product Review
Posted 8th of Aug 2016
Encounters Travel arranged for us the trip of a lifetime.
Product Review
Posted 8th of Aug 2016
My only complaint was that the first hotel we stayed at in Jordan, the JAD Hotel was not the hotel in the itinerary. It was supposed to be the Imperial Palace, which looked like a substantially better hotel
Product Review
Posted 8th of Aug 2016
I would look at changing some of the hotels. A lot are outdated and need a massive makeover.
Product Review
Posted 6th of Aug 2016
Rather busy but was a good amount of time and saw lots of incredible things
Product Review
Posted 10th of Jun 2016
Except the first day of arrival without giving a briefing about the meeting time and gathering spot, everything else was excellent. I was a little bit lost on my first day of arrival and had to ask the hotel front desk about what time I should come down the next day to meet my group. If there can be a debriefing session, that would be nice.
Product Review
Posted 10th of Jun 2016
The only issue I had was with the hotel in Cairo. I really did not like how there were many men smoking heavily in the lobby area. Especially as it was often unavoidable as our meetings and gatherings were located in the front lobby on numerous occasions.
Product Review
Posted 10th of Jun 2016
Very efficient, helpful and knowledgeable tour leaders and guides, we learnthink alot!! Loved.our tour, we wished we had booked a longer tour though as we loved Egypt so much! Would 100% recommend this tour to others. Felt safe in Egypt the whole time!
Product Review
Posted 8th of Jun 2016
For the Egypt part - shout out to Aboudy, the best tour guide ive ever experienced! His passion and care made the trip!
Product Review
Posted 8th of Jun 2016
The tour on the whole was fantastic hotels were well above what was expected for the price paid the sites were amazing and the guide was knowledgeable but i did feel he rushed through things a bit compared to other tour guides I've encountered in the past. Unfortunately the tour was totally let down by the desert camp experience we were virtually abandoned at a so called desert camp at 11am with no tour vuide nobody who spoke English told us what was happening or what to do. At no time were we offered any excursions ie camal ride as stated in intinery. It was a complete waste of a day sleeping unxer the stars could of made up for it if we weren't next to a busy road. I definitely wouldn't recommend the desert night. However the rest of the tour and Jordan are spectacular.
Product Review
Posted 8th of Jun 2016
Great service; suburbly planned & organized
Product Review
Posted 16th of Apr 2016
The driver and guide on our tour were both excellent and my whole party very much enjoy the tour. The hotels are not very central which particularly in Marrakesh made free time sightseeing especially at night less appealing. That would be my suggestion to make it perfect but it was excellent overall.
Product Review
Posted 10th of Feb 2016
The structure of the tour was great and very well paced, pickup at the airport/ drop off were amazing and the hotel in Petra was amazing. The only reason I am not giving it an Excellent rating is the hotel in Amman, which was 1 star at best - for an "on a shoestring" tour I wasn't expecting 5 star, however I truly felt unsafe in the hotel in Amman.
Product Review
Posted 8th of Feb 2016
Most of the included meals were hotel meals and were quite bland. Breakfasts were good, dinners were not. Especially considering this was Morocco which is know for its flavorful cuisine. I would have liked more of the meals included to be at local establishments. I ended up eating out and paying for most of the "included" meals instead of eating the inclusive fare, just to have a good meal. For me the food is an important element of travel.
Product Review
Posted 7th of Feb 2016
Felt rushed at times
Product Review
Posted 6th of Feb 2016
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 5th of Feb 2016
The trip was good. The first hotel was not up to standards. Perhaps it would be best to stay at the airport and skip Casablance althogether.
Product Review
Posted 4th of Feb 2016
Loved in. The guide made it what it was-so many thanks to HK for Sangay and Jigme's efforts. For a first trip, the tour covered the best things to see to be introduced to Bhutan.
Product Review
Posted 4th of Feb 2016
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 4th of Feb 2016
Great tour guide
Product Review
Posted 18th of Jan 2016
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 16th of Jan 2016
I can't say enough good things about Sheriff and the rest of the guides and organizers who took care of us during our tour!
Product Review
Posted 9th of Jan 2016
This was a holiday I had longed for since I was 5 years old. The Grand Adventure was certainly that! I managed to go inside the large pyramid and King Tuts tomb, visit Abu Simbal, Karnak, Edfu, Aswan, Luxor, Cairo, Petra, the Dead Sea, cruise on the Nile, ride camels, a donkey, horses, quad bikes, spider cars, shuttle boats, an hot air balloon and horse drawn carriges, swam in the Red Sea, got spoiled at spas and generally had a brilliant time. Saw and did so many things that had only been a dream before. Special thanks to tour organisers Ant in London, Khalifa in Cairo, guides Big Mo (our hero), Mohamad at Hurghada and Manseur David in Jordan. Thank you for the holiday of a lifetime ** Carolyn McKay
Product Review
Posted 9th of Jan 2016
wonderful and knowledgable tour guide. We saw all we wanted to see and the hotels were great.
Product Review
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Wonderful trip. Quality accommodation especially given the lower cost of the adventure. Well paced, very well taken care of by all staff. Amazing tour leader, Waleed Khamouna, PhD in Egyptology ... couldn't ask for more. Felt very secure the entire trip.
Product Review
Posted 6th of Jan 2016
Trip was great, Guide could have been a little more informative.
Product Review
Posted 24th of Oct 2015
We had been with Encounters Travel before to Jordan which was excellent, so our expectations were high. We were not disappointed. The hotels were very good, the guide extremely knowledgeable with excellent English, and food plentiful and excellent. We visited all the places We remembered from the bible at Sunday school, and then some. I would recommend this holiday to anyone. It was fantastic. I shall definitely book another holiday with Encounters Travel.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of Oct 2015
Good
Product Review
Posted 23rd of Oct 2015
Takes in some amazing places: Troy, Ephesus and Cappadocia among others. Amazing, especially the hot air balloon over Cappadocia.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of Oct 2015
Overall loved my trip
Product Review
Posted 4th of Sep 2015
great experence
Product Review
Posted 18th of Aug 2015
Excellent made so in part by a brilliant guide
Product Review
Posted 17th of Aug 2015
It was an amazing holiday and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Product Review
Posted 16th of Aug 2015
A brilliant tour. Guides excellent, nothing to criticise.
Product Review
Posted 16th of Aug 2015
Just fabulous from beginning to end.
Product Review
Posted 16th of Aug 2015
Loved the tour and thought we experienced the best Turkey had to offer. At times would have liked just a little bit more time to explore at our own leisure. Particularly would have like to have stayed closer into the township of Cannakkale .
Product Review
Posted 15th of Aug 2015
This tour was amazing! It had the perfect amount of free time vs. planned activities. The quality of the included excursions was extremely high and I think that the tour is excellent value for money.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Aug 2015
Is a great holiday for those people who have limited time but are wanting to see as much of Jordan as possible. I liked the fact that you could book the optional extras prior to going as opposed to being surprised with them during the trip.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
The trip was as above and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, all destinations were as expected and lived up to our expectations.We went with the idea of visiting Turkey and especially Gallipoli which achieved our goals.The historical part of thetrip was very well done and memmorable.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
Hotels were all very nice with friendly helpful staff, our guide communicated well with us informing us of pick up and drop off times etc, The tour was well planned out, The tour guide was very knowlegable, and did well at communicating in 3 different languages to our group. It was a good way of seeing many different places in Morocco that we would not have seen had we not done the tour
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
I loved Jordan. It is such a beautiful country!
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
Been twice with them in 6 months. All perfect
Product Review
Posted 14th of Aug 2015
Excellently designed tour beautifully delivered
Product Review
Posted 15th of Apr 2015
One of the best experiences of my Life.
Product Review
Posted 5th of Feb 2015
Very well planned and good arrangements.However since we missed out part of our trip we expected some discount for not using facilitiesfor about 6 days.
Product Review
Posted 16th of Jan 2015
Turkey was amazing,hotels were really great,nice group of people on the trip, the tour guide was fine, not too amicable,in fact kept to himself mostly, did not liaise with anyone one, I have travelled quite a bit,and found that the trips that are the most pleasurable are the ones where the guides mingle with the people! We hardly sampled local foods, which was disappointing!
Product Review
Posted 12th of Jan 2015
I always wanted to go to Morocco and I finally got to go last September. I'm glad I chose this tour group. They were professional and attentive. Good times!
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
some hotels were not up to the star rating given general complaint was food being served cold
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Our guide Salah was excellent throughout the tour, tour bus was very good as well. Only minor problem was with our Amman hotel, which was a bit out of the way, but that's the downside of chosing a 'shoestring' holiday.
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Other than the hiccup with the hotel on the first day, the tour itself was excellent. Our guide Yuksil was great - very helpful and knowledgeable. Really well organised and run.
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
Guide was very good and knowledgeable about Turkey, past and present. However, he failed to deliver on our expectation of the folklore evening in Cappadocia, despite telling him of our preference for that tour 'extra' on the second day of our tour, I.e., plenty of time to make arrangements. We were told it wasn't going to happen only a couple of hours before the expected performance time. By then it was too late to arrange a hot air balloon ride, which would have been our second choice because that had taken place the same morning. Tour sites were well chosen and hit all the highlights.
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Oct 2014
The tour was fantastic. The guide and the driver were friendly and accommodating. The places that were seen were brilliant. Only issue was to try and cram 8 adults into one 4 WD to go to the Sahara was NOT comfortable. Those in the "boot" had no leg room and heads were hitting the roof with every bump. Would have walked if it wasnt for the distance. The guide advised we should have had 2 4WD's and didnt know why only one was available. Apart from that would love to go back and travel more in depth especially Fez and Marrakesh.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
The tour was well organized and the tour guide and driver were excellent. Being a small group everything ran smoothly.Really appreciated the cold water being provided on the bus as we had some warm days.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
Excellent trip, amazing sights and good crew
Product Review
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
all very good indeed
Product Review
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
Exceeded expectations, great guide, a comfortable, hassle free, interesting and informative tour in a wonderful country.
Product Review
Posted 21st of Oct 2014
A wonderful experience- would recommend it to anyone
Product Review
Posted 11th of Sep 2014
My friend and I went on the Thailand on a Shoestring tour in July and we loved every minute. Our tour guide, Tanya, was incredible and all of the activities were excellent. We particularly enjoyed staying in the floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park, it was beautiful! I would definitely recommend this tour to those looking for either a quick whistle stop tour of Thailand or to those starting off their travels. 10/10, we had the trip of a lifetime and made so many fantastic memories and friends!
Product Review
Posted 13th of Aug 2014
Nepal on a shoestring is your basic tour in Nepal. I was expecting a more adventurous tour but I did get to see some truly incredible things. the mountains,valleys,waterfalls and endless fields of rice were truly magnificent. Nepal is an amazing place with amazing people.
Product Review
Posted 12th of Aug 2014
I had a brilliant time although I car with working seat belts and possible without upholstery full of holes would have been better. The holiday itself was brilliant.
Product Review
Posted 12th of Aug 2014
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 12th of Aug 2014
Provided a bunch of feedback to Fez Travel at the end of the tour but will give the cole's notes: - Was confused when we got into town because the tour was not called "Turkey Encounters" as we purchased but instead "Flying Carpet Tour" run by Fez Travel not Encounters Travel. - Tour guides were not the ones advertized on the Encounters website but one of Fez' guides. -Guide was very personable and helpful so far as helping is with what we needed. His English was good enough to this extent however when it came to relaying historical backgrounds of the sites we were visiting his English was only "adequate". He tended to tell us everything he knew (or could communicate) up front and then send us to roam the grounds on our own. I was a little bit envious of some of the tours who had native English speaking guides who were going into more details; especially where dealing with ruins like Ephesus, Aphrodisias, etc. - On the flip side the local guide got us places I am not sure we would have otherwise visited (i.e, cave family's house). - Some of the visits to the craft industry shops were awkward. The fashion show / leather stop was out of place (i.e., nobody was interested, the fashion show was a bit contrived, and the sales tactics were a bit agressive given nobody showed any interest in leather). - All of the hotels were excellent with the exception of one. The Best Western Khan in Antalya does not belong in a higher priced "comfort" tour. It is old and run down. It was the only hotel in which we were given separate beds as a married couple. It also seemed odd that the Istanbul (TRYP by Wyndham) gave us a large room with a nice view on our initial visit (starting the trip) and then a very small room with no window at all on the night before we left (almost as if they were trying to impress us on the way in but it didnt matter so much on the way out after the Fez feedback had already been provided). As a sidenote, the whole selection of Antalya as a two day stop seems poor. There was very little to do in this town and it seemed like more of a stopover required as a result of the time required to get to the next stop in Capadoccia. - The optional visit to the Turkish bath needs to be better vetted by the tour company and Encounters. The place we were taken to seemed a bit unsanitary and run down. I think we went here because the tour guide knew the family. This should not be a reason for selection of a location. *** - They did not properly separate them men from the women and one of the girls ended up being bathed by one of the male attendants... we were told later that the man was noticably aroused by this exchange which was reported to the tour guide. The tour guide apparently returned and the attendant was summarilly dismissed. I did not let it impact my rating of the tour as the latter bit didnt impact me personally or my wife (other than the cleanliness part) but the fact that that choices in these places is left up to the nepotism/cronyism of specific tour guide is HIGHLY questionable. I would never do something like this again unless it was at a new, clean, and highly rated establishment that I pre-vetted. Sadly I was not given the option to check the location in advance. - Our bus broke down a couple of times over the course of the tour. Once due to flat tire and once because I believe the clutch or gearbox needed servicing. These resulted in delays and unexpected stops in our itinerary. - We skipped Ankara as the guide asked us to vote on whether we wanted to get into Istanbul early. We voted for this since we had an early flight the next day. They seemed a litle rushed to get rid of us that day though. I have brought up a lot of constructive items here but I want to be clear that we did really enjoy the trip and the guide worked very hard to make the tour a good one for the rest of us.
Product Review
Posted 11th of Aug 2014
The local guide and driver was very friendly and informative. The only problem was that some hotels were in a bad condition, especially the one in Bandibur Nepal.
Product Review
Posted 11th of Aug 2014
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 12th of Jul 2014
The tour was a good mix of organised activities and time to relax or do our own thing. The jungle trek was amazing. Hotels were reasonable for the price. One thing I would suggest is that for the days after the night train journeys that an early check in could be arranged at the hotel as it was it was hard to just keep going until the afternoon having had little sleep and not being able to have a shower or change of clothes. or book travellers into a first class train carriage where they are more likely to get a reasonable nights sleep.
Product Review
Posted 9th of Jul 2014
The tour was very good and our guide from Fez travel Can was very knowledgeable and kind. His sense of humour and realism was refreshing. The breakfasts and dinners at some of the hotels wwas not of the best standard except for in Istanbul when it was excellent. The food stops on the tour were also not fantastic and could be improved. The food quality has brought the tour from an excellent standard down to a good.
Product Review
Posted 19th of Jun 2014
Very good service and travel arrangements on tour, good hotels, good guide for visiting interesting places
Product Review
Posted 18th of Jun 2014
Turkey was much greener and more modern than I expected. The historic sites were impressive and the tour went at the right pace. The hotels were all good quality, in good locations and had some impressive buffets. Of course there are plenty of ancient ruins, but each tells a different story so there were plenty of wow factors. My only regret was not giving myself more time in Istanbul.
Product Review
Posted 18th of Jun 2014
The trip as a whole was interesting, giving us a taste of the Morocco culture, plus the differences of landscapes from mountain to dessert. The Sahara camp out was disappointing, it reminded me of a tourist KOA camp site in the States and the food was not very good. But, I felt it was an educational and eye opening experience.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
Some minor improvements would benefit the tour. Having said that we had an excellent guide and a very good time
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
The non-hotel portions of the tour were great value for the money. Highlights included the camel ride and the 4x4 driving. Our tour guide, Idris, was FANTASTIC. Truly informative and treated us like kings and queens. Our driver Moustafa was also excellent, one of the kindest folks I've ever met. The hotels were generally, in a word, disappointing. While I think at some level they were commensurate with what we paid, the Berber camp was truly subpar. There were waterbugs in the shower, the lights didn't work, and the tents were just dirty and tired. In general with the hotel rooms, we only wanted 3 things - working A/C, hot water and clean linens. Generally speaking we were lucky if we got 2 out of the 3. Recommend upgrading from the Golden Tulip to somewhere else in Marrakech, there are so many better options at the same price. The one truly awesome hotel we stayed at was the Palais Asmaa. The rooms and the grounds were just outstanding. Everything else was very tired.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
The tour was comprehensive and the guide full of information
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
The tour is great, thoroughly enjoyed it. Only comment would be if there was possibility of making it a day longer so that can enjoy last few days of the trip. The long drives between Cappodocia and Istanbul and (from memory) Pammukale to Cappodocia aren't the best of days and a lot of time spent just in transit on the bus. If there was a way to include another stop some to break the long trips up and allow more time to visit somewhere else in turkey I think would be much better. Other than that an excellent tour will recommend to anyone going to turkey!
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
This tour program was excellent in value for the price. I would recommend to all who are interested in touring these countries. Tour guide and other staff were all friendly and responsible. Two thumbs up!
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
Was a great tour! Visit nice places. Only the park that we visit one day I would not reccomend - maybe they can do something else in the Parks Place.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jun 2014
Lots to see but a little too much time spent travelling. Lots of time in hotels which is not super appealing to me.
Product Review
Posted 2nd of Jun 2014
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 1st of Jun 2014
This tour was delightful, we were very impressed by the places we visited. The only negative was that more free time would have suited us, but that is just our personal preference
Product Review
Posted 30th of May 2014
Brilliant value for money. Excellent guide. Good hotels
Product Review
Posted 27th of May 2014
I was really impressed with my guide, Deepak, who was very knowledgable and managed to answer all my questions no matter how obscure they were! He also interpreted for me when I wanted to ask local people questions, which was wonderful. I gained a really good insight into the country, it's people, and it's history. The tour covered several areas of Nepal, each part very different, and every day was an amazing experience. Nepal is an extraordinary country, and I would thoroughly recommend this trip. The only down side is when you have to leave it to come home.
Product Review
Posted 25th of May 2014
The hotel was very good with excellent facilities but the restaurant in the evening was dire - a dead give away. It was nearly always empty which is a real pity as they got the much harder bits right. Tour itself was good and well organised with a knowledgeable guide. Usual chaos with traffic but beyond anyone's control. A great 4 day break.
Product Review
Posted 24th of May 2014
I wish we could have done this years ago! The small group concept works so much better than a big coach tour, providing both flexibility, good use of time and more personal attention from a first rate guide.
Product Review
Posted 24th of May 2014
What a beautiful country
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
I would take this opportunity to communicate our experience from this trip. I will sum it up in one word -- GORGEOUS. And the BIGGEST reason for this was the tour guide -- Mr. Zouhair Mohamed. He was extremely knowledgeable about a variety of things (culture, cuisine, dance, music, locations, history, geography, local services, in short everything that was essential for us to get a full experience from this trip), and he was proactive at all times to provide us the best experience possible. He was very entertaining throughout the trip, and he made sure we were engaged in the various aspects of the tour at all times. He was also patient, flexible, and effective in managing the diverse group of people who were on the trip. He was successful in satisfying the different needs and interests of the various people in the group. He deserves to be much more than just a tour guide.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
Absolutely amazing tour. We were lucky to have a very knowledgable and passionate guide. Some of the hotel rooms were quite uncomfortable, but a part from that - absolutely enjoyed it.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
GREAT TOUR! Ilker was a great tour leader and we met some amazing people.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
It was good but felt rushed... guides gave little information about important tourist sites like Gallipoli. At one point we were sitting on the bus listening to irrelevant stories while we were all dying to get off and know a bit of history... Cut into our time and meaning :-(
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
In many respects this was an excellent tour giving a good insight into much of what Israel has to offer. My criticism would be that it was very 'whistlestop' and I think too much is crammed into too few days. The time allocation at a number of the sights was insufficient and we were not able to see things completely or have free time to experience it on our own. On a number of days we did not have a lunch break until mid afternoon, having had breakfast at 7.30 am and there was not always time to grab refreshment mid morning. The bias of the trip was very much Christian; it would have been more balanced if we could have visited a synagogue and mosque and maybe Greek/Russian orthodox. It'really a 12 day tour squashed into 6. I have no regrets about going on this trip, I just would have liked more time.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
It was really good and loved the trip to the village where no other tourists go. The tour guide gave us a real Morrocan flavour. A map of Marrakech and also of the tour route would be a great welcome touch.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
A fantastic trip with a great guide and driver and a perfect itinerary. A wonderful country
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
My guide did not speak great English and really didn't do much more than guide me through the hike....he didn't explain much unless I asked and he spent most of the time talking in Nepalese to the porter, who did not speak any English. It was at times lonely. Also, when I compare what other guides did and how involved they were with their groups it was hard not to notice how mine were inexperienced. They were kind, just rather uncommunicative is all.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
Fun trip, organized well
Product Review
Posted 23rd of May 2014
**
Product Review
Posted 31st of Mar 2014
I liked the service and the tour guide & driver on the tour. They were professional and provided very good service. I thought 1-2 hotels on the trip were not quite 4-star. It also happened that this group of people was always late for schedule and our walk pace was too slow. It really needs the guide to make people on schedule and be punctual for the activity. Overall I think the time management of this tour needs improvement.
Product Review
Posted 23rd of Mar 2014
The tour was everything I expected it to be and I enjoyed it very much. The tour guide was excellent.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Mar 2014
I was a little surprised to see that the tour was actually provided by ExPat tours. They did a good job though.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Mar 2014
We thought this tour was excellent overall; my feedback has been emailed previously to Anthony separately, and a review placed on Trip Adviser.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Mar 2014
The tour well and truly exceeded our expectations. Credit definitely needs to be given to Prakesh, our guide, who was very knowledgable, funny and a pleasure to spend two weeks with. Ishwor, our porter, was also great! We had the time of our lives :-)
Product Review
Posted 8th of Mar 2014
We had an excellent time in Morocco! Our guide Zuzu was amazing and show us so much of his beautiful country.
Product Review
Posted 28th of Feb 2014
Food items and menu could be better
Product Review
Posted 27th of Feb 2014
good value for the amount of ground covered, but the trade-off is much much less detail. encounters trip notes should have made it clear that at sites eg pergamum the tour only goes to the forum and not the aesclepion, arguably the most important bit; also, at pamukkale that swimming in the antique pool is extra, and at topkapi, extra for harem visit. this is slightly clearer in the trip notes provided locally - by which time it's too late. there was a bit of pressure from our local tour guide to pay extra and fly back from aksaray instead of bussing to ankara and back to istanbul - made sense because visit to ankara only included visit to ataturk mausoleum, not the more important museum of anatolian civilisations. overall though, it was an enjoyable way to see so much more of turkey.
Product Review
Posted 25th of Feb 2014
Again guides and drivers made the tour impactful....
Product Review
Posted 24th of Feb 2014
This tour gave me the most incredible view of Morocco, its people and culture. I loved it.
Product Review
Posted 22nd of Feb 2014
Fantastic experience, good value, great guides.
Product Review
Posted 16th of Feb 2014
Guides were truly exceptional - made the trip most enjoyable
Product Review
Posted 15th of Feb 2014
I really loved this trip! Our guide was wonderful and the mix of people, perfect.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Feb 2014
Tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Activities, accommodation, sights and food were great, but a lot a of travel time which did not allow much time to wind down or spend time out in the evenings.
Product Review
Posted 15th of Feb 2014
Excellent
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
historical interests were well met
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Idris was fantastic! We were so glad to have him as our tour guide. He really made the trip great and seemed to know everything about his country. Loved the sights we were guided to.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Wonderful tour!! The only criticism I can give is the large amount of driving, which was totally worth it to get to the Berber camp…job well done!
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
The route was awesome. Some better than others (Cape Town being the highlight) along with the safari. All in all, a good experience especially for those planning to visit South Africa over the course of a few days.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
This may seem contradictory but the experience was so good it overshadowed the hiccups that we experienced. Elroy was an EXCELLENT tour guide, he made our trip so fun and tried hard to please everyone. The Country was beautiful and the activities were great! My only critique is the occasional lack of communication between our guide and the group which seemed to stem from last minute changes to accommodation that he had no control over. Instead of explanations about why we drove into one property then drove out to a new one, we were left wondering. This sparked frustrations especially since the placed were taken to was judged too harshly because of it's outward appearance (It was actually a lovely place to stay and on par or better than other places that we stayed). I knew the nature of the trip and I took the "you are in Africa, things can change" idea to heart so I rolled with the punches but others did not which may have affected how they viewed the entire trip. Overall I had a great time and I have already recommended the tour to others.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
A great country to visit,
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Tour Guide could have done more to keep to the timetable and to control members of the group. Group was larger than that specified as the maximum for the company
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Intimate tour of the country. Great tour. Really felt immersed.
Product Review
Posted 14th of Feb 2014
Overall very good, but at times a bit haphazard. The enthusiasm level of the group participants varied widely, by person and over time, in part for that reason. Some explanations of what was going on would at times have been helpful, despite it all working out okay.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Despite the fact that our guide was not good we had a wonderful time. Gary the bus driver saved the day.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Our tour is what made the trip that much more memorable. Rather than being plopped at a westernized resort, we were able to get a taste of how the locals live, eat and entertain themselves. We stayed in quaint guesthouses on the islands amongst the locals, ate authentic Maldivian cuisine (one day even with a Maldivian family who made us breakfast), and viewed a traditional dance/singing performance which was absolutely delightful. This was a trip of a lifetime that I will never forget.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
We were met at airports by sub-contractors as arranged by encounters every time. Guides were supplied that had extensive local knowledge. Hotels were good quality.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
too much of a road trip with insufficient time allowed to visit important ancient Greek and Roman sites, museums et al; hotel buffets did not provide water at meals rather wanted to sell beverages; uncomfortable hard sells after visits to rug, leather, jewelry factories
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
I loved it! Staying on the different islands and getting a look at real life rather than just a resort was wonderful.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
We thought it was a good tour but did not particularly enjoy the two full days at the seaside. It could have been cut back to one. We did enjoy the snorkeling and swimming. We would have also liked an extra day at Hulong Bay as it is a long journey each way and we barely had 24 hours there. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful in the tours and hotels
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Had a great time.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
The tour guides were amazing! They really wanted to show off Morocco and its deep history. The one draw back was the food. It was not what I expected and I feel like we could have had better. Overall everything was great and I couldn't have been more happy with my experience.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
The tour overall was wonderful, I had no major issues. The itinerary was packed full of wonderful places to see and things to do, however, I do have a few complaints in regards to the food venues and attractions. Many of the choices for food became repetitive but I understand this may also have been a result of the time constraints. Additionally, a number of the stops on the tour led me to feel pressured about making purchases from local vendors Ex. the herbologist and carpet shop I felt that this time could have been better spent touring other places along our journey. Overall though, I would not take back this trip for the world. This was one of the best experiences I have had in my entire life, and Encounters made it all so simple. I will be booking another tour with this company very soon. Special thank you to our tour guide Idris for a fantastic time!!!!
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
There is no way I could have seen all that I saw on tour on my own in that amount of time! It was certainly well worth it, however - the stops (both the rest stops and the tour stops) were too rushed and two out of the three buses were cramped. I'm very fortunate I made it onto the big bus, given my back and knee conditions. I wish there were more walking tours available. More time in Marrakech would have been lovely as well - I kind of wish I had extended my stay a bit longer. I met some new found friends in the marketplace. And I made friends with all the people on the tour. It was a real treat to be with such an amazing group of people.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
The itinerary was okay but need improvement. The cheetah stop was rather dismal. The wine stop would be better if it included a wine tour. The safari was disappointing. Wasn't afforded enough time at the bungee stop to do any shopping
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
The tour and all the the local guides were excellent
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
This was a budget tour so the hotels and what meals they provided were OK. But taking us from the airport to Greenwich on what they called public transportation and involved their metro system with our luggage was a disaster. They knew in advance the ages of their customers(mostly seniors). A bus should have been supplied. We took a cab at the end of the trip back to the airport and were told we would get the cost of the metro back but never received it. I could write more but I would not use Encounters Travel again or recommend it.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
The tour itself was great, our driver and tour guide were friendly, flexible and readily available to help out when needed.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Our guide was very helpful and I couldn't speak highly enough for him. He answered all of our questions and really helped us delve into the Moroccan lifestyle
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
would definately recommend
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Very good tour guide, visits and most hotels good.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Some of the hotels and food could've been better.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Best vacation ever!
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Some of the food provided was a bit disappointing. Obviously the hotels are all to a certain Moroccan Standard but the food quality on 2 occasions was well below standard.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Mersmerised by the beauty of Morroccan history and landscape! All captured through my lenses and shared to all my friends and circle. Now, more want to experience the wonderful journey I made through the deserts and mountains of Morocco and the Moroccan people.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Absolutely amazing. Our guide and his team were fantastic and I would definitely recommend trekking with them.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
For what was spent.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Gertrude and Martin was wonderful. They both took such great care of us. There were only 13 people on the tour which was perfect. Too many more and it would have been impossible for the group to come to consensus.
Product Review
Posted 13th of Feb 2014
Good