Best Of
Re: Trip Report, Essence of Japan, October 2024
Part 2 of Trip Report
Day 9: This is the second day (of 2) in which we would travel with carryon luggage only. After breakfast, the group walked over to the nearby Kanazawa train station, where we boarded the first of three trains we took to Hiroshima. One was a local train and two were bullet trains. I enjoyed the train travel and we were given money to purchase lunch at a station (which we ate on the train). We boarded the third train in Osaka, where we said goodby to our wonderful local guide, Mickey, and hello to our second local guide, Reia, also very good. Upon arrival in Hiroshima, we drove to the ferry to Miyajima Island. There we viewed and took photos of the famous gate submerged in water when the tide is in (which it was) and then walked to and visited the beautiful floating shrine. We were fortunate to see a wedding couple, with the bride in traditional dress. Afterwards, we had some time to explore the shops and eateries. We sampled grilled oysters, as we had seen many oyster beds from the ferry. Then ferry back and bus to the Hilton. Comfortable, quiet room and excellent included buffet dinner (wine included).
Day 10: After breakfast, we were driven to the Peace Museum. As others have posted, the first part of the Museum is devoted to personal stories and relics from the bombing. The second part deals with development of the bomb, decisions to utilize it and where, etc. It is well done. The group then walked through and toured the Peace Memorial Park, which has memorials, gardens, etc. Our walk led us to the dome which was very near the epicenter and survived the blast. From there, we walked to the Orizuru tower. There, we went to the top floor, where there are excellent views of the City and the Peace Memorial Park. We also had the opportunity to make an origami crane, which is then dropped down a chute at the front of the building (the colorful paper is visible from the outside of the building). I needed a lot of help with the origami, but I managed. Afterward, we had a tasty lunch at Zona Italia. Then, we took a bullet train to Kyoto and arrived at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel. Really nice room and the hotel has a lovely garden area adjacent to the restaurant. Excellent included dinner at previously reserved times.
Day 11: After outstanding breakfast buffet (we ate outside by the garden), we went by bus to the Kinkakuji Temple, known as the Golden Temple. Very beautiful. We then toured the interesting Nijo-jo Castle. Then lunch at Tempura Endo. The group then had a walking tour of the Gion District, including the Kenninji Temple. At that point, the tour ended for the day (and we were given taxi money). Some people chose to return to the hotel immediately. Some broke off on their own to explore. Our tour director walked many of us over to the main shopping area and oriented us for exploration, shopping, finding a taxi, or walking back to the Hotel. My husband and I chose to walk through the very large shopping arcade. We stopped in a local bar for a beer - and interesting experience. We then went to the large Department store and explored the lower level food offerings. Because we had a big lunch, we purchased salads and sandwiches and took our time walking back to the hotel. It had been a full day, and we were happy to enjoy a light dinner in our beautiful room.
Day 12: The group visited the Kiyomizu temple (Pure water Temple). It is striking and is located up in the hills overlooking the City. I did take the opportunity to sample the water of life. The group then visited a Women's Center, where we had a tea ceremony, origami making (and participation) and a furoshiki demonstration. I really enjoyed this visit. The group then had a choice to return to the hotel by bus or be dropped at a Craft Center. We went to the Craft Center. I enjoyed looking around; it is not large. I did purchase matcha tea. We took a taxi back to the Hotel, where we quickly ate a salad and sandwich (purchased at Lawson's - the Japanese convenience stores are awesome). My husband and I then walked through a small shrine near the Hotel, then we went to the nearby Sanjusangen-do Temple. There, we walked through the lovely gardens and then visited the inside of the Temple and its 1001 Buddha statues. I really enjoyed this visit. From there we walked some of the narrow back streets relatively near the Hotel and visited another shrine. It was fun to see a lot of people out and about and women dressed up in rental geisha outfits. That evening we were transported to Sodho restaurant for our very good farewell cocktail reception and dinner. We had two geikos (a/k/a geishas) and one maiko (trainee) perform for us and answer some questions. They were fascinating.
Day 13: We headed out very early with another couple. Very smooth transport and greeting and assistance by the Tauck rep at the Osako airport. Excellent trip home.
As indicated, I really enjoyed this tour. Tauck has done a nice job providing cultural experiences as well as visits to the top attractions. I am not a crafty person, but I enjoyed the origami and the flower arranging, etc. I liked the onsen baths, and particularly enjoyed Gero Onsen for an authentic Japanese Hotel experience.
There is a lot of walking on this tour, inclines, steps, uneven walkways, so good shoes are a must. Also, rain at some point is likely, so rain gear highly recommended. I also recommend easy to handle carryons, especially for the two days when it is necessary to navigate the train stations and get on and off the train expeditiously.
I would be happy to answer any questions.
A WONDERFUL STORY ABOUT GREAT SERVICE FROM TAUCK
This past August, we took a wonderful river cruise with Tauck Travel on the MS Sprite down the Danube River from Budapest to Bucharest. I brought along my Ta Da Cane Chair with me, because I find at age 79 that I can’t stand for long periods of time while on our travels. This cane folds out into a compact tripod seat. Also, although I don’t usually use a cane to get around, it is a great help on trips when walking over uneven ground or going up steps.
I had my cane with me on our 4 hour bus ride to Transylvania for a tour of Bran Castle, the legendary home of Count Dracula. However, I put it in the overhead bin on our Tauck bus for the trip back to our hotel, and accidentally forgot it there. I didn’t notice my cane was missing until the next day while waiting for our ride to the airport on our way home. I had placed an AirTag on my cane, and discovered by searching on the “Find My” app on my iPhone that my cane was apparently still on the bus some 2 miles away from the hotel. It was too late to retrieve it then, but I checked again on its location when we got home. At that time, it appeared that it was now on its way back to Transylvania on a new tour with the next group of passengers on MS Sprite. A day later, it looked like it had made its way from the bus back onto the MS Sprite, which was still docked on the Danube.
I sent an email to Tauck Travel to see if they could find and return my cane. They were extremely helpful. I was able to give them a link to by AirTag. They searched the ship, but could not find it. Meanwhile, I was able to track my cane while it journeyed up the Danube. After awhile, I realized that my cane was not tracking with the MS Spirit, but instead appeared to be on a different ship, the MS Vivaldi of another river cruise line. I found this out by using an app that tracks the location of cruise ships on the rivers of Europe. How the cane got onto the MS Vivaldi is a mystery..
Well, through the extraordinary efforts of the wonderful Tauck representatives, they were finally able to track down and retrieve my cane when both ships were in Budapest a few weeks later. I told them I was in no hurry to get the cane back, and would appreciate if they could return it to me when it was most convenient for them to do so. Meanwhile, I had been tracking my cane on an almost a daily basis as it traveled up the Danube and onto the Main River, and then the Rhine, stopping, among other places, in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Antwerp, until ending up in Basel, Switzerland. From there, a Tauck representative returning to the USA brought it back to Tauck headquarters in Connecticut, where they sent it back to me by UPS.
Coincidentally, my cane, which I last saw in Transylvania, arrived back on my front porch on October 31, Halloween Day. My thanks to all the fantastic Tauck people who helped in the return of my cane. What a great travel company. This was our sixth Tauck trip, and we have two more coming up next year. And, again, how fitting that the cane ended its two month journey from the home of Count Dracula in Transylvania to my home in Virginia on Halloween Day. What an amazing story of its journey.
Incidentally, I bought this cane after I saw another Tauck customer using one on a Tauck Christas Markets tour several years ago. It would make a great Christmas present for a senior traveler. You can find it on Amazon for about $140 by searching for “Ta Da Cane.”
Attached is a photo of me reunited with my cane and a copy of the letter from Tauck describing the journey of the missing Ta Da Cane that arrived in the UPS box with the returned cane.
jonmacks
Just returned from Tuscany & Umbria
This was our 2nd time in Italy - our 1st was 9yrs ago with a 10 day Rick Steves Tour of Venice, Florence, & Rome and another 12 days on our own with added time in Venice, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast.
This time, we went with another couple. On our own, we did 4 days in Venice, 4 days in Florence - then joined the week-long Tauck Tour of Tuscany & Umbria, then we did 3 days on our own in Rome before flying home.
This was a great tour - esp if you've already seen Venice, Florence, & Rome - which I think are the 'must sees' when visiting Italy.
We saw small, quaint towns and had experiences we could have NEVER had on our own.
Our hotel outside of Florence, Villa La Massa, was spectacular - one of the best we've stayed in with Tauck. I'm not good at posting photos here, but feel free to 'friend' me on facebook if you'd like to see photos of the entire trip. I'm under Terri Lynn Thompson in Winston Salem, NC.
Unfortunately, the Welcome dinner, like all Tauck Welcome and Farewell Dinners we've been on, was a set menu and, as usual for us (& most everyone else), was just not good at all. The 2 worst meals we had during our 3 weeks in Italy were the Welcome & Farewell dinners - this is pretty standard for us on all our Tauck trips for some reason.
On Day 2, we drove into the countryside for a cooking class that was excellent. We prepped a lot of food and then sat down and had an amazing lunch with free flowing wine. The rest of the afternoon was free time at the hotel. That night, Tauck took us to a local restaurant where we could order as we pleased off the menu - one of the best meals of the entire trip.
Day 3 we went to Arezzo where the movie, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, was filmed. It dates back to the days of the Etruscans of the 4th Century BC. The history on this trip was so incredible. Our local guides were all very good. We had lunch on our own in town. We then drove to Lake Trasimeno for a gelato stop on Tauck and on into Umbria to Gubbio where we stayed in a 17th Century Monastery which was fabulous.
Day 4 was a tour of Gubbio - probably everyone's favorite town of the trip. A medieval town of the 1st Century BC- not damaged in WW2. All of these towns are hilltop towns, so the scenery on the entire trip was incredible. We shopped for Truffles & Olive Oil here. Rode in 'cages' - where only 2 people, per cage, stand up in - and rode up a VERY steep mountain to see a cathedral.
That evening we went to a Truffle Farm and learned about Truffle Hunting with dogs, got to go on a Truffle Hunt and then sat down in a gorgeous resort for a delicious meal made of Truffle Potatoes, Truffle Pasta, Truffle Steak, etc, free flowing wine too. All excellent !
Day 5 --- Assisi - another incredible hilltop town with one of the most gorgeous Cathedrals we've seen in all of Europe - St. Francis of Assisi is buried here. Lunch at a local winery - followed by one of the best winery tours we've every experienced. Drove to Perugia
Day 6 - Perugia - another Etruscan town on a high hilltop with incredible 'cities' built under it. The underground cities we saw built under the current towns on this trip were spectacular. We also had an incredible weaving demonstration from weaving looms from the 1200s - a 'dying' art - Tauck gave us all a beautiful piece from here which I have at Hobby Lobby getting framed. Most of us also bought pieces.
Dinner was at a local restaurant with free ordering off a menu - another fabulous meal.
Day 7 -- Spoleto & Narni as we made our way to Rome. 2 more ancient towns full of frescoes and hidden chapels, incredible food, & wine. Narni has an underground city that was only discovered in 1979 by 6 teens who were rock repelling down a wall into a garden and came across a 12th Century church. Again - if you love history, frescoes, food, wine, hilltops with incredible views - this trip is for you. It exceeded our expectations on so many levels.
We drove to Rome - which was only a night, for the Farewell dinner, as the next morning, the tour was over. The hotel was average at best for Tauck, and NOT in a convenient place for those of us who extended in Rome. The Farewell dinner was at the hotel and the food, incl the Tiramisu was NOT good at all. Thankfully, we had 2 more days in Rome on our own that made up for it.
We hired private guides in Venice, Florence, and Rome -- they were all amazing == happy to share their info if anyone needs someone.
Re: cabin
The reason we stay in Category 7 is the suite is larger. The bathroom is big enough for both of us to be in there together. It has a walk-in closet and a French balcony with two enormous windows from floor to ceiling. We do not stay a long time in our cabin as I am an extrovert but it is a joy to come back after an excursion and have time to recoup, have a glass of wine and get ready for dinner. Also, I am older and I am worth it!!!
Noreen
Re: On Safari
On all safaris, Tauck guests are asked to take turns rotating in the seating. On our last safari, it was made even clearer in the paperwork so I guess there might have been problems with some guests hogging their favorite seats. That is not acceptable. The fact that Tauck expects people to rotate seating and especially on the buses makes for a better experience and fairness for everyone. You only have to go on a tour that does not adhere to this to see how selfish people can be.
British
Activity and Pace Levels
As Sue M. noted in another discussion, Tauck has upgraded the activity and pace for Essence of Japan from level 2 to level 3. These are described as:
Activity: Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included and hills or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk 2-3 miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.
Pace: Often robust - may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.
The only thing listed above that this tour doesn't include is bicycling. This is a physically active itinerary. You not only need to be able to walk 2-3 miles, but you need to be able to walk 2-3 miles every single day for two weeks straight. According to my pedometer, the shortest total distance we walked in one day was 2 1/2 miles and the longest was 7 miles. We averaged 5 miles of walking per day over the entire tour.
You also need to be able to manage uneven terrain, lots of escalators, stairs and paths where handrails are not always available, and get on and off the bus several times a day. You need to be able to keep up with the group while walking through very crowded train stations, sometimes while carrying your own carry on luggage and be able to get on and off the trains in just a few minutes per stop. This is definitely not a leisurely paced tour. You will be on the move all day, every day, for two weeks. You will see and do a lot on this tour, and it will be well worth the effort.
MM Walsh
Just returned from Jewel of the Nile, September 2024, and thought these tips are worth mentioning.
Hi All,
I have been back a few days and thought some of the notes from the trip may be worth sharing as you begin to pack for this trip of a lifetime. The gentleman who posted the many details of the trip did a great job and so I will try not to repeat his thoughts as much has stayed the same.
Camera Equipment: I use more than a cell phone for photos. I took my 14 to 140 lens, a telephoto lens, and my flash. I should have traveled with only my 14 to 140 lens. In the Giza pyramids, they wanted to confiscate my telephoto lens, and in the Cairo airport, I was held up for minutes as the lens and flash caused some suspicious concerns. I never needed anything but the 14 to 140 lens through the trip. No flash in tombs so it was a wasted space in my luggage.
Tauck gives you toilet money, 20 Egyptian pounds, to start the trip because as with other countries the bathrooms have service people in them handing out toilet paper and such. You will learn that these are hard working people making a living. Most of the payment at toilet breaks will be covered by the tour director but if you can put a few US dollar bills in your pocket you can use the bathroom anytime without having to worry who is paying.
While visiting tombs and temples there are security guards and other men who will offer to take your photo or offer to take you to a private site. Be aware that if you allow them to take your photo they will gesture to you that they want to be tipped. They get very pushy and if you tip one many more will approach you through your stay. Your tour guide will tell you how to deal with merchants on the streets that block you and hound you to buy something but the random men at the sites were new to me.
Laundry: I did laundry three times on the trip. The first time was unexpected as the layover city, Vienna, left my luggage out in the rain and when I arrived in Cairo, every piece of clothing in my luggage was wet and smelly. I also did laundry on the ship as well as the last stop the St. Regis. Good prices, fast service and well done. I guess I spend about 100 dollars on laundry.
Pants vs Shorts: I wore shorts the entire time in and out of tombs and temples. The length was right above the knee and they were appropriate for all sites. The only day I wore pants was the last day due to the visit to the mosque. We only visited one and I was disappointed that we did not go to the second one on the same property. I was never required to cover my head.
Metal detectors and X ray scanners everywhere. Be ready to visit each site with many layers of security. You can pass your phone and camera above the scanners.
GEM visit for soft opening. If you are looking to shop realize that this truly is NOT a shopping trip. After you hear about the Grand Staircase in the GEM, waste no time to go to the gift shop at the museum. Good stuff, no pressure shopping and all Egyptian-made products because it is a government store. You are given very little time in the GEM so take advantage if you want to shop.
Speaking of shopping many of us wanted to buy silver or gold cartouches. The price of gold was extraordinary and many of us did not know if we were getting a fair price because the gold was not weighed and/or the merchants would not tell us the grams. This happened in all three wonderful hotels, Mena House, St Regis and our stop for lunch at the Ritz Carlton in Cairo. Some people bought at the Mena House and the same gentleman owned the jewelry store in the St Regis. After comparing prices, I decided to buy at the Ritz Carlton from Loay and his father. I brought a 925 silver cartouch dipped in 24 carat gold. The hieroglyphs spell out my name and he was able to make it for me in 24 hours. He delivered it to the St Regis in time for the farewell dinner. Price was 180 dollars without a chain.
Flight and Walking distance I booked through Tauck and the flight was JFK to Vienna To Cairo. Just a warning if you are not a strong walker you may need assistance from the arrival gate in Vienna to the departure gate in Cairo as well as the return. It is a long distance.
Be ready to run....we did not get enough time in Abu Simbel. I deeply thank Tauck for charting a flight and of course, a coach bus to bring us to the site. However, after our Egyptologist finished well informed commentary we were given one hour to explore the two temples.
I should have made more of an effort to attend an evening light show or performance of some kind especially the evenings on the ship. We had so much time in the afternoon to rejuvenate that I could have immersed myself in evening activities.
Regina D
Just returned, terrific trip
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. We have traveled to Italy many times and have spent a considerable amount of time in Venice. Nonetheless, this was an excellent tour for us. I won’t give a blow by blow report as the itinerary has been well described. Here are a few highlights and learnings:
Our TD was Theresa an American who married a Venetian and has lived in Venice for thirty years. She was top notch. During the tour a guest fainted in the bathroom sustaining a head wound. Theresa spent the entire night with her in the hospital returning at 5AM. Nonetheless she was back on duty at 8. She had great suggestions at every turn and her approach to laggards who occasionally held up the group was fair but firm. Local guides were excellent.
Hotels and meals: the hotels were top notch. The breakfast buffets over the top. Meals at the hotels were generally good although we enjoyed our group meals out a bit more. We were given a reservation time and went as small groups. Wine flowed freely at every meal. The Hotel Gritti Palace in Venice was over the top in every way. If you are a Marriott member give them your number and you’ll get points for the incidentals.
The tour: we arrived in Milan 2 days early. We found out just before departure that this was fashion week. Many celebs and influencers none of whom we recognized. Our first meal was at Paper Moon and was one of the best of the tour (thank you @sherry_schare !). We managed to see the Last Supper but this was not easy as tickets are being scooped up by the tour companies. The duomo
climb was fun but our legs ached for days. People watching was the best. The tour visits Lake Como, Stressa, Verona, Bologna and Venice. While in Venice we found the Hotel Flora where we had stayed in 1989 while spending a week cooking with the late Marcella Hazan. We wanted to get a photograph of us in their delightful courtyard-garden where we dined for breakfast back when. Well, I don’t think the employees we encountered were alive in 1989 but they were thrilled with our story! Not only did they take our photo they insisted we stay for complimentary coffee and pastries. We nearly cried. What a happy morning!
Bus: the time on the bus was pleasant and the rest stops were enjoyable for snack shopping.
Dress: I’ve spent too much time on this forum so succumbed to bringing a sport jacket. This meant a checked bag which quickly filled with other things we really did not need. I was the only one on the tour with a sport jacket. Unless required on future tours I’ll not do that again. The weather was mild to cool. We wore jeans every day as did other tour members, nicer slacks at night. If you are a fashionista leave room in your luggage. The clothes in Italy are beautiful!
Tippping: Our TD said this: tip the driver in Euros. Getting dollars is a huge burden. Because of anti money laundering efforts it involves going to a bank where they photograph each bill one by one front and back. Then there is a delay while they run a check of sorts only to charge a terrible fee for the exchange. We visited an ATM for his tip. Her we tipped in USD as she said that’s fine as she returns to the States often.
Italy is wonderful. If you can’t find something to love there, then you can’t find it anywhere. This tour gives you the opportunity to see places less visited (except Venice) but be prepared for crowds anyway. Travel is in full force.
Fell free to PM me for questions! Ciao!
October 7-Israel
There were several posts a year ago from those of us that were in Tel Aviv on the Israel Jordan tour when Israel was attacked. We cannot believe that it has been a year…..We are convinced that Tauck did an incredible job in getting us home safely under a very difficult and stressful situation. We pray for peace in the region quickly. Safe travels fellow Tauck travelers!
taxare