Best Of
Re: Classic vs. Small Tour South Africa Elegant Adventure Tour
British, not necessarily inferior, just different. We are very much looking forward to this tour.
JanP
Re: Cuba 2025 Trip Thoughts - Part 1
Part 2...
Water
Tons and tons of bottled water provided in your room and on the bus. This was never an issue. Also, please remember to brush your teeth with the bottled water and also not to swallow the shower water. We had ice in drinks in the paladars, as well as salads that were rinsed with water. Tauck has ensured these are safe and up to our standards. I had Pepsi with a glass of ice in the paldars with no issues, as well as mojitos. We had two people get briefly sick on the tour, but it was not due to the food. Pretty sure one had norovirus from something, and the other just felt a little unwell. There were 25 of us, and we all touched and ate the same things. If the food had been bad, we all would have been sick. That said, Ronny (our Tour Director) gave us all bottles of hand sanitizer at the first meeting in Miami, and we used it all the time...kind of like a cruise ship. Every time we got on the bus our driver (Noelle) gave us a squirt of hand sanitizer.
Cash
I think we brought around $400 in cash. We went to our US bank and got crisp new bills. Mostly $1, $5, and $10, along with a few $20s. We didn't use it all. We spent $200 at an art gallery on a small piece of art. There are a few opportunities for souvenirs in markets that cost $5-$10. While we wanted to support the Cuban people, we did not buy souvenirs in the markets...personal preference. They all had the same items that appeared to be mass produced, probably in China. If they were handmade, the only handmade part was probably scraping off the made in china stamp. For us, we have a ton of souvenirs from all over the world, but when we buy them, they are unique, typically made locally, and are a good reminder of what we saw. These were not what we wanted. There were some souvenirs at the activities that Tauck took us to see, and we did buy a couple of things there. There was also a huge market we went to that had some really cool art, and a couple bought a huge unframed canvas (like 3 feet x 4 feet) for $200. We also spent some cash at the dinner that Tauck did not include. It was one meal. We went to a paladar with another couple about 3 blocks from the hotel. Great, great food. I had spiced pork (looked like a tasty pork chop), that came with sides, as well as a beer. My wife Kim had a shrimp dish and a beer, and we shared a dessert. Oh, and we had an appetizer. I think we spent $80. The other couple both had lobster, an appetizer, a bottle of wine, and a dessert. Theirs was around $112. The food was excellent, as was the atmosphere. Seemed like a restaurant in NY or Chicago. As mentioned above, we paid in American dollars. At the hotel, if you have drinks at the bar, or room service, you simply charge it to your room. At the end, you settle up the charges and pay them in cash (USD). You never have to exchange money.
Things to Bring/Clothing/Weather
The weather was amazing for us. Sunny the entire time. Low of 70, and a high of 80-82. We brought raincoats but never used them. Did use sweaters/pullovers at night in restaurants. Hats are a good idea when walking outside as the sun is intense.
We each packed a carry-on suitcase (which we checked when flying to Cuba) and a backpack. That was it (many folks brought a slightly larger suitcase that you would check). Cuba is very casual. As a guy, I had two pair of nice sneakers and that was it for shoes. I had lots of polo style shirts. Sometimes I wore shorts, other times hiking pants. For dinner I had a pair of casual trousers. One or two guys had a sport coat. Kim had shorts, capris, and jeans. Some ladies had casual dresses or skirts. Comfort is key here, especially for the shoes. We were not in Cuba to make a fashion statement. The ground was often uneven with lots of potholes and lips and places to trip. I really don't recommend sandals or open toe shoes. While they might look nice, they aren't practical. Lots of opportunities to step in something and stub your toes!
A few thoughts on items to bring...
Sunscreen - as the sun is hot and intense. We bought ours in Miami at the target about 3-4 blocks from the hotel.
Toiletries - we brought our own travel size shampoo/conditioner and body wash. The did have it in the shower, but it was really not great and I did not enjoy the smell.
Insect repellant - we brought Off! brand wipes with Deet. These are great. Much less mess and easy to apply. There were maybe two days where we need this.
Toilet Paper - we brought a roll, just in case. The TP in Havana is...thin sandpaper. On that note, for the ladies, in many places in Havana, there are no toilet seats, and sometimes no TP. Ronny gave everyone travel packs of tissues.
Guitar strings. What did he say?? I don't want to spoil it for you in terms of the cultural events, but they were all very good. You really feel for the Cuban people and begin to think, how can I help them? One of the cultural events we went to was a program that teaches guitar, and they performed a small concert for us (it was called Vocal Clave de Sol). It was excellent! I wish I had known and brought some guitar strings to leave behind as a goodwill gesture or thank you, as they are hard to get and expensive in Cuba. I don't know if everyone will be doing that one, but there is a chance you will. You might consider asking your tour director before you come if you are doing that one and can bring something to leave behind (do not use the word donation...it complicates things)...or if there is something you can bring for any of the events that is not a donation. Note that Tauck does provide them with support on our behalf.
One final thought in this long-winded novella. Everything is hard to get in Cuba...everything. We left some of our items behind...a mostly unused bottle of sunscreen. A pair of sneakers. Some leftover toiletries. We left ours for our maid. If you do that, you need to write a little note, stating exactly what you are leaving, your name and room number and that you are leaving it for the maid. Otherwise it goes to lost and found. Or you can give it to Hector (local guide) and he can use it or give it to those who need it.
OK, that's it for now. It was an amazing experience. If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Jeff & Kim
Re: Advertising
Fox News, who watches Fox News? Do you want to vacation with someone who watches Fox news 😂😂😂😂
I’ve seen the ads on the online New York Times.
British
Re: Advertising
This is not a political website, it is a travel website. The comment about seeing a Tauck add on Fox news I think was not political. I think several posts after that crossed the line. Let’s put that to bed. (;-)
Sealord
Colombia Tour Summary
My departure was a group of 19 guests. Our TD was organized, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and attentive. This tour highlights the people of Colombia working to unite, revitalize, and transform their country with a focus on music, arts and resources.
Guides and Transportation: We had 2 local guides for each city. With specialty guides at the Botero Museum, Capilla del Rosario (coffee), Normandia Equestrian Center, and Comuna 13.
We were transported in 2 vans (very comfortable seating), except the days we had a flight then a bus was used. Traffic in every city was congested with narrow streets and motorcycles veering between vehicles. There was no WiFi in the vans or buses. There was no assigned seating on the vans or bus, nor did you have to use the same van everyday.
Flights: Avianca Airline on A320 planes. Coach seating. No delays. Both flights departed about 7pm. An hour flight wheels up to down to Medillin and a little longer to Cartagena.
Luggage pull was 7am. Our luggage was already at the airports when we arrived with baggage claim tickets and boarding passes ready. Usual security procedures to get to the departure gate.
Food: Breakfast buffets at the hotels were nice. Opened at 6am.
Lunches and dinners were all excellent. The food was always fresh, creative, well presented and delicious. Each location was a lovely dining experience. In Medellin our dinner view was rooftop overlooking the city and its twinkling lights. Live music at some restaurants.
Safety: You are always in the Tauck bubble. There isn't much free time. The days start at 8am with the exception of a 7:45am and another at 9:30am.
I never felt unsafe. Our local guides always reminded us to be aware of pickpockets when we were in congested walking areas.
Cartagena was very crowded due to cruise ships in port during the day.
Weather: Bogota 65 and mostly cloudy. Medellin 70 and partly cloudy. Cartagena 90+ sunny and humid. No rain (but it was forecasted everyday).
Currency and shopping: There really isn't any designated "shopping" time available besides some free time in Guatape and at one rest area. There are street stalls and vendors in every city. I was able to purchase a print I saw in an art store in Coumna 13 while on our walking tour. I was able to buy it and wrapped before I was out of range of my Vox. There are also gift shops at the coffee plantation, equestrian center, both music venues, and the museums. Credit cards are accepted. The USD is not accepted in Bogota or Medellin, but I did see USD pricing in Cartagena. The TD let guests know where ATM's are. I did see a money exchange office at the Santa Clara hotel.
I brought Peso with me. If you make any small transactions you will need their currency.
Comparing this tour to the other 13 I have taken with Tauck (Egypt forever #1) Colombia is in the top half of my list.
The tour was active, fun and informative. The cities are vibrant, beautiful and growing with new construction.
Each day was an adventure through Colombia. All the activities and sights were well planned and enjoyable.
I hope this sums up the logistics of the tour since it is new this year. If you have any questions I will be happy to answer if I can.
JDS11
Trip Report, Essence of Japan, October 2024
Part 1
Last week, my husband and I returned from this great tour, which had commenced mid-October. It was interesting and fun, and we enjoyed it, expecially the varied cultural experiences. We had an excellent tour director and local guides and a nice group of 24. For the most part, the weather was quite good.
Air travel: We flew JAL (Japan Airlines) from Chicago to Tokyo. Coming home, Osaka to Tokyo to Chicago. Really liked JAL and would not hesitate to fly them again. Food was very good - we both had the Japanese dinners. The flight attendants were plentiful and very attentive. Business class seats were comfortable.
We arrived a day early into Haneda Airport. The immigration line was long. We did have the QR codes printed out and I think that helped, as we were pulled out of the long line and slightly expedited. We were efficiently met and driven to the Shangri-La, an approximate 45 minute drive. We arrived at 5:00 pm - very nice, spacious, quiet room with a good view over the City. In an effort to stay awake, we took a walk around the fascinating nearby rail station. There, we had a light dinner of pizza and salad at The Old Station, which my husband had come across while researching.
Day 1 of Tour: The tour was to commence this evening. During the day, in the morning we took a tour of the Imperial Palace grounds. I had pre-booked this free government tour on the Imperial Palace website 2 months in advance. I was glad we were able to see areas of the Palace grounds that are accessible only with this tour, including the Palace itself. The tour was very crowded, with various groups divided by language. The English group was the largest, and it was hard to hear the guide unless you were close to her. We then bought a Bento box lunch, enjoyed it back at the hotel, and headed for the Metro. We took the Metro to and from the Shinjuku area, where we visited the Gyoen National Garden. Very pretty and the Metro itself is interesting to experience.
The group met at 5:30 pm to depart for the Meiji Kinenkan Reception Hall, where we had our Welcome cocktails and appetizers, dinner and Sumo wresting demonstration. A nice opportunity to meet with the group and the tour director and the local guide that was with us for most of the tour.
Day 2: Tokyo touring. Morning visit to Meiji Shrine with Shinto ceremony. Sporadic light drizzle, so remember to bring raincoat and umbrella. Then, a walk through the Tsukiji fish market. Lots of tempting food, but I was saving up for lunch. Excellent lunch at Nobu. Afternoon Taiko drum demonstration and participation. A lot of fun.
That evening, on our own, we took the Metro to Shibuyu (quite crowded). We walked around, visited the famous Scramble Crossing and then had a light dinner at a Tapas restaurant.
Day 3: Morning visit to Tokyo National Museum - very good. Teppanyaki lunch (wagyu beef) at Ittetsu Restaurant. Then, a visit to the Senso-Ji Buddhist Temple.
That evening, dinner on our own, four of us took a taxi to the nearby Ginza area, where we had a Sukiyaki dinner at a restaurant that our fellow travelers had researched and made reservations. Casual and fun.
Day 4: The group walked over to the Tokyo rail station and we took a 33 minute bullet train to Hakone. It was colder and damp. We had a cruise on Lake Ashi. Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was obscured by clouds. We had a nice buffet lunch at Lakeside Grill. By then it had brightened up and we visited the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Very beautiful and interesting. It also has a small indoor Picasso museum.
We then arrived at the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa. Very nice and quiet. We donned our Yukatas and went to our flower arranging class, which I enjoyed. We were split into two groups for that. Then the whole group had a period for cocktails and heavy appetizers and then a light dinner. Later, both my husband and I visited the onsen (mineral baths). They are separated by gender. Very relaxing.
Day 5: A lovely, sunny day. We drove to the Itciku Kimona Museum. But first, on the way, stopped to take photos of Mt. Fuji, which we saw at various times during our drives. The Kimona Museum and grounds were very interesting and lovely. On the bus, we viewed a video explaining the process and also the background of the artist. We then went to the Venetian Glass Museum, where we had lunch and then time to explore the grounds and Museum. Back at the hotel, we had a sushi making demonstration (hands on) and then an included dinner at whatever time we had reserved at either the Japanese restaurant or the Western restaurant. We chose the Japanese restaurant, which was very good. Afterwards, my husband and I again visited the onsen baths.
Day 6: This is the first of two days where we would have access to carryon luggage only for our overnight. We departed to the train station at 8:30 am and arrived in Nagano at lunchtime. We had lunch at the 52nd Floor Zenith Restaurant. Nice views and good lunch. Then we drove by bus to the Inuyama Castle,the oldest standing castle in Japan. It was a short stop for photos and to use the restrooms. There was not enought time to and we were discouraged from climbing up the interior of the castle. Then we drove to the Sanshu Hamono Museum, a sword museum. We had a very interesting sword making demonstration and were able to take photos with the sword and the sword master. Also, a shopping opportunity.
We arrived at Gero Onsen around 5:45 pm. I wish we had arrived earlier, as I really enjoyed the experience of this traditional Japanese Inn, and even an additional 1 hour would have helped. We left our shoes upon entry to the hotel, and were given slip on slippers. My husband and I quickly went to our room, donned our yukatas and visited the baths. I went into both the indoor and outdoor baths (I was the only person there). The outside bath was beautiful, as it overlooked the City and it was dark out. Then, the group gathered for the traditional Kaiseki meal. It was interesting and I liked most of it. wine and beer included. The staff were lovely. After dinner, my husband and I both visited the baths again. (About 10-12 minutes each time). Then we retired to our room and had a very restful sleep on the futon beds. They were quite comfortable.
Day 7: We had a private onsen bath in our room, which I used in the morning. I would have gone to the outdoor bath again, but it was raining. Then, a nice breakfast, mostly Western, but with some Japanese options. After breakfast, we headed downstairs to the coffee area on the first floor, where I could get a cappuccino and there was a sitting area overlooking the pretty grounds of the Inn. There is also a gift shop. Then, the group headed to the Tenryo Sake Brewery for a tour and tasting. I really enjoyed this. We then went to the town of Takayama, where we had a guided tour and time on our own before we were to meet up to walk to lunch at Le Midi. During our independent time, it started to rain very hard. Fortunately, we had our raincoats and umbrellas with us. The lunch was excellent. We then drove by bus to Kanazawa, where we stayed at the Hyatt Centric. Very nice hotel, quiet and comfortable and nicely located near the train station, restaurants and Department stores. Included dinner at Hotel at previously reserved time.
Day 8: Full day in Kanazawa. After breakfast, we drove by bus to the Samurai House and Village, where we had a tour by our local guide, followed by some time on our own. Our local guide recommended the gold leaf vanilla ice cream cone, which we tried. Then, we toured the Kenroku-en Garden (one of the top 3 gardens in Japan). Followed by lunch at the nearby Jardin Paul Bocuse. Then, a very enjoyable private Samurai show (with audience participation). Back to the Hyatt Centric, where we relaxed for a short time and had an on our own sushi dinner at a nearby restaurant.
To be continued...
Just came back from Australia and New Zealand Tour
Thought I would let the forum know how the tour went. It was our first Tauck tour. Everyone else on the tour ( except for us and one other couple) were Tauck veterans. It was a small tour so 24 people. We went early to enjoy the Australian Open. The tour opens in Melbourne which is a beautiful city with numerous great restaurants. We did a bit of walking on our own because we arrived early so we skipped the first day of the tour which was a walking as well a bus tour of the city. The next day we flew by private jet to Uluru and had tours of Ayer's rock and watched the rock turn red at sunset with champagne and a catered meal. We then flew ( same jet, same crew)- to Cairns where we stayed at Slippery Oaks- a unique hotel in the rainforest that consists of individual huts. We had wonderful entertainment from an Australian cowboy. One day we snorkled out at the Great Barrier Reef while staying there. The ocean life there is indescribable. After a couple days in Cairns/Queensland- we flew to Sydney ( same jet, same crew) We stayed at the Intercontinental- on the Harbor- with a spectacular view of the bridge and Opera House. We needed to find a place to do laundry and we found Elegant Dry Cleaning, a half a block from the ICH. They will wash, dry and fold clothes for $30 a bag - and we gave them two large bags and it was $60. The hotel wanted 3X that much. We gave it to them at 9:00 and had it back by 4:00. Also- if you want to see something at the Sydney Opera House I suggest you get tickets ahead of time as several people on our tour could not get tickets. I had bought tickets in November- we saw the opening night of La Traviata- excellent performance.
From there we flew to New Zealand. We fell in love with New Zealand. Again- flying from Wellington to Blenheim, to Te Anau, to Queensland to Auckland. It is a breathtaking country. One of our highlights was a trip to a sheep farm and watching the dogs work and the sheering of sheep ( of course with tea, coffee and scones). They also had a small shop with sweaters, hats, scarfs and stuffed animals made from the wool of the Merino sheep from their farm. I think our group almost bought out the store! The sweaters are soft and warm. The family that owned the farm could not have been nicer-- www.kaitunaridges.com -- we loved it. The hotel in Marlborough is okay- I mean you are in the middle of nowhere! Then on to Te Anau. The trip to the Milford Sound, while in Te Anau was one of the highlights of this trip- the scenery took our breath away. The hotel there again was - okay- again - you are in the middle of nowhere- our only complaints - from everyone in the group were the beds were lousy- but for 2 nights we dealt with it. On to Queensland and a gorgeous Sofitel hotel in the heart of Queenstown. So much to do- so little time. We would like to have had another week there. There is a gondola ride to the top of the mountain. A rather harrowing ( think cliff hugging) ride to the jet boat. A thrilling jetboat ride on the Shotover River and then a helicopter ride back to Queenstown- and that was just one morning! We flew to Auckland and the only day we had there we spent at a distillery and winery on a nearby island. Then it was time to go home.
We had a fabulous time, we did not have one bit of rain except in the rainforest. We met some great people- we are planning to vacation together next year. Our tour director was fabulous. She was so organized and knowledgeable and FUNNY. We sang her a song our last night that we had made up to the tune of Waltzing Mathilda.
Anything I would change- yes- too much eating- we don't need that much food- there were several days where we ate 5 times and were fed on the planes!! We wasted a lot of food. Also we felt we could do without the bus tour of Sydney, that was almost three hours we could have spent walking around Sydney. Also the last day in Auckland, we would have rather spent in the city. But other than that- we are thinking of returning and doing just the New Zealand tour in a few years. It is a very long tour and you are tired by the end. But wow was it worth it!!
COHNY
Re: Tour Director tip
@MS78 - Poon is a troll. In my opinion, the best thing to do is to completely ignore him - he feeds on you getting upset. If he doesn't get a response, he will go away.
Re: Yet another Tauck Freebie
Update: Tauck saw my posts on the forum and tracked me down (I guess I'm the only Ken in Las Vegas with 20 trips 
). They will be providing me with the missing stuff. Way to go, Tauck! 
