Best Of
Re: Input on food re: A Week in Spain
Oh please, Henry. Give it up already. Your miserable existence is getting tiresome.
SGF
Re: July 26 trip
As with most Tauck trips, there are built in ‘surprises’. I’m not going to reveal any more than I already have, and that is probably too much. It is obviously our favorite trip since we have done it four times. Each time was a different experience.
Sealord
Re: July 26 trip
HooHeel- there will be lots of coffee breaks and sundowners in the bush - even more than the Botswana tour. I loved both. You will see more animals on K & T, and in very large numbers.
Re: July 26 trip
We have taken the tour twice, but have been to Tanzania four times now, always starting in Arusha. The last K and T tour, last time we hiked down into Oldupai gorge as part of the tour and a walking safari, which I think was near either Mt Kenya Safari club or the Four Seasons. I’m not sure if they do either any more.
You will not see Colobus monkeys anywhere but Arusha National Park. You don’t generally see baobab trees unless you go to the Western Serengeti that this tour does not go to.
If you do the Arusha Park tour that includes a hike to the waterfalls, which you will have to say you want, it’s going to be a long day, so you will probably have to start the day pretty early to be back in time for the 4-30pm meeting that I advise you don’t miss.
The fairly new to itinerary Melia hotel in Arusha has good spa treatments, a small coffee plantation in the grounds which you can walk around on your own and a little craft village there too….they will give you a little tour without any obligation to buy anything. This hotel is nowhere near the hotel Tauck originally used, we drove past that one last time. The town is in a ribbon development style and it’s interesting to drive through but not worth asking for a private tour. The pool is very nice but absolutely freezing!
Please write a review when you return and compare it with the Botswana tour which you will see is very different.
British
Re: Croatia to Venice Tour
Recently returned from May 2025 edition of this tour. As usual the tour director and the tour guides were all excellent. The hotels were all excellent with regard to facility and location. Croatia and Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina were all beautiful. We had no language problems English was spoken by most people we encountered. We had researched restaurants for our 'on our own' meals as well as took recommendations from the TD. We found the food to be perhaps the blandest cuisine we have experienced in our wide travels. We ate in several Michelin listed facilities and only Zinfandel's one of the Tauck included meals was excellent. The Postojna caves turned out to be fantastic. We had known nothing about it and the experience was unforgettable. The former tourism director for Croatia who spoke to us was excellent and a very impressive person. The others in our tour group were a most enjoyable and friendly crew. They were individually interesting and a high point of the trip. The trip ending in Venice was a good choice. The Metropole was located excellently. It is a unique experience as it is a very old facility which has been upgraded but retains a distinctly antique feel. The only hitches in the trip were weather related and they caused no difficulties for us. From start to finish the tour flowed smoothly and expertly. We learned a lot about the people and the countries and had a very enjoyable time.
cleew
Re: Input on food re: A Week in Spain
Food: thinking of Spanish food is sort of like thinking of Italian food. You won’t see risotto in Rome and if you do, you’d be better off not getting it. Lot’s of regional differences. Paella is from Valencia. You might see it elsewhere but it’s not the genuine thing. An exception might be Barcelona where there is a strong Sunday paella tradition, especially along the water. One universal tradition is tapas. Our Spanish is pretty elementary and we find the tapas scene to be a bit intimidating on our own (lots of pointing and gesticulating). A tapas tour in Barcelona and San Sebastion (pinxtos there) were great fun and the food was terrific. Some areas (Granada) have a tradition we like: order a drink and a free tapa comes along. We took the Northern Spain tour and the best food was on the fore mentioned tapas tours and at places we had researched and booked on our own. The 2 to 3 hour Tauck lunches and dinners (which grew old quickly) were ponderous. The food was good but more like cruise ship good, especially the ones in hotels. I’ve found group meals on most tours to be generally that way with really great meals the exception.
Re: Galapagos and Peru 2025
Hiking boots are not needed but Keens or Merrills with good soles are essential for walking on stones and stone paths at Machu-Picchu and lava flows on the islands. I don't believe the soles on canvas shoes (boat shoes?) are adequately non-slip. On the islands many wore water shoes or bare feet for wet landings- got out of the pangas, waded ashore, then sat down on a nearby rock to dry their feet and remove sand before putting on socks and good soled sports shoes. For so-called dry landings they started in shoes so were ready to walk on the sharp lava.
AlanS
Re: Wildlife Odyssey (Victoria Falls, Chobe, Kruger, Capetown) in July 2025
I got back May 13, 2025. It was fabulous! Very fast paced so we were pretty tired when we got back. Food was excellent, the game lodges 5 star, and the game drives never ceased to amaze. I got the most incredible pictures. Will be framing some to display in my house. We saw elephants galore, numerous lions (up close) including two rare white lions, zebras, giraffes, a leopard, water buffalo, mongoose, kudu, Impala, wildebeest, baboons, and much more.
It was warm during the day at the beginning, but got cooler as the trip progressed. The morning game drives in Ngala were quite cold, so if you're going this summer it will be chilly.
This trip does not disappoint. I have recommended it to so many people since we got back. You'll love it!
Re: Green book and insider tips
Like I’ve been saying, some people don’t tip, some people tip less then suggested, some more than suggested and some just can’t afford another penny once they have paid for an expensive tour. It should be at your own discretion .
However, please remember the Tour directors have to do a ton of things behind the scenes including a recap of what the day was like to headquarters, any things that did not work out, did anyone get injured, was there a bad meal etc and most surprisingly, a report on every single person on the tour. The driver cleans the bus and goes to get gas, resupplies the bottles of water on the bus and maybe empty the bus toilet!
British
Re: Input on food re: A Week in Spain
We love Spain and there is much to love. But, having visited Sagrada Familia several times it is one of, if not the highlight of visiting not only Barcelona, but all of Spain. I hope those who missed out will seek some compensation although, IMHO, nothing will replace that first moment of walking into this very special place.