Culture Bestsellers

The itinerary was thoughtfully designed, allowing us to explore a wide range of fascinating destinations throughout the trip.

Activity level was 1, not 3 as advertised.

The hotels were comfortable, with two exceptions:
Hotel SUI Kyoto Kiyomizu in Kyoto – Situated on a busy main road, the hotel suffered from significant noise even during nighttime hours due to poor sound insulation. Breakfast was consistently overcrowded.
Route Inn Kawaguchiko – The room was small and dimly lit, with a window facing a concrete wall just two metres away. The décor was dated; it felt like the last renovation was done in the 1980s, and the breakfast offering was disappointing in both quality and variety.

In contrast, Hotel Monterey Akasaka in Tokyo stood out as the best accommodation – stylish, comfortable, and well located.

Dining independently was a highlight of the trip. We enjoyed excellent meals at various local restaurants, often at very reasonable prices. However, the two complimentary dinners provided in Takayama were surprisingly poor in quality. In hindsight, it would have been preferable to explore dining options on our own that evening as well.

Public transportation was generally a positive experience and added to the trip’s authenticity. That said, the day spent navigating Kyoto’s local buses and trains resulted in more time waiting than sightseeing. Additionally, the transfer from Kawaguchiko to Tokyo consumed most of the day. A chartered bus would have significantly reduced travel time to under two hours, and allowed for a more relaxed and efficient transition.

Marin Popa Ancient & Modern Japan

There was a lot of bus/ travel time on this journey. Given that, I felt that some days were very poorly planned.
Examples:
One day all we did was cross the border to Turkmenistan. We started at 1:pm and it took 2 hours. The next day there was a six hour excursion to a UNESCO site. Then back to the city for lunch. Then another 5.5 hour drive out to the gas crater. Obviously the UNESCO excursion could have been done the previous afternoon if we would have crossed the border in the morning. Then we would have arrived for sunset at the camp. Instead we were driving in the dark on a very poor and dangerous road, arriving stressed. As an aside, some passengers got bed bug bites at the camp.

The day we arrived in Uzbekistan we had been travelling for 9 hours. All we wanted was our hotel, a drink and some food. Sergi proceeded to say we had to go to the summer palace and a silk factory that night. The whole group was fed up and we did not enjoy either one. These activities were scheduled for the next day.

Anyway there were many days like this; it was agreed by all that we would prefer to get to our hotel in the late afternoon in order to unwind and perhaps explore on our own. There was no need for so many late check ins.

Most hotels were adequate. I did not have high expectations. Rooms were clean and comfortable. However, the breakfasts were horrendous. Cold food, empty buffet trays, very little offered.

Nickey Knight The Five Stans of the Silk Road – Almaty to Ashgabat

Baltis is a gem!!!!
3 countries in 12 days with fairytale old towns, culture, the music soul of the people, these countries have rich cultural traditions, centuries old folklore, song festivals of voices and UNESCO listed historic centers.
All the medieval towers and coloful facades walking through them feel likes stepping back in time.
Baltics offer untouched landscapes perfect for breathing fresh air from endless pine forest and serene lakes to the largest sand dune in Europe, the Curonian Spit.

Raquel Quiros Discover the Baltics