Krakow to Budapest Adventure

A good trip overall, but it was disappointing not to have had information about the 3 different countries given by the tour leader. Usually, when on the bus, the trip leader provides information on a variety of subjects eg politics, education, geography, crops, native flora and fauna etc. This was very much missing.

Great trip. Busy week full of interest.

I’ve had more information about the daily activities and locations from previous Explore leaders, maps, local information, timings etc. The time on the bus is often used to give a taste of the country we are in, the language, foods and local customs for example, and pass round literature for those who want to read it, especially if the tour visits more than one country. I missed that on this trip.

Great hotels (cleanliness, location), a mix of adventure, culture, and unique experiences in a fun, small group setting. A good balance of structure and free time to get a great taste of the areas visited.

We really enjoyed the rafting trip and the hike in the High Tatra Mountains. We liked the mix of nature and smaller cities but also enjoyed Krakow and think more time there might be warranted. Our tour guide, Barbora, was outstanding and very focused on making sure we enjoyed our vacation. Our only negative comment is that the accomodations were as expected but continue to be less than we would prefer.

I would highly recommend the Krakow to Budapest trip. Krakow, Slovakia and Budapest are all beautiful and interesting places in their own right and this trip is the perfect introduction to all 3. Csilla our guide was excellent. Organised, full of information and went above and beyond to ensure we all had an excellent week. We add an extra couple of days in Krakow before the trip started and our only regret is that we didn’t do the same in Budapest.

We had a great time on this trip. The itinerary has a lot of variety -- city/cultural tours plus hiking and rafting in beautiful scenery. Our guide, Csilla, was outstanding -- very patient, upbeat, and calm. She also gave us so much information on the history of the three countries. The wine tasting experience was terrific because we got to interact with old-time, traditional wine makers from the countryside. We've experienced posh wine-tastings at art galleries and hotels in the past, and although they weren't horrible experiences, they felt much more pretentious and much less authentic. Having read some of the previous reviews that were less positive, our comments are: 1) if you want luxury travel, don't book this trip -- when you order a glass of house wine, it will be just that, and no more. It's fine to be a wine snob or a coffee snob or a hotel snob, but don't book a relatively low-priced tour and then be disappointed when you aren't given luxury treatment. Some of the hotel rooms are small and won't accommodate a queen size bed, so there will be two twins. If going for a week without a queen bed is the end of the world for you, find a luxury tour company and pay the additional cost to travel that way. Also, with respect to the hike, the description in the itinerary was totally fine and a reasonable assessment of the difficulty. It would be advisable to have appropriate shoes -- we wore hiking boots and were fine. But any time there is a hike on the itinerary, you should plan ahead and have a fitness routine at home (before departure) to prepare adequately. It is unreasonable to book this trip when you cannot even do the city walks.

A very well organised tour with a good mixture of activities

This was our first trip to Europe. Our tour guide was exceptional. She gave us experiences that were so special and unique. We have memories that will last a lifetime.