Gorgeous Hungary + Vienna
I went with my wife on tour Hungary + Vienna with Natalie Voyage 01/04/2009. Let me just say that I really liked everything. We didn't regret anything. The organizers of the two groups were Natalia and Tomash. We had Natalia. The tour program was fully sustained on 5+. The border was crossed quickly in both directions, without much delay (just lucky). The first day turned out to be very interesting and intense (especially after visiting the thermal waters in Miskolc and wine tasting in Eger). We arrived in Budapest at 22.00 - tired, but satisfied. The next day was a sightseeing tour of the Hungarian capital. Everything was very interesting and a lot, and it was not possible to feel the spirit of the city in one day. Therefore, we decided with renewed vigor on our own the next day to once again examine and explore everything in more detail. It should be taken into account that the Hungarians do not know the Russian language at all or pretend that they do not know, which is most likely. Knowledge of English and / or German will facilitate understanding with the inhabitants of the country. On the fourth day we went to Vienna, the capital of Austria. I advise those who want to go there separately in the near future, do not pay for this tour, but visit the Szé chenyi thermal waters in the same Budeshte. According to the level of development, I would put Hungary as something intermediate between Ukraine and countries of the level of Austria. In Vienna, try to speak German with the residents, which they really like, then they easily make contact, take pictures. Those who know a little German, try to speak it, even with mistakes. The next two (last) days were spent in Debrecen - a small town, but the second largest in Hungary. Guide Victor - just scream. I have never heard such fun, interesting excursions. Humor, however, is specific to him. I think that young people, and especially guys and girls with a sense of humor, will understand me. At the end of the tour, we visited the water park and thermal springs.
Tour organizer Natalia: a pleasant woman did her job very professionally, maps of Budapest and Vienna were issued. If you have her as a team leader, you will not regret it. I also heard good things about Tomas from her.
Drivers Sergey and Ivan Ivanovich: funny, charming guys, pranksters.
Pros: see above, in general, I really liked the trip.
Cons or, most likely, remarks: regarding the program, I would cancel the trip to Deberetsen, and would devote this time to staying in Budapest; clothes after visiting the water park were wet, that is, they had to be washed and dried upon arrival home; in a hotel in Budapest people smoked in the corridor, but it was already on the conscience of the group members or the hotel administration; in the Debrecen hotel there was no refrigerator in the room, but we lived there for less than a day.
Tips: it is better to buy souvenirs everywhere in places remote from the center (it will definitely be cheaper there); you should not attend all excursions (you cannot embrace the immensity); I advise you to prepare for the trip carefully in terms of attractions, what is worth seeing, what is not; a map of the city can be provided to you either by the accompanying group or at the reception at the hotel; if you have money for shopping, I advise you, if possible, to track any promotions in stores, for which goods will be cheaper than in Kyiv; do not change all the money at once, by the way, take the money in euros and dollars in half (some excursions are paid only in euros) and do not forget about hryvnias (you will need them on the way back).
And yet, I would like to note that people go on tour from different companies, and there may be 7-8, or even more. You try to recruit people for 2-3 buses from one company for one tour (this is unrealistic). And the guides can be different, some good, others not so much. And it does not depend on the travel agency. It just happened and you got lucky or not. For example, we were driving from Natalie Voyage, and the accompanying group was from Alliance. And next time someone may be from Natalie Voyage, or maybe not, the same thing is with the guide. And the last thing, maybe I will repeat that the accompanying group and the guide, in most cases, are two different people. One of them is the organizer of the trip, deals with paperwork, responds to the requests of vacationers of an organizational nature, the second one tells about what he saw, tells the story, etc. Feel the difference. And the last of the last, carefully read the tour program and do not make claims why we are going there and behaving this way, and not the way you want it to be. You read it, you got acquainted with it before the trip, in the end, you signed the contract. Claims should be made if there were changes in the program without any reason for this. I wish you all good luck and unforgettable, in the best sense of the word, impressions