Jose and Daniel

You made a hero out of me!

The other 5 in my group got home Saturday night and had nothing but rave reviews for their trip! They loved every minute of it, and couldn't say enough good things about their two guides. They said they were both incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Every minute was planned to perfection and they would recommend Tara Tours to everyone! Thank you so much for everything, and please pass on my thanks to Hermine. I hope I will be able to take my husband on the same trip some day.

Regards

Ronnye

Travel Agent

Memphis, TN

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maty & family

June 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


REPORT BRAZIL:
Rio, Salvador Bahia, Iguassu Falls, Manaus

Dear Jose:

Michael and I enjoyed our trip to Brazil and the following are our comments about it:

Rio:
1)   Maria Isaura Torres for terrific in terms of transfers, etc.   She followed up with me, actually a few moments ago by email.   Michael missed his flight due to a delayed departure by 2 hrs. and Maria arranged for me and a driver to pick him up the next day at my cost.

2)   Hotel Savoy was adequate for the next few days; breakfasts good; beds like pallets.

3)    Tour arrangements by Grayline, adequate, although picking up multiple people going and coming, certainly does not make for a 4 hr. tour.

Manaus:
1)   Hotel St. Paul was terrific and very centrally located; staff up to the task.

2)    Guide as Naza (Nico) Reno and was superior............very knowledgeable and professional., as we toured the city and he guided us to the best restaurant in Manaus, where we went twice.

3)   Tour to the Amazon and Rio Negro with Joao Packo was superb............made the area come alive and was terrific

Salvador do Bahia:
1)   Delighted we changed the hotels!...Convento du Carmo was charming, serene and close to everything with a bit of walking.

2)   Carlos was our guide and was terrific in Salvador.   We decided that a "fishing village experience" the next day would suit us.   We, personally, would not advise this, since Praia de Forte is nothing but a tourist trap and has little to offer, but the restaurant, Salle de Bahia, is excellent, although obviously a tourist group stop and filled with literally 200 group tours.    In essence, too far for much too little, with a guide who had allergies and blew his nose in his hands.

Iguazu:
1)  Joao Andrade is excellent, not just that he has been in this area for 47 yrs., but he is indeed knowledgeable!!!
We enjoyed (Linda for the 2nd time) the falls enormously.    We then added a side tour to Paraguay, which we both found interesting, photogenic, and needy.

Rio Again:

1)  Were given a "penthouse" room on the 13th floor (elevator only goes to 12) and it was super.

2)  Favella Tour was beyond our expectations and was thoroughly enjoyed, as was Rachel our guide.

Jose, all in all, we loved the trip................obviously a couple of things were not up to our expectations, but aside from the horrendous humidity, for which you are not responsible, it was a great trip and we appreciate your arranging it.   I do, however, question whether Rio is ready for the Olympics with it's political unrest bubbling.

Regards and Thanks,
Linda & Rae
California
March 08-20, 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: PANAMA
Bristol, Gamboa & Westin Playa Bonita

Victor,
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Panama. The hotels were great, the tour guides and transfers were prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. Everything went very smoothly.
Thanks much!

Gary & Glenn (4 passengers)
Feb 11-18, 2016
California

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: GUATEMALA

Thank you for all the expertise you put into getting us out of 26" of snow. The trip was wonderful. We had guides all to ourselves which was perfect.

Nancy & Jack
Illinois
Jan.24-Feb.01, 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY

Hi Victor,
 
We had a great trip to Buenos Aires, Paraguay and Uruguay. There were no technical problems -- all transfers were prompt, all tours guides were there as scheduled and spoke English well. The only surprise was our flight from Asuncion to Montevideo via Buenos Aires with Aerolineas Argentinas that you booked for us. There was a last minute flight change. The flight from Asuncion to Buenos Aires was rescheduled to land at the International airport instead of the Domestic airport. Fortunately, we had five hours between flights which gave us plenty of time to hire a taxi to drive us to the Domestic airport for our flight to Montevideo.
 
We really enjoyed the Tango lesson/dinner/show at La Vantana and would highly recommend it. Our driver picked us up early for the transfer to our tango lesson. As a result, the first 40 minutes of our lesson turned out to be a private lesson for just the two of us. Dinner was good and we were pleased with the seats we had for the show.
All the hotels were comfortable with excellent central locations as we requested. We were able to walk to most of the sites that interested us.
Pedro, our tour guide in Asuncion was outstanding. He had a great sense of humor, a great rapport with the local people and was very agreeable to meet all our needs. We would highly recommend him to future travelers.
We enjoyed Colonia and Montevideo. Both city tours were interesting. The tango/folk/dinner show at El Milongon was a bit disappointing. The show itself was good with energetic performers. The Facility was nice. There were only twelve people in the audience that night. The dinner (and wine) was the most disappointing meal of the entire trip.
Changing money in Buenos Aires turned out to be quite difficult. You always needed your passport and there was a minimum of a one hour wait in line to change your money. One day we were so frustrated that we changed a bit of money with the "street"
cambio hawkers. They were very efficient and gave a good exchange rate. Changing money in Paraguay and Uruguay was easy. However, we have one warning for Paraguay.
After being frustrated in Buenos Aires, we immediately changed money at the first currency exchange we saw upon arrival at the airport in Asuncion. When we passed through customs and met Pedro, he asked if we needed to change money. We told him we already changed money. He said, "Oh no! Too bad!" Turns out that the exchange rate within the airport was about 20% less than all the other currency exchanges in town.
He photographed our receipt, put it on his Facebook page, and gave a copy to the local tourist authorities.
 
Tara Tours did an excellent job organizing this trip for us. It was an enjoyable two weeks. The weather even cooperated. It was sunny and warm most days. We missed all the rain showers and especially the flooding rains in Paraguay.
 
Thanks for your help in planning this trip.
 
Best regards,
Bob and Joanne
Massachusetts
Jan 3-16, 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: GUATEMALA

Dear Daniel and Lorena,

I just wanted to let you know what a fun trip we had to Guatemala. It was great. For us all, we loved Antigua and staying at the Casa Santa Domingo - I could have spent a week there.

The pickups were great and everything went smoothly - sorry it took me so long to say thank you.

Kind regards and Happy New Year.

Annie & Family
Miami, Florida
Dec.24-31, 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: NICARAGUA

Hi Victor,

We just returned yesterday from our trip. As a whole we really did enjoy ourselves and your representative took very good care of us. The Nicaraguan people were extremely friendly and we never felt in any danger.
Hotel Intercontinental was lovely and the driver and guide were very personable. Fantastic food.

Hotel La Gran Francia was very accommodating but we had to view 5 rooms before there was a really nice one. The first one was 2 1/2 blocks away that seemed to be more of a hostel. The last room we were offered had a balcony overlooking the city and it was perfect. They were extremely nice at this hotel.
I did go by and see the Plaza Colon and it looked better but we were fine.

The guides and drivers were good for the excursions. Pelican Eyes was beautiful, not easily accessible for my husband but I knew that, and we survived. Gorgeous views and accommodations.

Thank you for all your help. We had a very enjoyable and educational trip.
Hope you can assist us with our next holiday!

Best Regards,

Susan
Cayman Islands
Jan. 09-16, 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: PANAMA

Victor:
 
I just spoke to Howard to check how he and his family enjoyed the tour. They had a marvelous time and everything ran smoothly. Thanks to you! It's nice to get such positive feedback!
Thanks again. We will certainly refer future clients to you when needed. Best regards and wishes for a happy healthy New Year.
 
Steve
Travel Agent
Hollywood, FL.
Dec.20-30, 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: GUATEMALA TRIP

Dear Tara,
We just returned from Guatemala and want to thank you for an outstanding trip. Every thing went like clock work. The Palacio Dona Lenora is a truly historic, beautiful enjoyable hotel. The drivers were excellent, with a few minor language problems.
Our driver Julio, returned to a restaurant for a forgotten bag with no complaint, much appreciated.
The “Mayan Express” is a great quick trip with a very nice overview of Guatemala. A truly beautiful country.
Pam
York, PA
Nov.22-28, 2015
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: PERU TRIP

Dear Mr. Daniel Taramona (Tara Tours),
 
My spouse and I took a tour to Peru on September 2nd, 2015, we would like to pay compliments to the team who contributed to our overall good and memorable experience.
 
Booking - Was relatively easy and I liked the fact that we were able to make our booking, payment and inquiries over the telephone, online & email - which were very useful for immediate queries/answers.
Staff: particular mention Mellanie and Daniel were prompt and very helpful - we made some requests and asked for info, and the turnaround was quick. The entire staff were polite and friendly. Also, worth mentioning were both ladies which greeted us at our arrival at the Lima Airport and the one in Cuzco were very professional and always kept us up to date on the daily activities/schedules.
Tour guide (Mr. Cris Vera) - good time management and co-ordination, and takes care of the tour members. He always check to ensure that the tour members are well settled down at each meal and hotel. We also enjoyed his sharing of the Peruvian culture, food and customs...
especially during the train journey toward Machu Picchu; it was a long train ride and his humor/conversation along the way certainly helps.
All Van/Bus Drivers - courteous, steady drive and bring us to our destination safely each time. Whenever we came out from the hotel in the morning/night or back from sight seeing, they were always already there. The van/bus were also kept very clean and confortable, something which we really appreciated.
 
Thanks and keep up the good work.
 
Regards,
 
Manny
Miami, Florida
Sep.02-09, 2015
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: ECUADOR, GALAPAGOS, PERU TRIP 19 days

Dear Daniel,
 
On behalf on my clients -just want to say Thank you. All the services, hotels, transfers, tours run like a clock.
Thanks much,
Sandy
Travel Agent
Washington State
Sep.23-Oct.12, 2015
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT A PERU TRIP

Dear Marco,
 
We are writing to you in regards to your employee, Jany, who was our contact person in Cusco, Peru. When we arrived, Jany was already at the airport, helped us with our luggage and quickly took us to our hotel. She handed us bottles of water on the way there and explained the plans for the rest of the day.
She made sure we were situated in our hotel and after a short break for lunch, met us promptly for the afternoon tour. She knew that one of us was not feeling well and left a phone number to contact her if we should need her services or that of a doctor.
 
The next morning, she met us in preparation for the trip to Machu Picchu. We informed her that only one person would be going as one of was feeling really sick and her husband was going to stay with her. Once again, she informed them to call her if she could help. Around noon, husband had the hotel call Jany and she came over to the hotel within a half hour. She contacted a physician and waited in the hotel lobby until he arrived. While she was waiting for the physician, she went to the pharmacy to ask what could be done for the wife. She returned with a bottle of electrala to help reduce the dehydration and increase the electrolytes. She also brought them extra bottles of water. She returned to the room with the physician to make sure all the translations were communicated properly. During this time, she kept the son, who had gone to Machu Picchu, informed as to what was transpiring at the hotel with his mother. After the doctor left, she went with the husband to the pharmacy to make sure the transactions there went smoothly.
 
The following day we contacted Jany to tell her we would be calling the physician again. She said she would contact him and call them back at the hotel to tell them what he said. She called within twenty minutes saying the nurse had been contacted and would be at the hotel within thirty minutes. She facilitated everything superbly. She kept in contact with them to determine whether Darby would be able to make the scheduled flight on Friday.
 
She arranged to pick them up as late as possible to make the airport in time for the flight. At the airport she got a wheelchair for Darby. Upon finding out that the flight had been cancelled and the family would have to be rebooked on another flight, she was committed to get them to the head of the line for rebooking. She succeeded! Even after rebooking, she maintained contact with the family to make sure they had arrived safely in Lima.
We feel that Jany went out of her way to help us during our time of need. We would like you to know what excellent service she provided for us during our stay and exceeded our expectations of her job duties. Without her dedication and service, we could have had a really difficult time in Cusco. We thank Peruvian Odyssey, and especially Jany, for their dedication to their clients.
 
Best regards,
The Jones family
Key West, Florida
September 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT HONDURAS, GUATEMALA, SALVADOR, NICARAGUA, BELIZE -21 DAYS TRIP

Daniel,

I just wanted to let you and the folks there know that I had a great trip in September to five countries in Central America.
 
The guides were perfect, on time, with good English. The hotels were the best choice and best of area with best of comfort.
 
The itinerary you planned was very complete. I saw a LOT of stuff ! And everything I had wanted to see, as well.
 
Thanks again for a great job.
 
Gary
Stuart, Florida
September 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM COLOMBIA

Hi Suzanne,

Yes the trip was amazing and wonderful! Our hotel and tour guide in Cartagena was not quite on par with Bogota and Medellin, but it certainly did not detract from the trip. The guides/drivers in Bogota and Medellin were amazing and so informative. If you have anyone on the fence about going to Colombia you can tell them to definitely go, it was clean, super safe, and really interesting!

Thanks so much!

Alissa
California
September 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT PERU TRIP

Hi Victor,

We got back from our trip yesterday and everything worked out very well.
All the people met us on time and we loved every minute of it. Janey in Cusco was particularly helpful. We loved Cusco and were very impressed with Machu Pichu. The train ride was interesting and Lan is much better than American Airlines. Peru is a wonderful country and our time in the Amazon is unforgettable. The guide Gladys was very knowledgeable about the museums and churches in Lima. We enjoyed her company but she didn't give us review to fill in after the tour. The hotels were very good and having a triple wasn't a problem. The hotel in Miraflores was probably the best but they were the only ones asking for a coupon for the hotel. Nobody wanted those coupons you sent me at all. The one thing that differed from the itinerary was in Pisac we didn't see the market with people from all over coming. We saw some Inka ruins. Thank you for organizing the whole thing. I would certainly recommend Tara tours to others.

Shirley
Ohio
July 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT PERU

Dear,

Thank you all very much for organizing such a great trip to Peru for my family! It was the perfect introduction to South America and we cannot wait to return. Everything was very organized, local guides and representatives were punctual and very knowledgeable and professional! Everything we expected (per the itinerary)  was covered and even more as an added bonus! I especially appreciate the prompt service in transferring us to a different hotel in Cusco. The second was much better in many ways (better beds, breakfast, improved shower, staff at reception at all times) but mostly it was in an area where we did not need a ‘tourista police’ escort after dark. I look forward to working with you all at Tara Tours again in the future.

Robin
Texas
July 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT GALAPAGOS

Hello fellow Galapaginis:

Kathy & I wanted to express our thanks to all for being a part of our wonderful trip to the Galapagos. We enjoyed meeting each of you and you all added so much to the experience. I am one of those who was caught camera-less during the whale experience on Friday (?)...
Happy trails to all.
Joe & Kathy

Missing everybody! Hope you all had uneventful travel home.
Cindy

Thanks for the email – I am getting back to the realities and really appreciated this life altering experience.  
Thanks for encouraging us to do this
Tonnie

Group to Galapagos aboard the Seaman Journey
North Carolina
July 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT PERU

Dodi, the Peru adventure was fantastic and you were absolutely correct in saying TaraTours and their Peruvian counterpart Peru Odyssey & Gold tours  were terrific. They met us at each travel venue, guides could clearly understand and speak English, literally took us by the hand to whatever was next. They could not have been friendlier, informative, outgoing, and anxious for us to lear about Peru. In particular I would like to commend the following individuals
Oden Calsin, guide and our driver Freddie Calderon in Sacred Valley, Macchu Pichu and Cusco
Adrian our guide in Puno
Blanca Inca in Arequipa
Their understanding of the subject matter, professionalism timeliness and patience were all way above average...
Thanks

Steve,
New York
July 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT COLOMBIA
Good evening Victor,
We have returned from Colombia. You put together a wonderful tour for us and we all had a marvelous time.
Thanks for doing this for us on such short notice. We had excellent tour guides and a splendid itinerary.
I'll give you more details about our experience and recommendations sometime next week that will help you with future clients to Colombia.
Have a great Easter.  
Abrazos,
John
Georgia
March, 2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT PERU & BOLIVIA TRIP 

Jose,
 
I can not thank you enough!
 
Our family had a fabulous "once in a lifetime" trip. Every single detail was well taken care of. We were always met by a smiling face who would transport us to where we belonged.   We also had passionate and knowledgeable tour guides who would take care of our every need.
 
Chris (Christian) who was our tour guide for Machu Picchu was especially wonderful. I am terrified of heights and he held my hand or gave me his arm and made the experience a very pleasant one. My daughters and husband also thought Chris did an exceptional job as our tour guide. He was thoughtful, dedicated and had such a zest for his work. We loved it when he would mention, "My ancestors" and then would proceed to talk about his family or the past.
 
Thank you for this wonderful experience,
 
Sincerely,
 
Renee, Mark, Grace, and Hillary
Arizona
December 2014

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT -NICARAGUA & EL SALVADOR

Dear Tara,

Our guide Eric and driver Gabriel with Grey Line Nicaragua were wonderful. Please let the company know. Also our lunches were included and the food was the best of the best. Just a suggestion: Have clients go to Granada after the morning city tour of Managua and stay on the main drag near the square. Hotel D Arion 5 star. Only 142.00. That way some night life could be experienced.
Love San Salvador.

Thank you for calling ahead and making sure everything is happening as planned.

Johanna & Dianne 
Estero, Florida
October 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM GUATEMALA

Hello Jose,

I can't even begin to tell you what a wonderful job you did for my son and I on our recent trip to the beautiful country of Guatemala.
Many many thanks to you for arranging a most memorable trip for us.
Clark Tours is the best from Oscar our driver throughout Chichicastenango to Lake Atitilan to Antigua...wow and Hector, our guide for those days was most informative. Oscar is a very safe and cautious driver.

The hotels chosen were great but I have a recommendation to not stay at the Mayan Inn but to spend 2 nights in Lake Atitilan at the Porto del lago--what a great place to stay ... I am not a rustic hotel person so I enjoyed the staff at the Mayan inn but I would not want to stay there again.
The Barceló was wonderful and a great location.

I also want to commend Sergio, our guide for the city and the trip to Antigua for the coffee plantation tour...It was the best and he was great.
Thanks also to Olvideo who drove us to the airport for the Tikal trip and for our departure from this wonderful country.

Kudos to Tara Tours for a great trip.
Thanks

Mary Lou
Travel Agent
Santa Barbara CA
October 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM PERU

DEAR JOSE
Just to let you know, we really enjoyed our trip to Peru. The guides were very good, especially Christian (Machu Picchu and Cuzco). We were pleased that everyone (drivers and guides) showed up as scheduled.
The bus trip from Cuzco to Puno was not as enjoyable, as the seats didn't allow much leg room and Ralph is 6 ft. tall..... The hotel at the Sacred Valley was very nice with attractive grounds and very good restaurant .The hotel Brittania in Lima was not very satisfactory. The room was very small with no place to put your belongings if you unpacked. Although the guide in Lima was good (as was the driver in that horrible traffic) he didn't give us any suggestions about what to do on the following day of free time.
Overall, however, we were very happy with the trip.
 
Margie & Ralph
Albany, OR
September 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM COSTA RICA

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for setting Ryan and I up on an amazing honeymoon. It was everything we had hoped and more!
Thanks,

Cheryl
Travel Agent
Colorado
June 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT AMAZON, LIMA, CUZCO

Victor:

My clients had a fabulous time. They could not stop raving about how wonderful the guides and all the arrangements were.
Thank you for all of your help.
 
Gae
Travel Agent
Boca Raton, Florida
May 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT PERU
Hello Jose,
I wanted to thank you, Tara Tours, and Peruvian Odyssey for a wonderful trip for myself and husband Steven. You did a fabulous job on our trip. Peruvian Odyssey was wonderful from the minute we landed to the time we departed. Jenny our guide was so nice and helpful and the driver was great too. The tours that you arranged were perfect as was Chris or guide. He was so knowledgeable and pleasant. (The hotels I booked myself the JW Marriott and Inkaterra. The Marriott is wonderful great staff and location if you need to book for your own clients ) It was so nice of Peruvian Odyssey to arrange the dinner for us at Incanto good food and lovely place.
I was a bit tired from the altitude and Chris was so accommodating my husband Steve went to the top of Machu Picchu I of course did only half way but it was spectacular and I should have taken an extra day but I had limited time to get away.

Tara Tours is the Best!
Thank you again for all your help! Love you guys
Sincerely,

Doris
Travel Agent
Boca Raton, Florida
June 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT COLOMBIA

Dear Hermine,

Below is the article which I have written about Colombia for our local newspaper – HOLLYWOOD LAKES COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER. Enjoy.

There was a time when Colombia, South America brought up thoughts of drug cartels. Those days are now over. There was a very strong police presence in the cities we visited and we always felt very safe and met lots of friendly people.
We traveled with TARA TOURS who specialize in Central and South American Tours. They have wonderful contacts in all the cities, they know which sites to take you to and always know the best ways to get there. The flight from Miami was only about three and a half hours and we arrived into Bogota. Bogota is located in the Andes Mountain range at 8646 feet above sea level and has a very moderate temperature. Our guide warned us that it usually rains each day for short time, but we only experienced rain one night for a few minutes and the rest of the time in Bogota the weather was wonderfully cool.
Bogota is a big city but still one of the most picturesque capitals in South America. It is a city full of culture and history and present day nightlife. On our city tour we saw modern high rises standing next to colonial churches, we saw universities, theaters, museums and emerald shops – lots of emerald shops. Of course, Colombia is known for their emeralds. They are among the best in the world. The other great products of Colombia are their beautiful flowers imported daily to the United States and their coffee. My morning cup of coffee was so delicious.
The museums have a great collection of gold antiquities even though most of the antiquities were stolen in the past by other conquering countries. The artist, Fernando Botero was from Colombia and he has donated his large collection of original Botero art works, both paintings and sculptures, to the Botero Museum.
We took the funicular to the peak in the mountain called Cerro de Montserrat which is at 10,000 feet and what a view! It was spectacular. You could see the entire metropolitan city of Bogota below you. Our last tourist stop was the Zapaquira Salt Cathedral. This is a complex of salt mines which has supplied salt for many countries for many years. But they made this mine into a specialized Cathedral with 14 stations of the cross and a huge cross over the High Alter and everything is made of salt – everything. And it is lit with colored lights, so it makes and awesome scene.
We then went to Cartagena Colombia. Cartagena is located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. The temperature there was about the same as Florida’s – it was hot but with an ocean breeze.
Cartagena was founded in 1533 and was named Cartagena de Indias as it was inhabited by the fierce Kalamari Indians. It was the most important port in the Spanish Empire and the first colonial city to declare its independence from Spain.
By the end of the 16th Century, the Spanish were building a wall around the city which still stands today. It took 200 years to build the wall but the wall was needed to repulse the many pirate attacks on this active and wealthy port. Even though the city of Cartagena was built so long ago, the properties in the old town are always being refurbished to their original glory. The streets are very narrow with beautiful colored homes with flowers cascading from their upper terraces. Cars have a difficult time maneuvering through these streets, but there are plenty of horse drawn carriages which only helps to keep the charm level high.
 Outside the walls of the old city however, we jumped on a Chiva Rhumba bus. These are also called the “Party Buses” because they serve rum and cola and there is a small band on board and a guy sits up front with a microphone encouraging you to stand up and dance while the bus and zooming around the city. And when your bus passes another bus, the competition begins. I would like a couple of these in downtown Hollywood!
Our last day we took a boat to El Rosario Island that is used specifically for beach encounters. There was also a pool for swimming and they offered a hike through the woods to a village, or a massage. And then the locals made a yummy barbecue for us before we headed back to our hotel.
We stayed in Movich hotels both in Cartagena and Bogota. They were very good, clean and accommodating and in very good locations. I did get to tour other hotels, however. The Sofitel Legend Santa Clara is an amazing five star deluxe property which was originally a cloister for the nuns.And the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.
The money used in Colombia is the Peso and there are 1900 pesos to $1.00.It was fun to deal in millions! And you really did need millions to buy those EMERALDS.


Esther
Travel Agent in North Miami Beach
May 2014
---------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT BOGOTA & CARTAGENA

Dear Hermine & Lynn,

Thank you for allowing me to participate in another wonderful fam tour. I wasn't sure what I would encounter in Colombia, but I have already recommended it as a destination to sell to the other agents! Gone are the images of drug cartels,
Lan's planes were clean and the service good. I enjoyed both Movich hotels. They were comfortable and the staff was accommodating. I did like the location of the hotel in Cartagena, in the walled city, better however.
Both cities were a pleasant surprise, The highlights of Bogota were the Gold and Botero museums and the Salt Cathedral. Cartagena's "vibe", however was totally unexpected and fun, and the architecture amazing. And how can I forget the Chiva bus and the day on the island! Good times.
The shopping time allowed was perfect (for most of the participants!) and the dining experiences in both locations were wonderful choices to allow us to experience the Colombian cuisine.
The guides were enjoyable, knowledgeable and responsive to our questions.

Thank you again for the wonderful time and I hope to travel with you again!

Regards,
Rosanne
Travel Agent
Massachusetts
May 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT ABOUT SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Dear Daniel,

Many thanks for the arrangements in Chile, they were excellent. The hotel was great, your operator in Santiago is very good ( 5 stars). Thanks for the experience for Mily, She was so happy. Santiago has changed so much and it is so much prettier than my last visit. .
Cheers,

Liliana
Queensland, Australia
April, 2014
---------------------------------------------------


REPORT ABOUT COSTA RICA (San Jose-Arenal-Manuel Antonio)

Hello Jose,
I just wanted to let you know everything went smoothly and we had a great trip to Costa Rica. All the drivers were very courteous and on time and the excursions were professional and fun. We especially appreciate the extra help the tour operator gave in helping us find a hospital when one person fell (in the airport garage no less!) and needed stitches the first day. The hospital was modern and fast and she was fine after that. I would recommend all the hotels; even the Arenal Paraiso, that I was worried about initially, turned out to be the favorite hotel of some in the group.

Thank you for all your help in arranging this trip for us.

Melissa
Miami Beach, FL
Mar.15-22, 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM NICARAGUA (Santiago-Iguassu-Buenos Aires)

Hi Daniel and Lorena,
 
My clients returned and had a wonderful trip. They especially touted the lady in Buenos Aires, Cielo. They said she was GREAT!!!
The hotels in Santiago and Buenos Aires were adequate. They really liked the hotel in Valparaiso.
Thank you for you help in putting this trip together.
 
Alex
Travel Agent, CA
Feb. 13-Mar.05, 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM NICARAGUA (Granada & San Juan del Sur)

Victor,
 
We had one great time in Nicaragua. The itinerary was PERFECT!!! The Mukul Resort was over the top beautiful.
Thanks so much for your help,

Colette

Tampa, FL
Feb.26-Mar.04, 2014

---------------------------------------------------

REPORT FROM ARGENTINA (Buenos Aires and Iguassu falls)

Victor,

Thanks, outstanding trip Buenos Aires and Iguassu, guides Tatiana and Elizabeth could not be better
Thanks for all....
Dan

Los Angeles, CA
Feb10-15, 2014

----------------------------------------------------

REPORT NICARAGUA (Leon & Granada)
Victor - -
We had a wonderful time on our recent trip to Nicaragua. It was such a beautiful place - - - lovely old towns, great accommodations, excellent food and drink, exciting wildlife and outdoor activities. Just loved the volcano tours - - - amazing. It felt like Mexico or Costa Rica at least 25 – 30 years ago. The people were friendly and very accommodating. We could not have asked for a better experience.
Our local guide was Jimmy. I cannot say enough good things about him. If possible, Tara Tours should request him for all your Nicaragua travelers. He was knowledgeable about almost everything, fluent English, and always so happy to show us his country. He went out of his way to make sure we had a good time and enjoyed all the adventures. Each morning he arrived with a cooler full of ice, diet cokes and water - -- you know us American gals…….He made dinner reservations for us at great restaurants……….He was a real gem.
I can sincerely recommend a tour such as ours to any clients who are interested in seeing what is left of some real Latin America culture…….relatively unspoiled by too many modern conveniences. But, still very nice accommodations and restaurants.
 
Thanks so much for all your assistance in planning the trip,
Nell
Montgomery, AL
Feb.4-12, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------


From Facebook...........Costa Rica Trip

Sherry Thompson posted to‎Tara Tours
January 25, 2014
Thanks for planning the wonderful trip for my company Victory Lap Tours. My daughter Shawndra said the trip was wonderful and the guide was amazing!!! Thanks again Sherry Kay Thompson author

------------------------------------------------------
REPORT PERU TRIP

Hi Linda-
Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you what a FABULOUS trip we had! You did a wonderful job with the planning of our tour. We loved Tara Tours and felt like we were in good hands being in a foreign country. The guides and driver were all very nice, and we had them all to ourselves (no other people were on the tour the week we were there).

It was nice to have them at every step of the way telling us what to expect, when to be ready, and seeing us off whether it was going on a tour or getting on the train.
I will have wonderful memories of this trip always - we had such a great adventure and the views were all so stunning. Let me know if you are on facebook so I can friend you and you can see the album from the trip.
Chris from Tara Tours gave us a review form to fill out, but we lost it. We did want to give them a great review, and the only part that could have been improved upon was the city tour. The bus tour guide picked us up along with other people from the surrounding hotels, but it was not communicated that we would be in other groups when we arrived at the church so there was confusion on where we should be when we got off the bus. Also, having a headset for the tour on the inside of the church would have been nice. It was hard to hear our guide with all the other guides around talking loudly to their group.
Other than that, we would give Tara Tours a glowing review!
Thank you so much for all your help and suggestions with the planning of this trip. You did a wonderful job! Adding the Amazon trip to the end of our tour was a great call. It was a nice way to relax after hiking Machu Picchu!

What is your suggestion for a trip I can take next year? : )

Thank you again !

Mary
Springs Lake/Michigan
Oct.17-25, 2013

------------------------------------------------------------

FAM TRIP TO PATAGONIA
Tara Tours Inc conducted another successful, informative and "great fun" travel agent adventure to Chile/Patagonia.
October 7-16, 2013

Marilyn & John Groper/Inteletravel/Delray Beach,FL
"We cannot express to you sufficiently enough how much we enjoyed this trip. Chile in all its forms is amazing, but Patagonia should be on everyone's bucket list. The people at the Remota were outstanding in their service to all of our needs, especially Javier (what a cutie!). We have not been able to stop talking about our experience to our friends and family. You are both the most delightful, efficient, and caring tour operators that we have ever traveled with."

Bev & Mike Falley/Lawrence Travel/Lawrence,Kansas
"All in all, this was one of my most memorable trips and I have absolutely nothing negative to say about any of the providers. Please please keep them all close at hand and I know that clients are in excellent hands here.Thank you so very much for this opportunity to experience this beautiful place."

Roseanne Kerry/Garber Travel/FCM Travel Solutions/Chestnut Hill, MA
"Once again, an excellent fam tour by Tara Tours, led by the two best escorts! Your diligent planning and ability to accommodate everyone’s requests, as well as impart your knowledge of South America are outstanding features of all your tours."

Jan & Earl Giacolini/Marco Polo Travel Service/Fresno, CA
What an awesome trip!! We loved every minute of it. You both did an excellent job planning and being the leaders of the tour. We were, and are truly impressed!
Remota was perfect!! Everything was perfect!! Food excellent, rooms so unusual, and that was a nice surprise, staff tops...and again, everything was PERFECT!! We'll be talking about this trip for a long time...

---------------------------------------------------------------


REPORT PERU TRIP

Hi Eva,
Just wanted to let you know that we have returned from our trip to Peru and had a wonderful time! We cannot thank you & the gang from Tara Tours for arranging everything.

Every hotel was great, and our guides, tours, drivers & logistics were terrific. Traveling in Peru can be challenging but we were able to relax knowing that the details had been worked out seamlessly so that we could sit back and enjoy the trip without worry. If you want more specifics, we can get into them, but we just wanted to thank you & the team at Tara for making it all happen for us.
Also, just so you know, I did pass on your name to a couple from Michigan who were not happy with their travel agent. Hopefully Mustafa & Inicia will contact you to book their next trip!

We LOVED the Andes. All of our hotels (Hotel Pakaritampu in Ollantaytambo, el Mapi in Machu Picchu & Sonesta in Cusco) were wonderful -- quiet, comfortable, clean & with excellent service. The service we received from Peruvian Odyssey locally in this area was exceptional.

Thank you very much

The Kaminetz

10/16/13

-----------------------------------------------


REPORT PANAMA TRIP

Hi Fiona
 
We just got back from Panama, the trip went like clockwork and we had such a wonderful time.
 
Very impressed with Gamboa Hotel & Resort and tours, so very organized and well planned, the guides were great and everything was time effective so we saw
lots and got lots of time to relax too. Definitely recommend to any clients who ask you about Gamboa Resort .
They even sent two cars on the day we did the Indian village tour - one to take us from Panama City on the tour and another to take our luggage to the resort so it was there when we arrived later in the day.
 
The night safari was also a free tour you get in with your room and they have other free on site tours too. Food and staff were great and it must have been done up recently as everything was clean and modern.
 
We didn't want to leave!!
 
Thanks for all your help
 
Might be planning a trip for January so will send you the details
 
Gillie
10/10/13
----------------------------------------------


REPORT AUSTRALIS CRUISE

Hi Victor,

I heard from my clients Cutting yesterday when they returned from their trip. They had a wonderful time and said Tara Tours did a fabulous vacation for them. The Ship was beautiful and the hotels were great. I wanted to "Thank you" for making my clients so happy.
I did a webinar with the Australis Cruise line the day the clients departed. It was so informative and beautiful. If you need feed back on the ship you can tell clients that the ship is great, clean, staff & crew helpful, food good and tours are wonderful.

Regards,
Doris
American Express Travel Services Representative
F. Lauderdale, Florida. USA


---------------------------------------

Report : Double Patagonia
 
Hello Victor
 
I’m glad to report it was a very successful tour and all worked well. The buses between P.Arenas/P.Natales and El Calafate /El Chaltan which had me worried were indeed like Greyhound, large, comfortable, and smooth riding. The other mini buses while not as comfortable were quite sufficient. All operated on time.
 
Two things for which I thought I was prepared but still surprised me: the vast distances and the wind! In Torres and again in El Chaltan the wind blew for hours on end with velocity of at least 70mph according to our guides. At one point approaching Salta Grande in Torres, the wind took our woolen hats right off our heads and literally blew us to the ground! On another day, hiking with our excellent guide from the Rio Serrano Hotel up to French Camp on the Hornos, I was again knocked right over.
 
All of the hotels worked well. In Santiago especially the Hotel Fundador was well-situated, in easy walking distance of the old city and right on the Metro which is easy to use. In B.Aires, I would have preferred a location closer to La Recoleta BUT Americas Towers did enable us to walk to the Cathedral, a very long walk.
 
Hotel Rio Serrano in Torres is five-star beautiful, with a stupendous view straight out to the Paine Massif. The activities staff accommodated our change of hiking destination and sent a most knowledgeable guide out on the trail with us. That day was a highlight among many memorable experiences.
  
We did go to the Tango show at Carlos Gardel whom we later learned was very famous (there is even going to be a U.S. postage stamp issued this year honoring him) But we rode the regular pick-up bus, sat at a long table with interesting new companions, had a surprisingly good dinner with wine and good seats for the excellent show. For about $100 per person.
  
The flights on LAN were smooth, on time, individual (free) tv screens at every seat, reasonable legroom and complementary hot meals. One wonders why U.S. carriers can’t do an equally good job.
  
I could write a much longer report but think this hits the highlights, for your information. Thank you again for your assistance. I’ll drink my next Pisco Sour with a toast to you and Tara Tours.
 
Regards,
 
Susan
Travel Agent
California
__________________________________
REPORT: PANAMA
Hello girls,
I can't believe I haven't written you before now to thank you for a wonderful FAM trip to Panama. David and I had a fabulous time. Meeting you and our fellow travelers and seeing such a beautiful country was such a treat. We loved the hotels, meals (although we've been dieting ever since), our guide and our very new and clean bus. Thank you for offering such an amazing experience to travel agents. I do know the work that goes into the planning of such an undertaking and appreciate your efforts.  I also hope to sell Panama through Tara Tours in the future. I've shared our trip with so many clients in order to peak their interest.
 
My only criticism would be changing hotels 4 times in a week. I think maybe it would have been easier to just visit a couple of them and stay in two, but I realize that that was probably not your doing but our host's planning.
 
Other than that, our trip was fantastic and we have great pictures to prove it and share with clients. Once again, thank you for being such gracious hosts and we look forward to traveling with you again (hopefully to Peru).
 
 
Denise Wilson
Let's Travel
Madison, MS
 

-------------------------------------

REPORT: PERU

Hi Victor,

Please see Cary's report from their trip. He was very happy. Thanks for making the arrangements.

HI PATTI,

I'M WRITING IN CAPS TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH EVERYTHING.  I WANTED TO BE SURE YOU GOT THAT COMPLIMENTARY MESSAGE.  EVERYTHING WENT WELL AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME.  WE HAD THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME, I THINK.  TARA TOURS WERE GREAT BUT ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE WE MET WHO GUIDED US.  CHRIS IN CUSCO WAS A DELIGHT EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T GIVE US ANY PERSONAL TOURS BY HIMSELF.  WE HAD GROUP TOURS, TWO WERE GUIDED BY VICTORIA WHO WAS VERY GOOD AS WELL.

WE WERE ESPECIALLY HAPPY THAT WE STAYED AT THE SANCTUARY HOTEL.  IT WAS A WONDERFUL HOTEL AS WELL AS BEING RIGHT THERE.  THEY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE HOSPITABLE.  EVERYTHING WAS THOUGHT FOR, INCLUDING MOST ALL OUR MEALS AND ALL OUR TRANSFERS IN A PLACE WHICH IS INTIMIDATING FOR A FIRST TIME VISITOR.

LESLIE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.  SHE WILL WRITE TO YOU AS WELL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING WENT WELL.

THANKS AGAIN,


Patti
Travel Agent
California


---------------------------------------


REPORT: PERU

Hello Jose,

We just wanted to convey to you how much we enjoyed our recent trip to the Amazon and to Machu Picchu. The Amazon was wonderful. Our guide was Luis. He was terrific.
Ferdinand was one of our guides in Cusco. He was also top notch.
Thank you so much for everything that made it such a memorable trip.

Dean & Doris
North Dakota

---------------------------------------
 
REPORT: PANAMA

Hi to all of you!
 
Thank you so much for another wonderful trip..I can't think of one thing that would have made it better...you did a great job as usual, right down to "the candy". It was fun yet informative, and something I hope to sell. Please let me know if you ever do one to Chile, as that is one of the only places in South American that I haven't been.
 
Again many thanks.
 
Warm Regards,
 
Jackie and Margaret
Travel Agents
Texas


---------------------------------------


REPORT: PANAMA

Hi Hermine, Lynn and Jackie:

We sure had a supertime in Panama with the three of you and the many other groupies!!!
I enjoyed my roommate so that worked out okay after all!!!
I hope you like the enclosed pictures, they show how we all had a great time.
Thank You again for organizing such wonderful events and for letting us participate!!!

Greetings from rainy and dreary Southern California!!!

Marijke
Village Travel
California

---------------------------------------



REPORT: PERU

Hi Lorena:
Thought you would like to see this! Thank you for your help!!!
The trip exceeded all of my expectations. It was the perfect place to begin this decade of my life. All of your excellent work on our trip  and Christine's wise and incredible helpful advise was all that we needed. We did not have any trouble. Tara Tours was excellent. 
We returned content and ready to begin planning the next adventure. 
Thanks again. 
Linda
Travel Agent, Minnesota

---------------------------------------



REPORT: PANAMA

Hello Jose,
 
Cornell & Salomon clients have returned from their Panama trip and had a good time. They had a very nice room at the Royal Decameron - close to the beach and restaurants. They liked the Veneto Wyndham - a good location. The sightseeing city tour and Miraflores Locks was very good. They were very pleased with the guide and the tour -- perhaps you could pass that information along.
 
So in general they were very happy with the trip.
 
Thanks again for all your help.
 
Margaret
Travel Agent from Berkeley, CA

---------------------------------------



REPORT: NICARAGUA

Jose,
 
Phil and Carolyn Robbins had a great trip thanks to you, Daniel and all. I appreciate the extra effort you make to put together special trips for the Robbins. This was their 4th trip with Tara Tours and the 7th trip I have arranged for them.
 
Thank,
 
Larry 
Outdoor Adventures

---------------------------------------



Report: PERU (Amazon and Machu Picchu)

Lorena,

Tara Tours is FABULOUS!! Our trip was perfection - thanks to all your help on the front end.
 
Definitely will use your services again.
 
Nancy H,
Spokane, Oregon


---------------------------------------

REPORT: CHILE

Jose,
John wanted me to thank you again for the  tour of South America.  Although they got off to a rocky start with the plane flight being delayed, from the time they got to Chile, everything went perfectly.  They loved the guides, the hotels, the flights, the arrangement of the itinerary – everything.  I also thank you for arranging not to make them pay additionally for the transfer and tour because their plane caused them to miss the original plans. It made a big difference in their attitude. Thank you from both of us for doing such a good job.

Vicki
Travel Agent
Arlington, VA.
 
 
---------------------------------------
REPORT: ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS

Hi Jose-

Julie Royer and Nancy just got back from their Galapagos cruise.
They had nothing but glowing words to say. Everything was handled perfectly from transfers to ship crew.
Thank you so much for how you and Tara handled my clients. They are VIPs who will bring referrals. It was not a smooth booking with changes and cancellations. I appreciate how you kept me reasonably calm the whole
time.
I look forward to working with you in the future.
Regards-

Jo
Travel Agent
Maitland, Fla.


---------------------------------------

REPORT: PANAMA & ROYAL DECAMERON

Dear Daniel:
 
Everyone gets so excited when they are planning a vacation and the expectations leading up to that trip are almost as much fun as going on the trip itself. Then when the trip is over everyone goes back to their normal routine and bemoans the fact their next vacation isn't for almost 12 months.
 
This explains why I haven't written to once again thank you for making our trip to the Royal Decameron Golf & Beach Resort in Farallon, Panama, possible. A lot had changed at this resort since we were there several years ago - the expansion was amazing; but many things remained the same: the friendly staff, the beautiful grounds/landscaping, the many ala carte restaurants, the good drinks, the lovely beach and ocean, as well as the 70-80 steps or steep paths we walked several times a day to get around the resort. One day we took a taxi/van to Penenome and ended up in a bar that we were later told was a "men's only" club. OOOPS!
 
Thank you again for all your help.
Kathy and David
Happy Traveler
Madison, WI
---------------------------------------

REPORT: ECUADOR & THE AMAZON RIVER CRUISE MANATEE

Dear Alice:

The trip was wonderful even though the high speed boat had motor problems and we were delayed 31/2 hours. The Manatee was very pleasant and the food Good.  The cabins were comfortable and the AC worked well. Note:  the Manatee does not accept credit cards.  Cash only for bar, tee shirts and extras, Guides were very good.  Note days started very early  5:30 - 6:30 Am and were long.

We loved Quito and would enjoy going back there and perhaps visit the Galapagos Islands.

Thanks for your help. We really enjoyed the trip.  I saw 39 different birds.

Regards, Frank
Rome, Georgia


---------------------------------------

REPORT: ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS ABOARD LA PINTA

Victor,
Thank you for all you did to arrange an excellent trip to the Galapagos. Everything went very well and the quality of the service and naturalists aboard the La Pinta was top notch. The trip exceeded my expectations.

The tour of Guayaquil was conducted by Diana and she did a fine job of showing me the highlights of the city and sharing some of her personal stories. I really liked the Hampton Inn, a great buffet breakfast and free Internet usage.
I did not need the $80 in single bills for tipping ($10 would have been enough)  because I put all the tips for the La Pinta on my credit card.
Due to a huge backup at customs in Atlanta, I almost missed my connecting flight to Cincinnati.

Overall it was a quality experience and your concern and expertise made it all the better.  
Thanks again,

Don
Cincinnati, OH

---------------------------------------
REPORT: PERU & EXPLORAMA LODGES
Hi Lorena,
 
I just wanted to say thank you to Tara Tours for making my clients trip excellent.
The Yoders had an exceptional time at the Explorama Lodges. Peru turned out to be their favorite part of their South American Journey.
They raved about the guides they had at the lodges and how they went out of their way to provide them with unique experiences.
 I appreciate your efforts since it was such a last minute trip. Everything went smoothly…..
 
Amy
Travel Agent
Willow, PA


---------------------------------------


REPORT: CENTRAL AMERICA (Guatemala & Belize)

Dear Mr Taramona,

Recently I booked a tour with your company through Mr. V. Valega.
I felt that I should let you know that the booking was quite easy as a result of Mr. Valega's assistance. Throughout the process, he was courteous, kind helpful and most reassuring! He did much to help alleviate my fears that all would go well, and much to my surprise and happiness, it did!
I cannot say enough about the service I received from him!
I was having my trip photos printed yesterday, ran into several friends and unknown gentleman to me, everyone was using printer for pictures. Everyone stood over my shoulder looking at the photos, and asked about the tour. You can be assured that I mentioned TARA TOURS and gave you an excellent rating!
Thank you so much for a wonderful vacation!!!!!
Sincerely,
Diana M.

---------------------------------------
REPORT: ARGENTINA & CHILE
Dear Lorena:
Kudos to Tara Tours!

Tricia , CTC
Travel Agent
Kansas, Mo.

Hi Tricia,
We had a great time. The falls were awesome! All the flights went as planned. The tour guides were great. The bus ride over the Andes was a spectacular trip, I am not quite sure why they advise against it. The guides said that people do it all the time. It was a pain to cross the border into Chile, that took about 90 minutes, but other than that it was great. The Sheraton at the falls was getting a little long in the tooth, but it is definitely the place to stay if you want to see the falls. All of the Hyatt properties that we stayed at were first class. I could have spent another week down there. Especially when you consider the lousy weather that we are having now.
Thanks for all your help with the planning of my trip. You did good!
John,
Kansas, Mo.
 
---------------------------------------
REPORT: SANTIAGO DE CHILE, MENDOZA, IGUASSU, BUENOS AIRES
Hello Lorena,

I am very sorry for not getting back to you after our delightful tour of Chile and Argentina in November. I'm afraid that Christmas caught up to us when we returned, and we have had a lot of visitors over the Christmas - New Years period.

The tour that you arranged for us was fantastic. We learned a lot about South American cities and cultures, and enjoyed all of it, with one minor exception. The Gaucho Show was disappointing. The dancers in the main building were very good, but there was no riding or horsemanship outside on the field. It was also quite a long bus ride to and from the ranch.

Otherwise, everything went well. The guides - Gabriel in Santiago, Celina in Mendoza, Dario and Gerraldo in Buenos Aires and Luis in Iguazu Falls were excellent. We were always met on time and delivered back to the airports on time and looked after very well in between - city tours, restaurant recommendations, shopping, etc.
They couldn't do enough for us, from the majesty of Evita's tomb to the power and splendor of Iguazu Falls. The histories and cultures came alive for us. The private English speaking tours and visits were highlights. Luis arranged to take us to the Observation floor at the Sheraton Hotel at the Falls for an excellent view of the Devil's Throat.

We have told friends about Tara Tours, and recommend your Travel Company to them, and will certainly do the same in the future.

Thank you very much.
Best regards

Reva and Scott
British Columbia, Canada
---------------------------------------
REPORT: PANAMA & GAMBOA
Hello Sonia,

I just wanted to let you know that I had a great time at the Gamboa resort. The weather was great, although very hot.
I want to thank both you and Daniel for your assistance and service, regards,

Sylvia, Travel Services
Deerfield, IL.
---------------------------------------

REPORT: ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS
Hi Hermine,
As I indicated before, we enjoyed every minute of our trip with Tara Tours, led by Lynn. She is very upbeat and kind to everyone...smiles a lot...that all helps!! The cruise portion was excellent. The cabin was so nice...and somehow we got a balcony which was very special. The service, food, programs and excursions were all top notch. And the naturalists were fantastic. We learned so much. Your city tour were also very enjoyable, and guides did a great job.
It was all excellent!!

Jan/ Travel Agent
Fresno, California


---------------------------------------

REPORT: PERU
Hola Victor:

Just a quick note to let you know that my clients Ramirez, and Gutierrez greatly enjoyed the  Golden Kingdom tour of Peru on September 13-20, 2009.
I appreciate your help. They gave me a very good report on the hotels and your representatives in Peru.

Thanks for doing such a good job.

Sincerely,
Gene /  Travel Consultant
San Antonio, TX


---------------------------------------

REPORT: TRIP TO COSTA RICA

Victor,
Just wanted to let you know that Margaret and her Down Syndrome daughter had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. She said everything went very well and the guides could not have been nicer to her special needs daughter.

Pamela/Travel Consultant
Philadelphia, PA
----------------------------------------

REPORT FROM TARA TOURS ABOUT BUCARAMANGA, COLOMBIA

Bucaramanga is the next up and coming tourist destination in Colombia! It is located in the state of Santander and is a vibrant quaint city with a population of 1.2 million people. The city has many commercial businesses such as textiles with leather being the best buy. One section of the city is dedicated to only shoe stores making this a shopper’s paradise.
 
Just one to two hours away, you can find beautiful colonial towns from the 1800s such as Giron, Zapatoca and El Socorro.  To the Colombian people, the city of Barichara is considered to be a patrimonial national monument.
 
Bucaramanga is known as the city of parks having as many as 160! Just 20 minutes away from the city, is the newest and largest park opened in February 2009. It takes its name from the river and the longest canyon in the world, Chicamocha. The park has an impressive and meaningful monument along with a four mile long cable car ride with breathtaking views. In the park one can enjoy river rafting, hiking, repelling, zip lines and more activities making this a dream destination for the adventure traveler.

Daniel



-------------------------------------------


REPORT: GALAPAGOS
Hello Jose,
Just wanted you to know that their trip was perfect! All the arrangements were completed without a hitch. Thanks so much for all your hard work and efficiency. Whew!

Alice/Travel Counselor
Chicago, ILL


---------------------------------




REPORT: TRIP TO PERU, ARGENTINA & BRAZIL

Hi Daniel,

We just returned yesterday...super trip! Kudos to Tara Tours and associates...will not hesitate to use you again in the future. We appreciate your hustle on getting us on another flight when we were initially stalled at JFK at the start of our trip.

Best regards,

Joe E.
New York, NY


-----------------------------------


REPORT: TRIP TO GUATEMALA & EL SALVADOR

Hi Victor,

We just returned from our trip to El Salvador and it was wonderful. Fortunately the weather cooperated even though we were in rainy season. We had plenty of sunshine and relaxing days. The Royal Decameron Resort exceeded our expectations. I had read mixed reviews about the place on trip advisor and although it isn't as nice as some of the other all inclusive that we've stayed in in the Caribbean, they certainly try to make the resort very pleasant. The staff is always cleaning and everyone is very friendly. We particularly enjoyed the trip to Antigua, Guatemala---what a beautiful city. The agent at the tour desk was very helpful. We made a few suggestions about how some of the things at the hotel could even be better. One suggestion was that while the trip to the hotel from the airport is very interesting, it would have been nice to have a cooler of refreshments after the flight and also maybe the driver could have given us some interesting facts and information about El Salvador. All in all we were very pleased with our trip and we would not hesitate to use Tara Tours or stay at another Royal Decameron Resort again.


Lynn
Virginia


-----------------------------------


REPORT: TRIP TO GALAPAGOS
Jose:
 
My daughter and I just returned this weekend from our tour to the Galapagos Islands and I want to tell you that it was one of the most wonderful and unique vacations I have ever been on. All of the accommodations were marvelous; we were met by our contacts at every point and transferred to the next stop with no delays or problems. I am so glad that we went with the recommendation to go on the smaller ship as it gave us a chance to get to know all of our fellow passengers. A fantastic time was had by all!. All of this and your tour company was suggested to me by George and Joyce of Atlanta who have used your agency several times. I called them when I returned and mentioned that I was going to e-mail you concerning how much we enjoyed the trip and they asked me to give you their regards.
 
Best regards,
 
Marilyn
Atlanta, GA


-----------------------------------


REPORT: GROUP TRIP TO EL SALVADOR

Daniel --

I am finally getting around to e-mailing you and anyone else at Tara Tours who helped us with our most recent trip to Royal Decameron Salinitas in El Salvador. This was our second trip to El Salvador - and it was even "better the second time around"! We encountered no problems with flights (from Chicago-O'Hare to San Salvador and back - and including the stop-over in Guatemala City), with transfers from the airport, with our rooms at the resort or with anything else relating to our fantastic vacation.  This is the fourth trip Tara Tours has assisted us with (through our travel agent here in Madison, WI) and we can't wait to start work on our trip for next year. Thanks again for all your assistance!

Kathy G.
Madison, WI

------------------------------------

REPORT: GROUP TRIP TO EL SALVADOR
Dear Daniel,
I just wanted to give you my heartfelt thanks for the most wonderful trip Air On Supply has ever had. Your company certainly went the extra mile with us. When American Airlines cancelled their route to Barranquilla it could have been a disaster but you handled that with great finesse. It turned out to be in our favor, as Avianca gave us such great service.  Sonia met us at the airport and helped us round up our 55 errant clients. She worried so much, I did not need to!  Having Sonia with us made the journey so much easier for us.  Thank you for sending her, she is a gem!
The Decameron Santa Marta (and all of the Colombians) that we met, welcomed us with open arms and open hearts. As you know, I brought my two adult sons with me and they now have lifelong friends. The hotel staff was so wonderful, I do not have enough superlatives to do them justice. We were always greeted with smiling faces, impeccably clean rooms, great food, excellent shows, and a flowing bar (and I can’t say enough about the bartenders!).  The staff more than compensated for our lack of Spanish, never leaving us at a loss.
I personally went on two excursions while in Colombia I went to Cartagena for the day, and then the Tayrona National Park hike. They were led by Alberto, an expert on any subject. His English was flawless, and his knowledge of Colombia’s history and natural treasures was astounding. He made the long trek through the jungle enjoyable. (not an easy thing to do when you are ankle deep in mud and manure!). Tayrona National Park is one of the most beautiful places in South America!
All of the excellent service at this property would not be possible without a good management team. When I met with Rocky, he assured me that our group would be taken care of. What an understatement! I wish I could take credit for our group’s exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime, experience, but I can’t.  All I can say is, as a travel professional, YOU MADE MY JOB EASY! We had clients who opted out of the trip due to safety concerns, despite assurances from Jessie and myself. They now know what  they missed. EVERYONE loved their Colombian adventure!
Marianne /Travel Consultant
Summerville, SC


---------------------------
REPORT: TRIP TO BELIZE & COSTA RICA (Zip Line Adventure)
I was sitting on my soft striped couch thinking about where I could go for my 10th birthday. My grandma had told me and my sister that we could go anywhere in the world for our 10th birthday. Where should I go? I knew I better think hard. Finally, I made my choice.
I chose two places. I got two places instead of one because I twisted my grandma’s arm with the argument that Costa Rica and Belize together are smaller than China where she took my sister so it would be fair. I chose Costa Rica and Belize because I was interested in Latin America. I had heard Belize had great snorkeling and Costa Rica had great waterfalls. I love both.
One of my favorite things to do in sunny, green Costa Rica was when we (Grandma, Bob, who is Grandma’s best friend, and I) were going zip lining in the Monteverde Rain Forest, also known as the Cloud Forest. We were able to do this because our tour package offered lots of choices like staying in Tortuguero, a hike in the cloud forest, visiting an active volcano, and the opportunity to zip line. We had a driver who took us to Monteverde. Soon we were receiving our helmet and harness and getting ready to embark on our exciting journey. We went outside and took a hike along an interlocking brick pathway that led us to the prep area. There were lots of green trees and ferns of brown, green, red and yellow, which made the hike more enjoyable.
“This is going to be easy,” I thought. In the presentation shown to us it looked complicated because when you wanted to slow down you had to pull down on the line behind you. You can’t go too fast because you will crash into the tree and the platform will leave marks on your shins and your reputation. Lastly it was high, very high. After the presentation I thought “Oh no, this is going to be tough.” My grandma, seeing the scared look on my face, told me to exercise my risk muscle by trying new things like Mark Twain said. It was going to be complicated because I was small, but luckily I wasn’t big enough to go alone, I had to go with one of the guides. I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders because I knew I would be ok.
In the beginning I climbed what seemed like a thousand steps. My blood was pumping like a Ferrari at full throttle. I got my guide and we took off on the steel enforced line. I had my eyes set on the line. My heart was still beating rapidly but during the ride my blood slowed as I got the courage to look down at the rainbow of green trees, plants, and a little river below me. Before I knew it, I was at the first platform. I was scared because I was 50 feet above ground level and the floor was metal and there were holes so you could see through it. And it bounced. I’m a bit scared of heights. I knew I needed to find a roaring tiger of courage inside me.
After the second, third, and fourth lines I was getting used to it. I was having fun, it was exhilarating, and the sights were making everything come together.
On each new line I saw something new. One time I saw a howler monkey in the forest below. I was comfortable on the lines but still not on the platforms.
On the fourth to last platform it was over 500 feet above the ground. That one made me scared. I held my breath and zipped. I didn’t have much of a choice. Surprisingly it was my favorite because it was the longest and you could see the most. We saw lots of trees of all colors. We saw some big white flowers. Sadly I didn’t see any animals.
The second to last platform was called the Tarzan Jump. You climbed up stairs to get to the platform. You got strapped to a line and then jumped off the edge. Being afraid of heights, I was sweating and light-headed. I was first in line and had not seen anyone do it, so I ran back down the stairs. I chickened out! My grandma chickened out too, but Bob didn’t and he was first in line. He took a side glance to see us looking at him like he was crazy. He jumped off and he swung up twice as high as the platform where he had started and then it swung again. The people who worked there tried to grab his legs to slow him down but it didn’t work for the first three times. When he was done, he came over to us and said “You should really do that. It was awesome.”
By the last platform I was completely relaxed and zipped down to the end enjoying it all to the fullest extent. The cool breeze felt good in my face and the sight of nature all around me was pleasing to my eyes.
Afterwards I felt I had accomplished something and was proud of that. That experience of this trip was important so I felt more comfortable trying something new. So now I know that trying something new is good. I even regret a bit that I didn’t do the Tarzan Jump when I had the chance. Twain was right that we should explore new things whenever we can!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -- Mark Twain

Nick W.
San Francico,CA

---------------------------
REPORT: TRIP TO NICARAGUA
Dear Tara Tours,
We just returned from our trip to Nicaragua. Everything went very well and we were very pleased. The local tour representative was very organized. We especially enjoyed our guide Marlon, who was always on time, very helpful and extremely knowledgeable. He was one of the best guides we have had. Our hotels were good, and the Crown Plaza Hotel in Managua was outstanding. Our stay at the other hotels was also very pleasant. We appreciated getting all of our documents early and being notified by E Mail that they were on the way. Thank you for all your help and please thank Gray Line Tours in Managua for us.

Jane and Ray H.
Denver, CO USA


---------------------------
REPORT: TRIP TO CHILE & ARGENTINA
Victor,

The client had a good time in Argentina and enjoyed the Mare Australis cruise from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas. They thought the hotel in Calafate was much better than the Buenos Aires hotel. They liked Santiago during their very brief stay and wished they could have stayed longer, but I guess that will be their next trip.

Thanks for all your help.

Thanks,
Margaret
Travel Agent
Berkeley, California

-----------------------------

REPORT: AMAZON RIVER TRIP
Dear Victor:
 
We had a great time on our Amazon Adventure! We especially enjoyed the excellent guides George Davila Flores and Robinson Novoa. Both were exceptional in their ability to make the guests enjoy every minute! Their knowledge of Peru and the rainforest was outstanding. We came back with a much better appreciation of conditions and life of the local people. We were also educated as to the immense Amazon River and its tributaries.
 
La Turmalina was a classic styled boat - and the crew from the Captain down were most friendly and efficient.  Music provided by the cabin boys every evening added a lot. Food was good served buffet style, and the fresh juices to drink were interesting and refreshing! We made morning and afternoon excursions in a small skiff to explore small streams and take jungle walks.  We saw many tropical birds, butterflies, sloths, a capybara, iguanas and an anaconda asleep on a log! We all successfully fished for piranhas, and had very uncommercial visit to a local village.
 
George would outline the plan for the next day after dinner, telling us what to expect. His favorite phrase was "and this is just the beginning my friends.." which really themed this trip. Only good was to be expected every day and it was!
 
Thank you for your good arrangements. I hope to book with Tara Tours again in the future.
 
Cheers -
JF
Travel Agent
Carmel-Monterrey, California

------------------------------
REPORT FROM TARA TOURS STAFF: QUITO & THE AMAZON
My trip to the Amazon was great...! The M/V Manatee is about 90 feet long with 15 cabins. Air-conditioning, hot and cold water, nice rooms, good food, qualified naturalist guide...just excellent. Nothing fancy but clean, safe and very well organized. The flight from Quito to Coca is only 30 minutes and then by boat 1 1/2 hours to catch the Manatee. The boat has a good audio visual presentations every night so you are prepared for the next day activities. Also they have internet service at night only (this was a surprise) as I've been in a lot of jungle lodges and you dont see internet. Everybody at the Manatee was very nice and they provide an excellent service.
Then, I went to see La Selva lodge. From the Napo river we walked for about 15 minutes to a Lake call Garzacocha -where we canoe to the Lodge. The lodge has about 15 cabins all with private bathrooms and hot/cold water. Service here is very good and meals are a treat. I have some great videos of howler monkeys, tucans, parrots, etc. The Parrot Clay lick what a spectacle! Hundreds of Parikeets and Parrots came down to eat on this clay lick. An incredible sight!
The hotel Andaluz was nice and colonial in feeling. Hotel Relicario del Carmen, "oh boy", what a nice little hotel with 18 rooms.  A fantastic little boutique hotel with lots of paintings and art.
The Hotel Le Parc is very modern, slick and beautiful. All the suites are decorated with a designer flare, down beds, modern couches and futureistic looking bathrooms.
Dann Carlton is close to the Le Parc also a good hotel. It is very well designed with a gym, restaurants and bar all very classy.
The Hilton has newly renovated suites with ornate marble or wood floors. The best part is great prices. Imiagine $250 to $350 US Dollars per night for the Suites Plus which are enormous multi roomed accommodations. There are only two "Suites Plus" but the other suites are quite large as well. In what other city can you find something like this? All the hotels visited other than the Hilton offer Internet free.
We had lunch at a great restaurant called Mea Culpa right in the main square and it too was excellent. Near the restaurant is another good colonial property called the Gran Plaza.  Without a doubt Quito has a great selection of first class hotels..
At night we went to eat at Mare Nostro another great meal and at the right price. In Quito taxis are very inexpensive. From the airport to the Hilton cost US$5.00 and from this hotel to the main square US$2.00. Old colonial Quito is extremely clean and you can walk to all the main churches and museums. Be sure not to miss La Companhia Church to marvel at the ornate decor which has been covered in gold everywhere. In Ecuador, especially Quito, the US dollar is used. In short, Ecuador is still a good buy..!
Daniel

--------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: TRIP TO PARAGUAY
Attention Victor:

Our tour guide Francisco Lopez in Paraguay was very good. His expertise in explaining and translating the historical information of the Jesuit Reductions we visited made the experience unforgettable. We toured seven of the 30 missions that remain in Paraguay and to our surprise crossed over to Argentina to visit one more. Winter in Paraguay was like early fall in Maryland..shirt sleeve weather. It rained one afternoon and we were in the van during that period. The food at the hotels we stayed in was bountiful and the Papillon restaurant featured open grilled meats..beef, pork, sausages, chicken plus the many salads and variety of desserts-excellent. I had hoped to lose some weight on the trip but in fact may have added a pound or two. Drinking Yerba Mata was a first for me...I brought some home as well as the straw and mixing container and am drinking it daily. I am reminded not only of Paraguay but the tour guide who went out of his way to make sure we were informed and comfortable. I would recommend this package, the hotels and especially the guide. The Guarani Esplendor Hotel was superior class in my opinion..a little too cool to use the beautiful pool but the service made up for that plus the location, right in the heart of Asuncion.

Many thanks for making this a memorable experience....we look forward (Lord willing) to visiting Paraguay again. Thank you Steven
Joanna
Roader Travel
Maryland

------------------------------------------------------

REPORT: INKA TRAIL TRIP-PERU

We are back and had a great time
The trek company and their staff are top notch and things went very well and we learned quite a bit...I'd recommend them highly.
Roger, Jay and Bruce,
Larry
Travel Agent
Arizona


--------------------
REPORT: TRIP TO PERU 
Mr. Taramona,
When I called Carol from Lenger Travel about my desire to see Machu Picchu, I had no idea I was setting into motion the trip of a lifetime.
I'm not a big traveler - I haven't flown since the mid-90's and I've never traveled internationally. While I read and reread the itinerary that Victor created for this trip, I still didn't know what to expect.
Arriving at airports in a foreign country barely able to speak the language was a bit overwhelming. But, at each stop, as soon as I spotted my contact, I was immediately put at ease.
Rudy (Lima) and Nancy (Cusco) provided essential schedule information and commentary on the city as Julis (Lima) and Juan Carlos (Cusco) masterfully maneuvered the vehicle through traffic. Victor must have selected the best drivers, guides and contacts for me because I lacked for nothing. They all had a wonderful blend of professionalism and friendliness that, to be quite honest, can be hard to find in my own country.

Odon, my guide in Cusco and Machu Picchu, took care to accommodated my needs as a photographer, reversing the order of sites one day so that we'd avoid the crowds.
I've never had a big interest in history, but as I stood on those breathtaking sites and heard Odon speak of the construction, use and demise of each one, I found myself engrossed with every word. I ended up buying a number of books along the way to read more about them. Odon has a way of speaking of a site as though he was there and I couldn't help but share his enthusiasm for the handiwork.

I went to Peru to celebrate my 40th Birthday on Machu Picchu and came away with a great adventure. Thank you for all of the planning and coordinating - I felt looked after wherever I went which allowed me to enjoy myself. I am busy at work on a book of my photographs to be followed by a documentary on the journey. I can only hope that I do your country justice in relating the richness of history and culture.

Sincerely,
Tom
Michigan


-----------------------------

REPORT: TRAVEL TO LIMA,CUZCO,MACHU PICCHU

Hello Daniel & Jose,
The passengers had a great time in Peru and are very pleased with Tara Tours.
They completed travel on 6/23.

Thank you for everything!

Eubanks Travel
San Francisco, California
-----------------------------
LAST MINUTE RESERVATION FOR SANTIAGO DE CHILE & VALLE NEVADO
We had a blast...here's a brief scorecard:
 
TRANSPORTATION (Juan Neira Valle)  and ENGLISH GUIDE (Antonio Bolivar): Excellent
I would highly recommend both. Juan spoke no English, but he had a very nice demeanor speaking Spanish with Hayley and tolerated me well. Antonio had wonderful English, was quite knowledgeable, and very prideful in what he kept referring to as "my country." High praise for both.
 
(only slight flaw was car breaking down on way to Valle Nevado...cost an hour or so delay, but not avoidable...new driver (Luiz) did a nice job getting us up the mountain in a blizzard (no kidding), so worked out fine.
 
INTERCONTINENTAL Excellent
Well located and very near terrific restaurants (Tiramisu was our favorite--great stone fired pizzas and terrific atmosphere--almost embarrassingly, we went there twice out of 4 nights). Staff was terrific.

SANTIAGO TOURS: Excellent
- Antonio's walking tour on Sunday was great....again, he is very knowledgeable on the history of Chile.
- Valparaiso and Vina del Mar trip was terrific, punctuated by a fabulous lunch at Ross Castle, with great view of sea.
- Santa Rita winery tour was decent...confusion on when it started, but all in all good. Nice museum of pieces owned by the president of the company. Also great lunch at a genuine Chilean spot recommended by Juan.   Hayley considered this the best touring day (may have had more to do with the wine before, during and after lunch).
 
VALLE NEVADO: Good
Skiing was terrific and hotel has wonderful ski-in, ski-out access.
Room  Quite underwhelming...big enough, but oddly furnished and decorated, and NOT A SINGLE CHAIR in the place. Had an odd couch-like device in one corner, but not really settable--better for storing things as closet space was quite minimal.
Staff was accommodating, some head and shoulders better than others...but all generally friendly.
Restaurants ranged from terrific (Don Giovanni and La Montagnard--fondue) to terrible (Sur--a cross between a cafeteria and a China Buffet)...And Sur is billed just like the others, not in a separate category, so we had no idea til we showed up (reservations are required, so we couldn't really go elsewhere). We splurged on a great bottle of wine to get over this culinary disaster.
Resort Layout is a little odd and wonderful little lobby with fireplace, but seating not comfortable...I guess because it's mostly transient skiers...would have been nice to have a little spot to relax and chat, but this wasn't the place. Nice outdoor hot tub...communal, but nice. Wireless internet was free and available everywhere, so that was great.
 
CHILEAN WINE : Fantastic and very reasonably priced, which ultimately led to greater consumption.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Thank you again, Vicki, for pulling this together so quickly. Much appreciated.
 
My best,
Jim
CHICAGO,ILL

-----------------------------


REPORT: SANTA MARTA & BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA

We departed Miami on American Airlines to Barranquilla. It took only 2 hours and 13 minutes to get there. Barranquilla was hot about 80 degrees and the locals say the only time it gets a bit cooler is during the months of October because of the rains. The city looks very active and you see a tremendous commercial activity everywhere such as construction of many new apartment buildings and commercial centers. It took us 30 minutes to reach the Dann Carlton hotel which is a new 5 star hotel with very nice size rooms. The hotel has all the comforts with a nice business center, internet, bar, swimming pool, restaurants, small casino and more.
We took a city tour and the guide explained to us that Barranquilla is becoming a mayor port in Colombia. We visited the highlights of the city such as the National Theater, chamber of commerce, Aduanas where they sell all the imported goods, the romantic museum and probably the most unique place the Cathedral with glass windows of crosses of different shapes and colors. The Christ image, suspended from the alter, is unusual, modern and breathtaking. There are 7 colorful glass windows depicting the 7 days to create the earth…just beautiful.

The next day we drove to Santa Marta just 1 hour 30 minutes away over a nice highway passing by Salamanca National Park (low land swamps). Santa Marta is a nice quiet beach resort area with small hotels. Most of the big resorts are 5-10-15 minutes away from the city like the Zuana beach resort, Decameron and others.

We stayed at the Decameron Santa Marta an all inclusive resort with 250 rooms all facing the ocean. It has a convention center for 300 people, 5 restaurants, swimming pools, bars, disco, daily activities and a night show daily. This property is just a fantastic place for families, couples and incentive trips as you are away from all but at the same time close to major cities. The beach was nice and kind of close just for the guest of the hotel.

The meals all included were very good. Breakfast and lunch buffet style and dinners a la carte with choices of pasta, seafood, Asian, and steakhouse restaurants. All the meals we had were excellent. We enjoyed very much the seafood in the restaurant located in the bottom of the old Galleon replica (Spanish ship) enjoying the ambience that was just great..! Probably the most important thing I learned on this trip is how gracious the people of this area are…simple, always smiling and eager to make your stay pleasant.
VIVA COLOMBIA..!!
Daniel
Tara Tours

--------------------------

TRIP TO: GUATEMALA

Dear Jim: Excellent trip - no real issues except a bit more time in Guatemala City than would be optimal. We cured our Friday free day by hiring a van to go to Copan - a long day but very interesting. We are not a family that likes to relax - so in a perfect world we pack every day as full as we can make it. I had never used a tour service before so I was unaware I could do make some changes and additions.
Highlights - Easter Sunday in Chichicastenango was terrific, colorful, noisy, unique, an experience not to be missed. Loved Antigua, Guatemala - very beautiful city and the hotel Santo Domingo was unbelievable. Tikal was great - would have been great to stay overnight but we did get to see everything we wanted there. The staff at the Marriott in Guatemala City went overboard to please, the guides were very good, and the service all in all was great!
Lowlights - Saturday in Guatemala City, just before Easter everything is closed and the town is dead dead dead. Had we really known what we were doing we would have done a trip to the Volcano Pacaya that day. We managed some shopping and hung around the pool.
Thanks,
Mr. K
Colorado

--------------------------

TRIP TO: ARGENTINA & BRAZIL

Hi Jose, We returned from our vacation on Thursday. We want to thank you for orchestrating everything . All the transfers, accommodations and tours were great. Each host was courteous, helpful and made us feel right at home. In addition to taking in all the breathtaking sights of both cities, we tangoed in Buenos Aires and hit the beaches in Rio. It was an unforgettable trip.
Thanks again……….
Mr & Mrs. D
New York
--------------------------

TRIP TO: PANAMA

Hello Victor,
I just wanted to let you know that we returned from our trip to Panama and everything was absolutely wonderful. Our travel was smooth and the resort was excellent!!! I'll be contacting you soon to plan the next trip! Thanks so much for your help with planning a fabulous get-away.You may use our comments. It is my pleasure to let others know that, indeed, you are the experts !

Regards,
Meri Beth
Minnesota

---------------------------

TRIP TO: PERU

Daniel,

The Gruberger and Carpenst returned from Peru last night and raved about the guide they had in Cuzco, hotels, everything went well.

Jim
Travel Agent
Colorado

---------------------------

TRIP TO: CHILE-COLOMBIA
(Easter Island, Santiago, Bogota, Cartagena, Santa Marta, San Andres)

Bonjour Daniel and Hermine,
Back home , back to reality ! Thank you very much for yet another fantastic holiday so well organized by your good selves; my highlights this year were Easter island , Cartagena was so stunning ( the Columbian people are the nicest, polite, kind , happy people I have met in a very long time ! ) and when I got to san Andres , I thought I had died and gone to heaven !! I can' t wait for next year although I am wishing my life away here but I am already thinking about Honduras/Belize/ San Salvador or Perito Moreno/Amazonia :let me know when is the earliest we can start organizing the trip for January 09! .... anyway hope all is well with you , until next time , my very best wishes to you;
Take care .
Christine
France,
--------------------------

TRIP TO: ARGENTINA-URUGUAY

Dear Victor:

The trip was wonderful in all respects. The tourist agency in Buenos Aires covered all
the things that we wanted to see, and their guides were outstanding.
Our side trip to Montevideo went off without a hitch. Hector, who was
our guide, was also outstanding. All in all, we were very pleased
with the trip and accommodations. B.Aires is a wonderful place, and the
food was outstanding. We never missed a meal.

I did have a very happy birthday, and the champagne was such a nice surprise.
Thank you very much for arranging that. We enjoyed it.

I am sorry that I did not write you as soon as we returned.

Best regards,
Don
Denver, CO


----------------------------

Dear Lorena,

The trip you did for Nosworthy family to Peru was perfect!
He sent us an email and told us it was definitely the best trip of their lives!

Thank you so much!

Christine
Travel Agent, CTC
Minnesota


---------------------------

GALAPAGOS aboard private yacht Flamingo

Hello Jose !

Staff terrific. Food terrific. Boat terrific. Islands terrific. Wish we had more
sea kayaks. I never got to go in one.
Thank you for a wonderful trip!
Carol

---------------------------

REPORT: BUENOS AIRES

Hi Daniel & Sonia

I got back from Buenos Aires at 11 pm tired but happy. The trip was a great success for the Argentine portion. Thanks for your help with the hotels and thanks Sonia for the good air arrangements.
The Hotel Americas Towers was fine for exploration purposes though I much preferred the Ayres Recoleta from last year. The area of Calle Santa Fe is very commercial, good for shopping, but not a very relaxing place like Recoleta. The buffet was small but acceptable. Just too few staff for the number of diners and the food disappeared faster than they could replenish it. The rooms are fine . The pool is nice and the free internet is generous, a great bar area and friendly staff. I would consider it for a short stay.
While walking to lunch nearby I passed a nice looking hotel that somehow I missed last year. It is facing the area of outdoor restaurants near Biele a block from the cemetery. Etoile is a boutique hotel, about 94 rooms, most redecorated recently and the remainder scheduled to be redecorated by March 08. The huge lobby is very bright and well furnished with a nice dining area. A Hollywood star was lunching there with his wife! Best of all, even the standard rooms are enormous and it appears to be five star in all respects, even a small gym and pool.
Guillermo Onis from Columbia-Buenos Aires, was quite helpful consulting on things to do and he made some excellent restaurant recommendations for the group dinners. Given this hotel I would want 2 nights at the Shearaton International in Iguazú and a leisurely 7 or 8 nights in Buenos Aires with day trips to Tigre, an Estancia, and something else out of town, perhaps Colonia Uruguay by buque bus?
I will send a more refined plan for you to comment on as soon as I catch up on paper work after 12 days away.
Thanks for reading this, and I will be back to you before long.

Regards Jim.
EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE
Note: Jim organize groups to travel to Central and South America.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

GROUP TO BOLIVIA (La Paz, Sucre, Uyuni Salt Lake)

Hello Daniel and Sonia,

I just wanted to jot down a phone call I received the day our travelers got back from Bolivia (I forgot to do it when it came in). She (Pauline ) called and asked to talk with my boss, Gwen. She said, "I want to talk with Gwen to tell her in person what a fabulous trip it was. Great food, everything was exactly as planned. Strenuous bus rides, but this
was to be expected if we wanted to see everything – and we did! They
went out of their way to show us a great tour."

Thanks again,

Sarah

Executive Administrator
TRAVEL CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

-----------------------------

GROUP TO PANAMA -PLAYA BONITA & GAMBOA

Hello Victor: 

The Panama trip was excellent. The weather really co-operated, just a little rain in the rainforest one day. Lots of sun and breezes. The Gamboa Rainforest Lodge offered the best co-ordinated service to the group. Yaneth was very sharp – had all the details in order. The Sunday Brunch was just too fabulous. Our private dinner in the Chagras Riverview was over the top. The group loved the Embera Tribe Tour – one of the best tours ever, anywhere. They were amazed at the Miraflores Locks – appreciated our private salon for lunch and the private balcony over the locks. The Playa Bonita pool was the main attraction with the volleyball net in the pool. The group loved the setting and the lunch buffets at the Pelican Grill. The young Mr. Gomez was very attentive to the group. Things are just not a polished as they are at Gamboa – no menus for the private dinners. However, the total package was fabulous. They loved Panama and they love us – their travel agent and tour operator. Thanks so much. 

Thank You!

Lois 
Travel Agent
Ohio
----------------------------------

TRIP TO ARGENTINA

Angie,

Thank you SO much for your help on my passengers last minute Galapagos trip!

I was sure that they would find something that they did not like -but they said it was perfect and wonderful and they loved it!

Thanks again I appreciate all of your help---that is why I use only Tara Tours for Latin/Central America!

Christ 
(Travel Agent)

-----------------------------

TRIP TO COSTA RICA

Hi Daniel,  
Bonnie & Johnny are home from their Costa Rica trip and they had a grand time. All went well. Thanks again for all your help.
Happy Holidays to you and your family & staff.

Maxine (Travel Agent)
North Carolina

-------------------------------
GREETINGS FROM BARILOCHE

Hi Ronni, 
Arrived here this afternoon. This a magnificent spot and Hotel Cascada is beautiful. I have a room that overlooks the lake and the snowcapped mountains. I also enjoyed Mendoza very much/ Had wonderful dinner there especially at the hotel and 1894 restaurant. My check there including wine, a cordial, appetizer, entree and dessert came to about 100 pesos or $33. Did you know that I was having an interpreter for the tours in Mendoza. Lots to tell you about. Marita is very helpful. 

Herb
North Carolina
------------------------------

TRIP TO LIMA-CUZCO-MACHU PICCHU-LAKE TITICACA

Hi Daniel:
I am sending this thank you note late because I had got sick after the trip from Peru.
Overall, the trip was very nice, most of the people in the group had a good time, although it was a tour full of adventures and adjustments. The service of Peruvian Odyssey was very good. Fernando, the tour guide in Cuzco and Machu Picchu had provided an excellent service during t he four days for the group. Julio from Lima was very informative and on time for all events too.
Thanks again for all of your hard work, and on behalf of the group, please accept our gratitude and looking forward for the next tour / group.

Regards
Mey
New Jersey
-------------------------------

TRIP TO: Buenos Aires...

Buenos Aires was all I expected it to be and more. There is a vibrant cultural life in addition to the incredible barbecue, the sophisticated tango venues, and some of the best restaurants in the hemisphere. 
Tara Tours arranged for two studios for my friend Jane and me in a wonderful boutique apartment/hotel in the Recoleta section next to the famous cemetery and within walking distance of some of the best restaurants in the city and a short cab fare to the others. The agency sent a car/driver/guide for a city tour, arranged a 50% discount at the best tango show in the VIP section with unlimited champagne and wine, and also for the trip to the Estancia (ranch) for a folkloric show, horsemanship display, and enormous barbecue. The Opera of the Pampas was a combination Buffalo Bill wild west show and operetta on the history of Argentina followed by another enormous parillada, again in the reserved VIP section with far too much wine flowing.
We did the trip to Tigre on the Rio de la Plata delta by train and boat our own... We did the boat ride throught the delta rivers and a stop for lunch at the reputed best restaurant there, not up to the city's fabulous choices. With the peso at three to the dollar, prices are like the 1970s in the US.
The tasting menu at Le Borgogne in the Alvear Palace, reputedly the best hotel in the southern hemisphere, was really decadent and the only outrageous splurge of the trip, still considerably less than my NY favorite Le Cirque.
I cannot adjust to eating at 10-11 pm and bars not starting til 1 am so Jane and I followed a more normal schedule with dining around 9. After a huge ojo de bife to die for and a bottle of incredible Malbec wine, I had no need to go out to bars later. The confidentials column in El Clarin is the place to find consolation for lonely singles but I only investigated a few ads for sociological purposes. 
The big problem for tourists is how little there is to do in the morning since the night-owls don't want to start early. The Fine Arts museum (wonderful collection of French impressionists as well as modern Argentine artists) doesn't open til 12:30 and the Museums of Latin American Art and Decorative Arts do not open until 2 pm. We did lots of walking through the delightful neighborhoods including the relatively new Puerto Madero where incredible shops and restaurants face the old harbor. .......
       
JIM
Brockport N.Y
----------------------------------------

REPORT: Guatemala – by Jene’e Bearden (Travel Agent)

Recently, I had the privilege of traveling to one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to.
Guatemala. Most people conjure up images of “guerillas”, “civil war” and a country in turmoil. But it was just the opposite. Guatemala’s civil war ended about ten years ago and they have been rebuilding its image and infrastructure since. New highways and roads are under construction, and fortunately or unfortunately depending on your own point of view, you can find McDonalds and Burger King, as well as Chilis in most major cities. 
On our first full day, we had a 3:45am wake-up call so we could catch an early 35 minute flight to Flores, capital of the Peten territory. From there we boarded our small deluxe motor coach and traveled to Tikal National Park, home of the largest and most monumental city of the Maya culture. It is advised to wear good walking shoes and bring your rain gear. We lucked out and experienced wonderful weather while we were there. We mapped out what we wanted to see in the time frame we allotted for, which was about 5 hours. However, it is recommended that you start early as the afternoon heat and rain could dampen your experience. Of the towers and temples we saw, most of us were able to climb two of them. The original stone steps are blocked off from climbing. Primitive, but adequate, sturdy wooden steps have been built on the side of the temples to climb to the top. It was well worth the climb on tower number 4, which was the tallest of all that have been excavated. The view was spectacular; it literally took my breath away, especially after 160 steps. Climbing the towers is not for the faint of heart. Along the jungle trails we saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys, a toucan, and several other smaller creatures, such as the leaf cutter ants, spotted by a trail of leaves crossing our path. The visit to Tikal was one of the major highlights of my trip and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. After a late lunch on Lake Peten, we flew back to Guatemala City for the night.

The next day we headed for Chichicastenango, which is a small town lying in the mountains located about 2-3 hours drive from Guatemala City. It is home to the most colorful native market in the Americas. The market days are Sundays and Thursdays throughout the year. Bartering is customary and there are bargains galore. It was recommended by our guide to hire one of the local boys, which are now certified and identified by their name badge and bright orange vest, to be your shopping guide. The boys will carry your bags and guide you through the maze of stalls and market stands. If there is something special you’re looking for they will take you to the best spot for that. They will watch your back as well as your bags, well worth the customary $5 tip.

Lake Atitlan was our next stop. The lake with its natural blue waters was set against a backdrop of three 10,000-foot volcanoes. The lake is 26 km long and 18 km wide, occupying an extinguished crater. Lining the shores, you will find a dozen picturesque Indian villages where life and customs have changed little over the centuries. One of the highlights was a half hour boat ride to the village of Santiago Atitlan, one of the twelve villages located around the lake. Shopping, dining, kayaking and bird watching are just a few of the activities members of our group took in. 

Next stop was Antigua, one of the world’s best conserved colonial cities. It is a magical and captivating small town that makes you feel time might have stopped some 300 years ago. With cobblestone streets and colonial architecture and its beautiful surroundings, it is truly a special place to visit. We visited the Jade factory, Santo Domingo Church and Monastery, as well as take in some free time for shopping and dining.

Our trip winded down with a couple more nights in Guatemala City. Before leaving, we took in a ½ day city tour with visits to the National Palace, Textile Museum, and modern downtown Guatemala City. I look forward to making a return trip to this beautiful country.

Jene
Durney Travel & Cruise // Aberdeen , WA
(all pictures by Jene )

----------------------------------

TRIP TO: EASTER ISLAND, MACHU-PICCHU & LAKE TITICACA 

Dear Victor,
Your company did deserve all the good comments and I hope you remember all the others for other people. Will think of you if we go south of the border again and will be happy to recommend your company to anyone if you would like me too. Again thank you for the direction and the help to put the trip together. 

Gloria T.
New York

-----------------------------------------

TRIP TO: BRAZIL-ARGENTINA-CHILE

Dear Daniel and Chey,

I just wanted to thank you for helping to make the trip to South America for Mr. and Mrs. Karr and Mr. and Mrs. Gords -they had a very lovely experience. They were pleased with all of the guides and all of their transfers occurred in a timely manner. 
I look forward to working with you again in the future. 
Best regards,
Alice
Travel Agent
----------------------------------------

TRIP TO: GUATEMALA

Good morning,

What a Fantastic trip!!! We were amazed with the amount of traveling we were able to do in the short time we were in Guatemala. All of the arrangements with Clark Tours were very well planned with no hitches...the flights, the hotel accommodations, the meals and wonderful tours. 
Again we thank you and Tara Tours for introducing Guatemala to us on this very special tour.

Best regards,
Wayne and Sharon
----------------------------------------

TRIP TO: PERU

Dear Tara,

I went to Peru with you and I can truly say that it was one of the best trips my husband and I have ever done--I am very impressed with the companies that you use in South/Central America-nothing but rave reviews every time!

Thanks again!
Christine
------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: GALAPAGOS-ECUADOR

Daniel-

I wanted to let you know that the Wilsons just got back from Galapagos and they absolutely had the most fabulous trip! 

They travel all over the world and he is a doctor at Mayo Clinic and was a referral from some other clients that I booked through Tara Tours last year!
Thanks,
Travel Agent,
Wisconsin
-----------------------------------------

TRIP TO: PANAMA

Dear Victor,

I wanted to thank you for arranging a wonderful trip for us. My husband remarked that it was the first international trip we've been on where everything went smoothly and as arranged. We had a wonderful time and will recommend you and the trip to our friends.

Sincerely, 
Louise & Tom
New Jersey,
-------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: Ecuador & Galapagos

Hi Chris (travel agent)
What a wonderful trip!!! It was one of the most memorable experiences of our life. We will never forget our time there. The animals and natural beauty was extraordinary. The ship was fantastic, the crew so extremely polite, the guides wonderful, food terrific, weather wonderful. What more can we say. 

We sincerely thank you for making all these arrangements for us. 

Walter, M.D. 
--------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: BRAZIL -AMAZON

Danny … all of the arrangements that you made for us worked out great … just as expected.

We had the meeting at the airport in Rio, and the guide was outstanding. Also, everything worked out at Ariau … . The food quality and quantity was adequate, and the guides all seemed to do a good job. Things are starting to look a little ‘tired,.’ but I guess that goes along with the jungle. This seemed to be a good time to visit, as the boats were able to get into all areas, and there was still some dry land.

Thanks again,

Best regards,

Jack
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

-----------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: GUATEMALA

Dear Mr. Daniel Taramona,

I recently went on a trip to Guatemala arranged by booking agent Jeff and wanted to advise you, it was a wonderful experience. Although there was not a lot of advanced booking 
time, he did his utmost to help make the arrangements. Clark Tours was greatly organized and the trip went without a hitch.
I certainly will be comfortable in seeking your service in the future.

Thank you
Alba 

-------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: PANAMA -ROYAL DECAMERON

Dear Daniel,

My husband and I wanted to thank you for your help in planning and booking our recent trip to Panama. It was a wonderful time with few glitches. The Royal decameron was wonderful and we were glad we took some of the reviews lightly. We had a room facing the pools and ocean. The food was good and we rarely had to climb the "dreaded" hill. There is, of course, vehicles that go around and will give anyone a ride who needs it. Our one complaint was the availability of tours on a regular basis. The Gamboa Rainforest Resort was beautiful and from there we took numerous trips from the resort as well as on our own to save a large expense. 

Cordially,
Robin and Peter
New York
---------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: PERU

Good Afternoon—

You have put together trips for me to Peru twice within the last four years, and have done a splendid job. There were both well organized. I was very pleased with the accommodations. And, your staff in Peru was very accommodating, friendly, and helpful at all times.
I am now considering a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have never been there before. It would be a week’s duration,I look forward to hearing from you, as I plan my trip.

Thanks for your time and assistance.

Fred
ARKANSAS
----------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: PANAMA

Hi, Victor, Finally have had a minute to write to you and thank you for the wonderful trip we had to Panama.
The De Cameron was great! Good lodgings, good food, wonderful people. Their system is so efficient for such a large operation.
The Panama Canal was awesome and something we always wanted to see.
The Crowne Plaza was excellent.
Thank you so much for being so patient with me regarding the details of the trip.
Am sure we will be in contact regarding a trip to Belize. Thanks again,

Darlene
Wisconsin


-----------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: BOLIVIA

To Whom it May Concern,

Our group, from the Travel Club, would like to let you know what a marvelous tour guide we had for our trip to Bolivia from 01 Sept through 05 Sept.

Our guide, Fernando , was very knowledgeable, interesting, full of enthusiasm and energy, and was a great factor in making the trip a success for all of us. It was apparent that he loves his job and he was a walking encyclopedia of information. As a group, we were all very impressed with him and we wish him every success in the future.

The tour itself was great and we enjoyed every minute of it. We especially enjoyed Lake Titicaca and it's rich history.

Thank you,

Tere & Jim 
Texas 
---------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO: ARGENTINA, PERU, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, PARAGUAY

Hi Daniel, just got back from my trip ( just! the BA flight was so busy! I think I got the last seat on the airplane! ) once again I had a great time ; I so love South America and this year I particularly loved Bolivia: so I wanted to thank you for your great organization and your attention to details: I am already thinking of next January !! what do you think of Columbia...., anyway many thanks to you and Jose for putting this trip together and I can' t wait until the next one! 

Kind Regards. 
Christine
FRANCE
-----------------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO EL SALVADOR

Daniel -- I was just looking at your website and found a section called "Passenger's Reports". It was very nice and I simply wanted to put a note in there regarding our group's most recent trip - in February, 2007 - to El Salvador. It was the best trip yet! We have booked three trips with you (through our travel agent and friend at Barclay Travel in Madison) and they all have been very enjoyable. I also wanted everyone else to know what a fine job you and your company do to be sure everything comes out satisfactorily. We are looking forward to another destination next year!

Thank you again.
Kathy G. R.
Middleton, WI 
-----------------------------------------------------

TRIP TO CHILE & ARGENTINA

March 08, 2007
Subject: Wonderful Trip

Dear Victor,
As I told you on the phone the sights, drivers and guides you chose for us were wonderful. It made such a difference in Jim's comfort level being able to go our own way at our own speed. All of the guides were considerate of Jim but as I told you Carlos of 
Martin Travel in Iguazu Falls went above and beyond. He thought Jim would be better able to see the Falls from the Brazil side because there is an elevator there beside the falls and he could get a wheelchair for Jim to go out on the catwalk in front of the falls. 

Another wonderful guide was the woman we had at Puerto Madryn. Sorry I couldn't find her name. There were no wheelchairs available at the Punta Tombo Rookery and it was a long walk down to the penguins so she asked the ranger to take Jim down to an area where he could sit among the penguins while we walked further. The ranger also came 
back when we finished our walk and drove Jim to the entrance. 


Terry in Santiago and Trinidad in Buenos Aires were excellent. I would certainly recommend the Opera Pampas. It was outstanding. One improvement would be to get the English Explanation to those attending before they go. 

You were wonderful to work with and I will certainly recommend you to 
anyone going to South America.

Sincerely,

Mr & Mrs. Willis