REPORTS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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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-

Travel Agent

Maitland, Fla.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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REPORT: TRIP TO PERU, ARGENTINA & BRAZIL

Hi Daniel,

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

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!

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

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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

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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

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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

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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 -

Travel Agent

Carmel-Monterrey, California

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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LAST MINUTE RESERVATION FOR SANTIAGO DE CHILE & VALLE NEVADO

We had a blast...here's a brief scorecard:

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.

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.

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

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

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;

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,

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

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

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.
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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.

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!

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

Bonnie & Johnny are home from their Costa Rica trip and they had a grand time. All went well. Thanks again for all your help.