“Wonderful guide and country!”

I contacted 6 different tour operators, George was the fastest to reply.

Reviewed August 23, 2014

We started looking for a guide about 3 weeks before we arrived in Romania, we were 2 ladies who couldn't drive very well. We wanted a private tour with a local guide who could bring us to all the sights in Transylvania as we didn't have much time. I contacted 6 different tour operators, George was the fastest to reply. Right from the get-go, he was friendly, professional and prompt. He helped me build an itinerary from the places we were interested to visit. Out of all the tour operators who answered me, he was the only one who pointed out that some of the sights would be closed on Monday and suggested an alternative route. He is based in Bucharest but drove all the way to Cluj to start the tour with us there. And all this based on my word, he didn't even ask for a deposit. He sent me all the information regarding accommodations, receipts, his certifications and even his car license plate and was very communicative up to the day we started the tour. Touring Romania also gave the most competitive price and included all the entrances costs to the attractions. The only tour operator out of the 6 I contacted to offer that.

Throughout the entire tour, we felt really well taken care of, he was warm, friendly and patient. It was like travelling with a good friend. Always making sure if we needed to stop for toilet breaks or to buy drinks. He was very flexible and would stop if we wanted to take pictures or see an extra sight, he toured with us a good 12 hours everyday. He was such a gentleman and helped us with our luggage to our room every night. When we were hiking in rough places, he made sure we managed to climb up and down safely. He also told us great stories about living under communist rule from his childhood.

All the restaurants he recommended were great and gave us a good introduction to Romanian cuisine. I especially loved eating at Lucica's home in Floresti village, she was such a sweet lady and we got to watch her sheep being milked. What an authentic experience of a Saxon village!

We had heard about bad roads and drivers in Romania and there was a lot of driving on this trip. George is a very good and safe driver, always keeping within the speed limit. His car was very well-kept and we often napped on long drives. we even went through the Transfagarasan Highway easily with no problems. He would even slow down if we needed to take pictures from the car. There was a little hiccup at Peles Castle as they had suddenly changed the programme and we didn't manage to go in. George was very apologetic and offset the cost of the entrance by paying for the lunch at Lucica's. That's how honest he is!

Romania is a beautiful country with very warm people especially in the villages and Touring Romania really made it extra special. We managed to see all the sights we wanted and more. When we tipped him, he was actually worried if we had enough Romanian currency to eat dinner and initially did not want to accept. He also wrote to check in on us after the tour. Had a great experience, was sad when it was over!

I have been a tour manager for school tours and have toured with guides from all over the world. George is one of the most accommodating, caring and honest guides I have met. Highly recommended!

Visited August 2014

 Yun E
Tel Aviv, Israel