smarTours

Fantastic experience: I recently journeyed to Cuba on the Captivating Cuba tour. It was one of the most amazing trips I’ve done. It was organized and we did so much in the time that we were there. I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to go to Cuba!

Fantastic experience: Discover Japan trip in November 2024 was amazing. Outstanding tour guide, great hotels, fabulous food and well planned side trips.

Fantastic experience: This is my second tour with this company. I went on my own and had the most amazing time in Egypt this Nov. We had one of the most amazing tour guides any of us have ever had. Kalied Lotfy was a true storyteller that brought this whole county to life. We traveled from one end to another and everything was so well planned and organized that I would never do Egypt without them. I can not say enough about it all. Thank you so much Kalied! Planning my next this week.

Fantastic experience: I have used Smartours services for trips to China, Thailand, Cambodia, and an Egyptian land/Nile cruise. Their tours were very competitively priced and lead by some exceptional guides. Most tours have multiple flight options, I've always left out of JFK in NY. And on arrival at your destination, a Smartours representative will check you in to start your vacation. Have always had great experiences here, and I look forward to exploring more places. Use to have better single supplement rates.

Fantastic experience: We normally plan our own trips. This is the first time we ever traveled with a tour company. Two thumbs up and we highly recommend them. They made the trip to Egypt the trip of a lifetime. They handled everything (from food to hotels to transportation), for a reasonable price, so we could just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Fantastic experience: My daughter and I enjoyed the Iceland trip immensely. Our Tour Director Olafur was wonderful and we had a fantastic time. He provided a lot of excellent information and goes out of his way to have each of us enjoy our time here while in Iceland. The Northern lights was spectacular; and the Blue Lagoon was relaxing and a wonderful experience! Thank you Olafur and SmarTours! This has been an awesome trip!

Negative experience: This was my first time booking a tour package and my first-ever vacation. I work really hard and had been looking forward to this for months. It was highly disappointing, primarily due to the lack of clear information about the extensive time spent on a warm bus, which should have been included in the itinerary. The few activities offered felt rushed. Most of the included dining experiences were subpar, with inconsistent pricing and poor food quality—Day 8's lunch was particularly problematic. I sent back my dry chicken dish, and the staff was upset when I refused to eat any replacement meal. There were also issues with hygiene and meal preparation. While our tour guide, Mr. Aziz, was excellent, the itinerary’s structure was poorly planned. He did his best. Not his fault at all.

Negative experience: 1 STAR RATING IS FOR THE MAJESTIC MOROCCO TOUR, NOT SMARTOURS OVERALL. MAJESTIC MOROCCO COMPLAINT: If I had to say something positive, it would be about our tour director, Mr. Aziz. He was great—knowledgeable and attentive. My issues with this tour have nothing to do with him but rather with how SmarTours structured this itinerary. This was one of the most disappointing tour experiences I’ve ever had. My main issue was the lack of transparency about how much time would be spent on a bus each day. If SmarTours had included in the itinerary the duration of each bus ride, I would not have booked this tour package. The long bus rides were made worse by constant announcements over the PA, making it hard to rest. Future tours could benefit from quieter communication via whispers to give travelers the option to listen if they wish. The itinerary included minimal activities. Most days, when not on the bus, involved endless walking. Free time for exploring, shopping, or using the restroom felt rushed to stay on schedule. For me, only the cooking class and Sahara camel ride were enjoyable. MOST of the included dining stops were disappointing, though not all. We would have been better off selecting our own meals. My vegan sister, who notified the company in advance, was served bland pastas, bread with olives, french fries, and plain vegetables each day. On Day 6, the included lunch restaurant (not the hotel dinner buffet) had no running water but still prepared and served meals. I woke up with stomach pain & diarrhea the following morning. On Day 8, the restaurant we were required to stop at for lunch served my partner dry chicken and was upset when we returned the plate. Different guests were charged different prices for the same dishes. I ordered a soup and lamb tagine and was told it cost 180 dirhams. Knowing this was likely inflated, I asked others what they had been charged for the same items—one person paid 130 dirhams, another 120 dirhams. I informed the tour director and ultimately paid 120 dirhams. I believe the staff upcharged me because my partner returned his dish and didn’t eat the replacement. Feeling so dissatisfied with the experience, I opted out of three of the twelve days, staying behind at the hotel even after paying for optional activities. I’d also like to mention that I’ve done long transports with SmarTours in both Greece and Egypt, but those involved mini cruises, a completely different and far more enjoyable experience than sitting on a warm bus with inconsistent A/C. Again, Mr.Aziz was great. If I were rating him alone, 5 STARS!

Fantastic experience: We were first time SmarTours customers on the trip to Greece in early October. The entire tour was well organized and the Tour Director was entertaining, caring and so informative. The hotels were comfortable and convenient and bus and boat were also comfortable. I totally recommend SmarTours and would travel with them again.

Fantastic experience: I recently had the incredible opportunity to experience the “Heart of India” tour led by our fantastic tour director Mr. Rohitash Sharma and I can’t recommend it highly enough! From the moment we arrived in Delhi and began our journey, Rohit’s passion for India and its rich culture was noticeable. His extensive knowledge of history, art, and local traditions truly brought each destination to life. Whether we were at the stunning, breathtaking beauty of the Taj Mahal in Agra, or guided us through majestic Forts and Royal Palaces, or introducing us to local artisans and their crafts, showcasing the vibrant art scene that flourishes alongside age-old traditions or whether we were wandering through the colorful, bustling markets of Jaipur or exploring the serene landscapes of Udaipur, Rohit made every moment unforgettable. Rohit is not just a guide; he is a cultural ambassador. His storytelling skills were captivating, weaving tales that made the history and culture of India resonate deeply. Rohit’s tours are infused with culinary adventures as well as first class hotel accommodations. Rohit had a knack for finding hidden gems - local restaurants and eateries where we tasted authentic regional dishes often lead us to memorable dining experiences. What stood out most was Rohit’s ability to connect with each of us personally. He took the time to understand our interest and preferences, ensuring that everyone felt included and engaged throughout the tour. His warmth and humor created a relaxed atmosphere, making it easy for our group to bond and share experiences. My personal regret is that I have not extended my travel to Varanasi, India’s holiest city, but perhaps that will be another adventure to come. Overall, The “Heart of India” tour exceeded all my expectations, thanks in large part to Rohit’s dedication and expertise. If anyone is looking for an immersive and enlightening experience in India, I wholeheartedly recommend this tour - And, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to experience it with Rohit as your excellent tour director. Namaste Ursula Garbien

Fantastic experience: Loved our perfect Italian tour with smarTours. From Venice to Capri, it was picture perfect. We were shown fabulous landscapes, art and food. I strongly recommend everyone put this on their bucket list.

Fantastic experience: This was our very first tour (with any company), and smarTours Jewels of the Adriatic exceeded our expectations. We visited a large number of interesting and beautiful locations, many with great water views along the Adriatic. There was a nice balance between cities (Dubrovnik, Split, Ljubljana, Zagreb), scenic places like Plitvice Lakes and Lake Bled, and historic towns (Zadar, Opatija, Pula, Rovinj). The tour was well-organized and nicely paced, Jan was a terrific Tour Director, local guides and driver were excellent, and we had fun and learned a lot. We're looking forward to doing another smarTours trip in the future!

Fantastic experience: This Smartours trip to Sicily and Malta was our favorite so far. Our guide was certified and trained as both a tour manager AND a tour guide so he was incredibly knowledgeable and could answer any questions asked about about the history, architecture, geology of the landscapes and volcanoes, and the people living in different areas of the island which were all beautiful. He also was very personable and attentive to our needs. This was a food tour, but rather than the “gourmet “ foods found in some restaurants, our tour focused on ‘“street food” and the foods commonly found in every Sicilian Italian kitchen. We had a session with a chef, teaching us how to make 3 different foods common to the culture, each with its own history, and with the recipes she gave us, we plan to try our hand at them at home. With all the wonderful baroque architecture and lovely sites, and with our having traveled to many European countries, we saw what I believe was the most beautiful interior of a church we’ve ever been in. And the Caravaggio paintings there were awe inspiring. On our short trip to Malta we had a different guide who was also very knowledgeable and passionate about her small country. Our drives to archeological sites, our walks through once-walled in and fortified coastal towns and cities, and the many tastings we had there were great. Though we enjoyed the more diverse atmospheres and landscapes in Sicily, Malta had its own flavor as an island with a very complex past. Both islands have fascinating histories and archeological sites going back to the years BC as well as lovely seaside towns and cities to enjoy. I should mention that the hotels were top notch and the breakfasts were excellent. The bus was very comfortable and we always had time to stretch our legs if a drive was over a couple hours. There was a long bus ride one day, going South to North on Sicily, but we stopped for lunch and at a few other travel stops which broke it up. Having walked so much on other days, the ride was actually a welcome rest! We had no complaints about this trip. It was beautiful, well planned, had a great guide/tour manager, and was in a fascinating place.

Fantastic experience: Our trip to Portugal and the Azores was our 3rd excursion with Smartours since 2017. The entire experience was excellent, with a very compatible, mutually-respectful group of 28 for the mainland and only 8 continuing on to the Azores. The organization was flawless, the guides (and drivers) superb and the hotels maintained their reputation of at least 4-star. The pacing was good and there was sufficient free-time, and the optional tours, all of which we chose to experience were great and good value. The included dinner meals were average, and some were either insufficient food quantity or uninspiring, however there were only 4 dinners. I would have preferred to have hotel rooms with queen beds but generally they were singles that could usually be moved together. Having seen a large number of churches, we were disappointed that the Lisbon synagogue was not included in the itinerary (but we managed to see it ourselves after the formal tour completed). All-in-all, I cannot imagine having designed my own tour that could have come close to teaching us as much about this destination.

Fantastic experience: Great bang for your buck! Well organized, great guides. Good hotels. Fifth tour and hopefully not the last!

Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful experience on our South African Tour. Jonathan Muller was an excellent tour guide. We saw all the big 5 animals plus many more. The Chobe safari and boat trip was amazing. Exceded our expectations

Fantastic experience: We had an awesome tour to Peru. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and helpful and while the trip was exhausting, it's something we'll never forget.

Fantastic experience: Having been on many SmartTours before, this one continued my faith and trust in their tours. Although we covered a lot of ground, we were not rushed from place to place. Our guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Plenty of time on our own, as not many meals were as a group, so we were free to explore and try different restaurants and neighborhoods. Would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: First time with smarTours and won't be our last. We went on the Flavors of Italy tour, Turin, Chianti, Italian Riviera, Bologna. Trip was very well organized and managed. Our representative Francesca was outstanding, making sure everyone's needs were looked after. Hotels were better than expected and located right in the middle of the towns. The local tour guides were full of information and suggestions. Having a group of only 14 was excellent. A great combination of organized tours/events and free time. The lunch at a private estate/farm was really outstanding. All pre-arranged dinners were very good. My wife and I would give it an A+.

Fantastic experience: We had an amazing trip through South Africa and Victoria Falls; a wonderful tour guide Andrew Penn, excellent itinerary, and reasonably priced with SmarTours. Thank you so much SmarTours for the magical experience in Africa, and we will definitely be using Smartours again for future trips.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful tour. Well worth the money.

Negative experience: The tour was great until my tour guide left me in the parking lot in the pouring rain as they drove off to view Antelope Canyon. When he returned and found out what happened, he repeatedly said, "You have to see this from MY point of view." It felt as though he kept badgering me about "HIS" point of view. He never did apologize or take responsibility . I find this unacceptable.

Positive experience: Our tour guide, Enrique, was prepared, professional, and passionate about sharing his knowledge. His attention to detail helped make the tour into an experience to remember.

Fantastic experience: Enrique was an amazing Tour director! Truly a pleasure and enjoyed an amazing trip filled with new knowledge and culture!

Fantastic experience: I recently returned from Jewels of the Adriatic and really enjoyed the tour. We focused on Croatia and Slovenia primarily. We were 17 and a cohesive group. The hotels were all great except for Plitvice which needs a remodel but the location was great. We had many sunny days with little rain. Our tour guide Blaj went above and beyond. I loved Opatija and Lake Bled the most and could have skipped Montenegro altogether. Slovenia reminded me of Switzerland with green pastures against the Julian Alps. This was my second Smartours trip.

Fantastic experience: The tour of Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro was beyond fabulous. The people who were in our group were very friendly and we bonded quickly. I think that was facilitated by the tour director, Jasmina. She was so professional, efficient, knowledgeable, and friendly, her very presence was always a delight. Our driver, Jerko, was amazing as he maneuvered the big bus through very narrow streets. He was always very polite, friendly, and professional in his duties. We were very proud of him because he dressed well in slacks, a dress shirt and tie. We saw many other drivers who were in t-shirts and not looking professional. We knew that both Jasmina and Jerko had our best interests at heart. We couldn’t have asked for a better team. I am still so happy I took this trip. We saw so much beauty in these countries, and the locals were friendly and welcoming. It’s been a pleasure to be affiliated with SmarTours twice now and I look forward to another trip soon!

Positive experience: We’ve gone on multiple tours and plan to go on more. Guides are knowledgeable and handle logistics well. Local guides are generally very good. Tour size are around 20 people, and most of the time the bus is roomy. One time, our guide took us to four places for hours long sales pitches.

Positive experience: 12 day land and cruise tour to Greece was great! All tour guides knowledgeable and nice! However we missed 2 islands on cruise that we paid for as weather permitted us to dock or get on tandem boats to the islands as safety is important but hope Smart tours will acknowledge that.

Fantastic experience: Enchanting Peru was a wonderful travel experience for our family of 4. We loved the cultural experience with 4 in- home visits with Peruvians from varied backgrounds. The Inca history was very informative and Machu Picchu was outstanding. Our Tour Director, Enrique Virto was exceptional. He was very knowledgeable, had a great sense of humor and was very sensitive to the individual needs of each person on our team. He was willing to share from his personal family story to enhance our understanding of Peruvian culture. He made the trip what it was.

Fantastic experience: The Peru tour was excellent. Our time in Lima was enjoyable, with a highlight being a visit and dinner at the Larco museum (pre-Colombian art and artifacts). We spent a fair amount of time on the bus, but it was very comfortable and the drivers were very competent. Our group was composed of kind and interesting people - they were a delight to be with. Our tour guide for most of the tour, Enrique, was fantastic - funny, well-informed, and patient - not to mention multilingual. Machu Picchu was breathtaking of course, but the real highlight was our time at Lake Titicaca, where we took a boat excursion to two islands where we saw two different indigenous communities, learned about their way of life, saw their handicrafts, and ate a delicious meal of fresh fish prepared by one of them. That was a very special experience, the kind you absolutely would not get on your own. Thanks to Smartours for arranging.

Fantastic experience: Wow, this company runs an extraordinary tour of Peru for a very reasonable price!! The whole experience far exceeded my expectations in terms of the intellectual capacity and knowledge of the guides, the intersections of guide explanations and landscape wonders, the level of physical activity, and much more. Everything ran as smoothly as butter: transportation, excursions, hotels...it was pretty much perfect. I led foreign study trips for university students in the past, and had some rocky experiences in developing countries. Not the case on this trip, ever. I've also worked with a lot of guides in foreign countries. Our smarTours guide, Enrique, is far and away the BEST tour guide I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. His deep historical and cultural knowledge -- combined with a fun sense of humor, patience, and ability to answer questions -- under girded all of our experiences. The other people on the tour were also, without exception, interesting and fun. 100% enjoyable; we'll be traveling with smarTours again!

Fantastic experience: 2rd tour with smarTours..China a few years ago and India last week..Both tours were excellent.. First a guide that met you at airport and stayed with tour until the end, and most important had equal concern for all and provided important background information throughout trip in a professional but delightful voice. Days filled with a schedule of beautiful historical and interesting political sites, a fun diversity of modes of travel and excellent food and clean comfortable hotels (and sometimes a beautiful room in a palace)..I am planning my next tour

Fantastic experience: We love traveling with Smartours! Recently completed Splendid Spain, and have also done Morocco and Croatia. Heading to Portugal next. Group size is good, not too large! All the tour guides we've had are excellent, extremely knowledgeable about their country! Itineraries offer enough free time so we can do what we like. Highly recommend this tour company!

Fantastic experience: Iceland was remarkable, and having a great tour director like Guðný Margrét Emilsdóttir made this tour outstanding. She thought of everything! She knew the history inside and out, located the best Northern Lights, gave restaurant suggestions, and made sure we got on our departing flight effortlessly. Any traveller would be lucky to have Guðný guiding the effort. Kudos to her driver August. Thank you SmartTours!

Fantastic experience: The Amazing Thailand Trip was just that, amazing. It was far more than I had expected. We went to the villages and learned about the culture from the experiences of the villagers. The temples were majestic and I loved each visit. The cooking class was one of my favorites. Try the experience and have at least one massage while there. It was worth the money.

Fantastic experience: Egypt was a trip of a lifetime for me. Smartours not only gave me what i expected but exceeded my expectations beyond my wildest dreams. I have traveled a lot but not to this capacity of overwhelming knowledge and fun! I cant believe it gets any better! a special thank you to our tour guide Rania Akl who pushed to make a dreams I had as a kid to come true!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic experience all the way. The guides were friendly, funny and very knowledgeable and gave the tour their personal touch. Bus drivers were top notch. I feel like I got a very good inside look at everything Thailand has to offer. One of the most memorable trips I've taken

Fantastic experience: Well organized, covered all important sites in Egypt. Great hotels and the Nile cruise was very special.

Fantastic experience: I was apprehensive to go on a trip with a tour group - but after going on this trip with SmarTours to Egypt - I cannot imagine exploring Egypt any other way. We had the BEST time, seeing so so much that Egypt has to offer, enjoying leisurely time by the pool and also staying very active doing tours, sightseeing and having adventures. Our tour guide, Ahmed, was the best guide! He has such a passion for Egypt, and was so very knowledgeable I felt like I was getting a private group National Geographic experience everywhere we went. He has a passion for his country, and is an encyclopedia of knowledge and a gem of a person to spend twelve days with. It was a busy trip, packed with tours and explorations, but definitely got the most out of what Egypt has to offer!! I wouldn’t want to do Egypt any other way. A+!

Fantastic experience: Iceland tour was phenomenal. So much included great value. We had a knowledge and interesting tour guide who went above and beyond to ensure we all had the best possible experience Our driver was friendly and safe on the road. The hotels were clean and comfortable. Food was delicious. And all we had to do was show up. Highly recommend!!

Fantastic experience: Went to Morocco on October 17,2023, and was greeted by my tour guide Mohamed from Smart Tours. From beginning to the end he was a walking encyclopedia very knowledgeable about his country, he went above his call of duty to ensure that each one of us felt like his family. I highly recommend Smart Tours and their tour guides if you want to experience all the amenities that Morocco have to offer.

Fantastic experience: Took a SmarTours trip to Morocco, October 18th to October 28th, 2023. Stayed in six (6) different hotels, transportation and some meals included. I truly enjoyed all of the cities I visited (Casablanca, The Sahara Desert, The Atlas Mountains, etc.) truly beautiful and amazing place and I highly recommend traveling with SmarTours, you get your money’s worth.

Fantastic experience: Smart tour To Smart tours, and all the future smarties out there. I just got back from a two week excursion in Egypt with the help of smart tours staff and crew, Mrs. Nermeen, and mr. Amir. Me and my group of eight had such a wonderful and safe time going to Cairo, taking a longboat through the Nile to Luxor, and taking plane rides through Egypt. I cannot thank our tour guide, Mrs. Nermeen enough for being such a wonderful host and, Mr. Amir for taking care of all the logistics over my 13 days. The staff and tour guide spoke perfect English and help throughout the towns and shopping to get us the best price with her Arabic. Mrs. Nermeen Answered all our questions and assisted on everything we need, She made sure that everybody was happy and well taken care of, and the only thing we had to worry about was to have fun. She was with us day in and day out for the entire time, the only thing I have to say, and I cannot say enough for all you future smart tour travelers, you will be more than happy a smile on your face every day and knowing that Egypt as a country and smart tours as an excellent host of the country will make sure that everybody is perfectly safe as I was in my group. Feel free as we did to ask smart tour as many questions as possible they will get to you in a prompt manner with upmost professionalism. Thank you very much Mrs. Nermeen and Mr. Amir for a wonderful vacation getaway.

Fantastic experience: The Women’s trip to Morocco was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had. Hajar, our guide, was not only informative but she made everything we did fun and special. Our group of 15 women was small enough to visit Moroccan women in their homes. We even had a cooking class in a home high in the Atlas Mountains. To get there many of us rode mules. The photo is where we enjoyed a traditional mint tea ceremony before the cooking lesson. I’d like to see SmarTours offer more “Women Only” trips.

Fantastic experience: We recently returned from our Smartours to Iceland. Aside from the daily rain we had a great time. Our tour director was extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much about Iceland. The hotels were very nice and very clean. The buffet breakfast that is included was awesome. Smartours planned a wonderful itinerary. This is our third Smartour and we are never disappointed.

Fantastic experience: First time doing a group tour and won't be my last especially with smarTours. Everything was very well organized from the pickups to the drop offs, to the hotel check ins, and the meals. I don't think we would have been able to see nearly as much had we tried to do the tour ourselves. Our guide Helga was great, providing a lot of interesting facts and old Icelandic stories along the way and our driver Gulle navigated some pretty treacherous roads with ease. Things were a bit rushed at times, but I suppose that's to be expected when you are trying to fit in as many things as the tour laid out. Could have been a couple less bathroom stops, but again when you have 25 people on a bus, you need to accommodate everyone's needs. Would definitely recommend this tour.

Fantastic experience: “It was a great trip for us to see all the beautiful scenes in Croatia. You must to go!! Also, all trip people joining us were tremendous and super kind. They took care of each other like a family. Our tour leader, Mirna, was so knowledgable on history and arranged the whole trip smoothly and smartly. Local guides were great as well. ”

Fantastic experience: “Loved Flavours of Portugal and Spain, especially the size of the group, only 17 people. Because of this, everyone was off and on the bus quickly and we rarely had to wait for people. The majority of the hotels were good and the places we visited were interesting. We visited 3 wineries and an apple cider place. The best was the chocolate factory in Porto and the town of Sintra.”

Fantastic experience: I did three tours with smarTours and they were all excellent. We had knowledgeable guides and well organized activities. All the hotels were of high standards and the food was never disappointing.

Fantastic experience: SmarTours is the best, so far we have no complaints. What we like is that they take care of everything, great hotel stays, excursions, meals and great tour guides that are so knowledgeable. We already have another trip set up for next year, you can't go wrong with SmarTours.

Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful hotels and boat were great. Our guide was the best. Will travel smartour again.

Fantastic experience: This tour was great!! I went during the rainy season in October 2023. Every day that I was there on the tour, it rained after the tour was completed. I finally got to see a toucan for the first time in my life! Also, I saw the blue jeans frog up close and personal in the rain forest. That frog is a tiny little creature but is very beautiful in color. Also, the tour led my group throughout the majority of the country on both the Caribbean and the Pacific sides. I was pleased with traveling abroad and throughout this beautiful country. This trip was very educational on all levels! This tour is well worth the price.

Fantastic experience: An eye-opening tour from beginning to final drop off at the airport. Wildlife viewing was spectacular. We saw the Big Five on two separate game drives. A bonus was the smaller 4x4 vehicles used. Everyone had a clear view of wildlife on both sides at all times. Never once did we feel our safety was at risk. Hotels were upscale and accommodations were roomy and generally up to date. Meals were tasty and typically offered several options. We came home with great appreciation for the work of the dedicated conservationists and the people of South Africa working for social and economic change in their country.

Fantastic experience: 4th trip with SmarTours and once again they disappoint. Splendors of Egypt/Cairo. From the moment we landed in Cairo to the moment we left Cairo and all the stops in between we had fabulous guides and a jam packed tour. I live by the motto "YOU PASS THIS WAY BUT ONCE" and can't think of too many things we didn't get to see. I've already booked trip #5 with them and can't wait as I know I'll once again be blown away.

Fantastic experience: Magnificent! The Canadian Rockies have so much beauty. We had a wonderful guide who was very knowledgeable and flexible so we could work around any weather issues. This trip is an excellent value. .

Fantastic experience: This was a great tour for a great price. We saw so much and it gives you a taste of the highlights of each of the cities in Spain. The accommodations, tours and meals were excellent. Laura Dobrota, our tour director, was great. She made our trip fun, enjoyable and was accommodating. I would highly recommend this tour if you want to have a taste of Spain. It will not disappoint.

Fantastic experience: Scandinavian countries countries are even better when you do them with SmarTours. Wonderful tour director and awesome hotels. I would go back tomorrow if I had not come home with COVID.

Fantastic experience: SmarTours Magical Ireland tour allowed us to see all of Ireland in one trip! We saw all the "must see" locations and I especially loved the local, little known places we visited and experiences, like baking soda bread. Free time was perfect for us to explore and we enjoyed everyone we traveled with! It was a dream trip for my 60th birthday!

Fantastic experience: Loved our Kenya Safari! We had an amazing driver, saw more than we thought possible, and enjoyed wonderful accommodations! Would highly recommend this trip.

Fantastic experience: "Colorful Costa Rica was an adventurous way to see the real Costa Rica. Hanging bridges, river boat rides through the rainforests, animal sightings, delicious food, and wonderful locals made this a truly one of a kind trip. Our guide Vinicio Viquez was informative and very kind. It was a fabulous trip!!" -#smarTraveler Diana Johnson

Fantastic experience: Shana Harris We enjoyed our amazing interesting smarTours tour in Croatia in May 2023. Regrettably the weather in Zagreb was not cooperative, but our wonderful tour director Lea and our excellent driver Leo made every effort to ensure that the weather did not prevent us from enjoying our tour. Fortunately the weather improved once we left Zagreb. Lea was an excellent tour director. She was knowledgeable and informative, as well as charming and helpful. Lea and Leo were always willing to respond to and to provide for our needs. The local guides at each of our destinations were excellent. They were knowledgeable, entertaining and engaging. This was our 4th trip with smarTours. We are looking forward to continuing to travel with smarTours.

Positive experience: smarTours provided an excellent itinerary for Croatia and Slovenia on our recent late May/early June vacation. Extremely beautiful countries and magnificent scenery and history. Friendly people and nice accommodations. We didn't love the tour provided food, but otherwise the tour was very good and I would recommend for those who like group budget minded tours.

Positive experience: Their tours are mostly for older people, they take people with walkers, canes etc. and with great difficulty walking, if you are in good health and no problems walking this is not the tour for you. They use good hotels and be prepared to tip all DAY LONG, tipping is ridiculous way too much.

Negative experience: Unfortunately you can't give them a negative number. Find a better tour service and if you do book with them, arrange your own flights. Smartours’s service and terms work against you. If you miss your own booked flight due to airline cancellations/delays, you can get a refund/credit/miles back. I found out our missed flight’s unused tickets were refundable from the airline but Smartours keeps your money.

Fantastic experience: This is a beautiful experience, it's so well planned. The guide/tour Director is exceptional, he went and beyond attend to each travelers needs and many desires... adding some great education with special stops along the way. Hopefully you get Patrick. He is phenomenal. remember your experience depends on you, a positive mindset with soft, flexible, energy guarantees an experience of lifetime

Positive experience: Smartours Wonders of Mexico Tour Review First, good parts of the tour: 1. The Mexico City and Oaxaca, Valladolid itinerary was very good with interesting historical and cultural locations. 2. The tour guide was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly making the tour worthwhile 3. The tour bus was good and the driver’s drove safely and courteously. The bad parts of the tour: 1. The Playa Del Carmen part was TERRIBLE with all aspects and waste of time. 2. The tour should allow more time at Mexico City and Oaxaca instead of Playa del Carmen. 3. The hotel area was very loud, loud music did not end until 4 am and we could not sleep during our entire stay. 4. The Isle de Mujeres tour was total disappointment, disaster and waste of time. We wasted $230 on this tour. This tour was totally misrepresented in Smartours Itinerary. There was no guide and any tour plan. We had to hire a taxi for additional $50 USD to tour the island as there was nothing offered. We do not speak Spanish and had difficulty in communicating. 5. The catamaran was supposedly to be a luxury catamaran, it was packed, crowded, the food was terrible, the drinks served was in unclean cups and unsafe. 6. We specifically went to the tour for snorkeling and it was cancelled without announcement before. 7. The tour supposedly included beach club facilities, no body provided any explanation about what was included. There was no shower or a sitting place and a shade. Wed had to pay extra $40 USD for these services. 8. The farewell dinner food quality was very bad and cheap.

Fantastic experience: This 2023 Dubai trip was spectacular! Our group of 18 visited so many sites and I felt as though we left no stone unturned thanks to Smart Tours' itinerary. The tour guide, Mohammad, was patient, knowledgeable and proactive. He was excellent from beginning to end. The driver, Fiso, was courteous and professional. The hotels were excellent and the excursions will be remembered forever. The photographer, Nuwan Silva, took beautiful pictures and he had immense patience with the entire team. He should be a keeper for SmartTours. My husband and I hope to return with another group and do it big again!

Negative experience: Lovely ship, MS Charles Dickens, with excellent cuisine but an exhausting pace for older travelers on the tours. I also expected to cruise during the day for sightseeing but we toured by day and cruised by night so saw no countryside.

Fantastic experience: Starts with a lovely hotel and a remarkable morning breakfast buffet, that is delicious! Gudmy Emilsdottir ( pronounced “Good Knee”) introduced herself as our guide that morning with many stories of Iceland and the wonders that we would be seeing! I recommend smarTours, The trip was well organized, all questions answered and no problems as far as I was concerned, it’s hard to be disappointed in a country that is so beautiful, safe and clean. Dozens of shops, restaurants walking distance from our hotel. When selecting a trip I would travel with them again !

Fantastic experience: For our Thailand trip we had wonderful guides, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and well planned itineraries. We were in awe of the beautiful temples and palaces, and the trips to various markets, the Buddha making factory, and much more. Lodgings were for the most part very good, with a few that were excellent. Local food was also excellent.

Fantastic experience: Loved our trip to South Africa. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and were there for us every step of the way. Everything was planned to perfection. Smartours customer service was always responsive and reachable.

Fantastic experience: Had a great experience with smarTours on their Amazing Thailand trip. From spending time in Bangkok including the river tour & barge museum to the many unique temples and learning their culture, you will not be disappointed. Fantastic tour guides kept us informed, educated and entertained as we headed north to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. And, the trip highlights for me were the elephant sanctuary and Thai cooking class. Highly recommend!

Positive experience: What an amazing time in Vietnam and Cambodia. Have always been curious about those countries and the tour did not disappoint! We had a fantastic tour guide who spoke fluent English. The group got along great, and the sites were unbelievable. Highly recommend for those interested in learning about and seeing a completely different country from the US.

Fantastic experience: My husband has always wanted to tour Morocco, but I was never interested...mainly because I knew nothing about Morocco or any of it's sights. Well, with that being said, we just completed the SmarTours adventure - Majestic Morocco. I learned SO much about this beautiful country, it's people, it's history and the culture. Our Tour Director Madani brought it all to life for us in an exciting, professional and fun way. This was not what I call a leisurely "vacation", but rather educational "travelling". The schedule kept us fairly busy...but I never would have opened my mind without seeing all that I saw and experienced what I did. In the end, I fell in love with Morocco and highly recommend this tour.

Fantastic experience: Every part of this trip was wonderful. Our tour guide, Madani, was great, helpful, informative and fun. We learned so much about the country, the people, and what they value. While we did travel hours in a comfy bus, the journey along the way to our destination was filled with interesting things to see and learn about. Fabulous trip! The mule ride to a Berber family in the High Atlas Mts. was great as was our camel ride in the desert to see the sunset.

Positive experience: A visit to Egypt can stand pretty much on it’s own. But having Smartour’s Nermeen Ahmed Hamby, a university-trained Egyptologist as our tour guide was a big, big bonus. She delighted in sharing her knowledge and organizing little add-ons when the schedule allowed (like carriage rides through Luxor’s market area as the Sun slipped toward the horizon, afternoon coffee in the bustling Cairo market).

Fantastic experience: Visited Israel with SmarTours. It was a fabulous trip. The itinerary and length was great with 2 days in each of the first 3 locations and then 4 days in Jerusalem. Our guide, Heidi, was knowledgeable, friendly and down-to-earth. Our driver, Jalal, went above and beyond to help us have an amazing trip.

Fantastic experience: Kudos to Smartours and especially our personal guide, Vikram Singh for our Heart of India trip. Smartours has a well planned itinerary that smoothly packed much into each day. All went without a hitch due to our wonderful guide, Vikram, and his crew. The itinerary was always well explained and thought out, and Vikram's informative talks were interesting and educational. This adventure involved many forms of transportation including bus, rickshaw, tuk-tuks, and jeeps. All went smoothly and safely. Our jam-packed days were full of exploring street markets, forts, palaces, temples, artisan businesses, a rural village, and even a village school. This trip is truly an adventure (as opposed to a casual vacation) with exotic architecture, bustling markets, beautiful fabrics and clothing, Eastern religions, and a different outlook on how happy lives are lived. Be prepared to learn about and experience a culture quite different from our own that is filled with gracious, beautiful people. India is an amazing adventure and not to be missed. Our hotel accommodations were varied always comfortable and reflected local culture and meals were always excellent. The only issue one couple had with one hotel room was quickly resolved. We enjoyed every experience including a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi, walks and crazy tuk-tuk rides through the Pink city of Jaipur, and walking tours of the Blue city of Johdpur with their crazy traffic mix of hand carts, tuk-tuks, cows, camels, cars, and even an elephant ambling in city traffic! Even the visits to marble inlayers, carpet weavers, and gem shop were informative and entertaining. You can look forward to meeting wonderful, friendly people, wild Tuk Tuk rides thru narrow alleys, busy bazaars, and dazzling colors everywhere. Can't beat Smartours for value!

Fantastic experience: Gudny Margret was a wonderful tour director. She is very knowledgeable of the current information, but also shared so much history of the area. Delightful personality as well. Accomodations and provided meals were excellent. Small group of 17 was very nice.

Positive experience: Don't recommend the trip to Viet Nam and Angkor Wat, it wasn't well organized, too much waste of time on planes and airports and too many must see places that are not in the itinerary. Strongly disappointed, Don't book this trip. Guides were great though.

Positive experience: This trip was definitely amazing. I highly recommend visiting Egypt at least once in your life. Smartours did not disappoint. Everything was well organized and punctual. Our guide Kahled was absolutely incredible. He was beyond knowledgeable, extremely friendly, and really made everyone feel at home. I would give him a 5/5 star review without a doubt. The reason for the 4/5 stars overall rating would be the fact that this was rather a large group. Smartours said between 15-25. Our group was 36 people which made it slower paced when traveling around. Please note I am 26 years old- our group was significantly older which was absolutely fine but definitely not a trip for meeting other young people. We did however meet some truly incredible people that made this experience one to remember.

Positive experience: This was our 2nd tour with Smartours. It was South Africa with the Victoria falls Extension. Our tour guide for 12 days in South Africa was Johnathan Muller. Absolutely the best guide. Both informative and educational. Gave a lot of insight in South Africa and its culture. The coaches and hotel were great 4*. Fantastic itinerary, nice blend of city and safari. The Victoria falls & Chobe extension were well worth it. Smartours is a great value.

Fantastic experience: "This was a great trip, made especially so by our guide, Khaleed, a well-trained "Egyptologist" and a wealth of information. If the pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, the Egyptian museum and all the rest, and at a reasonable price, are on your bucket list, Smartours is the way to go."

Negative experience: It rained everyday we were in Iceland Which meant we didn’t seethe northern lights but that was uncontrollable but our guide didn’t seem to understand she was dealing with a bus load of seniors . She kept saying we’re going to take a short walk which was AT LEAST 1-2 miles. Will not use this agency again. Waste of your money

Positive experience: I toured Spectacular Greece through Smartours Oct. 22 - Nov 1, 2022. It was the most phenomenal experience for me and my group of 3. Everything was wonderful...hotel accommodations, cruise, guided tours, English speaking tour guides, meals, and more! It was a spectacular vacation and so much more than I expected! Smartours made sure we didn't have any issues with Covid as they followed guidelines in testing before we embarked on the ship. I highly recommend Smartours for your next travel experience! Thank you Smartours

Positive experience: Egypt trip featured excellent sites. 2 drawbacks......why couldn't I book the Alexandria extension with you. I booked it myself and stayed at same hotel. also....some touring days were quite long without a lunch break.

Positive experience: The trip was very good except for some things that I thought needed MAJOR improvement. The tour guide, Tarik, was excellent. The main problem is that there were days where the tour lasted all day without a lunch break. This is unacceptable. Even if we had to pay for our own lunch we should have had a break. Handing out snacks is not what I expect from SMARTOURS. Another big complaint was that you wouldn’t include us on the Alexandria extension. I was told that there were only eight openings. I asked if openings could be made available to us and you didn’t get back to me for 2 1/2 months and was told no. We basically followed the tour on our own, staying in the same hotel as the group. They had a bus with a capacity of 54 from Cairo to Alexandria for only eight people. Obviously SMARTOURS made NO effort to accommodate us. In that regard I am VERY disappointed with Smartours. This was my thirteenth tour with you plus two more booked in the future. After these I will have to look elsewhere for better service. By the way in 2016 I had a similar problem with the Columbia tour and you were able to make a few calls and add another person.

Positive experience: Two problems: One of the two trip leaders was terrible. The other was excellent! How to rate? One was 5 stars, the other was 2 stars. The tour went to a lot of places and covered a huge amount of ground. That was also nice. The other problem was that masks were not required on the trip. Half way through the trip and there were MANY inconsiderate people coughing into the atmosphere on the bus and spreading their germs. At the end several people tested positive for covid! The leaders should have talked to these inconsiderate people to cover their coughs and to require masks.

Positive experience: We had a great time going to Egypt. Smartours is a top notch company. They have very knowledgeable tour guides and know several good contacts. The only thing I had a problem with was the guidelines with tipping. It was misleading under the tipping notes. All together we spent approximately $800 tipping everyone. Our guide advised us correctly, and luckily we had brought extra cash. I will use this company again!

Fantastic experience: Amazing trip! This was a bucket list destination and it did not disappoint. Stacey was a wonderful tour director - personable, knowledgeable, humorous, and flexible. Joe, our bus driver, was fun as well and added his knowledge of the area. Our fellow travelers were all a joy to get to know. In my opinion, the trip was well paced for someone of my demographic. Our only regret was that there wasn’t more time to spend at Bryce and Zion. There were some things we had hoped to do but were unable to. We highly recommend this tour and we hope to do the Northwest Parks Tour in the near future and hope to again have Stacey as our guide.

Fantastic experience: The tour was amazing and Croatia and Slovenia are very beautiful, and full of historical buildings. The tour guide, Mirna, was the best guide I have ever had, full of information and very attuned to the needs of her group.

Positive experience: We've gone on many Smartours trips over the years and have always been pleased. This one was not the best. The hotels were not up to the previous standards and were mediocre. Our guide was excellent. Most of the city guides were very good. There was a disorganize our last day with the dinner that was suppose to be included and a team mate spent much phone time trying to straighten it out. Then, when arriving at the designated restaurant and giving the Smartours name for the reservation we were directed to a table and given menus. When leaving, we found our reservation was under the corporate name not Smartours (we didn't even know the corporate name) so our meal was supposed to have been from a set menu and was not covered. We had to pay for our "included" meal. Another issue was tips for bus driver, city guides (sometimes two in a day) and everyday tour guide came to a significant amount of $$$. We tipped the suggested amount, but perhaps this should be included in the fee Smartour' charges. There were certainly some interesting and educational sites visited, and some very nice acquaintances made.

Positive experience: The tour was beautiful and very well guided by our tour guide, Glenn and our bus driver, Chris. My disappointment was the the very long days in the bus, then having to find our own dinner & the hotels both arriving and leaving were 30-60 minutes from the airport costing $50 each way. Smart tours should provide transportation if you are unable to locate a hotel close to the airport. Every trip I have taken has provided at least arrival transportation from the airport and has arranged group transportation back at the end.

Fantastic experience: “This was our 14th smarTours trip and now one of our favorites. Egypt was truly an incredible country and smarTours hit all the highlights on a very well paced and super organized tour. Our tour guide Rania was fabulous and we had a wonderful group to tour with and get excited at every new adventure. You cannot beat the value and experience that smarTours delivers. ”

Fantastic experience: Now I know where the name Smartours comes from… it’s an educational/cultural experience, not a vacation. I mean that in a good way. I learned so much about Peru and it’s people. Our tour guide Enrique covered just about every aspect of life and history of Peru. I never would have gotten so much out of the short time in country without this tour group. Also, the accommodations were the best. All of the hotels were top notch! Traveling by bus, train and by air were all pleasant experiences. A trip I will ever forget!

Negative experience: I started to book a tour in 2019 and that tour was canceled so I rebooked another tour and it was canceled because of Covid. The last and final tour was credited from the payments made toward the prior trips but once we paid the entire balance due we received an email the our scheduled and paid tour was not available!! We were told to pick additional dates. I requested a refund and was told that refunds are not given. Only credit towards another tour. Even with the insurance I could not get my money back and it wasn’t my fault the trip was canceled. This company is a scam. I would never recommend SmarTour to anyone! Unless you have money to give away and never receive any tour.

Fantastic experience: We recently returned from our tour of Magical Ireland. We were impressed with the organized, interesting and fun tour every day. Our very capable and delightful tour guide Sean saw to the well being and enjoyment of all in our group. My wife misplaced her phone on day 1.... which could have turned this entire trip for us into a disaster. However, thanks to Sean for quickly locating and returning it all was saved. THANK YOU AGAIN SEAN! Would certainly recommend traveling with smarTours

Fantastic experience: In general, this tour was wonderful and was very affordable. I was very satisfied, and understand there must be compromises for large groups and logistics. Here are some thoughts for your information. SmartTours did not inform anyone who flew separately that the arrival hotel had changed. There was great confusion and additional time and expense to get to the new hotel. Guide Aran was very pleasant, very well organized, knowledgable and interesting. He had good techniques for getting people to meet on time and paying attention to meeting location. He was caring and patient with those travelers who had issues. He has an amazing balance of skills to lead a group of diverse travelers, who can sometimes be distracted or inconsiderate. I would have loved to have a list of people on the tour and contact info at the beginning (or at the end). I expect most would have welcomed participation in that. Make a stronger appeal for travelers to take a hotel card if they go exploring (I got lost once). There was excellent attention given to the uneven surfaces. Consider providing a more thorough explanation of the sites (history, timeline, religious rituals, myths) before we arrive. We had little time to read signs and understand what we were seeing (only to take a picture of it and to try to piece it together later). I understand we had an intense itinerary with limited time, and I would not want to miss any of the sites we saw. I would have paid extra for another day or 2. Tour of Topkapi Palace – needed at least 1 more hour. Since we finished the day around 4 pm, it was feasible (I think rush hour traffic was an issue.). It would have been also feasible if we had been given an optional later meeting time for those who wanted to see more. In that case we could have chosen to skip lunch and/or the Blue Mosque (could not see anything due to construction barriers) and/or the hippodrome. For travelers who arrived early (like I did), it is hard to miss those 2 sites. Taking the bridge rather than the ferry would have been preferred, which would have allowed more time at Topkapi Palace. I loved the whirling dervish optional event, and the optional archaeological site/museum tour. I did not enjoy the Bosphorus Cruise that much. Consider an optional tour to Dolmabahce Palace. It was open late and is very close to the Istanbul hotel. Consider an optional trip to a Turkish traditional music/dance show or a live music bar. Consider an optional trip to a traditional Turkish hamam. The Roxelana Hamam in Istanbul was fabulous. Advise that advanced reservations are necessary. Consider a quick trip to the delightful Rustum Pasa Mosque, near the Spice Market. That was my favorite mosque in the city (especially since the Blue Mosque was under construction). I would have enjoyed another evening meal on our own or move the one we had later in the tour, along with some restaurant ideas. Later, we would know the travelers well enough to join up. Later, a change from Turkish food would be welcome. Hotels were extremely nice, except lighting was unnecessarily hard to figure out. Hotel staff and food were always excellent. Hotel in Ismir had maintenance problems – my room 1201: 1) thermostat didn’t work (was replaced while I waited), 2) it was directly above a loud open-air bar (going strong until after 1 am), 3) power went out briefly, and no lights/power shades worked the next morning (had to dress and shower in pitch dark until they came to fix it). If I had been there on my own, I would ask for a refund.

Fantastic experience: Our SmarTours Trip to Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro was a 10+.(May5-May 17, 2022) Why?? Because we had the most wonderful travel guide, MIRNA BOSNIC AND BUS DRIVER BORKO, both SO knowledgeable , kind, and aware of all of our needs. Our day tour guides were very good, too...There were 15 congenial, prompt people, 4 couples, 2 single guys, 5 single women in our group. The weather was perfect, the sights were so amazing, the itinerary included so many different activities. The hotels were comfortable, one was below standards, but not terrible, the food was delicious. If you do take this amazing trip, eat CREAM CAKE and if you are a swimmer, take a bathing suit...3 of the hotels had very nice swimming pools, one had an indoor and outdoor. It was such a positive, memorable experience. Luckily, we did NOT need to wear masks, and everything was open...

Fantastic experience: I enjoyed the tour of Turkey. Hotel locations were excellent. The size of the group was very adequate, small group. Guide was very knowledgeable but need to slow down and take more time with the group.