Testimonials

Elba G. from Alpharetta, GA; traveled to Hong Kong & China

We had a fabulous experience the whole entire trip. Our accommodations were all amazing especially in Beijing and Chengdu. Our accommodations in Hong Kong and Shanghai were both in very modern hotels with lots of amenities in a great location, one to two blocks from a metro station. Our accommodations in Guillen were both very rustic but very quaint and comfortable. The kids and I really enjoyed our experience in touring the beautiful villages with the terraces and mountains in the background. We had spectacular, scenic views.

All of our guides were excellent. They all had very good command of the English language and were very knowledgeable about their city, its culture and history. We were very impressed. Our guides were all very helpful in providing restaurant recommendations. They also made certain that we had information about getting around at night and that we had the address to our hotel written down in Chinese.

Our hotel in Beijing situated in a Huatong was a wonderful experience. We loved our accommodations. The Secret Garden in the village outside of Guillen was also another favorite as well as The Old Chengdu Club.

Our tours were all wonderful adventures; hiking in the remote villages surrounded by picturesque vistas, biking through the different villages along the river with the mountains in the background, rafting in a bamboo raft, biking on the Wall in Xian, the Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xian, the Panda cubs in Chengdu, touring the Forgotten City, the imperial palaces, visiting a family home in Beijing, a rickshaw tour of Beijing huatongs, the 4 hour hike along the Wall (everyone's favorite adventure:) and finally ending in the very futuristic city of Shanghai which is in direct contrast to Beijing and Xian and Guillen.

To sum it up, I would say we had the trip of our life time. It was amazing.

Overall, I would rate our China experience as excellent. Thank you so much for putting together a wonderful trip with an amazing itinerary.

March 2014

Paul L. from Tarragona, Spain; traveled to Costa Rica

After my return to Spain I would like to thank you warmly for the perfect organization of our tour of Costa Rica! Within a week we spent a most interesting time at both coasts and in the centre in 3 national parks. Our hotels were most comfortable, the one in Tortuguero so far from the nearest town but still excellent. The luxury hotel near the vulcano Arenal in the centre was a real first class treat. But also Costa Verde at the Pacific had precious views and pleasant accommodations.
Our guided tours of the parks were fascinating. I can compare since I visited the game reserves of Kenya and Cameroun and the Maja site of Tikal in the forest of Guatemala. Our internal transportation from place to place went without a hitch, always on time.
Costa Rica is a breath of fresh air on the turbulent continent of Latin America where I have lived for a good while. Rather prosperous, well organized, good infrastructure, safe surroundings, and above all friendly people who have a good command of English and are proud of their country.
Costa Rica takes its ambition as an ecological tourist destination very seriously, we were happy to note.
Thank you so much again!

March 2014

Ed B. from Ann Arbor, MI; traveled to Costa Rica

We finished our tour of Costa Rican highlights yesterday and I am happy to tell you that we had a wonderful time. All services arranged and provided were excellent and we especially appreciated the fact that every single time a pick-up was arranged, the person was always on time.
The guided tours were well done, the groups were small with the exception of Tortuguero, but since the guide there was excellent, it did not really matter. The Pachira lodge was a fun place , but the rooms were very rustic -of course the Kioro was outstanding and we liked the Costa Verde.
Our friend who joined us from Barcelona was very pleased as well.
Thanks again and Pura Vida!

February 2014

Bennett G. from Westport, CT; traveled to Peru

Eitan –

Now that we’re back, unpacked and, unfortunately, somewhat re-acclimated to the winter weather, we wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed Peru.

The itinerary you put together exceeded even your glowing descriptions. The Aqua, cruise, with its 12 cabins, was an amazing way to see the Amazon. As you had indicated, the accommodations were luxurious and food was a wonderful fusion of local Peruvian and continental. Most special, though, was the hospitality of the crew and the guides, who were unbelievably knowledgeable -- and unerringly able spot macaws and howler monkeys no matter how well hidden in the densest forest canopy. They seemed to have endless enthusiasm for showing us their country and sharing our discoveries – whether it was catching piranha, spotting pink porpoises or interacting with village children.

The second half of the trip, in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu were no less remarkable. As you know, we’ve done a good bit of traveling, and the Inkaterra hotels in Cuzco and Machu Picchu were among the very nicest we’ve seen. The food in the hotels and local restaurants -- quinoa pancakes, ceviche and Amarillo sauce -- won over two new converts to Peruvian cuisine.

However, we must say that, once again, it was the guides that really stood out. We learned everything from archaeology, history and art, to engineering, agriculture, and astronomy. Our discussions ranged from Incan and pre-Incan civilizations, to the conquistadors, and even the politics that brought down Fujimori in 2000.

As I trust is clear, the trip exceeded our expectations on all fronts. Thank you for a wonderful adventure!

Our very best.

Bennett & Ellen

November 2013

Karen R. from Stafford, TX; traveled to Brazil

Well we are home from our latest adventure- Brazil let us out of the jungle!!!! It was such a fabulous trip from beginning to end (thanks to our dear friend Eileen Hart who planned it and my husband for funding it). Our first stop was Argentina where we danced the tango Milonga ,traced the steps of Eva Peron and ate our weight in beef. We continued to the Argentinean and then Brazilian sides of Iguassu Falls, the widest waterfall in the world, took a boat ride under the falls, saw monkeys and many different varieties of birds including toucans, parrots and macaws. Next, we were on to Rio, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. From the old city to the Sugar Loaf, Corcovado, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and the open markets.... it was breathtaking. We danced the Samba and listened to the Bossanova. Finally it was on to the Amazon!! It was incredible in scope and beauty. Hikes in the jungle, piranha fishing, pink dolphins, monkeys, bird watching and visits with the local people- it was an experience of a lifetime.
Always happy to be home!!

November 2013

Harriet L. from Atlanta, GA; traveled to Hungary & the Czech Republic

Hello Eitan,
We have returned from our trip and want to let you know we had a wonderful time. The guides and destinations were top-notch. I especially enjoyed Prague and Cesky Krumlov. Thank you for all your work.
Harriet and Nathan

October 2013

Alan K. from New York, NY; traveled to Peru & Ecuador

Just returned from our wonderful vacation to Peru and Ecuador. We had a fantastic time. Everything was just wonderful. I want to thank you for your help and expert guidance in planning our vacation. Your hotel selections were perfect, the private guides wonderful (especially our guide Diego in Cusco), and the transportation/logistics were flawless.

Now for the fun of reviewing and editing down about 2000 pictures from Peru and the Galapagos!
Alan

August 2013

Maxine L. from New York; traveled to Peru

I want to thank all of you at Spiced Destinations for excellent arrangements and design for my trip to Peru I had wonderful experiences and little unique additions that I will always remember.

August 2013

Sharon M. from Seattle WA; traveled to Kenya and Tanzania

Thank you so very much for arranging a trip of a lifetime. The four boys were in heaven the entire time. Our photos are all remarkable. I will send you a few to show you how happy we all were with the experiences.
The first impression about what was about to happen during our two weeks in Africa, was when we met our driver and your representative. I knew that we were safe and would be well-looked after. Our guides/drivers were both men of great integrity in how they viewed their positions....they saw what they did as a career choice rather than just a job. They were not only very knowledgeable and experienced in the stories of their respective countries, but truly cared about our needs, our safety, and our happiness.
Thank you in your selection of our guides (Robert and Edward) ....their seasoned experience made all the difference.
With respect to our hotels and separate lunches, your selections were amazing. We always felt very safe and very comfortable.
This ambiance added greatly to the quality of our daily enjoyment of the safaris.
Again, it has been a pleasure to work with you and I look forward to many more travel experiences with your agency.
Sharon

August 2013

Willy N. from New York; traveled to Peru

All we can say is WOW! The trip was great.
The touring and exposure to the Incan culture, and the visits to Chabad were great. What exceeded every expectation was the service provided by the guides, drivers and staff everywhere.....that was just superb. They really "made" the trip.
Getting off a plane in a foreign country and seeing a name of your travel party prominently held by "our" guide was truly welcoming.
Beyond remarkable was the fact that everywhere we went there was always someone with our travel group's name on a placard. That guide whisked us through every bureaucracy. Whether it was the train, plane, very early morning pick ups... or tourist sites, the personnel were always a step ahead of us and guiding us. The guides were knowledgeable, personable, charming and respectful. We developed relationships with them along the way.

What a wonderful way to travel. Our party of four The other members of my party felt as one in our opinion that we would work with you on our next journey (whenever that will be).

July 2013