We looked a plenty of beautiful scenary.It surprised me.I thought it was worthy to go.In paricular, we had a nice and organised guide. We had a good time.
For an exceptional experience in a part of the USA we had never seen before; Bindlestiff Tours met or exceeded our expectations on all counts. Our escort/host/driver Treviso pulled it all together with a relaxed professionalism that put us ..at ease from the moment he pulled-up at the meeting place in Las Vegas.
The first week we were part of a group of 14 travellers from Europe, the UK, North America and Oceana ranging in age from 14 to 74 years; half camping and the others, like us, overnighting in hotels and lodges. The final 4 days from Las Vegas to San Francisco, there were only three of us, plus Treviso, making for a very personalized travel experience. We had been apprehensive about the "3 star"; hotel promise but all accommodations were more than satisfactory with many including good to great breakfasts. Picnic lunches on the tour were generous and wholesome offering good variety [always lots of fruit]. Pizza-night overlooking the Grand Canyon [after a brief thunderstorm] was spectacular while Treviso made good recommendations for those nights when dinner was not included.
Bindlestiff tours are not guided national park tours. In the large parks, we were driven to the interpretive
centre where maps and guides were presented so we could choose what to do; hikes from a few minutes to 4-5 hours, as easy or challenging, as we wished. Park Service free shuttle buses were available to get us to trailheads where Bindlestiff could not take us directly to the starting points.
This was not an arm-chair tour. A good level of fitness was required to fully participate, especially as the
hot weather conditions [most days at least 10°F above average] did not make things easier. This was
entirely outside Bindlestiff's control as were the frequently poor-quality trail markings and maps provided
by the Parks Service but we never feared getting lost or left-behind. When it was >110° in Death Valley
the life-saving comfort of the van was close.
The sole unfortunate experience was our escort's response to a tour member's complaint against a 3rd-party tour guide [and immediate filing, we were told, of a report to "head office"]. A quiet side-conversation with other participants would have revealed the complaint probably was based more upon sub-conscious racist and cultural differences than reality. It would be sad if our Native American guide were denied future opportunities because of an unfounded grievance and acceptance by Bindlestiff of the notion 'the customer is always right'. It's not just on Navaho Land that tourists should adhere to the directions of their local guide and I hope that our escort will gain patience that there is often more than one side to a complaint.
Our final-day tour of San Francisco was enhanced by access to spectacular vistas that would not have been possible with the larger passenger van and trailer. The 2-year wait through the pandemic [our tour had been purchased originally for 2020] had been overwritten by 11 days of new friendships and memories to be held close for years to come.Read full review
I was glad Phillip of Ctour was our driver and tour guide. He exceeded our expectations. Half of our group is English speaker and half Chinese. Phillip took time to guide our group in both languages. He is a good driver and was very ef..ficient to make sure we got to see all the sights. The food was great. Thanks PhillipRead full review
Our tour was everything we had hoped for and then some. Our driver, Christian Jensen, was knowledgeable, fun, patient and great to travel with. We opted to camp and barbecue. We were treated to local food and folk in the process. We also ch..ose to visit Antelope Canyon (breathtaking), and the 50 minute helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon (amazing views). Our Navajo driver for the Monument Valley jeep tour treated us to a lovely tune on his flute by the Money Tree. Bryce and Zion Canyons were beautiful. We got to enjoy the stars and I even saw a few meteors during the Tau Herculids (tip if you want the best chance of seeing stars - schedule your tour when there is not much moonlight to wash it out). Due to temps (we went at the end of May)our first night was spent in a cabin which had heat and a very comfy mattress. It was the trip of a lifetime at a very reasonable price and we highly recommend it!Read full review
I booked the 7-day camping tour, and before this trip, I had never gone camping before. Also, while I’m relatively young and fit, I don’t consider myself a “hiker” or particularly outdoorsy. Nonetheless, I had so much fun on this tr..ip, saw and experienced some of the great landscapes the country has to offer, and had a fantastic social experience with my fellow campers. Our guide, Treviso, was hardworking, calm, knowledgeable, kind, understanding, and importantly, a smooth, safe driver.
For those who are unclear on the structure of the tour, there are 14 participants and one tour guide, the latter driving the 14 participants around to different locations in a van over 7 days. Some of those 14 choose to lodge in hotels, some choose to camp. On my trip, 5 camped (including myself), while 9 lodged. Though I had never camped before, the campgrounds were, for the most part, manageable. Two individuals are assigned to a tent, you sleep on an inflatable pad with a sleeping bag, and you have access to the water, showers, and bathrooms from the campground. You have to put up the tents yourself, but they’re quite easy to raise up (even for someone as un-handy as myself). Most of the bathroom/shower facilities were fine, though a couple were less-than-ideal. However, the camaraderie we developed over the course of the trip made up for any slightly-subpar showers. Also, we experienced some incredible sunsets, sunrises, and stargazing from our tents that would have been more challenging to experience from a hotel. If you’d rather not deal with campgrounds and are not really looking for a
social experience (e.g., if you’re coming with family), you should maybe opt for the hotel option.
Note that the trip is not composed of primarily guided tours, but rather of self-guided tours. For the most part, each site we visited, we were given maps, told of a few easy, medium, and difficult walks/trails, and given hours to roam before meeting back up. This gave plenty of time for exploration and trip individualization. If you wanted to trek 5 miles over thousands of feet of elevation, you could do that. If you wanted to saunter and admire the views, you could do that, also. If you in any way enjoy hiking or the outdoors, enjoy social experiences on vacations, and want to see the major US national parks, I’d highly recommend this tour! I';ll never forget the experience.
Highlights of the trip: Hiking down into Bryce Canyon, watching a sunset with pizza at the Grand Canyon, stargazing and watching the sun rise at Monument Valley.Read full review
We wanted to visit as many parks as possible in the most authentic way possible and this package exceeded all our expectations, saving the most time and effort involved in moving from one state to another. Recommended package for people tra..veling alone, couples, families, etc. almost any age, my 11 year old son loved it! Our very professional and experienced guide Kit, did more than his obligation required, thank you very much for making this dream come true!Read full review
Great tour, well worth the price. Our guide was amazing, very informative, and friendly. Each winery had good wine, a great atmosphere, and helpful staff. My favorite on tour was Muscardini, their red wines were phonominal. Our last stop ha..d a delicious Port wine, which is hard to come by outside of Australia. The redwoods were beautiful as well. I would highly recommend this tour. The bus is comfortable and you do get free time as well in Napa.Read full review
The tour was amazing! We have gone to 6 different states in a week. We've seen a lot of wildlife and interesting places. The tour guide is fair and accommodating. I'd recommend buying this tour if you're lazy to drive. Very nice hotels at B..ig Sky Montana, but the hotel was bad in West Yellowstone. The other hotels were fair enough.Read full review
Really good jam packed tour. I did the 3 day national parks tour (paid extra for antelope canyon which I highly recommend) and it was fab! You spend about 3 hours in the national parks themselves which isn’t too bad- and about 1-2 hours o..n the guided tours (which are only accessible if guided) so that’s perfectly fine. My tour leader was super nice, polite, approachable and friendly. He knew a lot of facts about the area too which made it great! If you want a real feel for the Wild West I recommend camping. One of the only solo tours that don’t charge you extra for being on your own as long as you camp!
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Redwoods and California Wine Country Tour
I had a chance to go on this 10-hour tour. I loved it! We were picked up at multiple locations throughout the city, which is convenient. The tour guide Doug made sure that we didn't leave anybody be..hind and made some calls when people were waiting on the other side of the building. Maybe an exact map with the pick-up locations will be helpful.
During the trip to the Redwoods and wineries, Doug was commenting on exciting tidbits about the city and the woods. He is very knowledgeable and the tour didn't seem to be long with his narrating. In the end, he added some music to the mix which was refreshing.
The tour is designed in a way that you have enough time to leisurely walk through the woods, enjoy the wine, and also have lunchtime in Sonoma city. A good amount of walking and a good amount of sitting. I didn't feel tired at the end, even with all the wine testing. My favorite was red wine with a hint of jalapeno. All three wineries offer to send the wine to your house if you are from the USA.
The last stop at the Golden Gate Bridge at the end of the tour is to take the last photo of the day.
Note that the weather will change throughout the trip. Wear layers.
The water and the sanitizer were offered on the bus. I took a carry-on with me because I was leaving that evening and it was fine.
I met great people, saw an amazing forest, and tasted very delicious wines! Thank you, Doug!Read full review
We used Tours 4 Fun to travel to Las Vegas and San Francisco. Our Tour Guide Johnny was very nice and made our trip very memorable one. We will recommend your company and specially Johnny as the tour guide Salim and Samira