Firio our tour leader is the BEST.. excellent and job greatly done. Made our trip memorable and enjoyable. Martin our driver kept us safe at all times. Good partnership with Firio they should work together more.
This tour is for those who are on a tight budget but still have the urge to see the world. The pace is indeed very hectic, with multiple cities visited each day. I expected a lot of walking during the tour, but I didn't think it would include the walk back to the hotel at the end of a tiring day for those who availed of the free time to explore the city we were in. The hotels are not close to the center, hence the added 10-20 minutes, sometimes in poorly lit streets. The accommodations are basic and you should definitely not expect a luxury hotel. The time spent in each city is too short, but this is understandable given the ambitious itinerary. Overall, it was a great experience and will recommend with caution - depending on what style of travel you are looking for. If you can afford to pay more and are used to staying in or closer to the city, then this is probably not for you.
My husband and I really enjoyed this 18-day Northern Explorer trip. It was amazing to see 10 beautiful countries and learned about their cultures and histories. Our optional excursion to Moscow via Sapsan high-speed train was great. Thanks to Vicky, our awesome tour leader, for her hard and professional work. Also thanks to Hans for his safe and excellent driving. This is our 2nd trip with Expat and we love it, thank you Expat.