What Our Guests Have to Say
JORDAN TOURS
I spent about two months just choosing which tour company to work with…sending emails, comparing itineraries, prices, flexibility, etc…and hands down Engaging Cultures came out on top. Daniel’s response to emails, his prices, his flexibility, and his recommendations were all far – far above the others that are ranked higher on TA. We were a family of 5 adults traveling over New Years – 3 nights, four days.
Early morning pick up from the airport was flawless. Met our fabulous driver, Yousef and we were off. Very nice modern van, comfortable pace that was flexible based on what we wanted to do. Though Yousef was not a tour guide, he did a great job explaining things as we drove and even took us to his favorite spot by Jaresh to buy Olive Oil. He had great recommendations for us to tour the old part of Amman and then drove us by the house where he was born.
Petra was amazing and awe inspiring, the Dead Sea was absolutely beautiful…and we really did float…New Years Eve in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum was like being on a movie set, Jaresh was incredible…the preservation there blows away what you see in Rome…but without the help from Yousef, Daniel and Engaging Cultures I cannot imaging enjoying it all as much as we did. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
We recently completed a 10 day private tour around Jordan and Israel/Palestine with Engaging Cultures and we loved every minute of it! I travelled with my family and some family friends (11 of us in total). We decided to arrange a private mini bus tour as it was our first time to the Middle East.
I contacted Engaging Cultures a couple of months before departure and communication was great from the very beginning. Daniel replied to my emails very promptly and we worked together to create the best custom itinerary to fit our interests and budget. I had made enquiries with a few other tour agencies beforehand, but none of them gave me the confidence and level of service I experienced with Engaging Cultures (EC).
We started our tour in Amman and ended in Tel Aviv. Everything with our tour went smoothly from day one (we also got very lucky with the weather). A representative came to meet us at the airport for the visa waiver process and to take us to our hotel. Our guide in Jordan was was fantastic! You will be very lucky if you meet Zaid during your travels :) He gave us a lot of information about the culture and people of Jordan.
One highlight of our tour was having lunch in the home of a local family in Orjan village. The home-cooked food was very tasty and it was such a unique experience interacting with a local family – something you wouldn’t necessarily be able to do if you were travelling by yourself. EC can also arrange an overnight homestay if you like, but we opted to go back to our hotel given our group size.
We eventually crossed the border into Israel/Palestine which unfortunately took much longer than expected. This didn’t affect our plans too much as we were able to adjust our tour program the next day. We definitely appreciated this flexibility. (Tip: Make sure you go to the toilet before crossing the border, as you won’t know how much time you will spend there!)
Our guide in Israel/Palestine was Ibrahim who is a Christian Palestinian and shared lots of interesting insights about the region.
During the tour, I was able to get in touch with Daniel from EC very quickly if I needed to talk to him about something. We experienced a mix-up with one of our hotels, but Daniel was able to sort it out quickly and to our satisfaction. It made it a lot easier for us to deal with one company to create a package that covered two countries.
What more can I say? This tour was such a great introduction to the Middle East and we will definitely be back one day. Thanks to Daniel and Engaging Cultures for helping us create such a memorable experience!
Our trip across Jordan was beyond our expectations. We really felt like we saw so much more than your average tourist. The people, the cooking classes, the home stay, the camping, the hiking with Bedouins, sharing your development work, camel ride to the Monastery, Petra under the stars, tumbling down the sand dunes of Wadi Rum, and finding sand in my pockets when I arrived back home in NYC…thank you for the memories of a lifetime. The best part was the people!!!
Engaging Cultures was enlightening, client-focused, practical, and responsive. We were able to do a lot and felt we got more of a taste of the real Jordan and not your typical tour company experience. I would travel with Engaging Cultures again and recommend this service to my friends. Keep up the great work. Thank you again.
The Wadi Rum sunset bonfire, and roof top Jeep rides were absolutely amazing! The camel ride to walk up the back doorway to the monastery in Petra was fantastic! We saw Jesus’ baptism sight, Mount Nebo (sea of Galilee in the distance), and the Dead Sea all in one day. Our guide was the best. He connected us to the gifts we wanted to purchase and facilitated wonderful restaurant stops. He had an answer to our questions and went out of his way to meet the needs of the different group members. I cannot recommend this tour group or the sites we saw any higher.
Staying with a Jordanian host family during Eid Al Adha was an unforgettable experience. This was one of the highlights of our tour. Engaging Cultures have been absolutely amazing in putting together a personalised itinerary for us that suited our ideas and budget. They were super flexible and always available. I highly recommend Engaging cultures to anyone who considers travelling to Jordan.
Engaging Cultures made my trip to Jordan the most amazing trip of my life. Seeing Petra and spending time with locals was so much more than I imagined. One of the best weeks of my life. Incredible.
TUNISIA TOURS
The tour guides and staff of Engaging Cultures Tunisia were phenomenal. As an avid traveler having been to other parts of North Africa, Tunisia has been my favorite destination because of this tour we took through the south of Tunisia. The genuine hospitality and warmth of the Tunisian people is a travel experience that certainly should not be missed. My mom, friend and I took a three day two night tour through the south visiting an olive farm, eating delicious Tunisian tajine, walked in the canyon in Mides, Tamerza, walked through desert gorgeous oases, stayed near the cave dwellings in Matmata, visited Star Wars filming sites, the stunning Chott el Jerid and truly uncovered the gem that is the South of Tunisia. Thanks for an incredible experience that we will never forget!
This was an amazing trip. My experience with Engaging Cultures was incredible and I would highly recommend them. The trip was extensive and the background our guide offered of every place that we visited made the experience memorable. If I was to go back to Tunisia I would make them my first option!
Engaging cultures makes your experience exactly what YOU want. We enjoyed that for us they paced the trip leisurely rather than hurried so we could savor each location and experience. When one person in our group struggled to get on the camel, Austin got down on one knee and let the person stand on his knee to get an extra boost up. Talk about customer service and going the extra mile!
What a fabulous trip! Our minds are still filled with the sights and sounds. We booked with Engaging Cultures for 3 days of travel in the south – Douz, Tozeur, and the Atlas region and had a fabulous time. Austin patiently answered a host of questions and filled us in on lots of history and observations. We had some mobility limitations that meant special accommodations, and these were managed beautifully. Well done in every respect.
Not just talking about the trip in this review, talking about the people who head the company, work with the company, that we met along the way and by the end of the trip became family! We always felt safe, inspired, and educated about the culture through food, area and communication. I would not hesitate to send my daughter to Tunisia if “Engaging Cultures” was leading the tour. If you are going to this area you must reach out to the best and get connected first hand so you too can walk away not wanting to leave:)
From the welcoming locals in Sfax and Sousse, to the historicity filled attractions in El Jem, and ending with a beautiful Berber family in Takrouna, my time in Tunisia was absolutely amazing. I would go back in a heart beat!
I am so happy we chose to go with Engaging Cultures for our visit to Tunisia. They were so well organised and managed to perfectly tailor a tour for my friend and I based on what our interests and level of activity wishes.
In the lead up to booking, and after booking before arriving to Tunisia we dealt with Austin. He was so quick to reply to our emails and kept in touch with us in the lead up. It was a nice touch that he came to the airport to meet us on the first day and go through the tour with us. Also he provided us with a local cell phone with his number, our guide Aishas number & our driver Mohammeds number. This was a great idea and I have not experienced this on previous trips to Morocco, Egypt or other parts of Africa.
Aisha is truly amazing. We cannot believe how much information, how many dates and facts are inside her head! And she is lovely and fun to be around. I would be thrilled to have her as a guide again if I returned to tunisia to see the southern parts we missed out on. Mohammed, our driver, was very sweet and friendly too. They were a wonderful team.
Tunisia as a whole is an interesting country to visit, with such a varied melting pot of history & beautiful sites, and I must say I felt safer and calmer here than other similar countries I have visited.
If you are thinking of visiting Tunisia, book with Engaging Cultures!
In all my years of travel I have yet to find a company so well organized and efficient as Engaging Cultures.
What was your favorite part of the trip? This is very difficult because everyday was so different and everyday had a highlight, that I would not have wanted to miss. I will certainly return to Tunisia. There is still so much I would like to see and explore.
“What was the best part of your trip?” was very difficult to answer, How do you compare seeing one of the largest coliseums in the world, to riding a camel and spending the night on the Sahara and seeing the most beautiful starry sky? Our group of 8 each sent in requests of what we wanted to do on the trip, and each of those were included. The van was very comfortable and the tour leader gave a lot of history and information about each site and Tunisian history. We ate regular Tunisian meals and visited with Tunisians. All 8 of us rated the tip as excellent. Also, everything except the gifts we purchased were included in the cost and we didn’t have to spend time figuring out appropriate tips, etc.
Elisabet, Sweden - Everything was well-tailored to our group that had varied ages and interests. . .
We visited several sites in Tunisia, from the busy city of Tunis to the Sahara desert in the south. where we ate delicious lamb tageen in Gafsa, hiked around the Sahara, learning that water was the source of life there in the oasis. We saw the process of making olive oil and tasted the final product….so good! The salt lake is a must see that had a surreal appearance! My favorite experience was visiting a cave house where we were served a home cooked breakfast of shikshooka, organic honey, dried dates, figs stone baked bread and olive oil. Our tour guide, Mohammed was amazing with his knowledge and enthusiasm and care to always finding the best food, coffee and toilets!
The best part about this travel company is the people that run it. They take a great interest in what you want for your visit, and do their best to ensure your experience is one you will not forget. From spending time with locals, to having Mohammed as a bus driver, there was not a single part of the tour that was not filled with learning, engagement, laughter, and experiences that would surely not be forgotten. I would highly recommend this tour company for anyone who is wanting to spend time in Tunisia. We got a, “touristy,” feel of going to beaches, and El Jemm, but we also met new friends and locals which made it feel so much deeper than an average tour.
Engaging Cultures does a great job of hosting and organizing trips that go far beyond the typical tourist traps. You will experience the lunar landscapes of the desert to Arab and Berber Culture and food to remote beaches and historical sites. This company is top notch.
Camel Trek was so much fun especially when you had a break half way round and watched the locals make their bread then you ate it afterwards. Amphitheater was such an experiencing place to go and to learn all about it ..the pirate ship was funny and entertaining well worth the price for the days out. Highlights of Sousse was great too.
We were pleasantly surpised that we were able to so much of this interesting and varied country with the time span of almost a week! The tour was varied, interracting with the local people and scenary, not attempting to hide the challenges that is facing this country!
The standard of the accomodation in the countryside was excellent. The only minor crticism was the standard of the hotel in Sousse could have been more inspiring, but as we were not there for most of the trip, it has to be regarded mostly as a storage Place for excess bagage!
We can strongly recommend this Company for an engaging and intersting tour. I doubt that it is possible to see so much and interact with the local and very friendly population at such competetive prices in one short week.
We were there the week after the shootings in Tunis, and we were so impressed by the courtesy, and thankfulness of the tour guides, the police and security forces as well as all the local people we met, who expressed a profound thanks that we did not cancel our trip.
Thank you guys for a wonderful trip!
All stops on the 2 day tour were amazing. surreal locations and surroundings. The salt lakes and oasis were spectacular. Meals were also brilliant. Our tour guide Mohammad couldn’t have been more helpful and informative. A must do!
Although only in the country for five nights it was a well organised tour and was able to include much in such a short time. Upon arrival we were able to visit the Islamic historical sites in Kairouan en route to our first night at Dar Omi BNB in Sousse. Day 2 included a visit to El Jem to see the Colisseum and mosaics museum and then on to Dar Selma BNB in Sfax. With a free afternoon our guide and driver Mohammed took us for a drive around Sfax. Day 3 started with a free morning to catch up with some friends and then in the afternoon we visited the fishing port at Sfax and enjoyed a traditional Sfaxian seafood lunch and a cultural tour of Sfax Medina. Day 4 we drove to Tunis and checked into the Carlton hotel and in the afternoon visited the Bardo museum. Day 5 included visiting the historical sites of Carthage and a walk through the village of Sidi Bou Said.. All in all a great tour . We were well looked after and experienced much of the local culture and historical sites . There was a good balance to accommodation with BNB and hotel included in the package.
I enjoy experiencing culture and geography different from mine. Our tour guide did an excellent job planning unusual and exciting things in Tunisia. The hotel accommodations were comfortable and clean. It was especially exciting to taste authentic food from each area, even have a food prep demonstration. The sites we toured were spectacular… the coliseum, the Berber cave room hotel in Chinini, the hike between native villages, the camel ride into the Sahara to the Beduoin camp, shopping in the medina, visiting with the owner of the bed and breakfast where we stayed, observing the Tunisians culture and views as we traveled the roads, and of course the freshly grilled lamb at the roadside café!
MORE JORDAN TOURS
Engaging Cultures does a terrific job in organizing unique tours for you. Because of Engaging Cultures, I had the opportunity to stay with a family in Orjan. It was wonderful and I adored the family. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Jordan. I look forward to returning. Jon and the team are terrific and they made the whole experience easy and wonderful. Great job!
Early morning pick up from the airport was flawless. Met our fabulous driver, Yousef and we were off. Very nice modern van, comfortable pace that was flexible based on what we wanted to do. Though Yousef was not a tour guide, he did a great job explaining things as we drove and even took us to his favorite spot by Jaresh to buy Olive Oil. He had great recommendations for us to tour the old part of Amman and then drove us by the house where he was born.
Petra was amazing and awe inspiring, the Dead Sea was absolutely beautiful…and we really did float…New Years Eve in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum was like being on a movie set, Jaresh was incredible…the preservation there blows away what you see in Rome…but without the help from Yousef, Daniel and Engaging Cultures I cannot imaging enjoying it all as much as we did. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Forget Petra, that hike was worth the airfare alone! (Referring to the Bedouin hike to Petra).
I would not come to Jordan any other way. This is the ONLY way to see Jordan!
Thank you so much for everything. From the moment we stepped off the plane until we returned to the airport, everything was just perfect. Our time in Jordan far exceeded any expectations I had. Your meeting us at the airport personally with the gifts was so unexpected and delightful. As for Zaid, I can not say enough wonderful things about him. As I said to him when we were leaving, he was so much more than a tour guide, he was truly a teacher on so many levels. We had so many questions for Zaid and I know each day our time with him was extended because of that but his knowledge was so deep and we learned so much from him. He was also very patient with us and all of our questions! Having Zaid guiding us through Jordan was an experience we will never forget and we will be back, I have no doubt about that. We will tell everyone to come to Jordan, use engaging cultures and to request Zaid! I have to say, I really did not know what to expect of Jordan and our time there but the experience we had made it so very tough to leave and it was truly the highlight of the trip. I can definitely see why it is your second home.
It was Engaging Cultures’ little touches and unique insight that made our Jordan experience superior. I have lived in the Middle East as an expat for over a year now and this trip was my third to the Kingdom of Jordan. Despite all this, Engaging Cultures managed to dig up new treasures in my Arab world experience. Unforgettable!
MORE TUNISIA TOURS
We had a fantastic trip, and we really appreciated all of your help. You definitely went above and beyond the call of duty. The tour was great and we loved the added bonus of getting to know you better. I can tell that you really enjoy your work. You’re doing a great job!
As Travel-study Director, I have arranged study tour for students and friends of our graduate school for over 20 years. Last March, I worked with Mr. Cater on our first study tour to Tunisia. The program that he arranged for my group was exceptional. He more than met my expectations in all details. He arranged accommodations in the nicest places on a fixed budget and worked seamlessly with the requests of our professor of record for this tour. Beyond the usual assets of land agents with whom I have worked in many countries around the world, Mr. Cater went out of his way to creatively suggest sites which I would not have known about but which fit perfectly into our program of study. Once we arrived in Tunisia, he attended to details at each stop, spoke the language and was helpful in every way.
Gary, USA - This tour is an opportunity of a lifetime to see Tunisia through the eyes of people. . .
This tour is an opportunity of a lifetime to see Tunisia through the eyes of people who understand the vibrant cultural mix that is this exciting modern-day country. If you have only one stop to make in North Africa, make it Tunisia!
It was amazing to not only learn about the impact early North Africa Christianity but to be right there where key events took place. As we toured the different historical, religious and cultural sites, the professor helped to bring those events to life with his vast knowledge and his kindness and ability to answer our many questions. It was a deeply moving experience!
Tunisia is the hidden jewel of North Africa and Engaging Cultures brings that country’s many delightful facets into bold relief with their well-planned and expertly executed tour package.