James

We just completed the 14 day Balkan Experience tour conducted by Victor Tours of Belgrade. We started and finished in Belgrade and saw parts of seven countries and drove approximately 2300 kilometers. We traveled with four other companions during most of the trip but had 7 others for 3 days. We overall enjoyed the trip but a great deal of time is spent in the van driving through countryside. We had a guide for Belgrade and a second for the remainder of the time. Stefan was surperb and Mladen was very helpful and we appreciated him but there would be 2-3 hour travel times with no narration. It would be helpful to have comments about the countryside we are seeing and about local economies and activities and the flora and fauna. We opted for the enhanced hotel package and generally the hotels are satisfactory but the Hotel Nova Riviera in Ohrid was far below par and maybe a 3* but certainly not a 4* hotel. Hotels in Tirana, Sarajevo and Belgrade were the best. The time management was sub-par with days starting at 09:00 am or later and invariably ending very late due to delays during the day. Border crossings were often long and tedious particularly in Bosnia. The local city tour guides were variable -some excellent such as in Dubrovnik and others mediocre such as in Sarajevo. The driver was very good but much of what you see of the Balkans will be through the van window due to the need to cover so much distance and time management. You need to be physically fit but nothing was extremely strenuous. Our guide, Mladen, took extra effort to insure that any needed assistance was provided. My judgement is that the tour is good but that a little slower pace or perhaps seeing a few less places would be an improvement. Side trips such as seeing the little house built on a rock in the Drina River just aren't any addition to the trip. We were also disappointed when we reached Belgrade after a long series of flights that there was no one to meet us. Fortunately a very pleasant and helpful lady at the airport helped us call the driver who showed up in about an hour. He apparently simply forgot we were coming in. Again a management issue.

Operator's comment: Dear James, Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed and balanced review. We're glad you enjoyed the journey overall, and we especially appreciate your kind words about our staff. We'll make sure they see them. You have raised several points that are genuinely useful to us. A tour covering seven countries in 14 days inevitably involves considerable time on the road, but your suggestion that more commentary about the regions you are traveling through would make those longer journeys more interesting is a very good one. We will discuss this with our tour leaders. We also appreciate your comments regarding the pace of the itinerary and the hotel in Ohrid. We review hotel standards regularly, and feedback from guests who have stayed at the properties is particularly valuable. Regarding your arrival in Belgrade, there is no excuse for what happened. Your transfer was confirmed, and the driver should have been waiting for you when you arrived. We sincerely apologize for this. Thank you again for traveling with Victor Tours and, in particular, for taking the time to explain what worked well and what you believe we could improve. Feedback like yours gives us something concrete to work with. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Dr Sev Ozdowski

Overall it was a nice trip worth recommending. Small group, good locations to visit. Perhaps I would prefer for it to be a bit longer - say 3-4 days. In particular Croatia and Dubrovnik needed more time. I gave only 3 starts because hotels in Trebbinje and and Sarajevo were below the standard. In particular we have got extremely bad Accommodation in Serajewo where we were offered an “apartment” instead of normal hotel room. It was a place not properly equiped, without proper beds, posssibly used by the hotel staff. Photo of the bed is attached. Disgusting. Also Vladimir was not the best guide. It was difficult to understand what he was talking about, used racist stereotypes, eg by calling Croatians to be all fascists and paid no attention to our requests, eg re. Toilet stops. The initial guide (first two days) was very professional.

Operator's comment: Dear Mr. Ozdowski, Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We're glad you enjoyed the itinerary overall, but we're sorry to hear some aspects of the tour didn't meet your expectations. We will investigate what happened with your accommodation in Sarajevo, as the situation you described does not meet the standard we expect from the hotels we work with. We will also review your comments regarding the other hotels used during the trip. We take your comments regarding the guide extremely seriously and will investigate this internally. Victor Tours does not tolerate derogatory remarks or generalizations about any nationality, ethnicity, or other group of people. Our guides are expected to present the complex and often sensitive history of the Balkans professionally, factually, and without prejudice. Thank you also for your comments regarding the pace of the itinerary. We appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us identify areas for improvement. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Johanna

Excellent driver and van Excellent for Stefan our guide in Belgrade Good for our guide Vladimir 2 or 3 hotels need attention Content was good and varied

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Operator's comment: Dear Johanna, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're glad that you enjoyed the journey overall, and we'll make sure Stefan, Vladimir, and the driver see your comments. We also appreciate your note regarding the hotels. We'll take a closer look at the properties you used on your departure, as this kind of feedback helps us review our hotel selection. Thank you for traveling with us. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

David Kallel

Our 14 days tour of Balkans countries was an excellent one. Me and my wife along with 4 others covered Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Our tour guide was Mr. Vladimir and our driver was Mr. Nesha. Vladimir knows the history, culture and geography of the Balkan area very much. The ride in the Sprinter van was very good. Nesha was very patient and an excellent driver. Both of them helped to move our luggage and other logistics. Even though the weather was hot on some days both of them took care of our needs. We also had some local guides in the main areas of the tour. The accommodation was ok as usual in other European countries. We highly recommend Victor tours for this trip.

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Operator's comment: Dear David, Thank you very much for your kind review and for choosing to explore the Balkans with us. We're glad to hear that you and your wife had such a positive experience. We'll make sure Vladimir and Nesha see your comments — after two weeks on the road together, we know they'll be very happy to read them. Thank you also for recommending Victor Tours to other travelers. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope to see you again somewhere in the Balkans. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Ghaleb Husseini

This was an excellent trip. We traveled to 7 countries in 14 days and hit at least 3 spots per country. The tour was very well organized and gave me a comprehesive idea about the Balkans. The hotels were superbe and the breakfast wonderful. My tour guide was Mladen and he was excellent all-around. He was knowledgeable and answered all my questions. He was also always available even if I needed help after hours. He gave me excellent suggestions for dinner. The Management team was also wonderful and Alexander visited our hotel and gave us a small gift before the trip started. He also explained all aspects of the trip and answered all of our questions. Ivana was equally great and helped me during the reservation stage. I was able to make very nice friends on the tour. Would I book a similar tour with Victor Tours? Absolutely. In fact, I would love to schedule another trip that includes Romania with them, possibly next year.

Operator's comment: Dear Ghaleb, Thank you for such a thoughtful and detailed review. It was a real pleasure having you travel with us, and we're very happy that the Balkans left you wanting to see even more of the region. Everyone involved in your trip will be very pleased to read your comments. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make these tours work, so it's always nice to hear that it all came together well. And when the time comes for Romania, you know where to find us :) We'd be very happy to help you plan the next chapter. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Maureen Ryland

Our guide Stefan offered us an all inclusive history lesson of the multilayered countries of the Balkans. His courtesy, kindness and care made the trip very memorable. My only disappointment was that we only had 6 hours in Croatia. Dasha our driver was also brilliant and I felt very safe with him at the wheel. We were greeted each day by Stefan and Dasha with professionalism, courtesy and kindness. It’s a trip I’ll remember for a long time.

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Operator's comment: Dear Maureen, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re very happy to hear that the trip became a memorable one for you. We also completely understand your feelings about Croatia; however, this itinerary is designed so that you only "get a taste" of Croatia. We have other programs where you get to spend much more time in Croatia, and we hope that in the future you will be joining us on one of them :) Thank you again for your trust and for traveling with us. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Maxwell Kuppers

If you’re looking for an in-depth, thoughtfully organized and informative tour, look no further! This tour was the perfect taste of 7 countries, balancing fully-guided experiences and free time to explore at most sites as well as in the evenings. Our hotels were in safe, central locations (with incredible breakfast spreads) and the border crossings were seamless. If that’s a worry for you with a tour that covers so much ground, you’re in good hands. Our guide, Stefan, was truly one of a kind. Patient, thoughtful, and a wealth of knowledge and passion for his region and his career. He went above and beyond to give us a solid introduction to each country and the Balkans as a whole. As our tour happened over Easter, we even got to experience a popular game with eggs painted by his mother. To say that he took care of us would be an understatement, and his passion for knowledge was contagious. He learned each of our interests and went out of his way to suggest places for us to see and eat at. Our driver was also exemplary. You wouldn’t know you were on a bus pulling a trailer because Nasha made it feel like a compact car. He was attentive, experienced and exceedingly calm even through the heaviest traffic and impossible parking situations. He and Stefan made a perfect team that we were sad to say goodbye to. Thank you Victor Tours for making this a truly memorable trip!

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Operator's comment: Dear Maxwell, Wow! Thank you for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and generous review. It truly means a lot to us. Honestly. We're super glad to hear that the journey left a lasting impression and that the overall experience came together in a way that felt enriching and enjoyable. Stefan and Nesha will be very touched by your kind words — they genuinely care about what they do, and it’s always rewarding for them to know that it resonates with their guests. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we’re grateful you chose to explore the Balkans in this way. We hope your travels bring you back to this region again someday. Warmest regards, Victor Tours Team

Glenys

This was a very well organised tour, giving us a taste of seven different countries in 14 days - enough to make us want to return to explore some of those places in greater depth. I really liked the small group with only 10 of us travelling together and we all got on very well together. Larger groups than that make group travel a bit more difficult. Stefan was an excellent guide giving us a lot of historical background and information about events which rarely appear in the media. The thing about Stefan was also his obvious care for us, his guests. He went above and beyond to assist us and to make suggestions for our free time. Nesha was a standout driver - very experienced and capable as well as assisting Stefan with luggage at each stop. If anyone is considering exploring the Balkan countries, I would recommend Victor Tours. Their communication and attention to detail is excellent.

Operator's comment: Dear Glenys, Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful review and for sharing your experience. We’re delighted to know the journey left a positive impression and that you felt well supported throughout. Stefan and Nesha will greatly appreciate your kind words — we’ll be sure to pass them along. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we truly appreciate your recommendation. We hope to welcome you again in the future. Warm regards, Victor Tours Team

Pauline Favies

We had a very good trip and saw and experienced a great deal. It’s a very interesting region with lots of history, sites and attractive scenery to enjoy. Our guide was excellent, the driver top rate, so they made a good duo. The small size of the group was ideal and our fellow travellers were very pleasant. The vehicle was comfortable and we saw and experienced so much. Hotels were good and everyone that we interacted with was friendly and helpful.

Operator's comment: Dear Pauline, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Reviews are very important for us. We’re very glad to hear the journey left such a positive impression. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to the guide and driver — they will greatly appreciate it. It’s also encouraging to know that the group's overall atmosphere and smooth organization contributed to your enjoyment. Thank you for choosing to travel with us. We hope to welcome you again on another journey in the future. Best regards, Victor Tours Team

Tobias Lim

We covered a lot of ground in two weeks but it didn't feel like it and, besides, we wouldn't have been able to see a fraction of what we saw if we tried to do it on our own. The tour guide (Stefan) and bus driver (Nesha) were both exceptional and made the tour so easy, comfortable and smooth. They really were fantastic. The tour group was the perfect size and there was ample opportunity to either spend time with the others or spend time on your own depending on your preference. Highly recommend this tour to get a good taste of the region.

Operator's comment: Dear Tobias, thank you for sharing your experience. We’re happy to hear the tour felt smooth and well-paced. Stefan and Nesha will truly appreciate your kind words—we'll make sure to pass them along. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again in the future. Regards, Victor Tours Team