Our Favourite Reviews from 2019!

Did you know we read every single review our travelers leave for their guides? On average, it's around 4000 a month, the vast majority of them 5 stars. Every month we compile a shortlist of our favourites - those reviews that speak to a particularly special or exceptional experience with a local guide, and share it among all staff. It's a great reminder for us of what ToursByLocals exists to do: make travel better.

As you can imagine, by the end of 2019, we had A LOT of amazing reviews. So we decided to celebrate a few of our favourites by creating a live broadcast on New Years Eve on our Facebook page! If you've already seen the video, and are curious about how to find the amazing guides mentioned in it, links to their profiles on our website are below, alongside each review.

Our Twelve Favourite Reviews from 2019

"Martin is a phenomenal tour guide. He literally walked us through decades of history in Berlin, and the stories he shared were captivating to my thirteen-year-old and me. We booked this private tour on the morning of our first full day in the city. We changed some of our plans (during our 5-day visit) because of his suggestions and were grateful that we did. If you are planning to spend even one or two days in Berlin, three hours with Martin (so scholarly and such a gentlemen) will be time well spent." Meet Martin in Berlin, Germany (Reviewed by Brenda Defelice)

"A group of four of us just returned from a trip of a lifetime to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands, and one of the highlights was a day tour in and around Quito with Vivian. All of the other positive reviews about her are absolutely true. She is highly knowledgeable, responsive, flexible, there were lots of laughs, and her enthusiasm for showing visitors around her City and its surroundings is infectious. And when she says she is there to help anytime before and after your tour with her, she means it!" Meet Vivian in Quito, Ecuador (Reviewed by Stephen Dewdney)

"Sascha MADE MY TRIP! She showed me the most wonderful and beautiful parts of the island, was a fountain of knowledge, was fun and welcoming, and could not have been better in any way. I felt like I made a friend, not just a had a tour guide. She gave me the best tour I've ever been on, and I've travelled around the world and been on lots of tours. Couldn't recommend her higher. Do yourself a favour and book with her!" Meet Sascha in Oahu, Hawaii (Reviewed by Mark Sherry)

"Markos knows every nook and cranny of Athens and the surrounding area. Our tour goal was the Temple at Cape Sounion. His goal was to make our day perfect. He took us to amazing Athens sites that we had never seen and then to sites on the way to the cape. And then, a wonderful restaurant over looking the sea. He is one of the most special Tours By Locals guides we have ever had. Whatever you want to do in Athens, book Markos. We left wanting to make him our honourary Greek grandson!" Meet Markos in Athens, Greece (Reviewed by David Lebow)

"We are so glad we went to Uzbekistan! We could not have done it without a guide and Shokhrukh is the best you'll find. He's knowledgeable, organized and fun to spend time with. Visiting three cities, we had a flight, 2 train rides and 3 different hotels: thanks to Shokhrukh, everything was seamless. He took us to all the sights we wanted as well as showing us things we never would have found on our own. I cannot stress enough how essential it is to have a guide in Uzbekistan. So worth the investment!" Meet Shukhrukh in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Reviewed by Kevin Zucker)

"Giorgio D. took the family history we could provide and gave us the tour of a lifetime! He prepared for the trip by visiting the tiny village of Ciminna in advance. He then showed my wife the streets where her grandparents were born, scheduled a private tour of the 15th century church her ancestors attended, gave us an informed history of the region while we walked the ancient streets, and arranged a meeting with a previously unknown local cousin! My wife was beside herself with excitement." Meet Giorgio in Sicily, Italy (Reviewed by George Barnett)

“Darrin was/is amazing. We have had tours by locals in over 20 countries and no one has worked as diligently to make our two days more special. Darrin reacted to our ship changing the itinerary and then to our changing our mind about what to do without a hitch. He waited for hours for us because of tendering issues and was full of suggestions about what to do next and was in constant good humor and fun and informative to be with. He took us off the beaten path, where we saw everything we wanted to. Perfect!” Meet Darrin in Cairns, Australia (Reviewed by Bruce Pincheon )

"To put it simply, Nahla is a superstar! She is a gifted storyteller who hooks your interest on substance (not just a list of dates), and managed the difficult balance of engaging both parents and our 15 and 13 year olds. She also cleverly intersperses 'heavy' historical sites with light interludes (such as the papyrus workshop). Nothing was too much trouble, and she happily incorporated our suggestions (a sunset felucca trip and a visit to a local supermarket). I cannot recommend her highly enough!" Meet Nahla in Cairo, Egypt (Reviewed by Catherine Reichardt)

"I opted for the "Offbeat Tour" and I absolutely loved every minute of it! I've traveled to 51 countries and I wanted to spend the day seeing the "real" Bangalore and not just the typical tourist areas. Sushma's recommendations were spot on and she provided me with an unforgettable day. Between the KR Market, Laughing Yoga, Dhobi Ghat, Local Homes, Community Kitchen, Temples, Breakfast at MTR, and all of the little extras we saw, I came away with a unique experience which is exactly what I'd hoped for." Meet Sushma in Bangalore, India (Reviewed by Mary O.)

"Touring Cusco with Raul was an incredible experience. I have never met a tour guide that had so much knowledge and passion about history, especially regarding the Andean region. He is a local that deeply understands the culture and sees history from a very objective perspective, rather than what the history books teach us. If you are ever in Cusco do not think twice about doing a tour with Raul." Meet Raul in Cusco, Peru (Reviewed by Bernardo Asuaje)

"It's this simple: book Koji now, before the secret gets out! This amazing young man can tailor his Tokyo day tour to suit your tastes: shopping, dining, shrines, fashion, parks, hidden gems — Koji knows it all, and he can get you where you're going effortlessly, in record time. It's impossible to see all of Tokyo in a day, but Koji made sure we saw as much as possible, while also adapting to our pace and interests. He's the real deal. If you have limited time in Tokyo, Koji is the key to a magical visit." Meet Koji in Tokyo, Japan (Reviewed by Mark McElroy)

"Peter was everything I could have wanted in a guide! The knowledge and energy this man has makes him perfect for this "job", but you can tell it is more of a calling for him. Peter got to know us and picked up from our cues in a matter of minutes and tweaked our tour within the first 30 minutes to make it a dream come true! We laughed, we cried (okay I cried, my 13 year old son was moved as well) we learned, and delved much deeper into the city of London than I thought possible in 4.5 hours." Meet Peter in London (Reviewed by Sarah White)