tauck tours reviews

Review Highlights

“ We also went To India last year and SE Asos 2 months ago and loved the hotels, the guides, having everything thought through with no glitches anywhere. ” in 2 reviews

“ We canceled a trip in 2021 due to Covid & rebooked the same trip for 2022 with no issues. ” in 6 reviews

“ Scotland is beautiful, & this is the way to see it. ” in 3 reviews

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Wilton, CT 06897

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About the Business

Nearly 100 distinctive and enriching land tours, ocean cruises, river cruises, Tauck Bridges family adventures, and immersive Culturious trips for "culturally curious" and active travelers. …

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Wonderful trip. Great leader and fun people in our group. To be able to stay within the national parks is bonus.

I just spoke with customer service. The most horrible service ever. I have never been on a cruise nor do I have any desire. Yet I continue to receive junk mail on a regular basis. I have called to have my name removed several time and it does not good. Customer Service has no follow through. I would never recommend this company as they are killing our planet by sending junk mail daily. DID YOU KNOW: * 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct mail advertisements end up in U.S. landfills annually. * 44 percent of junk mail is thrown away unopened, but only half that much junk mail is recycled. * The average American household receives 848 pieces of junk mail, which equals 1.5 trees every year and more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined. That's the equivalent of deforesting all of Rocky Mountain National Park every four months. * Largely due to deforestation, junk mail manufacturing creates as much greenhouse gas emissions annually as 3.7 million cars.

Tauck is not what it used to be.Luxury river cruise from Lyon to Provence was a disappointment. Try a different luxury cruise line for your river cruises

We just returned from our first Tauck tour to England, Scotland and Wales and cannot say enough about what a terrific trip it was. Tauck is a first-class operation; handles virtually every detail and makes it a fun, enlightening, unforgettable experience. Most of the folks on our tour were big-time Tauck repeat customers and I can see why. I wasn't sure I was cut out for a group tour but now I'm starting to think about which Tauck tour we'll take next.

First time Tuack Tour, Essence of Japan. It will be my last. Spent more than 45k and they handled flight booking. They booked international layover outbound with 40 min window. Not surprisingly my bags, clothes and medicine didn't arrive for 30 hours. They acknowledged their fault in email but Guest Relations tone deaf. They offered small cash refund and future credit on next tour. Won't be a "next tour ". It was once a great brand but they have lost their feel for customer retention. If you use them, book your own travel and save money and aggravation.

Last tour was a phenomenal disappointment. And when I called to provide feedback the woman wasn't at all interested in doing anything to rectify my complaint. Being on a bus for over 4 hours without stopping for a restroom break is UNACCEPTABLE. In Germany it's mandatory for them to stop every 2 hours to give the driver a 30 minute break which wasn't done. Tour director was totally unplugged and lacked minimal communication with guests. other tour directors except 1, were rude and unprofessional to us. Many had complaints about one woman in particular. Yet when I provided feedback to Tauck the woman wasn't at all interested in my complaint. High prices and sub-par service to boot. My money will find a better company. Cannot in good conscience recommend Tauck.

We have taken 4 trips with this company in the past 7 years. They have meet or exceeded our expectations on all 4 trips. We have made lasting friends on a couple of these trips. In sharing the travel with then strangers, in multiple instances we have never laughed so hard. Good guides, and well balanced itineraries.

After reading recent reviews, as a virgin cruiser, I would not book this operator if they were the last cruise on earth. Horrific reviews! Save your time reading them all, I already did. You've been warned.

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That's Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done on the cheap by Tauck, yet cost me thousands of dollars extra as a solo traveler on a special small-group tour. 5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)... many more meals "on your own"... lots of "self-guided" tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about... airline quality "rubber chicken" dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces... poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for. Speaking to a "Guest Relations" agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the "new" post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers.

Our recent trip to South Africa with Tauck was cut short by someone on the trip contracting COVID . The person had symptoms for several days and then used her own home test which came back positive . Two doctors traveling with her said clinical symptoms plus positive home test is 99.9 % accurate. The person with COVID called the tour director who asked the doctors why they were so concerned about COVID Tour director then went and go a local bushman paramedic who administered two COVID tests which came back negative ( see any Mexican resorts during the pandemic) She did not warn anyone on the trip that there risk for COVID was now extremely high and did not caution the group about taking extra precautions to keep everyone safe In fact the tour director lied and said COVID tests were negative and probably just a flu As expected one day later once arriving in a larger city the COVID PCR came back positive More people began getting sick with cough and other symptoms Yet still no word from the tour director We left the group since my wife is immunosuppressed and lost faith in Tauck keeping their guests safe Recommend 1 if you have US doctors in a group - use them in consultation with tauck docs based in the USA 2. If US doctors tell the tour director she is not following US medical standards then doctors should be on call from tauck to discuss 3. The level of quality tauck uses for medical personnel in third world countries is highly suspect We thought Tauck would protect us in any of our exotic travels. What we learned is Tauck is only protecting themselves

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The Scoop: What to Know About Tauck Tours

Here's how to decide if tauck is the right fit for you..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

For almost 100 years,  Tauck  has been helping travelers see the world. The family-owned and -operated luxury tour company has enjoyed plenty of word-of-mouth recommendations from past guests (and needed to do minimal advertising as a result), and many tour participants become repeat clients who often self-identify as “Tauckies”.

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A frequent travel industry  award winner , Tauck offers travelers exclusive and behind-the-scenes, authentic experiences in the places it visits.

TourScoop Takeaways: Tauck

• Continents covered: 7
• Tour size range: Typical land tours have about 40 guests. River cruises range from 84 to 130 passengers. The company is working to increase its small-group offerings and will offer about 75 small-group land journeys around the world in the coming years, with most of those departures averaging 24 travelers, and many of Tauck’s African safaris featuring as few as 18 guests.
• Tour types: Land tours, safaris, small-group tours, European river cruises, small-ship cruises, and family travel tours

Credibility Check

Tauck is a member of the  United States Tour Operators Association  and the  European Tourism Association . The company has racked up numerous awards and accolades over the years, including appearances on  Travel + Leisure ’s World’s Best Awards in each of the last 26 years and recognition as “Best Tour Operator” in  Travel Weekly ’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards 25 times (in multiple categories) since 2003. More than half of its clients are returning Tauck travelers each year.

Tour Destinations 

Tauck tours travel to more than 100 destinations in more than 70 countries on all seven continents. New tours include  six new river cruises  in Europe,  a safari in Namibia , an exploration of  Tuscany, Cinque Terre and the Portofino Coast , and two journeys in North America—one in the  American West  and one in  the Canadian Rockies —that each include a two-day rail journey.

Tauck offers  land tours ,  safaris ,  small-group tours ,  European river cruises , and  small ship cruises . Its  Tauck Bridges  collection of family travel tours and cruises has been around for 25 years.

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When browsing tours on Tauck’s website, travelers can filter options by departure date, tour type, and destination. Tour descriptions include detailed itineraries, information about accommodations, reviews from past travelers, and information on what to pack and mobility requirements for the tour.

Tour Guides

Tour guides—referred to as Tauck Directors by the company—average 10 years of service. The company offers a generous compensation package that helps it attract top-tier candidates who remain loyal to the company and develop a high level of destination expertise over their tenures. Guides come from 41 countries, collectively speak a total of 52 languages, and have diverse backgrounds and past work experience (including a former priest, former college professors, and classical musicians).

Inclusions/Extras

Tauck tours include almost everything but airfare. Tauck land journeys include all gratuities (except Tauck Director gratuities), all taxes and fees, all sightseeing and entertainment, most meals, and airport transfers. In some stops, a lunch or dinner may not be included to allow guests to explore the destination at their own pace.

Tauck European river cruises and small-ship ocean cruises include all shore excursions, all gratuities, all taxes and fees, all onboard beverages (adult and otherwise, in most cases), most meals, all sightseeing and entertainment, and airport transfers. Many cruises also include either a pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel stay (or both) accompanied by Tauck-guided sightseeing guides.

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Typical Travelers

Many of the company’s travelers tend to be in their 50s and older. Family groups on Tauck Bridges trips tend to fall into one of three categories: conventional family groups (parents traveling with young children), grandparents traveling with grandchildren, or multigenerational groups including grandparents, their adult children, and their grandchildren.

Communication 

Tauck communicates with guests throughout the entire process, from booking to pre- and post-departure. Guests receive their personal travel documents via email 60 days prior to departure for cruises and 30 days prior to departure for land journeys.

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Documents include information such as necessary pre-trip requirements, packing suggestions, information on local currency and weather, emergency contact information, and a day-by-day itinerary. The company also offers  travel protection plans  for extra peace of mind.

Private Options

Tauck offers  private group departures  with a minimum of 10 guests that work well for family reunions or milestone celebrations.

Sustainability Efforts

Tauck has focused on the cultural preservation side of sustainable travel through efforts like a guest-volunteer program in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and support of nonprofit  Tourism Cares .

As European river cruising has become a larger part of the company’s business, Tauck has worked in partnership with Scylla (which owns and operates Tauck’s fleet of European riverboats) on a number of initiatives, including using cleaner-burning GTL fuel on riverboats when available, and limiting single-use plastics.

Health and Safety Practices

The company’s small-ship ocean cruises have a physician aboard each departure. European river cruises do not, but the boats are never far from shore and local medical facilities.

Tauck stays in constant communication with its on-the-ground partners in the regions where it travels and  monitors  all U.S. government-issued travel advisories and media reports. Its cross-departmental Global Response Team can quickly respond to any situation 24 hours a day.

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First tour to Yellowstone postponed until 2021 due to COVID. Unavoidable so fair enough. Missed the first night in Jackson Hole due to flight delays. Not a great start, but not Taucks fault so my loss. The tour director was wonderful but park restaurants were still closed, so lots of takeout, a buffet that ran low on food but I do realize there were staffing shortages….enough said. Given the price paid I was a bit disappointed but fellow travelers assured me this was all atypical and Tauck is usually fabulous, so decided to give them another try this year and had questions about the Spain/Portugal tour. After trying repeatedly to reach Tauck by phone, I emailed them. Three days later still no response. Not what I consider fabulous and certainly makes me hesitant to use them again despite what my friends say.

Date of experience : May 27, 2022

Tauck does it best

Tauck does it best! This was my 8th Tauck Trip and it was wonderful. Well planned and excellent experiences. Would highly recommend Tauck. They are the best!

Date of experience : July 08, 2023

4th Tauck Tour and will never use them…

4th Tauck Tour and will never use them again. Booking my own trip was a nightmare. Inconsistent answers, long wait times on phone, and insisted they pick me up at Charles de Gaule...never showed up. Said there was a laptop for use by passengers...not true and my cell phone broke so I was out of touch with everyone. 2 Covid passengers and the worst was the raw sewage that came up from my shower the last day of the trip...no wonder my room stank the whole time. I never wanted to go anywhere this year because of Covid and disastrous airline performances all summer, but Tauch said I would lose my deposit from a cancelled trip last year and I had to book a European River Cruise. So, between Delta Airlines (Tauck booked me) and this cruise I came home tired, angry, upset.

Date of experience : October 03, 2022

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done on the cheap by Tauck, yet cost me thousands of dollars extra as a solo traveler on a special small-group tour. 5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)… many more meals “on your own”… lots of “self-guided” tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about… airline quality “rubber chicken” dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces… poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for. Speaking to a “Guest Relations” agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the “new” post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers.

Date of experience : May 16, 2023

Bait and Switch for Glacier Express

More than a year ago we signed up for the Switzerland: Europe's Crown Jewel tour for September 2023. One of the featured items on the website and in brochure was a trip on the Glacier Express glass-domed train through the Alps. About a week before departure, Tauck sent an email saying that they couldn't get tickets so they substituted for a regular train, a very long bus ride, and a tour of a cheese factory. Getting train tickets is their core business. They knew the dates. We booked more than a year in advance. We questioned them and were told that they would not be providing any compensation because they provided an alternate excursion. The basement of a very small, stinky cheese factory was not a suitable alternative to the world-renowned Glacier Express. During the trip, we learned that some couples got cash back - when we protested to Tauck, they offered a voucher if we booked a future trip. I feel that this was a bait and switch. This was our third Tauck trip and I question whether I will ever use their voucher. Otherwise, this trip had way too much bus time. The meals were good. The hotels were average. Pace was geared to people 70 plus years old....we are 60 and were the youngest people on tour.

Date of experience : September 12, 2023

Tauck trip to Australia and New…

Tauck trip to Australia and New Zealand. I recently completed a trip with Tauck to Australia and New Zealand. Upon arrival, Tauck mandated that everyone to sign a document absolving them from responsibility if we get Covid. I asked the tour director the process if someone were to contract Covid and she said she would check with the corporate office. Guess what, there is no process!!! In fact she herself was ill with a hacking cough for 2 weeks. She didn't wear a mask, cover her mouth with a tissue or take any visible signs of distancing herself. After I called her out on her cough and coming from another trip sick, she admitted it. Yet her behavior to protect others didn't change. Within 5 days of the start of the tour many people began to get very sick, including myself ( even though I wore a mask every day). By the end of the trip at least 80% of the people on the trip had become sick. Tauck is asking guests not to blame them if we get sick. Fine, then ensure that your tour guides are well, encourage the use of masks and provide transparency if others get Covid. It's really not rocket science, it's common courtesy and being responsible. In this case, I do blame Tauck. I have also called Guest Relations, but am doubtful that anything will change. Although, we are all responsible for ourselves, this situation could have been mitigated if Tauck had a tour director leading in a responsible way.

Date of experience : September 25, 2023

I agree with all the negative reviews

I agree with all the negative reviews. They canceled my original tour and offered me a full refund or rebook with a $250 per person discount. I made the mistake of rebooking. Now that the new strain of Covid is a threat, they will not refund. Additionally, services and tours on the tour have been eliminated and they are adding in tip “suggestions” even though the trip was sold as included. They do not answer their phone calls and refuse to speak to their booked customers. They couch the degrading of their tours, the poor service and lack of availability to speak to their customers in polite terms, but are rude, money-hungry liars.

Date of experience : August 02, 2021

I am updating my review of Tauck to be…

I am updating my review of Tauck to be 5 stars because while it did take a long time to work out my refund for the missed days of our trip due to Covid infection 5 days into our Ireland tour the company has refunded all of my additional expenses and the cost of our missed days of the trip. I will be a returning customer as they have restored my faith in customer service!!

Date of experience : January 11, 2023

tauck Costa Rica wasted too much of our…

tauck Costa Rica wasted too much of our hard earned money. 2 of the 6 days tour was in long travel so you paid a 1000 for a day of travel x2 and two of the nights are spent in a cockroach, spiders, bug infested in your bed type of hotel. won't be recommending them. travel with national geographic or Patagonia if you can. our tour director was the best part of this trip he was super friendly and kind. but the rest of it you can do on your own without a tour. its a small country easy to get around.

Date of experience : August 23, 2021

Signed up for an African tour with…

Signed up for an African tour with Tauck for 4 adults and one child. Tauck cancelled the Tour in the summer of 2020. They returned airfare of $27500 and a deposit of $ 2,500 approx. However, they refused to refund the insurance of $3300 approx. Remember THEY canceled the tour but kept the Insurance . An insurance co they own.

Date of experience : May 16, 2021

TAUCK EVALUATION

TAUCK EVALUATION TRUST PILOT I will never book with Tauck again. During Covid when other travel agencies provided full refunds, Tauck refuses to refund the $639 Travel Protection plan fee. They will provide a credit for future travel but I am in a high risk group and a senior and not allowed to travel. Further, Tauck has proven that they do not deal fairly so I would never give them more money for a trip they then would keep as well. The Tauck website states that they "... always do the right thing, deliver more than what's expected,...." Clearly this is not the case. I recommend contacting the Attorney General of CT if you have problems with Tauck.

Date of experience : April 30, 2021

I will never use Tauck Tours again

I will never use Tauck Tours again. I booked a land tour and was told it was fully refundable until final payment. When I had to cancel, I was informed I had to have purchased the protection when I booked in order to get my deposit back. That's just shady and unprofessional. I cancelled over 5 months prior to the tour.

Date of experience : January 10, 2020

Our Grand New England Was Not Grand…

Our Grand New England tour was a huge disappointment, and we will never use this tour company again. The guide was totally unknowledgeable of all of the sites we visited, she was incompetent at coordinating travel for a small group, and she said and did offensive and inappropriate things throughout the trip. Worst of all she sent out our personal information in an unsecure email when we specifically told her not to do so, This company is completely unwilling to take any constructive feedback from its customers or take seriously the egregious problems they have with their tours. Don't waste your time or money with them.

Date of experience : October 04, 2022

Tauck stole our deposit.

With covid rampant in 2020 of the tour was canceled. Talk said they would keep our $1,200 for future tour. We came to rebook now and have been told that it is no longer available to us. Basically they just stole the $1,200. Read the fine print and find another company. In the age when thousands of Americans are dying every day from covid one company stands out for being the most evil of all. It is Tauck tours

Date of experience : February 11, 2022

Our recent Grand New England trip was a…

Our recent Grand New England trip was a huge disappointment from the quality of services provided by our Tour Guide, the quality of Hotels and services provided by them and food services at hotels and optional sites. This was our first and last experience with Tauck. Their management was advised in detail of our complains and their response was a verbal apology and a certificate for a $250 discount on future Tauck tours as an incentive to use their services again. I'm pretty sure they knew we would never book a tour with them again so they really offered nothing to compensate for their failure to provide a high quality trip that warrants the prices they charge for services provided. This company is seriously relying on repeat customers and the reputation they had in the past. If you want a 1 Star travel experience, book with Tauck!

Warning: Stay Away from Tauck

Tauck is all about your money and them. They could care less about you. The highlight of our trip to Ireland was to stay in the Dromoland Castle, we got there to find out that we were staying in a local Inn that was 1/8 of the cost and they refused to reimburse the difference and acted as if they could care less. Because the group was so adamant, they sent a check for a very small amount with a small amount credit for another trip: which we will never use. How awful to pay so much for a trip and go to find that the highlight of your trip was taken away. They never even offered to take us to even see the castle, a few of us skipped out on part of the local town tour and paid our own way to go tour the castle we were suppose to stay in. Tauck never apologized, nor took proper responsibility on their own. There was several tours we could have took that were much less cost and they did stay in a castle.

Date of experience : September 21, 2019

Disturbing Business Practice

Tauck sells a Guest Protection Plan (GPP) it states is intended to protect the customer in the event that the customer decides to cancel a trip. What they don’t tell you is that they will keep the premium paid even if Tauck chooses to cancel your trip. If Tauck cancels a trip, they will maintain the amount paid in an account for a limited period of time. If the customer does not use those funds on another trip at the expiration of that time, Tauck declares the customer’s money lost and refuses to refund it. Most notable is the fact that Tauck is the only entity we dealt with throughout the pandemic who did such a thing. All others refunded all monies in full, including “insurance” premiums paid to them, when the company cancelled trips and cruises. After having pursued all reasonable avenues, I was today informed by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that Tauck still refuses to change this practice.

Date of experience : April 27, 2023

Very disappointed in Tauck

Very disappointed in Tauck. When Tauck had to cancelled my 2020 tour due to COVID they were the only company that held back $600 of my trip and then dictate how I have to use my money. I lost a Disney trip to COVID and they returned ALL my money, so did hotels, airlines. I complained to Tauck and they don’t care. Boo to Tauck!!! Will never travel with them and recommend nobody else does!

Date of experience : May 30, 2022

Do not travel with this company!

Do not travel with this company! There are too many other groups out there that will care about you and not making money! Taulk is miserable to deal with. They kept 2 deposits on a trip to Japan that they never were able to go on because of COVID….They refused to refund anything. At one time they were considered the best but not now. Money is their only concern so I would be very fearful of leaving the country in their care!

Date of experience : June 17, 2021

Booked trip to China in April 2019 for…

Booked trip to China in April 2019 for trip in October 2020. Told no pricing available when we booked but encouraged to put down a deposit and "protection" for cancellation option. Got a letter days later that no further interaction with Pandas on the trip - ok, that happens. Now see political problems with China/ Hong Kong so I called yesterday to cancel trip. Told I would get $1000 back, but not $1200 fee for "protection". I was told I had 1-year to rebook with Tauck or lose that $1200 "protection" fee all together. We were not told that when we booked in April. If we were, we would not have booked the trip at that time. They have over 14 months before the trip. There is no reason to hold my $1200 "protection" at this time. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY. Shady at best. Poor customer service on the phone. Asked to speak to a manager but "none were available". I just filed complaint with BBB.

Date of experience : August 12, 2019

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Hi- We are considering a 14 days Tauck Tour of Scotland and England. I reviewed their brochure and noticed that the hotels all seem really upscale compared to Insight vacations. (Looked into that one, also.) Also, it seems to be a slower pace where there are half days of sight-seeing and time off for yourself. Can anyone out there comment on Tauck Tours and the quality for the money? Taking my 91 year old Dad and want this to be really nice. Probably, won't be doing it ever again. Thank you.

786 replies to this topic

Not sure if those inquiring have left on their tours but thought I'd give some brief input. I went on the Tauck Romantic Germany tour end of May. I am 60 and have traveled independently also. I thoroughly enjoyed this tour and plan to travel with them again. Ages on the tour were mid 50's to 80's. All the guests were very nice and interesting. As I traveled solo I was particularly interested in meeting others. I thought they gave a a good mix of touring and free time. You can use your free time to go or rest as much as you like. They may cater to older clients but I think any activity level person will have a great time. When we were in the Black Forest I took a 4 hour walk with another traveler. Others lounged. So you have choices.

I have not tried other tour groups since the mid 90's so I can't really compare other than what friends tell me. If you like well located and very nice hotels as welll as all inclusive I think you will like them. They are higher end but you will find many people who travel with them over and over. If anyone has specific questions I'd be glad to try to answer them. You can message me on this site. Have fun!

Tauck offers a GREAT vacation.

When we have traveled with them the age of our groups ranged from 18 to 85.

We have traveled with them in the US and in the Middle East.

They stay at GREAT hotels which are in wonderful locations which makes it easy to get around on your free time.

They also let you order off the regular menus for their included meals. Many other travel groups offer a limited menu.

I also agree that once you price out optional excusions on other trips with what it included with Tauck, the Tauck price is maybe a couple hundred dollars more. Their hotels, great meals, and wonderful service more than make up for that!!!

Thinking about the Paris-Provence tour -- anyone have any info on this particular tour? General Tauck tours information, insights.

Haven't done the Paris-Provence tour but have booked their Normandy, Brittany, Loire Valley for September. I've been to Provence and southern France before.

I've been on the Romantic Germany tour. See my comments earlier in this string.

Fredoflorida - What other general information are you looking for in regard to Tauck that you haven't read yet in these posts? Be glad to help if I can.

My husband and I have taken two Tauck Tours and enjoyed both. In my experience the longer the tour, the older the participants. For example the 1-week Tauck Tour called "Canyonlands" took us through three national parks (Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon) and ended in Las Vegas. All but four were in their 30s to 50s) with several teenagers along with their parents/grandparents.

The second tour we enjoyed with Tauck was Australia for 2-weeks of a three week tour; beginning in Sydney, moving on to Melbourne, Alice Springs, Uluru, Cairns, Brisbane, and ended the trip in Auckland, NZ. The folks on this trip were in their 60s, 70s and a few in their 80s. One other couple were our age (late 40s/early 50s). It was wonderful; I celebrated my 50th on this trip.

The hotels were top-notch, and so too were the dining venues. And the pace was great allowing everyone some free time to explore on your own.

My husband and I took our mothers on a 2-week tour of Italy with Caravan about 10 years ago. We had an amazing time, but Caravan stopped their tours to Europe. I don’t know why because they were great. The biggest difference I have seen between Tauck Tours and the others, including Caravan was the hotels (location/stars 4&5 v. 3&4) and meal plans. Tauck’s is superior even if a bit pricey. The only down side I have experienced is with a few of the office personnel when trying to book directly with Taucks. The folks seem a bit distracted / not the most helpful, so if you are using a travel agent you can bypass this issue.

We are looking at the Tauck Tour next year which includes England, Scotland and Wales (the same tour cities you mentioned). Good luck and enjoy!

I have been on the Normandy Loire Valley tour (Aug 2011) and can't tell you how much I loved it! I was solo as were two other ladies and the ages were late 40's to 70's. I do think that is because of the time older people can take for touring. I will be going on the Britian Scotland Wales tour Aug 30 2012 tour this year with my husband who I am finally getting to fly! I want to stick with Tauck as I do like the better hotels and meal plan is superior to other tours. There are not those "optional" side tours that the other company's offer and the shopping trips to places I am not interested in. Loved Perillo but that was what they do. Those options can add 400 easily and the hotels were a little below Tauck. Only 1 Five star was included. Many have taken Tauck before and were always happy with them and one couple had been on 10 tours with Tauck...here and abroad. Go over itinerary before trip and think what you would like to do with the free time you do get with Tauck and plan ahead...people will follow. Reviews help with that and you also don't get surprised with some things that might come up at the hotels. Even 5* hotels in Europe can be a little

disappointing and I like knowing what is to come with accommodations. enjoy yourself whatever your choice is...maybe I will see you on tour!

I enjoyed my first trip with Tauck but my mother and father have taken several trips with them before. The reason that my parents like Tauck so much is that from the time you reach the airport in the country you are visiting, you are taken care of.

Your review caught my eye because you are going to be on the

England Scotland and Wales tour on August 30th 2012.... and so will we.......I do not know where you will be coming from however, we will look forward to meeting you on tour.

This will be our 6th Tauck Tour and can give them only the highest praise.

We have had a marvelous time on each tour.........

Dorine and Bob Benton

Port Jefferson, New York

[email protected].

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Kenya & Tanzania: A Classic Safari 2022

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• The Maasai call it 'Siringitu' which means 'the place where the land moves on forever.' Here columns of wildebeest plod along centuries-old migration routes; behind them
• prides of lions prowl
• completing the circle of life... elephants
• buffaloes and hippos graze upon the large coarse grasses
• while zebras and topi wait their turn...This is the Serengeti
• one of the world's extraordinary safari experiences. In Tanzania
• you can find a birdwatcher's paradise in Lake Manyara and Africa's 'Garden of Eden' in Ngorongoro Crater. The circle of life continues in the savannas of Kenya
• where indescribable vignettes play out before your eyes in Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park... Observe huge herds roaming the Serengeti
• the 'lost world' of Ngorongoro Crater
• and free-ranging elephants in Amboseli National Park.. soar in a hot air balloon over the Masai Mara at dawn – capped by a champagne breakfast in the bush... view rescued chimpanzees and protected black rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy... attend a special barbecue dinner accompanied by Maasai cultural performance in the Serengeti... visit the William Holden Wildlife Foundation's animal orphanage during a two-night stay at fabled Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club... meet the weavers of a local village... travel in exclusive open-top safari vehicles

What's this trip about?

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Travel themes, destinations, attractions.

• Amboseli National Park
• Ngorongoro Crater
• Serengeti National Park

Trip includes

• Hot air balloon ride at dawn over the Masai Mara game reserve, followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush On-Tour Air (5 flights) Multiple-night stays in the legendary Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara game reserve, and Amboseli National Park, with daily game drives Intimate safari groups limited to just 30 Tauck guests; game drives in 6-passenger, open-top vehicles with window seats for everyone, led by expert guides Visits to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the William Holden Wildlife Education Center

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Bush To Beach Standard Package

3 Days Adventure Camping Safari - Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater

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East Africa Style

Six Days Maasai Mara Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari ending Arusha

LODGING : Gran Meliá Arusha

PORTOFCALL : Arusha, Tanzania

MEALS : B, L, D

PORTOFCALL : Nairobi, Kenya

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Dates & Availability

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck .

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

Other tauck reviews, nine tours and done.

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance

Tauck partners with Aon for travel insurance. We bought this insurance through Tauck specifically to cover us in case of a positive for test for Covid and could not ...

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Tour operator.

It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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