This trip went above and beyond what we expected. From Hilary keeping in touch with us prior to the trip to the staff from Secret Paradise meeting us at our destination. Then the entire crew on the boat also went above and beyond with delicious food, our comfort on the boat and the tours each day. We also all had to rearrange flights to get home because of cancellations and they made sure each and every one of us got to our final destination. We will definitely be booking another trip through Yugen Earthside!

We had a great trip in general. We appreciated the detailed explanations and all the details regarding in country travel/transportation. There were some aspects of the travel planning and choices the company made that were not great and took away from the experience. The main thing is that in several instances, especially the hotel we stayed at right before our flight home - was terrible. It was outside of Tokyo and a truly awful place. We were so disappointed to be so far outside of the city and felt like we were charged a lot of money for a really bad experience. It left a bad taste that has colored the whole trip.

Both of our local guides, Alper and Mel, had extensive historical knowledge of Turkey. The history is so complicated, and they were so kind and patient with our many questions. They also introduced us to a wide array of Turkish specialties, from the wonderful mezes, many kinds of fish and delectable desserts. Fun cooking classes were arranged to further our knowledge of Turkish cooking. The small group size allowed flexibility, allowing us to stay longer at some attractions and skip ones we weren't interested in. A very worthwhile experience!

I really liked that I could have input into planning our trip. Hilary was outstanding to work with. She is so helpful and responsive which led to us have an excellent trip. Our guides were extremely informative and enjoyable. There was so much history to learn from going to several historical sites. It was fascinating! On Food, Oh my goodness! Delicious! We had such a variety of food and so much food. The last cooking class was the best. I highly recommend this trip to those who are interested in Ancient history sites and enjoy food. That is what stood out to me. I sure will use Yugen Earthside again !

Our wonderful guide and driver made this trip excellent. They were supportive, flexible and efficient! I was constantly amazed with all the knowledge our guide shared with us. This trip was perfectly planned. Our time at each location was just right. Our accommodations were very nice. Everyone was kind, helpful with smiles! I loved the variety of activities we did, including me getting to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. I don’t know if I could have made it without the supportive team. During our whole stay the guide made sure we were good with what we were doing. Learning about the Bhutanese culture and Buddhism was so interesting. The Black Rand festival was another highlight. Bhutan is an absolutely beautiful country! I highly recommend this trip. We went in November and had great weather. March would be a month to go with the flowers blooming! There are many festivals to attend.