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Dear Ben, I went beginning July with you to the Jesuit Missions and then to El Refugio. I have posted on www.tripadvisor.com and Lonely Planet Thorntree in the Bolivia forums following feedback about you and XXX. Of course you are welcome to use it as a reference. As I was last minute intensively searching for an affordable tour to the Jesuit Missions, I found the website of Ben Verhoef. He offers a fascinating 21 day tour, well off the beaten track. However, I had booked and paid already with XXX for the 13 days. With Ben Verhoef I booked 3 days Jesuit Missions and 2 days El Refugio/Amboró. He offered me a German language guide who was a very pleasant and caring guide. The car was a quite old pick-up 4x4, but in good and reliable condition. The guide was very dedicated, and he added a few extra stops. The hotels were meeting absolutely my expectations, the logistics and service was perfect. I met other travellers who did the Ché Guevara trail and Uyuni with Ben Verhoef and they too were very satisfied. If I would go again, I would take Ben Verhoef, due to the good experience with his guide and the brilliant 21 day itinerary. Thank you again for the lovely days I had. Best regards Ushi Engel 06-08-2011 Hi First I would like to appologise for taking so long to reply... The guide was a very nice guy and we spoke french together. His knowledge of Bolivia was really good. The Old Trade route was really lovely the landscape was very stunning. All the tours in and around Sucre were perfect. The transfer by car from Sucre to Potosi was good, the driver was on time and drove safely. Hotel in Sucre was very nice and location perfect. Even saw Evo Morales, well bits of him (25Mayo). My guide in Potosi was really good and had an excellent knowledge of the mines and the area, the trek was really really nice. The visit of the mines was really one of my highlights in Bolivia. (I shall never dare to complain or moan about my job anymore!!). Hotel was lovely and location was also perfect. The transfer from Potosi to Tupiza went well as the guide gave me the ticket and escorted me all the way to the bus. I arrived 2 1/2 hours early in Tupiza.. so I took a taxi to the hotel as the transfer would obvioulsly not be there (only 3 bolivianos!). In Tupiza the horse ride was really good and I shall recommend it to anyone who wants to visit Tupiza as in my eyes it is the best way to see the nicest bits. The pace was good as we had a mixture of walking and trotting. The tour of The Salar de Uyuni was my best four days of my holidays in Bolivia. I was lucky enough to have an english speaking guide and cook (a very good cook by the way). The tour operator you work with is definately the BEST in Tupiza. There were only 4 of us and the driver was VERY safe. Always ready to stop for photos when asked to do so... It was very amazing. Accomodation was even better than expected, as long as man has got a warm sleeping bag. On the last day we even went to one of the salt hotels which was an amazing experience. Really excellent! The bus transfer from Uyuni to Paz was well ... however it was very cold on the bus (I had my sleeping bag with me so I was warm...). At La Paz bus station my transfer was not here or I was unable to locate him after waiting 20 minutes and feeling very unsafe I took a taxi to Plaza St Francisco and walked to the hotel. (the street was closed because of road work). So overall it was very well organised, the hotels were great with great location... the local tour operators were the best. On the salar tour I saw other people from another company looking at us with envy at dinner time, also they were 6 in the car. I loved being on my own after all as I took my own pace which was really good. regards, Isabelle Guyot 14-07-2011 Hola Ben! This is Evan Aagaard, I did your Routa Del Che tour back in July. This was one of the most meaningful tours I've done in 5 months of travelling through the continent. It was exactly what I was looking for in that I wanted something that wasn't infested with tourists and souvenir shops, something important and unique that really felt like a journey. I can tell you that I've searched long and hard for these kind of experiences in South America and they are very difficult to come by. I think you and Susan have an excellent operation in Samaipata, the restaurant is lovely and the level of comfort and security you provide at both businesses left me with a satisfied feeling of money well spent and time well used. I will definitely recommend you to to whom ever I come across who is on their way to Bolivia and is looking for a unique adventure experience steeped in some of the most important history of the 20th century. Take care and buena suerte, Evan 24-08-2010 hola ben quiero decirte que todo nuestro grupo fue encantado del serio de tu empresa,y de la calidad de tus guias. ademas has todo asumido a pesar de todas las dificuldades y para todo eso quiero agradecerte ota vez. sera con un gran placer que te encontrare en samaipata. con un fuerte abrazo,y amistades a tu esposa yves 25-05-2010 Hi, My friend Natalie Bowman and I stayed at your hotel and booked 2 tours with you some weekends ago. Your hotel was wonderful, and our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I have already recommended both to friends. Thanks very much, Bea Traa 17-03-2010 Hi, We had a wonderful weekend, thank you for your hospitality. Natalie Bowman 10-03-2010 The mines tour was great, Jhonny was good, other tours advertised lighting dynamite and crawling through the caves, but I did not think the tour was the sort that should be an adventure tour characterised by dynamite and "how deep did you go". I liked the way he did it, and I was happy. My only comment was that after going through the mines I wished we had bought more food and water for the miners. Anthony Saunders and Charan Thomas (South Africans) 08-03-2010 Hey, there, Ben and Susanne. I am sorry it took so long to write you guys and say thanks again for the wonderful time I had with you, touring the ruta del che and eating the best chinese food I have had in years in Vallegrande. I spent 4days in all with you in November. First I spent the night and then Ben and I left for the tour. I wish I was there now. Greg Ramsey 28-01-2010 Hola Ben! Somos Maria y Celia, las dos chicas espanholas a las que ayudaste a organizar el viaje de Samaipata al Refugio Volcanes y luego a Santa Cruz hace como unos 10 días. Te escribimos para darte las gracias, primero por haberlo organizado todo tan bien. La organización fue perfecto, y todos los horarios cuadraron de maravilla. Pero sobre todo, por habernos recomendado el Refugio Volcanes. El sitio nos encanto. Es una maravilla. Esta en el lugar perfecto, la casa es estupenda y la gente que lo atiende es encantadora. Esperamos que siga así mucho tiempo. Dales saludos de nuestra parte si los ves, Un abrazo desde Madrid, esperamos que todo te vaya fenomenal en Bolivia, Maria y Celia 24-11-2009 Hola Ben! Aquí tienes algunas imágenes tuyas como guía nuestro en la Ruta del Ché, una experiencia inolvidable. Muchas gracias por todas las recomendaciones para Sucre, pues nos sirvieron mucho. Saludos para Susana, cuídense mucho y hasta pronto! Armando Camino 05-06-2009 Hi Susanne and Ben, This is just a 1.5 years late "thank you" email! You arranged for me to go to El Refugio and the condor hike in Oct 07. I was just looking at your website and thought "late is better than never". Hope all is well by you. I attached few pictures from my trip. Susanne, thank you for the good food too. Ra´id Khalil/Seattle 21-03-2009 Hey Ben, I am sending you a tour tip via the Western Union there in Samaipata. It has been over a year since my son and I came to visit. We had a wonderful time. I kept your card so that I could send you some money and look it is a year later. Please forgive me. Anyway, if there is any other information other than the address on the card (which matches the website information), that is how I am sending it. Check with the Western Union office probably tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 3rd. Carla Nimocks Arkansas 03-12-2008 Dear Ben, Since Trev and I made our very speedy exit from Samaipata a couple of months ago, we have been meaning to write and say thanks very much for a lovely day´ s walk at Bella Vista, and also a huge thank you to you and your wife for bundling us into a cab and getting us to Santa Cruz in time for our flight the following day. We were so appreciative of your help. Kind regards, Demelza 14-11-2008 First thank you again so much for helping us out with the bus tickets, it was a huge help and you really didn´ t have to do it so thank you again! We both had a really good time, and it has been one of the highlights of the trip so far. We both liked the range of things we saw and different activities (museums, hiking), the level of information and enthusiasm you provided, and the pousada and food in la higuera was excellent. The tour was really good and enjoyable and we will certainly be recommending you to anyone interested. Thanks again, Adam and Daisy 03-10-2008 About the Che tour - I really enjoyed it. A lot of spots would have been just a place in the nature without your explanation, without a guide I would have turned around when a museum was closed.. Also thanks for taking care of our onward traveling - that is not included in a tour normally. Regarding improvements - I know the tour is about Che in Bolivia, but it might be an option to either talk about Cuba and Congo during the first morning drive or provide a sheet of paper about that which people can read by themselves. Maybe it´ ll lead to a bigger picture. Greetings Martin Sewering 02-10-2008 Data: Giovedi 21 agosto 2008, 05:02 hola Ben y Susanne ... La vuestra organizatione por el viaje es más justa, todos los que piden deciamos vuestro nombre. In todos el lugar, donde llegavamos encontravamos una persona del Samaipatatour y esto es estupendo. Cuando estará posible envieremo una foto del nuestro grupo. ...Sludos Deniela y todos mi grupo p.s. estamos un grupo que viaja mucho pero lugares hermosos y estupiendos como los salares no los habiamos nunca encontrados. Dear Ben and Susanne, I had meant to e-mail you both before now, but how time flies... We both really enjoyed our trip and meeting you, and I´m very greatful for all your help. Your ears must have beeen burning last Wednesday as John and Libby and Jane came to my house for dinner, and we reminisced about our trips and wishes we could go back to La Higuera... The concerts in Concepcion were really interesting. Thanks again for everything you did, and hope to see you again sometime. Very best wishes, Anne 27-05-2008 |
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