Testimonials – Travellers Reviews

The food was different and trust me l tried everything and it keeps coming, hotels and dine in venue spot on and who doesn’t love a teddy bears picnic. A magic part of the world! My friends at home are in awe, and of Virdana the guide is the right person for a not so easy job, she can keep smiling in difficult circumstances and of course, she has a great seance of humour and is the ultimate survival skill, l miss her dearly, sent me home with one of her lake Baikal paintings which l treasure, loved the whole experience!

Max in Moscow was good. He knew his information. They are two very different people. We also found that Moscow was a bit heavy because it was walking for two and a half days out of three, there was a little break. We would probably break up that itinerary a little more. It’s not that we are not fit but 6-7 hrs on our feet day after day is a bit tiring without rest periods.

The hotels on tour were excellent! We especially loved the Pushka Inn, rich in history and in a great location. Mercure Arbat was also fabulously located. The staff in both hotels looked after us wonderfully. We really enjoyed our stays in both of them.

As to the Russian people: those in the tourist facilities like hotels and cafes were fine. Outside, some people were friendly, some were not. Those that didn’t speak English didn’t want to have anything to do with us. We used a translator app when we were on the train which was really useful.

We were absolutely happy with your services!!! We would recommend you and definitely use you again!

The hotel was also good. The walls are very thin so you hear everything that people next door are discussing and doing. As members of our group were in the same row of rooms we had agreed to keep the noise down. Like-minded travellers stayed here so there was not a problem with people being up late and being noisy. The restaurant at Baikal Wood hotel served adequate food. It was more than enough in quantity, 4 courses each meal!!! I was soon refusing half the food, I think that they were surprised by this. Breakfast seemed to be a bit of an issue with our early starts – we had packed breakfasts which were pretty good.

We felt totally safe all of the time during the trip. And the highlight of the trip is definitely Baikal’s ice, it’s in our top 3 best ever things we have ever seen.

We were absolutely happy with your services!!! We would recommend you and definitely use you again. The only thing we raised an eyebrow at was having to pay in US $ – but that’s probably due to the crap exchange rate.

The location of the Mercure Arbat Hotel was great! Close to shops, restaurants, metro etc. The sad part was that I only found out there was a Sephora just around the corner on my last day and I was gutted but I walked out every night and felt very safe to do so. Complimentary brekkie into Russian cuisine was a big bonus and the staff were so lovely. And it was great that Maksim took me to places he liked as well as fellow Russians to eat.  Overall for me by myself, I think my tour was great considering the winter weather. But I think if I were to come in summer and had more days and with my friends/family, I’d balance them with a shopping centre day and/or theme park (I did hear Dream Island is opening in Moscow at the end of the month).

So I thought St Petersburg had a lot to live up to after Moscow. And boy did it ever. As soon as I walked out of the train station, I was like WOAH. it just felt completely different than Moscow, and I don’t know what it was, but I really liked it. I call it the Melbourne of Russia! Katya (the guide) and I got on really well as well as the driver Oleg. They were awesome! She guided me through the city, its highlights and picked up from where Maksim left off in history so damn well! I even got to experience some hidden gems where I had Russian donuts, pancakes and I even had time to quickly stop at a supermarket which I loved so much! The hotel was in a great spot for me to stroll around and so central to everything – shops, restaurants etc. It baffled me that I was right around the corner from the Winter Palace/State Hermitage Museum, Palace Square and Building of the General Staff. It at night time was beautiful. I know what I’m doing when I come back to St Petersburg!

Surprisingly, I thought something would go wrong considering it’s me, but nothing did, and if there was a hiccup in the itinerary, the guide still ensured everything ran smoothly which I never noticed.

You guys at 56th Parallel did an amazing job at organising my tour. You took the stress out and I can only imagine the communications back and forth, back and forth to make my trip perfect!

Thank you so much. I look forward to going again!

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

©Edward Getley

Vidana was with us and gave some background information. However, we think she is generally more used to big groups of tourists who stop at sightseeing points for a short time and then move on.

We were happy with the chosen accommodation options and we always ate very good food. All happy! We really enjoyed the Siberian friendliness and hospitality and felt absolutely safe on this trip. We also had very good drivers everywhere.

The entire trip was fantastic! You found the people who matched our needs for this trip! Thank you!

The accommodations in Irkutsk and on Olkhon Island were very nice, comfortable and the food was tasty. We were sometimes a bit overwhelmed by the amount of food (4 courses), but that’s not an issue at all. I felt very safe – all drivers were awesome. Thanks for the great organisation of the trip. The communication with you and the itinerary were great. My overall highlight was the icy scenery, the clear ice, the grottos, the group – everything. I would certainly recommend 56th Parallel to other travellers or photographers and especially the area around Lake Baikal.

I’ll look for some photos and will send them in a second mail.

All the best and thanks again for everything!
Rebekka