Nawaz was great! (Free/Tips-Only Tour)
Nawaz was very knowledgeable - I was always impressed at his depth of knowledge whenever I, or another tourist, asked him for details about something he said or something we passed by on our way to the next stopping point.
Nawaz pointed out the major tourist sites that I expected as well as others that I hadn't heard about before (the Afrikahaus, Patriotische Gesellschaft, stumbling stones...). He tied the sites' histories to today and to the other sites. I appreciated his philosophical flavor for the tour, and believe that it encouraged me to develop a central idea from the tour which I will take with me and which will help me remember the tour that much better! And it gave me a better idea of Hamburg as a whole, past and present. Despite the philosophical flavor, he kept the mood light with jokes and he was relatively laid-back.
If I visit Hamburg again, I would want to go on another Sandeman tour, whether the free/tips-only or paid. From Nawaz's tour, I assume that each tour guide is allowed enough freedom in how they do the tour that each experience is different from each tour guide. From my experience and other reviews, I believe the tour guides' level of freedom makes the tours more engaging, interesting, and re-doable.
*For SANDEMANs the organization, I appreciate that they provide free maps to partner hostels. I used the map the whole week I was in Hamburg and found it helpful. The maps have meeting points for the tours, but the advertisements aren't obnoxious.
I happened to be in the hostel's common area when someone from Sandeman came to restock the maps. He brought Christmas gifts for the hostel employees, too! That was nice =) Because of my good experience and impression of Sandeman, I will seek out their tours in other cities I visit. read more
