I had such a fantastic time on Isabella's tour of the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, downtown…read moresightseeings, and the embarcadero village! She guided us through the different district's highlights with incredible energy, charm, and passion for her city. Every step of the way, she kept us hooked with fun facts and unique details that brought the history and culture of the area to life. From the splurgy origin of the term "sugar daddy" to the hidden party basements under pubs (once used for disco clubbing and even underground food truck pop-ups), Isabella made sure the tour was full of surprises. I loved learning about the Emerald Building and its jewel connection, the Horton Hotel's Austrian-inspired design, and the San Diego Convention Center's architecture inspired by a wave breaking over a cruise ship. Her storytelling was so engaging that the city felt like a living, breathing character itself. Isabella's enthusiasm is contagious, and she truly makes you fall in love with San Diego all over again. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the city (or even locals wanting to see it with new eyes). I can't wait to read her book when it's published, if it's anything like her tours, it'll be the "finest" book from the "finest" city!

Unprofessional, lack of communication. I signed up for the 10:30AM free walking tour in Spanish and…read morereceived a confirmation email on the day before the tour. I showed up at 222 Fifth St. location around 10:25AM and there was nobody from SD Free Walking Tours, nor any walking tour guests there. I did not receive any notification communications about any changes (email, SMS, or phone call). When I tried to contact info@sdfreewakkingtour.com, the email bounced. Calling their phone number goes to voicemail. Overall not a pleasant experience, maybe they are having a bad day? A bit more organization (eg: more specificity regarding the meeting point, some kind of hat or umbrella to help identify the tour operator) or communication regarding unexpected tour cancellation would result in a better customer experience. Sorry for the poor review, I may update it once I receive clarification and an explanation regarding what happened.

BTK exceeded expectations. I could tell from how attentive Chris was when we booked our trip, but…read morethe experience was more remarkable than could be imagined. Chris is highly knowledgable and organized. He is also well connected in the community so you get access to wineries and owners that you would otherwise not have. He is generous with his expertise and provides an impressive educational experience. The BTK experience is great for anyone...a first time visitor or someone who knows wine and the valley because Chris personalizes the experience. We took the all-day tour that included lunch for $179 and it was worth every cent. We took ourselves on an excursion the next day and definitely felt Chris's absence as we got lost several times and were limited in what we could do and what we could learn from the experience. I look forward to booking our next trip.

Almost 50 years ago when I was very young, my father started taking the family across the Golden…read moreGate bridge, up into Sonoma to go to wineries that were far off the beaten path. His motto was always "Give me a couple of wine barrels, a wooden plank over them, two old Italian guys and a couple of yeller dogs, and that is my idea of a tasting room". Well, the Valle de Guadalupe has some spots that are near as up scale as current Napa and Sonoma. But WAY off the beaten path and with the same kind of charm and passion that wine making seemed to have in the pioneering days of mid-century Northern California. Having been on lots of wine tours and tastings, it isn't often I find I learn a lot about wine making and its history. Chris, part owner of BTK, was our tour-guide and did a marvelous job of talking about the history of the valley, growing conditions, wine makers, local history that influenced wine making technology, etc. I found I learned a lot; in part because Chis is a very engaging story teller. The best part was the wine and the wine makers. We were VERY pleasantly surprised at the quality of the wines we tasted. Eleven wines total at two incredible wine making facilities, and every one a winner! Wish we could have taken home a lot more than we did. We had the good fortune of meeting the owners of Vena Cava, who clearly enjoy people and love their craft and the local industry they are building. The 2012 Reserve is easily one of the best wines I've ever had. And the winery is...well...unique, with a great story. Chris and Jen, thank you for a wonderful day. We are already thinking about how we work BTK into future vacations. Clearly you guys enjoy what you do and have a great talent for your work.

Had an amazing time on the Baja California wine tour to Valle de Guadalupe with Mario! It was…read moredefinitely a highlight of our trip. Everything was seamless, from transportation to thoughtfully selected wineries. Each vineyard stop offered something unique, with great wine, beautiful views, and a relaxed atmosphere. The food was also a standout--fresh, local, and perfectly paired. What really made the experience stand out was our guide, Mario. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about the region. He kept the day fun, relaxed, and on schedule without ever feeling rushed. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area--whether you're a wine enthusiast or just looking for a great day exploring somewhere beautiful.

Mario is a great driver and tour guide. He told us many things about the area that you just don't…read moreread about when you are searching the web. or talking to AI. He kept us safe and on time . The wineries were beautiful and lunch was amazing. Look forward to my next adventure.

Such an amazing trip to La Paz organized by Baja Ballenas! They planned absolutely everything…read morewhich led to such a smooth trip from San Diego to Mexico. We spent 3 days out on the water and we're able to swim with whale sharks on 2 different occasions. Additionally, we swam with sea lions and were able to see so many other things- including humpback whales breaching just 20 yards from our boat! It truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim with these massive and magnificent creatures and Baja Ballenas makes it such a smooth and easy process!!

One of the coolest experiences of my life! Swimming with whale sharks and sea lions, watching…read morehumpback breach and dolphins play, and spotting birds and flying manta all in one day. Being able to see these awesome animals was a big part because of the owners, that through their passion for these animals, they have become condisurers and experienced in planning and hosting these trips! They made it so that all I needed to do was pack my bags, relax, and enjoy! Awesome trip! Ps: the owners speak fluent Spanish and are well versed in local culture which made getting to know the locals and communicating with them easier!

We took this tour with Nate, he was super nice and very knowledgeable in tequila and salsa's. He…read moretook us to about 4 different bar/restaurants to sample different tequilas. They were delicious and we found one we actually really enjoyed. My husband is a tequila owner himself (small batch Fuego Tequila) so it was nice for him to talk to someone well versed and enjoy in a conversation all about agave, the process of tequila making and share some good stories. Would definitely recommend - also try and eat before this tour or enjoy appetizers at each stop you make. The mango salsa at Rockin' Baja Lobster in Old Town S.D. is worth mentioning :)

Found this on Viator (TripAdvisor), a 10:00 AM San Diego Balboa Park Highlights Small Group Tour…read morewith Coffee led by guide Jennifer (Jenn) for $45, of "San Diego Walks". Depending on how big of a group, sometimes there is also an afternoon one scheduled; otherwise, she also does tours at other locations like Coronado Island, Old Town, and Liberty Station. The tour takes approximately 2 hours long to complete. The meeting point was at the Founders Statues near the west entrance of Balboa Park (destination: Sefton Plaza for rideshares). Our group had only 4 people total plus the guide, one person out of state, two locals, and me from Northern California. Balboa Park is a must-do if you're visiting San Diego. This guided tour took us deeper into the many museums, gardens, architecture, and park attractions; it was detailed enough with interesting history/facts about how the park came to be, and a good starting point for planning out what else you want to explore more/return to within the park after the guided tour portion (same day, or a later time during your visit). Jenn really knows her stuff and I had a wonderful time. This tour was fun, educational, and professional, and included a beverage of your choice at a cute local coffee cart called Daniel's Coffee. The iced Mexican Mocha I got was delicious! A leisurely walking pace and we covered a lot of urban ground! From the Founder's Statues, to the Zoro Gardens, the Spanish Village Art Center, the theater, the San Diego Zoo entrance, the Natural History Museum, Fleet Science Center, but also fountains and early blossoming trees, the Museum of Man, and of course the Lily Pond/Botanical Building. Incredible sights all along the way and the tour ended at Plaza de Panama (El Prado). The California Tower building plays bells/chimes every so often, my favorite melody that I caught at the end of our tour was "Tomorrow' from the musical "Annie." Definitely bring comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, light jacket, water, and money for tips/gratuities/souvenirs. The weather that week was strange (rain!) but sunny the day of. I did purchase some postcards and prints from local artists, although I didn't stay and try any of the restaurants within the park.

Huge thanks to Jennifer for a fantastic tour of the history and beauty of balboa park. Jennifer was…read morea knowledgeable and experienced guide, and we took the tour at our own pace asking lots of questions and enjoying the scenery. We would highly recommend this tour for visitors and locals alike.

Area explored: South Park…read more 3 stars because: - It's an exciting idea - It's pretty fun - It can be better My girlfriend and I were the only ones in the group who have actually been on a food tour before. The two of us had fun, but I was concerned for the others. To be brutally honest, if this was my first food tour, I might not have the greatest impression of food tours in general, which would be unfair to everyone involved. I spent the entire tour just trying to figure out not necessarily the directions to the next top, but the direction of what this tour was trying to achieve. Was it supposed to be packed with food? Because I wasn't stuffed. Was it supposed to be a culinary experience? Because it did not show much intrigue after the first place. And it didn't help that the tour ended about an hour earlier than the projected end time. Now, don't get me wrong. Everything we ate was delicious. And Annette (our guide for the day, who also happens to be the head honcho of 'A Taste of San Diego' food tours) was very nice, courteous, and knowledgeable when asked questions during the tour. The tour itself showed some of the struggles in collaborations with the businesses in the area. Translation: 'How can we show off these awesome places if they're not even available (and sometimes unwilling) for food tours?' What was good about this tour? It featured some fine places in the area that can be seen as landmark locations that put South Park on the map. What could have made this tour more interesting? - HISTORY. Tidbits about the area that aren't obvious and can't easily be found out on our own. We understand that it would take extra work to prepare, but it all invests into potentially a great tour. - STARTING INSIDE OUR FIRST STOP. This time, it wasn't an issue at all, but it can be. The location where we met could have easily sent tour group patrons far away. Thankfully, the blocks were not big. - MORE STOPS. Like I said earlier, there could easily have been a setback in scheduling and accommodation, but the amount of stops we had (3) honestly did not leave us satisfied. Three stops honestly felt like a regular night out even without a tour. In closing, what I'm basically saying is that there's so much potential for tours in these areas. I would still support them because I believe in the concept. I just think that as a patron, I would want to know and experience as much as possible from the time I'm dedicating to a tour. In the meantime, until they figure out the details of how to improve, you'd be better off at any of those self-guided walk-abouts (like Taste of Adams Avenue) to get your own free samples and have an experience that is just as good, if not better.

I booked the Taste of San Diego for Downtown SD. Through Yelp, I used a discount code (SDTaste) for…read morea 20% discount. It was a great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the sampling of 5 places, including a cheese shop. I want to experience more. I fully recommend!

We took two tours with Killa Expeditions -- the Sacred Valley and the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain, and…read moreboth were absolutely exceptional. Our guide, Niko, made the experience unforgettable. He's knowledgeable, kind, and incredibly attentive -- always checking in to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. By the end of our trip, we felt like we'd made a dear friend in Cusco. The entire team at Killa was outstanding. Jose managed all the communication and logistics seamlessly -- he was quick to respond, understood our preferences perfectly, and customized the itinerary (including our food requirements) with great care. Our driver, Danny, was fantastic -- his smooth driving made even the long journeys relaxing and comfortable. Everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. We truly can't thank Killa enough for making our trip so memorable. Highly, highly recommend them!

I recently traveled to Cusco, Peru for my summer vacation (June 28 - July 16) with the intention of…read moreexploring Cusco city and trekking to Machu Picchu. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found Killa Expeditions to support the planning and execution of every aspect of my trip! Initially, I wanted to take the 4-day Inka trek to Machu Picchu. Despite my attempts to make a reservation approximately 6 months prior to my scheduled trip, all of the permits for the 4-day Inka trek to Machu Picchu were committed and there was no availability during my timeframe. Thankfully, one of the owners of Killa Expeditions, Nicole, listened to the expectations that I had for my trip and she was able to tailor my trip to meet and even exceed my original expectations. She recommended a 2-day Inka trek to Machu Picchu along with a 2-day trek to the Rainbow Mountain and several city tours (the Cusco Ruins tour and Sacred Valley tour). I was excited about the prospect of the Rainbow Mountain trek, although I was also nervous as to whether I had the physical fitness level to complete a trek at that level of altitude and difficulty (moderate-hard). Nicole heard my concerns and assured me that I would be well taken care of on the trek and that an emergency horse would be available if I was not able to complete my trek on foot. In the planning of my trip, Nicole always made herself available (by phone and/or email) to ensure that all of the details of my trip including tours, hotel reservations, food preferences, etc. were secured in advance. Additionally, I cannot speak more highly about my experience with Killa Expeditions throughout my stay in Cusco, Peru. Their staff arranged for my pick-up and drop-off at the Cusco airport. The office manager, Nayra, was always available for questions and to hear concerns, and ensured that every aspect of the planned excursions were well executed. In advance of all guided treks (Inka and Rainbow), a meeting was arranged between the guide and myself (and any other participants) to discuss the aspects of each trek and to answer any questions or address any concerns I/we might have had. All of tour guides provided by Killa Expeditions (including Efrain, Orlando, Aldo, and Frank) were highly knowledgeable, experienced, and had excellent communication skills in both English and Spanish. I was always made to feel very safe on the treks and the guides encouraged me to complete the treks at my own pace and ability level. I was constantly reminded that it was my vacation and I should always make sure that I was enjoying my experience to the fullest. Many of the excursions included the provision of ample food, including snacks and meals, and individual food preferences and dietary restrictions are taken into account. Killa Expeditions also ensures that you are informed of what will be needed for each excursion, including what you should be sure to bring and what their company would provide. No detail was too small and I was never unsure as to what to expect from my excursions. I cannot imagine that other trekking companies in Peru can compete with the quality of individualized service provided by Killa Expeditions. As a small, family owned and operated business it is clear that their staff is invested in making sure that each person's experience meets and/or exceeds expectations. Killa clearly loves and respects the culture, history, and landscape of Peru, and works to ensure that their clients share a similar feeling during their travels and excursions. I highly recommend this company to anyone who is planning a trip to Cusco, Peru and will definitely book another excursion with this company for future trips!