Our sons booked this trip as a gift, at first I was reluctant as we have lived in the area for…read moreyears. Turned out to one of my favorite gifts as the tour opened our eyes to places we have not tried for one reason or another, plus got a little history and learned a couple of things. Terry was our Tour Guide, he was awesome and very knowledgeable of the area, the history and the food. It was a walking tour, Terry kept a pace that everyone could enjoy, did not rush, explained each stop in advance. He also seemed to have a great working relationship with each of the stops staff. We were seated quickly at each spot, and did not have to wait long for our food. Each spot served enough to give you a taste of the menu, and each stop was very good. The Mexican food was amazing, and one dish in particular will bring me back sooner than later. The crazy thing was most of the ingredients are not on my favorite list, but together- Bam !!! That was the cool thing about the tour, took us out of comfort zone, and exposed us to selections we normally would not have tried. Definitely recommend this tour, Terry was the best, and not just because he is a fellow Nats Fan- LOL. My wife who never does group photos did not hesitate when another participant said "Hey, group photo" she jumped right in. Just a nice relaxed way to explore new foods, when visiting for the first time or as a long time resident. Find new go to spots & possibly make new friends.

Robert was a terrific and very informative guide. The history and foods were all amazing. Highly…read morerecommend!

My group had an amazing time with Hipstoricdc. Carlos was a great tour guide. Thanks for a fun…read morefilled adventure Carlos!!!!

During my recent trip to Washington DC and Virginia for a sister's weekend, we spent the day with…read moreCarlos from Hipstoricdc. From start to finish everything about our day was perfection. From the moment Carlos picked us up in his amazing vehicle, until he dropped us off later on in the day, we made the most fabulous memories together! His attention to detail was amazing. He opened and closed our doors. He escorted us into each winery. He communicated with the winery staff to make certain we were situated. He took pictures of the day, which he shared with us later. He provided a lovely charcuterie snack for us. He was a wealth of knowledge about wines and wine making and the history of the area and the beautiful vistas. As you can see, I could go on and on!! I have already recommended Carlos and Hipstoricdc to others!! Thank you Carlos for such an amazing experience!

Re Kyrgyzstan: A…read moreriver of email photo trip offerings arrive in my inbox each week. While they have merit and are attractive, the opportunity to travel throughout Kyrgyzstan is unique in the photo workshop/expedition world. I'd never seen an opportunity like this before, and it immediately intrigued and excited me. Additionally, I'd never been on a photo workshop before. The logistics of the trip are daunting. Eighteen days long, with fifteen days on the road. Other than three hotel nights in Bishkek, the capital, at the start and end of the trip, only three nights are in hotels, the rest in yurt camps or tents. The execution of the logistics was impeccable. There was never an oversight or a dropped ball. And, despite the demands of this trip and extensive behind the scenes coordination and decision making, trip leaders Justin Black and Jerry Dodrill were always warm and in good cheer, with abundant photographic suggestions, insights and approaches to subjects. There is great instruction while shooting, exposure to diverse environments (2,500 feet to 13,400 feet elevation), and more than enough time at a multitude of locations to develop both a feel and an approach for/to the subject matter. Both Justin and Jerry are world class photographers with decades of experience teaching, and it shows. Ask a question and you get an answer with years of knowledge behind it (Stop, I can't absorb any more!). A word of advice to potential participants...this is not a hotel-based experience. You will be able to most enjoy this trip if you've spent some time outdoors, some time in tents, understand the clothing necessities of weather and altitude, and are prepared to tolerate a little bit of discomfort for an extraordinary experience. Justin's packing list is flawless. I give this trip six stars, and I'm a tough grader.-Lee G., 2024 Kyrgyz Republic Expedition participant

I have been traveling with Visionary Wild all over the world since 2012 . With 28 workshops and…read moretrips completed, I have never been disappointed. I believe he provides expert photography information (instructions, critiques, advice), excellant lodging and food, and most importantly he gets us to the best locations in perfect time to catch the light. Every detail on a trip or workshop is managed ahead of time-there are no surprises. Each location is carefully planned and scouted out. Justin has always been patient and willing to listen and help from the time I was new to photography till I had gained some expertise. I always learn something new and will keep coming back!

Y'all better come get you one of these . . . it's a voyage to opulence!!!…read more When I tell you S&S Charters knows how to put on a show!!!! Captain Shane and the crew ushered us onto this beautiful vessel, gave us a tour of the multiple seating options (including two outdoor-front of the catamaran-seating areas, and an indoor oasis with kitchen and restrooms- fit for about 12-13 people), curated a scenic tour of the Harbor and open waters, AND kept the music going!! And...plus...also...if you decided not to bring your own food (which you can do) there is an option to have a private chef on board (which we did )! AND I CAN'T skip the Birthday Package they had set up!! The baloons, the lights, the cake, the libations!!!! Now I think we have universally banned the use of the word "moist" unless it's related to a cake...but I'm going to use it because it's related to the cake! Delicious! I sliced it up before we ended our trip and everyone was more than satisfied. When you go on your outing tell Captain Shane I said, "Hi" ‍!!!

If you want to catch a vibe while witnessing the breathtaking views of Baltimore then you…read moreabsolutely should book this veteran-owned boat company. They have great pricing, exceptional service, and plenty of space. This is perfect for a bachelorette party, a romantic date, or hanging with your friends as this company provides extras such as party packages, a photographer and a private chef. Book this charter NOW so you can turn up on the water this summer.

The worst trip of my life, be aware of amir he's sneaky arrogant and disrespectful. Amit Greener…read moreshouldn't be around kids. So it all started with the way the trip took off, we had to wait hours for amir to arrive, he then was very rude and impatient. We asked to see maps and relevant information for our trip and Amir refuse to acomódate our requests.

STEER CLEAR OF THIS TRIP ORGANIZER!!!…read more This is a review of the Jewish Young Professionals trip based on my experience on the summer 2019. This trip organizer is entirely unreliable and knowingly lies to potential participants. Various participants were lied to about everything from the age group of the trip, to accommodations of allergies, to accommodations of shabbat and kashrut observance. This trip is also overpriced for the quality and full of hidden costs. On the trip I was on it is laughable how far removed the original itinerary from when the trip was "called" was from the actual itinerary which we received just days before the trip. First a couple of things regarding safety. One day we went white water rafting, the rafting company specifically breaks the trip with lunch to ensure everyone has high energy levels throughout. Greener went out of his way to have the rafting company skip the lunch portion which resulted in exhaustion in many of the group members and even a boat flipping over towards the end. This was despite the rafting company raising concerns and the group members protesting the decision. There was a trip participant with several severe food allergies. I will spare the personal details but anyone involved with operating a tour group knows that these are without exaggeration life and death issues. Greener was emailed beforehand indicating the full list of allergies. During the trip the participant twice had to use an epipen due to mishandling of this, and multiple times on top of that had to wait until after the rest of the group had eaten for food to be made as Greener did not make arrangements for this in advance. MOST CRITICALLY Greener admitted to not even having read the allergy list because it was "really long" For those shabbat observant this is not the trip for you. Greener repeatedly confirmed no driving on shabbat, and within 2 hours of shabbat starting asked everyone to get into a van. Greener had made excuses here that he is "saving your life" which trumps shabbat. This is obviously not valid, and on top of that would not explain why it was necessary to lie about this both before the trip and even an hour before shabbat. I really cannot fathom why Jewish observance would not be respected. In the interest of keeping this readable I've limited myself to a small number of examples, but this is honestly the tip of the iceberg. If you would like to hear more please feel free to message me directly and I'd be happy to answer questions you have or put you in touch with other trip participants. My recommendation to the tour operator would be to value the safety and needs of his customers over the value of a dollar, and stop organizing trips immediately. If you want to personally travel for free try a GoFundMe or maybe beg for money.

Awesome tour and tour guide, very knowledgable, friendly, and professional - highly recommended!!!read more

Having toured countless places in countless ways all over the world, including D.C. before, it is…read moreinexplicable to my family and me how this business has any 4 or 5 star ratings. If we could give it a ZERO STAR rating, we would certainly do so. Starting the night prior to our Mt. Vernon tour, Yohannes went overboard repeatedly texting/calling (from anxiety that we'd not show?). He was rude on the phone; for example, four minutes after texting him that we'd be 10 minutes late, he called. When I answered my phone, he was aggressive, "Where are you?!" No "Hello." No "This is Yahannes at DC Tours..." Just the accostive greeting. It got no better. My wife wanted to cancel before we started. We should have. Our driver and tour guide, Dani, picked us up at a downtown site, and did a fine job driving us to Mt. Vernon. He was a nice man (at least he had manners!), though never should be called a "tour guide." He knew nothing about the place that we couldn't read in all the plaques; and oddly would just repeat phrases from the plaques as we were reading them. It was weird, a bit awkward. We might as well have saved plenty of money, rented a car and taken ourselves. Oof, forget all the 5 star reviews...not sure how this outfit remains in business.

this was our second night tour, last one we were in town nine years ago!! Glad he is still doing…read morethe tours!!!! Dr. Yohannes Zeleke Is just plain great!! He has so much knowledge! We did the night tour again. DC, the buildings, and the monuments look great and so much different at night. He does not rush. If you want to take pictures, he will stop. If we are back in DC, we will do another tour with him. Call him sign up!!! He will not disappoint.

I recently took a virtual wine class led by Ashwin and organized by my apartment's management…read morecompany. He emailed everyone with photos and a description of the two bottles of wine that we should buy for class, with alternatives suggested. Was very impressed with Ashwin's ability to engage us over Zoom, educate us in an approachable and warm way, and answer our questions without pretentiousness (what's the best glass for this type of wine?). What distinguishes Ashwin from, say, just Googling a question about wine is that Ashwin actually has a point of view that he isn't shy about sharing (like his opinions about the homogenization of the big champagne brands vs. grower-made champagnes). Especially during the time of COVID, his Zoom classes are a welcome distraction--and an excuse to drink more wine. Totally recommend his classes as a fun group event.

Ashwin did a virtual wine class through my apartment building - what a fun time! In times of COVID,…read moreit is hard to see what virtual events are worth it - Ashwin's definitely was! He did an excellent job of managing the technology, creating smaller groups to reflect in, and leading a large class! I learned so much and had such a great time drinking wine and learning about the knowledge and history. The impression I got was of a sommelier who wants to not only teach people about wine, but help us reflect on our own culture, our experiences, and how we view the world (and therefore wine!). I went into this class with a fair level of background knowledge, but I still felt like I learned something and I found several good bottles of wine! I would love to take another class with Ashwin!