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Review summary
RSD Travel has mixed reviews from customers. Customers particularly appreciate great value and service, though some mention concerns about customer service and expensive.
We have just returned from an amazing holiday in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our guide Nicolette Lehmann and coach driver Sonnyboy were also as amazing and couldn't do enough to satisfy our group. Nicolette was a wonderful leader and her knowledge of historical and geographical facts was extremely well presented during our tour. She set up a WhatsApp group so that we could converse with each other and display photographs of the incredible animals that we saw on our visit to 3 game parks and Victoria Falls. This greatly benefitted those with only mobile phone cameras who were able to see photographs taken by members of the group with their sophisticated cameras! It is difficult to understand why 2 members of the group were so negative about their experience and this caused much anguish and upset to the rest of the party. Their lack of appreciation of both African culture and wildlife begs the question of why they were on this holiday!
We have travelled around the world many times and adventure abroad about 6 times a year. This was one of the most memorable holidays that we have embarked on and would RSD for arranging such an incredible trip with super accommodation and food.
Jenny & Roger Stocks
South Africa πΏπ¦ , Zimbabwe πΏπΌ & Botswana π§πΌ
What can I say but WOW, WOW, WOW.
3 Countries in 2 weeks & over 3000km in a coach. It was a tough call but we made it. The whole experience outdid what I was expecting.
I know from previous long journey trips with RSD (Cappadocia) that there would be early morning starts & you can't do a Sunrise safari if you don't get up at 4am, but I was fine with this. Saw things I will probably never see again.
The guide Nicolette was very informative, when we could hear her, as some individuals thought it right to talk throughout the commentary, alot of us found their actions totally inappropriate. Nicolettes information on culture and history was far better than a guide book.
I'm a disabled traveller and both Nicolette & Sonnyboy (driver) were very helpful and both always had a smile on their faces. Nicolette even managed to arrange airport assistance for 3 of us from South Africa via Dubai & again at Manchester, I've never had a transfer work so we'll.
I managed to do all the sights the same as he rest of the group, just a bit slower but this wasn't a problem for the guide & driver, plus the rest of the group were accommodating and very friendly with the odd exception.
The roads to Zimbabwe were bumpy to say the least but the driver did an excellent job. They did warn us beforehand.
I paid for extra excursions because I felt this was a once in a lifetime trip & it truly was. The helicopter trip over Victoria Falls was breathtaking and Kruger National Park was like nothing I've ever seen before.
In total we covered over 3000km and for anyone asking if its a trip worth doing, I personally will say yes & its money well spent.
This was a fantastic trip, 3 countries in 14 days. It is a full on trip but you see so much. The safari drives were great and Victoria Falls amazing. The other stops were great too. Nicotte the tour guide was very informative about the local area and very helpful. The driver Sonnyboy did a brilliant job especially with the roads in Zimbabwe. He was always friendly and happy. The trip does include early rises but all safari drives start early. Nicolette organised a WhatsApp group which was great as we could all share photos. The next days information was always on there too so we all knew what was going on and timings. We also had two extra trips to local towns which was lovely of Sonnyboy. The hotels were all lovely with some exceptional.
Tried booking a holiday as a solo traveller with RSD. The single supplement meant that the cost to me was Β£658 vs Β£618 had I been a couple. When I called customer service I was told RSD cannot do anything about it as the single supplements are set by the hotels. Can't get my head round it! The person I spoke to said that many solo travellers have similarly complained
I have travelled 11 times with RSD.....since 2012 until last trip in Rhodes.
I have travelled 11 times with RSD; one has to accept the terms as ...if the prices are very moderate if not low, it's for good reasons : mostly the trips are in the non touristic season! from less accessible airports for some travellers..The hotels are now known before the day of the trip .Otherwise I have always been very happy with the travels, and very satisfied with the hotels and the usual very nice buffets. The guides are quite variable but only once did I find our guide uninteresting and lazy and not stimulating at all. I have done a few times the extra week and one has to prepare to take books or occupation, or take taxis and buses for personal visits and pay for the food in supplement. I do recommend RSD!
I think this is our 6th holiday with you
I would like to thank RSD for an incredible journey. Our guide Raees Mondβs breadth and depth of knowledge of the history of India was phenomenal. He truly made the visit to India an adventure of a life time.
He was very helpful at all times of day or night. Raees ensured and was instrumental in the success of the holiday
BEWARE, poor service or may even be a holiday / travel scam
BEWARE !!! RSD cancelled our holiday to South Africa the day before we were meant to travel. They gave very little explanation and said the flights had been cancelled due to the floods in dubai. However when I check I can see that both legs of our journey ( London to Dubai and Dubai to Johannesburg) operated on time . Why did RSD cancel our holiday then and claim that the floods in Dubai were the issue. RSD has not been in contact with us since they advised our holiday was cancelled. I think RSD may be a holiday scam and I will be reporting this to the police !!
I called the number on the English Heritage magazine to make enquiries and to book the Rhodes and Aegean tour for 2025. I could not believe how mean the receptionist who picked up the phone was. He hung up on me while we were still talking. I called back twice and he hung up each time.
Croatia and Montenego
I agree with everything 2 other people wrote about the Pearl Beach Resort in Canji. The 2nd week in the Croatia and Montenegro holiday. I am there at the moment and can't wait to go home. I have never ever wanted to go home early from a holiday before.
It's the first hotel in 40 years I've ever stayed in with no lounges with comfortable seats. Just a bar with fairly hard seats. The indoor pool was unheated and not really indoors as it had a retractable roof which was always open. The shower in there only cold water, no changing room and an empty jacuzzi. There was no tourist information whatsoever in the hotel about buses or taxis etc. They only wanted you to go on their expensive excursions. The food was not hot enough and you had to put your own plate in the microwave supplied! Also the hot water was never boiling to make cups of tea and had to be put in the microwave. As other people have said there is absolutely nothing in walking distance of the hotel except one fish restaurant and I'm allergic to fish. The hotel was very clean and our room was nice but with a tiny shower area in the bathroom. You had to hold the shower as there was nowhere to hook it above waist level. Also no panel or anything to stop you soaking the toilet etc. The buffet food was average for hotels.
Just back from a fab trip to Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina & Montenegro.
Great to see so many lovely places during the first week. We had a very knowledgeable, fun, friendly tour guide Gulcin. She made sure we had all necessary info re hotels and excursions.
Tour hotels were all very comfortable with modern rooms and shower rooms. Most with pools & balconies with nice view. Only one night no view, but as out most of day touring this isn't an issue.
Always a great selection of food too, mainly buffet.
Due to low season dates, we would definitely recommend the all inclusive option too.
The 2nd week hotel was 4*.....4 pools, great food and drink selection, great staff.....always happy to help.
Location outside hotel was quiet and in process of being done up as most other businesses open 1st May, but on an off season holiday at such a great price (approx Β£900 for 15 days, a 7 day half board tour, all inc 2nd week, really cant complain) this can be expected.
Met lots of other lovely folk on the trip too....lots of fun had!
It was a fab mystery tour.
Thankyou RSD and all who made it such a great trip!
I go on holiday to relax, see new sights and enjoy myself. Instead on this trip I have never felt so anxious or stressed while on holiday. First there is (unnecessarily) no certainty about hotels or timings for each visit - at least they (W Touristic the local agent) donβt tell you until the last minute each day.
This suspense allows the hard selling and manipulative (I am not exaggerating - this was a word used by many of my fellow travellers) main guide to push the extras. It was truly thuggish and bullying. The trips may have been worth doing - but they were not value for money. The full board upgrade for the second week (so called free week) hotel was sold particularly hard - βunless you upgradeβ the guide said βI cannot guarantee that you will be in this good hotelβ. Non-upgraders, even half-boarders, were made to feel guilty, ashamed even. Assumedly he was on a commission. If you donβt go on the trips then the time is yours, but expect to be dumped somewhere while you wait for the coach to pick you.
And the trips and upgrades had to be paid in cash, not by card, which upset a lot of people. (No doubt the local tax authorities would be interested in this ruse). What made this worse is the second week hotel didnβt offer bed and breakfast, βbed onlyβ being the only purported upgrade option (an unusual marketing technique). Given the nearest open restaurant in April was over a mile away, this would have constrained many of the older travellers in our group. Personally I always like to visit the local restaurants and mingle with non-tourists when I am away and this proved to be the better option. Yes the food in the hotels was (mostly) good but eating typical buffet food for two weeks even for the diehard fan is just too much.
I donβt mind going to the carpet factory, or the jewellery and leather (coat) outlet but we all expected to see and celebrate some local craftspeople making goods. But it was not to be - just the hard sell of manufactured goods brought into a warehouse to entice tourists into buying. We donβt do bartering they say - oh, but they do. I once bought a carpet in a market in Istanbul so I was ready for ratcheting up of the sales spiel. But I was not ready psychologically for when 40 sales people suddenly entered the room and picked you off! I have had more anxiety attacks and sleepless nights on this holiday than I ever got from work. These factory visits help subsidise the holiday but the reason you will go on the trip is that it appears to be good value. Beware.
Finally, the aspect that attracted me to this holiday was the variety of UNESCO and similar historic sights that were on offer. But you get to spend so little time at each place that you never really absorb the history in any depth. The guides at each city (who all need tipping) were mostly good but the experience is shallow. Many of us were entranced by Budva and Kotor and were able to return after our token visit as these towns could be accessed from our resort by bus. The desire to travel by bus was not anticipated by our main guide who assumed we would sit in the second hotel with our full upgrade and loads of free drink. We wondered often if the tour was designed around his convenience (and so he can glean Euro20 of tips per person) - he did prefer the hotels with a gym, rather than as an opportunity to delight the visitor. Do not be late for the coach or you will be left behind! On three occasions he would have happily left people behind. On one of these occasions two of us went out on a search party for an elderly and clearly confused woman since the main guide was in a hurry and was not going to wait. We found her but while we were out our partners were pressured into trying to ring us to find out where we were after just five minutes. Disgraceful behaviour! Donβt go with RSD.
RSD Travel : India tour
We joined the RSD group tour of Palaces and Forts of Rajasthan in March 2024, having experienced excellent guidance from the same company in the UAE in 2019.
Throughout our travels, we were in awe of our empathetic and knowledgeable guide, Mohammed Raees, who told us about Gods, castes, religion, politics, education, in the most impeccable English and who was able to anticipate travel needs throughout.
Raees surprised us with treats when we scarcely were aware that we needed them. He shielded us from hard selling moments, by allowing some souvenirs to be brought on board the coach. Both the tourists and the local sellers seemed to find his tactics worked.
Raees also made time to socialise with the group during the all-important meal-times at hotels.
Without doubt, he was the star of this RSD road-show.
We have returned with tremendous insights in to the culture of this vast sub-continent.
The pace of the tour was intense, the accumulation of knowledge was breathtaking.
I think that RSD tends to reward its participants with some down-time. This tour was perhaps a little relentless and I would have valued an opportunity to relax a little bit.
Janine and Chris Turner
We had a problem at the start of our holiday when our flight was diverted to another airport. RSD advised us to take a taxi to our first hotel, and reimbursed the costs, and arranged for the part of our tour we missed to be given at the end of the week. They handled this problem well. Better food on the package would have earned tgem 5 stars.
Currently on our 2nd week of 15 day tour of Croatia and montenegro. Absolutely super hotels, food and tour guide, first week is a bit full on but we knew it would be and 2nd week hotel is first class. All hotels were good, clean and food excellent. My advice would be to do the upgrade especially 2nd week, it's worth 41 euros per day just for drinks. Local beer and wine very good. 2nd week hotel is kumoor montenegro,4 star, there are some restaurants open April within 15 minute walk. I would do this trip again, I had an injury to my knee 2 weeks before the holiday so had to use a stick but I still managed to do everything. Of course good weather helps and in April it ranged from 19 to 26 degrees.
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