"I found all trips carefully and well organized as well as Iceland and Italy. Andi is such an enthusiastic person and a proper guide making his job worthy. To me, I liked the most that adventure, otherwise the tour wouldn't be such challenging.
About Semeru - well, this was hard-challenging. This is not for everyone. That was a real adventure for me. But we couldn't make it without porters! It was 3 days hike, steep and some parts was kind of sketchy with using a rope for rappelling, but we did rely on Andi.
And food! That was something - culinary paradise for me.
Volcanoes and food, this is Indonesia for me."
(Martin K., about our recent Volcano Special to Java, Indonesia, Nov 2022)
Irina,
Back from Iceland & still catching up on emails! Chris was certainly an amazing guide. Not only an expert on volcanoes, but also a 4x4 driver & cook. Is there anything that he doesn't do!
Regards
Alan
(from UK, about his Colors of Iceland tour in July 2021)
Often, we receive very nice cards or other small signs of appreciation after a tour has ended. Here's an example from our recent tour tour on Santorini in May 2019. More photos of the tour you can find here Tour Photos.
"...My advice for traveling to the Kurile Islands is as follows:
- There are many rivers on the islands, they are full of fish, the fishing methods would not make "flyfishing monthly", however the caviar is excellent.
- Most Russian volcanologist's carry guns in the field, ostensibly for protection against bears, I only saw them used to shoot ducks for dinner.
- I had no idea how much remnant Japanese WWII enforcements were still there.
- The seaweed salad is excellent.
- If the border guards offer you their hooch, sip delicately, it is an acquired taste and you could probably run a truck on it.
Regards
Lois T." (Australia)
"Morning Ingrid/Tom from Australia,
Just wanted to say thank you again for organising such a fantastic alternative tour for me in Bali- had a great time -Semeru was amazing despite the duration on top being cut a bit short due to torrential rain and thunder- (wet season adventures!! :-))
Galih was a fantastic tour guide and a credit to your team wouldn't hesitate to do another tour with him and in fact can't wait to get back to Bali and see some more- he was full of suggestions on other active volcanoes and Ai love the more challenging hikes.... i was a little amazed to see just how commercialized and busy Ijen had become since I went there last (my friend had organised a side trip from Bali- no where near as good as going with volcanoadventures!)
...
Thanks!!!
Kat"
(K. Spruth, Australia about her Bromo, Semeru, Ijen tour in Nov 2016)
"Hi Tom and Ingrid,
Hope you guys are doing fine, perhaps busy with some volcanic adventures!.
I came back to Switzerland well after a great holiday in Indonesia. ...
...This was certainly a superb tour and wonderful exploration of the active volcanoes of east Java within the limits of time and possibility of all that can be done.
Galih did a great job in guiding me well throughout the trip. He was very flexible, open to requests and definitely gave a great company. More so, I enjoyed all those wonderful discussions on Volcanoes with him. It was certainly a very educative trip for me, but all the more a big event in watching a real lava rock fall/partial flow after Semeru's strombolian explosion. ... wow, what a spectacular setting!. I am now even more enthusiastic to explore more volcanoes in the future. I have some wonderful moments to remember from the entire tour. I am convinced that I couldn't have found any better tour option to discover these magnificent volcanoes of Indonesia.
Sincere thanks to the company and Galih and Ganz herzclichen Dank zu Tom and Ingrid! ...
...I now know whom to approach for serious volcanic explorations and ... I am sure to contact you guys again sometime in the future :-).
Good luck for volcano discovery!
best, Aravind"
(Aravind P. from Switzerland, about his private Volcanoes of East Java tour in September 2016)
"Hello Tom,
... We wanted to thank you (as well as Andi, Galih and the team) very much for the formidable trip. It was our first trip with you but we came out very happy with the experience. In particular, we were very pleased with the following :
(1) excellent organization and logistics and good food (especially in challenging Batu Tara conditions) with no hic-ups or problems encountered,
(2) great flexibility to accommodate changes until the last minute (we were very happy to have chosen Rinjani as Andi must have told you),
(3) small groups that make the trip so much enjoyable, and
(4) a very good guide (Andi), knowledgeable, flexible, passionate...
Again many thanks for the trip and we will be looking forward to
joining another trip with you soon. Enjoy Colima and Guatemala and
have a great holiday season and a wonderful New Year!
See you soon,
Judith and Fady"
(from The Netherlands & France, about the Batu Tara volcano expedition in November 2015)
"Dear Ingrid,
I'm sitting here in a coffee bar on Kuta beach walk and fill the time
between two espressi to write these few lines about my trip.
I enjoyed it very much. Organisation, accommodation and transfers went
well. Galih was guiding with a lot of passion, competence and patience.
Especially Krakatau was one of the highlights.
Unfortunatly Ijien was closed due to vulcanic activities.
But apart from that, a wonderful trip with an excellent guide.
Thank you
(Thomas N. from Germany, on his private October 2015 which was customised with an extension to Krakatau)
"Tom,
now my wife and I are at home after our From Krakatao to Bali trip and I want to thank you for a great experience. It was a marvelous trip that exceeded even my high expectations. Some comments:
a) Galih was an excellent guide both in terms of trekking volcanoes and giving us an insight into Indonesian culture.
b) The drivers, especially the first one (Danny?), was exceptional in smoothly and safely navigating the maze of cars and motorbikes.
c) My initial concerns (based on Internet comments) about the Batavia (now De Rivier) Hotel in Jakarta were misplaced. This hotel is very good for its price, and it provides comfort and a unique atmosphere. I am glad we stayed there.
d) The itinerary was thoughtfully planned and well executed. Emphasis on early morning departures for good light and diminished crowds was very appropriate.
e) Having hammocks on Krakatau was most welcome. It was much better than sleeping in the tent, and to my great surprise, there were no (or very few) mosquitoes or other biting insects.
f) On the first night we were the only tourists on Krakatau, and the morning walk up the volcano was a real pleasure. On the second (weekend) night there were already many people camping there, and the walk on the following day would not have been as pleasant. Keeping away from weekends on Krakatau is indeed very desirable.
g) The Ijen Resort was a highlight of the trip. It is one of the most beautifully located hotels we have ever encountered over many decades of world travel.
h) Although the last hotel on Bali was fine and its location did not affect us, it is not on the beach as the trip outline on the web indicates. Had we expected to have a great beach-experience, we would have been disappointed.
i) We were surprised about the few American volcano tourists. You may use us references, if you wish.
With appreciation and best wishes,
Peter"
(Peter K., about the Krakatau to Bali tour)
"Hi there Tom,
First up - AMBRYM WAS EPIC!!!! Thanks so much for the opportunity Yasmin is a fantastic guide and what can I say about the crater lakes?
Unbelievable! Everyone has been absolutely raving about the photos I bought back-hopefully you'll get some business off the back of it, you guys deserve it."
(Kat S. from Brisbane, about the Vanuatu volcano expedition)
"Yes,yes, Tom! Please, emails! Don't disappear on us! Congratulations and good luck in new venture. You can't miss. You're the best... And funny too. May this be wonderful New Year for you and yours and Volcano Adventures.
Fondest memories... Many hugs to you,
Sandie N."
(Sandra from Washington about a tour to Etna and Stromboli)
"Just wanted to say I'm very impressed with Andi. He is amazing...." (Michael D., Volcano Special to Sinabung)
"Hi Tom,
I am finally home . The tour was excellent, exceeded all expectations. Galih made the trip very interesting and was a pleasure to know. He kept us informed on everything and every where we went. I hope to catch up with him again. Thanks for organising such a great tour, it will have lasting memories .
Cheers
Vic"
(from from Bridgetown, Australia about the Krakatau to Bali photo tour)
"Chris
The website says that you are a volcanologist, science publisher and photographer.
I does NOT say what a great chef you are.
Once again thanks for a Brilliant two weeks in Iceland (and congratulations to Germany 7.1)
Brian B." (UK, Colors of Iceland tour)
"One of the best volcano trips you can ever think to do is this one. I went with Volcano Discovery in 2012 (http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/). First is the traverse of Ambrym Island and the overlook of the asonishing lava lake on Marum. Then the nightime visits to Tanna Island down south in the archipelago where Yasur volcano has a Strombolian eruption about 40 times an hour - plus shockwaves. And the Vanuatu people are some of the nicest anywhere.
(Richard Henley, Australia, about the Vanuatu Volcano tour)
"Hi Tom,
We have just finished our trip in Java : we enjoyed it a lot, all the family is very happy and we will all remember these holidays all our life.
Andi is very professional, very nice and did his best to make the trip interesting for our kids. My husband was very happy to take beautiful pictures. And I was happy to do some trekking on volcanoes.
I hope other families can enjoy this trip in the future.
We look forward to make another trip with Volcano Discovery,
Thank you for all the organization,
Kind regards,
Maud" (Maud S., Singapore, Volcanoes of East Java custom tour"
See also: Frederick's photos from the tour
Hi VolcanoDiscovery-Team,
We have just finished our trip in Java : we enjoyed it a lot, all the family is very happy and we will all remember these holidays all our life.
Andi is very professional, very nice and did his best to make the trip interesting for our kids. My husband was very happy to take beautiful pictures. And I was happy to do some trekking on volcanoes.
I hope other families can enjoy this trip in the future.
We look forward to make another trip with Volcano Discovery,
Thank you for all the organization,
Kind regards,
Maud
"Hi Tom.
Caroline and I returned safely to the UK at the beginning of last week, after a truly excellent tour round Iceland with Chris. You may have heard from him that we had unusually good weather - only a few hours of rain in 16 days, and lots of warm sunshine. We are lucky enough to have traveled a bit and seen some wonderful places, but neither Caroline nor I could think of anywhere we've been with such wild, spectacular and varied scenery day after day. Truly amazing. I've become a bit more serious about photography since we journeyed to the Danakil Depression together, and of course Iceland is just perfect for practising photo technique. Honestly, a splendid trip.
We also wanted to tell you - as we're sure you hear from everyone - what an outstanding tour guide Chris is. He did all the driving, shopping and cooking for us for 14 days, but managed to make it all seem easy and effortless. Nothing was too much trouble. His knowledge of Iceland is truly remarkable. And he is so enthusiastic. We have made another good friend through our trips with Volcano Discovery. Of course we said thank you to him as we left, but please do tell him again from us how very much we appreciate everything he did for us.
A few months in the UK now, but we are already thinking about volcano trips in 2014. If you decide that trips to the Congo become possible again, would you let us know dates as soon as possible please?
Meanwhile, as always, thanks and best wishes to all at VD!
Kind regards from Tom and Caroline"
(Tom + Caroline from UK, Iceland Photo Tour)
"
We returned from our trip to Bromo and Ijen on Sunday evening. This is the first time now that I can sit to my computer and - believe me - my very first act is to write to you about our trip.
First off the overall opinion of my family is that this tour was one of the best in our lives. We visited many beautiful places in exceptionally good weather and with a very professional and caring tour guide Galih.
I've been living here in Indonesia for one and a half year and I've learned that timing and information handling is a bit strange here for a European. But this time it was quite different. I got immediate responses to my SMSs and emails from Galih, his planning and execution of our days were just flawless. They were very helpful to us, he explained everything in details, always adjusted the pacing of the day to our experience level, supplied us food snacks and drinks in the right time.
Keep up the great operation!!
Best regards:
Gyorgy" (Hungary, Volcanoes of East Java tour)
"Hi Tom, ... , I was on the May Vanuatu expedition. I have to say that it was the most outstanding holiday of my entire life."...
"Tom, You're welcome to quote me by name, but I should add a bit more.
I've done several expedition tours with various outfits over the years,
and VolcanoDiscovery is clearly the best that I've encountered."
(Bruce V., Australia, about the Vanuatu Volcano Expedition).
"... The reality was that I thoroughly enjoyed the Round The World Adventure, yes that's what it felt like, an adventure. But one where I increased my knowledge of Volcanism and got close up and personal with lava. We were a small team of four which was supplemented by expert guides on each continent..." Read all (Roger, UK, about the Round-The-World tour)
"Dear Tom,
Thank you for the wonderful trip to Vanuatu. We enjoyed the challenging trekking and picturesque scenery very much.
Special thanks should go to our professional and charming guide Yashmin."
(Larissa, Russia, about the recent Volcanoes of the South Sea tour on Vanuatu)
"Hello Tom: just got back from Java this morning. The trip was superb and I just wanted to tell you how much we appreciated Andi and Galih who stepped in when Andi became sick. Everyone has an excellent visit and learnt a great deal. Krakatua and Ijen were my personal highlights.
Best wishes Dick" (Richard H., Australia)
"Hi Tom
...
Once again, we really appreciated with your arrangement and guidance. It was the most enjoyable and the highlight of our trip.
It had also opened our eyes to see how wonderful and powerful our planet is.
We still have been talking about it. I believe we will be talking about it for the next few years. I don't think it will be a forgettable experience in my life. Poor me, it will be very hard to find another experience as good as this again. Unless your will take us to somewhere else on earth.
...
We would also thank for your organisation with Rosario to be our volcano guide. He was amazing. Hope we can visit him once again in the future.
...
Thank you very much. Please keep in touch and take care.
Cheers
Tony / Moon / Joan / Eva"
(Tony S. from Hong Kong, about the Etna Volcano Special tour)
"Hello Tom: the trip was superb and Yashmin did a wonderful job! I came back fitter than before and looking forward to the next trip. Yashmin has convinced me to put Guatamala on the list!"
(Richard H., Australia, about the Vanuatu Volcano tour)
"Dear Yashmin and Tom
Thank you for a wonderful, awesome holiday.
Holidaying with volcanoes was Craig's wish holiday and it definitely lived up to his expectations.
...
Your Vanuatu Volcano tour was a fantastic mix of hard core volcanoes and cultural Vanuatu life. I really enjoyed the time we spent in Endu while we both found the volcanoes amazing.
Yashmin thank you for your quiet persistent handling of the Air Vanuatu troubles. I am going to email them some feedback, but this will probably not make much difference.
Thank you again. I am not sure if other volcano tours are in our future, but if they are are we will do them with you.
Shellie"
(Shellie B., Australia, about the recent Volcanoes of the South Sea Vanuatu volcano tour)
"
Just wanted to let you know I had a great trip recently to Vanuatu on your volcanoes in the south sea tour. After a few hiccups at the beginning Ulla and Basti were able to get things sorted and we set out on our adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, seeing the 2 things that I had always wanted to see......boiling lava and an exploding volcano! If Yasur was in my backyard I would love to watch it every night!
It also made a big difference to share the adventure with friendly, easy going people from around the world. Ulla and Basti were fantastic, very accommodating and nothing was ever too hard. This was my 2nd tour with volcano discovery, Volcanoes of Java being my first last year. I would recommend either of these trips to anyone who is seeking a volcano adventure."
Kristy W (Australia)
"
Just a quick email to say thank you for what was the most amazing tour (Volcanoes of Java) in August. Galih was an informative and helpful guide - he was incredibly knowledgeable and catered to all our needs. We were able to experience every volcano we had time for (sacrificed some sleep to fit in an extra couple!) and it was well worth it.
The highlight was most definitely seeing lava bubbling on the floor of Merapi crater - something to tick off the bucket list! I rarely go on holiday and feel such a sense of achievement at the end of it.
As a Geography teacher, this was a dream come true and would not hesitate to recommend VolcanoDiscovery to anybody - thank you so much. Both of you were incredibly helpful in your email correspondence prior to the tour and I received my gas mask well in time. I hope to travel with your company again in the future."
(Tina P., Coventry, UK)
"HI Tom,
...
I just wanted to give you some feed-back on my recent trip: Volcanoes of Java: 8-24 July 2012.
My son Zakkary & I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We feel that your guide, Andi did a wonderful job and represented your company extremely well. You've got a good guy there!
Little surprises like including some beer with many meals and a T shirt are very appreciated.
I would highly recommend your company and hope, when I can find the time to perhaps use your services in Vanuatu at some stage.
Thanks once again,
David" (Australia)
"Back home. It was a cool trip in a really cool group. Thanks to Ulla Lohmann and above all also Basti everything went smooth despite logistic challenges on location.
The experience of both gave us a great insight into the culture and people of Vanuatu. The video from this trip will this time be a professional one, as the SWR film team was with us. In November, you can see an impression from this tour on "Länder, Menschen,Abenteuer". Perhaps you'll see me in there as well."
(Alexander Günther, Hanover, Germany)
Dear ###VD### Team,
after returning from Java / Bali, I'd like to send you a a quick report about our trip. Marita and I felt super well on the tour from the very first day until the end. Andi took great care of Marita and could almost read every wish from her lips. Despite her pregnancy, she could enjoy the tour and would not have liked to miss a single day. I got to know Andi as extremely caring and responsible tour guide, one who also has great competence in photography - something rare to find! His enthousiastic way to show us Indonesia and the beauty of volcanoes is contagious from the first moment and makes wanting for MORE!
Marita und I would like to thank you and your team very warmly for the great tour. As a side note, we appreciated a lot that the maximum number of participants was set to only 6, which made for a very pleasant experience of the whole trip.
Many greetings
Dietmar and Marita
"Dear tom,
Thanks a lot for great cooperation : travel agent called us to say guests had an outstanding tour with a wonderful guide J
All the best."
Olivier Jeannier
Agent de voyages Sales & Operations Specialtours & Groups
Tourisme Pour Tous
"... btw we had A great TRIP to Etna with Rosario, so much so it has really inspired my son to do Geology in Imperial College in London this September.
...
Cheers, Michelle" (Private Tours on Etna)
"I thank you again for this fantastic trip and the enthusiasm, your service to get up early every day. This is not as a matter of course.
Claus and Anna" (Krakatau to Bali photo tour)
Iceland Break 17th of February 2011:
"The Iceland break trip was wonderful, we had such a great time with Haukur and Hadda and a very nice small group. Everything was perfect, the sites, the weather, the food,.. I will definetly come back to Iceland soon...
Best wishes from Zürich,
Susanne" (Susanne S., Zurich, February 2011)
"Thanks so much for your assistance with arranging last week's trek, Tom. Matt and I had a brilliant time!
Camille" (Camille & Matt from Australia about the Excursion to Stromboli)
"Dear Tom,
...
I take advantage of this mail to state once again that this Stromboli discovery was great. You are used to but for newcomers, this is just magic.
Best regards - Nicolas
...
I saw that you have some customers testemony on your website: you may add this one if you want (and photo)
I wrote it in english (more international..)
---
"Thanks to VOLCANO DISCOVERY : we had a great Stromboli discovery, with my young kids.
Stromboli is just magic, erupting lava every 15 minutes or so, breaking the black night sky with fire: just great.
Going up with young kids is ok but needs some mental preparation and a good siesta before as the coming back is late night.
Last Congratulations to VOLCANO DISCOVERY: professional organisation and great spirit from managers that love volcanos and are not in just to tap money from tourists.
Best to all
Nicolas (44), Julia (7) and Yvan (9) - written 2 august 2011" (Nicolas, France, Stromboli tour)
"Wow Tom!
What a genuinely life changing experience! I'm speechless!!!
Yashmin and the guides were first class and I am forever grateful for dealing with such experienced people!
I want to go again! Thanking you
Tim J C." (Australia)
"Hi Tom
We are now back from our holiday in Indonesia. Just wanted to drop you a message to say what a great time we had with Andi. The blue flames of Kawah Ijen were really a special sight to see, I'm amazed its not more nown as a tourist destination. Almost all the people we spoke to at Ijen during the day didn't know what wonders can be seen at night. Bromo was great too. Overall we had a fantastic time, many thanks. Phil H." (Volcanoes of East Java private tour)
"Aloha Philip!
Dawn and I can not thank you and Arthur enough for giving us an amazing day on our trip! I just submitted my review below to Tripadvisor and couldn't say enough good things about our experience with VolcanoDiscovery...
Take care, Rick
"Amazing 12 hours with VolcanoDiscovery!"
We spent 12 hours with Arthur on Feb. 10th, 2011 and it will be a day we'll never forget. I first contacted VolcanoDiscovery in December through their web site and promptly was contacted by Philip via email. I was initially considering the 6-hr Lava Proximity Hike but decided to book the 12-hr Active Eruption Combination Tour based on Philip's responses to my many questions. Booking through their web site was fast and easy. Philip gave us the option to advertise our tour on the web site so others could join us to reduce cost. Arthur called me the day before to arrange our pick up and discuss what we were interested in doing/learning so he could tailor our day to us. He was able to schedule a 2-hr tour of the Kazumura Lava Tube to start our day off which was incredible!
It was clear right away that Arthur was very focused on making sure we were getting the best experience possible. He had several local food items and drinks for us and checked often to make sure that we were happy with what we were doing and with our plans for the rest of the day. He took us to the National Park for several stops and a nice hike to Pu'u Huluhulu. After a quick stop for some food, he drove us to check in at Kalapana for the Lava Proximity Hike and we were off to see the lava up close. Once we got to the lava, he made sure to position us in the best place to get some great pics. Arthur acted as our photographer throughout the day and knew how to make both of our cameras get the best pics. I should also mention that Arthur's personality fits perfectly with his job. He was very friendly and personable. He also has a true spirit of Aloha and was well liked by everyone we interacted with during the tour.
Those 12 hours went by way too fast and the experience we had with VolcanoDiscovery was more than worth the cost! I had originally thought that we could tour on our own for a similar experience and boy was I WRONG!"
(Rick L., USA, about a Private Tour on Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i)
"Hi Tom-
Happy New Year!
We did your tour with Phillip last night on the Big Island and had a wonderful tour on the lava fields.
Thanks!
Alex" (Lava hike on Kilauea)
"Hello Yashmin, and everyone at Volcano Discovery!
...
Thank you for running the Vanuatu tour, and explaining everything volcanic, and helping to keep us safe on the mountain and healthy in the jungles. None of us went for a lava swim so I guess it's a success?
Also, thanks for putting the flashing parking lights on the hills at Maroum because for a while I was concerned we wouldn't find our way back. But I think our local guides could have walked up and down blindfolded, they were amazing. Thanks for loaning me your jacket when I thought I would freeze to death - it was a privilege to wear that logo for just a few hours. :-D
Also thank you for helping me to understand that cultural immersion is the main value of travel.
I can recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see, hear, feel, and smell the furious boiling lava of Vanuatu. Not to mention the poulet fish is superb! I may even have a taste for camping, Camenbert theory, and cassava that I didn't have before." (Andrew M., Australia)
"Dragi Tom,
jos uvijek pod nezaboravnim dojmovima od putovanja po Etni, Volcano i Stromboli,htjela bih da ti se zahvalim.Tvoje kompetentno i razumljivo vodenje po vulkanu,odlicno organizirano,srdacnost Tvoje i grupe za mene ostaje u lijepom sjecanju.
Taj dozivljaj erupcije vulkana Stromboli na vecer, pjesacenje po Etni,razgledavanje Lipara, sve me to animira za opet drugo putovanje sa "VolcanoDiscovery"
Danke,Hvala Tom,
uz pozdrav Marica iz Varazdina,Hrvatska" (Stromboli to Etna tour)
"Hi, I liked the Vanuatu trip, I think it was pretty professionally run and I would travel with Volcano Discovery again it's a good company and the people that travel on it are all nice..." (Antony, Australia about the Volcanoes in the South Sea expedition to Vanuatu)
"Hi Tom,
Just wanted to let you know what a great trip to East Java we had earlier this month. It was a fantastic trip with spectacular sights resulting in some 500+ pictures. We really enjoyed ourselves and had a great guide with Galih. Also the porters and drivers we had did a great job. We were very pleased to see that the porters not only collected our garbage but also others'. It is really quite sad to see that others just drop theirs.
Cheers, Elke and Kai" (Malaysia)
Dear Tom, we've just returned from Sicily and would like to thank you for the wonderful experience that we had. We had great weather and could descend into Etna's main crater. Your "variant 1" turned out to be the perfect challenge for our 9 year old daughter, although she found the craters and the fumes a bit scary. My wife and I rank this trip as one of our top 3 experiences so far!
Rosario was a perfect guide: he made us feel at ease and safe, provided just enough explanations without sounding like the stereotypical tourist guide and he was just 100% a pro.
Minor correction: the guides do have boots, backpacks and jackets that your customers can borrow.
I've enclosed a few pictures of us on Mt Etna.
Best regards Sven Jorissen"
"Hello Tom and Tobias. We have been meaning to write to say how much we
enjoyed our trip to Sicily. We'd particularly like you to know how very much we enjoyed the company of our guide. Of course life was a little easier for him with a group of just three people! But he went to great trouble to make sure that we were safe and comfortable and enjoyed all the trips we did with him. ... Thanks to you again, by the way, for allowing an 'uneconomic'trip to go ahead." (T. Mills, UK)
"...I climbed Sromboli as planned and had a really great time. The views were fantastic and the guides were very good.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Thank you." (Steve C., UK)
"Bonjour de France, enfin du soleil ici pas le même que celui de Santorin bien sûr, mais c'est toujours agréable.
Le retour en France a été difficile après avoir vécu une semaine hors du commun dans un décor extraordinaire. Je remercie Tobias et toi pour votre façon de partager votre passion et de nous faire entrer dans cet univers décalé avec la vie "normale" de tous les jours.
J'ai apprécié la découverte géologique de l'île, l'initiation à la compréhension de la formation de l'île et des volcans, les rencontres avec des gens simples mais de caractère de Santorin.
Le temps s'est arrêté pendant une semaine et je garde des souvenirs d'odeurs, de couleurs, de plats partagés avec le groupe.j'ai revu les photos prises pendant le voyage, les couleurs et les paysages étaient tellement extraordinaires que les résultats sont surprenants même avec mon simple appareil photo. J'aimerais envoyer les photos de groupe prises dans la taverne de nicolas à "yurgos", peux-tu m'envoyer leur adresse?Egalement j'aimerais commander le livre de Walter Friedrich, mais je n'ai pas noté l'éditeur.Merci pour ces renseignements.
Bonne continuation dans tes voyages
ps: quelques photos jointes... Myriam" (Myriam T., Orléans)
"Hi Tom,
I would like with this email to thank Volcano Discovery and the Team (Specially Rosario Basile) for a wonderful excursion at the Etna.
I took nice photos which I would like to share at the web page of Volcano Discovery. What shall I do?
Best Regards,
Gabriela Marcano"
"Hallo Tom,
kurze Naricht nach der Reise: es war SUPER!!!!!
...bien cordialement
Gilles" (Sarregueminnes)
Tom,
I just wanted to send you a note to say how much I enjoyed the recent tour.
Marco was just brilliant and I can safely say that it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
...
Thanks
Adrian (Stromboli to Etna tour May 2010)
In Hawai'i, the road to 'hell'is not paved, it's covered with hardened lava - read an article about a tour with us on the Seattle PI
"Hi Tom,
I am sorry that it has taken me so long to email you with feedback from the trip Janet smith and Michael bailey took in June with your guide Rosario to do the full traverse of Etna. It was fantastic and something we will never forget. It was a hard walk but very enjoyable and Rosario was fantastic, he is very knowledgeable, kind and friendly, we were like friends by the end of the walk. Please make sure that you feed back this to him...
Thank you for all your help and we would definitely recommend you to others
Kind Regards
Janet and Mick" (UK)
"Dear Tom,
On Nov. 15, 2009 a group of 11 people went up the Etna with our guide Rosario starting from Rifugio Sapienza.
It was the first vulcano tour for all of us and we were all impressed what we saw during the day: It was awesome to see the boiling craters on the top of the Etna and feeling the heat of this impressive active vulcano. The highlight was for sure the currently open lava spot on the Eastern side of the Etna, it was amazing to see and to feel the power of the earth.
We really have to thank you and Vulcano Dicsovery for the perfect organisation and we also have to thank our guide Rosario, who took care very well of the large group and provided us with very useful and detailed information on vulcanology and geology of the Etna. Rosario thank you very much for this perfect adventure tour!
Here I will also attach 1 foto of our group walking up the Etna on this day.
Thank you again for the organisation!
Mit freundlichen Grüßen/Best regards
Thomas Fruhmann"
"I just wanted to say abig thank you to you and your team for organizing our fantastic trek up Kili last week. Everything worked smoothly- your guides were first-class and the food, camping equipment, etc. was excellent. We enjoyed it tremendously. Please pass our thanks on to the team. Thank you" (Charles P., Sussex, UK about his trek up Kilimanjaro)
"We all agreed that we paid for first class service and we received first class service. Your crew did an outstanding job. We could just marvel how they managed to keep up their happy spirits despite the heavy work. Also the food and service was amazing under such harsh conditions.
We loved all the porters and guides who never stopped being upbeat and helpful even when we were tired, cold and cranky! The best part was that we ALL made it to the top. ... It was reassuring to see that safety was always at the forefront.
Also your concern about the welfare of the porters made a big difference in choosing this company. Our tents, camp, food and staff appeared to be far superior to the other mountain trekkers which we encountered on the way. Our guides were the best. We always felt well informed about the upcoming day and when needed they were willing to give up their own comfort just to make sure we are all well taken care of. This is beyond the call of duty." (Helga A. from Minnesota about her climb to Kili)
"The visit to Montserrat was a wonderful experience for both of us. Seeing the many ways in which the volcano has changed both a natural landscape and overwhelmed a built environment has certainly left a very strong impression.
Thank you so much for organizing our trip.
Peter" (Peter V., Toronto, Montserrat Volcano Special tour, Feb 2010)
"Hallo Tom,
wieder einmal war es sehr schön auf Santorin und ich möchte mich für alles bedanken. Die Organisation, unser Hotel und die vielen neuen Eindrücke, welche du uns vermittelt hast sind kaum in Worte zu fassen. Vor allem aber danke, dass ich noch so kurzfristig teilnehmen konnte.
Eure Touren sind schon etwas Besonderes und mit viel Esprit, sehr persönlichen Einsatz, so dass man sich sofort wohlfühlt und immer gern wiederkommt.
Herzliche Grüße, Margrit" (Margrit from Potsdam, Faszination Volcano tour)
"Hallo Tom,
nochmals vielen herzlichen Dank an Dich und die anderen für die schöne gemeinsame Woche mit dem gelungenen Mix aus Natur und Kultur, Sonne, buntem Stein und blauem Meer, Wandern und Neues Lernen, ein bisschen Anstrengung und Genuss!
... Weiterhin viel Glück bei allen Euren Unternehmungen und herzliche Grüße - Gudrun"
"Thanks for a great tour, we really enjoyed the trekking and were lucky to see lots of eruptions on Stromboli..." (Eolian Islands + Etna tour - Nick B., UK)
"Hallo Tobias, hallo Tom
Ich bereue nichts !!! Eine fantastische, anspruchsvolle Tour wird sich in meiner Erinnerung einprägen, als eine meiner schönsten Reisen überhaupt.
... Ich bedanke mich bei Tobias für die guten Tipps zum noch besser Fotografieren und bei Ihnen beiden für die perfekt organisierte und durch wirklich fähige Leute geführte Tour. Ich kann mir gut vorstellen, dass dies nicht die einzige bleiben wird, die ich bei VulcanoDiscovery gebucht habe. Das Gleichgewicht zwischen Anstrengung und Geniessen entspricht so ziemlich genau meinen Bedürfnissen, damit ich mich gefordert und zufrieden fühle.
Nochmals vielen Dank und die herzliche Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Katharina"
"Dear Volcanodiscovery and my Tour Guide Andy,
I would like to thank you both for the great trip that you provided. I found
the organisation was excellent and the food at many of the restaurants was superb.
I think the highlight was Krakatoa which is really an amazing volcano, and
some of the high climbs which were very exciting. Every volcano we visited
was a bit different.
Andy is a very experienced guide, who can take you as close to any volcano
in the tour as you like as deemed safe by him. Most of all I was very
impressed with Andy's enthusiasm, he loves the volcanoes and it really shows in his own keenness to see them over and over again.
Indonesia I found overall was also very scenic. And I would encourage others
to book this tour before the masses find out about it!!
I hope that one day a tour will be offered to Sumatra and Andy can lead the way once again.
Cheers
Dr Antony V.E., Melbourne Australia."
"Greetings, Tom!
Enclosed is the link for the photos from our trip. It was WONDERFUL. Please pass our greetings to Rosario who is such an amazing person. I have become a volcano-holic!
Michelle"
See Michelle's pctures on Shutterfly
"...Somehow I missed Tobias'link to photos and, fortunately, saw it through your note. Just finished looking at each image. Now, I"m exhausted! Stunning, and brings back keen memories, indeed. A whirling, dizzying journey to a version of Santorini unknown to most travelers. From moment we dropped luggage at Aktori to wine-tasting, to walk between villages, to our magical boat trips, to trek around caldera ledge, to climb up limestone mt., to smoking sulpher, to ancient city of Thira, to dreamy soups, best goat cheese, limpets and baklava...on and on. Tom and Tobias, our intrepid, ever-onward guides are a terrific team. Such compatibility among group of 17--wondrous again. How lucky was that??
Crazily, I just returned from 12 days in China...thus, a combo Greece/China 5-week adventure to savor and treasure. From yogurt, white villages & volcanoes to noodles, mountain temples & cave grottos. All intrigue and mystery and contrasts galore...
Best hugs,
Sandie"
Hello Tom. My journey home, went without problems. As i told, this visit to krakatau was the fullfilment of a life long dream for me. To see an active volcano and a famous one to. you, Doni, Marco and the others was very fine company. I liked to be together with you, it was a good experience and would like to do it again... My best gretings.
Peter"
"So urteilte ein Kunde über die 14 tägige Reise, welche als Expedition ausgewiesen wurde.
Das Reiseprospekt informierte im Voraus hervorragend über die zu erwartende Erlebnisse.
Die Durchführung der im Prospekte angegebenen Ankündigungen war vorbildlich. Alle Fahrzeuge bzw. Flugzeuge, die für die Transfers erforderlich waren bis auf einmal pünktlich, was unter den gegebenen Umstände ( auf Ambrym und Tanna existieren keine asphaltierten Strassen bzw. keine funktionierende Infrastruktur) eine ausgezeichnete Leistung darstellt. Zugleich blieb es jedoch möglich unter bestimmtem Umständen und mit Zustimmung der Reiseteilnehmer, dort wo das gewünscht wurde vom Reiseplan abzuweichen.
Für die Reiseleitung konnte die Fernseh-Moderatorin und Fotojournalistin Ulla Lohmann verpflichtet werden. Aufgrund Ihrer außergewöhnlichen Kenntnisse der Südsee und deren Bewohner konnte Sie nicht nur viel Wissenswertes vermitteln, sondern wegen Ihren vielen früheren Kontakten mit den Insulaner Tabus durchbrechen und der ganzen Gruppe
von neun Personen die Warmherzigkeit dieser Insulaner näher bringen. So waren Besuche bei den verschiedenen Dorfbewohnern einer der Höhepunkte dieser rundum gelungener Reise. Ihre hervorragenden Kenntnisse als Photographin und Hobby Vulkanologin führte zu mehreren sagenhaften Besuchen der Feuerberge mit gigantischen Ausblicken, die von den Besuchern – auch mit ihre Hilfe – auch fotographisch zu absoluten Höhepunkte werden konnten.
Auf den ältesten Expeditionsteilnehmer – immerhin deutlich über 60 Jahre alt – wurde stets Rücksicht genommen ohne das dies zu Einschnitte für die Jüngeren führte. Ich kann diese einmalige Reise jeden Vulkan – bzw. Südsee Liebhaber nur empfehlen."
(G. Franquinet, Teilnehmer der Pilotreise Mai 2009)
"Dear Tom & Tobias. Thank you for our remarkable trek in Santorini and Methana--for the beautiful memories and breathtaking photos.
... Coming home to Tobias'pictures gave me time to slow down and appreciate the remarkable experience we had.
I braved edges with Tom's help, jumped on boats with swirling seas (Daphne said I landed, elephant like, on poor Steve flattening him). ... The views took my breath away. ... Remember the oasis where we drank fresh squeezed orange juice and cake? I doubt whether juice will ever taste that good again. ... Little did I know that a bonus to our trip was the leader's desire for good food--and wine-- at the end of the day.
I have new appreciation for magma, volcanic bombs, the beauty of the caldera, smoking sulphur, adjectives that describe volcanic formations and olive trees found preserved in volcanic ash.
Thank you Tom and Tobias for a remarkable experience, and for your good choice in participants. It was a great group. Valerie" (Fascination Volcano, Santorini tour)
"... This was one of those wonderful adventures that we loved at the time, but loved even more as we looked back at all of the places we'd been, the lovely people we met, the great bond we developed. And......a birthday - high atop a volcano - that I will remember forever!
...Many hugs, Daphne" (D. Lewis, Washington, Santorini tour)
"Hi dear volcano lovers,
... I also wanted to thank everybody for making this tour so great!
Especially our professional and charming Ulla, for guiding us around Vanuatu, and Tom for the initiative/organization.
Hope we'll meet again sometime, miss you all,
Ronny" (Vanuatu expedition)
"Hi Tom,
This trip had everything! It was so much better than the standard tourist trip to Santorini (we felt so superior the folks who arrived on the 10 story floating skyscrapers and who apparently devoted their time on the island to shopping!). The hikes were good exercise, but with your encouragement to the less athletic among us, not too tough. We got to see so many parts of the island that most visitors don't get to see. And our reward for energetic hiking was delicious food, and lots of it. I appreciated that we got to eat a whole variety of local foods and wines which do not appear on the conventional menus of Greek restaurants in the U.S. I ate like a champ but didn't gain any weight!
I particularly appreciated the interpretation of the geology that you provided. On the way to the airport, you asked what was my favorite thing we did. I liked all the hikes, and especially the accomplishment of doing so much in a short time, but the big thrill, I think, was visiting the small geology museum in Perissa and seeing the critically significant preserved olive tree that you discovered and having you tell us about the find. Thanks for a really wonderful experience!" (Linda K, Olympia (WS), Santorini May 09)
"Hallo Tom!
Ich möchte Dir an dieser Stelle noch einmal ganz herzlich danken für die sehr gut organisierte Expedition zum Erta Ale und Dallol. Ich habe selten zuvor in zwei Wochen so viele positive und eindrückliche Momente erlebt wie auf dieser Reise. Neben dem Besuch der Vulkane wird mir die Danakil-Wüste mit all ihren facettenreichen Landschaften, die Freundlichkeit der Aethiopier, der sehr gute Teamgeist unserer Gruppe und natürlich die Kamelkarawane zum Salzsee in bester Erinnerung bleiben.
Auch erwähnenswert ist natürlich der Besuch der Felsenkirchen, welche eingebettet in einer fantastischen Landschaft liegen. Ich bin sehr dankbar für all diese eindrücklichen Momente! Sollte ich zukünftig wieder einmal auf Vulkanexpedition gehen, werde ich ohne zu zögern "VolcanoDiscovery" deswegen kontaktieren. Zudem erlaube ich mir, Dich in meinem Bekanntenkreis weiter zu empfehlen.
Herzlichst, André B.
Schweiz" (Expedition to the Danakil)
"Hi Tobias We are writing to express our high level of satisfaction with our tour of Naples on 3-6 May.
We are impressed with your professionalism and competence to coordinate travellers from different countries. Our sensation is that you are very professional agency, providing fast and clear answers to our series of e-mails, making it easy the tour booking and solve problems. Additionally your excellent website provides clear and useful information.
The hotel was great, the Napolitanean food and wine were delicious and the itinerary was wonderful appropriate to our interest with a perfect combination of geology-nature, historical values and the interesting city of Naples. All the places visited were very interesting in itself, but after the explanations and assistance of our guide, Marta, they became sincerely impressive. We want to make a special mention to Marta, our guide-driver-assistant-bodyguard, because she was very good and has make our trip better.
It was a pleasant experience to find a company like Volcano Discovery, which provides a service so different, fun and interesting even in places where everything seemed invented on tourism. We are already planning our trips for 2009, we'd like to repeat in the future with another trip in Italy, and why not, in your loved Greece which we have not visited yet. Once again, thank you very much for organising the trip. We had a fantastic time! Many thanks and regards Miguel A. V. & Maria del Carmen P." (M.A.V & M.C.P., Spain - Vesuvius to Pompeii tour)
"Tom, Had a great tour, Etna was more than impressive, just fantastic - like a moonscape up there. ..." (J Perston, UK)
".. Just got back from Sicily. I had a very enjoyable time even though Etna has been shy and did not want to put on a performance. On the Monday I went round to the North side visiting the Grotta del ghiaccio, first time wearing crampons. The second day was spent in the Valle del Bove. The third day spent at the summit craters. The fourth day I joined Marta visiting the Alcantara Gorge, Taormina and spending the evening and next day in Catania.
As usual, Marta maintained the professional standards I have come to expect from the "Volcano Discovery" team, and I expect the three other clients felt the same way." (S. Banfield, UK)