Smile Azerbaijan Tour
82 reviews
January 9, 2024
We went on a tour of Gobustan with this company+The Temple of Fire+Yanardag + Ramana fortress, and then – on a free night tour of Baku.
Overall, the impressions are mixed.
What did you like:
1. Management service. Representatives of the company meet in the Old Town, tell everything in detail and clearly, they can always be found before the start of the tour, without rushing with bulging eyes down the street.
2. Good value for money.
3. A rich tour plan.
4. We were taken from the apartment where we lived and taken to the starting point of the tour. A very nice bonus, for which the company is grateful.
What went wrong:
1. The guide. The girl Turan went on an excursion to Gobustan with us (she called the name only once and indistinctly, I can reproduce it with errors). Never, for anything, go with this would-be group guide (she can't be called a guide at all, even by a stretch). On the way, she mostly talked on the phone or with the driver. The story about the views outside the window was reduced to information like "and here we have a hotel, and here we have a large shopping center." It's just a shame. It didn't get any better on the spot. When we looked at the petroglyphs and the group asked what time they were, we were told the epoch of the monolith (!!!), when I said that there was no such period, I was recommended to Google the date of these rock paintings. She also mispronounced Zaha Hadid's name. She went to the Temple of Fire and read the captions to the photos to us. In general, three words: unprofessionalism, incompetence, laziness. On the way back, she was in a hurry to get home to her family and refused to take us to the promised tourist return point on the tour. We were told that due to traffic jams, they would drop us off a little to the side, literally 20 meters away, and explain the way. But in fact, we were dropped off much further away, and the road was explained incorrectly, and we wandered through unfamiliar dark streets for a long time to find ourselves. In general, I definitely do not recommend it! Such aunts should be driven out of the profession so that they do not disgrace themselves and the company.
2. Restaurant for lunch. The food is average, the prices are horse. There is 1 toilet with a queue in a huge hall, like in a McDuck in the nineties.
3. Night tour, which is given free of charge when buying any tour. There will be no declared 1.5 hours. At first, we waited for buses stuck in traffic for 30 minutes, then we were cheerfully driven to the Mountain Park and the useless Crystal Palace. That's all. It's free, yes, but there's still some residue. Why lie about time?
Perhaps you will have different experiences with other guides. To my taste and experience, it may be worth contacting these guys, but carefully discussing and choosing a guide.
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5
July 9, 2024
Thank you smile tour, we went on an excursion with Samir to Khynalyk on July 3rd, the places are just incredibly beautiful and the guide is very good, he talked interestingly all the way!
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November 11, 2023
Some of the best, active, fun and funny excursions in Azerbaijan!!!
They gave us a free mini tour of Baku at Night, and Shamakhi-Ismayly-Sheki also went!!!
The guys did well, they really liked and pleased us
If we find ourselves in Baku, we will definitely turn and return to the Smile Tour
Special thanks and big Salam Sabukhi !! Keep it up
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January 9, 2024
"From St. Petersburg to Absheron!" Today we went on a tour of Absheron. I am absolutely delighted! I liked Gobustan, mud volcanoes, in a word, everything! But special thanks to our guide Sabukhi. Thanks to him, the tour was dynamic, interesting and very informative. A great sense of humor, responsiveness, knowledge of the material-all this created a lot of pleasant emotions and impressions. Thank you very much, Sabuhi!
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May 10, 2024
We thank Eldar for an unforgettable tour of the Old Town on May 9th.The guide managed to convey the historical atmosphere of the city and draw our attention to the details and nuances that would have gone unnoticed without him.The attentive, delicate guide left a pleasant impression about the city and about himself.We highly recommend it!!!!
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April 25, 2024
I have bad impressions about this company. I booked a tour and went the next day. The whole group was foreign and no one spoke Russian, including the guide. I actually paid for the tour in the same amount as the other participants. No one warned about this. But the guide is one name. At the beginning of the trip, I said a few sentences in English about the city and that's it. But he gets a good night's sleep on the way there and back. There is also zero information at the stops themselves. Besides, he didn't accompany us anywhere. When I got off the bus, I told you there, there it is. Lunch is not included in the price. But at least they warned about this in the description of the tour. And be prepared for the fact that they bring you to a restaurant where prices are very biting.
Among the advantages: the ability to pay for excursions with maps of the World and beautiful views. But the latter is not the merit of this company.
I've taken tours in different countries, but this is the first time I've come across this. I definitely do not recommend it.
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June 3, 2024
I wanted to leave the best feedback about the Guba Khinalyg tour and about our guides Samir and Sabukhi, everything was great and interesting. Many thanks to the driver, unfortunately I did not remember his name.
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October 12, 2024
We liked everything: the program and the guide. It was interesting to see and learn about previously unknown places. Thanks!
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2
May 1, 2024
Hello! I wanted to thank Inara (the big one) for yesterday's excursion to Shek! Everything was super, interesting, delicious!! I wish your company prosperity!!!
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January 8, 2023
The family visited the Bibi-heybat mosque with Sergei, looked at the rock paintings in Gobustan and saw an interesting natural phenomenon-mud volcanoes.I really enjoyed the tour, and I would like to thank Sergey for answering my many questions.The transfer is convenient, picked up from the hotel in the old town.Sergey speaks both Russian and English well, a girl from Vietnam was with us and Sergey dubbed for her in English.
Now a little bit about the tour itself.The tour took 4 hours,the transfer took about 2 hours of this time.We were not very lucky with the weather, but it did not spoil the impression.Advice for those who will go to mud volcanoes, put bags on their feet)) I'm not kidding) Shoes and feet will literally be knee-deep in mud.
Gobustan National Museum-Park is a very beautiful place with a history that you can see and even touch) Rock paintings of different periods, caves in which ancient people lived, are very original!we are thrilled!
The mosque is also interesting to visit, it received a lot of answers about religion and some traditions of Islam, informative.
We are satisfied, we liked everything very much.Thanks!
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March 27, 2024
We are from St. Petersburg. We went on an excursion at the end of March 24 to Shamakhi-Gabala. Sabukhi's guide. IT was just terrible. For the entire period, this horror lasted more than 13 hours.... he didn't say a word on the subject. It's just that there's nothing... Although when we bought a tour in the office, we even clarified whether the guide would tell us and give us information. We were answered by a woman whom the staff called the director, which, of course, is mandatory, there will be a professional guide in the dreams and will lead the tour with full information throughout. When we asked him why he didn't tell us anything, he replied (I quote verbatim) - "I don't have to entertain you." The tourists asked if it was possible to ask if he was really a guide, asked where he studied, what kind of education he had. He replied that it was rude.... As a result, we were silently transported in an uncomfortable minibus for 13.5 hours. We got out of it for the first time at the Baba mausoleum - there is fog, nothing is visible, we stood for a while, drove on. We ask how long to go. Sabukhi answers for 2 hours. We were driving 4. Everyone is hungry, without water, without a toilet. We arrived at the waterfall. The toilet is so scary that it's better to go into the bushes. Half of the tourists. I didn't even go up to the waterfall. Then he took me to lunch. I brought it to Lake Nohur. A restaurant with such crazy prices that no one dined. There is no alternative nearby.Someone ordered a salad, flatbread, etc. The promised honey tasting is just a souvenir shop where they give you a small stick to taste honey, but they want you to buy, and if you don't take it, so why do you try. There was fog on the cable car . we didn't see anything - why would we do such a tour in such weather?This also speaks to the professionalism of the company. Well, the next day we went to the office where we bought the tour, told them that there was no tour and wanted to hear what the lady who promised us a professional guide would tell us. Here is her answer: "You probably didn't understand something. Our Sabukhi guide is excellent, we have excellent reviews! This can't be happening. "
We asked her to tell us what kind of education he had, to which she replied that we had no right to ask such questions.
AVOID THIS AGENCY. They're cheating here. They're just collecting money. Not fulfilling their obligations. They deceive tourists and do not respect them .
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July 7, 2023
Smile tour showed us the whole of Azerbaijan! Many thanks to all employees of the company. Young, energetic, responsible and friendly. We visited 4 excursions (the fourth, on the night of Baku, was a gift). We started with Guba-Khinalyg-Khizi. The trip was amazing, nature, history, organization - everything is great! Special thanks to the guide Timur. Charming, sociable, erudite. He conducted excursions in two languages, English and Russian. I paid attention to all the guests. He knows the geography and music of Russia very well. He pleased us with songs by modern Russian authors based on Yesenin's poems, we had not even heard them before.
Then there was a night tour of Baku. An excursion from a travel agency as a gift, lasts 2 hours, we didn't expect a lot of impressions. BUT it was a wonderful evening!!!! Largely thanks to the charm and charisma of the wonderful guide Ali! He showed us the beauty of Baku at night. He told a lot of interesting things about the country and the city, created a warm atmosphere in the group. We were lucky, and on the last excursion Gobustan/Absheron we went again with Ali. It was one of the best days in Azerbaijan! The trip is gorgeous!!! It was even accompanied by the performance of music on national instruments! To all friends who will go to Azerbaijan. we will recommend the Smile tour. Thank you very much! Good luck and prosperity!!!
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2
August 21, 2023
On the first trip there was a delay of 40 minutes, everyone was waiting for another car and not a single guide thought of somehow defusing the situation and telling something. By the way, that trip was still successful thanks to the guide Ali. Well, with delays, the organization of a trip to the village of Khiny wishes the best. I left this trip as an extreme, enjoy the views, as promised by representatives and guides. So what? I enjoyed the darkened windows, small and low, through which much is not visible! That is, for 12 hours of the trip, I enjoyed the views for a maximum of 2 hours at the stops. The only place where you could enjoy the scenery (next to the driver) was occupied by a "surprise", and not just occupied it, but drove the tourist who was already sitting there. I thought that there would be music to play, but there is no just to go! He swapped with another tourist only on the way back, due to the fact that one passenger became ill and was asked to. During the trip, the window broke, which was repaired after a long time, but during this time it managed to inflate my ear and neck. The views of Azerbaijan are gorgeous, but whether it is worth going in this direction with this company is a big question. The guide brought me to lunch, to a place where they sell only kutabs, which cost twice as much, across the street are cheaper, which are with meat... They will just be anointed with meat.... And he won't really be inside. On the way back, one woman was sick from them. So, if you go with this company, then only to Gabustan, and if the guide is Ali, take a free night walk and do not contact them anymore.
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August 8, 2023
We were on a Guba-Khynylig tour with this company. We made a very good discount - 50 manats per person, from additional costs - kutabs on the way for 4 manats. Great guide Timur👍He told a lot about the history of the country, sympathetic, cheerful. I highly recommend it.
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April 23, 2024
Excellent excursions, thank you for showing Azerbaijan in all its glory, special thanks to the guide Orhan, which is translated from the Iranian language)
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February 10, 2024
Thanks to the guide Samir for a really rich and exciting tour of the old town. It feels like a person loves what he does and knows this business!
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August 21, 2024
Poor organization of excursions. There are two language groups on the same bus. It's hard to listen. They bring you to a restaurant for lunch with crazy prices. I didn't like the travel agency.
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September 21, 2023
We went with the Smile Tour to Guba-Khynalyg! Great ride! Insanely interesting! I liked everything very much! An excellent guide Timur and a wonderful driver!))
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March 28, 2023
We bought an excursion from this travel agency Absheron 1 - a trip to Gobustan with a visit to the Bibi-heybat mosque and mud volcanoes. As a gift, there was a free Night tour of Baku or the Old City, to choose from. We chose night, or rather evening. Doubts about the quality of services have already crept in here. Suddenly, the group gathered an international one, the tour was conducted in English and Russian, they were not warned about this. The guide, a young girl, immediately made it clear that this was not her first excursion today and that she was very tired. Then a visit to the alley of the shahids and the observation deck at the foot of the fire towers with a sluggish excursion accompaniment. Then transfer to the embankment and march 700 meters to the concert hall where the Eurovision Song Contest was held, and back. For the age participants, the path was not easy. Well, everything fades with the circumstances of the main trip, which was scheduled for the morning... In the morning, instead of the promised tourist minibus, a very tired and very compact old minivan was waiting for us. Transport is completely unsuitable for excursions. 7 people were crammed into the cabin with difficulty, while half of the seats are located with their backs in the direction of movement. There is a leaky tinting on the windows, the interior is shabby, dilapidated, the doors do not open from the inside, traces of rust on metal parts. The interior has obviously been redone more than once. The female guide, whom I didn't hear her name (maybe for the best), settled in the front seat. About the content of the tour, I will say this. This is very, very unprofessional. There was no introductory part with general information about the country, economy and population. What I see, I sing. The audibility is poor, there is no microphone. She answered our questions in an unverified way, or ignored them. Most of the time I talked to the passenger in the front seat on everyday topics. After discussing the overall impression with the group on the way back, we can say that the quality of the service disappointed. The level needs to be tightened. This does not apply to the sights seen. They're great!!!
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October 7, 2023
We bought the tour "Gabala".
The disappointment began already with the bus - it was, rather, a minibus. There was no excursion. According to the principle of "what I see, I sing", although while we were leaving Baku, there was already a lot of interesting things to tell. In fact, it was "here is our theater, by the way, and now we will go to Moskovskaya Street."
Then the bus broke down, and we had to wait 40 minutes for another one to arrive. The minivan arrived even worse than the previous one. After driving for a long time, the guide generally slept halfway, and talked with the driver for the rest of the time.
They were brought to a restaurant, lunch in which, of course, was not included (of course, everything is exorbitantly expensive there).
We had 1.5 hours to go to the mountains themselves (despite the fact that we drove back and forth for about 10!).
Logically, it is completely ill-conceived, it is unclear whether it was worth going there at all.
Although the views are just amazing!
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3
February 9, 2023
Thank you for the clear organization of excursions and erudite, friendly guides. I received a lot of interesting information, the city conquered its beauty, I want to come to your city again in the warm season. Thank you very much.
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2
June 20, 2024
Let's start with the fact that the organization of tours is "no". They do not accept any Russian payment cards!!!!
At first, we waited 20 minutes for the latecomers. Go. The guide was either silent about the surrounding sights, or did not know anything. They kept silent about the move for about 3 hours, between locations. The guide was only interested in stopping for a smoke, or listening to his music, at full volume (no one asked him about either). Lunch on the lake is a separate song. An expensive restaurant where absolutely no one knows how to cook. All the dishes are too salty. We arrived there in the rain, no one was waiting for us there. We had lunch on the outdoor terrace in the rain and wind. It also became known there that the funicular where we are going is not working. But we went there anyway. We arrived, looked at the non-working Funicular, cow cakes and drove back. We drove back along the dirt road, at a speed of 30 km / h, still in silence. The tour guide smoked) we stopped at a honey store, where we spent about an hour (the store owner gave a kickback). We returned to Baku at about one o'clock in the morning. If you hear "Smile Tour"-run!!!!
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August 4, 2024
From pleasant impressions, Inara's guide and the boy who drove around the night city. The organization of the excursion is more or less normal. But the sediment remained, they did not provide information about the cost of entrance tickets, 6 manats answered the question, as a result, about 30 turned out, gobustan surcharge, temple of fire surcharge, burning mountain, surcharge, people were nervous, going home by taxi, just not into this mess. Guide Samir did not come in at all, the information is zero, but he tried.
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January 13, 2023
We were on a guided tour with Sergey. I really liked Gobustan and the temple of fire.
The guide Sergey works perfectly.
Baku is super!
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November 3, 2023
I liked everything, children without a place for free, with a place a 50 percent discount. Even if you really ask for a discount, you can knock out one excursion paid with a Russian card, but the translation course is not the most profitable. When ordering any excursion, a night tour of Baku is given as a gift.
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September 20, 2023
Kind, responsive and professional team!Thank you all!
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May 17, 2023
Excellent attitude to customers, you can make a payment by transfer from a Russian bank, which is very convenient.
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May 14, 2023
Ali's guide is very pleasant, knowledgeable, able to win people over. More such specialists and tourists will go to Azeybarjan.
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May 16, 2024
Tours for the 3rd, the organization fails. It turns out to gallop through Europe, but in 1 day we managed to see all the most interesting things)
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December 12, 2023
Well done, guys.I liked the excursions.The guides are super
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November 9, 2023
excellent excursions (were on 4), excellent guide Sabukhi! 👍
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December 18, 2023
A complete disappointment
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