Immerse yourself in Varanasi's essence. 2 Days Tour

I've booked Streetwise Varanasi for two different trips in 2024. Rahul and his team are excellent guides who offer a unique tour of Varanasi. I was specific about my needs (I was filming a documentary) and Rahul made sure everything I needed to see and experience was covered. He can organize every detail from an airport meeting to hotel recommendations to experiencing an *insider* tour of Varanasi. I've been to Varanasi many times since 2003. Streetwise Varanasi Tours are wonderful guides to this sacred city.

Thanks Cristo for a wonderful, insightful, informative weekend in Varanasi. I would recommend Cristo for his immense passion and knowledge about the city and culture, as well as openness and professionalism. We were 2 ladies in a group, and i felt secure and taken care of. Cristo met us in the airport, and also he was meeting us every morning in a hotel. I totally recommend his assistance if you travel alone or ladies only group

I must be cursed, judging from the other reviews here, because I had a complete letdown. The tour began at the hotel reception where I met Rahul Cristoforo, who appeared unwell and was not dressed professionally. He informed me he couldn't guide due to health issues but had arranged for his uncle 'Guru' to take his place. Rahul assured me Guru's English was excellent and his knowledge was on par with his own. Trusting the other reviews, I decided to give it a chance. Sadly, Guru's English was very poor, making communication difficult. He led me through the old city's maze-like streets, stopping constantly to point out unremarkable things like broken stones or dilapidated buildings. Despite my lack of interest, he insisted on visiting his 'aroma therapy' shop and kept misleading me about how close we were, leading us through increasingly crowded streets. He wasn't attentive and I even lost him a couple of times due to his fast pace. I missed out on understanding the spiritual significance of Varanasi due to the language barrier. Additionally, Guru was haggling over every rupee for tuk-tuks, because the 'local transportation' was included in the tour price and he wanted to save some money, but we wasted a lot of time. To his credit, he navigated the city's labyrinthine streets well, and I did see some hidden corners, though they felt sketchy and unsafe at times. I had to cut the tour short as I wasn't comfortable. The next day, I booked a different tour with a professional guide through my hotel, and it was a night-and-day difference. While I believe the people running this tour are good human beings trying to make a living, the entire operation lacks the professionalism and quality one would expect given the price and reviews. For what I paid (~$180), this tour was a complete scam and I'll be requesting a refund. I've been to 45 countries and taken many guided tours and I always try to be understanding while traveling, so I'm very sorry to write this negative review. But I hope this feedback helps other travelers and the organizers, too.