Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s a perfect description, based on what our past travellers have said – friendly, delicious, and eye-opening!

Traveling with Feride Buyuran Tours is an eye-opening and transformative experience, one which you will never forget. We keep our groups small and intimate, much like traveling with your own family. Meticulously designed to immerse our guests in the richness of the cultures, our tours take you to off-the-beaten-path places and bring you into the homes of the locals and let you experience food prepared and shared by them. You hear their stories, you connect, and get a better understanding of local life. For our hosts too, it is an equally enlightening experience and they learn from interacting with you. You also have countless encounters with nature, art, history, architecture, and folklore, that make your journey fulfilling and enjoyable. We believe in sustainable tourism, slow food practices, and social impact travel.

We welcome all travelers, curious and open to new cultures and experiences! For children, see below. We request that you be in good health (see next question).

There is a good amount of walking on uneven surfaces and over difficult terrain such as cobblestones and steep city hills, so a general level of fitness is required for most of our group tours. There is also some hiking on hills and climbing stairs at locations not always accessible by car. Be ready for early morning wake-ups (particularly to travel to far destinations) and other typical travel-related scenarios. Our tours are suitable for those in good health who are physically fit, and comfortable with short or long days of touring.

Because of the diverse nature of the cultural and culinary experiences we offer on our tours, our age range is quite broad—20 to 80 years old. We’ve even had travelers as young as 16.

To travel independently, you must be at least 18 years of age. Children under the age of 18 are welcome to join our custom-designed private tours. Children 15 years of age and older can join our group tours. In both cases, an adult must accompany a minor under 18. Regardless of age, children must pay full tour price unless otherwise stated. There are no upper age limits for most of our tours but all participants must be in good health and be physically fit.

We keep our group sizes small. Our goal is to have no more than 10–12 participants in a single group tour, so that you get the most out of your trip. Small group tours are more intimate and friendly and they don't overwhelm our hosts. Plus, you have a certain degree of flexibility to move around, to talk to people, and to enjoy spontaneous encounters. Small groups feel cozier when gathered around meal tables in local homes – you’ll feel like a part of the family!

Not at all! Our tours are open to anyone, cooks or not. The only prerequisites we have – you need an adventurous and curious spirit to explore a new place and culture!

It's not necessary to travel from the U.S. to join our tours. They are open to anyone from anywhere in the world. We've had travelers from as far as New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa!

Because our travelers arrive from all over the world for the tour, we are unable to include international airfare in our tour prices. But we would be happy to help you arrange your flight.

On some tours, flying domestically may be required to reach destinations within a country. In this case, airfare will be included in the total tour price. Should there be an exception, this will be disclosed in the tour brochure.

We will try our best to pair you up with another single traveller in your group to share a room with (but cannot guarantee the result). Remember to indicate this request on your reservation form.

On our tour registration forms, there is a section asking you to specify your dietary restrictions and food likes and dislikes. Just fill it out and leave the rest to us. Whether you are a hard-core meat-eater, or a dedicated vegetarian, rest assured that you will never go hungry on our tours! There is so much for every taste and preference to enjoy!

Each country has its own visa rules. There are many countries whose citizens may enter Georgia without a visa, but please check the list here to be certain. You will need a visa for Azerbaijan, which you can obtain electronically for a small fee here or here. Please note that because of the changing nature of visa rules, we will email you the most current visa requirements to a particular country upon your signing up for a tour.

Most of the expenses are covered, including food, accommodation, tour guides, transportation, museum admission, cooking classes, wine tastings, and so much more. Specific details are outlined for each tour, so please refer to particular tours for more information.

Yes, we strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance, medical insurance, and/or trip cancellation insurance, as they are not included in the tour price.

Our tour policies include cancellation, price coverage, travel and medical insurance, and others. When you contact us about a particular tour, we email you all the policies along with the itinerary and registration form.

Yes, and we can arrange additional accommodation at our starting or ending hotels. Contact us at tours@feridebuyuran.com with your request, at least 60 days before the start of the tour. If we are unable to provide you with the extra nights at the same hotels (no availability, etc.), we will suggest other accommodation, which you can book on your own.

Absolutely! Pick a tour you like and we’ll adjust the itinerary to match your requirements. We can also create a brand new tour just for you, your family or your group of friends. Just contact us at tours@feridebuyuran.com with your private tour request.

Sure! Leave it to us! Drawing upon our expertise in the area, we create personalized itineraries for individuals and groups with special interests in food, arts and crafts, music, history, architecture, and more.

In advance of your trip, we will send you an informational package to help you better prepare for the tour, including details about obtaining a visa, local airport guidelines, weather information, clothing and packing tips, and know-hows. We will also include a suggested reading list.

You can reach us by email at tours@feridebuyuran.com or by calling 1-562-774-3144 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time.

Join our e-mail list for news about our upcoming tours and specials. We always explore brand new routes and experiences to design more exciting tours for our travelers. We’ll keep you posted on all the new journeys we’re planning.