Frequently Asked Questions

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

Feride Buyuran is our our CED (Chief Experience Designer). She imagines each journey and carefully crafts it into reality. On the ground, our trusted guides, artisans, hosts, drivers, and local experts contribute their insights, ensuring every experience is authentic and memorable. Together, they bring the vision to life.

Traveling with Feride Buyuran Tours is an eye-opening, transformative experience you will never forget. Our groups are kept small and intimate—like traveling with your own family. Each tour is meticulously designed to immerse you in the richness of local cultures, taking you to off-the-beaten-path places and into the homes of locals, where you can taste food prepared and shared by them. You’ll hear their stories, connect deeply, and gain a true understanding of daily life. For our hosts, it’s equally enlightening—they learn and grow through their interactions with you. Along the way, you’ll encounter nature, art, history, architecture, and folklore, making every moment of your journey fulfilling and memorable. We are committed to sustainable tourism, slow food practices, and travel that creates a positive social impact. Read more HERE.

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).

Our group tours involve a fair amount of walking on uneven surfaces, cobblestones, and steep city hills, so a general level of fitness is required. Some hikes, hill climbs, and stairs at locations not accessible by car are also part of the experience. Expect early morning departures—especially for distant destinations—and other typical travel scenarios. Our tours are best suited for individuals in good health who are comfortable with long days of exploring. IMPORTANT: Please carefully consider your health and fitness before joining. Participation should only be undertaken if you are confident in your ability to handle the level of activity offered. While we aim to be accommodating, joining a tour without the necessary fitness can place stress on organizers and impact the experience for fellow travelers.

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 15 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.

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.