What They Say About Us

I cannot use enough superlatives to describe the incredible standard of service that I have received from Great Game on my two trips to Afghanistan ... I already knew about Great Game from living and working in Tajikistan where they have been working for many years and so I was confident that Great Game Afghanistan would provide a good service. They completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment I contacted Andre Mann, the general manager, I knew that I was dealing with an extraordinarilly professional and competent outfit that would bend over backwards to accomodate my needs ... It has been pleasing to find that this adherence to high standards is not limited to Andre but is shared by Great Game's international and national employees.
   I always knew that our security and welfare were paramount ... I was able to relax and enjoy the trip with my family knowing that I was completely in safe hands.
   However the real test of any relationship is when things don't go smoothly and this was when I realised the true calibre of Great Game. I had to return to Dushanbe via Kabul but at the very last minute Ariana Air had changed the schedule which threw all my connections out of joint. On the strength of our initial relationship, Great Game quickly stepped into gear and shouldered the costs of my change of tickets ... They also arranged an overland trip for me specially, from Kabul to Sher Banda on the Tajik border so that I could get into Dushanbe as planned. It was my first time driving through the Salang Tunnel and it was a glorious experience - made more enjoyable because of my feeling of security that came from travelling with Great Game. I am thankful that the initial mishap happened otherwise I would have ended up doing the boring flight from Dushanbe to Kabul!
   For me, Great Game travel is now more than a travel company - they are friends that I can rely on in Afghanistan for all my travel needs. I know I can pick up the phone or send an email and they will immediately start the ball rolling.

I would like to say a big thank you for a beautiful and safe trip in Afghanistan!
   My friends and colleagues told me, that I would be crazy, if I am going to Afghanistan. But I told them, that I will be in good hands with Great Game Travel and that they would do their best, that I have a safe trip. I was sure about this, because of my experience with Great Game Travel in Tajikistan in 2004.
   The constant contact by e-mail in preparation of the tour and the explanations about the safety situation in the country as whole and especially along my route was very helpful and showed me, that safety is your top priority.
   During my stay in Afghanistan I felt safe at any time and there was no situation I felt uncomfortable. It was a pleasure to have Jonathan on my side - he is a real encyclopedia and I was very impressed about his knowledge of the history of Central Asia. Before the tour I already knew a lot of Central Asia history, but I learned a lot more during my trip. Also your Afghan staff was excellent. Dad-e-Allah was a very canny driver and did a great job. Faizullah, one of the two Afghan guides, was a real enrichment of the tour - he likes to tell foreigners about his country and do this in an interesting way. Furthermore he is a person with humour and it was fun to have him with the tour. Jamshid, the other Aghan guide, did also a good job and I was impressed to have a former bodyguard of Hamid Karzai with me.
   Last but not least I will mention the important man in the background: Mr. Shafiq. After the security briefing on the arrival day I was convinced, that everything is done, to provide safety on my tour. Mr. Shafiq is worth a lot for Great Game Travel and you are lucky to have this experienced security officer in your team.
   The route Kabul-Bamiyan-Mazar/Balkh allowed me to see the diversity of Afghanistan. I saw the bustling capital, the beautiful scenery along the route to Bamiyan, a lot of history sights in Balkh and the beautiful blue shrine in Mazar. The beginning of May was also a good time to travel, because the climate was pleasing and I saw a lot of green fields.
   I wish you all the best for your project to develop tourism in Afghanistan!

Looking back to this year, the highlight was the trip to Tajikistan. And this because of you and your staff. Thanks very much. Werner and I still talk a lot about this trip which will be one of the most fascinating in all my travel (and I have visited about 100 countries). The people of Tajikistan, the sceneries, the atmosphere, the markets and so much more.

Thank you for all your help and great hospitality at The Great Game guesthouse!

Just to thank you all at Great Game for a spectacularly good trip this summer.

How is my favorite driver of all times, Ulmas?

We very much enjoyed the trip, especially our time in the mountains in Tajikistan. Your local rep. in Penjikent was superb, so hospitable and so flexible when our plans had to change.

I finally made it back to Tashkent after an amazing trip. It was really fantastic. Thank you so much again to you and Mastona for the emergency help with the GBAO without which it would have been a non-starter.

The trip was wonderful and we learned a lot. It was an adventure for lifetime as promised by you. Many thanks for all your efforts and your quick reaction. We enjoyed the tour very much. Ulmas was a perfect driver, always skillful and helpful. He was more than a driver, more a good travel compaignon. Congratulations on having such a driver.

You are really perfect! Thanks for the quick answer and your service!

Just a quick e-mail to say "THANKS" for all you arranged for me this past month! I really enjoyed it.

Please give our fond regards to Ulmas, who was such an excellent and cheerful driver, and to your intrepid guides Dilik and Gulya. Thanks to all of you for making our time in Tajikistan so enjoyable.

Just want to let you know that everything went very well, that Ruslan was terrific, that I enjoyed staying at the guesthouse and that I'm quite impressed with the business you've managed to put together under less than ideal conditions.

Thank you so much for the LOI, as always I am impressed with the speed and service of Great Game Travel.

We had a wonderful time in Tajikistan and have been singing it and your praises since our return. Thank you so much. We were deeply impressed by you and will happily recommend you to friends and family. Particular thanks to Ulmas for his wonderful driving, calmness and excellent cooking skills! Particular thanks to Ruslan for his stories and knowledge of Tajik history! Thank you both for being such wonderful companions and for your unfailing sense of humour.

Ashley, it has been a pleasure doing business with you. Thank you very much for your support and constant communications throughout this ticketing process. You are a great asset to your company. I appreciate the very clear and accurate information you provided and the reliability of service.

Thanks for all your help in sorting out the flights and the advice along the way. It has been really helpful and your company have provided a very professional and friendly service, I hope that business continues to go well and I would certainly recommend your service.

What surprised all of us - is the complete mismatch between the situation in Tajikistan and public opinion about it in Russia. For most people here the words "Tajikistan" and "war" are almost identical, so only few of them are so "brave" to go there (compared to Soviet times).

My Christmas letter tells people that my visit to Tajikistan was the high spot of my year - largely thanks to the Great Game Travel Company.

'... the personal service, the care of the guide and of course the beautiful mountains of Tajikistan'

'... the trekking in the mountains, the enthusiasm of the people who organised and guided us'

'... the first couple of days were hard but once I got into it, I enjoyed the scenery and the quietness. You know, coming from London and being away from everything, completely!'