Mr. Vytautas Bukauskas (Lithuania) – the leader of Lithuanian group

bukauskasv@yahoo.com

In November 2007, 11 travelers from Lithuania had a great trip all over Yemen and Socotra island.

One of the members of the tour was also a journalist Mrs.  Neringa Skrudupaite from Lithuanian National TV travel program "Keliauk ! (Lets travel !) ”

We have made 4 TV documentaries about Yemen which all had big success on TV.

Trip was perfectly organized by Yemeni tour operator, run by Tina Zorman, named “Eternal Yemen".

We strongly recommend this agency to other travelers to Yemen, as Eternal Yemen is very trustful, reliable and professional at organizing trips round Yemen and Soqotra Island.

Jan Verelst (Belgium)

jverelst.2017@ond.irisnet.be

I was travelling with my friend through Yemen in 2007. Our trip was organized by “Eternal Yemen, tour and travel operator” under the excellent leadership of Tina Zorman. We spent nearly 4 weeks in the west of Yemen, as we travelled in summertime and were mainly interested in the mountains and walking (we have visited Sana’a and the neighborhood - with lovely villages like Bokur – Thula – Shibam – and other cities in the west, like Ibb, Jibla, Taizz, Zabid, Mahweet etc ). We have done several trekking in the mountains around Kawkaban, Taizz, Manakha and Jebel Burra (one of the most impressive mountain range of Yemen).

Our entire trip was organized by Tina Zorman and her team.

I just want to recommend “Eternal Yemen” to all travelers to this so beautiful country. Don’t hesitate to go to Yemen and to use the services of “Eternal Yemen”, as they are professional, fast in responding and reliable.

Orlena, Kranj, Slovenia

I and my friends visited Yemen in October 2007. Since we had only three weeks (not nearly enough for this beautiful country) we wanted to cover as much Yemen as possible in the short time we had. Tina Zorman was my contact person at Eternal Yemen and with all the dealings with the agency. She listened very carefully to our wishes and than made us the perfect tailor-made programme for our trip. We started in Socotra, where we spent one week, and the next two weeks we were travelling over land in Yemen. Eternal Yemen truly made our trip unforgettable. They are a very professional and very warm team and our drivers and guides on the road were our best friends on that trip.  

Yemen is an amazing country with a highly diverse landscape that leaves you in awe. There is also a stunning architecture and last but not least, the smiling faces of the Yemenis that are among the warmest and nicest people I have ever met. .. And then, there is Socotra; a true natural gem so stunningly beautiful that just simply takes your breath away!

Although some years have passed from our trip, the beauty of the country and its people still resonates in my mind and in my heart. It is definitely on my to-do-again travel list! And when I do it again, my first and only choice will be Eternal Yemen!

 Thank you Tina and Waleed for an unforgettable experience! And see you again soon, insha'allah!

2008

Stojan Ulčar, Bled, Slovenia, travelled round Yemen in 2008

Stojan.Ulcar@lip-bled.si

Hallo to everybody to whom it may concern!

All the travels we take start and end in our minds and only few gains and retain the privilege of our ultimate life experiences. Just recently Eternal Yemen was the one to make our stay in Yemen and Soqotra one of them by guiding our small group of four pretty different previous experienced participants (from a stay-at-home freak to a globe trotter) beyond the conventional professional protocols.

Communication is the key word when talking not only about a particular society but about any of them. The more we learn about the foreign countries the better we understand our own one and that is exactly what our guide, Tina Zorman, provided us with on a very engaged unconventional way. It started by e-mailing (which by the way is still working all right) and reached the highlights by introducing us to her family and friends. Actually it was a very welcome mutual experience getting to know not only the county of Yemen as it is but also the reasons for it being so. Everybody around her was genuine spontaneous and so we soon turned to be ourselves. And there is one more fact not to be forgotten: all the local guides all the way were pretty enthusiastic about Tina, not feeling either superior or inferior at any time. So we were guided not only by the book on the facts but by the encyclopedia on the real life down there itself.

Anyway, it was Tina Zorman's reputation in our home country that made us call on her for the initial basic information on the country and she responded on a very personal way by having organized our stay truly individual, showing her skills to read our wishes and needs (not to mention some original fears) also between the lines. The result is that I really can and do recommend everybody to visit, see and experience the essential dimensions of the country as it is. Tina is sure the one to master her or his stay there from the first hallo to the last good-bye (in different languages), not necessarily being aware of it.

I believe that Tina Zorman and Eternal Yemen have been practicing a new kind of mutual understanding between different cultures all over the world on a very efficient and lasting way and so Tina has been setting the criteria of the state of art guiding reasonable higher for all her colleagues, no matter whom and where they guide all right. 

Yours sincerely, Stojan Ulcar

Janez Fajfar, Mayor of Bled, Slovenia, Traveled in 2009

janez.fajfar@gmail.com

With these lines, I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed my tour through the fabulous Yemen, organized by Tina Zorman from "Eternal Yemen". Many people are alas scared to go to this unique country. But Tina's attitude to the local people, who seem to have great respect for her, made us feel safe and very welcome too anywhere we came in Yemen. Tina even brought us to the home of her Yemeni husband where we enjoyed their unspoilt hospitality and most delicious Yemenite cooking of her mother in law.

It might not be easy for guide in a troublesome region, especially for a woman, probably, but she doesn’t seem like she would have any troubles with that.

Tina does a great service to her new home country, trying so hard to promote Yemeni tourism. She also does a great service to the country she comes from and for Europeans in Yemen in general. The more people know each other, the more they trust each other and so prevent all unnecessary troubles.

Very much hoping to enjoy another trip to Yemen with Eternal Yemen agency, I send to all of you my best regards.

Johhny Haglund, Oslo, Norway, LP photographer

johnny_haglund@msn.com, http://www.johnnyhaglund.com/

"I travelled in Yemen in 2009, as a photographer. I used Eternal Yemen to arrange everything on my trip. During my stay in Yemen, I visited the Haraz Mountains, Taizz, Bir Ali, Tarim, Shibam, Sana'a and a few other places. The whole trip was planned in details, but since my job requires some flexibility, we did encounter a few obstacles. For instance, in Bir Ali I wanted to go out with the fishermen in the early morning and spend the day with them. The military did not like that idea. But my very professional guide from Eternal Yemen, used his charm and really put a great effort into it. And in the end, I was allowed to go.
 

And that's the feeling I went home with. That the company I used in Yemen, really did everything they could to make things the way I wanted.
 

I've got no complaints what-so-ever, after using Eternal Yemen, and I will not hesitate to recommend them to anyone traveling to this beautiful country."

Marko Polajžer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Maribor, Slovenia

marko.polajzer@gov.si

Dear Tina and Eternal Yemen team,

I travel a lot. Almost without exception I organize the trips myself and travel individually. For Yemen however in February 2009, I made an exception, because of limited time available as well as time consuming permits and other arrangements that has to be done on the spot.

I’ve heard of Eternal Yemen and Tina Zorman from one of my friends, who had an excellent experience travelling to Yemen just some months before. I contacted Tina and asked her to organize for me an individual tour, intensive, including also some trekking. She sent me some proposals and I choose one. Everything went very smoothly till the time for visiting the Marib region was scheduled. Just one day before the Marib region was closed for travelling. I remember Tina contacted me at the hotel in Sana’a and told me the unfortunate news. But she had already the alternative solutions for next two days. I accepted and in these two days I made two of the most wonderful trekking in my life.

All in all this was my first trip after probably 20 years of »self travelling« organized by a travel agency. It was a complete success and I plan to go to Yemen again, this time to Soqotra Island and the west region that I didn't visit on my first trip. I will be most happy to use the services of Eternal Yemen again.

Spyros Kollias, Switzerland, spkollias@gmail.com

Maria Zarifi (Greece), maria.zarifi@gmail.com

Dear Eternal Yemen team, 

We are back home safe and very sad for leaving Yemen. This country and particularly its people they really captured our heart.

Thank you very much for designing the most wonderful trip for us. The 2 weeks in Yemen were more than we ever expected. Everything was organized in perfection and everyone from your team was very friendly, welcoming, helpful and professional. Please transfer our great thanks to Bilal and particularly to Amin (the best companion we ever had in our several trips round the world so far).

Thank you again for organizing this trip excellently and for helping us to know this beautiful country and its people. We hope to come and visit again some day and we will of course let you know to organize our trip again. If you ever come to Switzerland I would be glad to see you again.

Our best regards and wishes to everybody from Eternal Yemen and to your family. We are happy to recommend Eternal Yemen to all the people that would like to visit this exceptional country, Yemen !

Myriam, Marc, Zelie and Leo

Doha, Qatar,

myriammariage@yahoo.fr

Dear Eternal Yemen team,

Thanks so much for your nice intention. I've received a letter with the incense and your gifts. At the moment I'm writing to you, I'm listening the Yemeni music that reminds me on the last evening with all the dances and the musicians. Leo did particularly enjoy this part of the journey and participated at the dances, he is more adventurous then me. We don't stop talking about our trip and showing the 1600 photos, taken during our staying !!!

Thanks again and I hope everything will be all right for you, especially for the kids and the work. We will certainly recommend Eternal Yemen to all the people who will want to travel to Yemen.

Lawrence Leventhal, USA

My experience in Yemen including Socotra was positive. The hotel in Sana’a was deluxe and the city tour was fine. The lady, Tina, who owns Eternal Yemen and is from Slovenia with a Yemeni husband, invited me to her home for lunch which was nice. She also met me at the airport when I returned from Socotra and was waiting for my flight to Addis Ababa. The hotel in Socotra was clean and satisfactory although simple. The people were very friendly. The island is beautiful with fascinating botanical species unique to the island especially the trees called dragons’ blood. The guides both in Sana’a and in Socotra were good and I very much enjoyed my stay there.

Jake Zenn, Wash DC, USA

jacobzenn@gmail.com

I traveled with Eternal Yemen in June 2010 to Ibb, Taiz, Al-Mokha and Manakah as well as other stops on the way. I really appreciated that my driver never cut any roads short as I hear agencies do at times. Instead, he took me to extra places on the tour that were slightly out of the way, like the city of Zabid which was very interesting. My driver has also shared his personal knowledge with me on Yemen’s tribal culture and his feelings on international relations. All of the bookings and trip plans were carried out timely and adjustment (like qat breaks) were accepted according to my request.

So I would say anybody should go to Yemen because it is safe enough and the people will welcome you and for a tour Eternal Yemen is the best for arranging your visa, being adaptable to your needs, and showing the countryside and scenery of Yemen.

Asier Huegun Burgos,

Usurbil, Basque country, Spain

asiburgos@yahoo.es

“Eternal Yemen? I had news about Yemen Eternal thanks to its fantastic website, and the truth, their services are like the website: very, but very good!

I think that now I know something about Yemen: this time was the sixth time that I visited the country and I am convinced that Eternal Yemen is really nice agency. It is a perfect blend of professionalism and kindness. Professionalism in getting visa and performing the trip and kindness in their relationship in correspondence and in the country. It is obvious that they know Yemen perfectly and that they wish the travelers feel like home and enjoy the hospitality of Yemeni people.

The next time that I come back to Yemen, I’ll do it with Eternal Yemen.  A real pleasure! Rihla sahida!

Rachel Bouey and Maureen Bouey, Canada

rmaryb@hotmail.com

My mother and I traveled to Yemen using the services of Eternal Yemen in May 2010 and I would highly recommend this company. Everything they took care of went very smoothly for us, from acquiring our visa, and getting us to and from the airport at arrival and departure, to all the details of our trip in and around Sana'a being taken care of. It allowed us to really enjoy our visit, the scenery, and meeting people, without having to worry about the complications of how to get things accomplished. This is of some significance when traveling in a country that is less touristy, and therefore not as easy to navigate as more tourist familiar places. Our driver was a very nice man, stopping where ever we asked for photo stops, and even keeping an eye out for things we might be interested in and stopping to show us. We were taken through a couple of villages, the old town of Sana's and for a small hike in the mountains by various guides, all interesting characters in their own right.

It was a great trip, and a big part of that was Eternal Yemen's organization and helpfulness. They even helped us out, supporting us and helping to settle a small dispute we had at a hammam where we felt we had been taken advantage of. 

Steve Spencer, US, visited Yemen Oct/Nov 2010

imagedispencer@hotmail.com

I've traveled throughout the Middle East, including places difficult for US passport holders to get into like Iran. Having heard and read a great deal about Yemen, it was on my dream list - as it is yours or you wouldn't be visiting this website.

Tina and Walid delivered on everything, including assistance through final departure, which was key. Considering the circumstances, I can't imagine you'll get a fairer price for a trip to Yemen that would be vastly more difficult to acquire on your own. 

Applying for the visa five weeks from travel put a lot of pressure on Eternal Yemen to come up with a variety of legitimate itineraries. I knew Socotra was safe, but didn't think I could get into the Hadramawt. Tina proved me wrong.

If you make it to Tarim, spend a little time in the Library. Scholars are happy to show you around and if you're nice they'll take you into an adjacent room to see the Cartographic, Geometric and Historical originals of the copies you see on the museum's walls.

Tina assured me she could secure the visa on her end. She did. She arranged drivers where it was necessary and let me go on my own where it wasn't. She arranged all the travel permits - a task left only to the most resolute, and lucky, on their own. Eternal Yemen's drivers used reliable Land Cruisers - you need a 4x4 and driver on Socotra, since you won't be able to find restricted roads on your own and your travel to the island isn't complete without a visit to Homhil. In the Hadramawt, a driver and police escort are mandatory. The police escorts encourage you to see the history and culture of their land. The Hadramawt proved safe for women as evidenced by the German couple I crossed paths with in Mukallah as they came south from the Wadi.

Eternal Yemen, with their professionalism, will help you stretch your sleeping bag under the Socotri moon. That's what you want, isn't it?

Dusan Erban, Kranj, Slovenia, visited Yemen in November 2007 and October 2010

dusan.erban@siol.net

Dear Tina and Eternal Yemen team,

I’m travelling for many years and till now I’ve discovered several different parts of our planet. I’ve travelled round Yemen twice with excellent team of drivers and guides of Eternal Yemen tour and travel operator, that have shown me the core of mysteriousness that you can experience just in this charming country, hidden from the fever of capitalism.

Yemen is a country where the time has stopped. The most important daily habit of Yemenis is qat chewing with friends and colleagues with its discussions and later deep thinking, that inspire you with new ideas and plans for the future. Simple and pious people friendly welcome you among themselves, if you just come close to them and speak a word or two.

All these and much more, Tina, your colleagues of Eternal Yemen team have revealed to me along the tour. Thank you again for everything and hopefully see you again in Yemen,

Dusan Erban

Omar Ryklief, Cape Town South Africa,

omar.ryklief@gmail.com

After having traveled to Yemen, I would often 'promote' the country as a must see travel destination to anyone that showed any interest.

Last year, a few of my family members decided to explore the country. We then set about getting the travel arrangements in order using my contacts that I forged in the past. Unfortunately, arranging visas to enter Yemen proved to be very difficult. I then remembered the Eternal Yemen link my cousin sent to me months before. After reading testimonials on the website and on travel blogs from past tourists, I was convinced that Eternal Yemen is a reputable travel company and contacted Tina Zorman. Tina promptly did all the documentation for the visas, arranged the tours and accommodation. My family thoroughly enjoyed their stay in Yemen and were more than happy with the professionalism and service that they received from Tina Zorman and the team at Eternal Yemen.

Thank you Eternal Yemen!

Omar Ryklief

Noordien family, Cape Town, South Africa

shehaam.noordien@gmail.com

In November 2010 my cousin Omar Ryklief recommended we use Tina Zorman of Eternal Yemen to organise a tour Yemen. Tina quickly organised for us to go to Ibb, Jibla Taiz, Aden, Zabid, Manaka, and back to Sanaa. She provided us with an excellent and reliable driver that was as "our father along the trip", transport and also very good hotels in Sanaa, Taiz and Manaka. She also provided us with water and local guides for the entire trip. We had no problems going through the check points as all paperwork was in place. Tina was efficient even in a short trip that we requested just in the time that we wanted to have it and successfully organised it !

Everything Tina promised, she gave. I will in all earnest recommend Tina and Eternal Yemen, tour operator for any tours in Yemen !

Regards, Noordien Family,

George Kash, USA

george_kash@hotmail.com

I have been to over 50 countries and I found Yemen to be one of the most unique and amazing places I have ever visited. Hiking in the mountains, scuba diving in Socotra and all the amazing people and culture added to a once in a lifetime experience. Everyone I came in contact with was extremely friendly and helpful and my only regret with my trip was that I didn’t have more time in Yemen.

Special thanks to everyone at Eternal Yemen for organizing such a well planned and flawless trip!

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