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We enjoyed our guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Communication was good and we appreciated the option to get a lunch delivered on the bus. Our time did change to 3 hours earlier than we booked but that's ok, sort of expected it being winter. We queued for an hour outside but once in we were quickly ushered to start our tour. I liked that we had a small group and a headphone set to listen to the guide. The guide was knowledgeable and respectful which I liked. The tour did feel rushed as it was very busy and we didn't spend much time in Birkenau as I thought we would. Transport was good and we could leave our bags on the bus too.

A truly exceptional visit with a guide who was involved and touched by the history of the place. Everything was precise and explained in the best possible way. Just lots and lots of people at the start of the tour and in places in the camp, which made the place a bit unnatural. But I highly recommend it.

Good information prior to the trip and the pick up was fairly close to the (revised) time. The mini coach was comfortable and the driver (Michael) was excellent. We didn't feel like we were being rushed or pushed around and there were plenty of 'comfort' breaks during the day. We went with Michael and skipped the queues as we entered Auschwitz 1 prior to going through the document check and scan. Inside we met with our guide and we received headphones to keep us connected during the duration of the tour. The female guide was absolutely excellent. Knowledgeable, informative, clear communication and we were led round at a very acceptable pace, never feeling that we needed more time, but also just the right amount of time spent at each stop. The guide accompanied us to Camp 2 and walked in cold, snowy conditions, keeping up the commentary and adjusting to pace to suit the conditions. Michael drove us back to Kraków and dropped us back in the city in very good time. Our only negative was what we had read so often in reviews prior to booking the experience. We were emailed on the day prior to the trip, to say that out booked time of 9am had to be changed to an earlier pick up time of 8am. It wasn't a drastic change and was no problem at all.

The visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps was an intense and meaningful experience, which we recommend because of the historical importance and the expertise of the guide. Unfortunately, there were two aspects that lead us to leave a less positive review. First, the tour was moved up for us by three and a half hours (from 9 a.m. to 5:40 a.m.), but the communication came only when the time to request a refund or change the reservation had expired. Unfair behavior and definitely frustrating. In addition, during the second part of the visit, the one to Birkenau, the guide-probably due to the severe weather-hastened the outdoor route a lot. This made it difficult to follow the explanations and even physically stand behind her, penalizing a part of the tour that is among the most important and touching. Overall, the experience remains highly positive, but time management and the too-rapid pace of the second half negatively affected the visit.

We really loved the overall experience! The only downside that can be mentioned is the early start. If you read the comments section before making any reservation online, then you are aware that the hour you choose and the actual hour of the meeting are two completely different things 😄. Regarding that, the guys from the tour are completely professional about it, they wrote me in two different places about the change of the meeting time to make sure we are aware. Following with the good example was our tour organiser Philip. He was extremely helpful and kept us informed about everything going on. The quality of the bus was really nice and the ride was pretty enjoyable. About the place itself - it's something you have to see with your own eyes.