First did an Urban Safari tour with a group of UK Travel Agents in September 07. Daniel, the charismatic Tour Operator, clearly has very extensive knowledge of SFO and this, combined with his incredible sense of humour, made for a fabulous half-day.
I returned to SFO last month, September 08, this time with my wife. We took the Safari again, and to my delight, covered some of the same traditional spots, AND Daniel kept it fresh by going off-the-beaten track to new locations and sites.
Can't recommend Daniel highly enough.
The Urban Safari tour of San Francisco was fantastic!! Daniel knows so much about the city and made sure to customize the tour so it fit my party perfectly. It is a great way to see the city in style, learn about it’s history, and just have fun. I would recommend this tour to anyone; young or old, male or female, families, honeymooners, business parties, ANYONE!
My friends and I took the Urban Safari and our guide was just great. I have traveled to 26 countries and I know all too well the let down of being stuck on a long tour bus that sounded great and then I end up feeling like I'm wasting my precious time. This guy and this fun bus was a whole other experience. It was fun, included the important sites, some special, candid extras and I left with a good all-around feel for SF. The helmets were great too :). I wish things like this existed in all the countries I've been to, so I don't feel I wasted my trip but really did get to see the place the culture, the fun, and the famous stuff with a truly local guide. We saw the city from above at the art museum tower, saw the golden gate from below, saw important memorials, got burritos and chocolate...
Best experience in San Francisco. Daniel was a great tour guide taking my friends and I places to see in the city. His knowledge of the city is amazing. He guides you around town and explains what happens on basically every street corner. Also, the best part is that he caters to what your group really wants to see. ITS GREAT!!! My friends and I had a wonderful experience and can not wait to go back on the safari again.
I acted as a student leader for a group of Koreans and Americans travelling around the U.S. and the Urban Safari was the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax and let Daniel show the students what San Fransisco was like. He was very engaging with the international students and had a plethera of knowledge and jokes for all of us willing to learn as much as possible in the short time we had in San Fransisco. Visiting the ins and outs of San Fransisco is something that the students will never forget. Thank you Daniel!
We drove through the night to make our 9am tour and I would do it again in a heartbeat. You won't get a more personable tour guide than Dan and you certainly won't get one who is as excited and passionate about the city that he lives in. What other tour would take you to church on a sunday morning to be a part of the congregation and sing-a-long to gospel music. That was the highlight of the day for us. Dan is incredibly accomodating of the interests of the tour group. He would also be the world's best team mate in a quiz night if it had anything to do with San Fran. He has an intimate local knowledge and really gives you a crash course into the diverse culture and history of SF. For all the big and small attractions, the obvious and the out of the way, this is an eclectic mix that you give you a feel for what SF is all about. For those who are short on time this is the ultimate run through SF. Do yourself a favour and go on this tour.
I am the director of events for a large software company near San Francisco. I contacted the Urban Safari to design a special expedition for my troops. From the very first phone call, to the many e-mails and changes, Daniel was super organized and responsive. On the day of the big event we had to change timing because of some long meetings, and add a few more folks. Talk about flexible!!! The Urban Safari understands how companies work, and they were able to accommodate us perfectly. The tour was everything we hoped for and more. I can't say enough about this Adventure company's service, creativity and professionalism. Thank you, The Urban Safari. Thank you, Daniel!
What a breath of fresh air Daniel is! Could he be the best tour guide in the US? We think so. The Urban Safari tour was the most entertaining time we have spent in the US. The pace was great, the humour a welcome change, the stops excellent and the 'truck' very comfy! Great for kids, our 11 year old and 14 year old thought it was the best. Thanks Daniel. The Nicolosi Family.
Vernon of Urban Safari gave me and my three kids a great tour around San Francisco. He was caring funny and was able to connect with my 13 year old daughter, not a easy feat. As recommended on tripadvisor (lived up to the expectations) he showed us unique parts of San Francisco but really just took our family on a fun day, our best when in San Francisco. Thank you Vernon and thank you Urban Safari. Keep up the good work!
Had a great time -; Sharing all the tidbits I learned - Spreading the word about what a great thing to do when visiting San Francisco.
This is a "must do" tour. This is a zany and interesting tour with top notch guides--Daniel and D.W. did a great job bringing us to areas that are truly "off the beaten path." These are two great guys who obviously love San Francisco, and their excitement is contagious. Thanks Daniel and D.W. for helping Brittany and I create some wonderful memories and some fun pictures also!!! Your personal touch and ability to connect with safari members was just great. In fact, we almost thought we were extra special. We've traveled far and wide and this is one of my all-time favorite tours. To those considering participation in "The Urban Safari"---Just do it!
We had an amazing time with the best safari in the city. Funny, witty and well spoken. The guide showed us places out of the beaten path, and even spend an hour more to make sure that all places we asked to explore were covered. Well done!
I was a little put off when my friend suggested we take a tour, seeing how I lived in S.F. for over 3 years. As it turned out, I had the best time on Daniel and D.W.'s tour and learned so much more in that 4 hours than I did in over 3 years of living there. He's a good man with a great sense of humor. It's a must!
I highly recommend the Urban Safari. The owner, Daniel, is a wonderful, fun person. Our guide, DW, was funny, personable, and knowledgeable. He has been a travel guide for years throughout Europe, but he really shines in his native town of San Francisco. DW found out our interests prior to the tour, and had our tour tailor made to us--including pages of reference materials so we could keep exploring after the tour.
My husband and I and our two teenagers thought the Urban Safari was the highlight of our trip.Even if you think you know San Francisco, the tour is full of hidden gems and shows you the city in a whole new light.
Just returned from a trip to both Las Vegas and San Francisco. One of the highlights of the trip was the Urban Safari tour. We were a group of 4 ladies, ranging in ages from 30 to 60. Actually it was my Mum's 60th bday the day of the tour. From the first contact with Daniel, it was a success. It was booked easily, no hassles. DW, our guide, rang the night before to check everything was good to go. We had not told my mum what we had planned, actually we had threatened to take her bungy jumping! DW continued the joke, the next morning asking her if she was ready to jump from the GG bridge!
DW was a star. He arrived with a special hat for Mum especially to celebrate her birthday. The weather was awful but it didn't affect the tour. He was full of interesting information and took us to some unusual places. The irish coffee at the Bueno Vista was a gr8 sucess and being from Ireland that is saying a lot! We also loved the burritos. The small group was ideal (7 in addition to the 4 of us) Everyone was involved and the crack with great. Pity about the singing though!
So anyway great time had by all! Would definetly recommend.