Avis Google
First the good: Omer, Abdulamen and Mohammed were the drivers and Omer the guide. Omer speaks great English as does Mohammed.
Omer is a terrific driver, you will need this as the roads are worthy of a good 4x4 with good shocks and wide range steering + skills.
Omer is responsive to text within the hour and once you sign on he's communicative back within minutes.
I signed on for a private tour through my hotel the Mandarin Oriental. I did not get that. It ended up being a group with 3 other people. My driver guide was 40 minutes late. This was probably the fault of the hotel concierge more than Ghazi Tours.
Now, why the 4 stars, actually for my driver guide it would be 1 star (1 for just being present): While I appreciated the additional cars, aka a small caravan, for safety, I didn't appreciate the lack of 1:1 care. After all, the pricing was for 1:1. Again, this could be the hotel or Ghazi.
It turned out my driver/guide worked for Ghazi, and directly under Omer.
As part of the pack now, we trooped through for photo ops, and listened as one would at a flag waving group schpeel. Not really what I paid for. And I was treated as leftover bread as I was through the hotel and not direct with Ghazi.
The car I got lacked a good driver, Omer was not my driver. At one point the car I was in slid back and tilted precariously to one side. Omer had to jump in to get the car up the hill. While I appreciated the friendliness of my driver, I didn't appreciate the fact he spoke little English, didn't know anything about anything not even the ability to translate "Mashallah".
I also didn't appreciate my driver/guide's lack of awareness and inexperience. For example, water and juices are stuffed to the side of the car so you get hot orange juice.
Inability to tell you where the bathroom is, and the fact to forewarn you that the bathrooms lack toilet paper.
At the tour sites, my driver/guide stuffed his hands in his pockets and wandered off. Then telling me it's his first time at this one place too! Totally lack of any service. And, Ghazi/Omer wasn't responsible for me directly, even though my driver/guide worked for Omer.
At a local touristy restaurant, my driver guide sat without uttering a word. He left to get the car without telling me leaving me to wonder whether I should get an Uber. No communication. At the end, Omer had an emergency left, and his guest, the other person, climbed into my car, and was told to be dropped off first.
Again, I was treated as yesterday's stale bread.
The car after the restaurant was filthy for some odd reasons. Empty bottles of water and orange juices strewn all about. Sticky mess in the back.
Then my driver guide dropped me off at the wrong hotel. He dropped me at the namesake office building across the way. I made my own way back.
I gave Omer $50 USD tip (even though I wasn't his prime guest) + $50 USD tip for my lazy, incompetent driver/guide. Why? Because as an American, I want them to appreciate we aren't all jerks and hopefully they will improve their service.
I left my phone cable in my driver guide's car. Omer dropped his own for me the next day at 8:30am. I very much appreciated that, although I just wanted my own back but I appreciated I got a phone cable.
I paid $1500SAR through the hotel for what was to be a private tour which wasn't. I will bring that up with the Mandarin but doubt it will have any impact. Omer has his own rates. So advice go to him Ghazi Tour direct.
More advice, whatever you end up doing it will end up as a group tour with Ghazi. That's not so bad, and in fact I enjoyed the small group. Just don't pay for a private and expect a private tour AND demand a car with good shocks, good tires and competent driver and guide.
Don't get the driver/guide and car that I had, you might as well just ride with Omer. Your back with thank you, your tail bone will thank you, and you will get back to your own hotel.
Last, bring a packet of tissue paper, and make sure your guide knows something about the sites.
