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  Overseas Adventure Travel’s Turkey’s Magical     Hideaways Tour September 17, 2021 through October 4, 2021 

Due to the length of the review, it is in four parts to help with the download time. the links to the other pages are at the top and bottom of each page., page 1:  istanbul page 2: cappadocia page 3: antalya page 4:  turkish gulet cruise page 5: kusadasi.

After my late wife, Carol, died, I knew that the one thing I had to continue doing was traveling.  We had been to 95 countries together on over 55 cruises; but I knew that there were many places in the world that I still wanted to visit.  Many of them not visited by cruise lines.  I knew that to see some of these places I would need to start taking land tours.  Several of my friends had previously used Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) at www.oattravel.com .  They all raved about the great trips they had taken with them and how they included activities that helped you to understand the culture in the places they visited.  OAT also is very involved in charitable activities through their parent company’s Grand Circle Foundation.  OAT was the type of company that I thought would give a more immersive experience than I had with cruise lines.  They also didn’t penalize solo travelers by charging a large single supplement to take their trips. 

The first trip that I booked with OAT was one to a country I had been wanting to do a much deeper dive into than the two times I had previously just visited the port city of Kusadasi.  I especially wanted to visit Istanbul.  Everyone I know who has been there says that it is a must visit city.  I had tried to cruise there a couple of times, but it didn’t happen.  The last time, in 2016, a bombing at the Istanbul airport made the cruise embarkation port move to Athens from Istanbul.  Additionally, cruise lines are just now starting to include Istanbul in their itineraries.  The itinerary I chose also included a few days in the Cappadocia area of Turkey that has also been on my bucket list.  I booked the tour in July 2019 and would have to wait until September 2020 for the trip.  I would have to wait a lot longer.  With Covid, the trip was cancelled, and I rebooked it for September 2021.  I thought that it was going to be cancelled again, but thankfully at the end of August OAT started up this itinerary again.  I am so very glad they did.  

Day 1 - Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey When I looked at the OAT itinerary, there were several places that I wanted to see in Istanbul that weren’t on the itinerary.  I decided to arrive a day earlier, so I could take a private tour.  This would give me a chance to spend even more time in this wonderful city.  Since I had booked my flight through OAT, I had them change the booking a few months before the trip.  A real plus with OAT is that there was no air deviation fee, plus they provided a transfer from the airport to the hotel.  Quite a benefit!  I was booked on a direct flight from Miami to Istanbul on a 787, a plane that I had never flown on, so I was really looking forward to experiencing this new class of jet.  The flight was a long one, 11.5 hours.  The 787 is by far the quietest plane I have been on, plus they have technology to reduce bumps during the flight.  It must have worked since I did sleep much of the overnight flight.  It was also my first time flying on Turkish Airlines.  I was very impressed with the service and two meals that were served.

Before the trip started OAT had notified me that I had to get a PCR test and the Turkish Health Pass.  Since the PCR test must be done within 72 hours of the planes departure and the plane left at 9:00 PM, I was forced to get the test 2 days before leaving because the testing offices are not open that late.  When I went through immigration, they required to see my vaccine card but not the Health Pass or PCR test.  Apparently, Turkey doesn’t require them to enter, but since some of the guests have connecting flights through different countries that require it, OAT tells everyone to get one to eliminate the potential risk of being denied on a flight or entry into a country.  A good idea.

The traffic to get into old town was terrible.  With over 15 million people living in Istanbul, there are way too many cars and way too many narrow streets.  By the time I got to the hotel, it was dark outside.  I had communicated with the tour director, Ahmet Memis ([email protected]), before the trip and was able to invite him to dinner, since he was also going to be arriving at the hotel early.  I couldn't asked fof a better tour director.  If I ever go back to Turkey, I will book him for a private tour, although he does book up quickly with tour companies too.  He made great itinerary into a awesome adventure.  He suggested an outstanding restaurant that specialized in Ottoman Palace cuisine, Deraliye.  Oh my, was it good.

On the way back to our hotel, we passed by an ice cream vendor.  Ahmet said that it was made from goat’s milk, so I had to try some.  I wasn’t expecting what was to come next; but Ahmet did and asked to borrow my iPhone.  It was a funny experience.

OAT likes to use smaller hotels for their tours.  We were staying at the 22 room Sultanahmet Palace Hotel ( WWW.SULTANAHMETPALACE.COM ).   There was an entrance on the street, which led to a lovley courtyard in front of the main entrance.

It is a very nice hotel in a great location right in the middle of old town.  I would find out the next morning how great it really was.  The room was very comfortable and clean.

I was a bit confused by the bathroom.  In the shower was a large bowl under the faucets.  It didn’t have drain and it filled up when I took a shower.  The next day Ahmet explained that it was a Turkish bath bowl.  There was a container in the bowl to pour over your body if you chose to do that rather than use the shower.  Ahmet said that as the rooms are being renovated, they are removing those, since less people use them rather than just taking a shower.

I normally bring several plug adapters when traveling out of the country.  In some hotels/cruise ships they don’t always have enough plugs for the number of devices that I need to charge, so I bought a great device from Amazon ( LINK ) that provides three US plugs and two USB ports from one European power outlet.  It made life so much easier at plug in time.

I was very ready to hit the sack after the long travel day.  When I laid down, I was surprised at how firm the mattress was.  I don’t mind a firm mattress, but this was a higher firmness number than I had experienced.  I would find that Turks do prefer very firm mattresses.  I still slept great dreaming of finally getting to explore Istanbul.

Day 2 – Istanbul, Turkey I had a big day planned and was very excited about seeing the sights of Istanbul.  As usual when in a new city, I wake up very early, so also as usual, I walked outside to check out the area.  Right across the street from the hotel was the Blue Mosque.  I hadn’t seen it when I arrived, since it was so dark.  It has been closed for renovation due to earthquake and mold damage.  The hotel was really in the middle of all the old town sites. 

When the restaurant opened, I walked to the back of the hotel.  The restaurant area was very nice plus there was a great view of the Bosporus or Strait of Istanbul.  It separates the continents of Europe and Asia, as well as connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is the worlds narrowest strait used for international navigation.  Apparently, the narrowness limits the traffic so much that ships can wait for a long time to get through.    The new Istanbul Canal was announced in June 2021 that will greatly increase the ship traffic.  It is expected to take only 6 years to co mplete.

There was no buffet due to Covid, so the waiter served a selection of way too many items, as well as asking what kind of eggs I wanted.  I would find out that this seemed to be the way most meals came with so many different things to spoil your appetite before the main course.

I had found a tour guide for the day from a referral from a tour guide that I was going to use for a tour in 2016.  When that cruise embarkation port was changed from Istanbul to Athens due to the airport bombing, I had to cancel the tour.  In talking with Ahmet, I had told him the various places that I planned on seeing the day before the official tour began.  I then found out why most of them weren’t on the tour itinerary.  They were being renovated.  My guide for the day was Ezel Erdogan ( [email protected] ).  She was an outstanding guide and just a lovely person to spend the day with. 

Her husband and 4-year-old son arrived right on time at 8:30 AM to drop her off.  Her tour uses public transportation and taxis if needed.  Our first stop was at the Dolmabahçe Palace, which would require a ride to get there.  She asked if I minded if her husband drove us to the first stop.  It sounded great to me.  As we were heading there, she realized that we would have to wait a half hour at the palace until they opened at 9:00 AM and that it might be better to instead head over to the Asia side first to better utilize our time.  Her husband didn’t mind taking us, so we changed our direction and headed that way.  Ezel was in the back seat with her son in the car seat.  He was just such a cutie, and we were smiling at each other a lot.  He told his mom that he wanted to go on the tour with us.

With it being a Sunday morning, there was no traffic, and we were able to get around very fast.  She told me what her plans for the side trip were and they sounded great.  Our first stop was at Camlica Hill Park, one of the highest elevation places in Istanbul at 945 feet.  The views are incredible.  I have found that wide panoramic photos just don’t fairly represent how amazing the views are; but they at least give an idea of what can be seen.  The Park also has a restaurant and facilities for various activities.

Close by was the Camlica Hill TV Radio Tower.  This 369-foot structure was completed a year ago and replaced dozens of smaller towers that were spread all around the hill.  It also contains a restaurants and observation decks.

We drove to the next stop that was a short distance away, the Grand Camlica Mosque.  It is the largest mosque in Istanbul and was completed in 2019 at a cost of $110,000,000.  Its construction was quite controversial, since mosque attendance is down, and the funds were needed for more important projects.  But I must say the mosque is just stunning.  The interior is much more modern than other mosques we would see.

With the mosque being on the top of a hill, it was difficult to be able to get a full photo the exterior.  I was finally able to by going to the extreme end of the large mosque courtyard.  I would see the mosque regularly during my stay in Istanbul from the European side.  It was very hard to miss and most impressive.

Ezel’s husband was going to drop us off that the ferry dock to cross the Bosporus for our visit to the Dolmabahçe Palace. Our visit to the Asian side had taken up more time than I thought it would and it was after 9:30 AM.  But they had to stop on the way to the ferry to let me get a photo of the Maidens Tower.  It is a very popular tourist destination and has many interesting stories and legends about it.  It is also a great view of the city behind it from where we were.

Her husband than dropped us off at the ferry port, where we had a short wait for the next ferry to our destination.  I couldn’t thank Ezel or her husband for taking the time to show me their city.  It was also special to be able to be with her son.  The ferry ride was quick, but it gave me the opportunity to get some photos of the exterior of the palace and some other sights on the Bosporus.

The ferry docked very close to the Dolmabahçe Palace.  Since it was 10:30 AM, an hour and a half after it opened, we were concerned that there might be long lines to get in.  Not so!  With the greatly reduced number of tourists in Turkey, lines were never an issue on any tour during the trip.  However, as we left the palace around noon, there was a long line waiting to get in.  This is probably because it is a very popular destination for the locals also, especially on a beautiful Sunday.

The palace cost 35 tons of gold to build or a current equivalent cost of 1.9 billion dollars.  After the palace was completed in 1856, it served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire.  The entrance gate and grounds are just stunning.  I particularly liked the statue of the lion and cubs.

The interior is amazing, but photos weren’t allowed, which I was not happy about.  One of the most revered places in Turkey is in the palace, the room where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, died.

We then took an inexpensive taxi ride up the hill to the Galata Tower.  The tower was built in 1348, after the original one that was built in 528 was destroyed during the Crusades.  It is one of the oldest towers in the world and one of the symbols of Istanbul.  Before arriving at the tower, we already had a plan B if there was a long ticket line.  Surprisingly, there were just a few people ahead of us and the line to get into the tower itself was just a 5-minute wait.  This was the first place that had to see the Health Pass QR code to enter.  Turks must get the Covid vaccinations to receive their Health Pass so they can enter places that require them also.  This is apparently common in most European countries.

An elevator took us up six stories and we had to walk up the final two.  The views from the tower were great.  In the first photo, you can see the Grand Camlica Mosque in the upper left.  I will see it many more times.

There were nice views back toward the European side, plus we could see the Galata Tower standing proudly on a hill above the city.

We then got on a bus that dropped us off close to the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.  Rüstem Pasha was the husband of one of the daughters of Suleiman the Magnificent.  He had quite a controversial life and wanted to build a mosque of his own to repair his legacy.  He died before it was completed in 1563 AD.

This is a very unique mosque for Istanbul, since its interior is covered in tiles.  It is very beautiful and a must see in my opinion.

For the rest of the day, we would walk in the Balat and Cora districts close to the mosque.  It was a hilly area, but pretty and interesting.  We did see one very cute baby, who was being kept between the house's window and bars.

Our last stop was at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church.  It is small, but quite a beautiful church.

Ezel asked if I wanted to see any more of the area.  I was beat and couldn’t do anymore walking.  22,000 steps by that time and I wanted to go back to the hotel to rest a bit.  But before going to my room, I had to stop at the hotel restaurant to have an Efes Beer.  I had discovered that beer the previous night at dinner and would have many more over the next couple weeks.

This itinerary would normally be a maximum of 12 people.  It turned out that our group that was supposed to have only seven people showing on the pre-tour paperwork, was now only going to be three.    The Covid restrictions encouraged some people to move their tours to next year.  I waited in the restaurant/bar area with Ahmet for the couple to arrive.  They had come from California and had several flights to get to Istanbul, so they were exhausted.  I had lucked out and gotten a very nice couple, Derby and Cam, to share the next 16 days with.

I asked Ahmet for restaurant recommendations for the night since he had other commitments.  He recommended a restaurant in a cistern not far away.  That sounded like a unique and interesting place.  I put it into my iPhone maps and began the walk.  It was a straightforward route and I only got lost once.  The map changed its mind mid-stream and turned me the wrong way.  When I got there, I couldn’t go in, since they were having a private party.  Bummer!  I just walked back to the hotel and had a light dinner at their restaurant.  It was just as well; I was exhausted from a wonderful day of touring.  But I did get to take some night photos of the Hagia Sofia Mosque and Blue Mosque during my walk.

Day 3 - Istanbul, Turkey I didn’t previously mention about the cats.  They are everywhere on the streets in the Turkish towns we visited.  They really liked to beg for food at breakfast.  With the three people in our group all being cat lovers, they did OK with supplementing their diet.  Who could resist these two cuties?

Our first destination for the day was to Sultanahmet Square or the Hippodrome.  On the way there, we passed by a colorful grouping of what looked like small houses.

The Hippodrome was an area for social events and sports, particularly horse/chariot racing.  It was made in 203 AD and expanded in 324 AD by Constantine the Great, who Constantinople (Istanbul’s previous name) was named for.  The first monument we came to was the bare stone Column of Constantine Porphyrogenetus, dating from the 10th century AD.

Close by was the Serpent Column.  It was made to celebrate the victory over the Persians by the Greeks in the 5th century BC.  Constantine moved it from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.  The monument originally had a golden bowl supported by three serpent heads; but that was never brought to Constantinople.  Although it appears that the monument was installed partially underground, it was actually on flat ground before other layers were covered over.

The more prominent monument in the Hippodrome is the Obelisk of Thutmose III.  It was brought from the Temple of Karnak in Egypt in 390 AD.  The obelisk, which was erected in 1490 BC, was cut into three pieces to move it.  The top section was placed on a marble pedestal.  I wonder what happened to the middle and bottom pieces.

The other major piece in the park is the German Fountain.  The German government built it to celebrate the visit to Istanbul by German Emperor Wilhelm II.  The interior ceiling was particularly nice.

On the way to the Grand Bazaar, we stopped to see Constantine’s Column.  It was dedicated in 330 AD and at one time had a giant statue of Constantine on it.  After being felled, plundered and scorched by a fire, it was put back up and is referred to as the Scorched Column.  It doesn’t look much like the original.

I had heard about the Grand Bazaar for a long time and really didn’t know what to expect.  I have been to many bazaars around the world, but this is one of the oldest and largest.  It has 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.  It was one of the worlds most visited tourist attractions, with between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.

I was expecting a much more primitive place, but it was fairly modern, other than the main building structure itself.  I do believe that you could buy almost anything there.  Quite a place!  As you can see from the photos, it wasn’t crowded at all.

I was very excited to see our next destination, Topkapi Palace.  In the 15th and 16th centuries it was the main residence of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative headquarters.  It was replaced by Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856 and is now just a beautiful museum.  There are several gates and courtyard gardens to go through before getting to the main museum buildings.

Ahmet took a group photo at one of the gates.

Ahmet took us through each of the sections telling us about each of the different areas and what there was to see in them.  He then gave us plenty of free time to check them out on our own after our lunch at the museum cafe.  The galleries had a treasury, portrait gallery, royal pages, arms collection, china displays, imperial council room and others.  There are way too many special things to tell about each of the buildings and museums.  It would require a book to relay the info that Ahmet shared with us, so I will limit my comments on the photos.  They speak for themselves, and I know that you can tell when you see a sultan’s throne in a photo or a tiled wall.  Ahmet told us that photos in the galleries were not permitted.  When I saw lots of people taking photos and the guards just watching their phones or not really caring if anyone was taking photos, I joined in.  So glad I did because it was an amazing place.

In one area exited out to a courtyard with a great view of the city.

One of the galleries was particularly ornate.  There was eye candy everywhere.

I will comment on the two most famous items in the treasury, the Topkapi Dagger that was featured in a plot to steal it in the 1964 movie, Topkapi; and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond.  The diamond is 86 carats and is the 4th most valuable in the world.

I had been told before the trip that I had to go to the Topkapi Harem.  The harem is the sultan’s living quarters where his family lived.  Since Ahmet had given us plenty of free time, I purchased a ticket for the harem.  Thank goodness I did.

On the way back to the hotel, Ahmet took us through a shortcut to our hotel.  We walked down through a cistern that was recently discovered while excavating for a new building.  Interestingly, we came out next to the kitchen of a local restaurant not far from our hotel.

This was the night for the OAT welcome dinner.  Ahmet took us to a very nice restaurant.  Once again, we had many appetizers before the main course.  It was delicious.

On the way back to the hotel, I had to take more photos of the two mosques.

Once again, we had enjoyed wonderful weather, low 80’s and low humidity.  Perfect!

Day 4 - Istanbul, Turkey

This would be our last full day in Istanbul, and we had a lot to do.  In the morning we walked over to the Hagia Sofia Mosque.  On the way there I was able to get some photos of the Blue Mosque from a better angle.

The Hagia Sofia Mosque has been both a Christian church and a mosque and most recently a museum, until it was just changed back to being a mosque.  Which meant that the government couldn’t charge to enter the building, but we also had to take off our shoes like we had at all the other mosques.  I will mention that we didn’t need to show our Health Pass QR code when we were touring with Ahmet, since he had downloaded our info and provided when he purchased the tickets for us.  It did make it much easier.

The main entryway to the mosque was quite ornate. A preview of coming attractions.

It is just a gorgeous mosque, and I am so glad that this one wasn’t being renovated.

When we left from a different door, Ahmet pointed out the flying buttresses that had been added to support the roof.  I hadn’t realized what they were, since they don’t look like any others I have seen.

I also got to see a different view of the mosque from the back.  Still pretty.  The great weather makes for better photos, plus the high for the day was going to be a perfect 75 and lows in the low 60’s.  We had been most fortunate with the weather.

Our next stop was further away, so we had a van for the rest of the day.  It was a 12-seat van for the 4 in our group.  We could really spread out and be comfortable in it.

He drove us to a café where we had the room to ourselves.  We were going to a session that OAT called Controversial Topic: The challenges facing Syrian refugees in Turkey with a female refugee and a Turkish citizen.  OAT is a very charitable organization that supports many efforts around the globe.  They also like to get the tourists to experience the culture of the areas they are visiting, especially as it involves women’s rights.  Certainly, a relevant subject in this area of the world.

The Syrian refugee had a good job as a CFO for a local company.  The Turkish citizen was having difficulty find the type of job she wanted, so she was continuing her education.  The Syrian woman’s story about how she had to leave her country due to the bombings was heart breaking.  She hated to leave the life she was very happy with, but she knew that she could easily die if she didn’t leave.  She did talk about how she was making less than her male counterparts and didn’t fit in as well with the male members of the team; but they did realize how good she was.  She also explained how when she first came to Turkey a few years ago, the neighbors were friendly.  With the increase in the number of refugees, they don’t want to have much to do with her anymore.

The Turkish woman explained how the Turkish people want to help the refugees, but it is now hurting their ability to get jobs and they feel that the Turkish government is spending too much money on them and not helping the Turks as much.  It is a very difficult situation for Turkey, just like it is for other countries including ours.  Most people want to help those in need; but how can it be done without damaging the helper country.  It is particularly exaggerated in Turkey since they get most of the refugees and the EU wants them to stay in Turkey.  She also discussed the terrible situation with women being abused and raped in Turkey.  The police aren’t that concerned about it and when they do capture a rapist, they are given a very light sentence if any.  The male focused culture is not a pleasant one for many women.

We asked questions and Ahmet also brought up some subjects if there was a lull.  It was so nice to see how they talked to each other in a very calm and professional manner.  They both understood the others concerns.  It was a most informative session; but I left feeling so sorry for both of them due to the limited resources to solve the problem and the abuses that so many of the women are suffering from.

We then drove to Taksim Square.  It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul since it is a transportation hub, and the area is popular with tourists and residents for the many restaurants, shops and hotels.  It is also a place where large protests have been held, since it is a large open area. 

I was glad that we got to see the Istanbul Nostalgic Trams.  They have two lines for these electric vehicles.

I was impressed with the Republic Monument in the square.  It commemorates the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 and installed there in 1928.  One side has Ataturk in military uniform during their war of independence.  The other side shows him as a statesman with his comrades.

We then drove to our next destination, the Süleymaniye Mosque. It was commissioned by  Suleiman the Magnificent in 1550.  It was the largest mosque in Istanbul prior to the completion of the Grand Camlica Mosque in 2019.  It is well known since it is on top of one of the seven Istanbul hills and can be seen from all over.  It is a lovely building both inside and out. 

There was a famous imam sitting in the middle of the mosque with cameras pointing at him waiting for his broadcast.  Some of the visitors would go around the enclosure to have photos taken with him.

We walked out into the back courtyard which was really beautiful.  Wow!

We walked up to a viewing area above the mosque where we had a great view of the mosque’s roof as well as the lovely skyline.

While on our way to our next stop, I liked the way that the someone has come up with a new type of attractive phone booth.

Close by was the 350-year-old Spice Market.  It was quite a place.  They sell a lot more sweets than spices there. All of us were interested in getting some spices and we were also interested in the Turkish delight candy that Ahmet had been raving about.

We went into one of the stores.  Ahmet knew the owner and he told us about the various products providing samples of many of them.  Some were very good, and others weren’t for me.  I have never been a Turkish Delight fan, but the ones they had in this store were very good.  I was able to keep from buying them reminding myself about the luggage weight limit.  And if I ate them all, then I would exceed my personal weight limit. 

I did buy some saffron, since I was told that I had to when I was in Istanbul with the low prices.  At $3 per gram, it was a bargain compared to prices I had seen online prior to the trip.

One of my disappointments was that the Basilica Cistern was closed for renovations.  Ahmete said that it could be closed for a very long time.  He had suggested that we go to a more recently discovered one, the Şerefiye Cistern.  It is 1,600 years old and discovered in 2010 when a town hall was demolished.  One of the appeals of this cistern is that they put on a light show. 

The cistern itself was quite impressive on its own without a light show.

When the show started, it was mesmerizing.    I have included a video, since photos alone just don’t present how enjoyable it is.  I am so glad we got to see it, since the light show portion has just recently started.

After a great seafood dinner, we headed back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our flight to Cappadocia in the morning.  I was very excited to see this unique place.

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The Scoop: What to Know About Overseas Adventure Tours (OAT)

This small-group specialist runs tours to all continents..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

• Looking at an Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) tour, but want to know more about this small-group tour company?
• Here’s everything you need to know about the tour company, all updated for 2024.

Overseas Adventure Travel —more commonly referred to as OAT (saying the letters as opposed to naming the grain)—is a small-group tour specialist with tours on all continents. As its name suggests, tours with Overseas Adventure Travel tend to be fairly active, so participants should be comfortable with six to eight hours of activity each day, including walking distances ranging from three to six miles.

OAT has a great reputation for its solo guest focus (more on that below), and offers a generous number of no-additional-cost single spots on its tours. It also has women-exclusive departures on many itineraries.

BEST OF THE BEST: Best Tour Companies for Guided Tours

On OAT tours, accommodations tend to be less about amenities and more about authenticity. Another thing to note is that airfare is often bundled into the up-front price of the tour (unless you specify that you want to book your own travel). OAT is one of the family of Grand Circle Corp. companies, also including Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line.

TourScoop Takeaways

• Countries: OAT has tours on every continent 
• Tour Size Average: OAT specializes in small-group trips of no more than 16 people. Its small-ship tours are aboard 50- to 98-passenger ships max out at 25 travelers. 
• Tour Type: Coach, van, small ship, rail, and air

Credibility Check

Overseas Adventure Travel is BBB accredited with a rating of A+. It’s an active member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). The OAT website posts verified guest reviews on each tour page (sometimes with hundreds of reviews) so it’s easy to see what past travelers think of each tour. 

Tour Destinations

For 2024, OAT has 80 itineraries that include tours on every continent. Some of the most popular tours are to destinations in Italy, Egypt, and multi-country tours in Africa and around the Adriatic. 

Overseas Adventure Travel gives all its tours an Activity Level Rating that ranks tours from one (easy) to five (strenuous) to help travelers find the right fit. It has both women-only departures and many no-additional-cost single traveler spots on tours. 

There are multi-country and single country tours. On many tours, OAT creates spaces for discussion and learning with its Controversial Topics program that covers topics such as Scottish independence on its Scotland Revealed itinerary and female genital mutilation on its Safari Serengeti: Tanzania Lodge & Tented Safari tour. 

Tour Guides

OAT’s tour guides are called Trip Experience Leaders. All are fluent in English and have a range of skills, certifications, and experience specific to the tour destination and experience. Trip Experience Leaders focus on both the logistical and the experiential, and help connect travelers with destinations by sharing firsthand insight that brings a destination to life. 

Inclusions/Extras

Inclusions are tour-specific (there’s a “What’s Included” section on each tour’s page), but generally include round-trip flights, many (but not all) meals, transportation, accommodations, activities, and gratuities for local guides, porters, etc. As with most tour companies, gratuities for trip experience leaders is separate. 

Typical Travelers

OAT’s guests are mostly American travelers aged 50 and older. In the last few years, Overseas Adventure Travel has seen a major jump in the number of solo travelers—more than half of all OAT guests are now solo travelers, and 80% of these solo travelers are women.

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OAT does right by its strong solo traveler base —in 2024, the company is offering 25,620 single spaces—91% of which are free (the remaining 9% of single spots have what OAT says is the lowest single supplement in the industry). And a number of itineraries also have women-exclusive departures. 

Communication

After booking, travelers have access to all trip details through the “My Planner” section on the website. The section includes details like flight information, destination weather, and itinerary information.

Then, two weeks before departure, travelers receive all their final documents, and are also contacted by their Trip Experience Leader. Any additional questions can be directed to OAT’s customer service email or phone number.

Loyalty Program

OAT’s loyalty program is the Sir Edmund Hillary Club . Membership benefits kick in when travelers reserve their third trip, and increase after traveling with OAT five and ten times. Benefits include credits to use on future trips, travel credits, exclusive gifts, and priority luggage service. 

Private Options

OAT offers Personalized Private Adventures for groups of five to 10 people. These private departures are available using existing itineraries, and include a dedicated Trip Experience Leader. The private group premium amount depends on the number of travelers in a group. Some of the most popular private tours include Ultimate Africa , Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes , and Japan’s Cultural Treasures . 

Sustainability Efforts

OAT is part of Grand Circle, and participates in the Grand Circle Foundation , which supports projects around the world focused on water and sanitation, education, community development, renewable energy, the protection of indigenous cultures, conservation, historic preservation, and disaster relief.

CULINARY ADVENTURES: Best Tour Companies for Culinary Tours

Health and Safety Practices

On OAT tours that include time onboard a ship, additional precautions include crew trained on best health and hygiene practices to prevent onboard spread of illnesses, nightly electrostatic disinfection of public areas, and disinfection of high-efficiency air filtration systems before each sailing. The OAT website is the place to go to read more about the current health and safety practices for land and ship tours.  

Family Companies

The Grand Circle family of companies includes Overseas Adventure Travel , Grand Circle Cruise Line , and Grand Circle Travel .

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Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Global operator

Service level

Travelers age

Trip prices

$2,895 — 9,190

Tour languages

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Age Range:  Primarily 50+

Average Tour Price: $4,538

Average Tour Duration: 15 Days

Group Size:  Small groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style:  Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day.

• Group Tours
• Small Ship & Expedition Cruises
• River Cruises
• Custom Itineraries
• North America
• Central America & Caribbean
• South America
• Rivers & Seas
• Australia & Pacific
• Middle East & North Africa

Compare with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

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How well do you know the world?

Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) reviews & ratings.

Policy over practical customer service. zero customer service

don't expect humanity or common sense

This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the t...

Trip of a Lifetime

Our recent Tanzanian Safari was indeed the trip of a lifetime. Saw the big 5, met the wonderful locals and spent 5 days in the Serengeti. Saw many lions, zebras, gi...

Booked for July and gave them $12,000. They talked us into early arrival and then come back to us a two months later saying we can't offer. We have to keep our airli...

My favorite OAT adventure

I went to this adventure with my sister-in-law and we had the absolute best time! Our guide were all amazing and our trip leader Martin was exceptional! My sister-i-...

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT including walking through El Chorrillo neighborhood and listening to the stories of the survivors of the US invasion. We woul...

See all Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) reviews

Editoral Review of Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Founded in 1978, Overseas Adventure Travel specializes in small group and small ship adventure tours . Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) is now part of the Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation, which also includes Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line.

Quick Facts

Founded in 1978

Very welcome to solo travelers - Free or low single supplement

Average Tour Price - $4,538

Average Tour Duration - 15 Days

Small Groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style - Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day

Age Range - Primarily 50+

What Makes Overseas Adventure Travel Stand Out?

• Solo traveler friendly
• Cultural immersion
• Grand Circle Foundation

Overseas Adventure Travel is solo traveler friendly . They offer free or low single supplements. OAT understands that solo travelers desire to follow their own schedule, desires and needs. They help handle all the details to make sure your trip is affordable, easy and enjoyable.

A major focus of OAT is cultural immersion . Travelers can expect to visit local schools, churches, and homes (where you might be treated to a home-cooked meal). Experienced guides -- all fluent in English -- lead groups off the beaten path when possible.

OAT strives to give back to the world they send travelers around.  A portion of all proceeds goes to the Grand Circle Foundation, which supports cultural and educational programs in the countries visited.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Overseas Adventure Travel?

• Solo travelers
• Cultural enthusiasts

 OAT specializes in small group tours around the world serving Americans aged 50 and older. They appeal to the old fashioned - the fact that they still offer a physical catalogue is testament - and their travel style reflects an appreciation of the classics coupled with an adventurous spirit to explore each destination deeper and from a local perspective. 

Overall, prices fall into the moderate range, and are especially a bargain for solo travelers , who can save substantially by not having to pay for single supplements. Accommodations are designed to be both comfortable as well as unique and in keeping with the local spirit of the destination. If your hostelling days are over but you feel too adventurous for a standard hotel, OAT will be a great company to travel with. 

OAT travelers are those with a passion for culture . They don’t just want to see a destination, they want to experience it. For these travelers, spending a day in a Maasai village in Kenya, eating dinner with a local family in Chile's oasis town and interacting with local musicians at the bustling Libertad Plaza in San Salvador, Belize is a welcomed adventure.

Top Destinations

OAT operates tours all over the world, specializing in remote, off the beaten path destinations. African safaris are an especially popular offering, though you can also travel to Japan , India , Peru , Iceland , Vietnam , Albania , or Morocco , to name just a few of its far-flung destinations. OAT also runs small-ship cruises through the Galapagos , on the Amazon , and along the Turkish coast.

OAT Travel Style

With Overseas Adventure Travel you’ll find a combination of transportation and accommodation styles, but all with an element of comfort. Groups are small, with a max of 16 (24 on small ship cruises). 

Accommodations vary, but generally favor being local and non-traditional over a basic centrally located hotel. Their exact words are “emphasis on authenticity, rather than amenities”.

Their style is all about unique and meaningful cultural interaction . While you’ll learn the history and see the famous sights, their true focus is about people and connections. This means you’ll enjoy meals with local families, like you’re just a friend over for dinner; visit schools and see the amazing work being done in small communities. The visceral understanding and perspective that comes from learning to cook traditional meals and make traditional crafts is what you’ll find on an OAT tour.

Why Choose a Tour with OAT?

OAT offers a unique up close and personal experience, guaranteeing that its groups will never exceed more than 10-16 travelers. A spirit of spontaneity is part of what makes traveling with OAT special, as they strive to take advantage of every interesting opportunity during a trip. 

Traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel allows for an in depth cultural travel experience in comfort. Many opportunities exist for travelers to find deals, and it’s a great way to meet new friends in a similar age range.

If you traveled extensively in your youth and are not ready to slow down, but perhaps are looking for a few more logistical ducks to be taken care of for you, OAT could be the perfect fit. They offer a variety of options for more independent minded travelers, as well as ample free time to explore and plan your own adventure during cruise port stops and on their group tours.

Alternatively, if this is your first travel experience, OAT will be a great starting point. You’ll gain cultural insights, meet locals, as well as hit on all the best tourist sites that provide cultural and historical context to your destination.

Overseas Adventure Travel Covid Safety Precautions

Through December 31st 2020, Overseas Adventure Travel is offering Risk Free booking. You can transfer your departure with all change fees waived.  

Some countries are beginning to reopen to international visitors with entry restrictions while others have remained closed. Stay up to date and see a full list of which countries are open  »  

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More Details

Solo friendly.

• No single supplement
• Solo & Singles Travel

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About the company.

Overseas Adventure Travel offers unique small group adventures worldwide to Americans over 50. By land and sea, we explore on—and off—the beaten path with a resident OAT Trip Leader, immersing ourselves in local cultures, sampling unique modes of transportation, and staying in authentic lodgings that reflect the essence of your destination. Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises serves both our GCT and OAT brands with an award-winning fleet known for exceptional value and high-quality experiences in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Custom-designed according to our travelers’ specifications, our fleet includes 50+ small river and ocean-going ships that we own or privately charter.

Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise—comprised of a family of travel companies—committed to changing people’s lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism.

Simply by traveling with OAT, you support the work of the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation, which was created with the mission of changing people’s lives through travel—both those of our travelers, and of the people who welcome us so warmly into their homelands.

Journey with the Leader in Adventure Travel and Watch Your Dreams Take Flight : It is the stuff of dreams: gazelles bowing to lap at a glassy pool in the Serengeti as the vast sky turns purple with night, the tiered splendor of the Himalayas, rising behind a Tibetan monastery. Dreams like these are everyday realities for OAT travelers, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Our Value puts your travel dreams within reach: OAT can help you realize your travel dreams for a lot less than you thought possible. Together with our regional offices located throughout the world, we’ve been able to establish long-term relationships with many local vendors and hotels. Buying direct brings down our costs—and allows us to pass the savings on to you. And negotiating directly for hotel space also allows us to secure as many single room allotments as possible for our solo travelers. That way, we can also extend our great value to solo travelers. In fact, we offer the best value for solo travelers, guaranteed.

The Choice is yours : You’ll always have plenty of choices with OAT. We offer you a breadth of awe-inspiring travel destinations—from the peaks of the Andes to the sweeping desert sands of the Sahara to the rugged natural beauty of Iceland. You'll also enjoy more trip extension choices than ever before—like hiking to ancient monasteries in Bhutan or discovering the Moai monolithic rock statues on Easter Island. You have plenty of choices within each adventure, too, including several interesting optional tours. And the free time we’ve woven into our itineraries allows you plenty of opportunities for independent exploration. You can shop, unwind, perhaps linger at a sidewalk café, visit an interesting gallery or museum, or explore a cobbled street that caught your eye earlier in the day. You can do as much or as little as you want on an OAT adventure—the choice is yours.

OAT Difference

Adventure Travel : Adventure travel with OAT is a journey beyond the familiar, one that takes you into the very heart of a destination—to meet people where they work and live.

OAT Advantages : Journey with the leader in adventure travel and watch your dreams take flight, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Small Groups, Big Discoveries : When you discover the world in an OAT small group, you’ll journey off the beaten path to the places the big tour groups miss—and enjoy an intimate, discovery-filled adventure filled with personal connections, shared experiences, and treasured memories.

Trip Leaders : No matter where in the world you venture with OAT, you'll have one of our resident, expert Trip Leaders by your side. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure.

Airport Transfers : We’ve listened to your feedback, and will now offer international airport transfers to and from your hotel to our travelers who choose to purchase their own airfare on OAT adventures as part of our Personalize Your Trip program, which allows you create the OAT adventure that's right for you.

Personalize your trip : OAT travelers have long expressed the desire to decide exactly where they’re going, how they get there, and when they wish to leave. That’s why we developed a variety of choices that enhance the value of every trip we offer, allowing you to create the adventure that works best for you.

Traveling solo? Enjoy your own room or cabin—at no extra cost : You’re in control of your travel dreams—and we’re making them more affordable than ever: Maybe you prefer the freedom of solo travel—or maybe you and your usual traveling companion can’t agree on a destination. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to put your travel dreams on hold. When it’s time to go it alone, you’ll never pay a Single Supplement to have your own room or cabin with OAT.

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trips & Specials

Real Affordable Peru

Japan's Cultural Treasures

Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

Untamed Iceland

Heart of India

Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great

From Siam to Saigon: Thailand & Vietnam Revealed

Southern Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana

Want a tailor-made trip instead, your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
• Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics

Top Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trip Categories

Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) company ranking by category, similar companies.

Associations

United states tour operators association.

USTOA is a nonprofit professional association representing the tour operator industry.Its members are made up of companies who provide services worldwide but who conduct business in the U.S.

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Travel to Turkey with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel - Istanbul Forum

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Has anyone had experience with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) in Turkey? Do you recommend them?

Overseas Adventure Travel is a well-known agency in the US. I am not familiar with the tours they offer in Turkey. I think that they are currently offering a tour of eastern Turkey as well as some areas around the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. I looked at their itinerary, and it would not be the destinations I would select for a 20 day experience in Turkey. They do appear to offer pretty good hotel rooms, but I know nothing about meals, admission to sights, transportation (air, train bus?) or any of the other questions I would want to be answered before I spent $200/day for this experience.

There was a person on the forum a few weeks ago who was taking a trip with OAT. I am giving you the URL for that thread. I would suggest that you send a Personal Message to the original poster of the thread and see what type of experience she had. That would probably be the best source of information.

As Cinti has stated, the vast majority of us make our own travel arrangements when visiting Turkey. It is not a difficult country to manage on your own. Public transportation is cheap and abundant. Hotels can be reserved online, and the internet is a vast resource for information about where to go and what to see.

Try writing to this person for a first-hand account of an experience with OAT. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293974-i368-k4451948-Stay_at_Legacy_Ottoman_Hotel_or_nearby_hotel-Istanbul.html

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

Yes, we also ended up taking the tour of Turkey with OAT in May of this year. It was excellent and perhaps our best ever. The trip had the right balance for us (we are in our late 60's, but remain very active). Some large cities, some very rural areas, and 4 days on a sailing ship. OAT maintains a small group approach. We had 14 people in our group, who all are acive travelers.

We flew into Isbanbul. The culture, history, and architecture was amazing. Then to Cappadocia with it's unique landscaping, where we did a not to be missed hot air balloon ride. Then to a one night home stay in a small farm village and visiting a school. All these gave us a first hand impression of the people of Turkey. Then on to our sailing ship for 4 days on the Mediteranean. We hiked for a few hours each day, swam in the beautiful waters and enjoyed the food while looking at the scenery. The trip ended in Kusadasi where we traveled to Ephesus, for a detailed look at the ruins. There were many small memorable moments that made us very sad to see this special trip end. We also had an amazing tour guide, Fitnat Aksu. We called her "Fit" for short. We enjoyed her so much...very knowledgeable, excellent sense of humor, and took care of everything.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Overseas Adventure Travel OAT in Turkey - detailed review - Senior Travel Forum

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I posted this review on the Turkey forum at:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293969-i367-k5695530-OAT_in_Turkey_detailed_review-Turkey.html

It was apparently an old joke about OAT that it meant

"Older Americans Traveling"

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Travel to Turkey with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel - Istanbul Forum

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Has anyone had experience with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) in Turkey? Do you recommend them?

Overseas Adventure Travel is a well-known agency in the US. I am not familiar with the tours they offer in Turkey. I think that they are currently offering a tour of eastern Turkey as well as some areas around the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. I looked at their itinerary, and it would not be the destinations I would select for a 20 day experience in Turkey. They do appear to offer pretty good hotel rooms, but I know nothing about meals, admission to sights, transportation (air, train bus?) or any of the other questions I would want to be answered before I spent $200/day for this experience.

There was a person on the forum a few weeks ago who was taking a trip with OAT. I am giving you the URL for that thread. I would suggest that you send a Personal Message to the original poster of the thread and see what type of experience she had. That would probably be the best source of information.

As Cinti has stated, the vast majority of us make our own travel arrangements when visiting Turkey. It is not a difficult country to manage on your own. Public transportation is cheap and abundant. Hotels can be reserved online, and the internet is a vast resource for information about where to go and what to see.

Try writing to this person for a first-hand account of an experience with OAT. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293974-i368-k4451948-Stay_at_Legacy_Ottoman_Hotel_or_nearby_hotel-Istanbul.html

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

Yes, we also ended up taking the tour of Turkey with OAT in May of this year. It was excellent and perhaps our best ever. The trip had the right balance for us (we are in our late 60's, but remain very active). Some large cities, some very rural areas, and 4 days on a sailing ship. OAT maintains a small group approach. We had 14 people in our group, who all are acive travelers.

We flew into Isbanbul. The culture, history, and architecture was amazing. Then to Cappadocia with it's unique landscaping, where we did a not to be missed hot air balloon ride. Then to a one night home stay in a small farm village and visiting a school. All these gave us a first hand impression of the people of Turkey. Then on to our sailing ship for 4 days on the Mediteranean. We hiked for a few hours each day, swam in the beautiful waters and enjoyed the food while looking at the scenery. The trip ended in Kusadasi where we traveled to Ephesus, for a detailed look at the ruins. There were many small memorable moments that made us very sad to see this special trip end. We also had an amazing tour guide, Fitnat Aksu. We called her "Fit" for short. We enjoyed her so much...very knowledgeable, excellent sense of humor, and took care of everything.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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• What are the different modes of transport from the new Istanbul Airport to the City
• ISTANBULKART, How to get it and how to use it.
• Is Turkey or Istanbul safe?
• How to get from Sabiha Gokcen airport to Sultanahmet (old city)?
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• Days of closure of Istanbul sights
• Taxi Dos and Don'ts
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OAT in Turkey - detailed review - Türkiye Forum

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Overall it was a wonderful trip for us – no strong complaints about the company, accommodations, meals, activities, tour guide. But see below for details. OAT runs many of these trips in Turkey, even doing the circuit in both directions.

We booked our own air, arriving in Istanbul 2 days early – I would advise at least one day extra, especially if you want to spend any time in the markets or just wander around. However, OAT did take us to most of the important sights as part of the tour.

OAT customer service was excellent, no issues with transactions, and their agents were good at tracking down answers to questions they could not answer themselves. The extensive trip preparation literature is very good.

This was a high value trip for us as we took advantage of a sale.

Hotel accommodations and hotel food were both very good. Meals provided at restaurants were just average.

Travel group – indeed small, in our case smaller than usual. All couples about the same age – mid to late 60’s from all over the USA. Healthy, congenial, but with a wide mix of opinions, as one would expect.

OAT seems to use one knowledgeable guide instead of local guides. Ours was indeed very knowledgeable about Turkish history, Greek, Roman and church history. He was careful about safety, friendly, helpful, and did not lose anyone. Not the warmest personality, but that’s a little less important.

OAT makes a great effort to allow travelers to meet the locals. There was a half day visit to a village near Ehpesus for lunch at a private home, a visit to a school, health clinic and local café.

There was also a dinner and overnight at a home high in the mountains between Beysehir and the coast. OAT subsidizes these visits, as do other tour companies. The school visits are always fun, and the visits to homes and villages truly educational. However, overcoming language barriers require more multi-lingual participants, and a guide skilled in bringing people out – so take the travel brochures with a grain of salt.

No activities, even a couple of 3 mi. hikes in rough terrain were really that taxing for someone in good health, with good shoes, and prepared with a bit of walking before hand. The guide and fellow travelers helped the less sure footed, and there was flexibility for those who chose not to hike.

The 4 night gulet cruise is a category of its own. Sleeping quarters all had a private flush toilet and shower, but were quite cramped. The cook on board was fine, but a meal or two on shore might have been a welcome diversion. The setup on our trip was not supportive of after dinner activities, even hanging out and chatting, so retiring to a tiny cabin wasn’t too pleasant. In May the weather was not yet hot enough to encourage sleeping on deck. The daytime activities included hikes, and onshore excursion, swimming from the boat (but not beach), and hanging out with the other travelers. Altogether very pleasant (the scenery is spectacular), but I would not do it again. The crew hoisted the sails once, but the boat had a fixed boom, so was not really rigged for sailing. My suspicion is that most gulets are similar in design, though the details may vary widely. A modest yacht would have been preferable for us.

There were two scheduled shopping stops – carpets and ceramics. Both were interesting, at pleasant “factories”, and not high pressure.

Our guide was Kedir Tasdelen, and he was great. Not always easy to deal with 14 different US personalities over 2 weeks but he did it with grace. And he was very informed not only about turkish history and current events, but world events as well. Excellent understanding of english nuance and slang, and watch for his practical jokes, which he performs on all guests. Never mean, always funny. Decent backgammon player too.

The food everywhere was excellent. I would definitely go on another OAT trip. They do a good job and they don't go cheap on anything.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Overseas Adventure Travel   Reviews

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Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT): Force Majeure or Gross Negligence

I was on an OAT trip to Tasmania/Australia/New Zealand 12/1/23-1/5/24. Cyclone Jasper (CJ) manifested approximately 12/5/23. At that time, our guide, GH sent email to OAT office in Sydney (S) about CJ recommending that our group be diverted from the Cairns/Port Douglas (C/PD) segment of the tour to another location in Australia. Our C/PD segment was scheduled for 12/16-12/20/23. CJ made landfall at PD on 12/13/23. CJ then stalled for several days in the area until 12/18/23. CJ caused power losses, drinking water shortages,trees to uproot,overflow of rivers and creeks,and mudslides and destabilizing damage on many roads. People needed to be rescued. C airport finally closed (12/16-17/23). Mossman and Daintree River also flooded. Crocodiles were seen floating through Ingham. CJ was the wettest tropical cyclone to impact Australia on record. On 12/16/23, while we were in Ayers Rock, G told us that after CJ had hit things were back to normal in C/PD. When we landed in C. we were met with torrential rain. After several detours, we arrived at the hotel about 12 Midnight. P told us to be in the lobby at 9am for the Wildlife Tour. On 12/17/23 morning, P told us that there would be no trip to the Wildlife Zoo nor any planned activities. We were confined to the hotel. Some of us wrote emails to OAT about our situation in PD. On 12/18/23, we all received an email from Marisela R. Perez, Traveler Relations, OAT that acknowledged the situation we were in and attributed it to circumstances beyond OAT's control. She reiterated that our safety remained OAT's priority. We were angered by her letter. On 12/19/23, planes started to fly in and out of C airport. All the various roads between C and PD were impassable. PD started up a Ferry Service between PD and C. On 12/20/23, we took the Ferry from PD to C and then flew from C to S as originally scheduled. On 12/22/23, we all received another email from Marisela reiterating that the change in program in C/PD was out of OAT's control. As a gesture of good will, we were provided a travel voucher for $500.00 per person to use on any OAT or Grand Circle Tour within the next two years. This second letter angered us even more. We wrote a group response where we all agreed to reject the $500 credit offer from OAT and requested compensation of $10,000.00 cash for each person for OAT's gross if not criminal negligence for sending us into an existing dangerous situation putting our lives at risk. G mentioned the suggestion for altering our itinerary was nixed by Sandrine Le Gillard, VP Regional General Manager, South Pacific. On 1/23/24, Marisela spoke with SC and said the Executive Team would not authorize any refund at all. On 1/28/24, I sent an email to Harriet Lewis, Chairman of the Board with Grand Circle Corporation (GCC), Brian Fitzgerald, CEO GCC and Nicholas D'Angelo, Executive VP Traveler Relations OAT. I requested the following from OAT: 1. A letter from OAT acknowledging their accountability in this grossly negligent incident with an apology 2. Compensation of $10,000.00 for the gross negligence. 3. A conversation with a person in the OAT organization with authority over quality control and processes to get assurance that this will never happen again-to anybody. On 1/31/24 Marisela and I spoke. She said that she was speaking on behalf of Brian Fitzgerald. She said that the decision to send our group to C/PD was based on phone calls to the airline where OAT was told that the planes were flying and to the tourist businesses in C/PD where OAT was told that the tourist venues were open. That was the info OAT had at the time and what happened in PD was unexpected. This is "Force Majeure" or "Act Of God". However, the foreseeable conditions in PD nullifies the third test of unforeseeability to trigger the "Force Majeure" clause. I received a refund of $27,000.00 that I had paid in full for four OAT trips. I will no longer travel with OAT.

Date of experience : December 16, 2023

First and last trip with OAT

First and last trip with OAT. Absolutely terrible. Guide was horrible. Didn’t help or guide us- Hank was his name. He would drive us for hours in a bus and drop us off at museum and give us a brochure to read to learn about Japanese history and culture. I have so many horror stories. Do NOT travel with this company

Date of experience : March 11, 2024

Excessive Service Fee!

Poor experience when cancelling an additional night at hotel 34 days before our stay. OAT gave us a sevice fee of $300. I think this is excessive. Paul Kaese - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Date of experience : February 22, 2024

I took an OAT trip to New Zealand with…

I took an OAT trip to New Zealand with Australia add one for $3000.00. Half of this trip was supposed to be a trip from Sydney to Cairns. However this portion of the trip, which was half of what i paid for, was cancelled due to typhoon. i contacted oat about this trip interuption and was informed by customer service representative that i would be refunded half of trip. this never happened. after many calls and literally hours on hold with oat "Customer service" i was informed that the representative had no authority to authorize this refun d and to file a claim with my insurance company. my insurance company is about to deny my claim because oat has steadfastly refused to provide necessary paperwork, Oat promotes itself as catering to seniors and single travelers. i am both of these categories and they have stonewalled, baited and switched and outright lied to me. having to deal with their cusomer service is a nightmare.

Date of experience : March 12, 2024

Bad customer service when it comes to processing refunds

We cancelled a trip we had booked with OAT on 11/30/2023. It is now 1/9/2024 and we are still waiting for them to credit back our deposit to our credit card. Their stock answer when we call is that it takes 45 days to process a refund. As anyone with any intelligence know, that is not true. Every other travel company we have ever booked with processes credits/refunds in 2 weeks or less. Please be aware that this is the attitude of this company toward customer service prior to booking trips with them.

Date of experience : November 30, 2023

Be Very Careful, Very Careful when you work with these people

When I began to research OAT, I said to my husband, there are really bi-modal reviews – people either had a great time or it was a “horror show”. Initially, I was reluctant to sign up for a trip given the negative reviews, but then a friend who has been on a number of trips with OAT encouraged me to sign up. So, I signed up on Feb 2 for a trip to Costa Rica in September. However, the trip didn’t get set up and I couldn’t see what I had reserved, etc. so I decided to cancel on Feb. 4. Our deposit was $1598 – most of which was for travel insurance. When I spoke with the representative, Barbara, she told me that the bulk of the deposit would be returned within days as it was for an outside agency and the balance would be paid 45 days later. No credit appeared on my account and when I called about a week later, the fellow helping me left me on the phone for a while and then returned to tell me that the entire amount would be refunded in 45 days – that my information was wrong. The clock is still ticking and I have my calendar flagged to check on the refund – HOWEVER I feel compelled to write this for the record. It is ridiculous that I should have to pay this charge on my credit card while OAT gets to use my money. There is NO reason not to refund the deposit in a timely fashion and I recommend that they PROMINENTLY display this questionable policy of their materials. I'll be back if I don't see that refund hit my credit card on March 20.

Date of experience : February 04, 2024

Very poor customer service

After planning 10 trips w this company, I can NO longer recommended this company. In Feb, we booked a trip to Africa, paying an addtnl $3890 for business class upgrade, AS WE ALWAYS DID WITH INTERNATIONAL FLTS. When OAT went to finally purchase the air fare in Aug, (after keeping my money for 6 mos) they erred in purchasing coach seats and sent me a refund for $3890 without any explanation. I NOTICED we were in coach, called them and was told we would now have to pay $12k to sit in business class. Therefore this trip is now costing me an addtnl $8k that we never expected to pay!! If I had known this in Feb, we may not have taken this trip. NO ONE AT OAT HAS APOLOGIZED OR ADMITTED TO THIS ERROR. I too have been getting continued poor customer service as of late, since the pandemic.

Date of experience : November 10, 2023

Don't book with OAT if there is the slightest chance you or they will cancel

I have had the WORST experience in decades of travel with OAT. I booked a trip for 2024 and had to cancel. I'm due a refund of the amount paid over the deposit/insurance. It has been two full months since cancelling and no refund has been made. I have called OAT customer service twice - one month after cancellation then today, two months after. Both times, they CS reps gave the same story with a slight twist: first call after one month - my refund should've been processed within 30 calendar days, but it was "in process" and would be paid in the next 15 calendar days at most. Today, after two months, my refund should've been processed within 45 calendar days, but it was "in process" and would be paid "whenever finance got around to it." I am going to have to contact my bank for a fraud claim because, at this point, I don't believe that OAT will refund my money and "whenever" is not an acceptable timeframe. They seem to be unable to process refunds, which does not speak well of their financial health. I am an independent traveler and read high recommendations for OAT - not my experience at all.

Date of experience : January 02, 2024

We have traveled 11 times--NEVER again!

We have traveled 11 times, spending more than $110,000 with this company---NEVER again! Booked our last trip with them to Egypt. On our return home our tickets on American Airlines on our final leg were cancelled by British Air. The flight was not cancelled--only our tickets. If we wanted to get home we had to pay $650 for tickets on the same flight that OAT had already booked us on. we were at the gate ready to board and told tickets cancelled. We paid, now OAT says it's not their responsibility even though they made all flight reservations and were paid for all reservations. Beware--OAT will take your money but give no help when they owe you $$$

Date of experience : November 18, 2022

OAT deserves a consumer class action

Anyone know a good consumer class action attorney? That's what this company deserves. I was mostly satisfied with Road Scholar, but was seduced by an OAT trip's pre- and post-options, as well as the 'no single supplement,' so signed up. I told the Travel Dep't I wanted to travel Business Class, and they made the reservation I had researched and requested. Now that it's time to pay, I noticed that they also charged me $1200 for economy round-trip airfare. Even though their website says "Free round-trip economy airfare!!!" I have never seen anything so outrageous. The customer service guy I ended up practically screaming at kept repeating lines from the handbook trying to appease me, but couldn't/wouldn't address my complaint about paying for airfare that a) supposed to be free and b) I'm not using. The R/T business fare I found on Google was just a few dollars more than what they're charging me for the Business Class 'upgrade'. Please, someone sue these people on behalf of all of us!

Date of experience : August 14, 2023

I canceled my trip for October on April…

I canceled my trip for October on April 26th. I was informed in writing since I had the Allianz trip insurance that I would receive a refund by May 11th. When I did not receive it I wrote to inquire. I was told the policy had changed to 30 days - May 26th. I replied that I was not notified of any policy change and expected them to honor thw agreement they put in writing. The next response said I would not receive my refund to June 8th. I called and spoke to a rep then escalated to a manager and was told there was nothing they could do their finance department is overwhelmed. That might be a BIG clue for those thinking of booking with them!

Date of experience : May 14, 2023

THIEVES! Buyer Beware! My mother had legitimate reasons for cancelling and even purchased Cancel for any Reason insurance. Allianz insurance assured her she’d be reimbursed in full and then OAT deducted $2,000 from her reimbursement. This company lacks honesty and integrity and we will spread the word far and wide to save others from such deception and shameful business practices!

Date of experience : April 01, 2023

Excellent tour company

I've taken 2 tours with OAT. They do a great job of handling all the arrangements, and I've had an excellent experience talking with their customer service representatives. Their tour leaders and guides have been consistently knowledgeable. And I love that there is no single supplement.

Date of experience : August 05, 2022

Refund delayed.

I booked a trip but needed to cancel just in time to get my down payment of $350.00 back. I was told it would take 45 days. Now it is 55 days and no refund. I called OAT several times but was given excuses for the delay.

I really don't know how to improve…

I really don't know how to improve terrible! The customer service is beyond repair and will never ever use them again. We booked our reservations with the promise that a discount would be applied and never happened. We signed up based on getting the discount! Bait and switch tactics. After weeks of the same run around and promised calls back from inept supervisors, we finally got one that was just as useless as the first tier advisors. It was like talking to children who were never educated. Customers don't mean anything to these people or company. We have not even left for our trip and now really worried that they will not perform as promised during our trip. They have our money and can you imagine the fiasco trying to cancel and get it back? Not worth the effort and if you are thinking of using this company, our word of warning, . . DON'T! If you do . . . GOOD LUCK! We just hope that this nightmare will not carry forward during our trip . . . please pray for us!

Date of experience : November 10, 2022

Disappointing!

Disappointing! This is my third trip with OAT and I have to say that I have been happy with the actual trips - well organized, knowledgeable guides, good hotels and food - that's why I gave it one star! I understand it's been a difficult year but customer service and policies have been hard for me to manage - HOURS and HOURS waiting on the phone, mistakes in invoicing which were difficult to correct, not honoring the flight upgrade price when we were closer to the departure date, cancelling the post trip without contacting us to rebook the flight home (I had to contact them) , charging a $600 fee EACH to rebook my travel partner and I on the same flight home (they called it a "custom" flight fee) - so many issues that I had to deal with makes this company not worth the time and effort. I will not travel with them again!

Date of experience : June 16, 2022

Neither legal nor ethical

To be courteous and professional, I am letting you know in writing that this information is also going to the Attorney General’s office in Boston, the BBB, Yelp, Google, Tripadvisor, ConsumerAffairs, and Trustpilot. It has been a tremendous waste of our time trying to get our money back after cancelling our trip. Starting on 29 Nov 2022, we were told multiple times, both by phone and by email, that our request has been given to the finance department for review. We have never heard back nor have we received our refund. This is ridiculous. Both my wife and I are retired and have traveled extensively with many other companies but never has any company given us such a runaround/delay. From numerous calls and emails and hours on hold, this is without a doubt the worst customer service we have EVER experienced. No one should ever be treated this way…especially a loyal returning customer. One can only theorize OAT is planning to go out of business. We were told that we have until the end of 2023 to use the credits from our cancelled trip. But due to your policy of requiring a COVID vaccination, which you did not have in place when we initially booked our trip with you, we will not have time to use the credits. Holding our money, from the initial booking on 29 Mar 2021, while making it impossible to use the credits is neither legal nor ethical. Also, if we were to book and trip after being treated like this everyone on the trip would hear firsthand how we have been treated. No…that’s a promise. After this complaint is filed, there will be no more, “contact us at…so we can assist you”. Enough is enough. Just do what is right or we will keep this up. Customer # 2822077

Date of experience : November 29, 2022

I have been on hold for hours and hours…

I have been on hold for hours and hours over several days and have not got through - I dont know how I ever got through in the first place to make a booking. This is ridiculous

Date of experience : January 28, 2023

Hiddens Gems? OAT projection

i booked a trip w/OAT. my first return to international travel since covid. i liked that the trip was on a small ship with a cap of 25 fellow travelers . better yet the ship would transit through the corinth canal (part of my bucket list for years). two days ago OAT advised me via letter that he itinerary had changed a bit. i was informed that the corinth canal is closed and that instead of making the transit to delphi by ship , it would be done instead by a 7 hour bus ride over mountainous terrain. other modifications were also revealed. I called OAT to cancel. i was informed that siince i was cancelling 35 days out, i would be subject to a 65% cancellation "fee" (read penalty) and that i could recoup the balance from the "any reason" trip insurance i had purchased from their travel partner allianz (more on this below). by this time , i had researched the status of the corinth canal and had discovered that the corinth canal has been closed since january 2021and that the authorities have indicated a re-opening of the canal in summer 2023. NEVER at any time or in any correspondence did an OAT representative offer any information regarding the canal. in discussing my desire to cancel the OAT,agent asked if i would like to move my departure date to MAY 2023. you have got to be ... that "any reason" trip insurance ? well it turns out that you do have to have a reason and the exclusion list of coverage is longer than the inclusions . cancelling because OAT made a consequential change to the itinerary does not qualify.so if you dont have a qualifying reason , allianz will issue a travel voucher w/OAT for a future trip w/OAT for the balance of what i had originally paid minus the 35 % reimbursement from OAT. had i not cancelled when i did , allianz would be offering me a 100% travel voucher. after my experience w/OAT the last thing i want is a travel voucher from them. it is my sincere belief that OAT has ,from the very first contact ( and continues today) acted in bad faith. proof? go look up this trip on their website . they are still marketing the corinth canal today with nary an asterix regarding the canals closure. pure and simple deceit; delays in notifications that then create higher penalties; lack of transparency; disregard for ethical treatment of customers are all attributes that this company embraces. if you are considering travel with them I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO RUN FOR THE DOOR P.S.- i wish i could have gone with zero stars

Date of experience : February 17, 2023

Actually, we haven't left for our trip yet. We are scheduled to leave in mid October and decided to arrive early and spend the nights of 10/13- 15 at the hotel in Lisbon where the tour will start. My mistake was booking and paying for this early arrival before the tour starts thru OAT. The friend I am traveling with wants to take me on a special trip to Porto for the nights of 10/14 (my birthday) and 10/15. So I called OAT to cancel the early pre tour starting nights of 10/14 and 10/15. No can do. If I had booked directly with the hotel I could have. So so greedy, OAT. Now for one night (1 night) it will cost me nearly $1,000.00, the full price of all 3 nights.. For one night. Checking in at 3pm on 10/13 and leaving the hotel at 10:00 am the next morning. Cost for 1 night/ 19 hours will be close to $1,000.00. So be aware, friends, that changes, even a month in advance, to early arrival pre-tour on your own will cost you the full price with no refunds if you book thru OAT. Book on your own with the hotel. This is the hotel they booked me in for that I now have to pay nearly $1,000.00 for one night. Check out the prices if you book on your own. Turim Marques Hotel in Lisbon, Portugal. Rates at this hotel if you book on your own is between $100- $200 a night. I have learned my lesson. These companies may have been good pre pandemic. Now they are just trying to make up for lost profits by these sorts of business practices. I have traveled extensively on my own (48 countries) but thought that traveling with a small group would be easier now. After this trip, however, I am back to traveling on my own. I would never have to spend nearly $1,000.00 for one night/19 hours on a hotel if I was traveling on my own.

Date of experience : September 21, 2023

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Travel to Turkey with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel - Istanbul Forum

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Has anyone had experience with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) in Turkey? Do you recommend them?

Overseas Adventure Travel is a well-known agency in the US. I am not familiar with the tours they offer in Turkey. I think that they are currently offering a tour of eastern Turkey as well as some areas around the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. I looked at their itinerary, and it would not be the destinations I would select for a 20 day experience in Turkey. They do appear to offer pretty good hotel rooms, but I know nothing about meals, admission to sights, transportation (air, train bus?) or any of the other questions I would want to be answered before I spent $200/day for this experience.

There was a person on the forum a few weeks ago who was taking a trip with OAT. I am giving you the URL for that thread. I would suggest that you send a Personal Message to the original poster of the thread and see what type of experience she had. That would probably be the best source of information.

As Cinti has stated, the vast majority of us make our own travel arrangements when visiting Turkey. It is not a difficult country to manage on your own. Public transportation is cheap and abundant. Hotels can be reserved online, and the internet is a vast resource for information about where to go and what to see.

Try writing to this person for a first-hand account of an experience with OAT. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293974-i368-k4451948-Stay_at_Legacy_Ottoman_Hotel_or_nearby_hotel-Istanbul.html

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

Yes, we also ended up taking the tour of Turkey with OAT in May of this year. It was excellent and perhaps our best ever. The trip had the right balance for us (we are in our late 60's, but remain very active). Some large cities, some very rural areas, and 4 days on a sailing ship. OAT maintains a small group approach. We had 14 people in our group, who all are acive travelers.

We flew into Isbanbul. The culture, history, and architecture was amazing. Then to Cappadocia with it's unique landscaping, where we did a not to be missed hot air balloon ride. Then to a one night home stay in a small farm village and visiting a school. All these gave us a first hand impression of the people of Turkey. Then on to our sailing ship for 4 days on the Mediteranean. We hiked for a few hours each day, swam in the beautiful waters and enjoyed the food while looking at the scenery. The trip ended in Kusadasi where we traveled to Ephesus, for a detailed look at the ruins. There were many small memorable moments that made us very sad to see this special trip end. We also had an amazing tour guide, Fitnat Aksu. We called her "Fit" for short. We enjoyed her so much...very knowledgeable, excellent sense of humor, and took care of everything.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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• Answers to Questions About Traveling with Kids to Istanbul
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• Excellent Trip Report and Practical Tips and Info on Istanbul by Yositako
• The current status (as of Sept. 2018) of restorations for historical attractions
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• Vaccinations, medication, hospitals, treatments, etc
• Interesting Mosques of Istanbul
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