Happy with features

Great trip. Said is a great leader. Surprisingly green Atlantic Coast. Camel rides, visits with local people, and many great sites. Very worthwhile adventure.

Let me begin by saying that I am a traveler who is not inclined to travel in groups, or take tours. My husband and I decided to try this OAT tour on the suggestion of several friends who raved about the company. I am so glad that we did! The size of our group - 16 - made it easy to get to know one another, and we developed an easy camaraderie that grew as the trip progressed. The pacing of the trip worked; although there were some long days, there enough stops to break up those days, often in places where we could catch a spectacular view. The visits with families and the Women's Collective brought an intimacy and a step into Moroccan culture that I could not have gotten on my own. The accommodations were wonderful, a nice mix of hotel, riad and glamping in the desert! The only negative I can think of is that it became a little tiring eating tagine. Perhaps find more restaurants, like MTouch Cafe and Restaurant in Fez, which offered wonderful food with a Moroccan twist, but had many options besides tagine. Finally, while no one could have anticipated the massive interruption that was caused by the Coronavirus, I do think OAT could have had better planning for what ensued on the trip. We had great difficulty speaking to a representative at OAT before we left, and I felt that the attempt by the company to do outreach and viable emergency contingency planning was lacking. It is definitely a live and learn situation, and I would suggest that OAT develop a clear protocol for when they will cancel or call a halt to trips, and if at all possible, outline how people could get home should an event like this occur again. That being said, I cannot say enough positive things about our guide, Nory. Personable, friendly, engaging and with an incredible knowledge of the country, he was instrumental in making the trip the success it was. He was also right there for us as things got a little crazy re: flights home, the country shutting down, and not only shared information as soon a...

The country is lush and beautiful the boi-diversity is simply amazing. The people are warm helpful and so appreciative of your visit.

We were surprised from the start of the pretrip with the landscape and miles and miles of farmland. It seemed that everyday we had connections with the Moroccan people and their warm and welcoming spirit. From our home hosted visits (one with a Nomad family) to the local guides and even a roadside stop to visit with a shepherd, all were interesting and added to our experience into the culture of Morocco. Of course the camel ride and hilarious Hammam visit were expected highlights that won't soon be forgotten. Our guide, Aziz, was truly the best you could ask for. He was on top of any issue that popped up, made sure all of our tours and meals were ready when we arrived and arranged for us to do whatever interested us, even if we were the only ones doing it. Now at home, we are missing our new traveling companions, olives, our daily mint tea, and the oh those sweet oranges with cinnamon.

We enjoyed every minute of this well planned itinerary. Our very excellent and knowledgeable guide Liza Mora made every day and every experience incredibly interesting. This trip checked every box of my expectations for experiencing a lush and beautiful country, seeing MANY colorful birds and other wildlife, amazing scenery and meeting incredibly wonderful people -- both those our OAT group and the people of CR, as well as our guide and amazing driver Alex. I am running out of superlatives. MAGNIFICENT, AMAZING, SENSATIONAL -- they all apply.

The coastal walled towns of Croatia are picture perfect and our small ship allowed ideal access. The ships crew were wonderful and the food fabulous!

Just go, it's almost indescribable. You need to be active and pretty fit. And ready to change layers of clothes frequently.

Everyday was a wonderful memorable adventure Our first OAT experience. A great trip, my husband is a picky eater and once known the tour leaders tried to accommodate. Enjoyed the home hosted visits and meals and especially spending quality time with the families. The children were a memorable delight. Because of the Coronavirus, we obsessed about flights. We thought we had reservations for the flight home but they were cancelled numerous times and added anxiety to the trip. Tee and Ting were outstanding leaders and made our trip less stressful under extenuating circumstances.

This was our first OAT trip and we surly will do many more. The insight and contacts with local communities and families is something we never would experience on our own. The long lasting experience of OAT made this the best trip ever.

The sights and sounds of the big city, Quito, were a contrast to the thermal pools higher in the Andes. Both were charming in their own way. Canoe rides on the Napo River to see flocks of parrots at the clay lick and then to hike to where the scarlet macaws came to another clay lick showed the vivid colors of the Amazon Basin Rain Forest. Playing Duck, Duck, Goose with the 3-5 year olds at the community school made us all laugh and glow with the children’s excitement as they “won” the prizes we had brought for them. Then there were the blue footed boobies in Galapagos sitting in the middle of the trail moving their eggs between their feet to get them into the just right position. Our appreciative stares didn’t seem to faze them. Didn’t faze the sea lions either, who littered the beaches when we made our wet landings. Then there were the red footed boobies and the Nazca boobies. Who knew about all of these species? Three distinct ecosystems opened to us by our dedicated, knowledgeable tour guides, Celso and Sylvia. They shared their knowledge and love for their country, their culture and their people. My life has been enriched by this OAT adventure.

I loved this trip! I would like to start with the amazing pre-extension to Bhutan. It was wonderful visiting this charming country which feels like it has hardly been “discovered” by the rest of the world. The culture is rich, with the people trying hard to balance their traditions with the reality and conveniences of the modern world. The natural landscape is beautiful, and their spirituality is embedded in every aspect of their daily lives. Our Trip Leader, Kesang, was knowledgeable, kind, insightful, and passionate about her country. On our last evening she brought a selection from her own wardrobe for the ladies so we could each dress up in traditional Bhutan attire for the evening. She made a personal connection with each of us on the tour, and I am sure this relationship will continue for years to come. India – my goodness – every sense was alive in this delightful country! (But be prepared for lots of car horns!) I won’t repeat the highlights, as everyone has already commented on them. I will mention though that it was fun to visit Lucknow, a new destination on the itinerary. Among other things we had an interesting walk through a local market, flew kites with local kids, and attended a beautiful dance demonstration and performance at the Kathak Training Center – a must if you are visiting India, I think. Also, I liked the fact that we took the train from Lucknow to Varanasi, since rail travel is common in India and it was another experience! This trip was so enjoyable, due in large part to our Trip Leader Raj (Adhiraj), who, in addition to his lively and warm personality, was knowledgeable, adaptable, patient, and ever so capable. He paid attention to individual needs, and if we had a request to see a particular feature in the area we were in, he would, within the parameters of timing and the group’s itinerary, arrange our drop off and pickup, and if necessary, the visit itself. Each day when there was a big chunk of free time, he offered to bring any member...

Trip was totally incredible with lots of surprises and cultural activities.

The tour, up till the time the last six days of the tour were cancelled when Israel closed it's borders due the the COVID-19 pandemic, was wonderful. Our guides, itinerary, hotels, ship and crew--all were top notch.

Exhausting but a great trip.

I really liked getting to meet and interact with people in the villages and on a farm. We had so much fun with them and cooked and had dinner with them. It was interesting taking the various modes of transport. The train, metro and boats. It gave me a different perspective . I really liked our tour guide who was a fun addition to our group and was eager to help us have whatever experience we were looking for. He encouraged us to interact in ways we may not have thought of.

We enjoyed a magical adventure, touring the Patagonia area with OAT. Our guide Marcela was the very best. Professional yet fun, adventurous yet minding the less-physical members of our group. I still don’t know how our “good shepherd” kept us moving, educated and safe throughout this very busy 3 week tour. My husband is a novice at international tours and I was anxious to see his reaction to the variety of experiences. Well, the smile on his face when dancing the tango, catching the chairlift, and finding a condor in flight gave me the answer I had hoped for. Our luck with weather and timing enhanced the tour. Everyone who can should take this tour.

I have been on many journeys to all seven continents. Have seen many seas, mountains, and landscapes. However, the Postojna Caves are the most extensive and beautiful caves I have ever seen. Sixteen miles of spectacular chambers, narrow walkways,beautiful colors created by nature, and multiple elevations. It makes one realize what small part we play as individuals in this magical world.

Wonderful crew and great meals. Would have liked more on-board cruising instead of daily stops.

Ashish our trip leader was wonderful. He was very knowledgable and if he couldn't answer our questions immediately he would find the answer. There were no topics off limits. If anyone needed anything he was there to help, atm, medications etc. My battery died in my watch and he took my watch and got a new battery put in. He also helped someone who had trouble with her camera. We also tried many different food which were all great. The home hosted meal was another favorite part of my trip. The only thing I felt somewhat uncomfortable about was when we were taken to specialty shops where rugs, silks etc. were made I felt a little pressure that I should buy something even thought we were told we didn't need too. All and all it was a great trip.