Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews

I just finished my fourth trip with OAT, "Tanzania and Kenya Safari" with a pre-trip to Rwanda. As has always been my experience, the trip was outstanding, beyond my expectations (which are high because of my other fabulous OAT trips!). We spent 4 full days in Rwanda, with one full day of mountain gorilla trekking and about 2 weeks in Kenya and Tanzania, covering the biggest and most well-known locations: the Maasai Mara, Amboseli NP, Tarangire NP, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Our group saw 102 species of mammals, birds and other critters.

We have taken six trips with OAT now, and they remain our go-to tour company. We will be taking more. There will never be a "perfect" tour, nor perfect tour company. But OAT tries very hard, listens to customers and is typically the best value that we can find. We have had some outstanding Experience Leaders, and they have made such a positive impact on our perception of these things. I'm generally impressed with the quality/driving skills of the ground transportation. And the hotels are often very nice for the areas we stay in. In other words, they're usually fancier, more expensive than where we would choose to stay on our own dime.... so that's appreciated!

We just returned from a 9-day river cruise through the Rhine and Mosel with Circle Line/Overseas Adventure Travel, and it exceeded every expectation — especially at a sale price of $995 with all food and drinks included. For a cruise of this length and quality, that's an extraordinary value. Our cabin was comfortable and immaculate, with a clever lounge-to-bed conversion that made great use of the space. Our cabin steward, Roman, was attentive throughout the trip and always anticipated what we needed. Our tour guide, Veerla — a local to Amsterdam — was superlative, bringing real depth and personal connection to every stop along the way.

Overseas Adventure Travel has great small group trips with educational tour group leaders and excellent local guides. In comparing trips to certain areas with other tour groups, I find what I did daily on experiential appointments with OAT to be more varied and have deeper educational information.

Our Overseas Adventure Travel journey through Tanzania was truly the experience of a lifetime. Every day was filled with breathtaking wildlife, magnificent landscapes, rich cultural experiences, and genuine connections with the warm and welcoming people of Tanzania. OAT created an itinerary that perfectly balanced adventure, education, and meaningful interaction, allowing us to experience the country’s incredible beauty in a way we never could have on our own.

I’m leaving for my third OAT trip to Armenia and Georgia in one month. Months ago, I scheduled my flights with their agent. As she was routing my return flight, she mentioned that I would have a layover in Vienna. Since this itinerary involved 4 long flights, I requested to spend a couple of nights there. She answered that it would not be a problem. She added that she was unable to book the flight between Yerevan and Vienna as it required a regional carrier. I would have to call back (within 60 days of departure) to schedule that flight.

Just returned from Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy adventure. We had the best trip. Hotels were 5 star, food was excellent, but most importantly the guide, Massimo, was superb.

I've taken two OAT trips in the last few months...to Sicily and the Serengeti, both booked at a significant discount to regular price ("last minute" deal...usually a month or two in advance). Both were quality trips, one with a good guide, the other with an excellent guide. Accommodations vary a lot....some excellent, some good. Meals also vary, generally good, some fair.

Overseas Adventure Travel to Tuscany and Umbria Tour, our first with them, far exceeded our expectations. We will travel OAT anytime we are looking for a small group tour. Operations and logistics were flawless. Staff were superb at every role. Our tour redefined travel for me by the cultural enrichment and social engagement, the learning and discovery that was part of everyday. Our trip leader gave extraordinary care and attention to each individual, which made for a happy group. Excellent choice of hotels, luxury small bus and very good food choices. Oh, and the wine!!

This is Monica. I just returned from Northern Italy and Dolomites trip. The agenda gave us some free time which I loved. The accommodations were amazing. The food spectacular but the very best thing was our guide Massimo. He went out of his way to make sure we were all comfortable, educated, entertained and very professional in dealing with any little issue that came up. On the day when we had a huge rain storm, he arranged for taxis to get us to dinner so we wouldn’t have to walk in the pouring rain. I feel like he really enjoyed spending time with all of us and that made the difference. Would 100% recommend this tour.

Just returned from my 15th trip - all have been wonderful— this trip to Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda was over the top wonderful! Everything we did - the best trip leader- the best local guides and drivers and the best accommodations. And we had a great group. Excellent in every way!! I have referred 18 people to travel with OAT and always do.

This was my 10th OAT adventure and it certainly didn't disappoint. We began in Dublin, traveled north into Northern Ireland stopping along the way to visit an apple farm (who would imagine that an apple farm could be so interesting??), and continued on to Belfast. After several days learning about The Trouble, we returned to Ireland and traveled down the island's western coast, in awe of the landscape we were passing through. Several of us continued on for the "post trip," which included more incredible scenery and so many sheep grazing on hillsides, as we explored two peninsulas in County Kerry. The Trip Experience Leaders are always top-notch in their knowledge of the area as well as their concern for each traveler individually.

This was our first cruise with GCCL and it won’t be our last. Everyone connected with our cruise ( rogram directors, crew and guides) excelled in their respective roles. The food onboard was excellent too. We thought the scheduled and free time met a perfect balance.

Our guide, Drew ** was absolutely incredible. His attention to each guest's personal wants and needs went beyond exceptional. He consistently checked in with each one of to ensure we were doing and seeing everything possible. He did tremendous research on the areas we visited in order to share with the guests the different options available for seeing the sights, dining and immersing in the culture. He made my tour very special.

Laverne in customer service is awesome! Friendly, knowledgeable and caring. Have dealt with her twice. She would be an awesome candidate to train new people.

Our trip to Northern Italy and the Dolomites was excellent. Our guides were professional, knowledgeable and careful to take care of each traveler's needs. Because OAT specializes in small group travel that is truly a difference that makes a difference.

My OAT trip to Quito and the Galapagos was flawless! The two Trip Leaders, Fatima for Quito and Israel for Galapagos were cheerful, knowledgeable, great leaders and communicators, actually, perfect! They each provided an in-depth view of the areas we explored, spreading their knowledge of the architecture, history, nature, live-ability, controversies, food, and people. They made themselves available for discussion of individual concerns and interests. They led the staff of hotel, and ship to provide a class I experience.

We did the Great Rivers of Europe cruise on Aug 5, from Amsterdam to Vienna. Grand Circle Cruises did a fantastic job of making this trip go through instead of cancelling due to some low water river levels. We used two ships, the Harmony, then the Aria. The service and food quality were excellent on both ships. Our program director, Gigi, was extremely knowledgeable and so efficient. Our waiter on the Aria, Anna-Maria and her co-worker Henri were excellent. The condition of both ships looked like brand new. We had to leave the cruise two days early as we couldn't cruise all the way into Vienna. However, Grand Circle Cruises transferred us to the Park Hilton and included meals and wine, just like we would have had on the ship. We would highly recommend Grand Circle Cruises.

My spouse and I had a wonderful time in Scotland with OAT. Our guide was fabulous - we learned so much from him due to his passion and knowledge about Scottish history and his ability to communicate it in a fun and engaging manner. All the local guides were also excellent. The group was compatible and easy to spend time with. I would have liked a bit more physical activity during the planned activities but we were able to walk a lot during our free time so I was able to get those needs met as well.

Our Ultimate Africa Experience was absolutely fabulous. Our guide Bradley ** was amazing; very mature, organized, able to handle stressful situations with an ease, funny, friendly and most of all professional. I was very impressed with the logistics of all trips and how smoothly was everything coordinated. All lodges, accommodations , local guides, flights were topnotch. Food was excellent, sometimes too much , better too often. Zambia (Kafue NP),gets the gold medal for best tasting food, hospitality and presentation. Zimbabwe (Hwange National Park) gets the silver medal, Chobe NP, Okavango Delta gets the bronze, re: food. We were very lucky seeing so many animals, highlights were lions in Kafue NP, elephants in Okavango Delta and hippos in Hwange.

Overall great experience and engaging adventure with Africa, specifically Kenya and Tanzania. Our guide was fantastic and did a super job on the entire 19 day trip. Accommodations were first class and land cruiser drivers were excellent hosts and very attuned to traveler needs and desires. They did a super job of taking extra care of the vehicles daily. We were able to experience much more than just viewing the incredible wildlife and off trip excursions to local ** communities were humbling and informative.

I just returned from OAT's French and Italian Rivieras trip and would definitely recommend this small-ship cruise. The itinerary was excellent and included stops in Corsica and Elba, along with the island of Giglio. The service and cuisine of the M/V Athena was excellent. Our visit to Cinque Terre was efficiently done, stopping at the two most compelling stops in Vernazza and Monterosso. Imperia proved to be a surprising discovery. I took part in the post-trip extension to Abruzzo and found that to be a surprisingly great experience that combined breath-taking landscapes with hilltop towns oozing charm at every turn.

This was not an easy logistical tour but everything went smoothly. I was disappointed in some of the hotels. They were not clean. The boat was terrific! My biggest concern was our guide who tried and managed getting us from boat, plane to bus with ease and on time no small task. It was disappointing when he didn’t know our names but more importantly not helping us in various locations.

This was my first O.A.T. trip but will not be my last. The entire trip was memorable for many reasons. First and foremost, our team leader, Lovro. He was extremely knowledgeable about history, politics, etc. and shared his experiences with the group. With the exception of Kotor, all of the cities and towns that we stayed were intriguing. The hotels and the bus were great. The ratio of singles to couples could have been better but it was fine.

My wife and I recently concluded our first OATS trip to Africa along with a pre-trip to Karongwe game reserve. We traveled to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. The trip was well organized, active and fast paced, and flawlessly executed. Anna, our tour leader was professional, knowledgeable, extremely informative, and conveyed a genuine sense of caring for everyone's best interests. Anna added detail, energy, and great humor throughout our trip. Her presence greatly increased everyone's quality of trip experiences. She is a real asset to OATS.

Did the Iceland and Greenland Tour. Guide was great, accommodations good, lots of food. Adventures were excellent. One or two excursions a bit boring or not interesting, but overall a solid 4.75.

Our Seine River cruise was delightful. Our guides were knowledgeable and made the trip fun with finding the unique and interesting in each town. We appreciate the attention to detail and providing every extra to make the trip special. I highly recommend.

Did a 9 day trip to Iceland (expedition type). We moved to new hotels daily except for Sellfoss where we had 2 days. The hotels were great with superb food. Our guide was magnificent. OAT is reasonably priced--this was my 8th OAT trip. We needed more time in Reykjavik but the trip ended there and I could have stayed an extra day if I wanted. There is absolutely nothing wrong with OAT--solo or couple.

Great trip. So organized and wonderful staff. All caring and helpful. Ship was clean. Lots of dining options. Fabulous tour director.

The Mongolia & Gobi Desert trip exceeded every expectation. The tour guide, “Bagi”, was fantastic and the itinerary was perfect – offering experiences and meaningful insight into Mongolia’s culture, people and way of life. It offered hiking through amazing endless landscapes and historic sites, seeing remarkable wildlife, meeting warm-hearted people, gaining educational and learning experiences into rural and ethnic people was a most memorable experience, as well as many other unforgettable adventures across Mongolia and the Gobi Desert made this one of the most rewarding travel experiences I’ve ever had.

Tours, food, service, and especially our tour director Armelle were outstanding. After cruising 20+ times this was one of the best.

Our two program directors, Marcelo and Daniel were so good. They were so knowledgeable and accommodating. We really enjoyed their company. This trip was so diverse….From the city to primitive jungle to tropical animal encounters. The ecosystems of Ecuador were fascinating. Seeing how the native Ecuadorians live was so interesting. I 10/10 recommend visiting Ecuador.

This was my first trip with OAT, and it definitely won't be the last! I chose the Jewels of Bohemia adventure with the post-trip extension to Vienna. The local people, places, food, and Learning & Discovery opportunities were priceless. A special shout-out to our fantastic Trip Experience Leader, Tommy **, who always made us feel safe while sharing a wealth of knowledge about the culture and history of every location we visited, as well as the local guides we met. Everything was an exceptional adventure!

I have been traveling with this company since 1993 and have never been disappointed. The last trip, my 43rd, to Tanzania, was, without doubt, one of the most exciting. Not only did we see almost every animal promised, but viewed them in their natural habitat, and many in some natural activity. The adventure was well-planned, organized and executed. Our guide was knowledgeable, thorough, fun, and nothing short of perfect. Our drivers were every bit as knowledgeable, etc. We were entertained, educated, well-fed and cared for. I highly recommend Overseas Adventure Travel for its attention to detail and follow through.

Best crew ever. The 3 program directors Johannes, Amin and Andrea were better than any we've had before. They intermingled with everyone and were not afraid to help travelers in a different group. The waiters, bartenders, hotel staff, front desk staff were very friendly and helpful and made our trip enjoyable. The food was excellent!! GCT should definitely hold on to Johannes who was the program director. They were very knowledgeable and a lot of fun to know.

Our OAT trip to the maritime jewels of the UK exceeded ALL expectations. Our tour guide was wonderful, accessible, knowledgeable, and also a lot of fun. The ship was a jewel of comfort and convenience without being one of those huge behemoths of the seas. The food was excellent, the daily options for guided visits were not only very interesting, but the individual guides really were experts on their subjects. The crew on the ship was excellent, knew who each passenger was, and was continually asking if they could get us anything. The whole experience was like being taken to a little bit of heaven for a couple of weeks. If you would like to understand some of the origins of the history of our culture, and have the experience of being treated like a beloved guest, this is the trip for you. I have been on a number of tours, and this was the ONLY one that excelled in ALL categories.

Guide - Manuel - so awesome!!! We had an individual with food restrictions. He was so attentive and helpful to ensure she got everything she needed. He was so knowledgeable about the country, history and culture,. Food - great food. I am a picky eater but I really enjoyed the food. Learning - we learned so much about the Incas, history of Peru, government - I have notes and notes. Flexibility - surprise parades in Lima, wedding march, changing of the guard. Transportation - all the transitions were well coordinated. Trains, planes and buses. All were great! Accommodations- great accommodations. The beds at the Urubamba were too hard for my liking. I need a fan to sleep but my converter didn’t work. But every place had a fan for me to borrow.

Our OAT Ultimate Africa tour was adventurous, professional, informative, culturally immersive and FUN. Our tour guide, Safari guides, tent camp staff and other guests contributed to a memorable experience. We enjoyed the African winter itinerary where we bundled ourselves for early morning and evening Safari rides and slept with Bush Bunnies warming our beds. We were amazed by the vastness and beauty of the terrain and the abundance of animals that we encountered. Additionally, we rarely saw other humans other than our group of 13 people riding in our 2 jeeps.

About as close to perfect as it gets in the wild and woolly world of travel. Unforeseen events are handled with care and generosity. Impressed by their ability to handle medical emergencies among an aging clientele. Known for small group travel by land, sea, and river. We have done 4 trips in all modes.

We just returned from the Small Ship Expedition to Svalbard. This is our 7th trip with OAT and our most amazing yet. The trip itinerary and accommodations were first class. The ship and expedition staff provided incredible experiences for wildlife viewing, including polar bears, walrus, several types of whales, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic terns, and many other birds and wildlife. The OAT trip leaders provided incredible day to day experiences. Our trip leader, Martin, was so enthusiastic and made sure everyone accomplished their wish lists for this trip! This was the trip of a lifetime, on a great ship, with a great crew, amazing trip leaders, fantastic food, and unbelievable experiences.