Overseas Adventure Travel — Local services in Boston

I knew that Egypt was going to be a fantastic place to visit and that OAT would be MY way to see it. It was my 9th trip with OAT and did not disappoint. First off, I got an actual phone call from Egypt, prior to my leaving the U.S., from Aiyman, (my experience guide). I was amazed that right from the start this trip was going to be one of personal concern and inclusion from my "leader". That assumption never proved wrong. From start to finish, Aiyman was there welcoming everyone, giving us detailed instructions day be day on all facets of our activities, taking care of individual concerns and always with good humor. With a wealth of knowledge on Egyptology (he graduated from university on the subject), on Egypt's history, economics, politics, rulers and invaders over the centuries, statistics of all the areas that we visited, I could go on and on. All of this was done in a way that we didn't feel we were being lectured but rather treated as interested observers, part of the excitement of Egypt and all it's facets. As a group, we had many, many questions each day. All were answered fully. As for the practical side of the adventure, we stayed at a truly luxurious hotel in Cairo with super accommodations and restaurants, going out each day to surrounding areas. As well as scheduled visits, Aiyman offered extra opportunities for visiting places during the scheduled "rest" times for those of us who cared to join. I didn't need rest times and went on all of these and had great experiences. After 5 days in Cairo and surrounding areas , we boarded the Nefertiti, OAT's own boat, to cruise on the Nile. I felt like Nefertiti myself! Each cabin had its own balcony to watch activities ashore as we floated along, as well as a sun lounge on the top deck. The services provided from every aspect were first class. And the restaurant ... elegantly furnished, serviced by wonderful waiters who even remembered many of our names, and the cuisine was SPECTACULAR. The staff even provided entertainment several nights, putting on skits, getting us up to dance, it made me feel young again (I'm 87). Each day we would pull into a new port and Aiyman would take us to yet another exciting place that offered a new experience, way of life and people. After 6 days on Nefertiti, we flew back to Cairo to the same luxury hotel and used that until the end of the tour for our base. Each day was a new sight and experience. During the whole visit to Egypt, we saw the remains of huge temples with columns that seemed to reach to the sky and so large that six of us could barely put our outstretched arms around the base; tombs with walls covered in relief paintings, hieroglyphics, cartouches, some of which still retained original colors: pyramids, the Sphinx, museums (including one that had actual mummies) and amazing actual evidence from past times, and so many other wonders too long to list and describe - I simply don't have an adequate vocabulary! For modern times, we saw the Aswan High Dam which had in the past prevented devastating flooding; vast areas of the Sahara desert being reclaimed with crops growing and being saved by law from commercial building. We also had two "home" experiences. One in Cairo with a typical family for supper and one with a farming family in a tiny village with dirt streets, little fields, communal family homes and a young man at University studying to be a surgeon (the whole village was SO PROUD of him). At each visit we were able to fully interact with the people involved, asking them questions and finding out about their way of life. I took thousands of pictures and now have the delight of editing them and making actual prints of many for a scrapbook. This review is just a very small retelling of my time in Egypt. I have left out so much that will provide memories for years to come. Anyone reading this simply HAS to go there themselves and experience the wonders that I did. Thank you Aiyman and thank you...

Our trip to Egypt was with Overseas Adventure Travel. We had never used OAT, but joined a group that was assembled by one of our members that had previously used them. So glad we did.

First, OAT specializes in small groups of no more than 16 people. Our group was only 12 and that gives you a very personalized experience. The hotels that we stayed at were the best available in the cities we visited. The dahabeeyah (ship) was exceptional. The room and bathroom were very nice and bigger that most cruise ships.

The service is next to none. We were greeted at the airport at 2 am by a representative who already had our Visa and stayed with us while we gathered our luggage and then took us to the hotel. The same level of attention was given to us during the departure and on the domestic flights. All along the way, we were treated with very friendly and competent service by the OAT team.

The food was so good at the hotels, local restaurants, dahabeeyah and family hosted meals. We had such a variety of meals that included different meats, vegetables, rice, potatoes, and deserts. My wife who is very picky ate almost everything that was served including the moussaka. This aspect far exceeded our expectations.

The transportation vehicles and transitions were flawless and there were many from buses, to boats, and smaller vehicles used in the rural areas. Our tour manager was always on top of the details, ensuring the transitions occurred on time and most importantly assuring that our stops were at times that the crowds at the sites to be visited were minimal.

The places we visited were mind-blowing. We went to museums, pyramids, temples, tombs that provided such a great perspective of ancient Egypt. It was so amazing to see the knowledge, work ethic and love of the people had to build the incredible monuments and artifacts that we saw.

Well, that leaves our tour manager and guide, Maher Haggag. Maher was born in Egypt but currently has a dual citizenship and lives in England with his lovely wife and three sons. He is so well versed in Egyptology among other areas of expertise, having master’s degrees in several fields. He has worked in many professions besides being a tour director, giving him a wide variety of experiences to draw from.

Beyond all of that, we have never seen someone so enthusiastic about his job and personable to his group. The energy that he has is over the top and he was always pumping us with information about the geography, history, and artifacts that we were seeing. He pointed out that in most places he could spend days going over details, but obviously because of time constraints, he covered the highlights but with enough information that we got a very good perspective of everything that we experienced. We appreciated his sense of humor and engagement with everyone.

The reason we did not give it a rating of 5 were the flights. Our flight to Frankfurt was delayed so we missed our connection to Cairo. We were on the phone over an hour to try to rearrange our flight but got no help. As a result, we arrived in Cairo very early in the morning so the hotel room that we paid for was wasted. Same thing on the way back. Our flight was at 1:45 am so we had to leave the hotel at 10 pm. The room that we paid for that night was wasted. It appears the flights are selected based on price vs providing the best experience for travelers. We will be more mindful on this when we go with them in the future.

So in summary, OAT is a great tour company and Maher is an outstanding director. We look forward to engaging with them in the future but with a very critical eye on the flight...

Not quite sure I have the vocabulary to convey the accolades this company deserves. I went on the Crossroads of the Adriatic tour as a single, male, 62 yo traveler. I chose OAT because of its reputation, my interest in that part of the world and an itinerary that suggested an opportunity to really experience the culture, history and people of the region. And frankly, because OAT doesn't charge a singles supplement - the bane of the solo traveler.

The trip exceeded all my expectations. Let me say this as simply as I can: unless you're already intimately familiar with the region and have established, local contacts there, there's absolutely no way you can get anywhere near the value OAT offers by setting up an identical itinerary on your own. I crunched the numbers: between the hotels, included meals, transporation between the locations, hiring local guides and admission costs of the included attractions and activities, you'll spend as much, if not more than what OAT charges. And that's not counting the obvious vetting this company does in selecting the most knowledgable, personable and genuinely gracious local guides and homestay hosts. And foremost above all else is the stellar contribution that Sanja, our OAT trip leader, lent to the whole experience - vastly enhancing the trip for everyone. A local resident of the region, she was warm, engaging and funny - treating each of us like a dear friend from day one. She was constantly prepping us for the day's activities and ensuring everyone was accounted for and that no one - or any personal belonging (DAMHIKT) - was left behind. Offering informed recommendations of where to dine and what to do during our free time between scheduled activities and meals. And always, ALWAYS ready and able to address any little hiccup or issue any of us encountered along the way. Her knowledge of the local culture, history and politics of the region was phenomenal. To top it off, she was constantly setting up unexpected bonus activities and experiences that weren't even on the official itinerary - an absolute parade of personal touches that repeatedly delighted us and made the experience extra special!

My friends and family know that I'm an introvert and questioned me carefully about committing to a group tour rather than seeking out a companion to do this kind of trip. But I was hopeful that any person attracted to the style of engaged, small group foreign travel that OAT offers would be my kind of people - curious, interesting and open to new experiences. I was not disappointed: by Day 2 or 3, we were all like family - planning additonal activities together for our free time, excitedly comparing our impressions of the day's activities and learning more about each other's backgrounds and life experiences. There were a few members of our group that were even more shy and introverted than me. But the bonding that occured was so organic, so genuine that we all came to support and look after each other.

In summation, I believe there's an important distinction between a tourist and a traveler. If you're a tourist then by all means save a few dollars by opting for cheaper, more conventional group tour operators. But if you're a traveler - someone eager to really engage, explore and learn about the regions that attract you; if you're looking to come home with something beyond photos of random cathedrals, museums and scenery, then OAT should absolutely be on your short list of where to spend your travel dollars. If what I'm describing resonates with you, you will not be...