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

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

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• 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.

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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.

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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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Southern India with OAT

For the tour “Soul of India,”* March 1-21, 2020, to be followed by a 3-day post-trip to Dubai, I left the US on Feb. 29, flying to Dubai and then Chennai, India.

All 14 of the travelers on this Overseas Adventure Travel , or OAT (Boston, MA; 800/955-1925, www.oattravel.com ) , trip had already visited northern India, the country’s more popular destination, with the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, etc.

Having arrived a day early in Chennai, I spent it exploring the city. There were motorized rickshaws everywhere and lots of motor scooters, some carrying families of two adults and three children!

I took a rickshaw to Fort St. George, which I hadn’t realized was a large government complex. After visiting its museum and St. Mary’s Church, both of which documented British-colonial times in the city, I watched many young government employees enjoying lunch outdoors.

I met the OAT tour group the next day, and we had lunch at the Writer’s Café , where we listened to a speaker talk about the status of women in India, including unfortunate instances of abuse. We then saw a wedding preparation (we saw many wedding celebrations during our time there), saw fishermen bringing in their catches at Marina Beach, and visited a local’s “low-cost housing” apartment.

The next day, a highlight was a trip on a very crowded train to Mylapore. To say this was a unique experience is an understatement.

After returning to Chennai, a friend and I took a rickshaw to a major shopping street, where we were the only non-Indians. Blond Lisa was a hit, and everyone wanted pictures of us, mostly with her, especially the young men. We wondered if they would tell their friends she was their girlfriend.

We spent the next 10 days in Tamil Nadu state, where the temperature was over 95 degrees every day. My general theory is that I can be hot at home in Florida for free, so I try to stay away from hot destinations. Didn’t work this time.

We visited numerous temples. At one in Madurai, we had to go in barefoot; not even socks were allowed. We also visited a “factory” where women made cotton towels.

Every OAT trip includes a visit to a village, and at the village we visited, the school was supported by the OAT-affiliated Grand Circle Foundation. Bouncing through the village in a bullock cart, we also got to see where the locals grow their rice.

Here I should mention that at the start of our trip, the COVID-19 virus was still primarily in China and just starting to appear in northern Italy. We all felt we’d be safe in southern India, but on the TVs in our hotel rooms, we could see what was happening around the world.

We then crossed a mountain to a lovely resort by a forest park in Kerala state. Waking up that first morning to cool weather was amazing! Due to the coronavirus, however, Kerala had closed the park and we couldn’t walk there, but we had a home-hosted lunch — always a treat.

After an Ayurvedic massage (during which I was sure I would slide off the table) and a visit to a spice plantation, we enjoyed a relaxed dinner in a restaurant.

That night at 10, the doorbell rang and our trip leader informed me that the state of Kerala had discovered a COVID case in a foreigner in the northern part of the state, so they had ordered all foreigners out. We would be leaving at 6 in the morning! Missing our visit to Kochi and a houseboat ride in the Kerala backwaters was a disappointment.

We headed back over the mountain to Madurai, spending the night before flying to Mumbai via Bangalore.

In Mumbai, we stayed at the Taj Mahal Tower , a newer section of the historic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel that had been built for tour groups. The hotel was across from the Gateway of India, and, it being a Sunday, many families were there on that lovely evening. We all took pictures, and I think there are pictures of us all over India!

Our trip leader then informed us that the company needed to get us back to the US as quickly as possible. We already knew the Dubai post trip had been canceled.

Mumbai was not allowing tour companies to take groups around the city, as COVID was becoming more alarming, but the Taj arranged for our entire group to tour the city by chauffeur-driven limousines. OAT also arranged for us to tour the original Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

I was one of four who left for London the night of March 16, and I continued to Ft. Lauderdale the following day.

I will never be able to commend our OAT staff adequately for doing all they could to make our visit memorable. They were amazing, since everything was changed daily.

NORMA JENKINS Pompano Beach, FL

*Overseas Adventure Travel is not offering “Soul of India” in 2021, and, at press time, the tour had not been scheduled for 2022.

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India travel & tours

Travel adventures by the billion.

Wonderfully different, there is nothing quite like a tour of India. Travel a lot? No matter how much you've done or how many countries you've visited, when you first arrive in India it will hit you like a gale force wind; a hurricane of sounds, smells, and colour where nothing is as it seems. Travelling to India reveals a country that is both mesmerizing, exotic, exciting, and mystical but at times frustrating, confusing, and chaotic. Relax, stay calm, be patient, and smile and India will open up herself to you in all her splendid glory.

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Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip. There are many ATM machines that accept both Visa and Mastercard but these are limited to major cities. We also recommend the use of cash and travellers cheques in USD currency. Major credit cards are accepted in most shops but they may charge a 2-4% transaction fee.

Tips on tips

Some reasonable suggestions on how to tip the staff

It is customary in Asia to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is expected - though not compulsory - and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour.

Drivers/Local Guides

$ 1-2 usd/day.

Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from USD1-2 per person per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture.

G Adventures CEO

$ 20- $ 30 usd.

At the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures CEO did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however as a guideline USD20-30 per person, per week can be used.

Packing for India

We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as you are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bag which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones. If your trip involves overnights in home stays, villages or camping then you usually have the opportunity to rent sleeping bags if need be instead of bringing them with you.

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Electricity and power supplies in India

In India the power plugs and sockets are of type C, D and M. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. You can use your electric appliances in India, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa). Manufacturers take these small deviations into account. If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100 V - 127 V (as is in the US, Canada and most South American countries), you need a voltage converter in India. You can also consider a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter.

Go tripping with Overseas Adventure Travel

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Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India

The tour below is a past example of OAT’s tour of the Golden Triangle. Please click the link for upcoming tour information, dates and prices, and be sure to say Solo Trekker 4 U sent you!

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: A 2 week+ tour of iconic Rajasthan led by OAT Travel based in Boston. (Calling from abroad dial: 617-350-7500.)

Follow the link for changes in sample itinerary below.

With 30 years’ experience, small groups of no more than 16 and no single supplement, we are pleased to add OAT Travel to our family of pre-approved tour providers. Join these great trips to see what may be missed by large tours!

BE SURE TO SAY THAT SOLO TREKKER 4 U SENT YOU!

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Heart of India Tour:

Going off the beaten path in this small tour (maximum of 16) you will get a flavor of ancient and modern India.

• This magical sojourn is led by expert local guides.
• It will take you to the heart of India’s Golden Triangle.
• You will start in Delhi and move on to Agra and the Taj Mahal.
• Next comes the colorful town of  Jaipur.
• You will visit the 17th century walled city of Old Delhi. See New Delhi’s answer to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
• As the tour moves on, you will see the remarkable Palace of the Winds.
• Next in Rajasthan comes the Amber Fort.
• Seeking more adventure? Fly high over the Indian countryside in a hot air balloon!
• Contact us today to be part of this unique journey through northern India.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Schedules:

Departures monthly from Jan-April and Aug-Dec.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Tour Itinerary:

DELHI TO VARANSI:

Fly to Delhi

Arrive in India

No need to worry! You will be met at the airport by a skilled OAT Travel representative who will escort you to your hotel.

After breakfast, the day will begin with an overview by your Trip Leader.

• Your first stop is Old Delhi, a 17th century walled city, formerly the Mughal capital and the 500 year capital of the empire. As the site of 8 different cities, Delhi is an intriguing mix of its Hindi, Mughal and British past.

• Next you will visit the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, the Raj Ghat.

• You will then tour the 17th century Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest in India, built by a Mughal emperor.

• Ready for a little adventure? You can try out your first? ride in a rickshaw through Chandni Chowk Bazaar followed by a welcome dinner.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: New Delhi:

After breakfast, you will see New Delhi’s top sites. In contrast to the narrow side streets old city, this British-designed sector has broad boulevards, tree-lined like much of the UK!

• The initial stop is at the 234-foot high Qutab Minar, second tallest minaret in India, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This enduring, “modern skyscraper” was begun un in the 12th century and combines Indo-Islamic architecture.

• Following lunch at a local restaurant, next the tour moves on to the seat of government for this largest democracy on the globe, including the Parliament and the President’s residence (exterior only), the palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan.  From there, you will go to the India Gate and surrounding parklands, commemorating both the soldiers who served in the 19th-century Afghanistan war and the 1st World War. It is noted as an architectural “twin”, or at least in a style reminiscent, of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Jaipur:

• Time to travel to the heart of the Golden Triangle: Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is commonly called the “Pink City” because of its sandstone buildings which cast a rosy hue. You will have a brief rest at lunch at a local restaurant before going through the formalities of checking in at your local hotel. You will also have a guided stroll through Jaipur’s enchanting  walled Old City. The group will have dinner together at a local restaurant.

• Ready for an adventure? If you are up for it, you have the option of a hot-air balloon high above Jaipur. From your bird’s eye view, you will see the Jai Mahal Lake or countryside depending upon the weather!

• Moving on along terra firma, you will head to the Jantar Mantar. This 18th-century observatory has remarkable modern-day capabilities!  Its enormous sundials remain accurate to two-tenths of a second.
• For a real change of pace, you will visit the City Palace Museum, known for its array of  textiles, arms, carpets, paintings, and manuscripts. You will have an optional tour to learn more about producing fabrics at a textile fabric block-printing center.
• The day begins with one of  Jaipur’s most famous sites, the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds).  What remains of this 18th century pink/red sandstone Palace of the Winds is the fascinating sandstone facade with a honeycomb of 956 intricate windows. That is where the women of the palace could have a glimpse of the outside world without being seen by passersby.
• You will then visit one of the top sights in Rajasthan, the Amber Fort/Palace (pronounced Am-er.). Known for its Hindu carvings, this massive 16th-century sandstone palace/fort overlooks Maota Lake. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site with four levels to explore. Not to be missed among its treasures: The Sheesh Mahal. Although small, it is memorable with a dazzling ceiling, covered with tiny mirrors, giving the sense you are viewing a star-lit night! It has an equally fascinating history since during Rajput times, it was here a girl holding candles would perform a dance of love for the Maharaja.
• After an afternoon free, next you can enjoy an evening with a local family for dinner.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Vindhya and Ranthambore:

• After Jaipur’s more urban enchantments, you will head out to the countryside to the lower parts of the Vindhya mountains and the Ranthambore National Park, a prior hunting preserve for the Maharajas. The latter is one of 11 participants in India’s conservation effort known as Project Tiger, the world’s largest such initiative.

• After lunch, you have the option of touring the 1,000 year old Ranthambore Fort. With its lofty location, it has magnificent views and is the perfect spot for capturing some of your best photos of rural India.  It will be part adventure where you can experience a ride in a canter, an open 4-wheel drive vehicle. From there you will hike to  the fort.
• During dinner at the hotel, you will enjoy a wildlife presentation as to what you will see the next day.

• Now you will look for wildlife in Ranthambore National Park.  You will start early enough to seek out  nocturnal animals that are still awake. The top local wildlife species are exotic, including leering Langur monkeys, the more reserved chinkara and chital, sambar and nilgai.

After lunch, you will have a second safari with hopes of the rare opportunity of seeing one of the preserves 26 Bengal Tigers. Nocturnal by nature, they may be sleeping in the tall grass during the day! Don’t dismay if you can’t capture them among your photos. There will also be grinning? crocodiles, perhaps as excited to see you as you are to see them but for different reasons! A more pastoral sight awaits you: a myriad of water birds. Among the 450 diverse species are the crested serpent eagles and painted storks.

Dinner is included at your hotel.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: OAT Camp:

As the day begins you will get to visit a primary school and meet its students if school is in session.

• You will also meet village residents and see their homes and way of life. You will move on to a  a cooperative where women learn to make handcrafts with an overview presented by one of the participants.
• After lunch, it is time to move on to the OAT Camp and retreat nestled in rich agricultural land.  At times, farmers or villagers have stopped in. If in season, the mustard blooms will resemble fields of buttercups.
• In the camp, you will have a true Indian dinner with local organic ingredients. Afterwards, you will be entertained by Indian folkloric dancers.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India:  Agra:

• Abhaneri, known for its medieval architecture and waterways, is next on the agenda before heading overland to Agra and its most famous monument, the Taj Mahal.
• Built by 20,000 workers in the 17th-century over 22 years by Shah Jahan from 1631 to 1653, it houses the remains of his Queen Mumtaz Mahal. The outside has a large and somewhat unexpected gateway not often included in the multiple famous photos of the Taj. The fabled interior has many spots to watch the light reflecting on this “Monument to Love”. The white marble is decorated with scores of semi-precious stones. With its four identical facades, it can be photographed from many vantage points!  Concern over its preservation has resulted in a conservation campaign recently.
• Next is the Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but overshadowed by the famous Taj Mahal. On the Yamuna River nak, this gargantuan fort/palace for 4 generations was the seat of India’s Mughal emperors who ruled the north beginning in the 16th century and lasting through the 1800’s.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Jhansi:

Next you will travel via train to the walled city of Jhansi, the sight of the Bundela civilization and then Overland to Khajuraho. The latter was the 10th-century center of the Chandelas civilization.

Cultural Travel Packages Solo Adventures India: Chandelas and Varanasi:

The day will begin at Chandelas known for its erotic carvings. In contrast, it will end at the Ganges with pilgrims performing religious rituals and cleansing in the Ganges. A boat ride will follow.

• Varanasi was known as Benares during the British rule. For Hindus, it is the holiest city. It is 4,000+ years old..
• You will see the sun rise over the Ganges as you cruise the river. A walking tour will follow.
• The tour heads out after breakfast to Sarnath, a Buddhist learning center. This is renowned as the place where Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon. There is a  museum of fabulous Indian Buddhist art treasures. You will see there the National Emblem of India, known as the Ashoka’s Lion Capital and the Teaching Buddha. Before concluding the day’s tour, you will visit 19th century archeological sites and perhaps stroll through a silk-weaving workshop.
• The tour comes to a close with a Farewell Dinner.

Return to Delhi for End of Tours;

After an adventure-packed tour, the last day will be a relaxing one with a tranquil yoga & meditation class. To prepare for the long international flight home, you will fly to Delhi. You will spend the night unless you have added on a trip to Nepal.

Not to worry! An OAT Travel representative will escort you to the airport for your departure.

(Solo Trekker 4 U says, see our Founder Elizabeth Avery’s adventure solo travel in her post on a Monsoon Journey .)

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

18 Trips match your criteria (1 - 18 shown)

Real Affordable Peru

Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Urubamba

• Visit Lima’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Visit Lima’s National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History at Bolivar Square
• Enjoyable way to experience the enchanting Andean landscape.
• Enjiy Rafting excursion
• Visit this mysterious sanctuary

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays

Japan's Cultural Treasures

Hakone, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Tokyo

• Visit the seventh-century Asakusa Kannon Temple
• The trip to Hakone, located about 50 miles west of Tokyo.
• Hakone is beloved by the Japanese for its hot-spring resorts, mountains, lakes, and historical sites
• Visit Hamamatsuya, a workshop specializing in wooden handcrafts.
• Visit one of the many houses of Kanazawa where the samurai—Japan's famed class of noble warriors—once lived

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Train & Rail Journeys, Religious

Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

Gobi Desert, Ulaanbaatar

• Explore the Mongolia city
• Visit to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
• Explore the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
• Explore the western shore of Lake Khovsgol
• Experience camel riding in Gobi Desert

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, Transformative

Untamed Iceland

Blue Lagoon, Lake Myvatn, Reykjavík, Snaefellsnes Peninsula

• Visit a local horse farm to meet affable Icelandic horses first brought to the country by Viking settlers
• Discover some of Iceland's Saga-like history at the Settlement Center in Borgarnes.
• Enjoy views of colorful mountain cliffs, pristine fjords, and fertile valleys where horses graze.
• Visit a museum dedicated to this once-thriving industry before returning to Akureyri.
• Visit the stunning Gullfoss waterfall

Cultural, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing

Heart of India

Agra, Agra Fort, Amber Fort, Delhi, Jaipur, Jama Masjid, Khajuraho, Qutab Minar, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Red Fort, Taj Mahal

• Visit Raj Ghat, a beautifully serene monument.
• Visiting the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India
• Enjoy short ride by rickshaw through the crowded lanes of the Chandni Chowk bazaar.
• Visiting Qutab Minar, a spectacular example of Indo-Islamic architecture topped by a 234-foot-high tower.
• Enjoy a bird's-eye view of Jaipur and its surroundings

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Festivals & Special Events, Religious

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

Gjirokaster, Meteora , Skopje, Thessaloniki

• Explore the picturesque hillside city set along the shores of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia
• Visit the National History Museum
• Visit the small village of Dhoksat
• Visit a traditional Albanian village
• Explore the stunning ruins of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

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From Siam to Saigon: Thailand & Vietnam Revealed

Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ha Long Bay, Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An

• See the floral market at Pakklong Talad
• Visit the Royal Barge Museum
• Enjoy a tour of Bangkok
• Visit to Bangkok's oldest temple, Wat Pho
• See the colossal statue of the reclining Buddha.

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Religious

Southern Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana

Chobe National Park, Hwange National Park, Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls

• Travel to South Africa with experienced Trip Leaders and driver-guides
• Visit Kruger National Park for wildlife viewing
• Explore the beautiful Victoria Falls
• Stay in cozy lodges and tents, enjoying campfire by night

Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Safari

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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

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Overseas Adventure Travel   Reviews

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Reviews 1.7.

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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

4 Phone Calls, 8 hours 23 Minutes On Hold

Customer service, has OAT even heard of this concept? The cover letter that came with my final documents has NO CONTACT information for OAT just in case a customer needs to reach out. No email. No phone number. This SCREAMS: “We have your money, and we don’t care to service your needs.” I had to resort to the numbers available on the website. Here’s my call log: • June 7, 2022: called 800-221-0814 at 1:05 pm, on hold for 3 hours 16 minutes. An automated message told me I had reached the maximum hold time, was being disconnected, and someone would call me within 72 hours (NO ONE EVER CALLED ME BACK!). • June 8, 2022: called 800-221-0814 at 9:03 am, on hold for 2 hours 14 minutes. Could no longer stay on hold, as I had to attend a meeting. • June 10, 2022: called 800-955-1925 at 9:01 am, on hold for 2 hours 8 minutes. Could no longer stay on hold, as I had to attend a meeting. • June 11, 2022: called 800-221-0814 at 9:01 am, on hold for 1 hour 5 minutes. Despite having followed the prompts for needing to speak with someone about the airline reservation portion and departing within the next 4 months, still got transferred from one agent to another and put on hold yet again. I also tried sending an email. The automated response was that someone would respond within 15 business days. Really, 3 weeks to respond to an email? Would Alan & Harriett Lewis, the owners of OAT, have persevered if they were customers? Called 4 times and stayed on hold for a total of 8 hours 43 minutes? ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NOW SO CLOSE TO THE DEPARTURE DATE, CHANGES WOULD NOW BE AN ADDITIONAL $$$. All of my time and effort were futile. Back on August 14, 2017 OAT posted an apology for poor service and long hold times on their website titled "We Owe You an Apology - Addressing our service issues." Yet, once again, OAT has the exact same problem. Why didn’t OAT learn the value of that lesson the first time? Shameful for a service business to not prioritize its customers. And this didn’t just happen, it’s been going on for months (just look at the reviews posted on TripAdvisor). OAT is in serious need of a customer service make-over, starting with the website as well as competent staffing. There is no chat feature on their website, nor the ability to send an intranet email. Customers traveling within the next 30 days are not provided higher priority than someone traveling 4 months from now. It is obvious their needs are more immediate. This isn’t rocket science. For heaven’s sake, OAT needs to step in to and up to today’s technology expectations for a multimillion-dollar travel company. Believe me, an apology will not repay me for my effort, frustration, disappointment, and time spent apparently uselessly trying to reach OAT. Results count, excuses do not. I am stuck traveling with a company that does not have the capability of helping its customers.

Date of experience : July 02, 2022

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India vacations 2024 & 2025

A country by name, but a continent in scale, India in one word is diversity. To guide you where to go when faced with such rich variety, our India specialists use the experience of their own travels to create your tailor-made vacation to India.

The north is banded by the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya. Moving south, you pass through Rajasthan, a microcosm of India with its forts, palaces and temples, as well as the Taj Mahal . Central India shelters leopards, elephants and the Bengal tiger. In India’s northeast corner, Calcutta still exudes its colonial heritage in a landscape of Bengali mansions and neo-Gothic architecture. West-coast Mumbai is an improbable proposition — a hub of manufacturing where you can wander among Art Deco architecture or through a teeming bazaar. Down in India’s south, cruising Kerala’s  backwaters on a converted rice barge is a suitably relaxed way to embrace this region’s laid-back approach to life.

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Suggested tours for India

Take a yoga class in Varanasi, search for tigers in Ranthambhore National Park, and walk through fragrant spice plantations in Kerala. Our suggested itineraries are a great starting point as you begin to plan your trip to India.

Cruising in Assam

13 days from $7,850pp

Western Himalaya explored

12 days from $2,650pp

India's Golden Triangle & tigers

10 days from $3,050pp

South India's temples & backwaters

13 days from $3,090pp

Classic Rajasthan tour: forts, palaces & rural villages

14 days from $4,380pp

India's Golden Triangle & the Maldives

11 days from $5,330pp

Classic Kerala tour: culture, tea, wildlife & backwaters

12 days from $3,950pp

Luxurious Rajasthan

12 days from $10,750pp

India's rural Golden Triangle

12 days from $4,520pp

Suggested activities for India

Watch the sun rise over the Taj Mahal, explore Old Delhi City on a guided tour, and take a private tour of Jaipur. Whatever interests you, our specialists will suggest experiences designed to enhance your trip to India.

Taj Mahal at Sunrise

The principal reason for almost everyone's visit to Agra is to see the Taj Mahal, and its legendary beauty continues to attract more visitors than virtually anywhere in India.

Old Delhi City Tour

Your guide will take you on a cycle rickshaw through the Chandni Chowk Bazaar area. This allows you to visit the narrow winding alleys lined with shops selling all manner of items.

Evening bazaar, crafts and cuisine in Jaipur

Jaipur is widely considered by many as the craft capital of India. You will see busy craftsman in their workshops on this guided walk, sample culinary delights and mingle with the locals.

Why travel with Audley?

• 100% tailor-made tours
• Fully protected travel
• Established for over 25 years
• 98% of our clients would recommend us

Best time to visit

Our specialists advise on the best months to visit India, including information about climate, events and festivals.

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Covering all seven continents, The World Your Way shows you how you can see the world with us. It features trip ideas from our specialists alongside hand-picked stays and experiences, and introduces our approach to creating meaningful travel experiences.

Useful information for planning your vacation in India

The official language is Hindi which is spoken by about 30% of the population, but English is often used for official or commercial purposes. Additionally, there are more than 100 other regional languages and dialects, including Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, and Oriya, which are widely used in the north, and Tamil and Telugu, which are common in the south. Other regional languages are Marathi, Kannada, and Malayalam. The northern Muslim population largely speak Urdu.

India’s currency is the rupee (Rs). You can’t buy rupees outside of India — tell our representative at the airport and they’ll direct you to an ATM.

Tipping for good service is expected in India and your specialist will provide more details. In some homestays and hotels, particularly in Kerala, you’ll find a communal tip box, usually in reception. Please give your tip to your host to distribute fairly if a tip box isn’t provided.

Like its cultures and languages, India’s cuisines are highly regional and what you eat and drink will vary depending on where you visit. However, there are a few things you’ll find no matter where you go. For instance, thali are traditional meals made of different curries and dal with traditional accompaniments — all served in small bowls and arranged artistically on a large tray. The exact contents vary by region.

You’ll also find an abundance of street foods everywhere from big cities to rural roads with nothing else around, which you can explore on a guided tour. Another common sight — chaiwallahs selling spiced milk tea on seemingly every corner. For a more in-depth look at India’s long history with tea, consider a visit to one of the country’s many tea plantations .

For a more hands-on approach, we can arrange private cooking classes with families across the country, from Delhi  to Tellicherry .

For the latest travel advice for India, including entry requirements, health information, and the safety and security situation , please refer to the State Department website .

What you experience in India depends on where you go in this vast and varied country, but the most popular sight is the Taj Mahal. Located in the Golden Triangle, Agra’s renowned mausoleum is an ethereal sight during a sunrise visit . Nearby, you can also track tigers in Ranthambhore National Park  or meet artisans in the markets of Jaipur . In the southwest, you might relax on a rice barge-turned-houseboat through the backwaters of Kerala .

Wherever you go, we can arrange cooking lessons to help you explore the many facets of India’s regional dishes, like Rajasthani cuisine in Jodhpur  or Mopillah cuisine  in Tamil Nadu. To get to know individual ingredients better, you might tour a tea plantation .

For your first visit to India, we suggest visiting Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. Known collectively as the Golden Triangle , these three ancient cities are treasure troves of Mughal culture, including forts, palaces, and bazaars. You can also include a visit to nearby Ranthambhore National Park , to look for elusive tigers. Your specialist will help you find the region’s many hidden corners to give you a different perspective on the area. For example, you might opt to stay in rural villages  instead of the big cities.

On a second visit, you might explore Tamil Nadu, where brightly painted temples stretch to the sky. Here, you can visit the 49 shines of Ranganathaswamy Temple in Trichy, take a cooking class in Pondicherry , and then end your trip  on the backwaters of Kerala. Or you could explore Bengal culture and cuisine, starting in Calcutta . From there, take a lazy cruise through Assam  on the mighty Brahmaputra, paired with a rhino safari in Kaziranga National Park .

Our specialists will build your trip to suit your personal tastes, but you can get inspired by browsing our example itineraries .

From sumptuous palaces to humble homestays, where you stay in India depends on where you’re visiting and your personal style. The big cities offer a wide array of options including thoroughly modern five-star hotels and boutique guesthouses in well-preserved Victorian-era buildings. Outside the cities, you might opt for a stilted bungalow on a tea plantation, a remote lodge, or a safari camp in the heart of the jungle.

If you’re visiting the Golden Triangle, you can also choose to stay in a converted fort , a regal palace , or a historic family mansion known as a haveli. And further south, in Kerala, you can dive deeply into rural life with a homestay , known as theravads, or a rice barge-cum-houseboat that glides along the sleepy backwaters. Your specialist will suggest the best stays for you, but you can get an idea of the options available on our accommodation page .

The best places to see tigers in India are the Kanha, Satpura, Pench, and Tadoba national parks. Scattered across the central states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, they’re home to the country’s greatest concentration of Bengal tigers. You’re also likely to see India’s other wildlife , like sloth bears, leopards, deer, and elephants, who all roam freely through the protected jungles.

However, if you’re visiting Rajasthan and don’t want to venture so far afield, you can also include time in nearby Ranthambhore National Park .

You should bring clothing that covers your head, knees, and shoulders if you plan on visiting holy places in India.

A direct flight from New York to Delhi takes about 14 hours, depending on airline.

The time zone in India is UTC +5:30.

The best way to get around in India is a combination of private driver and internal flights for longer trips. The traffic in India is dense and hectic, so we’ll arrange a private car and driver for all your trips while you’re in the country. Some of the drives might be long, but the car will be air conditioned, and your driver can suggest stops to break up the journeys.

On days when you don’t have any planned experiences, we suggest you call our partners to have a private car rather than take a taxi.

If you’re interested in taking one of India’s trains, we can arrange for your ticket. Our representative will meet you at your hotel and escort you to your seat inside the train, cutting through the complexities at the station. As you disembark, you’ll find another representative waiting on the platform.

Yes, US visitors need a Tourist Visa to enter India. Additionally, your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of arrival into India and have two completely blank pages.

Most US passport holders can apply online for either a long-term 1-year or 5-year E-Tourist Visa or you can opt to apply for the short-term 30-day E-Tourist Visa. We suggest sending postal visa applications to your chosen visa agency four to six weeks prior to departure.

If you’re visiting West Bengal, Sikkim, or Assam, you might be required to submit a passport photo or photocopy of your passport at each hotel — we suggest you arrange these documents before you arrive. In Sikkim, please bring spare passport photos with you for your Sikkim permit, which you’ll obtain at the state border.

If you’re not a US passport holder, you can check the visa requirements here .

Your doctor can provide you with vaccine advice for India, but you should also ensure you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations for your home country. You can also check the suggested vaccinations on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website .

India in pictures

Our expert guides to traveling in India

Written by our specialists from the viewpoint of their own travels, these guides will help you decide on the shape of your own trip to India. Aiming to inspire and inform, we share our recommendations for how to appreciate India at its best.

My travels in India 2018

On your tailor-made trip through India’s western foothills, you could make chapattis in Amritsar’s Golden Temple, watch the eccentric Pakistani border crossing ceremony or ride to Shimla on a toy train — as India specialist Nick recently discovered.

Luxury vacations in India

From opulent pleasure palaces-turned-hotel and indulgent tented camps to private games drives looking for tigers, India specialist Jason discusses the best way to immerse yourself in luxury fit for a royalty.

Touring India’s Golden Triangle

The Taj Mahal is just one of many impressive sights on a tour of India’s Golden Triangle. For first-time visitors, the region offers a tempting taste of the vast range of cultures, historical sites, architecture, religion, food and landscapes that India boasts.

Luxury train journeys through India

India specialist and former Mumbai resident Alison shares her experiences of luxury train journeys in India. She has picked out some of the most interesting routes and explains why they’re a fascinating way to explore India.

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An expert guide to experiencing festivals in India

If you want to time your trip to India with a traditional festival, we tell you what’s taking place where, and when. Our specialists lend their thoughts on how best to enjoy Diwali and Holi, and suggest some lesser-known festivals to experience.

What to do in India: our highlights guide

Our India specialists pick some of their best things to see and do, and where to stay from the Himalaya to Kerala. Include spotting tiger, staying in a palace in Rajasthan, taking a boat trip down the Ganges and experience one of the country’s many festivals in your trip to India.

What to do in Kerala: our highlights guide

Kerala’s slow pace of life is a gentle introduction to India, with tranquil backwaters, manicured tea plantations and fishing villages to explore. India specialist Tara lends her advice for how to make the most of your time there.

River cruises in India

Take in the history, wildlife and culture of northeast India on a river cruise. Our India specialist Sarah shares some of her favorite things to see and do while cruising along the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Hugli rivers.

Calcutta & The East

Calcutta and the East of India retains much of its wonderful colonial architecture and vibrant atmosphere. Visit places like Darjeeling, famous for its tea, or Assam, where it is possible to take a cruise along India’s longest river, the Brahmaputra.

Discover more about India on our blog

Top 10 under-the-radar destinations

International Women’s Day: celebrating women in the travel industry

4 travel trends for 2023

Places we feel connected to — and how to see them at their best

Other popular destinations.

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• Report: Review of...

Report: Review of my first trip with Overseas Adventure Travel - The Baltics

For comparison - I’ve traveled with Road Scholar (3), Gate 1 (2), Smartours (2), Odysseys Unlimited (1), and Rick Steves (1).

OAT is tied at the top of my list with Road Scholar. Why?

1) Small group size - there were 15 of us, with the max size being 16. We traveled around on a full size bus. 2) Itinerary - we stayed 3 nights most places. The itinerary was quite fluid - something I’ve never seen before on a tour. If one day had bad weather and the next day looked good, our Trip Leader would swap sites and move things around. As we traveled, she checked local event calendars and added in fun options many days. For example, in Helsinki, she saw a free evening concert at Church in the Rock, and offered to head over there with anyone who wanted to go. This fluidity made the trip even better. 3) Guide - One of the top two guides we’ve ever had. Friendly, funny, organized, and always planning, thinking, working to make the trip better. She clearly has a lot of freedom from the home OAT office to adjust, adapt etc. 4) Hotels - the first tour I’ve EVER taken with all solid hotels. Usually there’s at least one bad one. But not this tour. All nice 4 star hotels, good rooms, and excellent locations. I have no negative comments or suggestions for improvement on the hotels used. 5) Tour mates - luck of the draw, I know, but these people LOVE OAT. There are people on this tour who have done over 20 OAT tours and they rave to us about them. 6) Local guides - OAT provides more than I’ve had on any other tour. They were uniformly excellent - good English speakers and interesting. 7) Local speakers/lecturers - I loved these parts of the tour. They were all PhD holders in their topics and discussed controversial political/social things with us and let us ask all the questions we wanted. My tour mates asked great questions and I ended up learning a ton. 8) Meals - meals were smaller and simpler than on other tours and I loved that. On my last Odysseys Unlimited tour one evening, the appetizer was chicken nuggets and fries and then the main meal was a duck breast. Really. OAT often has lunch with just a bowl of nice soup, bread, coffee and a light pastry.

Would I travel with OAT again? Absolutely. In fact, I’m thinking of changing my fall 2024 from a Gate 1 to an OAT.

Well, that is a nice comprehensive overview of the way the tour worked and it would all appeal to me. If you change your next tour to OAT, it will be interesting to see if it conforms to this style as well. I am SO not a tour person but there are destinations where I would consider it - and recommendations from people I would trust are valuable. Thank you!

Sounds like my kind of tour and I am not a tour person, so far. Are you traveling solo, Valerie? Were there many couples?

OAT does attract a lot of singles since they don’t charge a single supplement. There are a lot of singles on the tour - some traveling with friends and some not. The tour looks like this - 3 couples - so that’s 6 people. 3 groups of 2 friends traveling together. That’s up to 12. Then it seems like there are 3 singles.

But everyone is inclusive, friendly, and no one ever eats alone if they don’t want to.

On the nights that there is no included dinner, our guide has sent out a WhatsApp text setting up an impromptu group dinner anyways…every single night. She adds optional activities for our down time almost every day.

I’m super curious if OAT trip #2 will have a guide this good. The tour members I have talked to say that they always have amazing guides.

Hi, Valerie. Thanks for sharing your OAT experience. I'm still on the independent traveler side but am considering trying the world of organized tours. It sounds like OAT would be a great place to start.

I loved my week I spend in the Baltics a few years ago. I'm headed over to read more about the trip on your blog 🙂... (URL in Valerie's profile for anyone else who is interested).

Thanks for the info, Valerie. We were scheduled for a monthlong OAT a tour to Morocco in 2020 and you know what happened next. We really, really liked their itinerary. It covered everything we wanted to see and do better than any other tour company. Unfortunately, getting our sizable deposit back in 2020 was a bear but I suppose a lot of tour companies were slow refunding money that year due to unforeseen circumstances. As an aside, I am enjoying your blogs of your travels with Ron.

I’m definitely intrigued by OAT. I loved how you and Ron had dinner in the home of a family, arranged by the tour. That’s an opportunity I’ve never heard of a tour providing, and I don’t know how you could do that traveling independently. The Baltics are such interesting countries and seem like a great place to take a tour and learn all about the culture, history and politics. I’ve really enjoyed your blog.

@Dave - OAT has some pretty eclectic itineraries and those are what I’m drawn to when I choose the tour part of our trips. I’m always looking for the tours that connect cities that are harder to connect and the tours that get me out in the countryside since I don’t rent a car when we travel and can’t do that.

@Laurel - I’m traveling with my partner, Ron:)

@Mary - I’m glad you’re liking it! It’s way more detail than I can fit on this site. I read tons of OAT refund horror stories during COVID too and it made me nervous. But I have TWO neighbors in my complex - both of whom have traveled with OAT numerous times since COVID (about 7 trips between the two neighbors) and so I knew that they are now running solid trips, despite what happened during COVID.

@Carroll - Thank you! The dinner with the Lithuanian family was an absolute highlight and I will definitely be doing it again on the next OAT tour I book. I was so unsure about it that I was thinking of just bowing out - but I’m so glad I didn’t.

Valerie, thanks so much for this review! I've booked an OAT tour to Egypt and Jordan in early 2025, and this confirms what I've read about OAT from others. Especially that it attracts many solo travelers, which I'm happy about. :-)

This will be my first organized tour so I'm really glad to read your thoughts about it. As it stands, I'm getting more and more excited about my tour, so again, thanks for this! I'm glad you have had a great experience! Heading over to your blog now!

I have travelled with OAT on 4 trips, and based on those trips, I would say they are one of my favorite tour company. We have also done many trips with Road Scholar (US only) and find them to be tops for education. We are doing Mexico City with Road Scholar in January.

Why OAT: focus on the 'unusual' in their itineraries, small group, most tours are long enough (12-15 days) to get a 'feel' for the area, flexibility in changing schedule when it benefits the tour, no single fee if you book early enough (and often whenever you book), like-minded travelers who focus on the culture of the area and not concerned about shopping. I just finished the Baltics Trip and it was my least favorite, but still good ... so that tells you what you might expect. It was good and delivered what I wanted (learn about the Baltic countries) so no real complaints. Turkey (or maybe India) was my favorite. :)

There are so many good tour companies, with each of them often being unique in their approach.

Valerie this will be so helpful to people and glad you were pleased with your tour. I will be curious if you do another OAT tour if it gets as high marks as this one. I know you are picky (like me) about food and hotels. Lane from this forum ( blogs at Lane is Going Places) has also done several OAT tours and seems to really like them. As you know, we are doing our first Road Scholar tour in January to Mexico. It gets very good reviews. I’m curious if it will change my mind about Mexican food, my least favorite ethnic cuisine.

After reading on the forum here that they refused refunds to people after OAT cancelled trips at the start of covid I'd be wary of booking with them.

See for example https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours/rs-tours-compared-with-overseas-adventure-travel-tours-update https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/beyond-europe/overseas-adventure-travel-refund

Valerie! What a wonderful time you had! I can understand almost bowing out of the family dinner. I just don't like those but glad you did. I have been on one family dinner with Rick's Village Italy tour which was fine in spite of my being reluctant to go.

Off to read your details!!!

Wonderful post, Valerie, sharing your comparisons & highlights of this company’s tours.

I really enjoy traveling independently while I can, but I agree that there’s places where it’s just not convenient with my method of traveling by train.

A former co-worker also really likes traveling with OAT and recommended them when I was first considering my 2024 options.

Thanks for this review, Valerie. I prefer a tour when traveling with one of my longtime friends, but I have covered too much of the ground of the Rick Steves tours that she would take. So I'm interested to investigate the OAT itineraries for places she and I can go. And we don't room well together, so the no-single-supplement sounds good too.

Valerie, Thanks for this report. I'd never thought of looking at OAT. I've been searching for a good Northern Ireland tour. Theirs is the best I've found so far, even if I then have to do Ireland, also. Nonetheless, I am still looking for a solely Northern Ireland tour if any exist...

@Wray - Here you go - Road Scholar has a Northern Ireland tour: https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/22092/the-best-of-northern-ireland-past-present-and-future

@Mardee - a lot of people on this tour have done Egypt and Jordan with OAT and loved it. Morocco seems to be another favorite. I’m definitely doing their Morocco tour in March 2025.

@Tammy - If I don’t move the fall Gate 1 to an OAT tour, the next one will be Morocco. I think almost everyone on this tour has done Morocco with OAT and loved it.

@Pam - we did! And now we get a week in London!!!!!!

@Jean - Thanks! I like independent travel too but we’ve lately found it fun to do 1 week on our own, a two week tour, and then another week on our own. Best of all worlds!!!!!

@CWSocial - I’ve got a list of about 5 OAT adventures I plan to thoroughly research when I get home from this trip. They do put together some good itineraries!!!!!

@Valerie. Thanks for the Road Scholar info! I don't know how I missed that. That being said, there is something about it that doesn't excite me, but the OAT one does. I had been hoping SeymourTravels would have one, but not at present. I'll keep looking. Besides, I've never been to Ireland so perhaps I shouldn't rule the OAT tour out.

Thank you for posting this Valerie. We were signed up for our first OAT tour to Morocco in March 2020 and had issues recovering money from them. After that experience, I’ve been reluctant to book with them again, even though I’ve seen some very interesting tours. I’m likely to be traveling solo in the future, so the free single supplement and lots of singles is also very appealing to me. I will definitely give OAT another look due to your experience as well as others who have chimed in!

I have found it useful to look at the Road Scholar and OAT itineraries for ideas when planning my independent trips.

Morocco seems to be another favorite. I’m definitely doing their Morocco tour in March 2025.

I would love to go to Morocco! I couldn't do the March 2025 one, but will keep that one on my radar. Thanks!

@CindyP and John - I had also followed their refund stories on this site and on other travel sites and they definitely scared me. I hope that OAT’s behavior was an extreme example of things gone awry during COVID. I only gave them a chance because of the numbers of tours my two neighbors have done in the last 2 years.

I’m glad I did! And one other note - a lot of OAT reviews are complaints of their air connections they set up when you buy air as part of your package. I buy my own airfare - I don’t trust any tour company to do it the way I like. All the tour companies I like - Odysseys Unlimited, Road Scholar and now OAT? Well I hear air travel stories from my tour mates about connections and layovers I would never book.

I've taken 3 trips with OAT over the past three years (Egypt, SE Asia, and "Crossroads of the Adriatic" (former Yugoslavia)), and they've been great. For two of them I used their air, and they provided good routings at what I thought was a fair price. For SE Asia I did my own air, but that was because I was able to use miles for a business class ticket, rather than any concern about OAT's arrangements. I didn't hear any of my fellow travelers complain about their OAT air arrangements. I did have a COVID-affected trip, but didn't ask for a refund. I just postponed to a departure the following year, at the same price (i.e., the money I had paid for my 2020 trip, paid for my 2021 one instead). That worked out well for me.

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I'm a mom of 3 kids under 5. Ree Drummond's overnight oats help me save time on busy mornings.

• As a dietitian and mom of three kids under 5, my mornings can get pretty hectic.
• I'm always looking for easy breakfast meals and decided to try Ree Drummond's overnight oats .
• The recipe was easy to make, and my kids absolutely loved it.

As a dietitian and mom of three kids under 5, my mornings can get pretty hectic. With the chaos of packing lunches and getting everyone dressed and to school on time, breakfast is usually the last thing on my mind. That's why I'm always on the lookout for easy, no-cook breakfast recipes.

I've been watching Ree Drummond cook and bake on TV for years and was excited to stumble upon her recipe for overnight oats. My kids love oatmeal, so I hoped this recipe would become a regular part of our breakfast rotation.

Here's how I made Ree Drummond's overnight oats .

I organized all the ingredients on the counter before getting started.

To keep myself organized, I arranged all the ingredients on the counter before getting started.

Drummond's standard recipe calls for milk, Greek yogurt , maple syrup, chia seeds, rolled oats, and fresh blueberries. However, her website also includes different variations of the recipe, including PB&J, piña colada, pumpkin pie, and mango flavors.

I decided to make both the plain oats and the peanut-butter-and-jelly variation. For the PB&J oats, the only additional ingredients I grabbed were peanut butter and raspberry preserves.

I began by mixing all of the ingredients together.

I combined the ingredients into two mason jars, each containing one batch of overnight oats.

I added half a cup of rolled oats, 2 teaspoons of chia seeds, half a cup of whole milk, 2 tablespoons of plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into each jar.

Next, I gave the jars a good shake before placing them in the fridge.

After combining the ingredients in the jars, I gave them a good shake. I made sure everything was evenly mixed, especially the chia seeds, which tend to clump together at the bottom of the jar.

Then, I sealed the jars and placed them in the fridge. The recipe said I should leave the oats in the refrigerator for at least four hours, but I left both jars in there overnight.

The next morning, I added the toppings.

In the morning, I gave both jars of overnight oats a good stir. For the plain oats, I placed some fresh blackberries on the side in case anyone wanted to use them as a topping.

Although the recipe for the PB&J version called for mixing the peanut butter and preserves into the unchilled overnight oats, I decided to add them as a topping instead.

I added 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter and a tablespoon of raspberry preserves to the jar.

My kids devoured their breakfast within minutes.

My kids loved Drummond's overnight oats and requested them for breakfast again the next day.

The overnight oats had a soft, chewy texture that my kids really enjoyed. They especially loved the peanut-butter-and-jelly flavor. The oats stay good in the fridge for up to three days, so next time, I'll double the batch.

I'll definitely be making Drummond's overnight oats again and will be adding them to our breakfast rotation.

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