I am trying to find out more about this company, because my parents have booked one of their tours and I am considering a trip with them in September. So far, they have made 3 separate clerical errors in my parents' pre-travel documentation, and stuff has to be sent back and forth each time - I'm slightly nervous about a company that can make this many mistakes before the trip even starts. There seems to be very little posted about them, although they have a very extensive website and many tours listed. Would appreciate hearing more from anyone who has participated, thanks.

I to see good post regarding traveling with Adventures Abroad but also some negative ones. Can anyone help me in regards to their experience while traveling with this company? We are looking at taking one of their tours to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Morocco etc.

Thanks would love to hear about them.

I can not comment on the specific tour that you are interested in but I can share a little of our experience and knowledge of Adventures Abroad as we used them for Kenya & Tanzania Feb. 2013 for their 20 day tour.

First of all we booked with them again after being very happy with their Costa Rica tour a number of years ago. We there fore chose them over Tauck & OAT based on personal experience.

We chose a "guaranteed date" so we could plan well ahead not being disappointed that their low numbers would warrant a cancellation. This happened to friends of ours who wanted Northern Italy's AA tour.

Now with a guaranteed date we expected that the company knows their business and knows the tour will fill. Otherwise why offer the guaranteed tour? Not the case. Assume nothing. We wanted a small group of course just like Costa Rica which was perfect---personal but social with 11 people, a driver and a tour guide.

Once in Nairobi, we were met by our tour leader who said we were a group of 3 and a 4th would join us in a week. ( I would ask AA about the #'s so you have no surprises on a guaranteed trip) We were not prepared for this and although the safari van was very roomy with just 3, the downside is we lost out on social times over meals, drinks etc. The other expectation we had, was that we would have a driver and a guide. No, the tour guide met us in Nairobi and introduced us to our driver, answered all questions, gave us the tip money for week 1 and sent us off. ( Clarify if you will have a driver & a guide) I think we lost out on a tour guide accompanying us because we were only 3. Back in Nairobi a week later, he met us again, reviewed the Tanzania component and gave us more tip money for the rest of the trip. Is handling the tip money the responsiblity of the client? (I would ask AA if this will happen on your trip)

When our 4th joined us in Tanzania, this gentleman had travelled many times with AA but commented that even though AA's Itineraries are extensive, cancellations happen very frequently when numbers are low. He had booked Kenya/ TZ in early January and it got cancelled.

So the client can be caught between a rock and a hard place. We went with a guaranteed date and were unhappy. But if it is not guaranteed, you can be disappointed not getting the date and tour you want.

We also had a major safety issue on safari, which is not the fault of AA but we were in their care and supervision. Maybe it would not have happened if we were a bigger group. You can find details of it in my posting earlier in March on the Kenya Forum. Not appropriate here.

Hope I have been fair to the company and in my advice to potential clients.

Ella H

Can anyone comment on the Morocco and Silk Road (Azerbijan, Armenia, Georgia) tours? I am a woman traveling alone. All comments appreciated.

Rachelle, New York

I am looking at a trip to Egypt and Jordan with AA-you mention not tipping, but I see that Tour Leader gratuities are not included--is that typical and if so, how do you know what to tip-or is this every tour site? I'm confused.

Also are the AA tours typically all couples or are their singles too? Typical age group?

I am 55 and now a widow looking to do my first solo trip but do not want to be with lots of couples or (sorry-elderly couples who have been married forever) Sorry-can't deal with it-I've been cheated. ;( but appreciate the tips.

Thanks,

Casa

Hi Casa - I traveled with Adventures Abroad in 2007 to Morocco. It was a full trip with, I recall, around 16 or 18 people - the majority of which were female singles. Most of the group were in their late 40's to mid 60's. I am currently 57 and traveled as a single. It was a great group of people, although I was disappointed with the guide. This was my first trip with AA. I hadn't traveled with them since, but decided to give them another try since I wanted to go to Ladakh and didn't want to do a trek. AA put me in contact with a couple people who had done the trip who raved about it, so I decided to take a chance that I just happened to have the bad luck of getting a bad guide. So, I'm traveling with them next month to Ladakh. Unfortunately, there are only 5 of us that signed up (I am traveling with a friend who I met on a previous group tour - another single woman) , but we are having a full-time guide, as well as local guides and drivers. They also charged us an extra $200 small group surcharge, which everyone agreed to pay. I've traveled with a number of companies, in addition to AA, and it seems that trips are generally mixed between couples and singles. I don't know the age range on the trip I'm taking to Ladakh, but am guessing that 45 - 65 would probably be the case, mainly because of the location.

Ann

Ann,

Thanks-do recommend any other companies? I have usually booked all trips myself for my husband and I, but now by myself for first trip and into the Middle East, feel more comfortable with a tour--not sure which one to go with.

thanks,

Casa

Hi Casa - I've traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel a number of times and always have had great groups and guides. They are priced comparably to Adventures Abroad. I believe that they go to both Egypt and Jordan. I've traveled with Mircorp to Iran two years ago and it was the best trip I've ever done. They are more expensive than AA or OAT, but the guides were top notch, as were the accommodations.

I am very interested in the experience your friends had on the Northern Italy tour because that one really interests us! Too many changes of location in too short a time? Hotel and food quality? Anything you can share would be most appreciated!

Canncan,

I believe you are directing your question to me, as I mentioned that our friends went last September( 2012) for 14 days, 13 nights on the AA trip coded IT1 to Northern Italy. It started in Rome and ended in Venice. They absolutely loved it. Likely you have looked at the itinerary, so know about the pacing. 3nights, 2 nights, 1 night, 3 nights, 1 night, 1 night and 2 nights. Gives you a sense of how much moving happens. Our friends are early-mid 60's and had no problem with the pace. I have read her trip report and can tell that they were delighted with all hotels, restaurants, sightseeing and excursions. They were very impressed with the leader "Lindsay" so I would suggest you try to get on her tour. It was a guaranteed tour. Also, our friends speak of how well everyone got along in the group. They raved about all of the trip especially Cinque Terre and San Gimignano. Florence was likely their least favourite as it was very crowded. Go for it!

EllaH