INSIGHT TRAVEL CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Read what our clients have to say about us!

Elizabeth  R. - Australia
November 30, 2010
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
I would like to thank you and all those concerned for the wonderful holiday we had in Turkey. I wish we had had more time as we had to rush. This was our problem as we were limited in time. Turkey is an amazing country and you must be very proud. The people are so kind, polite, and I was so impressed by your religious tolerance. Turkey is a wonderful example that we could all learn from. Our guide, Cagla and our driver Jamal were wonderful and I can not thank them enough.

Thank you again, Kind regards

Betty (Elizabeth )R.
 

Katrina R. - Singapore
November 24, 2010
Itinerary: Private Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We really enjoyed the trip and the tour you set up for us. I really enjoyed Turkey, I learned a lot and was quite pleasantly surprised it exceeded my expectations overall. We were very happy with the smooth transfers, always prompt and not difficult to find. The vehicles we traveled in were in good condition, all the drivers courteous.

We were especially happy with our guide from Cappodocia (Ramazan). Ramazan was professional and informative, and, in addition, clearly passionate about teaching us about Turkey. He was flexible and very considerate of the tourists (us). He gave us an overview of our entire tour, gave us options about time and various other places. He set up our balloon ride for us without issues. He took our group pictures, he was always there with us. Our places to eat were also quite satisfying experiences of Turkish dining (Cappodocia restaurant was in the middle of a lovely valley; Sedat in the middle of Goreme). He was always on top of making sure our driver was ready for us etc. Our driver was also pleasant, fun and courteous. We had pleasant lunches and conversations with them. Overall, a very fun, satisfying trip!
 

Vanessa B. - UK
November 16, 2010
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
The trip to Turkey was just perfect!!!. I will be back and certainly I will recommend your agency to other people. First of all allow me to thank you for the organisation of the tour. We were always picked up on time etc as per our programme. The programme was as intensive as much as it was interesting. The guide, Chala was great!!! She is so knowledgable and friendly and took great care to make our trip a memorable one. The driver was always careful and very quiet. As for the choice of hotels, most were very good. Certainly very well organised and thoroughly enjoyable... Well Done and Keep up the Good Work,

Vanessa
 

Anna M. - FL, Russia
November 16, 2010
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tour

Dear Rina,
Thanks a lot for arranging our trip.
Mustafa was knowledgable and great fun as well!
Please give him our greetings!
Our tour was pleasant and enjoyable!!!

Regards,
Anna
 

Ed M. - FL, USA
November 14, 2010
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tour

Hello Rina
Mustafa is a real gem. He is knowledgeable, informative and fun ~~~ He really took the time and made an extra effort to make sure our visit was memorable. Everyone had a great day as we walked our legs off. What a fantastic city Istanbul is. I will pass on my comments to Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor when we get unpacked, finish up the laundry and sort through a month's worth of mail.

Thank you for all your efforts and BRAVO Mustafa !!!!

Ed (and the rest of the group).
 

Jacinth and Robert B. - MI, USA
November 11, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We did have a wonderful time on our Highlights of Turkey tour. Your arrangements were VERY well done. We arrived, participated in the sites or hotel opportunities, then departed seamlessly. We experienced a wide variety of Turkish hospitality, from small local eateries and hotels to fine restaurants and lavish resorts. We enjoyed a much better combined sense of your country’s history and culture than we have in any other country we have visited.

Our driver was the best we have ever seen. Although he spoke little English, he conveyed a warm, patient, and amiable personality. We quite liked him.

Our guide was unquestionably able and knowledgeable. There was not a question he could not answer. He guided us smoothly from locale to locale and we never felt hurried although he himself must have been acutely aware of the schedule.

We thank you for an informative and beautifully planned tour.

Jacinth and Robert B.
 

Gordon & Lois B. - MN, USA
November 10, 2010
Itinerary: Grand Tour of Western Turkey

Rina, we had a wonderful trip to Turkey. Kemal was a very informative, knowledgeable and helpful guide, and we all enjoyed him and Ali, the driver. The scenery was beautiful, and we learned so much about ancient civilization and church history. We also enjoyed our companions from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Gordon and I would highly recommend this tour to others. We did have a few glitches but it was altogether a fantastic trip! Gordon and Lois B.

Helen R. - Australia
November 6, 2010
Itinerary: Hotel bookings at Southeastern Turkey

Dear Rina
This is just a quick email to let you know that everything went well with the bookings you made for me in SE Turkey. The hotels were all great. Very helpful friendly staff at the Liwan who organised a day trip for me. The hotel in Sanlifurfa was very central to everything with a very nice restaurant, also friendly staff. I came a bit unstuck with English in Mardin - couldn't explain that the staff had cleared away the food in the dining room before I had eaten, also there was so little English there that it wasn't clear at all when the dining room was open. However that was all minor, and could easily be fixed by something translated in maybe a couple of languages that gives basic hotel information to guests. This would not be a problem for groups and they probably have a number of those. The Kervansaray is a beautiful place to stay and Mardin delightful. Then Diyarbakir was as you had said with the children quite excitable but everyone so friendly and the place interesting. Again the hotel was charming and the staff very good.

So thank you. Your tip on having a few words of Turkish was very wise. The hotels were great.

With thanks
Helen
 

Miki T. - Japan
November 5, 2010
Itinerary: Cappadocia hotel and tour package

Dear Rina,
We had an amazing time visiting your country, especially Cappadocia. It had the most magnificent landscape I have ever seen. Thank you so much for arranging us a wonderful and most memorable trip in a short time frame.

We would like to extend an extra thanks to Attul and Shari our tour guide and driver. They were both very kind and flexible and Attul's commentaries were impeccable. We had two couples in our group including us which was an ideal size. The tour was conducted both in English and Spanish, which amazed me of his language skills. The tour was a good mix of cultural sites and nature walks. We both loved hiking in the Ihlara Valley and walking by the Melendez River. I also loved the Selime Church/Monastery as it had a special feeling to the place and had a beautiful view from the top. We loved all the restaurants we had lunches in and the pace of the tour was just right as I felt very relaxed throughout the tour.

We thank you again for organizing our journey to Cappadocia. The Flight, the transportation, the tour, the cave hotel with spacious rooms were all in order and was more than I expected.

It was a pleasure to receive your service and knowing you. I will definitely recommend your services to my friends visiting your country.

Take care.
Sincerely,
Miki & Ryo
 

Wing P. - UK
November 1, 2010
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,

Thank you for your reviewing to my feedback.

In addition to my feedback, please accept my appreciation and thanks of your work from my bottom of my heart. Without your backup, especially your prompt reply to our e-mails, our journey could not be true, seamless and successful. You are the person that we can trust and rely on. I will recommend to my friend to you if they want to travel in Turkey.

Yours sincerely,
Wing P.

Patricia W. - CA, USA
October 29, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Our trip was wonderful, and my mind is still reeling from all the sights, sounds and tastes I experienced in Turkey. Erkut was a knowledgeable and capable guide.

I would not hesitate to recommend Insight Travel to anyone organizing a trip to Turkey. I love your country!

Best,
Patricia
 

Anita L. - UK
October 27, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Thanks for your email. I did indeed had a really good time in Turkey, and enjoy every minute of it. Erkut is very knowlegable with the History and culture, I am very satisfied with everything that you have organised, you have made it really smooth and easy for this tour. Many Thanks for that.

Mt. Nemrut and Urfa is a totally different experience very unusual. All in all the 3days is well worth it.
Many thanks again for your effort and organisation.
 

Enjar M. - Denmark
October 27, 2010
Itinerary: Hotel bookings and car rental

Hello Rina

Everything went well. The Lord blessed our trip in every way. Especially the hotel Atinc in Kusadasi was wonderful, with perfect service in everything. Also rent of car went without problems. So thank You for helping us and should we go to Turkey again I would not hesitate to require Your offer.

Sincerely Ejnar
 

Kate B. - Australia
October 27, 2010
Itinerary: Grand Tour of Western Turkey

Hi Rina,
Both Ray and I would like to say that we had a fabulous time in Turkey. We enjoyed the Grand Tour immensely and would like to again say a big thank you to both Kemal and Ali for a very easy, safe and informative trip. The bus was comfortable to travel in and hotel accomodation was clean, comfortable and of a mostly high standard. Kemal is a very accomodating and genial guide who suceeded in keeping the tour interesting and fun.

All our connections were met with no problems.

We would have no hesitation in recommending Insight Travel to our friends.

Kate B.
 

Shari M. - USA
October 27, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
I Just wanted to tell you how much Brett and I enjoyed the trip! It was an absolutely fantastic tour of a very beautiful country, we had a great time and everything you organized for us was perfect. We recommended you throughout our travels and met many people who were envious of our itinerary.
Thanks so much for planning out a fantastic trip for us, and for making the last minute changes!

Shari M.

Ken and Faith B. - USA
October 23, 2010
Itinerary: Cappadocia and Mt. Nemrut

Dear Rina,
Just want to let you know how much we enjoyed our time in Turkey -- it was wonderful. Everything went perfectly. We loved the cave hotel and all of Cappadoccia, as well as our trip to Mt. Nemrut. There were only 2 or 3 other people when we were there, which made it extra special. We also enjoyed the Art City Hotel so much and wished we were staying longer. The area was perfect for walking around and the hotel staff couldn't have been more helpful and cordial.

Thank you so much for your help!
Ken and Faith B.

Joyce B. - Canada
October 23, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hi Rina:
Just to let you know, we had a great time. Turkey is wonderful. The weather co-operated fairly well and Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, so many things, were beyond expectations. Erkut was full of knowledge and experience, Necdet (our driver) was great and so pleasant. The food was wonderful...almost too good and too much..but those are things that I seldom complain about!! The accommodations were all good or great.

I would recommend the trip and Turkey to anyone without any problem. My sisters enjoyed the trip very much also. We had way too much fun! Thanks for all of your planning and help.
Joyce B.

Mona M. - Canada
October 19, 2010
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina, We are back from our trip, and had a fabulous time in Turkey, everything was great! We had no problems anywhere, and enjoyed every moment of it and would recommend it to everyone. thank you for everything, Mona M.

Claire and Allan G. - New Zealand
October 17, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Many thanks for helping us to arrange such a great holiday, everything went according to plan, we were well looked after and learnt such a lot about your incredible country and it's people.
We must thank you especially for helping to arrange the balloon flight, the original flight postponed due to bad weather, with The Royal Balloon Company. We were given a long flight upgrade which included a fantastic breakfast and champagne to follow. We would highly recommend The Royal Balloon Company, please send them our personal thanks.
Our charming driver in Cappadocia, Mustafa, also sends you his regards.

Now, after a long flight, back home safe and sound.
Many thanks for all your help
Claire and Allan G.

Steve L. - Australia
October 16, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Thank you for checking in on us, sorry I haven't replied sooner. We all had a wonderful time in Turkey, loved the people and the countryside so much to see wish we had more time. All the tour guides you arranged were great, all very knowledgeable thank you. We enjoyed our stay at Art City Hotel in Istanbul great staff and very convenient location for exploring the Sultanahmet, would definitely stay there again.
The highlights : Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Pergamon, Troy and Gallipoli all great !

Thank you so much for organising our tour on relatively short notice and with little fuss. We will definitely recommend you to our friends.

Kind regards,
Steve, Helen, Casey and Ben.

Bev S. - UK
October 13, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
I am safely home after a wonderful trip in Turkey. You did a wonderful job organising everything and it all went very well. Thanks so much for all your work and setting everything up. You did a brilliant job. I will definitely recommend you to anyone who wants to go to Turkey.

Thanks
Bev

Deb C. - Australia
October 11, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Thank you very much for organising our trip – we had a great time, and look forward to returning to Turkey soon.

Thank you so much for arranging the transfers so well – there was a lot of co-ordination involved and everything worked well. I was most grateful to those fetching us from the bus stations – we would have been very lost. I would not recommend the Marina Beach hotel though – the food was absolutely terrible – however our room was very spacious and I would sacrifice food for space.

The cave hotel was lovely, and especially the manager running it – she was great. Our whole Cappadocia experience was magical. And all our tour guides were really nice. The Masal apartment in Istanbul could have been better stocked, and it was a bit of a problem with the caretaker not speaking English, but he was such a nice person, and the location of the apartment was perfect so we were very happy there, and would probably stay there again if we came back and would definitely recommend it to friends.

Regards,
Deb

Theresa and Donald L. - USA
October 11, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We just returned from our wonderful vacation last night. We thoroughly enjoyed all three areas that we visited. Each area was unique and we are so happy that we had the opportunity to make this trip.

I am writing to give you feedback on our vacation. On the whole, we are very pleased with our trip and your services.

Transfers from the airport: We were met promptly at each transfer point. The drivers were very courteous.

Hotels: Tulip House in Istanbul, Goreme House and Nilya Hotel in Selcuk were all wonderful. Our hosts were very helpful and each of the hotels were very clean, comfortable and convenient. We loved being in small hotels and the very personal service each one offered. We enjoyed the little neighborhoods that each hotel was in. Breakfasts were wonderful and each hotel had lovely terraces or gardens to enjoy our meal. We received your fax regarding our flight change promptly from Goreme House.

Tours: We enjoyed not being in large group tours. The lunches on the tour were very good.

The balloon tour was fabulous. It was a very special experience.

In Selcuk, we had a very good guide to Pamukkale. The bus unfortunately broke down on the way back. We were delayed 1.5 hours on top of the long 3 hour bus trip home.

We had a personal guide as well as a personal driver to Pergamon. The guide was excellent and we enjoyed his expertise as we toured Pergamon and the Aesclepion.

We do appreciate all that you have done to make our trip so memorable.

Sincerely,
Theresa and Donald L.

Howard and Rosemary R. - Australia
October 7, 2010
Itinerary: Grand Tour of Western Turkey

Many thanks Rina for your note - we did enjoy meeting you in the restaurant in Kas.

We certainly had a great time in Turkey - a truly fascinating place with its complex history, natural beauty and friendly people

The tour went like clockwork and we are indebted to Insight for your thoughtful planning and the professional execution by Kemal and Ali

Kemal was a very interesting and helpful guide (never stumped by a question) and always a lot of fun. Ali was a very dependable and careful driver

Overall the accomodation was excellent (loved the cave in Cappadocia!).

Thanks again for a trip we will always remember

Regards
Howard and Rosemary R.

Christine and Gary H. - Australia
October 5, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We had such a fabulous trip -I've been waxing lyrical about the joys of Turkey but it was really due to the efficiency of your service. I am recommending you to all I speak to back in Melbourne. Our stay in Kas was particularly memorable!
Grateful thanks to you and your team.
Regards,
Christine and Gary

Raoul L. - Belgium
October 4, 2010
Itinerary: Hotel Booking - Bera Hotel, Konya

Dear Rina,
We returned yesterday from our roundtrip ( 17 days) in Turkey.

Our Group of ten friends was very happy in Hotel Bera in Konya. The personal was very helpful and friendly, the rooms very comfortable, the restaurant excellent.
Thank you for this nice solution for my problem as organiser. The results was an interesting visit to the Mevlana museum, the Alaeddin Camii, the Büyük Karatay Medresse.
With kind regards,

Raoul L.

Ann R. - Canada
September 30, 2010
Itinerary: Car Rental, Cappadocia and Cruise Excursion in Kusadasi

Hi Rina!
We are back safe and sound after a very interesting trip. All the arrangements you made on our behalf worked out well. The Turkish Airline flights were comfortable and on time. The car rental agent met us at the airport as planned and there were no complications.

Our guide met us at Kusadasi and we had a great day at Ephesus. His knowledge was excellent, his English very good, but he spoke very quickly so it was necessary to ask him to repeat the information a lot of the time.

We rented a car based on the advice from my friend Annette. But in retrospect we could have just as easily seen everything through the guided tours for the same price. After the fact, I realized that Annette and her family were in Capp off season so the tours were probably not as widely available.

Thank you again for your help. I will certainly be happy to recommend you to one and all.
Take care.
Ann

Rose T. - New Zealand
September 27, 2010
Itinerary: 8-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We have just got home after a wonderful 6 weeks away with the final 2 weeks in Turkey and on your tour you organised for us. I cannot speak more highly of the organisation you put into our tour, it was just perfect and all went without any problems at all, you made it so easy for us, we didn't have to think or worry about anything. Thanks you so much for making our holiday so special, it was such a treat and especially as there was only 6 english speaking people in our minivan at any one time was a very special bonus. Thank you so much,
Regards, Rose

Sandra E. - TX, USA
September 23, 2010
Itinerary: 8-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina
I was incredibly impressed with the tour(s) in turkey. All very professionally done and I always felt very safe and watched over. As I told you Cagla is exceptional-both talented in her abilities as a guide, but also very knowledgeable and competent, with real people skills. I know in her line of work and since she sees all types, she must get frustrated, but she doesn't ever let it show. She is a real professional.
Seda was my guide for both tours in Istanbul. While she is young and not as confident as Cagla, she has great people skills, true empathy, exceptional energy and drive, interest, knowledge and flexibility. She was always going beyond the expected.

As you can see, all in all, I am extremely pleased with my Turkey experience with Insights! I will contact you in a flash if I am looking for a tour in the future.

Hope you are well down there in Antalya....all the best.

Sandra E.

Carol H. - Canada
September 19, 2010
Itinerary: 8-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hello Rina,
I spoke to Lucinda earlier this week to let her know how very pleased we were with the tour booked with your company. Everything was extremely well organized with airport and train reception, bus driver and tour leader all informed and punctual. I would certainly recommend your tour to others. Thanks Carol

Victoria B. - Canada
September 19, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Our trip was great thank you. We had great tours and had a lovely time. The accommodations were fantastic and everything we saw we loved. Turkey is definitely a place to return to. Thank you so much for all of your help and suggestions. It was a very memorable trip for us.

Kind regards,
Victoria

Susan and David H. - Australia
September 16, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
The whole trip was simply fabulous, we loved Turkey & were really happy with the tour. The guides in the Ephesus & Canakkale areas were suburb…they had so much knowledge & were very friendly. Your organization in & out of places for us was great. I have given your contact details to our friends in Kastellorizo as next year they would like to tour some of Turkey as well!

Thanks again Rina.
Cheers
Susan & David

Di M. - Australia
September 14, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Mediterranean and Cappadocia Tours

Hi Rina,
You are wonderful! It all worked out the way it should, pickups arrived when you said and all bookings made as you said.

I do have a few comments for you though.
1. The young man you chose to drive us for the 2 full days was excellent…very safe and considerate. I’d use him again.
And those in Kayseri and Pamukkale also good.
2. Accommodation was mostly perfect for us…not too up market but not too drab either.
We really liked Sandybrown Hotel in Dalyan and they were very welcoming and friendly.
Kemal Hotel in Fethiye was in a perfect position for us…I could have stayed for 2 nights here in hindsight.
Hideaway Hotel in Kas – we liked the location, the terrace, the veranda off our room.
Antalya – loved the Kaleici Lodge and they were also very accommodating. Loved the wide corridors and they way it was decorated.
Goreme House was in a good position and was quite comfortable – initially we were put in a ground floor room which was noisy , so they happily moved us up stairs for the last 2 nights – we liked that as we had our own verandah. There is a new hotel up the hill further called Spelunga Hotel and it looks very nice.

3. On hindsight I think we spent 1 day too long in Cappadocia, and 1 day too long in Kas – my fault entirely.
4. The Perge Aspendos Group tour was interesting, but I’m sure we did not go to Manavgat Falls but went instead to Duden Falls.
5. Balloon flight a highlight!
6. Guide in Cappadocia very good, as was the driver.

Have I left anything out…let me know if you would like more feedback, happy to help.
Once again thank you and I will have no hesitation in recommending your services to any friends who will be visiting Turkey.
Cheers,
Di M.

Ann M. - AZ, USA
September 2, 2010
Itinerary: Group Istanbul Tours

We enjoyed all three tours. It was great to spend the day in a more neighborhood areas, Eyup. The Golden Horn ride was okay, but the Bosphorus ride was great. We enjoyed Seckin a lot and it was great to have him for two days. We are not sure about the name of the other female tour guide the last day, but she was enthusiastic and professional.

Thanks for all your help.
 

Nick J. - UK
August 31, 2010
Itinerary: Kas-Kekova-Kas Private Gulet Cruise

Hi Rina,
Yes, we had a fantastic time and enjoyed the Gullet cruise very much. Please pass on our thanks and best wishes to Mustafa, who I think was a very nice and courteous captain and who I also shared some most interesting and conversations – he is quite an intellectual sea captain!
Regards
Nick J.

Fidel C. - Spain
August 30, 2010
Itinerary: Kas-Kekova-Kas Private Gulet Cruise

Dear Rina
The cruise was superb, everything went fine. Just the weather, too hot, but it was August so nothing to do about this. Mustafa took us to so many fantastic bays and places.
Thanks a lot for everything.
Best regards

Ilona P. - Germany
August 26, 2010
Itinerary: Zeus Hotel, Kahta

Dear Rina,
we had a wonderful trip and a pleasant stay in Zeus Hotel! Thank you for
your assistant!
Greetings from grey and raining berlin!
ilona

Sujal P. - USA
August 26, 2010
Itinerary: Salmakis Resort, Bodrum

Hey Rina,
The hotel is very nice. The room was modern and big and had a balcony. The beach was good too. The food that is included in breakfast and dinner package is very good and there is a good selection to choose from.

The hotel is quiet. The pool is really nice. The hotel is a 11 lira taxi or 5 lira ferry from the main nightlife area. It is about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. I would not recommend walking back to the hotel as it is uphill.

I really liked the hotel and would recommend it.

Thanks,
Sujal

Seth E. - MD, USA
August 24, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Merhaba! Merhaba!! Thank You! We loved meeting you and having dinner with you and exploring underground passages with you and seeing your most beautiful home!

We've arrived back from our AMAZING trip to Turkiye on Saturday night (Washington, DC time) and have been working through jet lag and the mountains of work that piled up in our absences.

We had a great time and it is hard to believe we walked in the footsteps of Paul and Alexander the Great and Cleopatra and Justinian and Marco Polo and perhaps Richard the Lion Heart... and the places were ancient even when they walked there! Our trip on the beautiful old gulet was delightful: our days: wake up, swim, lounge, eat, sleep, swim, tea, swim, lounge, swim, motor a bit to the next beautiful cove, swim, eat, swim, lounge, and sleep. The water warm and crystal clear and phosphorescent at night. millions of stars. It's a rough life! Cappadocia was truly incredible: like the Grand Canyon in parts, but with the countless conical sandstone and basalt formations that have been carved into cave dwellings that made it appear like a strange and fabulous Flintstones cartoon -- only this one has beautiful Byzantine churches. It was interesting to see that many of these "caves" are still used by local folks as their houses and hotels. Its was sort if odd to see a few of these "caves" with computer or TV satellite dishes on them and laundry hanging on the lines outside...

The Turks are great people! The people we met were funny and friendly and hugely generous -- even though we don't speak Turkish, they were so kind to us. The food was great, the raki was strong, the sights were in credible. We love Turkey! We got to see only a very, very small part of the country, and, inshallah, we hope to go back there one day.

Thank you, again, for your generosity and for make our trip to Turkey so memorable and so very enjoyable!
Cheers
Seth

Jared B. - NY, USA
August 14, 2010
Itinerary: Private  Western Turkey Tour with Private Gulet Cruise

Hi Rina,
We're back and we had a wonderful time. Thank you for all your assistance, including dealing with our last-minute passport issue rescheduling. Everything went very smoothly, all the hotels were great and the tours and guides were all excellent. We loved the gulet cruise; the crew were fantastic and the food was really good.

If there is anywhere you would like me to post a review of your services, let me know. I will also recommend you to anyone I know who may be visiting Turkey in the future.

Best regards,
Jared

Mandy and Jess M. - Australia
August 13, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hello Rina,
Jess and I are now (sadly) back at home, trying to shake the jet lag. That sure was a whirlwind trip! I learnt so much about your country, what an amazing place. The Turkish people are rightly proud of being a citizen of a great country. I am not sure which part we enjoyed the most, and the only thing that was difficult was coping with the heat. I am telling my friends that they must visit Turkey, but in spring time!
Of course Cappadocia was incredible, as was Pamukkale. Selcuk and Canakkale are lovely towns to stay in - it was nice to spend 3 nights at the Akay. Lovely hotels, though I should have thought of the air-condition (or lack of) in Goreme, as it was hard to sleep. The tour guides Remzi in Cappadocia and Izzet from Gallipoli were especially interesting, so passionate about their area and keen to share their knowledge. We managed to have a Turkish bath and boat trip on the Marmara sea on our spare days in Istanbul. We were quite tired by the time we reached Canakkale, thus we didn't go on the Troy tour so we could make the most of our Gallipoli tour. I was able to have a walk along the waterfront in the morning, so that was a bonus. Tourism is so well organized, so despite my very basic attempts at learning simple Turkish words, it was easy to get around and explore independently.
thank you for arranging our trip so well,
Mandy and Jess M.

Margaret U. - USA
August 12, 2010
Itinerary: Istanbul Cruise Excursion

Dear Rina,
Thank you for checking up on us, and thanks again for your time and dedication in helping me plan our stay in Istanbul.

Upon our arrival in Istanbul we were met by Erol. He was very nice, kwowledgable and professional, always making sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. On both days we were able to keep up with the itinerary without it feeling like we were on a marathon.

We truly enjoyed our visit to Istanbul. It is a spectacular city, full of contrasts, rich in history and very clean. It is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever visited.

The show at the orient House was also very nice. Erol brought back a beautiful cake for my daughter Andrea and her birthday was announced... the whole place sang Happy Birthday to her! She was not expecting that at all! Thank you for making this a memorable day for her and for us as well.

It was a short stay, but we came back with lifelong memories and the wish to go back again someday.

I would most definitely use your services in the future and also with no doubt recommend you to our friends!

Take care and keep up the good work Rina!

With warm regards,
Margaret U

Carolyn D. - Canada
August 12, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hello Rina,
Matthew and I are home and had a great trip. We really enjoyed the day trips and all of the hotels were EXCELLENT! We appreciated how smoothly the trip went. As far as feedback, you were really amazing at answering all of my questions promptly. All of the hotels were great and the owners made sure to call the travel company if the pick ups were late.
We would certainly recommend booking through insight to any of our friends should they be inspired to go to Turkey.

Thank you very much for all of your time; it was very much appreciated.
Best,
Carolyn

Gabriella C. - NY, USA
August 11, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,

It was such a delight to finally meet you and I so hope we can stay in contact.

I loved our trip from beginning to end with the highlights being, hands down, Kas, Cappadocia, the personal service at the Tulip Hotel, and the fabulous boutique hotel (Yacht) in Fethiye. We loved Kas and wish we'd spent more time there. Cappadocia was just the right number of days and I much preferred the Assiana hotel to the Gamirasu. Mostly because you could go out on the terraces and there was a wonderful restaurant one could walk to. We spent our first night there over the finest meze I've ever tasted and the softest sunset I've ever scene. We had a great guide and met three young people from NYC. The transfer and transport guy was so helpful as well. I appreciate his giving us three bottles of cold water when we arrived. We were hot an exhausted and it was just the right touch. It's often the small things clients remember.

Although I loved that Antalya felt very local and non-touristy in parts I could have skipped it and done more days in Kas. Without staying in La Paloma in Kaleici it lost some of its charm. The food, compared to Cappadocia where it was the best of the entire trip, was hit and miss.

Kas was a dream. We loved the hotel, especially the gracious service of the woman who brings watermelon to everyone at midday and the bartender who was all so welcoming and had my Campari and orange ready for me one evening. I loved that everyone in the hotel from staff to guest was warm and welcoming and that at night they show soccer on a big screen by the pool. I felt like I was coming home. The breakfasts here and everywhere we went were outstanding. I remember a time when breakfasts were included in the price of hotels/pensiones in Italy and France. No longer. And even when they were they did not contain the sheer variety of fruits and vegetables and delicious jams. The boat ride was the absolute jewel of the trip. I LOVED being on the water, swimming in the crystal blue-green of the water, and looking out at ruins with so much history about them. The best meal was the one we had with you at the restaurant. My bass was fresh and well prepared and there is just something about the lemons in Turkey. They taste better there than anywhere else.

By the way Limanagzi was a wonderful beach too. Water as clear as in Sardegna with none of the pretense or sticker shock and free lounges and umbrellas to boot! We has some crispy fried calamari that I keep dreaming about!

After Kas I was underwhelmed by Fethye (Did I mention I adored the rustic seaside beauty of Kas??). It was nowhere near as pretty and the beach was just too big and noticeably tourist ridden. Oludeniz, I believe. I prefer Limanagzi That said I adored the hotel from it's decor, imaginative design, service and graciousness of its staff. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived but they were able to accommodate us with a tasty lunch at the bar and some engaging conversation with the young staff, all of whom are well-mannered, knowledgeable and caring.

In Istanbul we were at first not so impressed with the Tulip House Hotel, especially since we were in the worst room -a result of our booking late- on the top floor, many stairs up with only a skylight. In retrospect I should have asked them to move us as other rooms became available. That said, I loved the experience. It's such a quirky and fun place. The young people who work there are fun and kind and well informed, and we got to interact with so many guests in the lounge of the hotel proper. I also loved breakfast on the sunny vine covered terrace overlooking the rooftops of Istanbul. I would stay here again.

Istanbul was rough because of the heat. That said, the art and the history always enchant me, and I would go back after I've mastered the metro system and when the temperatures are more friendly. The restaurant you recommended Kathisma, was so remarkable we went back twice. I loved the decor, the food, the humble manner of the manager who was not out hawking the menu. And he even took us down into the tunnels that were discovered only several years ago, tunnels which lead from the prison that is now the Four Seasons Hotel. Otherwise the food in Istanbul is hit or miss. Again, Cappadocia reigns supreme in that regard.

I hope this is helpful. I'm already thinking of a future trip. In the spring or the fall. Seven days in Kas with lots of boat rides to see ruins and Greek islands. Three days in Istanbul, to see what I didn't have the time or the energy to see this time around. Perhaps two days in Cappadocia in the same hotel and so I could have the delicious food.

I forgot the biggest highlight, getting to know you better!
Big hug,
Gabriella

Carolyn D. - Qatar
August 9, 2010
Itinerary: Private  Western Turkey Tour

Rina
Thank you for organising the trip and tours in Istanbul. We all had a fabulous time and everything went smoothly. Erol was a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, easy- going, with a great sense of humor. Necdet was a very safe driver and good company as well.
I'll definitely recommend your company to friends here in Qatar and if we come to Turkey again, I'll be in touch.

Carolyn

Kate M. - Canada
August 5, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
It was a perfectly wonderful journey through Turkey and I thank you and Lynn for making it happen. Everyday was a new experience that flowed seamlessly into the next. The bus rides gave us an opportunity to see the fabulous Turkish countryside and meet the local people (and not just other tourists). The daily tours gave us an opportunity to experience the rich historical, cultural, and geographical offerings of Turkey. Most of the people we encountered were friendly, cordial and helpful. And I never once felt unsafe. A couple events (like being deposited at 4 am in Goreme) are seen as adventures rather than misadventures and add to our inventory of Turkish stories. Our breakfasts and lunches were hardy and healthy and kept us sustained throughout the day. My only complaint was that I would have liked more time to explore our various destinations - we'll leave that for another trip.

thanks again for organizing a memorable experience,
Kate

Click to watch the slide show of photos of my trip to Turkey with Lynn.
 

Lynn P. - Canada
August 5, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
You beat me to it! I am just starting to feel at home again after our wonderful trip!! Kate and I have spoken many times and we both agree it was perfect. We fell in love with Turkey and have been raving to friends and family about the country.

Our accommodations were great and the various tours and guides were so informative. You gave us so many opportunities to see different parts of the country. We were both amazed at the changing landscapes. Even though the long bus rides were tiring, they really helped to maximize our trip time. Plus we were able to see towns, villages and scenery and experience Turkish bus drivers. Some highlights were Cappadocia, a Turkish bath in Istanbul, Ephesus, Fethiye and a boat cruise, the people and the food! Oh...and the shopping! : )

There was one awkward moment when we found ourselves arriving in Goreme at @ 4:30 a.m. The 4 pm bus from Fethiye did not go to Urgup. So we ended up in Goreme and found a shuttle at 4:30 a.m. to take us to Urgup. But that driver just left us in the road and said someone would come along shortly?! Well, a lovely dog showed up to welcome us but no one else. I found a hotel nearby and the cheerful night clerk called Hotel Dedeli Konak and we were met @ 5 am. Fortunately there was one empty room (the honeymoon suite!) and he let us go in to nap before our tour began. It all worked out and gave a us a funny story to tell.

Rina, we loved Turkey. It is a cacophony of sights, sounds and people. Kate and I are both more than a little sad that the trip is over. We will never forget it.

Thanks for your great advice and selections!!
Lynn
 

Raj V. - LA, USA
July 29, 2010
Itinerary:  Private Istanbul tour and 8-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina
Thx so much for arranging a wonderful trip. All the guides were very good and caring and knowledgable. We had a wonderful and memorable time. Will come back again in future.
Regards
Raj
 

Paula B. - TX, USA
July 28, 2010
Itinerary: Ephesus Cruise Excursion

It was wonderful! Mehmed was wonderful, agreeable and knowledgeable. The van and driver were perfect (and nicely air-conditioned). We know it is difficult to navigate this tour in high season through terrible heat, but he was mindful of all this and helped us make the very most of our day. Thank you for our memorable day in Ephesus. Paula B.
 

Vasantha A. - NJ, USA
July 26, 2010
Itinerary: Istanbul Package

Rina
Just wanted to thank you for the arrangements made by you for our
Istanbul/Turkey trip…
Everything worked out real well for us..
Thanks again
-Vasantha
 

Bernadette G. - Japan
July 19, 2010
Itinerary: Private tour with gulet cruise

Hi Rina, We had a fantastic trip. All the transfers went with out a hitch which of course had me nervous the last week when we were no longer on the private tour. But we had no problems. We loved the sailing trip and the captain and crew.
 

Vikram S. - CA, USA
July 16, 2010
Itinerary: Private guide and driver services

Hi Rina,
We had a wonderful time in Turkey. Thanks for your help in arranging so much of the trip.

Some quick feedback:

The staff in Cappadocia was wonderful. Mustafa, Ramazan, Murad were all very welcoming and treated us as guests. Ramazan and Murad tried hard to understand our expectations and to some extent customize the experiences for us. They made things interesting for the kids, which was very helpful. I would rate these guys 8 or 9 out of 10. Hot Air Balloon was great, except maybe for the 7-year-old.

Kalehan is a nice property, nice staff, but has a huge road/traffic noise problem. The family suite's walls have no insulation at all. It is impossible to sleep without earplugs. Would not stay there again.

In Istanbul, both Dersaadet and Daphne worked out very well. Daphne's location is better, and is more updated, thanks for the recommendation. We had a problem with the A/C in one of the rooms, and after some back-and-forth they changed the room.
 

Rick and Lynne B. - Australia
July 12, 2010
Itinerary:  Grand Tour of Western Turkey

Hi Rina,
Overall we were both delighted with our tour of Turkey. Although a couple of days were long and taxing, we understand they were necessary to complete the itinerary in the time we had available. We just loved Turkey – its scenery, its history, and especially its people.

We couldn’t have been happier with our guide and driver. Kemal has such incredible knowledge and passion for Turkish history. I’m sure at times he thought he might as well have been talking to a marble statue, as our eyes would often glaze over with the sheer volume of information he would sometimes pass on. His sense of humour and willingness to discuss the wide range of social, religious, political and economic issues we often raised made him an absolute pleasure to be with.

Ali was a real treasure. Apart from being an excellent driver, he went out of his way to look after us. During the last few days when Lynne was so sick, Ali’s concern for her comfort was very special.

Overall we would give our tour a 10 out of 10. We have no hesitation in recommending Insight Travel as a tour service provider, and we are sure you will be contacted by our friends who one day hope to visit Turkey.

Thanks once again for all your expert organisation.

Regards, Rick and Lynne
 

Mariam A. - Canada
July 7, 2010
Itinerary: Istanbul Package

Hello Rina,
We had a good visit to Istanbul. Your tour package was well-organized and we had good tour guides through out. I would certainly recommend the tour company to others.

Regards,
Mariam
 

Ann Marie Da S. - Hong Kong
July 7, 2010
Itinerary: Private Bosphorus Tour and Turkish Night

Hi Rina,
We had a great stay in Istanbul and had an amazing time! Both Mustafa's, our guide and driver were great. We love having the smaller boat for the Bosphorus cruise and the little detour to a local place for lunch! Our transportation to the airport was punctual and everything worked out great!

All in all, we love Istanbul and Turkey, and can't wait to be back again!

Please send everyone a big thanks. We will definitely get in touch when we come again, and hopefully, soon!

And last but not the least, thanks to you too!
Best,
Ann
 

Sandra  W. - Australia
July 5, 2010
Itinerary: Cappadocia and Gallipoli Tours

Hi Rina,
Sorry I haven't got back to you but it has been pretty full on with work as soon as we got back to Australia. I am planning to write on trip advisor a recommendation for you. All the trip was great and every detail was spot on. Thank you very much for all your help. We loved Turkey especially Cappadocia.
Thank you again
Sandra

Dale S. - UK
July 3, 2010
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We had a fantastic time. Our tour guide, Cagla was great - professional, very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. She also went out of her way to arrange for us and another Australian couple to have some extra time at Gallipoli which we were all very grateful for.
The content of the tour was extensive, with a good variety of sights and activities. The accommodation was generally ok, some hotels a little dated. Probably the only complaint would be the lack of variety of breakfasts / evening meals. But all in all, it was a great tour and we would definitely recommend the tour and your services to our friends and family.

Cheers
Dale S.
 

Margaret and Tony J. - Scotland
July 3, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Home safely and everything went to plan – our pick-ups etc were all on schedule. Thank you.

Half day in Istanbul – good short trip but due to traffic did not get to do it all

Gallipoli trip was excellent, with a very knowledgeable guide – a great trip. We enjoyed the town of Canakkale and the Artur Hotel was good.

Troy trip was enjoyable but it is a difficult site to understand. Lunch at 1130 was a bit early but one of the better lunches! Pergamon was an excellent trip with a very good guide.

We loved Selcuk and the Hotel Akay was excellent and we were glad to have two nights here – we would have no hesitation in recommending it. Ephesus was busy but enjoyable.

Pamukkale was spectacular but a long drive to get there. Not a great guide for this one. Lunch at the Spa was good and our transfer to Denizli worked well.

Overall our trip was thoroughly enjoy and we would not hesitate to recommend your services and hope to use you again next year – we are planning possibly Istanbul/Cappadocia/Kas or Kalkan.

Sorry we did not manage to see you – we visited Kas but could not find your office (we forgot to take the address).

Thanks once again.
Margaret and Tony J.
 

Siew  Y. - Australia
July 2, 2010
Itinerary: Cappadocia tour and hotel package

Dear Rina,
Thank you for helping with all the arrangements for the tour for us. Everything went according to plan and we had a really lovely time there.

The pick up and drop off was good and the tour guide was patient and most helpful.

Thank you again and I definitely will recommend your tours to my friends.
Best regards,
Siew Y.
 

Flora  D. - Brazil
June 21, 2010
Itinerary: Gallipoli, Troy and Pergamon Tour from Istanbul

Hi Rina,
Everything was fine with our tour. We like it very much. The guides are very good. The explanation about Gallipoli, Troy and Pergamon were excellent.

Thanks a lot for all your care with you. We loved Turkey.

Best regards,
Flora
 

Frank and Monica  M. - Puerto Rico
June 21, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Now, that we are back at home, after an extended stay in Vienna and London, I want to again thank you for the great job you did showing us a part of Turkey.

The hotels were all very good, especially the Yunak Evleri, the guides were informative and knowledgeable, the food good and varied. The only hitch was the change of itinerary around Kusadasi, and we are grateful for the way you handled the corrective adaptation.

Again, thanks for a wonderful experience.

Best regards Frank and Monica

Helen L. - Australia
June 17, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina, Thanks for all your input and help. The Gallipoli trip went very well and we especially enjoyed the tours we went on there. Both the Hotels were very good - Anzac Hotel particularly excellent manager who actually greeted warmly and instantly knew that one needed maps, info etc and gave it to you. Of course speaking English well was also a big help!!
The Bursa Hotel was very stylish and nice too and we enjoyed pottering around Bursa. Probably not THE most exciting of our visits!, but interesting.
We are off to Antakya, Harran Urfa etc with the Church group on Sat and then home to Australia the following Sat - Sob! Has been a great trip.
Thank you, Helen L.

Betsy H. - NY, USA
June 17, 2010
Itinerary: Private Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We had a wonderful time and it was good to be met everywhere with someone who knew where we were going.

The guides: Were excellent - enjoyed the young one in Istanbul - the first day was not a problem at all.
The guide in Cappadocia was terrific - he wisely decided our legs were not in good enough condition to descend into the underground city on the itinerary. We enjoyed the alternative caves and also going to his home town and seeing a little of a spot not so used to tourists (although it seems every place is).
The last guide for Ephesus was very well versed in history. Passionate about the seven cities visited by Paul. The visit to the place where Mary stayed with John near Ephesus was very beautiful and fascinating.

Hotels:
You may have heard complaints from the Willners about the Assos in Istanbul. I did not think it was so bad. These things could have been better: lots of the bulbs were out, forgot to tell room cleaner, they never tested for replacements. The bathtub sides were high - and it was necessary to get in and out for shower - the shower door did not leave room for sitting on side and swinging feet over.
Frankly I liked the ambiance - we could see lots of neighborhood activity of the workers for the shops around us. The walk up to the bazaar was a little steep.
We used the dining room a lot - liked the view and became fond of the waiters.

The hotel in Kusadasi was OK - a little depressing, and for some noisy at night. But we enjoyed sitting out front. Kusadasi was honkytonk but we found a nice restaurant on the water.

We loved the hotel in Urgup - I love the idea of living in a cave, never thought we would be in such a luxurious one.
and the Hotel Su was our favorite! After the long bus ride we expected the worst and were amazed at the wonderfully decorated and sunny space. It was a great rest from all of our touring.

We are going to be eating dinner now so I will continue this tomorrow.

Yours, Betsy

Paulisa De V. - South Africa
June 17, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Thoroughly enjoyed every moment in Turkey. - Insight Tour as well as last week sailing with husband and son.

Kemal, our tour guide was wonderful - so much knowledge, helpful, caring, friendly, a fabulous sense of humour and always attentive to everybody's needs.
Ali, our driver was just fantastic. He was always smiling & kind and so in control of the vehicle - not for 1 second did I feel unsafe in the vehicle. He is a wonderful driver and polite gentleman.
Both these gentlemen are an asset to Insight Travel.

The tour was awesome - absolutely wonderful!

You are a super star to get everything so wonderfully organised.

Hoping to be back in Turkey June 2011

Take care & cheers
Paulisa
 

Sally W. - TX, USA
June 16, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We loved our trip. I will share some negative and some positives, but the positives greatly outweighed the negatives. Some negatives would include: 1) the buffets – with a group as small as ours perhaps we could have dinner (and lunch) at a local restaurant instead of at the massive buffets, 2) sometimes Kemal would forget that he has seen the sites hundreds of times before, but for us it was the first time. We would have to trade-off seeing the site, taking a picture, or hearing the information, since Kemal would start before the group was entirely ready 1) the trip was extremely well organized and everything happened as expected, 2) some of the hotels were quite wonderful, in particular we enjoyed our time at the Cave Hotel, 3) the team of Ali and Kemal were great; they were both wonderful individually as well. Ali was a great driver and took good care of us. Kemal was a fabulous tour guide. I would highly recommend him. No matter the subject, he provided us with information. He was a wealth of knowledge on the area (economy, culture, religious matters, history, etc) and had a great sense of humor! I would definitely take another tour with Insight Tours and specifically with Kemal. I also loved the size of our group. I would definitely not have wanted our group to be any larger.

In sum, I would highly recommend Ali, Kemal, yourself, and Insight Travel. In fact I have already recommended you (and this trip) to a colleague of mine at another university.

Thanks for a great, worry-free vacation.
Sally
 

Professor Lin  H. - GA, USA
June 13, 2010
Itinerary: Art Student Group

Rina,
Everything went well. Your second guide was the best. The sleeper train, dervishes and sights were great.

Thanks,
Lin

Wayne and Julianne H. - New Zealand
June 9, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina, We enjoyed our Turkey tour very much and can see that you provide a high quality tour. All of our connections were on time and worked 100%. There is obviously a lot of work for you behind the scenes to make this all work so thank you. The boat tour guide to Kekova was good but the guide talked too much in not very good English but still pleased we went. The guide in Cappadocia was excellent, what a great place to visit, enjoyed that the best I think. Great experience and would recommend Insight tours and Turkey to others any time.
Regards, Wayne & Julianne
 

Betsy W. - VA, USA
June 9, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour and Tailored Group Tours

Rina,
Everything went extremely well. I really enjoyed my entire trip, but the first part with your group was exceptional! The guides were knowledgeable, polite and entertaining. Kemal in particular was a joy to travel with.

Thank you and I will recommend you to my friends and colleagues.
Betsy

Judith W. - CA, USA
June 8, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Hello Rina, I have lots to report to you but am pretty overwhelmed with catch up at the moment. In capsule, we had a great time , loved Kemal and thought Turkey was fascinating, friendly and beautiful. I will be more specific as soon as I catch up on sleep and have a fully operational brain.
Thanks, Judith
 

Ann A. - CA, USA
June 7, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Rina, yes all went well ….the trip was fabulous!!!!! Our guide, Kemal, was so funny (well, his dry humor and knowledge of the nuances of the English language was spot on) and I learned sooo much history. and the places were amazing and I ate soo much that i thought I would have gained a few pounds and actually restrained myself from eating to much the last days which i now regret as I didn’t gain an ounce and the food was delish. Our group size was perfect. and we all got along so well and funny, half were Berkeley alums or currently enrolled so that was funny. to go to Istanbul and see Hagia Sophia was something i dreamed of half my life so to be able to do that with my girls was incredible… it was a trip my girls and I will hold in our hearts for the rest of out lives. Thank you. Ann

Iris T. - Hong Kong
June 6, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina, Everything went well during the trip and thanks for your clarification over the phone. I really appreciate your prompt and reliable arrangement of my trip despite my last minute confirmation.
Thanks, Iris
 

Eric R. - USA
June 5, 2010
Itinerary: Bursa Tour and Perge, Aspendos & Waterfalls Tour

Dear Rina,
We are in transit right now and got this email. Thank you very much for arranging the tours for us! They were great and very well managed!! We will definitely let others know of your agency and fantastic service.

Regards,
Erich & Nancy R.

Willie W. - USA
June 2, 2010
Itinerary: Istanbul Hotel and Tour Package

Hi Rina,
We had a great time in Turkey. Thank you for all your arrangements. The Kumkapi experience and the Galata Tower had to be at the top of the list.
Thanks. Willy

Rosemary S. - UK
June 2, 2010
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tours and hotel booking

Many thanks for your mail.
The group well full of praise for the tour.
The guide was exceptional - they loved him and everything went well - thank-you very much.
They were pleased with the hotel - especially its location and proximity to other restaurants

All in all - a great success - so thank-you!

Best regards, Rosemary

Heidi G. - VA, USA
June 1, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Howdy Rina,
We are back home and after being away for almost 2 months things were a bit tumultuous at the beginning, but now all is settling down. there is not a day that we don't talk about our adventures in turkey. you were right when you said that we would be in good hands. Ali's driving was professional and smooth and made for a very pleasant trip. Kemal's enthusiasm for his home country was contagious and we enjoyed hearing all he had to tell. he was very competent and supportive of our wishes and we enjoyed his company very much. The accomodations were excellent, perhaps with exception of the hotel Arthur, the food was delicious and varied, smaller restaurants without the crowds perhaps would be preferable for our small group and the amount of food was a bit excessive for our age. it seems that Kemal enjoyed our company too and i hope we made up in tips for him having a smaller group. we will definitely recommend your tours to our friends and we hope to perhaps take another one in the future when things are a bit more settled politically. thank you again for all your efforts.
Sincerely Heidi

Mark D. - Canada
June 1, 2010
Itinerary: Daphne Hotel and Gamirasu Hotel Booking and Car Rental

Dear Rina,
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your assistance in making this one of the best trips we have ever taken. The suggestions you made, the hotels you booked, the car rental and the flights all were perfect. The accommodation was exactly what we were looking for and the service received was first class. We were very pleased with the wonderful hospitality showed by all of the people we met in Turkey. It is indeed a terrific country.

We will contact you again if we (when) we travel back to Turkey. I will also recommend your services to any friend who is planning a trip to that region of the world. Please feel free to use me as a reference.

All the best,
Mark

Margaret and Geoff B. - Australia
May 30, 2010
Itinerary: Highlights of Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Here are Margaret and Geoffrey back in Australia and on-line again. We had a wonderful time on our Turkey holiday and wish to commend Insight on an excellent package. For Australians, the visit to Gallipoli was very moving and our tour partners had to be patient as we experienced the memorials and pictured the conflict of 1915. Kemal did a splendid job with background information to all the archaeological sites we visited and managed our wide-ranging questions on everything from wild flowers and birds to the possible reasons ancient events, both geological and historical, occurred. He and Ali were excellent company throughout the trip and very accommodating of our requests for more/less time, side trips for provisions, adding or removing possible activities according to our desires. Kemal's local knowledge allowed him to adapt the route or timing, lunch venue or direction of flow when confronted with crowds at a venue so that we avoided the frustrations which can face tour groups. His obvious pride in his country was most endearing. Our accommodations were always good, the Emine Sultan a lovely beginning and the Gamirasu an absolutely splendid finale. I am happy to recommend your company to friends and family.
Regards, Margaret.
 

Fred and Eleanor F. - NY, USA
May 26, 2010
Itinerary: Private  Western Turkey Tours

It really was a wonderful time, thanks to your careful planning. The
guides were great, well informed, personable. We hope to be back some
day and see more of wonderful Turkey!
Eleanor
 

Julie B. - MO, USA
May 25, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

There was the late pick up on the first day, but all was well.  Tours were wonderful!! Turkey was so beautiful. 

Thank you for arranging such a wonderful holiday for me.

Julie

William C. - VA, USA
May 22, 2010
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tour

Dear Rina:
We returned from Turkey on the 20th.. We had a wonderful time. Turkey was a lot more different than we expected. The country is beautiful, and the ancient ruins were far more than we anticipated.

Our best time in Istanbul was with Suleyman. He was extremely nice and knowledgeable of the area. We visited every place on our wish list with him, except the ones that were closed. He is a very fine guide. Please give him our regards.

Thank you for your help.
William C.
 

Lynne and Jim S. - USA
May 11, 2010
Itinerary: Private and Small Group  Western Turkey Tours

Hi Rina,
Now that we are back from our trip and adjusted to US time again, we wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip to Turkey. The guides we had in Ephesus and Cappadocia areas were very good and we really enjoyed the experience. Thanks for your efforts that made this trip a great one for us.

Our only regret is that our good friends Janet and Murray did not get the opportunity to enjoy it with us.

Thanks again,
Lynne and Jim S

Colin J. - Australia
May 10, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored  Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina
I arrived back this morning after spending a few days in Singapore.

I had a wonderful time looking at your fascinating country. I briefly met Ibrahim, who was very friendly and his young guide Eygan (?) was great. We were taken to the most interesting places and the lunches were excellent. I loved the balloon ride and enjoyed the hotel and the helpfulness of the owners.

I thought that the folk at ANZAC House were terrific. Very helpful and friendly and put up with me requesting several assurances that the bus would definitely get me to Istanbul in time for my flight, which it did. The tour guide for Gallipoli was outstanding, as was the guide for Troy. Being a bit picky, I did think that they could have taken us to better places for lunch. Overall, I was impressed with the organisation, the friendliness of the people and by the fabulous places of interest. Thank you for providing me with a wonderful few days.

Kind regards
Colin J

Val R. - MI, USA
May 9, 2010
Itinerary: Private Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina---Everything worked out very well on our trip. The itinerary was perfect. Initially, our guide, Mehmet, was a little resistant to the Assos/Behramkale plan. In the end of that first long day, after seeing how much we enjoyed the small hilly town of Behramkale, he understood what our interests were better. We ate in a small restaurant there, which for him was a first. He said he usually took people to a fish restaurant in Assos. In Pergamum he found us a very pleasant restaurant in an old historic building somewhat off the beaten track. Most importantly, though, he was efficiently organized and he did a fine job showing us Pergamum and Sardis and the town mosque in Birgi as well as the very unique old, wooden historical house. The Antik Han hotel in Izmir was pleasant and unique. We want to thank you for helping us put together a plan for these very memorable three days. The coach from Istanbul to Canakkale was definitely the way to go. We were especially appreciative of your frequent communications during the upheaval of plans resulting from the volcano.

Best regards,
Val R.

Marlene A. - PA, USA
May 7, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina, After visiting Turkey we went to Greece and arrived home Friday evening. Thank you so much for all your help. Everything went very well. The guides were wonderful and the drivers were always there to meet us.
We were very pleased with all the hotels and the friendly people that ran and owned them. We were also very pleased with Turkish airlines and the flight attendants that worked hard and the staff that made it very easy to check-in.
Again thanks for all the preparation work you did.
Marlene A.

Rob G. - South Africa
May 3, 2010
Itinerary: Angora House (Ankara) Booking

Hi Rina
Thank you for checking back..

We enjoyed our stay at Angora House immensely. One of our highlights in fact. Our whole Turkey experience has been wonderful. Most hospitable and friendly people we have ever experienced in our travels.

Thank you so much for your assistance.

Best regards
ROB
 

Margaret and Jim G. - Canada
May 3, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We are now back in Australia after a lovely holiday.
The Turkey leg of our trip was completely trouble free with the guides, accommodation and transfers all exceeding our expectations.
We would like to make special mention of Erol, our guide for the day in Istanbul. His knowledge, friendliness and professionalism were all excellent. We would recommend his services to anyone travelling in Turkey. So, in summary, our trip was brilliant, largely due to your service and attention to detail. Please accept our gratitude for all your help and rest assured that we will pass our positive recommendation to anyone we meet who is planning to travel to Turkey in the future.

All the very best,
Margaret Lynch and Jim G.

Kathryn and Stan M. - NM, USA
Apr. 29, 2010
Itinerary: Private Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
It was great to meet you in your beautiful town of Kas. Wish we could have spent more time along the Mediterranean in Dalyan, Fethiye and Kas since we are land locked in New Mexico.

We had a wonderful time on our trip and Erkut was a fabulous guide; very knowledgeable and easy going. He arranged for the hotel in Fethiye to present me with a birthday cake on April 15th, the day after my birthday. He had good timing about when to leave to see sites before the tour buses arrived, arranged a balloon flight in Cappadoccia with a very safe company and left us to explore on our own when it was appropriate. He made adjustments based on our preferences that well suited our desires.

I loved the archeology a bit more than Stan. He is more into the current cultural rather than the past, however, he did learn a great deal. At one point, the sites began running together in our minds and we couldn't distinguish one from the other, but that was our problem. We chose to see so much in the 2 weeks we had, that it became a blur. Next time I think we would like to stay in the more scenic places 2 to 3 nights rather than moving to a new hotel almost every day and slowing down the tour a bit and seeing less ruins - only the best preserved and most historical.

The hotels turned out to be fine even though there were one or two quirky things about each one. The Agora Life Hotel turned out to be very nice. The first room was small with a poor view but when we returned to Istanbul, they had upgraded us to a larger room with a view of the Bosphorous which was lovely. The staff there was most gracious and helpful.

We greatly enjoyed our day in Istanbul spent with Kathy who Tara paired us with. She knew her way around the shops and introduced us to a wonderful Sufi instrument maker. His store was in the process of moving so he took us to a friends shop and helped Stan select a couple of high quality instruments which we carried with us on the plane back home. He burned a CD for Stan showing him how to tune the instruments. Kathy also took us to the best jewelry shops that had unique items and assisted us in finding some fabulous drawings on antique paper at a very reasonable price that I had admired prior to meeting up with her. With her assistance, we were able to locate some cloth we wanted, again at a good price.

All in all, our trip was fabulous and we had a wonderful time. Both of us are very impressed with Turkish history, the culture and the warmth of the people. We also were grateful that Turkey was so clean! Our China experience was just the opposite with regard to cleanliness.

Thanks for all your efforts and pairing us with such knowledgeable guides.

All the best,
Kathryn & Stan

Alison H. - USA
Apr. 25, 2010
Itinerary: Grand Tour of Western Turkey

Dear Rina,
Everything went smoothly, even the flights. It's great to be home no matter how much we love Turkey. Thank you again for all your good work! I'll send a longer email after I get a few things under control. Meanwhile, the next time you talk to Kemal please say again how much we enjoyed getting to know him and Ali. They were both superb in every way.

all the best, Alison
 

Jim H. - CA, USA
Apr. 23, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We're headed home tomorrow. Had a great time last week with the tours and this week in Istanbul on our own. Great tours, beautiful country, the bus rides were great. Here are the photos: http://www.jimhayes.com/Turkey2010/index.html
Actually, I only posted about 15% of them - I think I shot about 2300!
Regards,
Jim

Arabian National History Association Group (ANHA)
Apr. 19, 2010
Itinerary: Cappadocia Tour with balloon flight and Gamirasu Hotel

David T – Saudia Arabia
President

Something went wrong this trip – I can’t scrounge up a single complaint from anyone. They loved the food, they adored the hotel, they orgasmed over the balloon. The people who had seen cultural shows before were bored, but the rest loved it – make sure you check out the video of Mike’s Performance.

Erol was fabulous by the way!

Here’s an indicator of what they thought of the hotel – everyone insisted they had the best room!

There is a possibility that I may now be forced to add another Turkey trip in April 2011 as well as September due to popular demand…
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
It was a great joy and privilege to be a part of our tour in Cappadocia; and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together! Who knew that Mike could dance like that?

Bruce
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Thanks for a great trip! The food and drink was delicious, scenery spectacular, hot air balloon ride amazing and coordination and commentary the best! And to top it all was the comradery among the group!

Thanks again to you, Karen, Erol and everyone else who helped for an unforgettable trip.

Earl and Olivia
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Yes, Dave it sure was "a terrific trip" and was worth my flying out from Jeddah to London for ONE night to rejoin the group in Bahrain.

Thanks everyone.
Mike

Ditto from me too!
Regards
Suzanna
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Hey Dave,

I agree with Tess and Larry. Great Trip! Great group!

Rebecca and I had a wonderful time. This was her first trip to this region of the world and I have to say it was a good first impression for her. Moreover, I’ve always enjoyed your trips. So why would this one be any different. Thanks again for putting together another fabulous trip.

Sincerely,
Caffery
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Thank you Dave!

I love the picture of our whole group. It was such a fantastic trip—Great group of people, great sites to see, a wonderful guide, and a super tour leader. You really did a great job of organizing everything. Although we’re a bit “hazy-eyed” this morning, I am glad you were able to maximize our time while there.

Thank you again, for organizing this trip. We look forward to more ANHA trips in the future and especially to staying in touch with new friends.

Lisa
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Thanks Dave!
This was such a great trip and an inspiration too. Great people, awesome new friends and incredible memories that will last a life time.

David
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I would like to second Tess’s heartfelt commentary. Excellent trip with great locations and guide. Generating good feelings all round! Hope we can all stay in touch and meet again on new adventures with ANHA. Thanks to you all!

Larry
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Hi David,

Thanks again for organizing a really great trip. I enjoyed it so much…..it’s a destination that has been on my “list” for a very long time.

Connie
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Thanks Dave – and thanks for organizing such a terrific trip. Didn’t get chance to see you last night to say goodbye. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for such a great trip. You were all really good company and made the trip a lot of fun. Thanks again for your excellent company. A Seriously Sleep Deprived
Tess

Sonny K. - MN, USA
Apr. 05, 2010
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Mum and Dad went home today but have been meaning to tell you how brilliant the tours were. so thank you so much, they we looked after so well and the accommodation was also fantastic.

My husband's parents arrive from New Zealand tomorrow for 3 weeks and they also want to do a tour of Gallipoli/Troy. So we will be in contact once we sort out times/dates to book something for them with you also.

Your service has been top class. I am also sending your details to another Australian friend who has her parents visiting so she can book through you also.

Kind regards,
Sonny K.
 

Brian B. - MN, USA
Apr. 05, 2010
Itinerary: Private Ephesus Tour and Kismet Hotel

Rina – everything on our trip worked out very well. We had a good time on our own in Istanbul (other than a few annoying taxi cab drivers) and the section you arranged was perfect. The Kismet was excellent and we had the water view rooms you requested. The weather was beautiful and there were very few tourists at the hotel – making it very relaxing. The tour was very good and we enjoyed our guide. All transportation was excellent. Thanks for setting up an “unusual” tour for us. It was just what I wanted.

Brian
 

Sally S. - USA
Mar. 08, 2010
Itinerary:  Emine Sultan Hotel Booking

Hi Rina
Everything was perfect, many thanks! The hotel was lovely and the staff were great. I will certainly stay there next time I come to Istanbul
Best regards
Sal

Barry L. - OR, USA
Mar. 04, 2010
Itinerary:  Emine Sultan Hotel Booking

Hi Rina,
All went very well and was very informative. Thanks for your help.

BTW, the hotel staff was incredible and made the accommodation.
 

Nattavut S. - Thailand
Mar. 04, 2010
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
The trip went smoothly. I would like to thank you to recommend us the Agora Life hotel. It was a great hotel with nice view and the staff were very efficient and helpful. I would recommend the hotel to other of your clients.

Thank you again for the tour arrangement. We wish to be back there soon.

Best regards,
Nattavut

Samuel J. - USA
Feb. 04, 2010
Itinerary:  Whirling Dervishes

It was amazing. Thank you very much. I will refer you to any of my friends or relatives who comes to Turkey.
Best,
Sam