Customer Reviews for Go Ahead Tours Grand Tour of Turkey
Go Ahead Tours Grand Tour of Turkey
Travel along the Aegean coast for breathtaking vistas on your grand tour of Turkey.
Average Customer Rating:
(146 Reviews) 146
87 out of 89 98% of customers would recommend this tour.
Customer Reviews for Grand Tour of Turkey
Review 1 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JENNIFERF |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:04/13/2012
Location:AB
Age:30-39
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by JENNIFERF |
May 8, 2012
Just the adventure I was looking for!
I wanted to get a little bit off the beaten track and explore someplace entirely new to me. In the past, I've always planned my own trips but with a busy work schedule (and the possible language barrier), joining a tour was the perfect solution. We had a fantastic time and saw way more than we ever could have traveling on our own. Best of all, having a local guide helped us meet other locals and get a fresh perspective on the country. Turkey was beautiful, friendly, exciting and unforgettable.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by RSKOCIC19 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:03/16/2012
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by RSKOCIC19 |
April 17, 2012
Grand Tour of Turkey is Fantastic
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What a wonderful country and what a terrific tour! The best part was the people!. Our tour director, Mehmet, was so knowledgeable and well organized. His English was excellent and he had a wonderful sense of humor. Our driver, Muslem, kept us safe and on time. The bus was roomy and clean. The hotels were usually conveniently located and the food was very good. I never knew how diverse Turkey is and how much history would be there, so many Greek and Roman ruins and so much Christian and Muslem history as well. Turkey truly is the cradle of civilization.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by PRUNDQUIST1 |
Number of past tours:9
Traveled on:03/16/2012
Location:NH
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by PRUNDQUIST1 |
April 11, 2012
amazing turkey
one amazing wow after another. the history and culture were great. m ehmet knew the answers to all our questions.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Honeymoons, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GGOMEZ16 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:03/16/2012
Location:PA
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by GGOMEZ16 |
April 10, 2012
Far exceeded my expectations
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This trip was wonderful. It far exceeded my expectations. Largely due to our wonderful guide - Mehmet.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by EGOZNA1 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:03/16/2012
Location:NB
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by EGOZNA1 |
April 3, 2012
wonderful 2 weeks!!
Our 2 week Grand Tour of Turkey was indeed that---GRAND! We had the consummate tour guide in Mehmet Cabuk -- his ability with the English language was incredible and he had a wonderfully playful sense of humour and timing, his passion for his country and it's history were contagious and his attention to details were obvious in each location. We stayed for the extension in Istanbul and were pleased that an associate of Mehmet's was introduced to us so that we could contact him should we need assistance.
The food was great, the lunch stops were always interesting, the bus driver was very professional, the sights were breathtaking, and the hotels were not disappointing. We were especially grateful for the location of the Kent Hotel in Istanbul because the tram was so convenient to use to get around the city on the extension. We had a delightful group to travel with and we all had fun! We were also fortunate to have incredible weather in the last 2 weeks of March.
Thank you Go Ahead!!
The food was great, the lunch stops were always interesting, the bus driver was very professional, the sights were breathtaking, and the hotels were not disappointing. We were especially grateful for the location of the Kent Hotel in Istanbul because the tram was so convenient to use to get around the city on the extension. We had a delightful group to travel with and we all had fun! We were also fortunate to have incredible weather in the last 2 weeks of March.
Thank you Go Ahead!!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by SHAKESHER |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:WA
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by SHAKESHER |
March 31, 2012
Great Trip
We had a fabulous time on our tour of Turkey. We had the best guide, Mehmet, he was so knowledgeable that I wished I has a tape recorder to tape everything he said about Turkey and the places we visited. The pace and timing was good, although there is NEVER enough time to spend in the ruins for me (I could stay there for days). Great trip!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Art, History, & Culture
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:OR
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by Anonymous |
March 20, 2012
Land of Contrasts
Turkey is a land of contrasts with history and cultures dating to the Brysantine, and Ottoman empires to a modern country struggling against tremendous pressures to become a secular democracy. First and second century ruins are evidence of the wealth of riches and knowledge of ancient peoples, the cradle of our modern civilization. The hospitality of today's Turks show their enormous pride for their past and their excitement for the present. Our outstanding guide, Mehmet, thoroughly explained these contrasts and helped us appreciate the future of his country. A must trip for those interested in early Christian history, the birth of the modern world and a view of a young country struggling to find its future.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LMATHIS6 |
Number of past tours:7
Traveled on:02/17/2012
Location:WA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by LMATHIS6 |
March 16, 2012
Turkey -- Grand Tour
What a great experience! We were fortunate to be part of a small group of experienced travellers. Selcuk is the best guide! He entertained us with Turkish culture and stories of Turkish history. If a particular activity might be difficult for some members of the group, he let us know. We had plenty of free time to explore and/or shop on our own at each stop. Most of our hotels were great! One was a bit of a disappointment, but that may have been due to being there in the off-season with renovations happening when we were there.
If you want to study early Christian history, it happened in Turkey! Walking through Ephesus and seeing where Paul taught was quite an experience. Viewing Paul's teachings as a history lesson means a lot more to me know.
If you want to study early Christian history, it happened in Turkey! Walking through Ephesus and seeing where Paul taught was quite an experience. Viewing Paul's teachings as a history lesson means a lot more to me know.
Istanbul was inspirational, learning the history of the only city that spans two continents! Learning about Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes - very interesting! And then Kapadokya... WOW!
Late February might be a little early in the year for the best weather, but not much. We had some snow and rain, but for the most part the weather, while not terribly warm, was pleasant and dry.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MCUNIC1 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:02/17/2012
Location:NJ
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by MCUNIC1 |
March 16, 2012
Fantastic tour
This is the second time I've taken this tour as my husband was unable to attend the first time I visited Turkey. It is a beautiful country and the sites are quite extraordinary and comments I've heard on both tours are that people never expected to see this in turkey. I would recommend this trip to anyone with the exception of someone who would have trouble walking as at many of the sites the paths are unevenm i.e. cobblestones, marble, etc.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:OR
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by Anonymous |
March 15, 2012
Tour of Turkey 2012
Outstanding first "tour".....we were impressed with the organization by GoAhead Tours. The "off season" timing provided us with few tourists at the many sights visited, and the weather, although chilly at times, was generally good. The "best" factor was definitely our tour guide, Mehmet Cabuk. I can not say enough about his knowledge and expertise, but his greatest attribute was his sincere concern for his "travelers". He really wanted everyone to enjoy the sights, culture, food and people of his Turkey. We witnessed several times his compassion for group members having mobility difficulties. Mehmet was the "best".
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:OR
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by Anonymous |
March 14, 2012
Tour of Turkey 2012
Fantastic trip.....tour guide was outstanding! We enjoyed GoAhead as a tour company, the hotels selected, and all of the sights visited. Thank you for a wonderful trip!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
2
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DMATHIS6 |
Number of past tours:7
Traveled on:02/17/2012
Location:CA
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by DMATHIS6 |
March 13, 2012
Historical Turkey
I have toured Italy and Egypt, but found the ancient sites of Turkey to be most interesting. Knowing some of the history of the area made the tour come alive for me. The sites of Troy, Ephesus, Miletus, Hierapolis, were great. The tour encompassed Ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian places of interest.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by INTHEFIRS@ |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:OR
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by INTHEFIRS@ |
March 12, 2012
Turkey Tour
This was a very good overview of Turkish ancient history, especially of Greek and Roman presence. The bus was great - Mercedes Benz that was truly comfortable. Could not have asked for a better tour guide. His knowledge of history, current affairs of Turkey, places visited, could not be surpassed. Hotels were very good to excellent, although some were better designed for people on vacation, seeking a retreat, than for those wanting to learn more about the people and land. Food at the hotels was good to very good, but, since they cater to tour groups, it really got boring. Lots of fresh vegetables, but always the same dishes.
A big drawback to this tour was that the promotional material did not indicate which of the optional tours were especially challenging. Some were very pleasant, some required great physical abililty. I'm hoping this will be changed. The schedule was exhausting.
A big drawback to this tour was that the promotional material did not indicate which of the optional tours were especially challenging. Some were very pleasant, some required great physical abililty. I'm hoping this will be changed. The schedule was exhausting.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by EHNI0001 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:02/17/2012
Location:MD
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by EHNI0001 |
March 12, 2012
History, Geography, and Fun
We had a wonderful time on the tour. My 81 year old mother did extremely well. The home office and the tour director made sure our rooms were near one another. The tour director was extremely knowledgeable about the roman sites and the towns we visited. He shared so much of Turkish life and tradition with us. I was amazed at the depth of his knowledge. Since our trip was in February, we experienced, all types of weather (sun by the water, snow on the mountain tops, rain in the plains region). It was ever changing and beautiful.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TRAVELINGMIMI |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:02/24/2012
Location:OR
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by TRAVELINGMIMI |
March 12, 2012
Turkey 2012
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If one wants a reasonably-priced way to see Turkey, and doesn't mind multiple shopping stops (carpets, leather, jewelry and ceramics - each occupying several hours!), then this is the tour for you. I've traveled extensively - both solo and on tours - but never before on Go Ahead. I've accepted that the shopping stop (or two) is inevitable on a "budget" tour where the guides get much of their income from commissions, but this tour took this practice to a new high. They also break records for the number of "optional" tours, which means that sights which are included on most tours are only available at an extra cost. For me, this is actually a plus, as I enjoyed the opportunity for rest and individual exploration that opting out of the "option" affords me.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by YOGIBEAR |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:12/02/2011
Location:VA
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by YOGIBEAR |
January 19, 2012
Awestruck with Turkey
We were so glad that we went on this tour. The accomodations were better than we had anticipated, the bus comfortable, and our tour guide was accomodating to the needs of the group and well diversed in his knowledge. This was an active tour as rated, so to get the full extent it is best to be comfortabely ambllitory.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by BABAANN |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:12/02/2011
Location:TX
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by BABAANN |
December 31, 2011
An unexpected marvel!
First-ever 'group tour' and surpassed anything I would I have expected! Life-long 'independent traveler', traveling for forty years. So very glad I found Go Ahead Tours -- can't wait to do another! So nice to have intelligent, enthusiastic guide, see what is to be seen, and NOT have to worry about ANY details!!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MSAMPAIR1 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:12/02/2011
Location:CA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by MSAMPAIR1 |
December 28, 2011
A Trip to Remember
From the start I knew this would be a great trip. Our tour guide presented us with a special dessert at our get aquainted dinner! Throughout the trip he displayed knowledge and love of his job, a sense of humor, and patience, a willingness to answer our questions even if they had been answered by him previously.
Our tour guide made history come alive. In my mind's eye I see people walking the streets of Ephesus, merchants in their shops selling as they are today, theatre goers enjoying the latest play, actors vying for top billing, I have walked where the saints and sinners of ancient times lived, loved, struggled, and died. This truly was a trip to remember.
Our tour guide made history come alive. In my mind's eye I see people walking the streets of Ephesus, merchants in their shops selling as they are today, theatre goers enjoying the latest play, actors vying for top billing, I have walked where the saints and sinners of ancient times lived, loved, struggled, and died. This truly was a trip to remember.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GFORSTER19 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:12/02/2011
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by GFORSTER19 |
December 27, 2011
One of the best trips
We enjoyed the history of Turkey as well as the present policial status of the country. Most of the hotels were top notch. The Turkish people are gracious and helpful.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Grand Tour of Turkey
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by NGADEA1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:12/02/2011
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by NGADEA1 |
December 20, 2011
Very good trip ended as sour experience
Do not fly Alitalia! even if offered for free....
We have travelled for over 40 years and flown international, national and regional airlines (both in US and abroad); Alitalia is consistent in lousy semi-dilapidated equipment, flying across the Atlantic on 767-300's without entertainment system, testy flight attendants, 14 hours delay in their Rome hub without explanation other than "technical difficulties", placing you in a day room at a 2 star hotel, transport bus from airport to hotel becoming a shouting match between passengers and driver, fist-fight at boarding time between unruly crowd and macho-men airline employees, 45 minutes delay in closing plane door after boarding. Other than that, it was a great flying experience.
Of 23 tour members (including 2 from Augusta, GA) only the 2 of us were routed through Rome in Alitalia. Everyone else flew to NY and through Paris or Amsterdam via KLM. Check your flight connections before it's too late......
We have travelled for over 40 years and flown international, national and regional airlines (both in US and abroad); Alitalia is consistent in lousy semi-dilapidated equipment, flying across the Atlantic on 767-300's without entertainment system, testy flight attendants, 14 hours delay in their Rome hub without explanation other than "technical difficulties", placing you in a day room at a 2 star hotel, transport bus from airport to hotel becoming a shouting match between passengers and driver, fist-fight at boarding time between unruly crowd and macho-men airline employees, 45 minutes delay in closing plane door after boarding. Other than that, it was a great flying experience.
Of 23 tour members (including 2 from Augusta, GA) only the 2 of us were routed through Rome in Alitalia. Everyone else flew to NY and through Paris or Amsterdam via KLM. Check your flight connections before it's too late......
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+8points
9out of 10found this review helpful.
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