Dear Hammit,
... an enormous 'thank you' for a really wonderful tour through Turkey. I couldn't ever have imagined how lovely it would be! And I am aware that an enormous amount of work must go on daily (or, probably, nightly as well!) keeping the details together and checking ahead - thank you so much.

I also greatly appreciated the personal help you gave with finding a charger for my camera and finding the Dervish Service.

Oman was, by contrast, very bleak and none of your 'surprises'!. What a difficult country to live in. I am glad to have been there; but would not really want to go there again, while Turkey is a must for another visit! Please do keep me informed of your tours as I would hope to join one again....

Hope you keep well? With my grateful thanks,
Caroline (Holmes) - October 2007

Just wanted to let you know that Hamit's Grand Sultan tour was a holiday of a lifetime! Bob and I had a wonderful time. We found the Turkish people warm and friendly, the food fabulous and the sights a dream come true for me. We had a great bunch of people on the bus and everyone got on well.

... I could not speak highly enough of Hamit and Yavuz our guide. They couldn't do enough for us and really went out of their way to make sure everyone was happy. Very personalised attention and real care for our enjoyment and welfare. They were absolutely wonderful...

Marie-Anne & Bob - October 2007

... thanks for a fantastic Turkey experience. Everything was well organised, laid out and efficient. The lunches fantastic. We both had a fantastic time and are busy recommending your tour. Best regards and hope to travel with you again in the future.

Brian & Fabienne Thewlis - October 2005

This is a rather belated note to thank you providing me with a superb introduction to Turkey in September. I enjoyed the tour enormously, particularly your focus on unusual boutique hotels, diverse eating experiences and interactions with local people and activities. Your attention to the little things that enhance the travelling experience were much appreciated, such as plentiful water on the bus, spacious seating, well paced activities sprinkled with free time and a high degree of background organisation which allowed us all to focus on enjoying the culture and environment. I know that everyone in the group was grateful for your willingness to be flexible and responsive to individual needs and interests, including changing travel details, exploring storage and transport options and advising on late night trips to opera at the amphitheatre!

It is challenging to describe the joys and intrigues of Turkey as it is so culturally rich and geographically diverse. From the colourful bustle of Istanbul, to the sparkling warmth and seduction of the Mediterranean, to the simple and comforting allure of rural roads and villages... I was captivated by Turkey’s charm and simultaneously comforted by its unassuming attitude to us as tourists and to life in general.

There were so many highlights but I’ll list my favourites:

• dinner at the fish markets in Istanbul (great food and such atmosphere)
• arriving at the Karavanseri (forgotten how to spell it now!) at Kusedesi, loved my room so much
• Ephesus was astounding
• Dalyan: lunch by the river, eating by the lovely hotel pool on a balmy evening, my first swim in the Mediterranean
• Kas hotel on the cliff overlooking the Mediterranean was spectacular - followed by the wonderful boat ride the next day where we swam in the sea and lunched at the island after climbing to the castle
• Magical Cappadocia could not be missed & our hotel was extraordinary
• Perfect weather everyday
• Excellent food
• Being woken early each morning by the call to prayer booming from the local mosque!

There is only one thing on the tour that I would change and that would be to skip the night show in Istanbul.

Happy for you to provide my details to anyone considering taking a tour with you. Thanks again Hamit for everything. Regards
Cathy Wall
September 2005

Just a quick note to let you know how much we enjoyed your tour which will hold fond memories for a long time.

We will most definitely recommend your tour to anyone we hear wishing to visit Turkey. All the best.Neville & Maxine Ainsley - May 2005

We did enjoy our European trip. The tour with you was the highlight. We would recommend your tours without hesitation, in contrast the Croatian one.
Miro Davis - May 2005

Readers recommend

(Sydney Morning Herald - Weekend edition, Nov 13-14, 2004)

Visiting Turkey in a small group proved to be a winner for us. We spent no time waiting for late breakfasters, toilet loiterers or excessive shoppers and we were able to find accommodation in boutique hotels in small towns.

The director of Ozturk Tours, the fortunately named Hamit Ozturk (PhD Sheffield), escorted us from Australia and stayed with us through the tour. He even turned up at our house before we left and took our tickets into Qantas to sort out a mix-up, which was of our making.

On tour we liked the way Hamit sneaked surprises into the program, such as when we pulled up outside the house of one of his old high school friends and had afternoon tea with the family, and his penchant for providing taste treats on the coach whenever we passed through a region famous for the way it made meatballs or Turkish delight. If the group wanted to see something not on the official itinerary, Hamit made it happen.

The 15-day tour covered thousands of kilometres around west Turkey. We stood in silence alongside the graves of Diggers, studied the levels of civilisation at Troy, ate lunch in a restaurant perched on sticks in the middle of a raging mountain stream in the Saklikent Gorge and scampered up the burning rocks of Olympus. We boated up the Bosphorous, searched for turtles out of Dalyan, photographed the carved rock tombs of the Lycians and explored the ruins of Kekova.

Our tour was all-inclusive. It cost thousands of dollars less than comparable ones conducted by the big companies and was value-added in every way.

Bob Phillips, Cabarita

... but Turkey was the highlight. We had no idea what a wonderful country it is and so different to anywhere else I have been.
Rosemary Rose - May 2004

... a big thank you for putting together and hosting an absolutely fabulous trip. We both just loved it, especially appreciating the special little places, ... the amazing sites, the friendly people and terrific food.
Colin & Rhonda Galbraith - June 2002

... has organised one of the most interesting tours I have ever done. Made me feel secure in a foreign country, which is not foreign to me anymore. I will be recommending this tour to my friends as one of the best.
Greg Everingham - June 2002

 

... we really had a terrific time on your excellent tour and are planning to return ...
Ken & Denise Robertson - May 2001