Turkey Tours

Name:
Rustem Baksoy

EDUCATION:
Ongoing; TESL certification.

LANGUAGE:
Turkish and English.

COUNTRIES VISITED:
Throughout Southeast Asia and Southeastern Europe.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
Istanbul, Turkey (because there's no place like home).

ABOUT:
Rustem has been leading tours for more than 20 years, and he has a wealth of guiding experience in his native Turkey. When he's not on the road, you can find Rustem working as a translator for TV channels, film festivals and publishers. Over the years he has also translated several books into Turkish.

Name:
Victor Romagnoli

EDUCATION:
HBA English BA History

LANGUAGE:
Being able to speak several languages has made travelling an enriching experience; the conversations one can so easily slip into with locals - who come from all walks of life - adds greatly to my feel for a place.

TOURS LED:
Over a span of almost 30 years, I have lead tours virtually all over the globe.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
Some of my favourite tours just come into being suddenly as a result of a request; someone will ask me to put together an itinerary that will include the highlights of several countries and the next thing you know we have, for example, a tour to Uruguay, Paraguay & Bolivia, or Lesotho, Namibia & Botswana. Sometimes I will be asked to arrange a detailed itinerary to just one region within a country - like a close up look at Sicily or Crete or the Basque Country or Newfoundland. Without the keen curiosity that so many of you travellers have, none of these "spontaneous" tours would come into being. But they do.

ABOUT:
I love the excitement of getting up each morning on a tour and not knowing exactly how a day will unfold. It keeps me on my toes so to speak, and adds a breath of excitement to each day on tour. With almost 30 years of tour leading under my belt, I thank all of you for being a part of this exciting journey.

Name:
Yasemin Reis

EDUCATION:
Social Anthropology & Cultural Studies

LANGUAGE:
English & Turkish

TOURS LED:
Yasemin has been leading tours throughout Western and Eastern Turkey for almost 25 years!

ABOUT:
Also a translator, Yasemin has worked for Discovery Channel Turkey, Nippon TV and several film festivals. She has published several articles presenting an anthropological look at the confluences of medicine, medical culture, history, myth, religion and art, in Asklepios: Journal of Medical Culture, Plan B Publications, Istanbul.

Name:
Martin Charlton

EDUCATION:
Bachelor's Degree in Geography; further studies in Archaeology & Anthropology. Life's real education happens outside the classroom.

LANGUAGE:
English and some French & Spanish.

TOURS LED:
Having led tours for Adventures Abroad for almost 25 years, there are few corners of the globe where Martin’s left a stone unturned: everywhere from North Korea to Nauru, Saudi Arabia to Sudan, Guinea-Bissau to French Guiana. With over 200 tours through over 125 countries under his belt, it might be faster to list the regions where he hasn’t led a tour.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
"My love of travel and infectious enthusiasm for different cultures has taken me to over 155 countries. The further off the beaten path, the better. For a favourite place: perhaps South Georgia Island, the Canadian Arctic, or Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. World's best city = Istanbul!"

ABOUT:
"Don't pack anything that you would be upset to lose, that needs to be ironed, or is encased in glass." - words to live by.

Steeped in legendary history, Turkey is a mesmerizing place to explore. The Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans have all left their mark on this country, creating a tapestry of unique historical sites. Roam the crumbling ruins of Ephesus, linger along stunning Mediterranean beaches or explore Istanbul’s famous Sultanahmet — where you’ll find attractions like the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.

There’s just as much to discover outside the urban centers. Visit the grounds of World War One’s Gallipoli campaign, hike through rolling scenery filled with Aegean olive groves and venture into Cappadocia's otherworldly 'fairy chimney' rock formations. No matter what type of adventure you’re looking for, our small group Turkey tours will help you discover it.