Peter Sommer Travels Traveller Reviews

Week long gullet cruise from Bodrum to Ephesus featuring archaeological tours each day. Guides included native Turk for cultural interpretation and a PhD archaeologist specializing in the history of the region. Four native crew were wonderful.

Peter Somers had done good research on the route, boat crew, cultural activities, cuisine to ensure a pleasant, relaxing and educational trip.

The Peter Sommers Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore Tour was an unbelievable first rate experience that my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed. We are especially appreciative of the expertise and amazing storytelling of our fantastic guides. Their vast knowledge brought Turkish history alive for us and it was exciting to visit historical sites. The combination of cultural/historical visits, the breathtaking scenery and the gulet experience was simply amazing and exceeded our expectations in every way. This was a trip of a lifetime and we would definitely tour again with Peter Sommers Tours again.

Peter Sommers was outstanding. His expertise and knowledge was amazing. The tour went absolutely flawless from start to finish and all logistics were well taken care of and everything was seamless. We appreciated the expert crew and service on the gulet and the care that was taken to create beautiful and delicious meals.

This was our second gulet cruise with Peter Sommer Travels. Complete relaxation on board the gulet with comfortable accommodation, very attentive crew, good freshly prepared local food, swimming in secluded bays and the company of a small group of interesting international travellers. But what makes a Peter Sommer holiday stand out is the opportunity to visit both well known and little visited archeological sites with a knowledgeable local guide and an enthusiastic historian.

The tours are well planned and organised and as this is a small family business we received personal attention both before and after the holiday.

My husband and I took a two-week cruise with Peter Sommer Travel beginning September 18 and returning October 3. In the intimate setting of a Turkish gulet, we swept up the Turkish coast (ancient Caria), visiting seldom-visited spots, culminating with the much-visited Ephesus.The focus of the tour was classical archaeology and we had a first-rate practicing archaeologist on board to explain in considerable detail the history of the various sites. Not only did he open our eyes to the history of this coast, but I left feeling that I understood some of the challenges facing archaeologists today. Of course there was ample time for more relaxing-type fun as well. We were wined and dined in style three times per day, consistently regaled with several different fresh vegetables from the region to accompany splendid main courses. The other travelers were loads of fun and the regional guide, a native Turk, ensured that everything went like clock-work from the land transport, restaurants on land, to making available swimming and hiking equipment. It is truly a luxury, when traveling as far afield as Turkey, to be able to ignore all the details and simply enjoy the sights! This is the second Peter Sommer tour we've taken (in a row). I'm sure another one is in our future!

Peter Sommer Travel excursions are unique in their focus, I believe. Learning in an appropriate cultural context is central to Peter Sommer's vision of a good holiday. They employ highly qualified archaeologists who are also capable of explaining in lay persons' terms the beauty and historical import of the ruins and sites they select. Both tours we have been on have provided a perfect blend of walking/site-seeing and more relaxed fun. Peter Sommer Tours pays close attention to getting the logistics of travel perfect. The experience of the traveler is one of pure and seamless enjoyment and I have rarely eaten so well. They highlight regional specialties and local produce. The company also pays close heed to sustainable and responsible travel. Both of our trips (both to Turkey) have been absolutely memorable. Bravo Peter Sommer Travel!

This was a great combination of cruising the Carian coast of Turkey and walking in the coastal hills. We visited many remote ancient sites and our guide (and owner) was extremely personable and informative. It was well organized and things went along smoothly despite having to adjust the itinerary on occasion because of weather conditions. Special care was taken to ensure that everyone was looked after especially when the terrain was uneven and rocky. Gem our aptly named local guide was always there on our walks to make sure none of us got lost. The Captain and his crew were very friendly and helpful, and it was obvious that the Captain himself was very experienced and capable. Lastly the food was always excellent with lots of local wine. A very enjoyable and informative week.

Our tour operator "Peter Somner Travels" was excellent. It was easy to book and pay. All appropriate information was provided upfront ( and additional reading recommendations ) and we were able to follow our instructions easily. Pickup and transfer from the airport was flawless, as was the transport to the airport at the end of the trip. The principle of our tour group Peter Somner was actually with us and we were kept well informed of all aspects of our trip throughout the week. Overall organization was excellent courtesy of Mr Somner, along with Gem our local guide, and the Captain who was obviously extremely experienced and capable .

We went on a "Walking and Cruising the Carian Shore" holiday with Peter Sommer Travel, the archaeological travel specialists. The cruising part involved gulet cruising between Marmaris and Bodrum via various archaeological sites along the Carian Shore, and the walking part involved walks along sections of the recently completed Carian Coastal Path taking in both beautiful scenery and some wonderful, little explored ancient sites. We were accompanied not only by an excellent gulet crew, but also by Peter Sommer himself, a hugely experienced archaeologist, and a very charming and knowledgeable local expert. The trip was even more enjoyable than we had anticipated, helped by the beautiful scenery, the comfortable gulet, the good food and the company of like-minded fellow travellers.

Peter Sommer Travel excelled themselves in the efficiency of all their preparations for the trip. It seemed that they had overlooked nothing, and both Peter Sommer himself and his local archaeological guide went out of their way to ensure that everyone's needs were met, and that we all enjoyed ourselves as much as possible and left both charmed and fascinated by what we had seen.

We went on a 2-week tour with Peter Sommer Travels along the Carian shore on a gulet with a dozen or so other guests. Our meals were generally on board, provided by the crew, and we motored along the coast. Each day we had two or three chances to swim in the Aegean capped by a visit on shore to an archaeological site led by a guide and an expert of Caria.

This was our second trip with Peter Sommer Travels, and this tour was as good as the last. They took great care in preparing us for the trip, and we all felt like royalty on board the boat. Yet, we also learned much about the region we were touring (in this case the Carian coast) with knowledgeable and approachable guides, an impressive library of books on the geography and history of the region on board, and maps of each site we visited. With each trip we have taken our enthusiasm for the history and for the region has grown.

A great way to learn about the history of Turkey. Staying on the Gulet was a great experience as we cruised the coast of Turkey. The accomodation was superb along with the food. Walking the Lycian trail was fantastic and you were able to get some exercise on your holiday including a nice swim after your hikes. Peter and Cem were very knowledgeable on the history, great presenters and awesome hosts. I will definetely search out more of these types of trips with Peter and Cem.

Peter has extensive knowledge in history. His presentation skills are some of the best I have seen, as he keeps it interesting and keeps you engaged. Hospitality is second to none. He is also very flexible to ensure everyones needs are met! Cem is also very knowledgable, accomodating and a great host.

Two weeks cruising on a gulet with an expert archaeologist and also a local expert guide with a small group; great cruising, fabulous walks to ancient sites and museums, and great sailing and food - an amazing experience.

Peter Sommer travels are the best company I've travelled with - and keep going back. Their tours are boutique, first class archaeology, great food, great sailing and interesting traveling companions - and going to some of the best places on the planet for unique experiences.

This trip was a two week tour of various archaeological sites on the west coat of Turkey and spiced up by traveling on a sailboat (though we motored all but one or two days.) We departed out of Bodrum, on the southwest corner of Turkey, and would generally sail between harbors in the morning or afternoon with land trips to the sites for the balance of the day. I'll paraphrase 'Cem', our wonderful guide, for the daily update: "Breakfast is at 8AM, so you can swim a bit before if you wish, and there will be a brief time to swim afterwards while the crew cleans up. Then we sail to XXX where we will have time for another quick swim, then Lunch, then we will be off on the Minibus to YYY. Today, make sure you were good shoes and long pants. And we'll be back in time for Dinner at 8PM." The swimming was amazing - the water reminds me of Lake Tahoe but the extra buoyancy provided by the salt water made the experience very relaxing! Our Archaeological guide was fantastic - very knowledgable and would answer any and all questions! Each site visit seemed to build on the last one in terms of knowledge gained and experiences. Thought at about 2/3 of the way through the trip my brain was certainly full! Food was served family style and was fantastic as were the guests. There were only 11 guests total (+ 2 guides + 4 crew) so it a much more personal experience that a typical cruise. We were originally concerned with Security but we had no issues at all. I have a few co-workers from Turkey and they said it would be like California in terms of appropriate clothing and we had no issues there. Highly recommended.

Very professional. Great pre-trip documentation and excellent staff.