9 O.A.T. Adventures that Take to the Skies

Posted on 11/4/2025 05:00:00 AM in Trending Topics
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Mount Everest, Earth's tallest peak, is known as Chomolungma ("Mother of the Universe" or "Goddess Mother of the Earth") in Tibet and Sagarmatha ("Goddess of the Sky") in Nepal—and you can join an optional flight to view it on our Nepal & the Mystical Himalayas adventure.

Some of our adventures offer optional aerial excursions—from soaring to Earth’s tallest peak to ziplining through Costa Rican rainforests. Thrill-seekers can take to the skies to enhance these 9 O.A.T. adventures.

1. Nepal & the Mystical Himalayas

Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Tom Ossim, 16-time traveler from Vienna, VA:

  • 16-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Join an optional flight to Mount Everest (weather permitting)—the tallest peak on Earth.
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2. New! Peru’s Nazca Lines & Amazon Rain Forest

Our most popular trip video:

  • 12-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Board a small aircraft for an overflight tour of a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca and Palpa. Spend about an hour and a half in the air enjoying a bird’s eye view of both of these mysterious ancient desert etchings—a rare opportunity that few travelers have the chance to experience.
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3. Morocco Sahara Odyssey

NEW: Our most popular video by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Ellen Bensusan, 8-time traveler from Bristol, RI:

  • 16-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Ascend into the Moroccan morning sky on our optional Marrakesh Hot-Air balloon Ride, where you may glimpse traditional Berber villages and distant palm groves dotting the desert landscape.
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4. Egypt & the Eternal Nile by Private, Classic River-Yacht

Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Peggy Chavez, 7-time traveler from Dublin, OH:

  • 16-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure with 5 nights aboard the privately chartered, 16-passenger Asiya, Aida, Amunet, or Aton river-yacht
  • Take to the air: Elect to rise early for an optional balloon ride over the west bank to witness a glorious Egyptian sunrise over the legendary, historic Nile River.

5. Ultimate Africa: Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe Safari

Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Emma Ahart, 13-time traveler from Carmichael, CA:

  • 17-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Embark on a flight of a little more than an hour by small bush plane to the Okavango Delta region—a watery wonderland of islands, marshlands, and waterways teeming with wildlife. Board a four- or six-passenger helicopter for views of Victoria Falls, the iconic "smoke that thunders.”
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6. Safari Serengeti: Tanzania Lodge & Tented Safari

Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Glenn Gillaspie, 6-time traveler from Beverly Hills, CA:

  • 13-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: An early wakeup call will be rewarded with a pre-dawn game-viewing drive on safari vehicles on your way to the hot-air balloon-ride, which offers a new perspective of the Serengeti and the creatures that call it home. For travelers on the optional tour, a full English breakfast will be served with sparkling wine under the shade of an acacia tree following the balloon ride.
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7. Turkey's Magical Hideaways

NEW: Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Jackie Tornes, 5-time traveler from Menlo Park, CA:

  • 17-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure with 4 nights aboard a privately chartered, 14-passenger Turkish gulet
  • Take to the air: Join an optional hot-air balloon flight over Cappadocia, with the chance to view its surreal beauty from high above, illuminated by the rosy light of dawn. During this 2-hour excursion, travelers soar over the amber terrain and fairy chimneys—all the while savoring this unique panorama in remarkable fashion.

8. Untamed Iceland

NEW: Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Wayne Burke, 29-time traveler from Stafford, VA:

  • 11-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Reach Ammassalik, Greenland, via staggered helicopter flights from Kulusuk on our Greenland's Natural Splendor & Inuit Culture post-trip extension. Later, return to Kulusuk by helicopter, savoring aerial views of the ice-filled sea during the brief journey.
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9. Costa Rica: Pura Vida & Rainforest Discoveries

NEW: Our most popular slideshow by an O.A.T. traveler—created by Susan Kruck, 3-time traveler from Rockingham, VA:

  • 14-day O.A.T. Small Group Adventure
  • Take to the air: Fly above the rain forest on an optional Forest Canopy Ride. Strapped into a harness and wearing thick leather gloves, whizz from tree to tree on a zip-line while witnessing stunning panoramic views of the forest below.
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