About Us
Oasis is a premium travel company specializing in custom-made,
first-class journeys to the more intriguing and less traveled parts of the world.
Richard Koegl, Founder and CEO
For over three decades, Richard has journeyed back and forth to over 140 countries on all seven continents. His world is a daily immersion in cultural and educational realms which he passionately shares with fellow travelers and friends. His art in knowing how to piece together the ever-changing world for both the novice and expert traveler can reveal experiences that transcend the typical. Cookie cutter is not in his lexicon. Richard creates journeys that he painstakingly custom crafts for guests who desire a profound and richer experience while traveling.
Richard believes that travelers want things that are familiar yet undiscovered, trending yet hard to find, daring and intensive, but also warmly reassuring. Travelers set off on journeys, certain of what’s to come, but soon discover the journeys most worth taking are never the ones we’ve planned.
In an ever-changing world that never ceases to surprise and provoke, Richard continues to forage to new and familiar lands with inspiration and wanderlust, venturing off the beaten path and pushing the limits of seeing and experiencing in new ways.
Immaculately Designed Itineraries
Our itineraries are carefully constructed explorations that include expertly guided and engaging excursions with incomparable insider access to antiquities, museums, and ordinary, off-the-beaten-track places. Sightseeing is planned to give thorough insight into historic culture, while allowing time to reflect, time at leisure and time to embrace the unexpected.
Small Groups
Limited to just 10 – 15 guests
Oasis prides itself on its discerning clientele: small, congenial groups of individuals with diverse backgrounds, similar tastes and interests, and who share an innate curiosity and spirit that often produce lasting friendships. Our small group philosophy allows for more freedom and flexibility. We know that spontaneity and innovation are key in embracing new travel experiences.
Guest Lecturers & Tour Directors Make The Difference
Oasis combs the world for unique individuals, experts, scholars, and guest speakers whose talks and discussions enrich and deepen the travel experience. Specialists in art, archaeology, religion and culture, they provide and nurture the framework of our learning experience. Our world-wide web of field specialists, guides and local hosts share a profound desire to impart their knowledge and favorite stories, offering an insight which is more by friendship then by a service and something no guidebook or travel blog can impart. We also believe that personal attention is the key to an inspired travel experience, so our Tour Directors become the catalyst during the journey. Richard Koegl, the Founder and CEO of Oasis, often travels as Tour Director. His wanderlust for travel is surpassed only by his desire to share his passionate enthusiasm and knowledge with others.
Premium Accommodations
Chosen for Quality, Location, Atmosphere & Services
We believe that a day’s journey should not end at the door to your guest room. Hotels are often destinations in themselves and we’ve scoured the world to find the best properties. Whether it’s a 5-star luxury hotel, an intimate lodge, boutique architectural gem, or a mind-blowing villa, our hotels are unique, exclusive and hard to leave. The hotels we use capture the most authentic expression of the spirit of a place, and are above all the right place to stay for the destination. To stay anywhere else would be to miss an essential piece of where you are. And for Oasis it’s not just enough to stay in the right hotels, we choose priority rooms and stop at nothing to provide the best comfort with the assurance of maximum safety.
Extraordinary Food
We believe that eating and drinking well is an integral part of traveling and one’s personal diet should be enhanced rather than displaced while abroad. The best is always local: whether at a starred restaurant, a local cantina serving fresh fish seaside, or a picnic of crusty baguette, cheese and wine, we find the very best and celebrate it. We work hard to provide choice and the freshest regional cuisine possible. We know that heavy meals repeated day after day take their toll and for that we purposely build in the opportunity to explore the local eateries on your own, with our in-the-know suggestions of where to go. Every destination as a cuisine, every place a specialty and taste. So whether dining informally, being guests at a private home, or eating in a hole-in-the-wall that serves simply the best homemade pasta you’ve ever tasted (and no one knows about, yet), it’s all part of the journey, often unexpected moments that will linger until well after you’ve returned home.
Getting There
Every journey begins the moment you leave home for the airport.
Air travel has evolved in a way that is less user-friendly and fun. As we like to say, “everything starts with air flights: if we can’t get you there, you aren’t going”. To understand air routes, ticketing, fare basis, taxes and surcharge levies it takes an expert, and someone with years of tried and true experience. Kathii Benn at K. Benn Travel, Oasis’ exclusive administrative operator, is simply the guru of air travel and with over 30 years’ experience, is an expert on almost every destination worldwide. Kathii knows the best routings, connections, airlines, seat configurations and fares. We are constantly asked why anyone would use a travel agent to book air flights when it’s so easy with the internet. For starters we are human and not a search engine that has been programmed.
We intrinsically know how to get you from where you are to where you’re going and can save valuable time, money and aggravation down the line. We know your itinerary and tailor your flights accordingly, providing the best possible options on the spot. We not only get you there with peace of mind, we get you home despite unexpected delays, changes and cancellations. Personal service that doesn’t stop when you hit the ‘send’ button.
Partners
K. Benn Travel
Oasis’ exclusive administrative operator is Kathii Benn, President of K. Benn Travel, a full service travel agency with a team of professionals that are ready to answer questions, respond to special requests and impart years of experience to travelers who want to explore beyond the tourist clichés. Richard Koegl and Kathii Benn have been working together for more than two decades and are a rare and unrivaled duo. They are two of the most well-traveled and respected specialists in the business and absolutely love what they do.
Fathom Expeditions
Fathom Expeditions Inc. is an Antarctic and Arctic cruise operator running custom small ship trips on exclusive 12, 50 and 100-passenger ships. Fathom is run by Dave German, a hands-on expert who custom designs and accompanies his journeys. Oasis and Fathom Expeditions share the same philosophy and dedication to detail. Fathom Expeditions offers a selection of cruises annually and are custom charter specialists for Antarctica, Svalbard, the Northwest Passage, Galapagos and South Georgia Island. For more information on the expeditions offered by Dave German, contact Fathom at 1 800 621-0176 or info@fathomexpeditions.com and visit their website www.fathomexpeditions.com for more details.
Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the industry’s leading luxury travel network. This by-invitation-only organization represent the best of the best in travel, with a portfolio of nearly 1,700 preferred partners – top hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators – with more than 17,500 advisors worldwide. K. Benn Travel is a Specialist Virtuoso Member, and through global connections can offer the very best travel product including top hotels, cruises and airlines. This means access and value to exclusive amenities and travel offers that you can’t get on your own or on the internet.
Featured Travel Partners