(31 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Daniel Oppliger

El Paso, TX

Adventure, Tour and Cruise Travel Agent Expert

We have taken groups all over the world. I have visited 65 countries. China and Turkey top our list with 5 groups each. Chile and Argentina are not far behind. We love the River Cruises, especially with Ama or Avalon Luxury lines with more space per person. We can help you plan group tours. We know the pitfalls of putting too much on the agenda, avoiding tourist traps, adding fun activities such as evening shows, Chinese foot massage, bicycle rental, yachting tours. With private groups we suggest including free time or half a day off here and there. You are on vacation, not a forced march. We have contacts all over the world to make your tour great. We know the suppliers who will cater to your needs whether it be solo or a group tour. Your El Paso Travel Agency is here to serve you.

My Travel Specialties

Group Travel Expert

 

I have been immersed in the travel industry since relocating to El Paso in 1986. Initially, I worked with a local tour operator before venturing out on my own.Over the years, I've developed specialties in Destination Resorts and River Cruises, specifically traveling to Turkey and China. I...
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One of Our Groups to China

A River Cruise is Like None Other

We have sailed the rivers of Europe with three of the top river cruise lines. There are differences which will note in another post.  A river cruise gives you a unique view of Europe and well as China, SE Asia, Columbia, Egypt and even India now.

The ship travel though the heart of cities along...
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Relaxing in the Lounge

Discover Beautiful Turkey

Turkey is our favorite place to travel.  We have been there no less that 7 times. We offer fixed departure tours, group tours, religious tours, and cabin and yacht charters.

Rich Historical Sites: Turkey is home to some of the world's most significant historical and archaeological...
Read more from my Discover Beautiful Turkey bio.

Hagia Sofia Istanbul

Solar Eclipse Travel Specialist

Beginning in 1991, I have been taking clients all over the world with one-of-a-kind total solar eclipse experiences including Africa, Argentina, Australia, Baja California, Chile, China, Tahiti, Turkey, Java Sea of Indonesia and the USA.

Up next is Antarctica Dec. 4, 2021 followed by Australia...
Read more from my Solar Eclipse Travel Specialist bio.

Solar Eclipse Cruise Australia 2011

MSC Cruises & MSC Yacht Club Specialist

The MSC Yacht Club offers a luxurious and exclusive experience for discerning travelers aboard MSC Cruises' fleet of ships. Designed to provide the ultimate in comfort, privacy, and personalized service, the Yacht Club is a "ship within a ship" concept that sets MSC Cruises apart from other cruise...
Read more from my MSC Cruises & MSC Yacht Club Specialist bio.

MSC Meraviglia

Star Clippers Group Specialist

Star Clippers cruises offer a unique and enchanting Authentic Sailing experience for those seeking an alternative to traditional cruise ships. With a fleet of tall ships that combine the romance of sailing with modern comforts and amenities, Star Clippers provides an intimate and...
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Star Flyer in SE Asia

China and Beyond Destination Specialist

TSC International Travel has been to China 4 times, 3 with groups.  We have the contacts in China to do boutique  travel  specializing  in  tours  in all of China  and some  neighboring  countries.  Mr. Tony Deng  (Weixing Deng), Ms.  Merry Wang  (Min Wang)  are part of our experienced team who  have...
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Yunnan Girl in Traditional Costume

Resort Packages Caribbean, Central America, Mexico

Resort vacations let you be as busy or relaxed as you wish. Often we have folks call up and want something cheap they found on Expedia or elsewhere. We book it. They travel and call us with complaints. That is why we only deal with Tour Operators, one Luxury, and one 4 star and above who continuously...
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Club Level Room Sandals Grenada Shared Pool

Chile is Amazing

North and Desert of Chile

In the Atacama Desert, known as the most arid and energy-rich desert in the world, you will discover ancient cultures nestled within the Valleys of the Moon and Death. This region boasts salt flats, geysers, intensely blue lagoons, and starry skies...
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Church in the Altacama Desert

Customer Testimonials

Eclipse Tour from Salt Lake

Overall, the trip was great. The guide, driver, and the viewing location were excellent. The biggest improvement would have been not trying to drive back to SLC right after the eclipse in the predictably horrendous traffic jam. It would have been better to stay one extra night in IF and add some local sightseeing. We prefer small groups with more active, and more independent, activities but that is personal preference. Our main goal with this trip was a hassle-free way to see the eclipse and you did a great job providing that. Thanks,
AA & DB

First Time to the USA

Thank you to Tropical Sails Tour Group for organizing a Total Eclipse Tour of Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Teton Mountains, and the solar eclipse event. The tour included a diverse group of people led by Tour Director Steve Kaverman and driver Dave. We traveled through Utah and Idaho, learning about the area's history. In East Yellowstone, we experienced the beautiful landscape, met locals, and enjoyed American Mexican food. Our tour included a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, where we learned about local wildlife. We saw bison, elk, bears, bald eagles, geysers, hot springs, and waterfalls. We toured Yellowstone, including Old Faithful, and went rafting on the Snake River by the Teton Mountains. We prepared for the eclipse, with clear skies and excitement. Watching the total eclipse was an unforgettable experience. We celebrated with a BBQ at Hatchet Resort and shared our knowledge and enthusiasm with the group.
Cliff W Cooroy, AU

Hale Bopp Star Clipper Eclipse Cruise

I was on this cruise with my 2 daughters. We dropped off several people who wanted to view the eclipse and photograph it from land and the ship continued out to sea near the Island of Montserrat. There was a seismic event which caused waves and the people onboard the boat were treated to a volcano as well as the celestial event we came to see! We conducted a rescue of those who landed on Guadalupe and Zodiac boats needed to navigate thru choppy seas in order to reach the shore and bring people and cameras back on board. There was a brand of rum produced that year in Barbados called Eclipse Rum.
Laurel P

I Concur with Cliff

I fully concur with all you’ve said about the brilliant trip last year. I loved every minute and enjoyed the company of a rich diversity of people from around the world including my roommate Rob from Ireland I intend to go on another in 9 years time when it crosses Europe at Gibraltar (2/8/27). Cheers
Tom H UK

Chile Trip 2019

Hi Daniel and staff, We really enjoyed our tour with you in Chile in 2019. The Mazatlan 2024 Solar Eclipse package is appealing. A prime interest for us on this trip would be doing more exploration of the southern night sky and I was wondering how practical this would be from the new hotel? Do you know what the light pollution situation is around Mazatlan, and would night observing be practical from the vicinity of the hotel? Thanks
Dave G Summerland, B.C

Mandalay Sailing Cruise

I spent 2 weeks on Mandalay in January 2005. It was the most relaxing holiday of my life so far. I desperately wish to sail again on this beautiful yacht. Thank you Tropical Sails for arranging it.
John

Great Turkish Holiday on the Sultan A

"We've had the most fantastic holiday ever. Ibo and his crew did everything to make our sailing trip perfect. We hope to go again in fall 2024 and have already discussed the route with Ibo. Thank you for all your help." "We had a marvelous cruise! Captain Ibo and the rest of his team were friendly, professional, and attentive without being intrusive. The food was varied and delicious, and to our surprise, all the Turkish wine served was excellent, leading to quite a bit of consumption. The Sutlan A was a wonderful acquaintance, spacious, well-maintained, and with cabins and bathrooms that met everyone's satisfaction. We enjoyed sailing every day except one due to a lack of wind. I hope you are having a great season, and we will definitely return, perhaps to explore the Greek islands. Thank you for everything! "We just returned from a fabulous week on the Sultan A—Ibo and his team took excellent care of us!
Amanda J Los Angeles, CA

Exmouth Australia Solar Eclipse Cruise

Dan, Thank you for the very successful 2023 eclipse cruise. Our eclipse travels with you have been 100 percent successful, whereas those with another supplier have been cloudy 50 percent of the time, so we look forward to you being able to offer trips in 2027 and 2028. Mavis managed several pictures including the diamond ring below.
Peter F, Houston, TX

Turkey Yacht Charter Sailing Cruise Special

Dear Dan, We're finally home and finished traveling for the moment, so I wanted to give you a little report on the trip to Turkey. In a word, it was great. There were a few surprises, but it all worked out very well. The Tussock yacht was beautiful and the crew couldn't have been better. There was a traditional Turkish dish served at each meal, all very well prepared and delicious, and the wine and drinks were abundant. (Well, a few of the passengers griped when they ran out of gin, but vodka and tonic seemed an acceptable substitute to me.) It was booked as a astronomy, nature and archeology cruise. One of the best things about the trip was the good people we met. You know Alan and Gail, and we couldn't have asked for nicer travel companions. You seem to have a feel for the kind of travel we like best. Whatever you do, I wish you great success. And we thank you for launching us on another fine holiday.
Janet D, Playa del Rey, CA

Holland American -Singapore Solar Eclipse Cruise

I'm sorry that I did not get a chance to write sooner. Still trying to catch up from the trip. All went well. The group was an interesting bunch and a good time was had by all. Singapore is an exciting place, but way too hot and muggy to properly enjoy. We took advantage of several excursions and they all paid off well. The eclipse was perfect. Sailed to a clear spot and got a nice place on deck to watch the whole thing. Accommodations pretty good, but not as nice as the Dawn Princess. Food on ship good. Food on land a bit spotty but recognizable. I want to thank you for arranging the drink packages for me and Cathy. They worked out well for both of us. With the high temperatures, we drank a lot of water. Those flights are so long and the planes more uncomfortable than ever. Once again, thanks for everything. Another successful trip! Bob
Bob W Somers Point, NJ

My Reviews

50 of 86 people found this review helpful
An Amazing Eclipse Experience
I’m proud to be associated with Daniel Oppliger and his world renowned travel company Tropical Sails Corp. Dan recently invited me and fellow astronomer Cliff Watson to host one of his sold out tours in August this year as astronomy guide for the much heralded ‘Great American Eclipse!

All places stated were visited, nothing was any trouble for the organisers and we enjoyed a fabulous coach drive throughout the tour with detailed and friendly commentary highlighting landmarks and other important points of scenic interest.

We Started from Salt lake City, traveled into Utah, and Wyoming against the backdrop of the Grand Tetons, onward into Yellowstone National Park. I had the pleasure of lecturing to and guiding a fantastic group of passengers throughout the eclipse experience. I'll always remember the camaraderie we shared.

I’ve traveled extensively with many tour companies but never felt more comfortable or confident as I have with Dan and Shirley’s company, Tropical Sails. R
By  'Astro-Dave' Reneke  from  Sydney, Australia
Traveled to  USA
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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29 of 49 people found this review helpful
A country wide tour to remember.
The Kimal group tour of Chile was just outstanding, jam packed with a wide variety of experiences that covered an impressive range of the multi-faceted nature of the country. Very well conceived and organized.
By  D.G.  from  Summerland, British Columbia
Traveled to  Chile ~ South America
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for you kind words.

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27 of 47 people found this review helpful
The best trip of my life
It was great to be able to speak with Daniel personally via telephone before the trip. He was informative, responsive, interested and courteous and followed up appropriately with emails and correspondence
By  Alex  from  Farmers Branch, TX ( Dallas area)
Traveled to  Chile ~ South America
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind wordsl

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26 of 50 people found this review helpful
Special trip with special care
Excellent service. Especially the site for watching the solar eclipse was an optimum location. As we were the onl Europeans in the group, we had several special problems (payment etc.) but all this was handled efficiently and friendly.
By  Plany  from  Vienna, Austria
Traveled to  Argentina ~ South America
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind words. We found a faster way to take oversears payments by using VEEM. It is faster than banks and much less expensive than credit cards or Pay Pay. An Irish client used NicePay and that was fast and efficient.

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46 of 90 people found this review helpful
Total Eclipse Cruis: Turkey
My wife and I toured Turkey in 1999 on Tropical Sails’ Eclipse Cruise. It was our best vacation ever! We got to explore Greek ruins, enjoy local food and culture, and see a total solar eclipse all while living on one of two 80 foot “gulets” (sailboats.) Our twenty or so fellow travelers made a good-sized group, and our ship’s crew was professional, friendly and the crewmen were also good cooks! All of Dan's arrangements for the ships, our knowledgeable tour guides, shore transportation along to historic sites on the Aegean coast, in Istanbul, Gallipoli, and on the Black Sea were smooth and problem free. Experiencing the total solar eclipse from our gullet (boat) while on the Black Sea was simply awesome! We look forward to traveling with Tropical Sails again!
By  GlenL  from  Ft. Collins, CO
Traveled to  
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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Destination Expert:

  • China
  • Italy
  • Turkey
  • Chile
  • Mazatlan
  • Caribbean
  • Europe
  • Egypt
  • Turkey
  • Lijiang
  • Budapest
  • Rome
  • Ephesus
  • Mexico
  • Costa Rica
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Shanghai
  • Cappadocia
  • Antarctica
  • Australia
  • Beijing
  • Paris
  • Athens
  • Bodrum
  • Morocco
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Tibet
  • Marseille
  • Rhine Valley
  • Venice

Travel Specialist:

  • Adventure
  • All Inclusive
  • Coach Tours
  • Couples & Romance
  • River Cruises
  • Sailing & Boating
  • Small Ship Cruises
  • Archaeology
  • Beach Vacations
  • Holiday Travel
  • Independent Travel
  • Luxury
  • Arts & Culture
  • Cruises
  • Luxury Cruises
  • Luxury Hotels
  • Bespoke Travel
  • Groups
  • Honeymoons
  • Yacht Charter

Top Travel Partners:

  • AmaWaterways
  • Classic Vacations
  • Globus
  • MSC Cruises
  • Star Clippers
  • Avalon Waterways
  • Pleasant Holidays
  • Sandals and Beaches Resorts
  • Europe Express
  • InterContinental Hotels Group
  • Viking
  • Inclusive Collection – World of Hyatt
  • Luxury Gold
  • Riu Hotels

Certifications/Awards:

  • Avalon River Cruise Specialist
  • Riu Resorts Specialist
  • Marriott Hotels Specialist
  • Solar Eclipse Travel Specialist
  • MSC Cruises Specialist

Industry Affiliations:

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