Middle East Overland
Starting in Istanbul, a cultural melting pot of different cuisines and architectural styles, you literally spend five weeks journeying through living history. In many parts of the region, culture and lifestyle remain unchanged giving you insights into an ancient worlds. You will not forget camping under the stars in the Western Desert or sailing in a felucca down the Nile.
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Details |
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Price Includes |
(OE-3267-P) |
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Kumuka Overland Truck-Ferry |
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Fully Escorted Tour - Kumuka Tour Leader and Driver |
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All Excursions and Entrance Fees as Per Itinerary |
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All Tolls and Taxes |
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All Meals whilst Camping |
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Accomodation |
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Price Excludes |
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Flights, Local Payment 470 USD, All optional excursions, visas and meals unless otherwise stated in the itinerary. |
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Countries / Places Visited |
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Turkey, Syria Jordan, Egypt. |
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Suitability / Level |
Easy |
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Theme |
Small Group Travel
(Click to Search All) |
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Itinerary
& Highlights |
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Days 1-2:(For tours including Anzac day you will attend the dawn service on day 2 of your tour) Istanbul, Gallipoli and Selcuk. Leaving Istanbul at 06.00am in the cool air of the early morning we transfer out to the edge of town by taxi where we can meet the truck and get ourselves organised in the relative peace of the suburbs and without constantly being asked to buy carpets. The drive to Gallipoli takes about 6 hrs with lunch in a café on route. Our first night either at a local hostel or camping at the legendary Boomerang Bar. There are memorials to all the Australian, New Zealand, British and Turkish troops who died here in what was one of WW1?s more tragic offensives. It is possible to visit the trenches and to feel what it must have been like to be part of the battle for the Bosphorus. The following morning we cross the Bosphorus to Canakale and onto Troy. Although not the greatest archaeological site, Troy is perhaps Turkey's most famous, largely due to the writings of Homer. Many new excavations continue to this day. There is a wooden horse replica, which people can climb in and pretend to be Greek soldiers. We then drive to Selcuk where we spend the night at a hostel. Selcuk is an interesting little place with some good shops and cafes. The hostel has hot showers and a great bar. A short drive from the hostel is the archaeological site of Ephesus. Once the "capital of Asia", Ephesus is the largest and one the best preserved cities in the Mediterranean. Of particular interest are the library, brothel and ancient public latrines (where the ancient Greek "Georgius Michaelus" used to get up to no good). The burial tomb of Cleopatra's sister is there which means that Cleopatra may well have been there too, as she is credited with her murder. Some historians believe she achieved this with the help of Mark Anthony, a man not noted for his reluctance to stab his friends.
Days 3-5: Kas. The following day we head for the warm Mediterranean Coast. Making a few stops along the way to shop and restock the truck. Along the coast is the attractive harbour town of Kas. Formerly an Ottoman Greek Fishing village, Kas is now a popular destination for vacationing Turks. The result is a bubbling little resort with bags of charm and not a chip butty in sight. There is also a good post office and an email facility. We stay at the local campsite 1 km from the town of Kas and spend a day on a gullet on the med, swimming in coves or relaxing and soaking up the sun. Part of the day includes sailing along the edge of Kekova Island to see the legendary sunken city where walls, stairways, rock-cut houses and alleyways run down the steep hillside to disappear beneath the waves.
Days 6-8: Kas to Cappadocia. From the coast we head through the mountains towards Cappadocia. We will camp en-route at a bush camp, no facilities. This is a great experience, cooking from the truck and enjoying the tranquillity of the surroundings. From here we visit the city of Konya and then continue to Cappadocia, a region of unusual beauty even by Turkish standards. The combined forces of man and natural erosion have created many compelling environments. One of the most impressive is the Kaymakli caves where the efforts of generations of troglodytes have transformed the soft volcanic rock into an entire underground village on four different levels. There is also an open-air museum, which is a better alternative for the claustrophobic. We use a guide called Mustafa, which is quite important, as it is easy to get lost in the 300kms of tunnels. Mustafa also likes to organise belly dancing nights (optional), which are riotously tacky, and all the better for it. The evening includes an all you can eat and drink Turkish meal lots of local folk dancers as well as the woman with the stomach muscles. Audience participation is encouraged and is probably the only time in your life where having a beer gut is a distinct advantage. We camp near the town of Urgup, a pleasant and often lively town set in a valley beneath numerous rock-cut houses. The shopping for carpets, jewellery and antiques is excellent. In the first week of June Urgup hosts a wine festival (no palate required), which gives the town something of a fiesta atmosphere.
Days 9-11: Aleppo, Krac des Chevaliers and Palmyra. Crossing into Syria then to the amazing city of Aleppo where we stay at a local hostel. At first sight Aleppo appears to have no other purpose than to fill a dip in the landscape. It competes with Damascus for being the longest continually inhabited city in the world and can boast a commensurate level of culture and history. The recorded history alone goes back to the early second millennium BC! Aleppo's covered "souq" (market) is the best in Syria and goods range from beautiful antique carpets to fresh cow's heads. From Aleppo we go to the Krac des Chevaliers via Hamas. The Krac des Chevaliers is an old crusaders castle once described by Lawrence of Arabia as "the finest castle in the world". The castle itself is in very good condition and mostly intact, it was the castle where "Richard the Lionhearted" was based. We stay at a hotel close to the castle. The next day we drive to Palmyra to visit another set of impressive ruins. Palmyra is the most easterly part of the Roman Empire. They never really wanted to go but Hadrian enjoyed travel and when Palmyra decided to challenge the authority of Rome he decided to head over and ransack the place. A lot of restoration work has been done since and it's in remarkably good condition. The site itself covers 12 square kms and there is a lot to see. We also visit the Temple of Bell, which is equally well preserved. At Palmyra we stay the night in the desert except when storms prevents this then we will use a small Hotel in the new town with en suite facilities.
Days 12-13: Damascus and Lebanon (Optional). The next morning we drive for approximately 5 hours to the ancient city of Damascus where we stay at the local campsite or hostel for 2 nights. Damascus is generally considered to have just pipped Aleppo to the post as the world's oldest constantly inhabited city (5,000 years). Three years after the death of Mohammed, Damascus fell to the Muslim Arab army, ending a thousand years of rule by western powers as diverse as Egypt, Greece and Rome. In 1516 Damascus fell under Turkish rule and in 1918 it was the turn of the French. It was only at the end of the Second World War that Damascus actually became the capital of an independent Syria. The oldest city in the world then, is a fairly new political entity! Constant upheaval has left the Syrians a little security conscious. At any one time in Syria you can see at least 100 pictures of the president. We spend a free day in Damascus, which can be spent looking around the city, or an optional day trip to Beirut is available. The trip departs at 07.00am and returns at midnight. Included in the cost are a Guide, the ruins at Balbeck (tallest columns in the world), visas, lunch and a tour of Beirut city. All transport to/from the Campsite is also included. Dinner is spent usually at the Hard Rock Cafe and is not included as are their T-shirts which are USD $15. (Please note, security and safety will be taken into account before the trip to Lebanon is offered as an option. The region does occasionally become a little unsettled.)
Days 14-16: From Damascus we drive to Amman via the impressive archaeological site of Jerash. Jerash is one of the impressive and best-preserved provincial Roman cities in the Middle East. The inhabitants were quite cultured and quite well off, resulting in lavish architectural designs principally in the "oriental baroque style". Other interesting features include chariot tracks etched into the pavement and the famous moving columns, you can put your finger into one of the lower joints and actually feel them swaying (not recommended for violinists or during earthquakes). Amman is the capital of Jordan, bustling, big and largely unplanned. Supposedly designed as a series of circles it is virtually impossible to find your way around from the maps or to recognise anything remotely resembling circularity. It is however, great fun being lost in Amman, which, all things considered, is fairly fortunate. Amman boasts all the healthy eating options of home, Big Macs, Pizza Hut, Subway and KFC. There is a good Safeway supermarket, which, rather surprisingly for a Muslim country, actually has bacon for sale and lots of other western goods. We stay at a comfortable hotel in the centre of town in twin rooms with en-suites. We leave Amman and head down to the lowest place on earth, the Dead Sea. The high salinity of the sea makes swimming great fun and swallowing repulsive. The extra density provided by the salt means that it takes very little effort to stay afloat. Those unfortunate enough to have the odd open wound tend to yelp a bit at first, but the therapeutic properties of the water make it worthwhile in the end. Mud baths are also possible and are also reputed to have therapeutic qualities showers are available. We then continue towards Petra staying for two nights in a town called Wadi Musa, hotel accommodation (twin with en-suites). Wadi Musa is reputed to be the place where Moses struck the rock and found water for his people or so the locals say. Many historians now believe that this event actually took place at Mt Sinai in Egypt. In fairness it is possible that Moses made a habit of striking rocks and producing water and that striking one rock in Egypt does not preclude the striking of another at Wadi Musa. Moses's brother is also reputed buried here up on the hill behind the hotel. The name Wadi means Water and Musa means Moses. Wadi Musa is our base for exploring the famous archaeological site of Petra, the city that the Nabateans carved out of rock. We spend 2 nights in Wadi Musa, which allows us a full day to visit Petra.
The only way in which to see Petra is by foot so people should come prepared to do a lot of walking. Special shoes are not a requirement; it's up to the individual. We usually enter Petra as early as possible as it can get very hot around midday, the day at Petra although tiring is well worth the effort and a full day is enough time.
Days 17-18: Leaving Petra behind, we head into the desert for the spectacular scenery of Wadi Rum. The unusual desert scenery of Wadi Rum is as impressive as when it humbled Lawrence of Arabia in 1917 and is virtually unspoilt. We hire four-wheel drive jeeps to go right out into the desert. This is a 3-hour excursion that visits impressive rock bridges as well as some of T E Lawrence's old hideaways. Leaving Wadi Rum and the desert we head to Aqaba, the port of Jordan on the Red Sea, a bustling three-way border with Israel and Egypt. Depending on ferry times we will spend the night under the stars in Wadi Rum or in the beautiful city of Aqaba. Leaving Aqaba we cross the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea and enter Egypt at the port of Nuweiba this crossing is done by ferry and takes 4 hrs, on paper! In reality the trip on the water does take 4 hrs but leaving the port can also take a few hours, as does entering the port in Egypt. This ferry can also suffer delays during Ramadan and the Haj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca). We then head into the Sinai to visit Mt Sinai. Mt Sinai is where Moses reputedly saw the "burning bush", which he considered to be a sign. Prompted by this he climbed the mountain returning at sunrise with the Ten Commandments. We follow in his footsteps, returning at sunrise but probably without any commandments. However, the dawn views compensate a little for the lack of religious revelation.
Days 19-21: After visiting Mt Sinai we head to the small coastal resort of Dahab. The primary reason for this visit is to enable people an opportunity to dive at the Red Sea. For those not wishing to dive there is a lot to do around the town whether it's lying on a beach or visiting a local market. The diving in Dahab is excellent for both experienced divers and novices alike. If you already have your PADI certificate, diving costs USD $35 per dive and you must bring your certificate (PADI) and a current diving log. If you have forgotten your diving log, then you will have to take a "check up dive" to make sure that you can dive. This costs USD $25. For non-certificate holders there is the option of an introductory beginner's dive for USD $45. We continue across the Sinai Peninsula the following day as we drive to Cairo via the Suez Canal. It is no longer possible to see the actual canal for security purposes, but we still see ships as if they are cruising through the desert and cross the canal by a short tunnel.
Days 22-25: Cairo and the Western Desert to Luxor. Cairo is the largest city in Africa with between 12 and 18 million inhabitants - nobody is sure, but there are quite a few. Driving is an experience, as it appears that Egyptian vehicle inspectors are fairly lenient and that the only roadworthy requirement on the cars is a workable horn, which must be continuously tested. The city itself is fascinating. Apart from the rich history, there are good markets, restaurants, banks and even a metro (underground railway). In typical Egyptian style, there are no maps of the underground so you will have to ask the tourist police. The start of our trip takes us to the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. Though fairly overrun with tourists, it is still an extremely impressive sight. A trip to Cairo would be incomplete without a visit to these two sacred sights. There is a guided tour included at the Pyramids. From the pyramids we head into the western desert for 3 days to visit some oases and experience desert life. This unique experience is 1300 kms long and passes through the White and Black deserts and visits 3 oases towns. Travelling through the desert we camp under the stars for 2 nights (no faculties) and on a rooftop for the third night. It is important to have warm clothing, as well as swim wear, as between November and May the desert gets cold. Our route leads us South, arriving in the city of Luxor late on the fourth day, we stay at a hotel in the centre of Luxor, once known as Thebes.
Days 26-29: Luxor and Hurghada. We spend the next morning visiting the amazing Temples of Karnak and Luxor, where we have a guided tour. Karnak is an outstanding temple, with huge columns, walls covered with hieroglyphics, and Sphinx Avenue. In the afternoon we make the 5-hour journey to the coastal resort town of Hurghada on the Red Sea. Here we stay in a hotel and have the option of a boat trip on the Red Sea, which includes lunch and snorkelling equipment, there is the option to scuba dive, we suggest that this is only for experienced divers as the dives are from the boat. We return to Luxor after our two-night stop in Hurghada, once back in Luxor you can have a free afternoon wandering around market stalls and along the banks of the Nile. The next day in Luxor is spent on the West Bank of the Nile at the Valley of the Kings and Queens. We include entry into the Valley of the Kings allowing you to visit three tombs of your choice. Most people visit the tombs that the Egyptologist suggests as they spend their life in tombs and know which ones are the best. There is also Tutanhkamun's tomb which is unfortunately an optional extra, the reasons for this is that the Egyptian government tends to open and close this due to the recorded humidity levels and so we cannot guarantee it will be open. We also have the option of visiting the beautiful three-tiered temple of Hatshepsut one of the only women pharaohs of ancient Egypt. The entrance fee to the Valley of the Queens is also included in the trip cost. This entry covers the two tombs but not the third, which is Nefertari?s tomb, which has spectacular colours. Once again it opens and closes with humidity. This tomb when open allows only 150 people per day entry, and so Kumuka is unable to guarantee entry to this tomb. The reason tombs close for humidity is because the moisture in peoples' breath encourages growth in the salt content of the stones causing the coloured sections to flake off.
Days 30-33: Luxor to Aswan and Feluccas. From Luxor we head south, catching a train to the city of Aswan. Our first afternoon in Aswan is when we visit Phile Temple. We go via the Aswan dam wall before taking the short boat ride to Phile Temple. The following morning is when excursions can be made to Abu Simbel. The excursion are made by coach and the journey takes approximately 4 hours each way, and costs USD $35 including services of a guide. We also have the chance in the afternoon to take a boat trip to Kitcheners Island, this is a beautiful botanical garden and it is very pleasant to stroll between the trees after spending 3 days in the desert. After 2 nights at Aswan we board a felucca. A felucca is a traditional Egyptian sailboat of the type that has plied the Nile for centuries. Travelling in this way is one of the best ways to get a taste for the timeless nature of this ancient river. We sail north towards Luxor sleeping under the stars in the warm Egyptian night. During the voyage we will visit the Temple of Kom Ombo and Edfu. The felucca is inclusive and lasts for 2 days (2 nights).
Days 34-35: Luxor to Cairo. On disembarking from the feluccas we make our way to Luxor we board a night train back to Cairo. This train is 2nd class coach and is comfortable. The train will arrive back into Cairo approximately 07.00am in the morning. On our final day of the tour in Cairo, we visit the Egyptian Museum for a guided tour. The museum is home to millions of artefacts, mummies and reclaimed artworks alongside the extremely impressive Tutanhkamoun exhibition. The trip ends in Cairo after visiting Cairo Museum. NO accommodation included Day 35 |
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Accommodation
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-Camping/Hotels (34 Nights) |
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Holidays
Extras |
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