Middle East Caravan

Tour Itinerary from Tunis

Days 1 to 6:                      Accommodation: /

Days 7 to 11:                   Accommodation: /

You then continue on to cross the border into Libya at the small town of Nalut, which has an exceptional qasr (fortified granary reached though underground tunnel) clinging to a steep hillside as well as ancient olive oil presses. Your first major port of call in Libya is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis town of Ghadames. Situated on an ancient desert caravan route from West Africa there is believed to have been a town here for 5000 years. On this leg of your Tunis to Cairo overland adventure you can feel perfectly safe as you get lost in its labyrinthine alleyways. You can also venture out of town and climb one of the sand dunes to view the spectacular sunsets. We now cross the Hamadat al-Hamrah desert to Al Qaryat and then drive to Leptis Magna. This is one of the finest preserved Roman Cities and one of the few where you can actually still picture a living city. With colonnaded streets, a huge triumphal arch, a well preserved Roman harbour with quay side and warehouses still intact and much more, it is well worth investing in a local guide and enjoying the whole day exploring the city.

Days 12 to 15:                  Accommodation:

You continue on your Middle East overland tour by driving along the Mediterranean coast where there are plenty of opportunities to freshen up with a swim from one of the many deserted beaches. The next major stop on this overland tour is the ancient Greek city of Cyrene. Established in the 7th Century BC it has an outstanding history having come under the rule of Alexander the Great as well as being rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian after destruction by a Jewish revolt. Plato was also a resident of Cyrene. From Cyrene it is a short drive to Tobruk, the scene of some of the most important and viscous battles of WW 2. Here you visit the well kept Commonwealth Cemeteries, containing 6128 graves of mainly British, Australian, New Zealand and South African troops. You will also see some of the 25kms of fortified trenches and battle remains that circled the town. 

Days 16 to 20:                  Accommodation:   /

Day 21:                           Accommodation:  

Cairo - visit the Pyramids and Sphinx and the Egyptian History Museum - Egyptologist Guide and entrance fees included. With almost 20 million people this is a hectic, chaotic city. Included is a visit to the Sphinx and Pyramids at Giza, with a local guide (this also includes a camel ride around the Pyramids), and a visit the Egyptian History Museum in the afternoon. Entry fees and Egyptologist guide are included.

Days 22 to 25:                 Accommodation: / Felucca

Arguably the most attractive city on the Nile, Aswan is imbued with the relaxed attitude of the Nubian people who live here. During the two days you are in Aswan you stay in a two star, locally-owned hotel. You will have the opportunity to visit Abu Simbel, the great stone monuments built by Ramses II. You can also visit a number of temples and tombs on the West Bank of the Nile, across the river from Aswan, accessible by ferry or felucca. Elephantine Island is also well worth visiting, with small ferries crossing to and fro' all the time. From Aswan you take a traditional Egyptian sailboat or 'felucca' on the Nile River a "must-do" experience during any travel to the Middle East. You spend the next two days aboard watching Egypt glide by and sleeping under the stars. As well as the felucca captain, you also have a cook who will be preparing three meals a day for the group while on board. You have the option of stopping off at Kom Ombo and visiting the Temple of Horus at Edfu, before continuing on to Luxor.

Days 26 to 28:                 Accommodation:

Luxor is where you re-join the overland truck and you camp here for three nights. You visit the Valley of the Kings with a local guide who will explain the 3000 year old history of the Pharaohs and their mummification and journey through the underworld. There is also the option to go to the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Workers, Queen Hatshepsuts Temple, Karnak Temple with its sound and light show, and Luxor Temple. You drive for a day and a half through the desert passing under the Red Sea and the Suez Canal where you may well see the amazing spectacle of huge ships seemingly passing through the desert sands. You will stop off at Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery which are deep in the desert. It was here, that Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is a great place, if a little cold, to camp the night and watch the sunrise.

Days 29 to 34:                  Accommodation:

Nearby is Dahab, on the Red Sea Coast which is our base for the next couple of days. Here you can snorkel or scuba dive to some of the best coral reefs in the world, go desert quad biking or just lie on the beach. You can also take a one-day camel safari and trek off-road down the desert coastline. This morning you leave Egypt by ferry across the Red Sea to Aqaba in Jordan. From here it is a short drive into the Wadi Rum desert where you camp overnight. The silent nights are unforgettable with their stunning blanket of stars. Wadi Rum has some of the most spectacular desert scenery anywhere in the world and it was here that Lawrence of Arabia and his Arab forces had their secret base. Here you have the option of taking a 4WD jeep safari with Bedouin guides.

Days 35 to 39:                  Accommodation:  

Climbing into the mountains you spend the next two nights in a locally-owned hotel at Petra. Situated in a deep ravine with towering sandstone cliffs and hills, the ancient City of Petra is carved out of the rock. The sheer size and architecture of the rock hewn buildings is quite breath-taking. The Nabetaeans who built Petra over 2000 years ago grew to immense wealth by first plundering and then extorting 'safe passage' tolls from the spice and slave caravans that had to pass through their territory. Eventually the Romans took Petra, and some of their influence can also be seen. A visit to the lowest point on Earth! The Dead Sea is over 1000ft below sea level, very hot throughout the year, and is claimed to have many therapeutic qualities. Situated in the northern-most point of the Great Rift Valley of Africa it is formed by the River Jordan which flows into it. Here you can indulge in relaxing mud baths and an unusual swimming - or rather floating - experience in this highly buoyant salt sea. This is another one of the 'must do' activities of any travel to the Middle East. In the late afternoon we have a short drive to Mt Nebo with its stunning views over Israel - it is also the final resting place for Moses.Regarded as the most important Biblical sight in Jordan, this is where Moses, after leading the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, first saw the promised land. This is also where Moses died and we visit the Church Of Moses dating back 1700 years.  If we have time we also visit the nearby town of Madaba and stop briefly in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Steeped in history - it is mentioned in the Old Testament and the Bible - it is now a modern, cosmopolitan Arab city with an extremely friendly and well-educated population, many of whom speak English. It is less than a days drive to cross the border into Syria and arrive in Damascus.

Days 40 to 42:                  Accommodation:

Damascus - You spend some time in the oldest inhabited city in the world. Syrians are among the most hospitable people you will ever meet. The country has a rich and varied history with the Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian and Persian Empires having all passed through here along with Jesus and his disciples. From here, depending on the political and security situation in Lebanon, there is the option of taking a one day guided tour into Lebanon and Beirut, which includes a guided visit to Baalbek Roman Temple, an 'all you can eat' Lebanese lunch, city tour of Beirut as well as free time in this quickly regenerating city, fast recovering from the civil war of the 80's and 90's.

Days 43 to 46:                  Accommodation:

Days 47 to 52:                  Accommodation:   / 

Driving through stunning mountain scenery in the crisp clear days of summer, and ice and snow in winter, you wind oyur way into Turkey. From here you travel inland and upwards for a day to the visually powerful, windswept landforms of Cappadoccia. Over the centuries houses, churches, fortresses and even underground cities have been carved into this eerily eroded volcanic rock. The Goreme Valley provides us with an astonishing setting in which to spend a few days investigating the region. You will visit one of the underground cities where you can explore alone or with a guide this ancient and mysterious area. You then head towards the Turkish Coast and spend time at Olympos, with a stop of off at Saklikent Gorge where there is the opportunity to go river tubing on your way further down the Mediterranean coast to Olu Deniz. Your accommodation is tree houses and campsites and we spend the next couple of days relaxing on the beach. You can also take boat trips around the coast, tandem para-glide or hire small motor bikes.

Days 53 to 58:                  Accommodation:   /