Nairobi to Istanbul
We visit Samburu Park & the base of Mount Kenya.
And continue north through the "Northern Frontier District" of Kenya, a
restricted area; semi arid with a spectacular diversity of people, wild
game on the road side and a pleasant dry climate
We enter Ethiopia and we climb the mountains
into the highlands and follow the Rift Valley Lakes to Addis Ababa.
Take boats to visit Bahir Dar Monasteries on islands on Lake Tana the
source of the Blue Nile, with hippos and crocs at the outflow of the
river. Tissisat Falls is the source of the Blue Nile. We visit Gondar;
a city of castles and churches. In the Simien Mountains you can horse
trek and see grazing Gelada Baboons. Then on to Axum, the home of the
Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.
We pass the Gezira cotton region to Kassala a market town overlooked by Sugar Loaf Mountains In Khartoum where the Blue & White Nile join, watch dervish dancing or even join in the Nubian wrestling - safer just to watch. We visit the Pharonic Pyramids of Meroe in an un-spoilt, little visited desert setting. We drive across the Nubian Desert sands through friendly villages on the Nile. From Wadi Halfa we take a ferry across Lake Nasser to Aswan in Egypt.
In Aswan we visit the High Dam & Philae Island Temple. Luxor, we visit Karnak Temple the Colossi of Memnon & Valley of the Kings & Tutankhamen's Tomb on donkeys. From Luxor, we take the overnight train to Cairo where we spent a few days to look at the great pyramids in Giza and the immense collections of the Cairo Museum. We cross the Sinai Peninsular to Dahab and a few days to relax on the beach of the Red Sea. This is one of the best places to go scuba diving in the world.
An overnight ferry to Jordan and into Wadi Rum, and memories from "Lawrence of Arabia" then a quick dip in the Dead Sea before heading up to Petra, then across the border to Syria. Here we see crusader castles and the myriad of things to buy in the many souks of Damascus and Aleppo. Heading out of Aleppo and leaving Syria.
We enter Turkey with its olive groves and sweet baklava. Heading into Cappadocia we visit the fairy tale land carved by the weather into the volcanic ash. Try a Turkish bath and some belly dancing whilst you’re here. Then to Olympus to visit the Chimera Eternal flame and the Turquoise Coast at Kas. It’s now off past the limestone curtain of Pamukkale and to Selcuk and the ancient city of Ephesus, before we spot the wooden horse at Troy. From here we cross to Europe and stop at Gallipoli to pay our respects, before ending the trip in Istanbul. From Istanbul why not experience the original Orient Express train back to London.