Explore Africa - Istanbul to Cairo & Tunis Overland

only  £645.00

Istanbul to Cairo & Tunis Overland

Countries:

Turkey Tunisia Syrian Arab Republic Libya Jordan Egypt

Duration:

from 5 Weeks

Those who don't want to go it alone but are looking for an adventurous, fun and hands-on trip in the Middle East and North Africa.

    

or call:

0845 344 7546

Product Details

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TURKEY We meet our truck and new travel mates in Istanbul and begin our journey, driving through olive groves and rural settlements to Gallipoli to visit the World War I battlegrounds and war graves. From here we cross the Straits of the Dardanelles, leaving Europe and entering the continent of Asia. We visit Troy (of Helen and horse fame!) and Ephesus, famous Roman ruins complete with 24,000 seat amphitheatre, before heading to the beach at either Olu Deniz or Olympus.

After a few days chilling by the sea, we travel inland and upwards for a day to Cappadocia and it's incredible landscape. Over the centuries, houses, churches, fortresses and even underground cities have been carved into this eerily eroded, volcanic rock and we explore all these in the Goreme Valley. After all this activity, it's time to relax at the Turkish baths!

SYRIA 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! Our first stop is Aleppo with its chaotic and lively market and nearby is the Crac de Chevaliers, an 800 year old Crusader Castle. Out in the oasis town and roman ruins of Palmyra, we really get into the desert proper. On the road to Damascus, we head to one of the friendliest and safest of capital cities, also the oldest inhabited city in the world. From here you can take a day trip into Lebanon and Beirut, fast recovering from the civil war of the 80s and 90s.

JORDAN A day's drive brings us to Jordan and the Dead Sea for mud baths, mud fights and an usual swimming experience in this buoyant, salt sea! We camp for the night at Mt Nebo with its great views overlooking the Dead Sea and Israel. Nearby is the rock-hewn ancient city of Petra, situated in a deep ravine with towering sandstone cliffs and hills and we can explore the famous Treasury, Monastery and other sites, built by the Nabataeans 2000 years ago. Heading into the desert we camp over night at Wadi Rum, the headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia before continuing to Aqaba.

EGYPT We take a ferry across the Red Sea and arrive in Dahab, where you can snorkel and scuba dive to some of the best coral in the world, go quad biking or take a camel safari with Bedouin guides. Driving through the Sinai Desert we visit St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments. After watching the sunrise from the top of the mountain we continue, travelling to the Suez Canal and through the desert to Aswan on the River Nile. From here we swap truck travel for a felucca, a traditional sail boat and float down the Nile for two days to Luxor.
We explore the Valley of the Kings by donkey and Karnak Temple by foot before catching the overnight train to Cairo to see the famous Pyramids and Sphinx.  Those on the 38 day trip finish here.

Further north at Alexandria, we find Catacombs in the eerie subterranean Roman Necropolis and have the opportunity to dive to Roman wrecks, German U-boats and Cleopatra’s Palace. 

LIBYA  We explore the fortified trenches and battle remains from WW2 at Tobruk before going further back in time at Cyrene, an ancient Greek city.  Travelling along the Mediterranean, there are plenty of opportunities for a refreshing swim before we reach Leptis Magna, one of the finest preserved Roman Cities with a well preserved harbour and quay side and warehouses still intact.   We then drive down to Al Qaryat to cross the Hamadat al-Hamrah desert to 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. We then move on to the small town of Nalut, with its amazing qasr (fortified granary reached though underground tunnel) clinging to a steep hillside.

TUNISIA  Our truck takes us across the desert border and we drive to Matmata, well known for its troglodyte villages and where we stay overnight in a cave hotel.  We journey up to Le Kef, a mountainous village dominated by its fortified Kasbah.  We have a free day here as there are many short hikes and places of interest and Le Kef itself is a great place to relax. En route we visit the old Roman city of Haidra which is very close to the Algerian border. Our final stop is Dougga, the largest and most dramatic Roman site in Tunisia, before heading into the city of Tunis.

Travel is in our fully equipped expedition truck and we use a mixture of campsites and budget hotels. Each day is different - sometimes we may spend the whole day driving from one place to the next, sometimes we spend 2 or 3 days in one place eg Dahab, so you have time to dive, quad bike, chill on the beach etc! All these kinds of activities are optional.

We provide cooking equipment, eating utensils and tents, all you need is your sleeping gear and personal stuff. The Oasis truck is fitted with comfortable coach seats and tarpaulin sides that roll up and there's the 'beach', a raised area at the front with mattresses and an open top - you can sit up and get a panoramic view or relax and top up your tan! Everyone in the group mucks in with shopping for food at local markets and stores, cooking over the camp fire and cleaning the truck. The trip is led by two Oasis crew all the way, a tour leader and driver and they'll help you get the most out of your trip. Don't worry about joining the trip on your own - many do and you'll soon find you have friends for life!

Oasis Overland

Always wanted to travel to Africa, Egypt, South America or the Middle East, to places as yet untrampled by travellers and without the routine and expense of a package holiday? Oasis Overland offers unforgettable hands-on adventure travel experiences … once-in-a-lifetime overland tours to some of the World's most fascinating cultural landscapes.

    

or call:

0845 344 7546