The Oasis Caravan, one of our two Middle East overland
trips, allows you enough time to see the ancient
civilizations and immerse yourself in the culture of the
region. Travel to Egypt, Turkey, Syria and Jordan where
you'll experience pyramids and temples, the amazing lost
city of Petra, the eerie beauty of Cappadocia, the ruins of
Ephesus and the WW1 battle fields of Gallipoli among many
other highlights.
Tour
Operator: Oasis Overland
To book call: 08700 66 45 11
Days 1 - 8 (or day 28 - 37)
Our Middle east overland trip from Istanbul to Cairo begins
as we embark on a half day drive through olive groves and
rural settlements to Gallipoli and the Straits of the
Dardanelles. In World War I, on this blustery and exposed
peninsula, ANZAC and British Forces struggled unsuccessfully
for nine horrendous months to dislodge Turkish troops from
the hills above the beaches. It is a moving experience to
visit the war graves and battlegrounds where so much
suffering and unnecessary loss of life took place.
Australians and New Zealanders make a pilgrimage each year
on ANZAC Day to pay their respects to their fellow
countrymen who died here. We attend the dawn service on
ANZAC Day. From here we cross the Straits, leave Europe and
enter the continent of Asia. We visit Troy on our way to
Ephesus and spend the next 2 nights camping on the coast.
Built by the Greeks a thousand years before Christ and then
rebuilt by the Romans, this immense ancient city boasts an
amphitheatre that can seat 24000 and a harbour with no water
- still in good condition after all these years. We then
travel via either Pamukkale where you can swim in warm,
mineral-rich water, or take the more visually scenic route
towards Marmaris and camp in the mountains before arriving
in either Olu Deniz or Olympus further down the
Mediterranean coast Our accomodation is tree houses and
campsites and we spend the next couple of days relaxing on
the beach. You can also take boat trips or hire small motor
bikes.
Days 9 - 15 (23 - 29)
From here we travel inland and upwards for a day to the
visually powerful, windswept landforms of Cappadocia via
Saklikent Gorge where there is the opportunity to go river
tubing. In Cappadocia 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. We will take you to one of the
underground cities where you can explore alone or with a
guide this ancient and mysterious area!
Days 16 - 23 (15 - 22)
Driving through stunning mountain scenery in the crisp clear
days of summer, and ice and snow in winter, we wend our way
to 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 in this fascinating country is the
market town of Aleppo. Nearby we visit Crac de Chevaliers -
an 800-year-old Crusader Castle - perched on top of a
mountain. Trekking out to the oasis town of Palmyra we
really get into the desert proper. Sleeping out in this vast
wilderness, untainted by artificial light is an experience
not to be missed. The night sky dazzles with stars,
satellites and shooting stars. On the road to Damascus, we
head to one of the friendliest and safest of capital cities.
We spend three nights in this, the oldest inhabited city in
the world. From here there is the option of taking a one day
guided tour into Lebanon and Beirut.
Days 24 - 27 (11 - 14)
A one-day drive takes us into Jordan and the Dead Sea. Here,
therapeutic mud baths and not so therapeutic mud fights are
followed by an unusual swimming experience in this highly
buoyant salt sea! Petra is nearby. One of the main
attractions in the Middle East, this stone-carved city was
only uncovered about 60 years ago after being forgotten for
over 1000 years. Walking through an incredibly narrow, rocky
defile brings you out to Petra's most famous site -The
Treasury - The Nabataeans who carved this vast red city in 3
BC controlled the spice and slave caravans on their way to
Arabia.
On our way to Aqaba we desert camp over night at Wadi Rum -
the desert headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia. This remote
area is best viewed from the back of a camel! From Aqaba, we
take the ferry across the Red Sea to the Sinai Desert and
continue with our travel to Egypt.
Days 28 - 30 (8 - 10)
Dahab is our base for the next few days. Here, you can
snorkel or scuba dive to some of the best coral in the world
or enjoy the Bedouin hospitality and just relax on the
beach. For the energetic you can take a one or two day camel
safari. Trekking off road down the desert coastline with
experienced Bedouin guides and camels you will reach areas
few tourists ever see. Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's
Monastery are nearby 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.
Crossing the Suez Canal we may well see the amazing
spectacle of huge ships seemingly passing through the desert
sands.
Days 31 - 33 (5 - 7)
A days drive southward lies Aswan, arguably the most
attractive city on the Nile and a highlight of our Middle
East overland tours. Here you can walk along the Corniche
with its riverside restaurants, some of them floating, and
enjoy tremendous views of the Nile cataracts. We spend two
days here, which gives you enough time to take a trip out to
the stone monuments of Abu Simbel built by the greatest of
all Pharaohs, Ramses II. On the third day, you have the
opportunity to enjoy the Nile River from a traditional
felucca sail boat for a two day trip to Edfu. Just lie back
and watch Egypt glide by.
Days 34 - 37 (1 - 4)
We rejoin our truck for the short drive to Luxor, where,
based at one of the best campsites on the trip, we have two
full days to explore. Both Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple
are within easy walking distance. On our second day in Luxor
we organise a trip to Valley of the Queens and Valley of the
Kings. Here, the remarkably well-preserved tombs of Ramses
II and Tutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics
that still seem fresh after 3000 years. From Luxor we travel
to Cairo by overnight train. With almost 20 million people
this is a hectic, chaotic city. The finale of our trip is a
guided tour of the Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza including a
camel ride, followed by our last night party.
PLEASE NOTE: For most of the year on our trips from
Istanbul to Cairo and vice versa we camp approximately 70%
of the time and the rest is spent in budget hotels,
pensions, overnight trains & tree houses. From October to
April we use budget hotels and pensions a lot more as nights
are quite cold, especially in Turkey. Over the winter we
will often spend less time on the Turkish coast, and more
time in the countries further south.
Oasis Caravan
Itinerary
This tour allows you enough time to see the ancient
civilisations and immerse yourself in the culture...
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