Middle East holiday, highlights
| country: | Egypt, Jordan, Syria |
| trip type: | Introductory / moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | Departs every other Saturday, throughout the year |
| price: | From £585 (18 days) excluding flights, plus local payment US $200. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This exciting journey takes us all the way from Syria to Egypt, through some of the Middle East's most spectacular scenery and to some of the world's most impressive sights.
Marvel at the desert cities of Palmyra and Petra, shop in Damascus and Aleppo's labyrinth of souks, trek with Bedouins in the expanse of Wadi Rum, climb Sinai's holy mountain, snorkel the coral gardens of the Red Sea and wander in the footsteps of the pharaohs at the Valley of the Kings and the Pyramids of Giza.
Marvel at the desert cities of Palmyra and Petra, shop in Damascus and Aleppo's labyrinth of souks, trek with Bedouins in the expanse of Wadi Rum, climb Sinai's holy mountain, snorkel the coral gardens of the Red Sea and wander in the footsteps of the pharaohs at the Valley of the Kings and the Pyramids of Giza.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Damascus. Arrival day. |
| Day 2: | Damascus - Aleppo. Travel to Aleppo, an exciting town in the north of Syria and a great introduction to the region. (B) |
| Day 3: | Aleppo. Free day in Aleppo. Explore the exotic atmosphere of the covered bazaars, or visit the town’s imposing citadel. (B) |
| Day 4: | Hama. We have a short drive to Hama, famous for its old water wheels. In the afternoon there is the option to visit the imposing Crac de Chevaliers crusader fortress. (B) |
| Day 5: | Palmyra. A drive through the desert brings us to the breathtaking city of Palmyra. (B) |
| Day 6: | Palmyra. A full free day to explore these marvellous Roman ruins. (B) |
| Day 7: | Damascus. Drive to Damascus in the morning, free afternoon. |
| Day 8: | Damascus. Free day to explore the old city with its many souks, palaces and mosques. (B) |
| Day 9: | Damascus - Amman. Transfer to Amman by service taxis. (B) |
| Day 10: | Amman. Morning walking tour of Amman, including the amphitheatre, the citadel and the old souk (bazaar). (B) |
| Day 11: | Amman - Petra. Morning option to visit the Dead Sea, afternoon transfer to Wadi Musa, beside the hidden city of Petra. (BD) |
| Day 12: | Petra - Wadi Rum. A whole day to explore the magnificent site of Petra with a guide. Late in the afternoon we travel to the spectacular desert area of Wadi Rum where we spend the night in a Bedouin style camp. (BD) |
| Day 13: | Camel trek - Aqaba. We join the Bedouin people of Wadi Rum for a short camel trek into the desert. Later we travel to the picturesque Red Sea port of Aqaba. Overnight in Aqaba. (B) |
| Day 14: | Aqaba - Nuweiba - Dahab. Board the hydrofoil to Nuweiba and transfer to Dahab on the Red Sea Coast where the rest of the day is free. (B) |
| Day 15: | Dahab - St Catherine. Free morning to relax on the beach before an afternoon transfer to St. Catherine where we spend the night in multi-share rooms near the foot of Mt Sinai. (BD) |
| Day 16: | St Catherine - Cairo. Rise early to ascend Mt Sinai in time for sunrise. In the afternoon we drive to Cairo. (B) |
| Day 17: | Cairo. Morning guided tour of the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. Free afternoon. (B) |
| Day 18: | Cairo. Tour ends |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this journey from Damascus to Cairo, travellers are continually reminded of the importance of respect for tradition and the environment. Hotels are always local, transport often public and the unique one-to-one style interactions with the real people of all three countries are endless.
In Aleppo we explore the massive souqs, gaining an invaluable insight into Syrian culture. At Wadi Rum, we stay in a Bedouin camp before joining our local Bedouin guides, with whom we have a long standing relationship, for a camel trek in the desert. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |