Cairo to Istanbul overland holiday

country:	Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey
trip type:	A small group adventure
departures:	1 - 2 departures per week throughout the year
price:	From £1020 (21 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK.
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

Overland holidays

Turkey holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

From the Land of the Pharaohs to modern-day Istanbul via Jordan and Syria, travel through countries that bear the legacies of Islamic, Christian, Persian and Roman civilisations. Discover deserts and mountains, camp under the stars and float in the Dead Sea, marvel at Petra and wander among the bizarre fairy chimneys of Cappadocia - experience it all on this quintessential adventure through the intriguing Middle East.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Cairo. Why not arrive early to discover the ancient wonders of Giza?
Day 2:	Mt Sinai. Climb to the summit of Mt Sinai for panoramic desert views then visit the monastery of St Katherine, built at the site of the burning bush.
Day 3:	Red Sea Beach Camp. Stay in beach huts and use free time to relax, snorkel the Red Sea's underwater world and tuck into tasty seafood.
Day 4:	Aqaba. Cross into biblical Jordan and spend the night in Jordan's only port city.
Day 5:	Wadi Rum. Spend the night in a desert camp with local Bedouin tribespeople.
Days 6-7:	Petra. Explore this astounding long-lost city carved out of a rose-coloured cliff face.
Days 8-9:	Madaba. Float in the Dead Sea and wander through Madaba, famous for its beautiful Byzantine mosaics.
Days 10-11:	Damascus. Cross the border into Syria and roam the streets of ancient Damascus to learn the history of Saladin, the great Arabic hero.
Day 12:	Palmyra. The remains of this former Silk Road city rise hauntingly from the desert.
Day 13:	Krak des Chevaliers. This imposing fortress remains one of the world's most impressive castles.
Days 14-15:	Aleppo. Revel in the excitement of the souq and perhaps enjoy a rejuvenating scrub in a local Syrian hamam.
Day 16:	Antakya. Wander through a meandering warren of streets for an introductory taste of Turkey.
Day 17:	Ihlara Valley. Meet the locals and head out on enlivening hikes in the Ihlara Valley.
Days 18-20:	Goreme. Explore the underground cities of Cappadocia and the whimsical fairy chimneys of Goreme.
Day 21:	Istanbul. A fascinating fusion of East and West, Istanbul begs to be explored.

small group adventure holiday

This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's 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 people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more)

Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!

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

Traversing four countries and many different communities it is important for travellers to learn as much as possible in advance about the many cultural differences so that we can travel respecting these differences and minimising any negative impacts. Your group leader and the local guides we use along the way will help to break down barriers in your interactions with local people.

Our travel style:

Grass roots travel using local public transport where possible - minimises demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel.
We choose small-scale locally owned accommodation and homestays where available and local restaurants and markets for dining, retaining revenue in local communities.
Our leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices.
We employ local guides to aid travellers' understanding of local culture and etiquette.
Small groups allow travellers to experience cultures at first hand, offering greater opportunity for cross- cultural understanding.

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.