Oasis Caravan (58 Days) Istanbul to Tunis

Days 1 to 8

Our overland trip 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. From here we cross the Straits of the Dardenelles, 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 Olu Deniz, where you can take boat trips, and go paragliding. Further down the Mediterranean coast we stop off at Saklikent Gorge where there is the opportunity to go river tubing on our way to Olympos where you can relax on the beach and hike up to the eternal flames.

Days 9 to 12

From here we travel inland and upwards for a day to the visually powerful, windswept landforms of Cappadoccia. In Cappadoccia 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 13 to 16

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. We then travel out to the oasis town of Palmyra where 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.

Days 17 to 19

We spend some time in the oldest inhabited city in the world. 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! From here, depending on the political and security situation in Lebanon, there is the option of taking a one day guided tour into Lebanon and Beirut, which includes a guided visit to Baalbek Roman Temple, an 'all you can eat' Lebanese lunch, city tour of Beirut as well as free time in this quickly regenerating city, fast recovering from the civil war of the 80's and 90's.

Days 20 to 25

A one day drive then 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! We camp overnight on Mt Nebo which overlooks Israel, before visiting one of the main attractions in the Middle East - The Rose Red City of Petra. This stone carved city was only uncovered about 70 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 3rd Century BC controlled the spice and slave caravans from Asia 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! Here there is the option of taking a 4WD jeep safari deep into the desert with Bedouin guides. From Aqaba, we take the ferry across the Red Sea to the Sinai Desert in Egypt..

Days 26 to 31

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 try your hand at various water sports or just relax on the beach. Dahab also has many beach cafes and quirky restaurants serving great seafood as well as traditional Arabic food. For the energetic you can take a one day camel safari and trek off road down the desert coast line 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 to camp the night and watch the sunrise. Leaving the Sinai we cross the Suez Canal for a long drive to Luxor Via Hurghada.

Days 32 to 37: Luxor

In Luxor we use a campsite with a swimming pool as our base and we have two full days to explore. You will have time to visit Valley of the Kings, as well as the Valley of the Queens and Workers, Karnak Temple and its Sound and Light Show and Luxor Temple. The remarkably well preserved tombs of Ramses II and Tutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem fresh after 3000 years. We then travel onto Aswan, arguably, the most attractive city on the Nile. Here you can walk along the Corniche with its riverside restaurants, some of them floating, as well as the 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 Kom Ombo. Just lie back and watch Egypt glide by.

Day 38

Cairo - visit the Pyramids and Sphinx and the Egyptian History Museum - Egyptologist Guide and entrance fees included. With almost 20 million people this is a hectic, chaotic city. We include a visit to the Sphinx and Pyramids at Giza, with a local guide (this also includes a camel ride around the Pyramids), and a visit the Egyptian History Museum in the afternoon. Entry fees and Egyptologist guide are included.

Days 39 to 41

We travel from Cairo overland up to the Mediterranean coast town of Alexandria where we can visit the old coffee houses or enjoy some of the excellent seafood or take a trip to the Catacombs in the eerie subterranean Roman Necropolis full of bizarre carvings and an ancient dining room for mourners! The beaches and diving here are also excellent with wrecks of Roman Galley's, French Warships, German U-boats and Cleopatra's Palace. We then continue on our overland trip by driving along the coast to visit the war cemeteries at El Alamein. Winston Churchill said "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat." This was the turning point of the Second World War. It is well worth paying your respects at the cemeteries and visiting the excellent War Museum which documents Montgomery's and Rommel's momentous battles and it also houses much of the abandoned tanks and other armour.

Days 42 to 45

From El Alamein we cross over into Libya to Apollonia where we visit Tobruk, the scene of some of the most important and viscous battles of WW 2. Here we visit the well kept Commonwealth Cemeteries, containing 6128 graves of mainly British, Australian, New Zealand and South African troops. We will also see some of the 25kms of fortified trenches and battle remains that circled the town. Don't forget to wear shoes here as some of the barbed wire still exists in the sand! From Tobruk it is a short drive to the ancient Greek city of Cyrene. Established in the 7th Century BC it has an outstanding history having come under the rule of Alexander the Great as well as being rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian after destruction by a Jewish revolt. Plato was also a resident of Cyrene.

Days 46 to 52

Continuing on, we drive along the Mediterranean coast with plenty of opportunities to freshen up with a swim one of the many deserted beaches. Leptis Magna is one of the finest preserved Roman Cities and one of the few where you can actually still picture a living city. With colonnaded streets, a huge triumphal arch, a well preserved Roman harbour with quay side and warehouses still intact and much more, it is well worth investing in a local guide and enjoying the whole day exploring the city. We now 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. Here you can feel perfectly safe as you get lost in its labyrinthine alleyways. You can also venture out of town and climb one of the sand dunes to view the spectacular sunsets. Then we move on to the small town of Nalut, which has an exceptional qasr (fortified granary reached though underground tunnel) clinging to a steep hillside as well as ancient olive oil presses.

Days 53 to 58

On the final leg of our overland trip, we head north to Remada from the desert border into Tunisia and on to visit Matmata, well known for its troglodyte villages. We continue travelling via Kebili to Tunisia's main date growing region at the small oasis towns of Nefta and Tozeur where we have some free time to explore. These towns are closely linked with the mystical brotherhood of Sufism and while in Tunisia we will pass numerous small white painted dome topped buildings which are the burial places of Marabouts - holy men and religious teachers who travelled to and from Mecca and organised Sufi schools. We then drive 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. In the final stretch of the trip you will be able to explore the safe and fascinating city of Tunis. It has an intriguing old walled city - more commonly called the Medina - and is thankfully ignored by most of the package holiday tour operators (which makes it a Tunis overland travel trip highlight). Tunis has a strong medieval Arab past and well worth spending a couple of days here after your trip has finished. Also, the legendary city of Carthage is only a 30 minute bus or taxi ride from Tunis with its Greek and Roman past infused with power, cruelty, romance and decline.