WE ARE TOPDECK
We do Asian adventures, epic Eurotrips, Big Game safaris, American road trips, sailing trips, pyramid expeditions, and other awesomeness around the world for travellers between 18-39.
We realise that everyone’s different, which is why our trips include heaps of free time to play and explore. It’s your trip, your way.
Your trip includes all the must-see, must-do activities and top-notch local fare to recharge those batteries between stops, which means you can spend your money where it matters and we’ll take care of the rest.
In the Middle East, you will hit the road in minibuses, feluccas and 4WDs, stay in unique accommodation and hang out with other young explorers bent on seeing the world.
And that’s just how we got started. We had a group of mates, some wheels and enough wanderlust to make most mothers worried. Forty years into it, we’re still discovering new places to see and unforgettable travel experiences to make our passengers’ trips just that little bit more awesome.
Ready to pack your bags? Let’s talk.
OUR FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
When you’re off the beaten track, local advice is essential. All our Middle East trips are run with local partners to give you the insights and experiences of each destination through the eyes of a local. You wouldn’t want to have it any other way.
TOP 10 BUCKET LIST
01
FES MEDINA. Get wonderfully lost in the 9,500 alleys and lanes of the old medina, then spend your day perusing the myriad of souks, restaurants and mosques in the best-preserved old city in the Arab world. Survival tip: if you hear the word “Balak!” you’re about to get run over by a mule.
PAGE . 40, 44.
03
AIT BEN HADDOU. You know it from Game of Thrones, but the fortified slave city Daenerys Targaryen laid siege to is far from a new film location. This old trading stop between Sudan and Marrakech has been featured in a number of films, including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Mummy and Prince of Persia. Take that as a vote of confidence.
PAGE . 40, 42, 44.
05
EXPLORING THE RED SEA . Don’t let the unusual name lead you astray. The azure waters of the magnificent Red Sea are an oceanlover’s eye candy, rich with coral gardens teeming with life. Dip your toe in and experience world-class snorkelling, swimming, watersports and diving, with sites ranging from reefs just off the beach to highadrenalin drift dives.
PAGE 20 , 22, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35.
07
BEDOUINS & HAMMOCKS . Dahab means gold. Like a shining beacon of relaxation on the Sinai peninsula, Dahab is one of the few remaining hippie outposts in the Middle East. Lap up the sun, kick back in a hammock and explore some of the best diving and snorkelling spots in the world. Got sunscreen? Pick your ride and explore the Sinai desert by quad bike or camel.
PAGE . 20 , 22, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37.
09
PETRA. Indiana Jones was here. Carved out of the face of Mount Hor by the Nabataeans around 300 BC. and lost to the Western world until 1812, Petra rocks enough archeological swag to earn a spot among the New 7 Wonders of the World. Make your way through the Siq canyon to explore a maze of palaces, temples, tombs and stables worthy of a last crusade. Ask Indy.
PAGE . 18 , 20, 22, 47.
02
ONCE WERE NOMADS. With origins tracing back to 10,000 BC, the Berbers have seen the rise and fall of more civilisations than one-hit-wonders on a ‘90s radio station. Embrace the life of an ancient nomad tribe in the Sahara Desert for a night of campfire tagines served up under a blanket of starry skies.
PAGE . 40, 42, 44.
04
THE GREAT PYRAMIDS. Perfectly lined up at the centre of earth’s land mass and aligned with the Belt of Orion, the pyramids were built with such precision that they can’t be replicated even with modern technology. Get the backstory with a qualified Egyptologist and explore the 100,000 relics left behind by ancient civilizations at the Egyptian Museum. Also: old men in bandages.
PAGE . 22 , 24, 28-37.
06
ROMAN RUINS AT JERASH IN JORDAN. Forget jetting to Italy’s capital to check out the ruins. The impressive Greco-Roman site at Jerash offers a Rome away from Rome, with its astonishing collection of excavated monuments, unearthed buildings and cobblestone streets (with chariot wheel tracks to boot!).
PAGE. 18, 47.
08
ABU SIMBEL. Nothing says I rule the world like a good statue. Witness the legacy of King Ramesses II and his wife and children at the twin temples of Abu Simbel, built in 13th century B.C. as a tribute to himself as a deified ruler and his queen Nefertari. Check out the rock carvings depicting the battle of Kadesh and get lost in a time of pharaohs, mummies and men who did not want to be forgotten.
PAGE . 22 , 24, 28-32, 35-37.
10
TAKE ME TO TEL AVIV. What Tel Aviv lacks in cultural heritage, it makes up for in youthful vibrancy and a hedonistic round-the-clock nightlife so good Lonely Planet ranked this place as one of the world’s top ten party cities. In other words, if you’re bored, you’re doing something wrong. Taste note: Abu Hassan’s hummus is supposedly world-class. Check it out.
PAGE . 18 .
Places
You should visit in Morocco
The cultural hub of Marrakech is a veritable feast of colours, sounds and smells, tantalising its visitors with exotic surprises at every turn. Venture from the city’s energetic streets, and you’ll find the rolling red sand dunes of the Sahara, the hulking beauty of the Atlas mountain ranges, the wide sandy beaches of Essaouira, and the winding valley of Ourika. And that’s just the beginning. Ready to delve in?
1
MARRAKECH & THE OLD MEDINA. When mentioning Morocco, most travellers naturally think of Marrakech. After all, it is the fourth largest city in Morocco and home to the popular Jemaa el-Fnaa square and vibrant medina. When you can steal a moment away from the madness, lose yourself in the labyrinth of winding alleys, where one wrong turn could lead you to a wonderful adventure.
2
THE ROMAN RUINS OF VOLUBILIS. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Volubilis was founded in the 3rd century B.C. and then became a prominent outpost for the Roman Empire. Think: Cyprus trees swaying in the wind and well-preserved ruins that stand tall over valleys that stretch as far as the eye can see.
3
A NIGHT IN THE SAHARA DESERT. Renowned for being the highlight of every Moroccan adventure, spending a night in the Sahara Desert at a local Berber camp is an absolute must. Head to Merzouga, a small town on the edge of the Sahara, and set out on camelback into the desert where you can marvel at the stars as you slowly drift off to sleep. BYO: campfire stories and appetite for a traditional feast.
4
FES AND THE TANNERIES. Venture down the twisted paths of the medina in Fes and you’ll be led to the famous tanneries. Known for its crafts and leather, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better quality products elsewhere (especially in many of the tourist-trap stalls in Marrakech).
5
DRIVING THROUGH THE HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS. The High Atlas mountains extend from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Morocco-Algeria border, and offer up impressive views and quaint villages. Along the way, drive through lush cedar forests where monkeys can be found languidly hanging from trees and snatching bananas from passing tourists.
6 THE DADES GORGE. The Dades Gorge cuts through the Atlas mountains in a dramatic display of rising sandstone dipping into lush, green valleys and winding rivers. The Dades Gorge is a testament to the dramatic landscape Morocco offers, and the variety of nature it holds within its borders. Definitely one for the Instagram album. #Breathtaking
7
AÏT BENHADDOU. When a destination is used as a backdrop to Game of Thrones, you just know it’s going to be good. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Aït Benhaddou is a fortified city that is a former caravan route between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. Today, Aït Benhaddou is a stunning sight to behold with its preserved buildings, rising mountains and deep valleys.
8
CASABLANCA & THE HASSAN II MOSQUE. The Hassan II Mosque is the largest mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest mosque in the world. It stands by the sea in Casablanca and is absolutely stunning with its intricate designs, marble, chandeliers, archways and mosaics. Take a tour of this marvellous building, and walk away with a better understanding of Islam and the pillars on which the religion is founded. You’ll be glad you did.
THIS STORY WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COLLECTIVE—A CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TOPDECK AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF WRITERS, ARTISTS, MOVERS AND SHAKERS. FOR MORE STORIES LIKE THIS: CHECK OUT HTTP://BLOG.TOPDECK.TRAVEL.
JOIN THE CULTURE CLUB
Culture vultures, assemble. From desert camp-outs to Nile cruises and everything in between, the Middle East offers an intoxicating blend of adventure, comfort and culture. Delve right in – this collection of unforgettable experiences is as impressive as Cleopatra’s headdress.
Middle East 5 5
BERBER HOMESTAY
WAYS TO MASTER the
SWAP FALAFEL* FOR FELUCCA
CAPTURE THE FEELING OF SWEET FREEDOM as you embark on an unforgettable sailing trip down the Nile aboard a traditional felucca boat. Forget unnecessary luxuries–get back to basics (like, seriously) and sail like the ancient Egyptians on this primitive adventure. BYO captain’s hat and penchant for spectacular sunsets.
*FALAFEL = TA’AMIYA IN EGYPT.
EGYPT, SEE PAGE 16 & 26
STARRY STARRY NIGHT
CHANNEL LAWRENCE OF ARABIA WITH A DESERT CAMP-OUT. After all, the classic was filmed here – as was the recent Matt Damon blockbuster, The Martian (Hollywood, watch out). Marvel at the surrounding landscape as you experience a scenic 4x4 jaunt over the red sands of Wadi Rum, before retiring to a Bedouin-style camp, complete with an earth-oven dinner.
JORDAN, SEE PAGE 16 & 46
JOIN THE NILE HIGH CLUB
CAMELS AIN’T FOR EVERYONE. With more Indiana Jones experiences than you can crack a whip at, we won’t blame you for wanting to kick back between adventures. Board a 5-star cruise ship and take on the Nile in style. Cue golden sunsets, comfy cabins and a swimming pool fit for a pharaoh.
* The option to upgrade to a cruise ship is possible on trips that visit Aswan, but is dependent on various factors. If you’re set on sailing in style, make sure you book a specific cruise trip prior to departure!
EGYPT, SEE PAGE 26
ROCK THE KASBAH
EVER IMAGINED STAYING IN YOUR VERY OWN FORTRESS? With an overnighter in a Kasbah in Tamnougalt, you can get all Rapunzel like and let down your hair. Even Richard Branson owns one. And if it’s good enough for Branson, it’s good enough for us.
MOROCCO, SEE PAGE 38
Eat, Sleep, Repeat
FOOD COMA
noun/fúd kómə/
The feeling of utter, smug satisfaction and sleepiness that one feels after eating their way through the Middle East for a few weeks. Common causes include hummus, tagine and heaps of pita bread.
ANTONYMS: GYM, DIET, PACKED LUNCH
TAGINE TEMPTATION
PREPARED IN A CONICAL CLAY POT OVER HOT COAL AND served with a carafe of mint tea and lashings of Berber hospitality, this is a dish you wish mum could make. Expect savoury lamb, chicken or seafood mixed with dates, apricots and lots of cumin slowcooked to perfection then scooped onto a heap of couscous. YUM.
WHERE: MOROCCO
EXPECT: COMFORT FOOD AT ITS BEST. SERIOUSLY.
MAKE A MEZZE
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE MIDDLE EAST’S ANSWER TO TAPAS IS WHERE TO START. Hummus or baba ghanoush? Olives or white cheese? Decide quickly or get left with the crumbs. #YOLO.
WHERE: EGYPT.
EXPECT: TO NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR HOMEMADE PLATTERS AGAIN.
BEDOUIN BBQ
THE RECIPE FOR A DESERT FEAST IS SIMPLE: dig a pit, fill it with hot coal, and slowly roast succulent lamb with potatoes, vegetables and desert spice in a drum until tender. Then add star-lit skies and a dash of local entertainment for a night to write home about.
WHERE: JORDAN
EXPECT: A FEAST AND AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE, ROLLED INTO ONE.
FRIED FALAFEL
THE DEEP-FRIED BROTHER OF HUMMUS IS ARGUABLY THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO A CAN OF CHICKPEAS. Have it Middle Eastern-style in a pita bread or go Israeli fusion with french fries. Either way, you win.
WHERE: JORDAN
EXPECT: THIS TO BECOME YOUR NEW FAVE TREAT. PURE, FRIED GOODNESS.
TLC + BUCKET LIST SORTED
WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE’RE PASSIONATE about showing young people the world. This means all TLC is included in the trip price and not charged on your last day. Float down the Nile on a traditional felucca sailing boat, embrace your inner desert dweller with an overnight camp-out in the Sahara, and marvel at the incredible “Lost City” of Petra, Jordan. This is your world, your dream, and your adventure.
+ The perfect mix between must-see and off the beaten track destinations
NO MORE FOMO
WE KNOW HOW TO CREATE MEMORIES THAT LAST. From sharing a delectable Bedouin barbecue with new friends in Jordan, to admiring the breathtaking views of the Giza pyramids, we’ve trained our crew to give you the best experience – every time. Add handpicked accommodation ranging from a Berber desert camp in Morocco to a five-star Nile cruise ship in Egypt, and you’ll see why we say we run trips, not tours.
+ Unique accommodation in Berber desert camps
+ Sailing in Egypt and Turkey
HASSLE-FREE TRAVEL
OUR RECIPE IS SIMPLE: A group of young explorers, transport sorted and custom-built itineraries designed to mix freedom with lifechanging experiences. It’s more than getting from A to B—it’s all about the epic friends, memories and experiences you have along the way.
+ Local Trip Leaders with extensive insider knowledge
+ No tipping or extra charges
YOUR CREW • T OPDE C K CRE W •
There’s more to travel than scratching the surface. All of our crew in the Middle East are locally sourced to get you an insider’s perspective of the places, people and things you encounter on the way.
CURIOUS
WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND WHAT FEEDS YOUR WANDERLUST. We might follow an itinerary, but no two trips are the same. You're the hero in this travel story.
FRIENDLY
SOCIALLY INTUITIVE WITH AN EYE FOR WHAT MAKES THE BEST TRIPS TICK, we’ll help you write stories with the people you meet along the way. Because friends made on the road are friends for life.
PASSIONATE
THE ROAD IS OUR HOME, THE RIDE IS A LIFESTYLE. We love what we do and use every ounce of our experience to give you the trip of a lifetime.
CONFIDENT
ROCKSTAR LEADERS SHARING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. You can count on us to keep you safe and informed as you explore.
EARLY PAYMENT*
SAVE 5% when you book and pay in full 6 months in advance of your trip departure date.
MULTI-TRIP DISCOUNTS*
BOOK 2 TRIPS and Save 5% on the cheapest trip.
BOOK 3 TRIPS and Save 7.5% on the cheapest trip and 5% on the 2nd cheapest.
BOOK 4 TRIPS And Save 10% on the cheapest trip, 7.5% ON THE 2ND CHEAPEST AND 5% ON THE 3RD.
FRIENDS & DISCOUNTS*
SAVE 5% for friends who book and travel together.
SAVE 7.5% for 7 friends and 10% for 10 friends! #Winning.
PAST PASSENGER*
SAVE 5% if you’ve travelled with us before.
Middle East
WITH A HEADY MIX OF ANCIENT-MODERN METROPOLISES, awe-inspiring natural landscapes and a delicate, longstanding history that can’t be matched by other regions, the Middle East promises to deliver an experience you won’t forget. Get ready to fall in love.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt
+ Lost City of Petra, Jordan
+ Wadi Rum 4x4 excursion and Bedouin camp, Jordan
+ Wine tasting, Israel
UNIQUE DESTINATIONS:
+ Giza Plateau, Cairo, Egypt
+ Luxor, Egypt
+ Karak, Jordan
+ Jerusalem, Israel
10 DAY | JORDAN & ISRAEL
DAY 1 AMMAN, JORDAN. Touch down in one of the oldest cities in existence and drop off your gear before trading bios with your new travel buds tonight. Founded in 7000 BC, Amman has seen it all, and so will you. Stay tuned...
DAY 2 AMMAN TO PETRA. Madaba is home to a mosaic map of the Holy Land, so detailed it’s like an ancient Navman. From there, take in views of Moses proportions from Mt Nebo and explore Karak Castle where the Crusaders ruled over the valley below. (B)
DAY 3 PETRA. ‘Historic’ is a word that doesn’t even come close to describing a city that was founded around 312 BC. Petra stands as a testament to man’s ability to create beauty from nothing with 80-metre high red sandstone tunnels and a facade made famous by Indiana Jones. (B)
DAY 4 PETRA TO WADI RUM VIA LITTLE PETRA. Traversing the desert used to be done on camels –these days you get a 4x4. Same same but with more horsepower. Spend a night with one of the world’s most ancient nomadic tribes in a Bedouin camp and get to know the Wadi Rum desert, aka the film site for the likes of The Martian and Transformers. Tonight, chow down on a tra-dish earth-oven feast. (B,D)
DAY 5 WADI RUM TO AQABA. Aqaba was founded around 4000 BC and there’s little wonder why. It’s Jordan’s only coastal city and sits smack bang in the middle of everything that is the Red Sea. Take the option to (wet)suit up and see what all those ‘top dives in the world’ lists are on about. Or swim, snack on knafeh and get scrubbed down in a hammam. (B)
DAY 6 AQABA TO AMMAN. Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad empires have all had their two cents when it comes to Amman, creating a melting pot of ancient historical sites. You’ll see the Roman amphitheatre, Citadel and more on this afternoon’s city tour. But first, a dip in the Dead Sea. (B)
DAY 7 AMMAN TO JERUSALEM, ISRAEL VIA JERASH AND AJLOUN. Roman ruins in Jerash and a pit stop to see the Ajloun fortress before we cross the border. Israel’s next. (B)
DAY 8 JERUSALEM. Christianity, Islam and Judaism all consider Jerusalem a holy place; it's kind of a big deal. You’ll go to: Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, King David’s Tomb, Wailing Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified), just to name a few. (B)
DAY 9 JERUSALEM TO TEL AVIV VIA BETHLEHEM. Step into the real-life nativity scene of Bethlehem before swapping the religious sites for a winery visit and taking your pick of 16 beaches in Tel Aviv. Wander the chilled-out seaport of Old Jaffa then see why Lonely Planet ranked this place amongst the top ten party cities in the world. (B)
DAY 10 TEL AVIV. The trip might be over after breakfast, but don’t leave until you track down Abu Hassan for hummus that will haunt your dreams (it’s that good). (B)
TRIP CODE: MXJIAA
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Discover the 'Lost City of Petra'
+ Float in the Dead Sea - lowest point on earth
+ Guided tours of Amman & ancient Jerash
+ Wadi Rum 4x4 Excursion & Desert Camp
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Aqaba
+ Wine tasting in Israel
+ Guided tours of Jerusalem, Bethlehem & Tel Aviv
+ Entrance fees to all sights in the itinerary
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 9 breakfasts (B), 1 dinner (D)
+ 8 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night twin share in a Bedouin desert camp
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to the hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus or coach
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
14 DAY | PYRAMIDS TO PETRA
DAY 1 CAIRO, EGYPT. Touch down and tap into the energy of Cairo, known by locals as the Mother of the World. Whizz past mosques, grand avenues and 19th century palaces with pyramids on the horizon en route to your hotel. Then get to know your crew at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO. There’s old, and then there’s the Giza Pyramids. Cue jaw drop. Gawk and marvel, then snap a selfie with the Sphinx. Also: Egyptian Museum and heaps more ancient history. (B)
DAY 3 CAIRO TO DAHAB. Peace out Cairo, we’re off to the Red Sea! Cue four days of coastal vibes and heaps of water play. (B)
DAYS 4-7 DAHAB. Perfect kite-surfing conditions and camels, what’s not to like? Take the opportunity to snorkel, swim or burn through the desert on quad
bikes. Early risers can get closer to heaven with a hike to the top of Mt Sinai for sunrise. Hungry? Forget farm to table. Here the fish almost leap out of the ocean onto your plate. (B) (B) (B) (B)
DAY 8 DAHAB TO JERUSALEM, ISRAEL. First stop in the holy land: Jerusalem. At just one square kilometre in size, the Old City jams in 4000 years of history and a trifecta of Jewish, Muslim and Christian sacred sites. Also: tick off a salty dip in the Dead Sea. (B)
DAY 9 JERUSALEM. Sacred for three religions, this place is kind of a big deal. See the Wailing Wall walk the Via Dolorosa to the Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified) before heading to Mt Zion to see King David’s tomb. (B)
DAY 10 JERUSALEM TO AMMAN, JORDAN VIA BETHLEHEM. Pay your respects at the Mount of Olives – a stone placed on top of a tomb will let them know you stopped by. Gethsemane garden is next. Cue epic #pano views over Jerusalem and more holy vibes as we pit stop in Bethlehem en route to Amman. (B)
DAY 11 AMMAN TO PETRA. First up, mosaic maps and history lessons in Madaba before taking in views of Moses proportions from Mt Nebo. Then storm a Crusader castle in Karak before arriving in the Lost City of Petra. (B)
DAY 12 PETRA. Dating back to 312 BC, this rose-red city of 80 metre-high twisting sandstone tunnels gives new meaning to the word ‘historic’. Explore its palaces, temples and tombs between Indiana Jones flashbacks. (B)
DAY 13 PETRA TO WADI RUM. Start your day with windswept hair, driving across the desert in a 4x4. Tonight, we make like a local with a tra-dish earthoven feast before bedding down, Bedouin-style, amongst the glowing desert landscape of Wadi Rum. (B,D)
DAY 14 WADI RUM TO AMMAN. Rise and shine, it’s back to Amman. Should you stay or should you go? Your call, but we’re outta here. (B)
This is a part of the 19 day Egypt, Jordan & Israel trip. See p.22 or visit our website.
TRIP
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ 4* Red Sea resort in Dahab
+ Guided tours of Jerusalem & Bethlehem
+ Float in the Dead Sea
+ Discover the 'Lost City of Petra'
+ Wadi Rum 4x4 Excursion & Desert Camp
+ Entrance fees to sights in Jordan & Israel (entrance fees not included in Egypt: US$25*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 13 breakfasts (B), 1 dinner (D)
+ 7 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 5 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night in a Bedouin desert camp
+ Airport transfer on arrival
+ Transfers - Eilat to Jerusalem and Jordan border to Amman
+ Transport in air-conditioned coaches or minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leaders
19 DAY | EGYPT, JORDAN & ISRAEL
DAY 1 CAIRO, EGYPT. Touch down, be whisked to your hotel then kick that body clock into overdrive with Cairo’s nocturnal lifestyle. Shopping at 2am? Why not. But first, get to know your crew at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Khan el Khalili market not only drips with silver lanterns, scarab pendants and incense, it’s cloaked in ancient history. The site was originally a mausoleum dating back to 970AD known as the Saffron Tomb. Some of the people playing backgammon at Fishawi's could very well have been in the same spot since then. Then tick off Coptic Cairo and the famous step pyramid in Saqqara.(B)
DAY 3 ASWAN. There’s no crappy Enya soundtrack or polo-and-deck-shoes uniform required when you’re sailing on the world’s longest river. Just a gorgeous old felucca, the breeze in its cotton sails, before getting up close and personal with the Nubians who have called this place home for thousands of years. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN. The Nile is so badass, it takes down everything in its path. Which is why Abu Simbel temple was sliced into 1,015 pieces and relocated in the ‘60s. Don’t worry, Pharaoh Ramesses II, you’re still looking good. All four of you. (B)
DAY 5 ASWAN TO LUXOR. Start the day on a Luxor note with a visit to two temples and plenty of time to soak up the world’s largest open-air museum of temples and tombs. The writing’s on the wall… but that’s a good thing here. (B)
DAY 6 LUXOR TO CAIRO VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Get down and deity on a guided tour through the Valley of the Kings where anyone who was anyone was wrapped and packed for all eternity, including King Tut. Then tick off the Temple of Hatshepsut and the two imposing statues comprising Colossi of Memnon. All in a day’s work. (B)
DAY 7 CAIRO. How do you use an ancient Egyptian doorbell? Toot-and-come-in! Yeah. We went there. Check out King Tutankhamen's treasures (amongst 160,000 relics and mummified remains) at the Egyptian Museum then snap your Sphinx and pyramid selfie in Giza. (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO TO DAHAB. Start slapping on the sunscreen – we’re off to the Red Sea! (B)
DAYS 9-12 DAHAB. Four days, coastal vibes, perfect kite-surfing conditions and camels – welcome to Dahab. Snorkel, swim or just soak up the beauty of the Blue Hole. Balance bubble-blowing with a burn through the desert on quad bikes (optional) or get closer to heaven with a hike to the top of Mt Sinai for sunrise. Hungry? Forget farm to table. Here the fish almost leap out of the ocean onto your plate. (B) (B) (B) (B)
DAY 13 DAHAB TO JERUSALEM, ISRAEL. Cross the Israeli border into the holy land for a salty dip. Sitting at 427 metres below sea level, 306 metres deep with 9.6 times the salinity of the ocean, the Dead Sea will float your boat body. You can't fight it; it’s science. (B)
DAY 14 JERUSALEM. This is the definition of ‘soulstirring’ – at just one square kilometre in size, the Old City jams in 4000 years of history and a trifecta of Jewish, Muslim and Christian sacred sites. See the Wailing Wall walk the Via Dolorosa to the Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified) and then head to Mt Zion to see King David’s tomb. (B)
DAY 15 JERUSALEM TO AMMAN, JORDAN VIA BETHLEHEM. You don’t need flowers to pay your respects at the Mount of Olives – a stone placed on top of a tomb will let them know you stopped by. You’ll also get epic #pano views over Jerusalem and holy vibes in the Gethsemane garden. Then, travel into the real-world nativity scene in Bethlehem and onto Amman. (B)
DAY 16 AMMAN TO PETRA. Bible studies 101 today as you listen to history’s whispers in Madaba amongst intricate Byzantine mosaics, check out the view from Mt Nebo and storm a Crusader castle in Karak before arriving in the Lost City. (B)
DAY 17 PETRA. Petra is not just one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, this rose-red city of 80 metrehigh twisting sandstone tunnels, palaces, temples, tombs and Indiana Jones flashbacks is a real-life movie set and today you’re the star. Life = made. (B)
DAY 18 PETRA TO WADI RUM. Kick off with a 4x4 desert safari and dig into local flavours at tonight’s earth-oven dinner. Then bed down for the night like a Bedouin amongst the glowing desert landscape of Wadi Rum. The traditions here remain unchanged since the time of Lawrence of Arabia. We won’t blame you for not wanting to move on. (B,D)
DAY 19 WADI RUM TO AMMAN. Say bye, bye Bedouins and return to Amman. Then we’re outta here. But if you’ve become more of a fan of Jordan than Nike, why not extend your stay? (B)
This includes part of the 14 day Egypt Explored trip. See p.36 or visit our website.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Saqqara Pyramid & Coptic Cairo
+ Temples of Abu Simbel, Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Felucca Sailing on the Nile
+ Nubian village visit
+ 4* Red Sea resort in Dahab
+ Guided tours of Jerusalem & Bethlehem
+ Float in the Dead Sea
+ Discover the 'Lost City of Petra'
+ Wadi Rum 4x4 Excursion & Desert Camp
+ Entrance fees to sights in Jordan & Israel (entrance fees not included in Egypt: US$100*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 18 breakfasts (B), 1 dinner (D)
+ 9 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 6 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night in a Bedouin desert camp, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Airport transfer on arrival
+ Transfers - Eilat to Jerusalem and Jordan border to Amman
+ Transport in air-conditioned coaches or minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leaders
49 DAY | MEGA EUROPEAN - EGYPT
DAY 1 LONDON TO PARIS, FRANCE (OR JOIN IN PARIS). All good things start with Paris. Ease yourself in with a tour of the city lights. (D)
DAY 2 PARIS. Free time to explore Paris before our gourmet picnic. Finish your day with an optional Seine River cruise or cabaret show. (B,D)
DAYS 3-4 PARIS TO SWISS ALPS, SWITZERLAND. #Jawdropping scenery today as we head to the Swiss Alps. (B,L,D) (B,L,D)
DAY 5 SWISS ALPS TO AVIGNON, FRANCE. Welcome to Avignon, the former home of the pope. (B,L)
DAYS 6-7 AVIGNON TO BARCELONA, SPAIN. On to funky Barcelona via Pont du Gard. (B,D) (B)
DAYS 8-9 BARCELONA TO FRENCH RIVIERA, FRANCE. Rub shoulders with the rich and famous for a while then off to Monaco for more glitzy stuff. (B,D) (B)
DAY 10 FRENCH RIVIERA TO VENICE, ITALY. Sing a romantic ballad under Juliet’s balcony in Verona. Next stop: Venice! (B,D)
DAY 11 VENICE. Check out the Grand Canal on a vaporetto after a city tour. (B,D)
DAY 12 VENICE TO FLORENCE. Get THAT photo at the Leaning Tower of Pisa today. You know. (B,L,D)
DAY 13 FLORENCE. Explore the streets of Florence with a local guide today before delving into a higher state of culinary consciousness. (B)
DAY 14 FLORENCE TO ROME. Become an amateur historian in no time on our guided city walking tour in Rome. (B)
DAY 15 ROME. The day is yours to check out the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Vatican City. (B,D)
DAY 16 ROME TO GREECE (OVERNIGHT FERRY). An Italian road trip today to meet our overnight ferry to Greece. (B,L)
DAYS 17-19 SAILING IN GREECE. Bring on three great days of sailing on the Ionian Sea. (B,L,D) (B,L) (B,L,D)
DAY 20 PLATARIA TO ATHENS. Off the boats and on to the Greek capital. (B,D)
DAY 21 ATHENS TO ASWAN (OVERNIGHT) VIA CAIRO, EGYPT. Flight to Cairo. (Overnight) wheels to Aswan. Check. (B)
DAY 22 - 23 ASWAN. We’ve got the felucca ride, Nubian village and four colossal statues at Abu Simbel. You bring the wonder. (B) (B)
DAY 24 ASWAN TO LUXOR. Once the capital of ancient Egypt, Luxor’s now a history-strewn landscape of souks and temples. (B)
DAY 25 LUXOR TO CAIRO (OVERNIGHT). Today we walk into the Valley of the Kings. Big shoes. Then: an overnighter to Cairo. (B)
DAY 26 CAIRO. It’s all about the Pyramid of Giza today (that and the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum). (B)
DAY 27 CAIRO TO ISTANBUL, TURKEY. All aboard for our flight to Istanbul today. Kebab, anyone? (B,D)
DAYS 28–29 ISTANBUL. Cross two continents in half an hour. Our local guide will show you how. (B) (B)
DAY 30 ISTANBUL TO SOFIA, BULGARIA. Church towers, mosques and Red Army monuments ahead. (B,L)
DAY 31 SOFIA TO BELGRADE, SERBIA. Funky student vibes meet old-world culture in Serbia’s capital. (B) DAY 32 BELGRADE TO SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. To Sarajevo today—a city that is now rebuilding itself. (B,D)
DAY 33 SARAJEVO TO DUBROVNIK, CROATIA. On to Dubrovnik via Mostar. (B,D)
TRIP CODE: EEEMLL
DAY 34 DUBROVNIK. A free day to explore King’s Landing. (B)
DAY 35 DUBROVNIK TO PLITVICE LAKES. Head north along the Dalmatian Coast. Stop at the walled city of Zadar en route to the Plitvice Lakes. (B)
DAY 36 PLITVICE LAKES. Spend a free day in the World Heritage-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park. (B,L,D)
DAY 37 PLITVICE LAKES TO BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. Hello Budapest = hello goulash. (B,D)
DAY 38 BUDAPEST (FREE DAY). Get your bearings in the twin cities of Buda and Pest today. (B)
DAY 39 BUDAPEST TO VIENNA, AUSTRIA VIA BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA. On to charming Vienna. (B,D)
DAY 40 VIENNA (FREE DAY). Also the only capital city that produces its own wine. (B)
DAY 41 VIENNA TO KRAKOW, POLAND. A sobering visit to the former concentration camp AuschwitzBirkenau. Then on to Krakow. (B,L,D)
DAY 42 KRAKOW (FREE DAY). Visit the salt mines or explore one of Europe’s beautiful old towns. (B)
DAY 43 KRAKOW TO PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC. Welcome to cheap beer and fairy tale architecture. (B,L,D)
DAY 44 PRAGUE. Explore Prague today at your own pace. (B)
DAY 45 PRAGUE TO BERLIN, GERMANY. Stop by historic Dresden on our way to Berlin for our city tour. (B,D)
DAY 46 BERLIN. Berlin is yours. (B)
DAY 47 BERLIN TO AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS. On to the most liberal city in Europe. Fun times. (B,L)
DAY 48 AMSTERDAM. Discover Amsterdam by bike before our farewell dinner canal cruise. (B,D)
DAY 49 AMSTERDAM TO LONDON. Back to London via Bruges. (B)
ON THE
BUCKET
LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Paris city lights tour
+ Local guides in Florence, Istanbul, Sofia & Dubrovnik
+ Vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal, Venice
+ Bicycle tour & farewell dinner cruise in Amsterdam
+ Stay at a resort in Tuscany
+ 3 nights sailing in Greece
+ Gourmet picnic beside the Eiffel Tower
+ French Riviera perfumery experience
+ Guided tour of former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau
+ Italian feast in the Tuscan Hills
+ Visit the Pont du Gard
+ Egyptology tours at major sites in Egypt (entrance fees not included: US$90*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Guided tour of the Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Visit historic Valley of the Kings
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 48 breakfasts (B), 13 lunches (L), 23 dinners (D)
+ 14 nights hotel upgrade, 20 nights in hostels, 3 nights sailing in Greece, 8 nights in bungalows, 2 nights aboard overnight coach or first class train & 1 night in a cabin on overnight ferry from Italy to Greece
+ Modern air-conditioned coach
+ English Channel ferry crossings
+ Flights in and out of Cairo plus airport transfers
+ Guided tours of all major cities
+ Trip Leader + Driver + On-Site Chefs
TRIP PRICE OF $8190 + $2080 FOOD & SAILING FUND = TOTAL TRIP PRICE $10270
TRIP PRICE OF $8550 + $2080 FOOD & SAILING FUND = TOTAL TRIP PRICE $10630
TRIP PRICE OF $8910 + $2080 FOOD & SAILING FUND = TOTAL TRIP PRICE $10990
= Guaranteed departure
Egypt
MORE THAN JUST PYRAMIDS, mummies and that famous river, Egypt is a land of many surprises. Claiming one of the world’s oldest cultures, you’ll be hard at it exploring sand-covered tombs, ancient temples and a myriad of precious relics. Indiana Jones, eat your heart out.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Felucca sailing or 5* Nile Cruise
+ Temples of Abu Simbel
+ Relax on the Red Sea
UNIQUE DESTINATIONS:
+ Saqqara Necropolis
+ Valley of the Kings
+ Kom Ombo
+ Mt Sinai
8 DAY | NILE DISCOVERY
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ 5* Cruise on the Nile
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$120*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel
+ Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Nubian village visit
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 7 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D)
+ 2 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 3 nights 5* cruise ship in cabin accommodation, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & Nile cruise ship
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
G = Guaranteed departure
8 DAYS FROM
DAY 1 CAIRO. Welcome to the city of a thousand minarets and watch the madness of Cairo’s traffic jams from a kahwas (coffee shop). But first, rock up to tonight’s welcome meeting and meet your new friends.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Before Bieber fever there was Tutmania (Google it if you want to cringe at Steve Martin dancing the ‘funky Tut’). King Tutankhamun was so adored, in fact, he was buried in a solid gold coffin. Like a boss. Head straight for the (air conditioned) room in the Egyptian Museum that houses his flashy gold burial mask. Then tick off the Giza Pyramids and their watchdog, aka the Sphinx. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN TO NILE CRUISE SHIP. Remember the time of ancient Nubia sailing along the Nile on a felucca sailboat and later, a culture lesson in a brightly coloured traditional village. Then, climb aboard your five-star chariot (replete with rooftop pool, sun lounges and belly dancing) for a taste of life finer than the pharoah’s could have ever imagined. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 NILE CRUISE SHIP. Come face to face with vanity at its best at Abu Simbel, presided over by four gigantic statues of Ramesses II – pioneer of the ancient Egyptian #selfie. What’s cooler than Kom Ombo temple? The fact 300 mummified crocodiles were found nearby. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 NILE CRUISE SHIP. The eye of Ra is watching you today as we head to the Temple of Edfu. Get acquainted with the falcon-headed sky god Horus. After that, kick back on deck and drink in the beauty of the Nile. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 NILE CRUISE SHIP TO CAIRO VIA LUXOR AND OVERNIGHT COACH. Mummy making 101: Keep the heart. Ditch the brain. Pretty symbolic, no? Walk through the shadow of the Valley of Kings (Coolio style) and go for a Temple trifecta ticking off Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor plus Colossi of Memnon before heading back to Cairo. (B)
DAY 7 CAIRO. Today’s highlight reel in the Arab city that never sleeps: Necropolis of Saqqara, Coptic Cairo and Khan el Khalili market. How’s your haggling skills? (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO. Shisha! Is the trip over already? If your inner explorer has been stoked, stay on to uncover more of Cairo’s coolness. We’re outta here after breakfast. (B)
10 DAY | SPIRIT OF EGYPT
DAY 1 CAIRO. Pulsating traffic and the heady scent of incense, combined with pyramids jutting from the skyline and a thousand spice sellers will send your senses into overdrive. Welcome to Cairo. Meet your crew at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Think the Louvre in Paris is big? The Egyptian Museum trumps it by about an extra 90,000 pieces. Lucky you’ve got a Egyptologist (read: walking encyclopedia) to show you the highlights reel. Later, go supersize at the Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN TO NILE CRUISE SHIP. Set sail on a traditional felucca sailboat – the design hasn’t changed since the time of the pharaohs so you’re basically royalty. Then switch the sails for a motor aboard our epic five-star boat floating hotel (welcome to the Nile High Club!) and step into a traditional Nubian village, with its colourful houses spilling into the river. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 NILE CRUISE SHIP. Twice a year, a natural spotlight illuminates the statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II inside Abu Simbel temple. But even if you miss the light show of ancient Egypt’s answer to Kanye, the temple is epic enough in itself. Then tick off another one, at Kom Ombo Temple. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 NILE CRUISE SHIP. The Temple of Edfu was abandoned in 391 AD and lay buried in sand until the 1860s. Now? It’s one of the most pristine ancient monuments in the world. It’s also dedicated to the falcon-headed sky god, Horus. #birdistheword (B,L,D)
DAY 6 NILE CRUISE SHIP TO LUXOR. Take sevenmetre-high seated kings, a three-kilometre alley of sphinxes, 63 tombs (and counting) and you’ve basically got every archaeologist's fantasy at the end of your selfie stick today. Start with a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon. Then go double or nothing with Karnak and Luxor temples in the afternoon. (B)
DAYS 7-8 LUXOR TO HURGHADA. Sure, this Red Sea resort town is pretty from above but it’s what lies beneath the piercingly aquamarine water that matters. Rated in the world’s top three dive
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ 5* Cruise on the Nile
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$110*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel
+ Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Nubian village visit
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Hurghada
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 9 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 5 dinners (D)
+ 5 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 3 nights 5* cruise ship in cabin accommodation, 1 night aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & Nile cruise ship
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
destinations it’s an amphibious utopia. You’ve got two days to swim, snorkel, dive, sunbake, swim some more... and if you get too salty, swap to sand on a quad bike desert safari. Or take a day trip to Giftun Island aka Paradise Island for your own Castaway moment. These days are yours for the taking. (B,D) (B,D)
DAY 9 HURGHADA TO CAIRO. Squeeze in another swim before making like Moses and crossing the desert back to Cairo. (B)
DAY 10 CAIRO. Trip’s over after our last morning meal. #sadface. Carb up on kushari, head to a bar with an oud player and push that FOMO aside. (B)
TRIP PRICE OF $2095
TRIP PRICE OF $2235
9 DAY | EGYPT EXPRESS
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$75*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Felucca Sailing on the Nile
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 8 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 2 dinners (D)
+ 3 nights twin/triple share in 3* hotels, 1 night twin/triple share in tourist class hotel, 2 nights aboard a felucca sailboat, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & felucca sailboat
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
DAY 1 CAIRO. Take 17,190 people per squarekilometre, traffic jams and of course, pyramids, and you’ve officially arrived in Umm al-Dunya. Tonight: convene with the gang for an Egyptian induction.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. See King Tutankhaman's treasures at the Egyptian Museum, and then have a Giza at the ancient pyramids and play ‘got your nose’ with the Sphinx. Never gets old. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN. Wake up in Aswan with a free day ahead, or opt to visit the Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple. The shrine to the goddess Isis had to be moved and reassembled like a jigsaw puzzle in the ‘70s due to the rising Nile. Also: a chance to explore a Nubian village. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN TO FELUCCA SAILING. After a templefilled day, climb aboard a traditional felucca sailboat. The adventure’s just beginning! (B,L,D)
DAY 5 FELUCCA SAILING. Imagine: The sun on your back, the wind in your cotton sails and the best people you could ever hope to meet sharing stories, food and music in one cushion-strewn love-in. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 FELUCCA SAILING TO LUXOR. Today we’re stepping off in Luxor, aka the world’s largest openair museum, for a chance to visit its namesake and Karnak temples. (B)
DAY 7 LUXOR TO CAIRO VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Get inside the Valley of the Kings then give a silent high five to Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled ancient Egypt for 20 years before snapping a selfie at the Colossi of Memnon. (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO. Spend your free day chilling out or take the opportunity to tour the Saqqara Pyramid, Coptic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili market. Famished? Hit up a kushari vendor for Egypt’s version of fast food. (B)
DAY 9 CAIRO. Just getting into the groove of this 24hour city? This adventure may be over after breakfast, but you can make like Indiana Jones and keep on seeking. (B)
15 DAY | PYRAMIDS & BEACHES
DAY 1 CAIRO. Get smacked with a high-voltage dose of mosques, churches, palaces and papyrus sellers as you make your way through Cairo, the City of a Thousand Minarets. Get briefed with the gang tonight.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Remember the Time of Ancient Egypt filled with jewels, King Tutankhamun’s tomb haul and of course, mummies, at the Egyptian Museum. Then, witness the last survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Great Pyramid of Giza – and snap a Sphinx selfie. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN. Recover your strength in laid-back Aswan. Opt to visit the Philae High Temple, Aswan High Dam and check out the Nubian’s roofless houses in one of the driest inhabited places in the world. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN TO FELUCCA SAILING. Kanye may think he’s a god and have a wife that #breakstheinternet, but Pharaoh Ramesses II had way more swag in Ancient Egypt. His four statues flanking the entrance to Abu Simbel mean he’ll be remembered long after Yeezus. After doing the rounds, fling your gear onto a felucca for the next life-changing chapter. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 FELUCCA SAILING. Sail down Egypt’s ancient trading highway, where chilling out and eating traditional Nubian dishes is the order of the day. #bliss (B,L,D)
DAY 6 FELUCCA SAILING TO LUXOR. A chance to lose yourself in Luxor’s 200-acre sprawl of ridiculously opulent temples, tombs and...mummified crocodiles? Yep, for real. (B)
DAY 7 LUXOR TO CAIRO VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Watch your step on a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings. With 50 new mummies discovered in 2014, who knows what else lies beneath. Tick ‘em off: Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon. (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO. Back in the Big Mango, see Christianity’s ancient influence in Coptic Cairo, haggle your way through Khan el Khalili market, tour Saqqara Pyramid or just join in a game of backgammon at Fishawi’s cafe and keep the mint tea flowing. (B)
DAY 9 CAIRO TO DAHAB. Dahab (meaning gold) has the midas touch for divers, windsurfers and real-world defectors. Y’all ready for this? (B)
DAYS 10-13 DAHAB. Wake up to the blinding beauty of Dahab and see why some people call this place the Koh
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$75*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Felucca Sailing on the Nile
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Dahab
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 14 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 2 dinners (D)
+ 9 nights twin/triple share in 3* hotels, 1 night twin/ triple share in tourist class hotel, 2 nights aboard a felucca sailboat, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & felucca sailboat
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
Samui of the Middle East. Coral reefs, turquoise water and Bedouin-style cafes lining the sand = absolutely #nofilter necessary.
When you get bored of sun, swimming and snorkelling, slap on some sunscreen and make your way to the top of Mt Sinai for a tequila holy sunrise and mingle with the monks at St Catherine’s Monastery, where history can be traced back 17 centuries. Then, saddle up for a camel ride or sate your inner Indiana Jones exploring the desert by a more mechanical steed (aka quad bike). After four days here the only thing you’ll wish for is at least four more. (B) (B) (B) (B)
DAY 14 DAHAB TO CAIRO. Commit the scene of Dahab to your memory bank as we carry your salt-soaked bones back to Cairo. (B)
DAY 15 CAIRO. All good things must come to an end. Even that bowl of kushari. Don’t cry, it’s only hot sauce! And you’re in the best position to keep on exploring. Peace out after breakfast. (B)
TRIP PRICE OF $1660
TRIP PRICE OF $1795
G = Guaranteed departure price
15 DAYS FROM $1660
NZD
MEALS 18 CAIRO CAIRO
FELUCCA SAIILING
8 DAY | ESSENTIAL EGYPT
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$100*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Nubian village visit
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 7 Breakfasts (B)
+ 4 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 1 night twin share in 3* hotel, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
TRIP PRICE OF $1350
TRIP PRICE OF $1450
G = Guaranteed departure price based on nZd per person on twin-share/double
8 DAYS FROM $1350
DAY 1 CAIRO. Slip into the rhythm of 6.76 million bodies, join in a game of backgammon and find out why the Egyptians call this place Umm al-Dunya or ‘the mother of the world’. Just make sure to rock up in time for tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. There’s old, and then there’s the necropolis of Saqqara. Soak up some ancient history, meander Coptic Cairo and get your haggle on in Khan el-Khalili market. Refuel with a mint tea or keep exploring. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN. Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Lord Byron... They’ve all done it. Go low tech with a ride on a felucca sailboat down the Nile. Switch to a motor boat to take in views of the Mausoleum of Aga Khan and Tombs of the Nobles before we jump ship at a Nubian village. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN. Kanye may lyricise that he is a god, but the great Pharaoh Ramesses II apparently bedded 1000 woman and fathered 90 children in his time. His four colossal statues at Abu Simbel are probably what Kanye has in mind when he looks in the mirror each morning. Yeezus! Visit the Temple of Hathor – built in honour of his wife, Queen Nefertari – then drink in the magic of the Nile at sunset. (B)
DAY 5 ASWAN TO LUXOR. G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S. Today we’re travelling first class (in an air-conditioned mini bus) to Karnak for a touch of Luxor. Once the capital of ancient Egypt, it’s now a history-strewn landscape of souks and temples. (B)
DAY 6 LUXOR TO CAIRO VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Walk into the Valley of the Kings – aka the place everyone in ancient Egypt was dying to get into, then fly the flag for girl power at the temple of Queen Hatshepsut before gawking at the Colossi of Memnon. (B)
DAY 7 CAIRO. Walk like an Egyptian into King Tutankhamun’s treasure chest at the Egyptian Museum – home to over 160,00 relics – then gain some perspective at the base of the 138-metre Great Pyramid of Giza. This hunk of ancient architecture could be remodelled into 30 Empire State Buildings.
The Sphinx is its big-ass guard dog (or should that be lionman?). (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO. The trip ends here (well, breakfast first), but pop on that fedora and keep on exploring, Indy. New York may tout itself as the city that never sleeps but it’s got nothin’ on the Big Mango. (B)
This is a part of the 14 day Egypt Explored trip. See p.36 or visit our website.
9 DAY | LEARN TO DIVE
DAY 1 CAIRO. Join the everyday traffic rave and find your own rhythm in this city of 6.76 million where they’ve been writing on walls and worshipping cats for centuries (sorry Facebook). Just be sure to rock up for tonight’s welcome meeting for a proper lay of the land.
DAY 2 CAIRO. The Egyptian Museum is like a One Direction fan’s bedroom, housing a shrine of memorabilia from King Tutankhamen’s tomb. Also: Mummies. Get the grand tour with an Egyptologist then stand at the foot at what was once a blinding beacon of light that could have been seen from space (the Great Pyramid was covered in polished limestone!) before snapping a selfie with the Sphinx. (B)
DAY 3 CAIRO TO DAHAB. Dahab, meaning gold in Arabic, is a blissful little slice of paradise bridging Africa and Asia. The bedouin fishing village turned dive mecca is your home for the next five nights. Let the Instagramming begin! (B)
DAYS 4-7 DAHAB. You’ll be equalising before we can finish this sentence... leap from the desert into the warm waters of the Red Sea and kick off your four-day dive course in one of the top three dive destinations in the world. Sure, there’s some theory involved, but you’ll get schooled faster than a barracuda in hot pursuit.
With five-star visibility, shipwrecks, the Blue Hole and over 200 species of soft and hard coral and 1200 fish species of fish making you feel like you’re in the world’s greatest aquarium, the Red Sea’s inclusion in the Seven Wonders of the Underwater World is a no brainer.
Need a break from the neoprene? Saddle up for a camel ride or quad bike safari, or take a trip to climb Mt Sinai and lose yourself in one of the world’s oldest working monasteries at St Catherine’s. Then, chill out at one of the cushion-filled cafes that line the sand, order a cup of karkade (hibiscus tea) and play backgammon with the bedouins. (B) (B) (B) (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$25*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ 4* Red Sea resort in Dahab
+ 4-day open water PADI Dive Course in Dahab (including all equipment but not dive book)
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 8 breakfasts (B)
+ 8 nights twin share in 4* hotels
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
DAY 8 DAHAB TO CAIRO. By now you’ll be a Dahab hand at diving. Take one last dip before we make our pilgrimage back across the mountains to Cairo. Tonight, find out why the Big Mango rates as one of the world’s most 24-hour cities. (B)
DAY 9 CAIRO. The trip ends after breakfast, but down another tiny cup of Arabic coffee. There’s so much more to explore! (B)
This is a part of the 14 day Egypt Explored trip. See p.36 or visit our website.
9 DAY | SINAI HORIZONS
DAY 1 CAIRO. Step off the plane into the glorious chaos of one of the world’s most ancient civilisations and the largest city in North Africa. Hope you like the heat. Get acquainted at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO. Go large or go home with over 100,000 relics to uncover in the Egyptian Museum, including King Tut’s burial mask. Then, see why the Great Pyramid of Giza took 20 years to build. That’s a huge pile ‘o’ bricks! And tick off the Sphinx. (B)
DAY 3 CAIRO TO DAHAB. The Sinai Peninsula is like the Koh Samui of the Middle East. Pyramids and desert make way for coral reefs and insanely turquoise water. Set your hippie heart alight with trekking, diving, camel riding, cheap eats and a mellowness that makes Byron Bay look like Bangkok. (B)
DAYS 4-7 DAHAB. The Red Sea is not just bucket list material, it’s more lusted after than a new iPhone release. You’ve got four days to tick off heaps of activities.
Plunge yourself into the underwater wonderland of Ras Mohammed National Park, snorkel with 1200 species of fish at the seemingly bottomless Blue Hole or climb Mt Sinai for a sunrise of biblical proportions and visit the Monastery of St Catherine.
When you’ve had your fill of swimming, snorkelling, kitesurfing and quad biking, throw in some seafood barbecues and plenty of mint tea at the bedouin cafes lining the sand and you’ll soon see why leaving here hurts more than a bareback camel ride. (B) (B) (B) (B)
DAY 8 DAHAB TO CAIRO. Take one last salty plunge in the ocean before you’re back on the bus and back into the madness of Cairo. Hungry? Try the stuffed pigeon. It’s allegedly an aphrodisiac. (B)
DAY 9 CAIRO. Like sand through the hourglass, our time together comes to an end after breakfast. Why not make like a camel and keep on roamin’? (B)
This is a part of the 14 day Egypt Explored trip. See p.36 or visit our website.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$25*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ 4* Red Sea resort in Dahab
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 8 breakfasts (B)
+ 8 nights twin share in 4* hotels
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
13 DAY | PHARAOHS' FOOTSTEPS
DAY 1 CAIRO. Cairo will embrace you like a steaming hot cup of mint tea, laced with copious amounts of sugar. Drink it in. Tonight, meet your group and prepare to walk like an Egyptian.
DAY 2 CAIRO. Cleopatra will be comin’ atcha this morning with an Egyptologist-guided tour of the Egyptian Museum. Later, bathe in the shadows of the Great Pyramid and the mighty Sphinx. (B)
DAY 3 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Free day = how many teapots can you fit in your backpack at Khan el Khalili market? Or get a backstage pass to the city on an optional tour. Then flock to a kushari vendor for the ultimate Egyptian fast-food fill. Tonight we roll on to Aswan. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN. An afternoon boat cruise will deliver a real-life History Channel feast past Elephantine and Kitchener Islands. Throw a leg over a camel (or not) and step through the brightly coloured stucco entryway of a Nubian village for a chance to feast with the locals. (B)
DAY 5 ASWAN. The ancient Egyptians had gods for everything, but Pharaoh Ramesses II thought himself so important he had four 20-metre statues of himself commissioned for the Abu Simbel temples. The whole thing had to be relocated in the ‘60s. (B)
DAYS 6-7 ASWAN TO FELUCCA SAILING. There’s only so much of the Nile’s 6,853 kilometres that can be covered in two days. This is a pretty decent slice of the action. Swim, try your hand at sailing and nosh on traditional Nubian dishes. (B,L,D) (B,L,D)
DAY 8 FELUCCA SAILING TO LUXOR. Pay respects to the sun god at Kom Ombo temple before we arrive in the world’s greatest open-air museum to soak up some of ancient Egypt’s ridiculous beauty at Karnak and Luxor Temples. (B)
DAY 9 LUXOR. With 500 new mummies discovered in 2014, you can only wonder what else lies beneath your feet in the Valley of the Kings. Then tick off Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon. By the end of the day you might be a bit pharaoh’d out, so get your haggle on at Luxor Market. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$110*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Felucca sailing on the Nile
+ Nubian village visit
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Hurghada
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 12 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 4 dinners (D)
+ 7 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 2 night twin share in 3* hotel, 2 nights aboard a felucca sailboat, 1 night aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & felucca sailboat
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
DAYS 10-11 LUXOR TO HURGHADA. Ermahgerd it’s Hurghada. This tiny fishing village turned Red Sea resort town offers quad biking by day and diving by afternoon. Pull up a cushion and order a karkade (hibiscus punch) or take an optional snorkelling trip to Giftun Island. (B,D) (B,D)
DAY 12 HURGHADA TO CAIRO. Soak up some more Red Sea sun before heading back to Cairo. Get dizzy watching hypnotic belly and Dervish dancers on an optional dinner cruise. (B)
DAY 13 CAIRO. After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye. Or maybe time to buy another suitcase and head straight back to Khan el Khalili? (B)
This is a part of the 19 day Ultimate Egypt trip. See p.37 or visit our website.
PRICE OF $1950 TRIP PRICE OF $2095 G
Guaranteed departure
14 DAY | EGYPT EXPLORED
DAY 1 CAIRO. Touch down in Cairo and let the adventure kick off at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Soak up the sights in Coptic Cairo before spending the afternoon in a haze of spices, rose petals and wooden cats in the Khan el Khalili souk. Tonight, it’s off to Aswan. (B)
DAY 3 ASWAN. Sail away on a traditional felucca then jump ship for a motor boat and a cruise past Elephantine and Kitchener Islands before a chance to nosh with the Nubians. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN. Abu Simbel is a rock of (a thousand) ages, presided over four statues of Ramesses II. This afternoon, seize the opportunity to tour Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple on the banks of the Nile. (B)
DAY 5 ASWAN TO LUXOR. Egypt’s former capital is Luxor by name, luxurious by nature. The 200-acre sprawl of ruins, sacred lakes and chapels of Karnak and Luxor Temples collectively makes up the largest religious site in the world. (B)
DAY 6 LUXOR TO CAIRO VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Take in a few of the 63 tombs at the Valley of the Kings on a guided tour (keep an eye out for ancient graffiti) along with the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon before heading back to Cairo overnight. (B)
DAY 7 CAIRO. Get that photo at the Giza pyramids and explore the Egyptian Museum with an Egyptologist who knows a lot more than Brendan Fraser. (B)
DAY 8 CAIRO TO DAHAB. The fishing village of Dahab was overtaken by amphibious travellers lured by the Red Sea’s treasure trove back in the late ‘80s. Turns out, they found more than they could have ever dreamed of. (B)
DAYS 9-12 DAHAB. Take prime windsurfing conditions, bedouin-style seafood restaurants and some of the world’s most epic dive and snorkeling sites, throw in a blissed-out hippie vibe and, well, we think you’ll be pretty happy here. (B) (B) (B) (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$100*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Nubian village visit
+ 4* Red Sea resort in Dahab
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 13 breakfasts (B)
+ 10 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 1 night twin share in 3* hotel, 2 nights aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
DAY 13 DAHAB TO CAIRO. After four days of solid gold beach action, nap off that sun exposure on the way back to the city of a thousand minarets. (B)
DAY 14 CAIRO. As a 3000-year old mummy would say, that’s a wrap (after breakfast)! Where to next? (B)
19 DAY | ULTIMATE EGYPT
DAY 1 CAIRO. Touchdown in Cairo and prepare to get sweaty – it all kicks off at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 CAIRO. The ancient Egyptian alphabet had over 700 hieroglyphs, but never fear, your Egyptologist will translate. Get your Sphinx selfie and see the last remaining Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Great Pyramid. (B)
DAY 3 CAIRO TO ASWAN VIA OVERNIGHT COACH. Explore Cairo solo or team up with a trusty guide to show you the secrets of the city. Take the opportunity to soak up the colours of the Khan el Khalili souk and try the stuffed pigeon, if you dare. (B)
DAY 4 ASWAN. Nubian civilisation predates Egypt’s by thousands of years, so prepare for plenty of stories when we motor down the Nile to visit a Nubian village. (B)
DAY 5 ASWAN. Just in case you weren’t sure who wore the pants in 13th Century BC, Pharaoh Ramesses II had Abu Simbel constructed with four colossal statues of himself guarding the entrance. (B)
DAYS 6-7 ASWAN TO FELUCCA SAILING. Turn off your phone and kick back on a traditional felucca sailing boat as you soak up the views of colourful Nubian houses lining the river bank. (B,L,D) (B,L,D)
DAY 8 FELUCCA SAILING TO LUXOR. From tombs to obelisks, colossal pillars to colourful hieroglyphicsplashed walls and mummified crocodiles (yep, really), Luxor knows how to impress. (B)
DAY 9 LUXOR. Take the highlights tour of the Valley of the Kings and tick off the Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon, then haggle your heart out in Luxor Market. (B)
DAYS 10-11 LUXOR TO HURGHADA. Ermagherd, it’s Hurghada! Two days lay ahead to swim, snorkel, dive and hitch a lift to Giftun Island. If you’re getting too pruney, burn through the desert on a quad bike safari. (B,D) (B,D)
DAY 12 HURGHADA TO CAIRO. Time to leave the sea and put your feet back on solid ground in Cairo.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Egyptology tours at major sites (entrance fees not included: US$110*)
* Pricing at 1st Dec 2015. Subject to change.
+ Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza Plateau
+ Egyptian Museum
+ Temples of Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
+ Temples of Luxor & Karnak
+ Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut
+ Felucca sailing on the Nile
+ Nubian village visit
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Hurghada
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 18 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 4 dinners (D)
+ 7 nights twin share in 4* hotels, 2 night twin share in 3* hotel, 2 nights aboard a felucca sailboat, 1 night aboard overnight coach
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & felucca sailboat
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
Having water withdrawals? Join a dinner cruise for belly dancing and meet the whirling Dervishes. (B)
DAY 13 CAIRO TO DAHAB. Get down in Dahab and soak up the sun and laidback vibes in this hippie outpost. With virtually 365 days of sunshine each year, make sure you bring a hat. (B)
DAYS 14-17 DAHAB. Mark two big ticks off your bucket list with the chance to snorkel the Blue Hole and cut across the Red Sea on a windsurfer. Dolphin radar: [ON]. No Scuba Steve? Venture off into the rocky mountains and see a different side of life by humpback or quad bike. (B) (B) (B) (B)
DAYS 18-19 DAHAB TO CAIRO. Come full circle as we head back to Cairo for one last breakfast with the gang. Why not stick around a little longer? (B) (B)
$2560
Morocco
TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO A DIVERSE, CULTURAL HAVEN –where vibrant souks meet tranquil mosques, the scent of exotic spices lingers in the air and traversing the desert atop a camel is totally the norm. Ready for the adventure? Let’s go.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Overnight in the Sahara Desert in Berber tents
+ Get lost in the Medina of Fes
+ Rock the Kasbah in Tamnougalt
+ Hit the beach in Essaouira
UNIQUE DESTINATIONS:
+ Ait Ben Haddou
+ Tamalakoute Berber village
+ Dades Gorge
+ Merzouga desert camp
10 DAY | MOROCCAN EXPLORER
DAY 1 MARRAKECH. Ditch the map, turn off your phone and get hopelessly lost in a maze of mosaics and souks in the Red City – the best surprises are waiting around every corner. Get acquainted with the gang at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 MARRAKECH. Be glad you’re not shooting on film when you visit the Saadian Tombs on a halfday tour. The detail in the doors and arches could #breakinstagram. See the Bahia Palace, visit the local medina, and then work your way past the snake charmers and sip fresh orange juice in Djemma el-fna square. (B)
DAY 3 MARRAKECH TO RABAT VIA CASABLANCA. Today we visit the Hassan II Mosque – bearer of the world’s largest minaret (210 metres), with a frickin’ laser beam on top. After lunch, head to the UNESCO
World Heritage capital of Rabat and paint the town red blue in Kasbah des Oudaias. (B)
DAY 4 RABAT TO FES VIA VOLUBILIS AND MEKNES. Live la dolce vita in Volubilis, or at least get a good idea of what it was like during Roman times at these well-preserved ruins. Think: historic public buildings dating back a whopping 2,000 years ago. Then, walk through Meknes and go into pattern overdrive in Fes. (B)
DAY 5 FES. Mausoleums, Mosques and (funky cold) medinas are in order today on a full-day whip around the city with a local guide. Lose yourself in the 9000 narrow cobbled streets – and world’s largest car-free urban area – in Fes el-Bali, lined with spices, food stalls and tanneries. Or hunt down a hammam for a (body) shine and polish. (B,L)
DAY 6 FES TO ERRACHIDIA VIA IFRANE AND MIDELT. She’ll be comin’ over the (Atlas) mountains when she comes today. Adjust to the altitude in Alpine-fresh Ifrane, then carve back through cedar forests to Midelt for lunch and head south to Errachidia. (B)
DAY 7 ERRACHIDIA TO MERZOUGA DESERT CAMP. Merzouga looks as if it might be engulfed by the red dunes of the Sahara Desert at any moment. Pull up a pool lounge and savour the view before setting off on camel (optional) to get Berber fever in a desert camp. Climb the dunes and feel your hair stand on end as the sky burns away the last sunlight of the day and melts into a blanket of diamonds. Epic doesn’t even cut it. (B,L,D)
DAY 8 MERZOUGA TO DADES GORGE VIA TODRA GORGE. Step into your own Roadrunner cartoon today in the rock climber's nirvana of Todra Gorge. With a 3D landscape of imposing orange sandstone peaks, streams and the odd camel playing outside your window today, the trip to Dades Gorge will seem quicker than a coyote. (B,D)
DAY 9 DADES GORGE TO MARRAKECH VIA AIT BEN HADDOU. Step onto the set of Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy...to name but a few. Aït Ben-Haddou is UNESCO World Heritage and ‘Desert Hollywood’ beauty combined on an old caravan route between Sudan and Marrakech. The fortified city’s imposing walls have got nothing on the switchbacks of Tizi n’Tichka Pass, though. (B)
DAY 10 MARRAKECH. Don’t cry into your couscous. The trip might be over after breakfast but your adventure doesn’t have to be. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Guided tours of Marrakech, Rabat & Fes
+ Rock the Kasbah in Rabat
+ Get lost in the Medina of Fes
+ Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis
+ Overnight in the Sahara Desert in Berber tents
+ Entrance fees to all sights in the itinerary
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 9 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 2 dinners (D)
+ 8 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night in a desert camp
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
10 DAY | SAHARA ADVENTURE
DAY 1 MARRAKECH. Get your first taste of Morocco’s delicate dance of old and new world in the 18-plus souks that fill the city streets and prepare to bend it like the Berbers. Just make sure you arrive in time for tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 MARRAKECH. Kick start your day with a guided city tour and see the Saadian tombs and Bahia Palace before ending in Djemaa El-fna – a town square that houses snake charmers, Barbary apes, singers, dancers, drummers and even a dentist. It's like Mardi Gras every day. (B)
DAY 3 MARRAKECH TO TAMNOUGALT VIA AIT
BEN HADDOU. The High Atlas Mountains separate you and the Sahara like Tom Selleck’s moustache separates his mouth from his face. Prepare for some of the most epic scenery to be burned into your
retinas as we cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Alpineesque fields of grazing sheep clash with unforgiving rocky terrain, mud-brick houses and some of the most nerve-shredding hairpin bends - plus a visit to World Heritage listed Ksar in Ait Ben Haddou - phew. Tonight, sleep it off in a Kasbah. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 TAMNOUGALT TO SAHARA DESERT. Leaving snowcapped mountains to go boarding on a sand dune sounds impossible, but it’s happening. Blast across sand flats, wind between (and bulldoze over) desert dunes and rattle your bones over the dry Draa River to reach our camp on the edge of the Erg Chigaga dunes. Board ‘til sand fills every orifice, and then feast on tagine around the fire. This is glamping, desert style. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 SAHARA TO TAMALAKOUTE. Lake Iriki is the bane of desert survival, unless you’re a Berber or
Bear Grylls. Its mirages can fool you into thinking this is the coast and it’s time for a cocktail. Either that, or it’s 2007 and you’re competing in the last Paris-Dakar Rally. Shack up for the night in a small village as a local Berber family welcome you into their home. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 TAMALAKOUTE TO TAROUDANT. As far as road trips go, crossing the otherworldly volcanic landscape of the Jebel Siroua Mountains by 4x4 bats well above average. Expect endless twists through rock-strewn desert vistas, climbing to an elevation of 2500m with a window-slideshow of deep valleys, barley and saffron fields. Keep watch for blinkand-you’ll-miss-it villages where the Ait Ouaouzguit Berbers herd donkeys and cut weave a rug like no other. (B,L,D)
DAY 7 TAROUDANT TO ESSAOUIRA VIA AGADIR. In the Argan Forest there are goats that live in trees. How awesome is that?! Spend some time staring at them, then we’re off to the beach! (B,L)
DAY 8 ESSAOUIRA. Your day, your way. Take the opportunity to hop on, and more importantly hang on, as you windsurf across the waves faster than a seagull after a dropped falafel. Or hit the beach between market shopping, we won’t judge. Pro tip: dine at the open-air fish stands for some essence of Essaouira tonight. Mmmm. (B)
DAY 9 ESSAOUIRA TO MARRAKECH. Wash the last of that desert sand off before we head back to the Red City and a chance to meander the medina in Marrakech. ‘Our last night in Morocco’ sounds like a cheesy romance novel, but it’s true. (B)
DAY 10 MARRAKECH. Write your own ending by spending a few more days (or weeks) in this sensory overload of a land. We’re outta here after breakfast. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Stay with local Berber family in Tamalakoute
+ Guided tour of Marrakech
+ Rock the Kasbah in Tamnougalt
+ Off-road & overnight in the Sahara Desert
+ Hit the beach at Essaouira
+ Entrance fees to all sights in the itinerary
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 9 breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L), 4 dinners (D)
+ 6 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night in a kasbah, 1 night in a desert camp, 1 night in a Berber house
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in 4WD vehicle
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
TRIP PRICE OF $1850
TRIP PRICE OF $1895
17 DAY | MOROCCO UNPLUGGED
DAY 1 MARRAKECH. Marrakech will sucker punch you with its sensory overload of colours, scents, sights and sounds. Grab a mint tea and find your groove in the chaotic rhythm of life before meeting your Moroccan Explorer group at tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 MARRAKECH. Stroll through the Marrakech medina before experiencing mosaic madness at the Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace on a guided tour. Then, plan your attack on Djemaa el-fna Square –once a trading post for slaves, ivory and gold; now home to anything you could need from snail soup to a dentist check-up. (B)
DAY 3 MARRAKECH TO RABAT VIA CASABLANCA. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship –you + Casablanca, immortally romanticised by the Humphrey Bogart film. Six thousand artisans worked
for five years to create the intricate mosaics of Hassan II Mosque. Take the tour then continue to Rabat to lose yourself in the Santorini-esque Kasbah des Oudaias. (B)
DAY 4 RABAT TO FES VIA VOLUBILIS AND MEKNES. Remember the Romans on a visit to Volubilis – less Gladiator battle ground, more 3rd Century township of pristine mosaic floors and regal columns, sitting pretty within a rolling green landscape. Pit stop in Meknes before we hit Fes, aka Morocco’s cultural capital. (B)
DAY 5 FES. A labyrinth of souks and monuments in the most intact medieval city in the Arab world, Fes has been virtually unchanged since the ninth century. Riad between the lines on a full-day guided tour before a chance to shed your dignity and a few layers of dead skin in a hammam. (B,L)
DAY 6 FES TO ERRACHIDIA VIA IFRANE AND MIDELT. Rolling green mountains, alpine ski slopes… picturing Morocco? Nope? Welcome to Ifrane, aka the Switzerland of Morocco. Then, fill your memory bank with vistas of the Middle Atlas mountains and cedar forests in Midelt over lunch on our way to Errachidia. (B)
DAY 7 ERRACHIDIA TO MERZOUGA DESERT CAMP. There’s camping, and then there’s camping in the Sahara desert with one of the world’s most ancient tribes: the Berbers. Expect camel rides (optional), campfire tagines and more stars than Chris Martin can croon about in 4:35 mins. (B,L,D)
DAY 8 MERZOUGA TO DADES GORGE VIA TODRA GORGE. Farewell your nomadic desert kin and travel the road of a thousand kasbahs towards Dades Gorge. Witness the hypercolour sandstone canyon walls of Todra Gorge, aka rock climber paradise. (B,D)
DAY 9 DADES GORGE TO AIT BEN HADDOU. Game of Thrones fans, rejoice. Today you’ll step onto the real-life film set of Ait Ben Haddou (aka the fortified slave city Daenerys Targaryen besieged) after rolling through ‘Ouallywood’ in Ouarzazate where films like Babel, The Mummy and Gladiator were shot. (B,L,D)
DAY 10 AIT BEN HADDOU TO TAMNOUGALT. Use this morning to take stock of what you’ve seen so far (and back up that memory card). Or set the alarm and climb to the high point of the ksar to see the sunrise. The Sahara Adventure starts this afternoon. Tonight, sleep it off in a kasbah. (B,L,D)
DAY 11 TAMNOUGALT TO SAHARA DESERT CAMP. Stock up on water and board your four-wheeled camel (aka 4x4) – we’re going deep into the desert to sandboard the Chigaga Dune then glamp like the Berbers. You’ve never seen a sunset like this before. #lifechanger (B,L,D)
DAY 12 SAHARA DESERT TO TAMALAKOUTE. Lose all semblance of where earth ends and sky begins as we burn across the shimmering white rock bed of Lake Iriki like a Paris-Dakar Rally driver, blinking away mirages while wanting the drive to never end. Tonight, emulate the want-for-nothing attitude of traditional Berber life with an overnight stay in a family home. (B,L,D)
DAY 13 TAMALAKOUTE TO TAROUDANT. From dry white lakes to a topographer’s field day, tackle the imposing volcanic landscape of the Jebel Siroua Mountains by 4x4 and gain a new appreciation for the Berbers and their donkeys who have been travelling these roads without air con for thousands of years. (B,L,D)
DAY 14 TAROUDANT TO ESSAOUIRA VIA AGADIR. Dana Lyons sang about cows with guns, but today you’ll see goats in trees. Seriously. Google it (then laugh ‘til you cry). Destroyed by an earthquake in the ‘60s, Agadir is modern Morocco on the beach. Check it out then blow into the Windy City of Africa. (B,L)
DAY 15 ESSAOUIRA. Once a haven for the likes of Cat Stevens and Jimi Hendrix, this fishing village retains its traditional charm (and eau de Essaouira) and laid-back vibe while still sating adrenaline junkies with windsurfing, kitesurfing and horse riding. (B)
DAY 16 ESSAOUIRA TO MARRAKECH. Arriving back in Marrakech, the afternoon is yours. Why not top off the day with a sweet ‘Whisky Marocain’ (mint tea) and a peek at the cacti of Majorelle Garden (where Yves Saint-Laurent’s ashes are scattered). (B)
DAY 17 MARRAKECH. Cue teary goodbyes after breakfast, then it’s over to you. Time to tuck into one more tagine and contemplate your next move. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Guided tours of Marrakech, Rabat & Fes
+ Rock the Kasbahs in Rabat & Tamnougalt
+ Stay with local Berber family in Tamalakoute
+ Get lost in the Medina of Fes
+ Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis
+ Off-road & overnight in the Sahara Desert in a Berber camp
+ Hit the beach at Essaouira
+ Entrance fees to all sights in the itinerary
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 16 breakfasts (B), 8 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D)
+ 11 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night in a riad, 1 night in a kasbah, 2 nights in a desert camp, 1 night in a Berber house
+ Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus & 4WD vehicle
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leaders
Jordan
8 DAY | JORDAN ADVENTURE
DAY 1 AMMAN. Amman is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, so you’re a little late… but welcome! Head to a shawarma stand or grab a plate of mansaf because the food here is off the hookah. Just be back in time for tonight’s welcome meeting.
DAY 2 AMMAN TO PETRA. Go old school in Madaba, the site of an ancient Holy map that’s so detailed it’s like Google Maps for theologists. Then, soak up views of the Promised Land from the top of Mt Nebo, storm a giant Crusader castle in Karak... and we haven’t even gotten to the Lost City yet. (B)
DAY 3 PETRA. Chiseled from sheer cliffs of rose-red stone and named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Petra’s existence seems impossible. Grab your satchel and don’t forget your hat, Indiana Jones has nothing on you today as you wander through the Siq and catch your first glimpse of the Treasury. (B)
DAY 4 PETRA TO WADI RUM VIA LITTLE PETRA. Like Mini Me to Doctor Evil, Little Petra will feel a little familiar this morning – that façade!
After an off-road desert drive through Wadi Rum - aka alien landscape in The Martian and Transformersspend the night in a Bedouin camp and feast on a traditional earth-oven dinner with one of the world’s most ancient nomadic tribes. Also realise you’ve never really seen stars before. (B,D)
DAY 5 WADI RUM TO AQABA. Aqaba is Jordan’s only coastal city so take the option to dive, windsurf and snorkel the Red Sea. Or just hit the hammam and gorge yourself on knafeh in a coffee shop, we won’t judge. (B)
DAY 6 AQABA TO AMMAN. At 427 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is so salty you can float like a cork in a badly opened bottle of wine. Time to enjoy one of the world’s oldest health resorts. Then it’s back to Amman to see the likes of the Citadel and Roman ampitheatre on a city tour. #sorrynotsorry (B)
DAY 7 AMMAN VIA DAY TRIP TO JERASH AND AJLOUN. Today we crank the history knob up to 11 and take you through Amman and Jerash – home to Greco-Roman highlights, including a hippodrome
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Discover the 'Lost City of Petra'
+ Float in the Dead Sea - lowest point on earth
+ Guided tours of Amman & ancient Jerash
+ Wadi Rum 4x4 Excursion & Desert Camp
+ Relax on the Red Sea in Aqaba
+ Entrance fees to all sights in the itinerary
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 7 breakfasts (B), 1 dinner (D)
+ 6 nights twin share in 3* hotels, 1 night twin share in a Bedouin desert camp
+ Arrival & departure airport transfers
+ Transport in an air-conditioned minibus or coach
+ Awesome English-speaking Trip Leader
which was used for chariot racing, not hippos. Then visit Ajloun Castle aka the Jordanian telco of the 1200s – once an important pigeon post to help get messages from Damascus to Cairo in a single day. (B)
DAY 8 AMMAN. Fill up on fuul; the trip’s over after breakfast. Where to next? (B)
This is a part of the 10 day Jordan & Israel trip. See p.18 or visit our website.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Traditional dinner in a Turkish family home
+ Exploring the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia
+ Snorkeling off the Turkish coast
UNIQUE DESTINATIONS:
+ Pamaukkale
+ Fethiye
+ Gallipoli
+ St. Nicholas Island
6 DAY | ROAD TO TROY
2
DAY 1 FETHIYE. Let’s kick things off with the turquoise waters of the gorgeous Turkish Med in the town of Fethiye shall we?
DAY 2 FETHIYE TO KUSADASI VIA PAMUKKALE. We’re on the road today. Get set for surreal Pamukkale and the natural hot baths that sit on white terraced rock. Trust us when we say #FOMO killer. The ancient ruined city of Hierapolis could just make this day the best ever. (B,D)
DAY 3 KUSADASI. Today is the day. Get ready to plant a massive tick in the box of hundreds of Buzzfeed quizzes. We’re on to Ephesus; home of the Temple of Artemis and one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Can we hear an #epic? (B)
DAY 4 KUSADASI TO CANAKKALE. On to Troy. Think wooden horses, hidden soldiers and that movie with Brad Pitt. But first, a visit to the ruins of Acropolis in Bergama. (B)
DAY 5 CANAKKALE TO ISTANBUL. On to the WW1 battlefields of Gallipoli for a guided tour of the most significant memorial site in Australia and New Zealand’s history. Pay your respects at the Australian memorial at Lone Pine, the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair, ANZAC Cove and the Turkish Memorial. Lest we forget. (B,D)
DAY 6 ISTANBUL. Today might mark the end of the trip, but there’s always time for a last kebab. Or baklava. Your call. (B)
This is a part of the 12 Day Turkey Expored. See p.53 or visit our website.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bathe in the thermal pools of Pamukkale
+ Entry to the ancient Greek city of Ephesus & Pergamon Acropolis
+ ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli
+ Farewell dinner in Istanbul
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 5 breakfasts (B), 2 dinners (D)
+ 5 nights hotel accommodation (twin or double)
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned coach
+ Sightseeing tours of all major cities
+ Experienced English-speaking guide
E X. FETHIYE START WELCOME MEETING AT 9:30AM.
7 DAY | SULTAN'S TRAIL
DAY 1 ISTANBUL, TURKEY. The only city in the world straddling two continents. This fact alone = start of an epic trip. (D)
DAY 2 ISTANBUL TO ANKARA. We’ll tour the Istanbul greats this morning. Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Underground Cistern, and the Hippodrome makes for a perfect start (entry optional). Then it’s off to the capital. And its 4 million strong population. #busy. (B)
DAY 3 ANKARA TO CAPPADOCIA. Make like a culture vulture this morning with a trip to Anıtkabir and the mausoleum of the founder and first president of Turkey (entry optional). Then a real chance to #livelikealocal as we join a Turkish family for dinner. (B,D)
DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA. We’ll spend the day exploring the fairy-chimneys of Devrent Valley. Hint: take time to stop for a glass of tea Cappadocian-style. (B)
DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA TO KONYA. A chance to visit what may have been a prototype panic room as we explore the underground cities where early Christians hid to avoid persecution from the Romans (optional). En route to Konya we’ll stop at Sultan Hani—a truckstop-for-camels on the old Silk Road. #thisishistory. (B)
DAY 6 KONYA TO FETHIYE. Grab a Konya Kebap before we head today—slow-roasted mutton the local way = all kinds of amazing. Then Fethiye for another 50 shades of blue. And beaches this white. Relax and enjoy. (B,D)
DAY 7 FETHIYE. The trip may end today but life’s a beach. You might want to stick around. (B)
This is a part of the 12 Day Turkey Expored. See p.53 or visit our website.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Welcome dinner in Istanbul
+ Traditional dinner in a Turkish family home
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 6 breakfasts (B), 3 dinners (D)
+ 6 nights hotel accommodation (twin or double)
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned coach
+ Sightseeing tours of all major cities
+ Experienced English-speaking guide
9
DAY 1 FETHIYE TO TARZAN BAY. Soak up the rays of the Mediterranean on the way to our first anchorage in Tarzan Bay. Pit stop for a swim and snorkel to get acquainted with the big blue. (D)
DAY 2 TARZAN BAY TO ST NICHOLAS ISLAND. Next up: the Blue Lagoon. It’s officially the most photographed beach in Europe. Instagram your heart out or paraglide it for an epic view. Then Kayakoy town for a casual stroll before a deckside feast. Tonight: catch the sunset from the top of the island’s ruins with a bottle of wine. (B,L,D)
DAY 3 ST NICHOLAS ISLAND TO KAS. First stop: Aquarium Bay (expectations set). Then on to Kas to check out the local markets before our onboard dinner extravaganza. Thrill seekers, talk to us about a scuba dive. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 KAS TO APERLAI BAY. Bring on next level relaxation. Today we crank on some island hopping tunes and check out the waters around Limangazi and Ucagiiz, before an evening chill session at Aperlai Bay. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 APERLAI BAY TO GOKKAYA BAY. We were going to wander the streets of Kekova, but turns out it’s been underwater for a few centuries. All good— new plan. Float past that deal and keep your eyes out for turtles. Next up, Simena to sink your teeth into some castle vibes before a full on pirate party at the Smugglers Inn. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 GOKKAYA BAY TO FIRNAZ BAY. Set sail to old fishing village Kalkan. Cue epic beaches and an Old Town decked out in white and pink. Pro tip: hunt down a scoop of dondurma before we hit Firnaz Bay for the night. (B,L,D)
DAY 7 FIRNAZ BAY TO FETHIYE. Take a dip where Cleopatra used to bathe before a lunch slash swim stop at Tersane Bay. Grab one last selfie with windswept hair on the voyage back to Fethiye. Tonight = teary goodbyes between trips to the bar. (B,L,D)
DAY 8 FETHIYE. Savour breakfast and pack your bags, your days at sea are over. For now. (B)
ON THE BUCKET
LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Local captain & crew
+ 7 breakfasts (B), 6 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D)
+ 7 nights twin/double/triple-share cabin accommodation on motor cruising boats
+ Afternoon tea (coffee, tea & snacks)
+ Snorkelling equipment, board games & cards
+ Harbour/marina fees
+ Sound system & iPod dock
Please note this itinerary is subject to change due to weather and mooring conditions.
E X. FETHIYE START WELCOME MEETING AT 3:00PM. FINISH DEPART FETHIYE AT ANY TIME ON FINAL DAY.
12 DAY | TURKEY EXPLORED
DAY 1 ISTANBUL, TURKEY. You could cross two continents in half an hour, but that’s before dinner. Start off with a baklava, this is going to be epic. (D)
DAY 2 ISTANBUL TO ANKARA. This morning should be called the great Istanbul bucket list: the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome (entry optional). Then: time to see a man about a kebab. (B)
DAY 3 ANKARA TO CAPPADOCIA. On to Anıtkabir to check out the mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk—the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey (entry optional). Next stop: off the beaten track in Cappadocia for a traditional dinner in a local family home. (B,D)
DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA. A full day exploring the fairy chimneys of Devrent Valley. (B)
DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA TO KONYA. Go Indiana Jones in the underground cities where the early Christians hid to avoid persecution from the Romans (optional). Then a stop at the ancient trade stop of the Sultanhani Caravanserai before we touch down in the spiritual centre of Turkey. (B)
DAY 6 KONYA TO FETHIYE. Locals call this place a paradise granted to earth by God. When you see the beaches, you’ll know why. Hot tip: keep your camera charged for Saklikent Gorge, Turkey’s longest and deepest canyon. (B,D)
DAY 7 FETHIYE. Like most rivieras, this place doesn’t lack options to worship the sun. Cruise around the islands or check out Oludinez beach. This is the good life. (B)
DAY 8 FETHIYE TO KUSADASI VIA PAMUKKALE. On to the cotton castles of Pamukkale for a dip in the best natural hot tubs in Turkey. Then a tour of the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis before we roll into Kusadasi in the early evening. (B,D)
DAY 9 KUSADASI. Bring out more of your inner Indiana Jones today as we check out the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. Built around the 10th century BC, the stunningly-preserved front façade of
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Traditional dinner in a Turkish family home
+ Bathe in the thermal pools of Pamukkale
+ Entry to the ancient Greek city of Ephesus & Pergamon Acropolis
+ ANZAC cove in Gallipoli
+ Welcome & farewell dinner in Istanbul
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 11 breakfasts (B), 5 dinners (D)
+ 11 nights hotel accommodation (twin or double)
+ Smaller group size
+ Air-conditioned vehicle
+ Sightseeing tours of all major cities
+ Experienced English-speaking guide
the Library of Celsus takes centre stage – as can you in the old amphitheatre. (B)
DAY 10 KUSADASI TO CANAKKALE. Keep your eyes out for Brad Pitt today as we hustle our way into Troy. Before that: Bergama and the epic ruins of Acropolis. (B)
DAY 11 CANAKKALE TO ISTANBUL. On to the WW1 battlefields of Gallipoli for a guided tour of one of the most significant memorial sites in Australia and New Zealand’s history. Pay your respects at the Australian Memorial at Lone Pine, the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair, ANZAC Cove and the Turkish Memorial. Lest we forget. (B,D)
DAY 12 ISTANBUL. You can never have enough baklava. Eat yourself into a food coma this morning, we’re out of here after breakfast. (B)
$1525
OF $1685
PRICE OF $1850
LANDING IN ABU DHABI?
Dubai is just around the corner. Talk to us for transfer information.
DUBAI Stopover
TAKE IT TO THE TOP
If you’re looking for mundane, look elsewhere. Glittery, oil-fuelled and larger than life, Dubai is a living testament to the fact that money can buy almost anything. Futuristic skyscrapers meet traditional markets and shopping destinations tailor-made for a short stint of retail therapy.
Need a place to park your Lamborghini? No problem. Coming by camel? You’re sorted. Want ATMs spitting out 24-karat gold (why wouldn’t you?) This is the place. Get on top of the 163-story Burj Khalifa, for the world’s highest city views, cross endless sand dunes on a desert safari then kick back in man-made luxury at Palm Island. You’re just getting started.
Note: Although we’ve given our Topdeck stamp of approval, these packages are unguided (leaving you more time to channel your inner explorer). We’ve bundled the best experiences from our trusted local suppliers, just for you – meaning your package could differ from that of your fellow passengers. Included activities are not restricted to 18-39s.
3 DAY | DUBAI
INCLUSIONS
+ 2 nights in a 3 hotel
+ 2 breakfasts + 1 BBQ dinner in the desert
+ 4x4 desert safari
+ Meet & greet service + return airport transfers.
LOW SEASON - 01 MAY TO 15 SEP
Twin/Double from * SinGle from $340 $550
HIGH SEASON - 16 SEP TO 30 APR
4 DAY | DUBAI
INCLUSIONS
+ 3 nights in a 3 hotel
+ 3 breakfasts + 1 BBQ dinner in the desert
+ 4x4 desert safari & Dubai city tour
+ Meet & greet service + return airport transfers.
LOW SEASON - 01 MAY TO 15 SEP Twin/Double from* SinGle from $465 $745
HIGH SEASON - 16 SEP TO 30 APR
from* SinGle from $515 $810
Ourika Valley DAY TRIP Alexandria
ALEXANDER NEVER OVERSLEPT AND NEITHER WILL YOU TODAY AS WE SEIZE THE DIEM and make for the great man's favourite of his 20 self-titled cities. Think of today as an archaeological roller coaster, as we take in nearly two and a half thousand years of history, including Roman catacombs, Arab forts and a pretty special pillar.
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Roman catacombs
+ Pompey’s Pillar
+ Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ Restaurant lunch
+ Entrance fees to all Bucket List inclusions
+ Return transport from Cairo
+ English-speaking Trip Leader
NOTE: TRIP
APPROXIMATE COSTS (USD)
1 person: $160
2 people: $125 per person
3 people: $100 per person
4 people: $90 per person
5+ people: $80 per person
HALF DAY TRIP
EUREKA! WE’RE OFF TO OURIKA! OURIKA VALLEY, THAT IS. Traversing this lush, fertile area calls for your comfiest walking shoes and explorer’s attitude. Our first stop? The village of Ourika, where we’ll rub shoulders with local Berber people going about their typical day. Forget skyscrapers and Snapchat – we’ll be surrounded by rocky foothills and verdant green terraces while observing the traditional way of life.
From here, we’ll make tracks to the breathtaking waterfall of Setti Fadma, which cascades some 60-metres from the hulking mountains to the river below. Marvel at the sheer beauty of the falls before we head back through the villages, catching a glimpse of the locals hard at work in the sprawling fields. Office envy, anyone?
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Berber village of Ourika
+ Setti Fadma waterfall
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ Return transport from Marrakech
+ English-speaking Trip Leader
APPROXIMATE COSTS (USD)*
1 person: $110
2 people: $75 per person
3 people: $70 per person
4 people: $60 per person
5+ people: $45 per person
*LOCAL PRICE CALCULATED IN MOROCCAN DIRHAM.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
It is our intention to set out clearly and simply the responsibilities which we at Top Deck Tours Pty Ltd, ABN 30 107 934 (“Topdeck, us or we”) have to You and any member of your party (“You”) and which You, in turn, have to us when a contract is made between us. You should therefore read and understand the contents.
With the exception of the Mega European Trip featured in this brochure which is operated by Top Deck Tours Pty Ltd, all other trips featured in this brochure are sold by Topdeck as agent for the following local operators: (Egypt - Top Deck Egypt, Cairo) (Morocco - Mountain Safari Tours, Marrakech) (Jordan and IsraelAl-Thuraya Travel and Tours, Amman) (Turkey Explored - New Faces Travel and Tourism, Istanbul) (Gulet Cruise - Alaturka Yachting and Travel, Fethiye). Your contract for tour services will be with the relevant operator specified above and will also be subject to that operator’s terms and conditions (in addition to the booking conditions set out below). The operator will be identified on your itinerary or travel documents and their terms and conditions will be available directly on their websites or by contacting them. Should we book a flight on your behalf it will be subject to the conditions of the respective airline, including but not limited to deposit/full payment and cancellation conditions.
All Topdeck trips are sold subject to the following conditions (“these Conditions”).
1. (a) Please note that our trips are designed for young people between the ages of 18 to 39 years. We may in special circumstances approve persons outside this range. If You are 17 years of age and wish to book on one of our trips, please contact us before making a booking as we will require the written consent of your parent or guardian. We reserve the sole right to decline a booking request from You should we think our trips are not suited to You.
(b) A contract between You and us will exist as soon as we issue an invoice in response to your request for a booking and the deposit has been paid to your travel agent or us.
BOOKING YOUR TRIP
2. Bookings can be made either through your local travel agent or with us direct and must be secured with a deposit of $200 person paid at the time of booking. This deposit is non-refundable unless we cancel your trip. If You are making a booking within 42 days of departure, then full payment is required PROVIDED
HOWEVER that if the trip comprises a special offer we may require full payment including any pre and post accommodation and sundry service charges to be paid at the time specified in the offer. Your booking is taken to be confirmed, and accepted when we issue an invoice. If your booking is made through a travel agent, we will address all correspondence to that travel agent. All monies paid by You to the travel agent will be held by them on behalf of Topdeck. If You arrange your trip direct with us, all correspondence and communications will be sent to your address in our booking file unless You specify otherwise. Balance of all payments is required at least 42 days prior to your trip departure date. If You do not pay within this period we may deem your booking cancelled and your deposit forfeited.
3. Alterations or cancellations by You after your booking has been accepted will be effected subject to the provisions of clauses 5, 6 and 7 of these Conditions.
4. Prices quoted in our brochures are calculated on costs and exchange rates at 01 December 2015. These prices may increase or decrease and we reserve the sole right to alter prices and other particulars contained in our brochures and on our website. Price changes in trips featured in subsequent brochure versions will supersede the prices in this brochure. (The version date is indicated on the back cover of this brochure). Before You make a booking we will provide You with details of the current price of your chosen trip. This will also be displayed on the website. Once You have accepted this price and your booking has been confirmed in accordance with clause 2 that price will remain fixed and will not be subject to surcharges.
5. You must clearly state all your requirements at the time of booking. Please note that any dietary requirements will be a request only. We cannot guarantee special dietary requirements nor will we assume any responsibility or liability if your special requirements cannot be fulfilled. If You want to change any aspect of your booking including but not limited to a change to a trip of shorter duration or different departure date You must notify us as soon as possible in writing. We will do our best to accommodate your requested changes but You will be required to pay an amendment fee of $60 per person per change. If a request is made less than 42 days before departure, normal cancellation fees will apply in accordance with clause 7 unless the transfer or change is to an earlier departure of the same trip. In the event of a request for a change to be made a new invoice will be issued by Topdeck and cancellation charges/amendment fees will be shown. All amendment fees are payable within 7 days of the issue of a new invoice or on the date of departure, whichever is the sooner.
6. If You are prevented from traveling as a result of illness, the death of an immediate family member, jury service, or other reason beyond your control which we consider significant, we will agree to your booking being transferred to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the trip, subject to You and the other person accepting liability for full payment of the trip cost and any additional costs arising from the transfer PROVIDED THAT we must be given at least 21 days written notice of the proposed change.
CANCELLATION BY YOU
7. Cancellation of a booking by You must be made in writing. We will not regard a booking as cancelled unless and until written notice is received by us. On cancellation the following charges will apply:
Days before Departure % of trip cost forfeited Pre/post accomm Over 42 days Deposit Nil 42-29 days 40% 40%
days 60% 60% 13-7 days 80% 100% 6-3 days 90% 100%
ROLLING DEPOSIT VOUCHER
Any cancellation within 6 weeks which incurs more than deposit charge is not applicable to this offer. The Rolling Deposit Voucher (RDV) may only be used as a deposit on one future Topdeck trip 4 days of length or more. Only one Rolling Deposit may be applied per trip. The RDV has no expiry date, but the passenger must be aged between 18 to 39 years to travel as per the travel conditions of Topdeck Travel.
The RDV will equate to the initial deposit amount paid. If redeeming against a trip with a lower deposit amount, the remainder of the voucher will be forfeited. If redeeming against a trip with a higher deposit amount the balance will be payable at time of booking. The RDV has no cash value and cannot be transferred to another customer.
The RDV can only be combined with 1 other discount, either a standard Early Bird deal or standard brochure discount as long as applicable at time of booking. Rolling deposit vouchers cannot be requested or redeemed against African Safari trips.
FLIGHTS
Cancellation charges for the flight segment of any flight included as part of your Topdeck Trip featured in this brochure:
Up to 42 days before trip departure: Included in trip deposit loss Less than 42 days: $60 plus any airline charges, which could be up to the full value of the ticket.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Should we book any flights on your behalf they will be subject to the conditions of the respective airline - this includes but is not limited to deposit/full payment and amendment/cancellation conditions. Topdeck will charge a $60 per person administration fee for any amendments, cancellations or reissue of tickets in addition to any airline fees.
CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION BY US
8. Every effort will be made to operate all trips as advertised but it must be
remembered that our trips are planned up to eighteen months in advance. We therefore reserve the sole right, at our discretion, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation or arrangement at any time. We will notify You as soon as possible of any changes and they will form part of our contract with You. In the case of any material modification or cancellation, we will, if possible, provide You with three alternatives:
(1) a trip of an equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if available;
(2) a trip of a lower standard together with a refund of the difference in price; or
(3) cancellation with a full refund of all monies paid.
9. A material modification is one which has a serious effect on your trip and includes a change of departure date, departure point or airport, or change of departure time of more than twelve hours, which would cause substantial inconvenience to You. We do not consider a change of accommodation, or transport style a material change. For Egypt trips, due to train ticket unavailability, we are often required to use our own vehicles for overnight journeys.
10. We will endeavour not to materially modify or cancel the trip within 42 days of the date of the scheduled departure unless compelled to do so because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control. If a material modification or cancellation is made by us within six weeks of the scheduled departure date for reasons other than Force Majeure in accordance with clause 21 You will receive compensation as stated in the scale below.
Period before scheduled departure date that we notify You or your travel agent together with the compensation offered.
Over 42 days nil
42-29 days $50
28-14 days $75
13-7 days $100
6-0 days $200
11. Topdeck may require a minimum number of participants for certain trips and in the event that there are insufficient bookings recorded by not later than 42 days before the scheduled departure date we will be entitled to cancel the scheduled trip, whereupon all monies paid by You for your Topdeck trip shall be refunded but no further compensation will be paid and You and Topdeck hereby agree to mutually release each other from any further obligations which would have been enforceable had the trip not been cancelled.
12. We may alter or substitute the type or size of vehicle, or style of transport mentioned in the brochure, depending on the number of passengers carried, which can vary from trip to trip. Normally the group size is 8-15 passengers.
OUR LIABILITY TO YOU
13. Save where the provisions of Force Majeure apply, in the event that the trip does not reasonably comply with the description in the brochure, Topdeck may compensate You to a maximum value equal to twice the price of the trip but excluding insurance premiums and amendment fees AND Topdeck will only be liable to pay the maximum amount of compensation where there has been a total failure of consideration for your payment. Topdeck will not be liable where any failure in the performance or provision of Your trip is due to: (a) Your acts or omissions or the acts or omissions of another member in Your group (b) any third party (c) unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised or (d) an event which we or a travel service provider, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall (including but not limited to Force Majeure and unavoidable technical problems with transport and similar events).
14. If You are killed, injured or become ill during or as a result of, carriage by ship, train or coach forming part of the trip in circumstances where such death, injury or illness is not caused by or contributed to by You our liability to pay damages and/ or the amount of compensation we will be liable to pay is limited in accordance with the liability of a carrier under any international Convention applicable to such events, including, but not limited to:
• In respect of carriage by sea, the Athens Convention;
• In respect of the provision of accommodation, the Paris Convention;
• In respect of carriage by rail, the Berne Convention; and,
• In respect of carriage by road, the Geneva Convention.
15. The terms of these Conventions are incorporated into and form part of our contract with You. You should know that the carrier will rely upon its ‘conditions of carriage’ which may limit or remove the carrier’s liability to You and limit compensation under any international Conventions. Our liability will also, in all cases, be limited in accordance with relevant carrier conditions of carriage. Our obligation to You is to (and You expressly authorise us to) make trip bookings on Your behalf with reasonable skill and care and to arrange a contract between You and the relevant operator. We exercise care in the selection of reputable operators but we have no control over, or liability for, the services provided by third parties. All bookings are made on Your behalf subject to the terms and conditions, including conditions of carriage and limitations of liability, imposed by the relevant operator. Your legal rights in connection with such trips are against the specific operator and are not against us, except to the extent a problem is caused by fault on our part.
16. In the event that Topdeck (or its insurers) make any payment to You for death, personal injury or illness, You must give us or our insurers all and any rights You may have to take action against the party responsible for causing the death, personal injury or illness and You must co-operate fully with us in seeking recovery of any payment we may make from such party.
17. Your booking is accepted on the condition that You understand, and take responsibility for, the risks inherent in adventure travel. Every effort will be made to operate all trips featured in this brochure but because of the number of countries visited on trips there may be a necessity to vary the itinerary from that stated in the brochure, and delays may occur for a variety of reasons beyond our control. The need for a flexible attitude to this type of travel is stressed in our publication. The final decision on the itinerary and the content of the trip will be taken by the Trip Leader, as appointed by us in the interest of the group as a whole. Please note that due to Public holidays some sights or activities may not be available on a particular trip.
18. No refund will be made for services made available by Topdeck but which for whatever reason are not used by You once the trip has departed.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
19. Topdeck and/or its associated staff partners and suppliers makes no warranties or representations in relation to implied or explicit suggestion and/or recommendation for services, activities and events not highlighted as included in the related trip(s). Information not explicitly noted as included is provided 'as is' and intended to be general in nature so may not be suitable for your particular needs. It is essential that you ensure that any/all risk associated with getting to/ from, the participation in or visitation of any area, activity, event or venue is in-line with your expectations and suitably covered under your travel insurance 20. During Your trip You will be offered the chance to purchase various optional excursions and activities. Topdeck does not own, operate or control any of the companies or individuals which provide the optional activities or excursions. Some of the optional activities and excursions, such as canyoning are inherently risky. If You want to take part in such optional activities or excursions You must be fit enough to do so and must follow all reasonable instructions. The standards of health and safety which will be adopted by the company or the individual providing the optional activity or excursion will be those of the country where the optional activity or excursion takes place. Please note that these standards may not be the same as You would find in Your home country. If You wish to book any optional excursion or activity, You may do so subject to the operator’s terms and conditions. Your contract will be with the operator of the activity or excursion and will be governed by local law. Topdeck acts only as their agent. Topdeck’s Trip Leader will have further details and additional information can be found on our website. Topdeck accepts no liability for any act or omission of any operator or operator’s employees, agents or sub-contractors.
EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY – FORCE MAJEURE
21. We do not accept liability for any loss, damage or expense resulting from war or terrorist activities threatened or actual, civil unrest, industrial action threatened or actual, weather conditions, fire, flood, drought, closures, unforeseen alterations to public transport schedules, rescheduling of aircraft or boats, epidemic or
outbreaks of illness or any other event outside our control which either delays or extends or reduces the trip, or compels a change in the trip arrangements after departure (“Force Majeure”).
CONTRAVENTION OF LAW
We will not be responsible for any loss or damage sustained by You as a result of a contravention of any law or regulation of any of the countries visited while on the trip.
HEALTH AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS
22. If You have a medical condition or disability which may affect your trip, we ask that You inform us in writing at the time of booking the trip of any special arrangements required by You so that we are able to advise as to the suitability of those arrangements. If we reasonably feel we are unable to satisfactorily accommodate your particular needs, we reserve the right to decline the booking or ask for You to be accompanied by a person who is able to provide full assistance to You throughout your trip.
YOUR LIABILITY TO US
23. You will not be permitted to embark or continue on the trip if your mental or physical condition is, in the reasonable opinion of any representative of Topdeck, such as to render You incapable of caring for yourself, or whereby You become objectionable to other passengers, or You become a hazard to yourself or other passengers. We will not be responsible for expenses resulting in You being precluded from completing the trip for any reason, nor will we refund You any part of your trip cost. In all cases we will notify You of the reasons why we have taken this action. We will have no obligation to arrange for your return to the point of the trip departure where your condition manifests itself after the trip departure. Further, if the trip involves travel by air, the captain of your aircraft can refuse to allow You to fly on the aircraft if he believes that You could be dangerous or disruptive to other passengers on the flight.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
24. Please ensure You carefully read your invoice, tickets and all other documents we send to You as soon as You receive them, and contact your travel agent, or us immediately if any information appears to be incorrect. We will not accept any liability if You fail to notify us of any inaccuracy in any document within 14 days of us sending them to You or your agent. While we will do our best to rectify any changes made outside this time, it is your responsibility to meet any additional costs which may be involved, except in the case of an error made by Topdeck and where there is reasonable justification for You not contacting us within the specified time. You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents including, but not limited to, passports, visas and vaccination certificates are valid and subsisting. We strongly recommend that You verify current documentation requirements and all other relevant protocols and procedures associated with your trip with your travel agent or us. Please note requirements change and you must check with your Consulate for the most up to date information, including but not limited to Visa requirements for the countries visited on your Trip. Passports must have an expiry date of at least six months after completion of the trip.
INSURANCE
25. You should take out comprehensive travel insurance before You travel on your trip. Your insurance protection should include cover for cancellation, medical and repatriation expenses, personal injury and accident, death and loss of personal baggage and money and personal liability insurance. Evidence of such insurances should be produced to Topdeck on request and normally on day one of your trip. Insurance cover offered by credit card companies or reciprocal medical cover agreements are often not comprehensive.
26. You hereby indemnify us against all third-party actions taken against us for loss or damage caused by You or arising from your participation on the trip.
27. In the event of You making a claim against Topdeck arising out of the trip, You hereby assign to us, any rights to take action against any third party supplier or any other person or party that Topdeck reasonably considers to be a party to the action and to co-operate fully with Topdeck should Topdeck or its insurers wish to enforce those rights which have been assigned to Topdeck.
28. In the event that You make a claim against us which is covered by your insurance policy, You agree to pursue the claim through your insurer either in addition to, or in substitution for, your claim against us (if any). We agree to indemnify You in respect of reasonable expenses incurred in successfully pursuing such a claim and acknowledge that any settlement made by the insurer shall not prejudice your rights against us.
29. In the event of You not making a claim before 5 working days of the maximum length of time permitted by your policy, You must assign, by letter sent by courier delivery to Topdeck not less than 5 working days prior to the said specified time, the benefit of the policy and give immediate notice of such an assignment to your insurer.
COMPLAINTS
30. In the event of any dissatisfaction with the accommodation or any other service provided by Topdeck, You must report it immediately to the Trip Leader so that action can be taken to remedy the problem. Failure to notify the Trip Leader of any problem immediately may prejudice Topdeck and may result in your ability to claim compensation from us being extinguished or reduced. Any complaint made to Topdeck following the conclusion of the trip should be made in writing within 28 days of completion of the trip. In the event that You do not notify us in writing within 28 days, Topdeck’s ability to investigate the complaint may be prejudiced and may extinguish your claim.
DATA PROTECTION
31. We are committed to protecting your personal information and agree to process your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Notice, which is available online at www.topdeck.travel/privacy. In order to make your booking and ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly, we need to use the information You provide and pass it on to other relevant suppliers who are responsible for parts of your travel arrangements. In many cases this will include transferring your data to overseas recipients. In making this booking, your consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons is deemed to be given unless You object and advise Topdeck of your objection at the time of booking. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as Customs or Immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This consent applies to any sensitive information that You give to us such as details of any disabilities or dietary/religious requirements.
SMOKING
32. Topdeck operates a non-smoking policy on our coaches (although we make frequent stops for breaks), and in most of our accommodation.
LUGGAGE
33. There are strict weight limits for coaches when fully loaded. Therefore You are only entitled to have one piece of main luggage of standard size (see the pre-departure information or our website for size limits), and not weighing more than 20kg. In addition You may bring a sleeping bag, as required on specific trips, and a daypack.
GENERAL
34. You understand that future Topdeck advertising and publicity material may include statements made by passengers, or their photographs, and You consent to such use of your comments or photographic/video likeness.
35. No servant, agent, employee or representative of the Company has any right to alter, vary or waive any of these Conditions, nor undertake any activity likely to lead to increased liability whatsoever on behalf of Topdeck unless such be in writing and signed by a duly authorised person.
36. All contracts for bookings made with Topdeck, for trips in this brochure, are governed by Australian law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Australian Courts, should any dispute between us not be otherwise amicably agreed.
How TO READ OUR ITINERARIES
WE’VE CREATED THIS HANDY REFERENCE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF OUR ITINERARIES AND MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ON THE BEST TRIP FOR YOU. GO FORTH AND EXPLORE, GRASSHOPPER!
01 THE BASICS.
Where you start, finish and top line inclusions.
BUCKET LIST (INCLUSIONS).
This is where the fun starts and it’s all included. Compare bucket list items, highlight inclusions for each trip.
ITINERARY.
A magical string of words that gives you the lowdown on where we go, what we do and the awesomeness you will encounter on the way. Things not mentioned on the bucket list may not be included, but are too awesome to leave out.
MAP.
Everyone’s favourite way to visually make sense of the world since 600 B.C. Also super useful to get the lay of the land and understand what regions you will cover on your trip.
TRIP CODE.
Use this to book a trip through our website or when you talk to your travel agent. Not useful for Scrabble so don’t even go there.
TRAVEL DATES.
Planned departure dates for the upcoming travel season. Trips marked with a ‘G’ are guaranteed, which means just that. Check our website regularly for updated departures.
PRICE.
The starting price of your adventure and goal amount for your piggy bank, excluding add-ons and optional activities.
GET AROUND. In the Middle East, we use mini-coaches, felucca sailing boats, five-star Nile cruise ships, Turkish motor-cruising gulets and 4WD vehicles. Small and medium groups and local guides also mean exclusive access and a more personalised travel experience.
NO TIPPING. We do what we do because we're passionate about showing young people the world. This means all TLC is included in your trip price and not charged on your last day. We're awesome like that.
FOOD. Indulge in the finest local ingredients and unforgettable feasts, tasty enough to write home about. Think: fried falafel, mezze, Bedouin barbecues and tantalising tagine. Drool.
MEMORIES. Who else can say they’ve trekked across the desert on a camel’s back? Or camped out under the stars in Morocco? We’ll provide unique experiences that you’ll remember, always.
