Experience the stunning sights and tantalising tastes of Turkey on this two-week adventure that takes in all the highlights and then some. Become acquainted with illustrious Istanbul, behold landscapes like no other around Cappadocia and sail the all-too-pretty islands off Kekova. Marvel at the ancient ruins of Ephesus, settle in for a spectacular soaking in Pamukkale’s thermal hot springs and reflect on the tragedies and gallantries that took place along Gallipoli’s windswept peninsula. Brimming with history, bustling with progress and bursting with flavour, Turkey intrigues and delights at every turn of this perfectly paced small group adventure.
The trip was well paced, with a variety of activities to suit all tastes. Lots of local knowledge was provided on extra activities and places to visit,shop and eat outside the tour plan.
An excellent trip. The pace of the trip is perfect. A week flew by and we felt we had been all over the Puglia region. So much to do and see in such a short space of time and yet we managed to relax and get some free time in too. The food was outstanding, the wine was delightful, the people were a pleasure to be around. Every stage of the trip was enjoyable and slightly different.
This is an eight-day tour of Albania, a country steeped in history and beauty. Albania is known for its historical castles and archaeological sites from many civilizations of the past including the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians and Ottomans.
In this fully-guided excursion, you will explore the cities of Berat, Gjirokaster, and Butrint, all of which have been listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites. You will visit several historical and archaeological landmarks and monuments in these cities, and along the way learn about Albanian history and culture.
The city of Shkodra, which was the capital of Albania during the Illyrian time, is another attraction you will explore in this tour, whileTirana, the capital city, will be a great city to discover the country's ancient and modern history and culture.
What can I say...this tour was amazing. Never thought I'd see the sights I saw on this trip, never thought any of this would be possible in my lifetime. Egypt seemed too far, too exotic, too expensive. As soon as I saw the listing for this tour, it suddenly seemed like it might be possible.
We had reservations about going for sure. We have kids, 10 and 13. There's a war in Israel. It's summer in a very hot part of the world. Do we need Yellow Fever vaccines? Will the food make us sick? Americans kept telling us it would be too dangerous to go.
None of that turned out to be a problem. Egypt was very very safe. There are police and military personnel on the streets and at cultural sites. I saw no crime, no people sleeping on the streets. No people panhandling. Going to ATMs to get cash was very safe and easy. We went everywhere from big tourist sites to small neighborhoods. Food was great and we never got sick. We didn't drink the tap water, but bottled water and soft drinks are everywhere. It was hot, but air conditioning, pools, and headscarves manage this.
I'll say this again, because I have heard a lot about this:
Egypt is safe.
It's kind.
It's welcoming.
People are excited that you're visiting from America.
The food is great, and safe.
The hotels were amazing:
Steigenberger in Giza is clean, beautiful, has a nice restaurant with free breakfast, and has a view of the pyramids, which is pretty wild.
Movenpick in Aswan is spectacular, taking up a large portion of an island in the middle of the Nile, with pools and sustainable farms on-site.
The Jaz cruise up the Nile was really nice, with good food and comfortable quarters.
The Continental hotel in Hurghada was seriously ridiculously lavish, with a private beach on the Red Sea, giant pool, a dozen restaurants, and a shopping corridor.
And the Ramses Hilton in Cairo is clean, elegant, and right in the middle of the action of downtown Cairo.
We saw a million places from ancient Egypt I never thought we'd see. I can't overstate how incredible it is to stand in front of the Sphinx, the pyramids of Giza, Luxor temple, Kom Ombo, and especially the incredible monuments at Abu Simbel...this is an optional extra tour, and a bit expensive, as it's a whole day trip, but my goodness, it's worth the long drive. Incredible.
Overall, this trip had probably the most OMG moments I've had on a trip. And I've been to some pretty spectacular places, including India, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Peru (Machu Picchu), the UK, and more.
Please trust me and take the trip. Ignore the warnings. It's so worth it.
Egypt is one of those places which truly amaze and confound even seasoned travelers with its unbelievable ancient sites and unforgettable culture, despite the glaring poverty which seemingly surrounds and swallows up nearly everything and everyone in the country. Some would have questioned my sanity to bring four young children to Egypt when some areas still remain off limits to travelers due to possible terrorist activity. Given all of these concerns why and how did we visit this amazing country of Egypt you may ask. Why, that's simple, its a cradle of civilization and for learned people a once in a lifetime destination not to be missed, simple as that. How, well... it could have been done differently no doubt, but I am very happy to say that I used a well known and highly capable local tour company. They took what I wanted to see, my budget, and applied the local knowledge required and essential to ensure that the trip would be safe, hassle free, and memorable. They did a fine job on this long 16 day trip across Egypt including visits to Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Luxor, Aswan, Hurgada, and Alexandria. Some of the many highlights included cruising the Nile in a ship and visiting ancient ruins saved from the flooding of Lake Nasser (Abu Simbel). A brief respite from the sightseeing midway through the trip at the lovely and truly perfect family resort of Steinberger Aqua Magic in Hurgada recharged our batteries before diving back into the amazing scenery of Lower Egypt after a packed trip to Upper Egypt. The guides and drivers all did their absolute best to ensure we were always safe and that the children had extra time if needed such as to accommodate an extra trip to the WC or a quick nap in-amongst the sightseeing. At no time did we ever feel unsafe or unwelcome during our trip to Egypt, and on the contrary were made to feel very welcome by everyone we met be it in the street, at the hotel, in a restaurant, in the bazaar, etc etc. The truth is, you could spend a year in Egypt and only scratch the surface of what the country offers travelers, but for our family and budget we feel that our 16 day full tour of Egypt was exceptional in the quality, breadth and value offered by the tour company, and I deeply thank them for this life changing trip to Egypt. I only hope that I have the means and health to visit again in the future to this amazing country, and when I do, I will be sure to use this company once again. I hope this helps anyone contemplating taking on the Egypt trip with young children, best of luck!
The trip was wonderful! We were impressed by the way the trip was planned. Great hotels and service by the representatives we dealt with. Our transportation vehicles and drivers were all very nice and had prompt pickups. Very thorough explanations of how things will work when we arrived in Athens.
Discover Western Turkey and cruise through the Mediterranean in our 12 day tour. Similar to the Best of Turkey by Land, this amazing gulet option offers you the choice to mix it up and relax in the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Discover the wonders of Istanbul, Gallipoli and the history of Troy and Ephesus and then immerse yourself in the natural healing powers of Pamukkale. The tour is not complete until you have journeyed into the magical world of Cappadocia.
We highly recommend this Best of Italy tour!!! This tour is a great introduction to Italy and includes the key highlights of this beautiful country.
Booking through Bookmundi was easy & the discount appreciated
Journey through Turkey on an eight-day adventure from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Begin in Istanbul, where you’ll explore the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Cami and the Grand Bazaar. Then, discover Gallipoli’s historic WWI battlefields before travelling to the Aegean Coast to soak up the sun, salt and history of ancient Ephesus. Catch an overnight train to Konya, then continue to the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia, where cave dwellings (including your hotel) are carved into the cliffs and hot air balloons dot the skyline. Finish your adventure back in Istanbul, where East meets West.
