Pre Departure Information
The following information is relevant to your expedition, please read it through. If you have any more questions please call us.
Make sure you book your flights for the correct direction of your trip. Please be aware that once you have booked, your deposit and balance is non refundable. Insure yourself when you book for the full duration of the trip and your whole time away.
We leave Istanbul on the day the trip starts and arrive in Cairo on the day the trip finishes. If you want to get a good look at either of these historic and in part very beautiful cities, make sure you spend a couple of days before the trip starts and after the trip finishes in each.
Flights to and from the trip
To fly from London into Istanbul and back from Cairo costs from £200 to £400. Contact us and we can direct you where to buy your ticket.
Flying into Istanbul
The best way to get to town is by taxi, which costs around £10 although the metro now runs into the centre of town and then it is a 15 minute walk to the hostel area or you can take a taxi from there and it will be a lot cheaper.
Hotels in Istanbul
Sultanahmet is the most interesting and central place to stay. There are many budget hotels here, most of which you can't pre-book. Prices start at £5 - £10 for a dorm. There are a number around Akbiyik Caddesi (street) including; Orient Youth Hostel, Sultan Tourist Hostel, Alp Guesthouse, Yusef Guesthouse, Star Hotel, Berk Guesthouse, and Hotel Park. If you don't like the first one you see after looking at the rooms try another, there are lots around. You can't pre-book these hotels but most always have rooms available and if one doesn't others within sight will.
Meeting the trip in Istanbul
The Istanbul Hostel.
34 Kutlu Gün Sokak
Sultanahmet
Istanbul
Turkiye
Tel ++90 212 5169380
Fax ++ 90 212 5169384
istanbulhostel@hotmail.com
Be at the hostel ready to depart at 8am on the day of departure.
What to see in Istanbul before the trip
The most historic area is Sultanahmet with the Blue Mosque, the Santa Sophia (a church converted into a mosque), the Topkapi Palace, the Covered or Grand Bazaar, old marble sauna/bath houses and lots of cheap restaurants. A trip on a ferry up the Bosphorus either in the day or night is worthwhile. These are the essential things to see, you could spend a week looking at the rest of this historic city.
For tours Starting in Cairo
The best way to get to town is by taxi which costs from £6, book at one of the limousine desks as you leave customs. Taxi drivers often insist on taking you to a hotel of their choice so they can earn a commission, they will pretend to ring a hotel, tell you it is full and proceed to dump you at a rubbish hotel they deal with, or they will pretend that they don't know the hotel exists. To avoid this book your taxi at the limousine desk, insist on them taking you to the hotel of your choice and make sure they understand where it is before you leave.
Bostan Hotel
94 Mohamed Farid Street ,
Down Town.
Tel 00 20 2 393 0040 or 390 2990
Fax 00 20 2 390 2990
It costs approx. £4 a night for a shared room including breakfast. The staff at the hotel can also arrange a tour around town. bostanhotel@hotmail.com
Meeting the trip in Cairo
The driver will meet you in the reception of the Bostan Hotel at 8am on the day of departure.
What to see in Cairo before the trip
If you have a day or two in Cairo before the trip, the must sees are the Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Khan el Khalili market and Mohamed Ali Mosque in the Citadel. You need two full days to get a good look at the sights. There are enough other places to see in Cairo to spend two weeks looking around the town
Visas and Passports
Your passport must be valid for at least six months with five clear pages. For the Trans Africa trip 25 clear pages are required.
East and Southern Africa trips: If your Travelling with us anywhere from Nairobi to Cape Town are have the following passport - Australia, NZ, UK, Canada, EU, & USA you can at the moment get all your visas on the border of each country we visit if they are needed.
EU Passports: As there are so many new countries coming into the EU there are some exceptions to the above, particularly for new members.
Dual Nationality: If you have dual nationality you can only do the trip on one passport as you may need to show your exit from the previous country before you enter the next and most African countries do not accept dual nationality
For more up to date information: check the visas web sites Visa and Embassy information
Please note: Nationalities other than Australia, NZ, UK, Canada, EU, & USA please seek local consular advice for your visa requirements before setting off. As visa requirements are subject to constantly change it is advisable to check before travel. Visa costs change overnight so prices used are only correct at the time of publishing.
Middle East
Don't get Jordan or Syria visas beforehand, as you will have to pay for them again on route.
Passports and inoculation cards with any Israeli stamps or indications that you have been to Israel must be replaced. This also applies for flight tickets in or out of Israel and any border stamps given when you exit Israel by any land border, particularly from Israel to Egypt
Bring the appropriate currencies to pay for them as outlined below.
You'll need 6 blank pages in your passport, which must be valid for 9 months.
If you have dual nationality only use one passport.
Turkey: New Zealanders and South Africans do not need a visa. British and Australians do but they are only issued upon arrival in Turkey, they cost £10 for British and US$20 for Australians . Zimbabwe passport holders must obtain a visa before arrival in Turkey. You will need to take your passport, a passport photo, a bank statement, a letter from your employer to the Turkish Consulate.
Syria & Jordan: Most nationalities need these and we get them on route. Syria costs US$15 and Jordan US$12, pay in US$ only. Zimbabwe passport holders need to contact us before joining for a special permit. There is a $5 exit fee from Jordan.
Lebanon: UK and Irish passport holders cannot get Lebanese visas on the border (for those wishing to do the day trip - they must be obtained before departure)
Egypt: All nationalities need a visa. South African and Zimbabwe passport holders must obtain a visa before arrival in Egypt, not en route. The cost for British, Australian and New Zealand passport holders is £15, or you can get the visa as you enter Egypt at the border for US$15.
Weather Warning
The Middle East has extreme weather; with possible snow and temperatures as low as minus 10*C in winter and possibly early spring and late autumn in central Turkey, with highs up to 45/50*C in the summer months ie June/July/August through the whole region. In very cold weather we use hotels. If you want mild weather, travel in late spring or early autumn. We see the weather as part of the experience, in cold weather the days are normally clear and sights are empty of tourists.
Camping and Cooking in Winter
We make use of hotels and restaurants when it becomes too cold to camp, particularly in Turkey and the north of Syria. This is paid for out of the local payment.
Local Payment
This is collected at departure and is used for food, some entrance fees and camping fees. The local payment pays for 2 meals a day whilst on the vehicle. We eat locally for lunch at small cafes or local restaurants where it is cheap and you can sample some genuine Arabic mood. If no local food is available we will eat on the truck. This is payable in cash in pounds sterling (not Scottish notes, as they are not recognised) or US dollars only. Please pay this to the driver on day 1 on departure. We cannot accept travellers cheques or card payments.
Insurance
You must be insured against personal accident, medical expenses and repatriation expenses. We only carry passengers on the understanding that, in most Middle Eastern countries through which we travel no passenger or vehicle liability is available whatsoever. You should take out insurance when you pay your deposit for the tour or for flights so that you are insured against cancellation (for medical reasons, and family reasons). We can organise insurance for you. Bring your policy with you. Be aware if you travel without insurance and you need to get home urgently due to ill health or family problems, you or those responsible for you could incur bills running into many thousands of pounds.
Email
e-mail can be collected approx every two or three days - from £2-£5 to connect.
Telephoning Home
It can be very expensive to call home from the Middle East, sometimes as high as £20 for 3 minutes. A lot of the campsites don't have telephones.
Mobile Phones
Your own mobile phone will work abroad if you have roam facility enabled on a dual band phone. Coverage is generally restricted to large towns. For charging you will need your 240 volt charger and a spare battery. We cannot charge off the truck, as It's a 24 volt system. Although convenient for outgoing calls, incoming calls can be expensive to receive.
Malaria
The region is considered to be almost malaria free but consult your doctor regarding the risk of malaria.
Inoculations
It is also advisable to be vaccinated against Typhoid; Rabies; Hepatitis A; Tetanus; Polio and Meningitis. If possible start your vaccinations two months before departure, but if you have less time you can still get adequate protection.
Maps
A wide range of maps give a good coverage of Turkey and the Middle East, 'freytag & berndt' give some of the best coverage whereas in Africa the Michelin 954 Arabia gives the clearest coverage.
Washing
Most of the time you can wash every day but in the desert we can go a day without washing.
Language
English is the most common second language on route. Turkish is the national language of Turkey. Arabic is spoken in Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
Cameras
Should be protected from the elements. Purchase all the film you need before you go.
Spending Money
£75 to £100 a week is a good start excluding side trips. Of course this varies from person to person depending on how much you drink, eat and how many souvenirs you buy. You can take your money as a mix of Sterling traveller's cheques although travellers cheques are often a hassle to cash and you often get a poor rate but they offer the security if lost or stolen. It is often better to bring all cash. Sterling, Euros and dollars are all good.
There is a communal safe aboard the truck. Some side trips and your visas must be paid for in US$ cash, bring at least $200 US cash to cover these.
Credit Cards
Credit cards with pin numbers can be used at most ATM's. Switch and debit cards are harder to use and all cards attract a surcharge. Mainstream credit cards are best.
Student or Youth cards
These give you big discounts to the ancient sites. Try to get one before you leave. These can also be obtained in Istanbul if you have a letter from your university.
Side trips/optional excursions
Turkey
Gallipoli Museum & guided tour to ANZAC Cove $10
Ephesus Roman city $10
Pamukkale Limestone Terraces and Hot Springs $5 - $15
Boat Trip to Kekova sunken Roman temple $15
Cappadocia
Balloon flight in Capadoccia $175
Underground cities, Derinkuyu & Kaymakli - 8 levels deep and 4000 years old $17
Folk Show $22
Buying a Turkish carpet any amount
Syria
Krac-de-Chevaliers Crusader Fortress $5
Palmyra $3
Lebanon
Day trip to Beirut - Visiting the city, Hard Rock CafÈ and Balbeck $50 - $75
Jordan
Petra rock cut city entrance and horse ride $30
Egypt - Dahab
Introductory Scuba Dive $35
Mt Sinai - climb the mountain and visit St. Catherine?s. $15
Luxor
Sound & Light Show at Karnak Temple $15
Karnak Temple $15
Luxor Temple $15
Donkey ride for the day to visit the tombs on west bank of the Nile $10
Entrance to the Valley of the Kings $5
Hatshepsut Rock Cut Temple $5
Entrance to Tutenkamen?s tomb $2
Aswan
Abu Simbel - day trip $20
Philae Island Temple $5
High Dam tour $10
Felucca overnight sail from Aswan to Idfu $30
Suggested list of clothing and equipment
The less you take the less you have to pack, wash, lug home and you'll always pick up extras along the way. You'll be travelling in the heat and camping in the cool, so bring clothes for all climates, rough stuff is best. The best type of carrier is a rucksack (with an internal frame) or a kit bag.
Clothes
Socks
Shirts
Jeans/long trousers
Underwear
Sweatshirt/jumper
Shorts, T-shirts, swimsuit
Skirt
Sandals/flip flops/jandals/thongs
Walking shoes
Hat and sunglasses
Kit
Small day-pack or bag to carry your daily items
Sleeping bag & sleeping mat
Torch and batteries (cheap torches are available on route)
Medical kit - bring your own simple kit
Rehydration sachets available from any chemist
Insect repellent containing Deet e.g. "Jungle Juice"
Sun cream
Headache tablets
Plasters
Malaria tablets
Toiletries - You can buy most basic toiletries easily
Toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss
Soap (in a container), razors
Towel, shampoo
Tampons & condoms(enough for the trip)
Camera (in a protective case), spare batteries and all the film you think necessary
Money belt or pouch to hold your passport
Vaccination book
Travellers cheques
Books, Discman†and CD's
Torch and spare batteries
Water bottle at least 1.5 litre, an old cola bottle is best.
The easiest and best way to travel is as lightly as possible, taking just what is necessary. Most people make the mistake of bringing too much luggage.
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