Our trips are led by two experienced crew who will share with you their knowledge and enthusiasm for travel to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Come and join us for an unforgettable trip in this fantastic part of the world!

Our Middle East overland trips from Cairo to Istanbul or vice versa can be joined in either city. belows route is for those on the Oasis Caravan South joining in Istanbul the daily itinerary below can be followed in reverse for those on the Oasis Caravan North from Cairo or viewed online at the tour page.

Please note that our itineraries are not set in stone and can be subject to change.

There is an amazing amount to see & do in Istanbul, and as we depart on the first morning of the trip we recommend arriving a couple of days early to experience this great, safe & friendly city & at least visit the Aya Sofya Mosque, Topkapi Palace & Grand Bazaar.

Middle East Tour D 1 - 4 From Istanbul we begin our journey with a half day drive through olive groves and rural settlements to Gallipoli and the Straits of the Dardanelles. In World War I, on this blustery and exposed peninsula, ANZAC and British Forces struggled unsuccessfully for nine horrendous months to dislodge Turkish troops from the hills above the beaches. It is a moving experience to visit war graves and battle grounds where so much suffering and unnecessary loss of life took place. Australians and New Zealanders make a pilgrimage each year on ANZAC day to pay their respects to their fellow countrymen who died here. We attend the dawn service on ANZAC Day as well as the memorial services at Chanuk Bair and Lone Pine. From here we cross the Straits, leave Europe and enter the continent of Asia. We visit Troy on our way to Ephesus and spend the next 2 nights camping on the coast or in the nearby town of Selcuk. Built by the Greeks a thousand years before Christ and then rebuilt by the Romans, this immense ancient city of Ephesus boasts an amphitheatre that can seat 24000 and a harbour with no water - still in good condition after all these years. We then travel via either Pamukkale where you can swim in warm, mineral-rich water, or take the more visually scenic route towards Marmaris and camp in the mountains.

Middle East Tour D 5 - 10 For most of the year we head to Olu Deniz and Olympus further down the Mediterranean coast. We stay in campsites or tree houses and spend the next few days relaxing on the beach. You can also take boat trips around the coast, go tandem paragliding or hire small motor bikes and visit some of the out of the way villages nearby. We then travel inland and upwards and stop on the way at Saklikent Gorge where there is the opportunity to go river tubing. From here we travel for a day to the visually powerful, windswept land forms of Cappadocia. Over the centuries houses, churches, fortresses and even underground cities have been carved into this eerily eroded, volcanic rock. The Goreme Valley provides us with an astonishing setting in which to spend a few days investigating the region. We will take you to one of the underground cities where you can explore alone or with a guide this ancient and mysterious area!

Middle East Tour D 11 - 17 Driving through stunning mountain scenery in the crisp clear days of summer, and ice and snow in winter, we wind our way to Syria. Syrians are among the most hospitable people you will ever meet. The country has a rich and varied history with the Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian and Persian Empires having all passed through here along with Jesus and his disciples! Our first stop in this fascinating country is the market town of Aleppo where we overnight and have some free time. Nearby we visit Crac de Chevaliers - an 800 year old Crusader Castle - perched high on top of a mountain. Then time permitting, we travel out to the oasis town of Palmyra where we really get into the desert proper. Sleeping out in this vast wilderness, untainted by artificial light is an experience not to be missed. The night sky dazzles with stars, satellites and shooting stars. Then it’s onto Damascus, one of the friendliest and safest of capital cities where there is enough time to explore the souks and local cafes and shops.

MIDDLE EAST TOUR D 18 - 24 We spend three nights in this, the oldest inhabited city in the world. From here there is the option of taking a one day guided tour into Lebanon and Beirut. A one day drive then takes us into Jordan and the Dead Sea. Here, therapeutic mud baths and not so therapeutic mud fights, are followed by an unusual swimming experience in this highly buoyant salt sea! We camp overnight on Mt Nebo which overlooks Israel, before visiting one of the main attractions in the Middle East – The Rose Red City of Petra. This stone carved city was only uncovered about 70 years ago after being forgotten for over 1000 years. Walking through an incredibly narrow, rocky defile brings you out to Petra’s most famous site -The Treasury - The Nabataeans who carved this vast red city in 3rd Century BC controlled the spice and slave caravans from Asia on their way to Arabia. On our way to Aqaba we desert camp over night at Wadi Rum - the desert headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia! Here there is the option of taking a 4WD jeep safari deep into the desert with Bedouin guides. From Aqaba, we take the ferry across the Red Sea to the Sinai Desert.

Middle East Tour D 25 – 29 Dahab is our base for the next few days. Here, you can snorkel or scuba dive to some of the best coral in the world or try your hand at various water sports or just relax on the beach. Dahab also has many beach cafes and quirky restaurants serving great sea food as well as traditional Arab food. For the energetic you can take a one day camel safari and trek off road down the desert coast line with experienced Bedouin guides and camels you will reach areas few tourists ever see. Mount Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery are nearby deep in the desert. It was here, that Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is a great place to camp the night and watch the sunrise. Leaving the Sinai we cross the Suez Canal for a long drive to Luxor Via Hurghada.

Middle East Tour D 30 - 37 In Luxor we use a campsite with a swimming pool as our base and we have two full days to explore. You will have time to visit Valley of the Kings & Queens (by donkey!), Karnak Temple and its Sound and Light Show and Luxor Temple. The remarkably well preserved tombs of Ramses II and Tutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem fresh after 3000 years. We then travel onto Aswan, arguably, the most attractive city on the Nile. Here you can walk along the Corniche with its riverside restaurants, some of them floating, as well as the tremendous views of the Nile cataracts. We spend two days here which gives you enough time to take a trip out to the stone monuments of Abu Simbel built by the greatest of all Pharaohs Ramses II. On the third day, you have the opportunity to enjoy the Nile River from a traditional felucca sail boat for a two day trip to Kom Ombo. Just lie back and watch Egypt glide by. We travel a short distance back to Luxor where we relax before heading to Cairo on an overnight train ride. With almost 20 million people this is a hectic, chaotic city. For the finale of our trip we include a visit to the Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza, with a local guide (this also includes a camel ride around the Pyramids), and a visit the Egyptian History Museum in the afternoon. Entry fees and Egyptologist guide is included. Then back to the hotel for an end of trip party!