*********************************************************** August 24, 2010
New tour - West Africa’s Hidden Gems Departing on 27th December 2011 this new 40-day tour travels through Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Cape Verde islands, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau More information
The first two weeks of West Africa’s Hidden Gems are spent travelling through Nigeria - and for people with limited time at their disposal we offer the opportunity to take this as a short-duration 17-day tour. More Information
The Horn of Africa - Omo Option Our pioneering tour to this remote region departing on 22 January is proving to be very popular and we already have sufficient passengers to justify its operation. As several of our regular clients who are taking this tour have already visited Ethiopia’s Historic Route (Lalibela, Gondar and Lake Tana) on a previous tour, we have arranged for their benefit an alternative tour to the country’s south - the fascinating Omo Valley, a remote area inhabited by more than twenty distinctive tribes.
TURKEY - Ani UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Dubai (1 night)
ITINERARY
Day 1 Friday: By air to Dubai - Evening Emirates flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth to Dubai. Overnight in flight.
Day 2 Saturday: By air to Baku - Morning arrival in Dubai. Day rooms at Dubai Airport International Hotel. Afternoon Armavia flight to Baku. Three nights at Hotel Excelsior.
Day 3 Sunday: In Baku - Morning sightseeing in Baku visiting the Maiden's Tower, old caravanserais and merchants' houses. Afternoon excursion to Surakhani to visit the Zoroastrian Fire Worshipper's Temple.
Day 4 Monday: In Baku - Excursion to the petroglyphs of Qobustan.
Day 5 Tuesday: By road to Sheki - Morning drive to Shemakha to visit the tombs of the Shirvan Khans Afternoon drive to Sheki. Overnight at Caravanserai Hotel.
Day 6 Wednesday: By road to Telavi - Morning visit the Royal Palace, then drive across the Georgian border to Telavi. Overnight at Hotel Rcheuli Marani. Day 7 Thursday: By road to Tbilisi - Morning sightseeing with lunch at local winery. Afternoon drive to Tbilisi. Stay two nights at Tbilsi Marriott Hotel.
Day 8 Friday: In Tbilisi - Visit Metekhi Church, Narikala Fortress, the domed Sulphur Baths, the Synagogue; the 6th century Sioni Cathedral and the Georgian State Museum.
Day 9 Saturday: By road to Bakuriani - Morning drive to the old Georgian capital, Mtskheta, to visit the 6th-century Jarvi Church and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Continue via Uplistsikhe Cave Town to Gori to visit the Stalin Museum. Afternoon drive to Bakuriani. Two nights at Hotel Eureka.
Day 10 Sunday: In Bakuriani - Excursion to the cave city of Vardzia.
Day 11 Monday: By rail/road to Kutaisi - Morning train ride to Borjomi to visit the summer palace of the Russian Tsars. Afternoon drive to Kutaisi to see the ruins of Bagrati Cathedral. Overnight at Hotel Aeetes Palace.
Day 12 Tuesday: By road to Gudauri - Morning visit Gelati Monastery then drive into the Caucasus mountains via the Ananuri castle complex to Gudauri ski resort. Overnight at the Sports Hotel.
Day 13 Wednesday: By road to Tbilisi - Full day scenic drive to Kazbegi to visit Gergeti Trinity Church. Afternoon drive to Tblilsi. Overnight Tbilisi Marriott Hotel.
Day 14 Thursday: By road to Lake Sevan - Morning drive to Lake Sevan. Afternoon visit Haghartsin Monastery. Overnight at the lakeside Harsnaqar Hotel.
Day 15 Friday: By road to Yerevan - Morning drive to Yerevan. Afternoon visit to the Matenadaran Library of Ancient Manuscripts, the Historical Museum and the giant figure of Mother Armenia. Stay for four nights Armenia Marriott Hotel.
Day 16 Saturday: In Yerevan - A full day excursion to the 4th century cathedral of Echmiadzin, the Memorial Museum of Sardarapat - dedicated to the victims of the 1915 genocide - and the ruins of the Cathedral of St. Gregory at Zvarnots.
Day 17 Sunday: In Yerevan - A full day excursion to the 1st-century AD Temple of the Sun at Garni and the impressive cave monastery of Geghard.
Day 18 Monday: In Yerevan - Full day tour to Gyumri to visit the Museum of History and the St. Astvatsatsin Church. We continue across the Turkish border to visit the magnificent ruins of the 9th-12th century metropolis of Ani.
Day 19 Tuesday: By air to Dubai - Morning Armavia flight to Dubai. Afternoon sightseeing. Overnight JW Marriott Hotel.
Day 20 Wednesday: By air to Australia - Morning Emirates flight to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or Perth. Overnight in flight.
Day 21 Thursday 06 October: Arrive Australia - Morning arrival.
Tariffs per person [share twin]
from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth - $15,900
Supplements
Single room - $ 2,400 Business Class air travel on Emirates flights only - $ 5,500 Business Class air travel on all flights - $ 7,100
