Bora’s Middle East & The Fertile Crescent Tour

with Cappadocia (Turkey), Baalbek (Lebanon), Palmyra (Syria) and Petra (Jordan)  

(19 Nights/ 21 Days)

(Advance visas required for this tour)

Tour Code: BORA I

2010 Bora’s Middle East & The Fertile Crescent Tour – Dates and Prices [21K]

Day 1 – DEPART USA (Nov 1, Su)
Your international direct flight will depart the United States and arrive in Istanbul the next day.

Day 2 – ISTANBUL (Nov 2)
You are scheduled to arrive in Istanbul’s Ataturk airport just before noon.  After passport and visa procedure, you will be met and taken to your 5-star Barcelo Eresin Topkapi Hotel in the old city.  There will be time to relax and rest before meeting Bora in the evening.  We will have dinner with lots of live music and entertainment by a gypsy orchestra.  Bora and his staff will play and sing along with the orchestra.

Day 3, 4, 5 – CAPPADOCIA (One of the Natural Wonders of the World) (Nov 3, 4, 5)
After breakfast, we will be taken to the Istanbul airport for our flight to Cappadocia.  Our stay will be at the spectacular Cappadocia Cave Suites, the newest and most “luxurious cave living” in Cappadocia.  Our hotel’s twenty-two spacious units almost all have windows with views to the outside and most feature a Jacuzzi.  Several rooms have fireplaces and eight units include two bedrooms.  Some units have beautiful 200-year-old wooden ceilings and one unit is decorated in original 8th century painted frescoes showing the Maltese cross.  The views are spectacular with the Fairy Chimneys in sight (www.cappadociacavesuites.com).  Breakfast and dinner will be at the Cave Suites restaurant. 

While in Cappadocia, we will enjoy the unique landscapes of wind and rain eroded volcanic formations.  Also amazing is the incredible underground cities of Cappadocia, some of which were home to as many as 15,000 inhabitants.  We will go to Derinkuyu where ancient civilizations from 3,000 to 4,000 years ago started carving layers of living quarters into the bedrock connected by catacombs.  These floors are separated by huge wheels of stone that could be moved by a lever to close the passage, providing security.  These subterranean cities include ancient underground churches and cities hand-hewn from solid rock by early Christians.  In the region of Cappadocia, a 10,000 square mile area, there are 1,000 churches carved into bedrock.  About 100 of the churches still have frescoes from the Old and the New Testament.  We will visit these churches and living quarters at the Open Air Museum, which is less than a mile from our hotel.  This is a very impressive site.  We will also visit handicraft shops and a caravanserai (an ancient caravan motel) as well as enjoy a folk dance show.  Going off the tourist track, we will have wonderful strolls where we visit small villages and discover the unknown Turkey.  While in Cappadocia there will be an excellent lecture and demonstration on Turkish carpets and kilims as well as a lecture/demonstration on pottery. 

OPTIONAL: Hot air balloon rides over Cappadocia at reduced rates.  A balloon ride in Cappadocia (for people of all ages) is safe and nothing less than spectacular.

Day 6 – MT. NEMRUT (Kanesh) (Nov 6)
From Cappadocia, we will drive to Adiyaman-Kahta.  We will check into the tourist class Zeus hotel by mid-day.  Soon after, we will hire small mini-buses to drive up Mt. Nemrut.   Resting at an elevation of 7700 ft., this extraordinary mountaintop features a funerary-temple complex composed of two flattened areas strewn with huge statues and fallen heads of Greco-Roman Gods.  Each head measures six to nine feet high, belonging to the likes of Zeus, Hercules, Fortuna, Apollo and the King Antiouchus, who considered himself a God.   There is also a mound of broken gravel that makes a perfect false peak of crushed rock.  Antiouchus built the entire complex 2,050 years ago as a monument to his “divine ancestry”. 

Please Note: The hike to Mt. Nemrut consists of 20 to 40 minutes of a 30% uphill hike, mostly with stairs.  There is no time limit and most can do the hike.  There are also donkeys or mules available for hire.

Day 7 – URFA (Nov 7)
Today, we will drive to Urfa, the birthplace of the prophet Abraham.  On the way, we will stop to see the Ataturk Dam, the fourth largest dam in the World built on the Euphrates River.  We will drive through the Pistachio orchards and stop to pick them (depending on the season).  We will also visit nearby Harran and see the incredible beehive houses.  Harran, according to the Bible, was the site where the prophet Abraham lived with his family for several years before moving to Israel, the Promised Land.  We will also visit the holy sites at Ainzelha, a lake with domesticated fish.  There are exceptional photo opportunities in this area.  Right outside the city, we will visit Göbekli Tepe, a recently discovered site where excavations have just begun.  Built in 10,000 B.C., it is the oldest known temple in the World.  This temple was mysteriously buried by the people who built it in 8,000 B.C. and it was not used again. This is another unique place we visit on our tours.  Our stay will be at the 4-star El Ruha Hotel. 

Day 8 – GAZIANTEP / ALEPPO (Nov 8 )
Early in the morning, we will drive to Gaziantep to visit the mosaic museum there.  Here, we will see the famous mosaic of a gypsy girl from the ancient city of Zeugma.  In the afternoon, we will drive to the Syrian-Turkish border and drive into Syria to Aleppo. Our stay will be at a 5-star hotel.  Dinner will be at the hotel.

 Day 9, 10 – ALEPPO (Nov 9, 10)
After breakfast, we will visit the St. Simeon monastery and Qalb Lozeh (heart of Almond in Arabic) where we will see its beautiful church before returning to Aleppo.  Dinner will be at a local restaurant.     

The next day, we will take a full day city tour of Aleppo and visit, among other things, the Aleppo archaeological museum, the Aleppo citadel, the Omayyad mosque, the Great Mosque and souqs, ancient bazaars.  

Day 11, 12 – PALMYRA (Nov 11, 12)
Today, we will depart for Palmyra to visit the well preserved Castle of the Knights (Le Crac Des Chevaliers), a fortress built by the French Crusaders, which was overtaken by sultan Baybars in 1271.   From the top of its towers, there is a beautiful panoramic view of the Mediterranean.  Our stay will be at the Palmyra.  Dinner will be at the hotel. 

On the following day, we will spend a full day exploring Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see, among other things, the Palmyra museum, the Palmyra theater, the Bel temple, the temple of Baal Shamin, the Tetraplyon and the Valley of Tombs.  In the evening, we will have dinner in a Bedouin tent with a Bedouin traditional folk dance and music show.    

Day 13 – PALMYRA / DAMASCUS (Nov 13)
On the way to Damascus, we will stop at Seydnaya to visit the Convent of Our Lady, which has a portrait of the Virgin Mary believed to have been painted by Saint Luke.  We will also stop in Maaloula where we will see the St. Thecla Convent and the St. Sergius Convent, which is one of the oldest Greek churches in the world.  The residents of this small village speak Aramaic, the language of Christ.   Arriving in Damascus, we will check into a 5-star hotel.  Dinner will be at the hotel.        

 Day 14 – DAMASCUS (SYRIA) (Nov 14)
On this day, we will spend a full day touring Damascus, one of the oldest cities in the world.  Among the many things we will visit are the Damascus museum, the Azem Palace, Omayyad Mosque, the tomb of Salhdine, Hananya Chapel, St. Paul’s church and old town Damascus.  If time permits, we will visit the beautiful Hijaz Railway Station, which was built by Ottomans.   We will then enjoy a panoramic view of Damascus from the Qassioun mountains.  Dinner will be at a local restaurant. 

Day 15 – DAMASCUS (SYRIA) / BAALBEK (LEBANON) (Nov 15)
Leaving early in the morning, we will take a day trip to Lebanon.  After crossing the border, we will visit Baalbek to see ancient Greek and Roman ruins.  Some of the places we will visit are the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Baccus and the Temple of Venus.  We will also visit the Great Court and tour an underground tunnel, which houses many artifacts.  Late in the afternoon, we will drive back to Damascus.  Arriving early in the evening at a 5-star hotel, we will have dinner at the hotel.

Day 16 – DAMASCUS / AMMAN (Jerash) (Nov 16)
After breakfast, we will drive to Jerash, which is a vast Greco-Roman city ruin that we will explore.  Here, we will visit the Artemis temple, the oval palace, the Temple of Zeus and much more.  If time permits, we will also drive to Bosra.  In the afternoon, we will drive to the border that divides Syria and Jordan.  Entering Jordan, we will drive to Amman.  Upon arriving in Amman, we will begin our tour of the city.  Dinner will be at the hotel.

Day 17 – AMMAN /PETRA (Nov 17)
Early in the morning, we will drive to Petra.  On the way, we will visit Madaba to see a Byzantine archaeological park and visit Mount Nebo, which features a beautiful view of the Jordan valley.  We will also visit Kerak to visit the ruins of a fortress built by the Crusaders.  Arriving in Petra, we will stay at a 5-star hotel and dinner will be at the hotel.

Day 18 – PETRA (Nov 18)
Today, we will take a full day to tour the city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven new wonders of the world.  This city was carved into sandstone rock mountains and was a stop along ancient trade routes.  We will also see Al Khazneh (meaning “The Treasury”), which is a detailed ruin built into a cliff.   Late in the afternoon, we will return to Petra to stay at the hotel.

Day 19 – PETRA / AMMAN (Wadi Rumi) (Nov 19)
After breakfast, we will drive to Wadi Rum.  After a jeep safari and lunch at a Bedouin Tent, we will then continue back to Amman to stay at a 5-star deluxe hotel.  Dinner will be at the hotel.

Day 20 – AMMAN (JORDAN) / ISTANBUL (Nov 20)
After breakfast, we will be taken to the airport for our flight from Amman to Istanbul (depending on the flight’s departure time, Bora will offer a morning activity in Amman if the flight departs in the evening or the afternoon).  Upon arriving in Istanbul, we will either be taken to the 5-star Barcelo Eresin Topkapi hotel to check in or we will begin our tour of Istanbul depending on the arrival time.  Dinner will be at the hotel.      

Day 21 – DEPART FOR USA (Nov 21)
We will depart the hotel for our return flight, arriving in the United States the same day.

 **Flight schedules and itinerary are subject to change**

NOTE:  Please note that if you are unable to walk up to approximately half a mile on your own or cannot carry your luggage without assistance, we strongly advise against traveling on this tour without a companion (friend, family or caretaker).

****During our drives in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey the beautiful landscape and scenery will be constantly changing. The drives will actually be among the highlights of the tour. The bus will be very comfortable with lots of extra space. We will have many stops for rest, photo opportunities and visits with the local people of each country.  While traveling, Bora and staff will give talks on all aspects of each country’s life, customs, traditions and much more.

NOTE: This is the day-to-day itinerary for what we are hoping and planning to do during Bora’s Middle East & Fertile Crescent Tour.  There will be more events, spur of the moment activities, visits and interaction with the people. We always aim to give more then we promise with minimal regimentation. We may change the program slightly if deemed necessary for a better tour, which will be memorable for all Cultural Folk Tours clients.  If you are flexible, you will have one of the best tours of your life.