A
journey to the Middle East is nothing short of
going back into the history of civilization -
and yet it is here that history is still in the
making. For many people this land is where it
all began.
The small group concept we have adopted for tours will give you an opportunity to move more freely and thus be able to see more. It is also an ideal opportunity to get an insight into the various historical and cultural places you will visit and experience the life from the angle of the local peoples you visit.
Our tours to the Middle East have several possible combinations. They can be linked to each other thereby broadening your possibilities.
A
cultural tour of UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and
Kuwait
Bahrain's
reputation as a relatively liberal and modern
Persian Gulf state has made it a favorite with
travellers in the region and is an excellent introduction
to the Gulf. Bahrain diversified its economy and
created some of the best education and health
systems in the region. Years of British influence
have made English widely spoken. Site of one of
the oldest civilisations in the world and thought
by some to be the site of the Garden of Eden,
Bahrain is packed with archaeological sites, historical
museums, dhow building yards and back-street souks,
awaiting you to discover them.
Welcome
to Iran Travel & Tourism page
Iran Tours
For detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following Iran tours...
A
cultural tour of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and
Iran
Iran,
or as it was once known-Persia, has long been
the seat of civilisation and high achievements
in poetry, art, architecture, science and history.
Names like Darius, Xerxes, Alexander the Great,
Rustam, Omar Khayyam, Hafiz, Saadi, Shamsh Tabriz,
Attar and Ibn Sina just to name a few, are all
amongst the great achievers who left great contributions
to the world we live in today.
Despite all the political developments in the
last decade, most of the archaeological and historical
sites have been very well preserved. Centres like
Susa, Persepolis, Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashad, Kerman,
Bam, Hamadan, proudly portray rich history even
today.
For various reasons, organising a tour of Iran
is not easy to say the least. Our Persian tours
are tours for lovers of history, culture and art,
and for those who want to be able to see and experience
the moulding of a nation. They are tours for the
well travelled and, despite the fact that the
quality of hotel accommodation may not meet the
typical stereotype "deluxe" - and it is not meant
to offer that - they offer very clean and comfortable
facilities.
In October 1996, Bestway Tours & Safaris was amongst
the first tour operators permitted to take a group
of American and Canadian tourists on Iran tours
and has been orgazing groups to visit the country
ever since.
Our participants are always very cordially received
and have come back extremely pleased with the
arrangements. That original Iran tours visited
all the historical and cultural sites in the itinerary,
and we were even invited to private homes.
Welcome
to Iraq Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Iraq
For
detailed itineraries, prices and dates,
please select from one of the following
cultural tours we offer to Iraq...
The territory of modern Iraq is roughly equivalent to that of ancient Mesopotamia, which fostered a succession of early civilizations, such as Sumer, Babylonia and Assyria. Later invasions by Alexander the Great and the Persians also left their mark.
The Arab-Islamic conquest of what is now Iraq started in 633 and from the mid-8th century to 1258 Baghdad was the capital of the Islamic realm. The Abbasid period was a golden age of Islamic power and culture. During that period Baghdad became the second largest city in the known world, after Constantinople, and the most important center of science and culture.
Iraqi architecture is best exemplified in the sprawling metropolis of Baghdad. The city's architecture is almost entirely new, with some islands of exquisite old buildings and compounds.
Despite all the political developments in the last decade, most of the archaeological and historical sites have been very well preserved. For various reasons, organizing a tour of Iraq is quite difficult to say the least. Iraq is an area for lovers of history, culture and art, and for those who are daring enough to experience a nation under pressure. It is a tour for the well traveled.
In Spring of 2001, Bestway Tours & Safaris was the first tour operator to take a group of American and Canadian tourists to Iraq. Our participants were surprisingly well received and have come back extremely pleased with the trip. As always the people are very different from their rulers and their regimes.
Welcome
to Israel Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Israel
For
detailed itineraries, prices
and dates, please select from
one of the following cultural
tours we offer to Israel...
Jordan
conjures images of Bible stories, lost cities
and Lawrence of Arabia. It's a country that ought
to be filled with tourists, but the Middle East's
problematic past has kept them away. Jordan is
peaceful and one of the most welcoming, hospitable
countries in the world.
It's also home to two of the most spectacular
sights in the Middle East. Petra, the ancient
city of the Nabateans is one of the world's most
impressive ruins. For a slightly more contemplative
experience, the startling desert scenery of Wadi
Rum enraptured Lawrence of Arabia and will probably
have the same effect on you.
Welcome
to Kuwait
Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Kuwait
For
detailed itineraries,
prices and dates,
please select from
one of the following
cultural tours we
offer to Kuwait...
A cultural tour of UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait
Kuwait is an oil-rich Arab country with an area of 17,818 sq km situated at the north-western tip of the Arabian Gulf. Its territorial waters include nine islands and a coastline that is 290km long. The country is bordered on the north and west by Iraq, on the south by Saudi Arabia and on the east by the Arabian Gulf. After the Iraqis were driven out in early 1991 and reconstruction work began on the ruins of Kuwait City, the government is meticulously re-creating the country's pre-invasion appearance - right down to the pink marble steps at the entrance to Kuwait City's leading five-star hotel. With the war a fading memory, Kuwait is once again the prototypical oil state, and travellers looking for a relaxed entry into the Muslim world can expect beautiful mosques, souks and other sandy traces of bygone Bedouin days.
Welcome
to
Lebanon
Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Lebanon
For
detailed
itineraries,
prices
and dates,
please
select
from one
of the
following
cultural
tours we
offer
to Lebanon...
Few places offer such diversity and interest in such a small space as Lebanon: ancient cities, Roman ruins, luxurious ski resorts, bucolic charm and Islamic architecture are just the beginning.
Beirut, once known as the Paris of the Middle East is quickly re-building itself to its former glory. History abounds and you can visit the old Phoenician ports of Sidon and Tyre in the South; Byblos, reputedly one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world and the magnificent Roman acropolis of Baalbek. Explore Tripoli and drive to the beautiful Qadisha Valley with Lebanon's famous Cedar trees, treasured for their durable, sweet-scented wood. Many of these lovely trees are more than 1500 years old.
If you're interested in the history of the region and want to see how Lebanon is striving to rebuild itself, now is a good time to visit.
Welcome
to Oman Travel & Tourism page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Oman
For detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following cultural tours
we offer to Oman...
Long
known as the hermit of the Middle East, the Sultanate
of Oman is slowly emerging from its shell, revealing
a land of friendly people, dramatic landscapes
and many forts. The capital, Muscat, lacks the
nouveau-riche feel that typifies much of the rest
of the Gulf.
Discover its surprising scenic variety: dramatic
sand-dunes and wadis, fertile highland villages
and an incredible coastline. Famous as a frankincense
centre of antiquity, its past is linked with ancient
Mesopotamia, Egypt and India.
Welcome
to Qatar Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Qatar
For
detailed itineraries, prices
and dates,
please select from one of
the following
cultural tours we offer to
Qatar...
A cultural tour of UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait
Best known for being unknown, Qatar has a habit of falling off the outside world's radar screens. Most foreign maps of Arabia drawn before the 19th century don't show the Qatar peninsula. Not among the world's prime tourist destinations, it began issuing tourist visas in 1989, but after a slow start Qatar has begun to reap the benefits of its new openness. Albeit it is not as developed as the tourist centres of the UAE, Qatar is definitely worth a look.
Welcome
to
Saudi
Arabia
Travel & Tourism
page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Saudi Arabia
For detailed
itineraries, prices and dates, please select from one of
the following cultural tours we offer to Saudi Arabia...
Tour
Name
Days
Saudi
Arabia Tours and Travels - Countries
Visited
Arabia has intrigued travellers for centuries. Today's Saudi Arabia has held on to its mystique by being incredibly difficult to visit. But it is worth coming here for the diverse desert landscapes and rugged mountain scenery, and some of the Middle East's best archaeological sites. Vast, complex and fascinating, Saudi Arabia has a rich collection of historical sites, such as the Nabatean remains of Madain Saleh and two of Islam's holiest cities - Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia is host to vibrant and thriving, oil as well as history-rich cities. Jeddah, for example is one of the few cities in the region to have built around, rather than over, its history. Although it's definitely a modern metropolis, Jeddah is also the most interesting and friendly of Saudi Arabia's big cities. It has some great museums and one of the best souks (markets) in the kingdom, the spectacular Souk Al-Alawi, which winds its way through the old city.
The Saudi people are deeply traditional and respectful to visitors and as always extend the greatest courtesy to the guests. Be amongst the first travellers from the West into Saudi Arabia in recent years with our journey into this fantastic kingdom.
Welcome
to Syria Travel & Tourism page
Syria
Tours
For detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following Syria tours...
Taking
one of our Syria tours is like taking a journey
through time. Syria is the cradle of the great
civilization, and the accomplishments of her ancient
peoples are renowned throughout the world. It
was here that agriculture began ten thousand years
ago, that settlement commenced and civilization
emerged. Houses, not caves, became man's dwellings,
and he embarked on a journey of self-discovery.
If you are interested in history and historical
monuments, you cannot miss Syria because there
is a monument around every corner and there is
no civilization in the east or west throughout
world history that didn't pass through Syria,
leave a mark there as well as be effected by its
long, long history. This is why Syria was called
rightfully "The cradle of civilizations".
The kingdom of Ugarit offered mankind the first
alphabet in history. At Ebla, a royal palace was
discovered containing one of the largest and most
comprehensive documentary archives of the ancient
world.
The Amorites, the Kanaanites and Phoenicians inhabited
the coastal regions, the Arameans were the highlander,
and the Nabateans inhabited the south.
Successive invasions by Hittites, Persians, Greeks
and Romans left their mark. The Islamic conquest
of 636 A. D. only gave the country its Arab identity.
When you enter the old souks, on one of our Syria
tours, you realize that history is alive and tangible,
something you can see and touch.
Syria is probably one of the most under-advertised
yet important countries in the world. It is one
of the most beautiful destinations in the world
and the Syrian people are very friendly and peaceful.
Welcome
to Turkey Travel & Tourism page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to Turkey
For
detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following cultural tours
we offer to Turkey...
Turkey
is a country with a multiple identity, poised
between East and West, where mosques coexist
with churches, and remnants of the Roman Empire
crumble alongside ancient Hittite and Neolithic
sites.
Istanbul, the country's cultural and commercial
centre, straddles the Bosphorus straits and
the Marmara coast. The city is a mix of old
and new and also visibly the old imperial
capital, and would take months of exploration
to truly do it justice.
On the Sea of Marmara are the two earlier
Ottoman capitals, Bursa and Edirne, and just
beyond, the World War I battlefields of the
Dardanelles.
On the Aegean Coast small country towns are
swathed in olive groves, while the area is
full of ancient sites like Assos, Bergama
and Ephesus, which have been a magnet for
travellers since antiquity. The Aegean coast
is Turkey at its most developed, with resorts
like Cesme, Bodrum and Marmaris.
On the interior of the Anatolian Peninsula
you can explore the spectacular attractions
of Cappadocia, with its famous rock churches,
subterranean cities and landscape studded
with "fairy chimneys", as well as the Selcuk
architecture and dervish associations of Konya.
Turkey is an immensely rewarding place to
travel, not least because of the people, whose
reputation for friendliness and hospitality
is richly deserved.destinations in the world
and the Syrian people are very friendly and
peaceful.
Welcome
to the UAE Travel & Tourism page
Cultural
Tours and Travels to the UAE
For detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following cultural tours
we offer to the UAE...
A
cultural tour of UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait
The
United Arab Emirates is a union of seven sovereign
shaikhdoms, formed when the British withdrew from
the Gulf in 1971. The Sun always shines here,
it's naturally desert climate and its convenient
location in the Arabian Gulf has endowed it with
warm seas and cozy beaches. Together with a booming
economy, where trade and tourism are encouraged,
it also makes for the ultimate shopping destination.
Every year, tourist attractions are constantly
being upgraded and added - from one of the world's
largest aqua parks to cultural and wildlife museums.
From Wind Towers to Towering Skyscrapers, the
country has a unique blend of the traditional
Arab, Islamic culture combined with the modernity
of a cosmopolitan living environment.
Its state-of-the-art tourist infrastructure with
numerous world-class hotels, sports events and
shopping spectaculars held annually, ensures its
position as the Middle East's number one tourist
destination.
Welcome
to Yemen Travel & Tourism page
Yemen
Tours
For detailed itineraries, prices and dates, please
select from one of the following Yemen tours...
Since
ancient times Yemen has enchanted travelers, merchants,
philosophers and kings with its secrets and its
wealth. At the crossroads of spice and incense
routes, Yemen is one of the oldest continuously
inhabited regions in the world that has not yet
been touched by the winds of modernity. Our Yemen
tours will take you through this fascinating country
stretching from the shores of the Red Sea to beyond
the shores of the Arabian Sea through extraordinarily
rich historical sites. The ancient sites are refreshingly
free of commercial ventures with an atmosphere
of uncluttered authenticity no longer present
at better-trodden historical locations. One of
the most striking features of Yemen is its astonishing
architecture. The country is covered in ancient
skyscrapers made from stone and mud - where people
live on top of their animals.
Every visitor is fascinated with the variety and
contrasts in landscape, architecture and people:
From gigantic mountains with fortress-like villages
on the top of the peaks to picturesque urban settlements
with houses of clay, bricks and stone; from deserts
to fertile valleys; from dreamlike beaches to
colorful markets filled with the sounds, fragrances
and faces from 1001 Nights, you will meet the
old wisdom and the art of the Land of the Queen
of Sheba everywhere.
A trip to Yemen is considered an experience of
a way of life long since lost to the modern world,
a dream destination of unusual record, a destination
of a different age. Come experience it for yourself
on one of our Yemen tours.
A
journey to the Middle East is nothing short of
going back into the history of civilization -
and yet it is here that history is still in the
making. For many people this land is where it
all began.
Bahrain's
reputation as a relatively liberal and modern
Persian Gulf state has made it a favorite with
travellers in the region and is an excellent introduction
to the Gulf. Bahrain diversified its economy and
created some of the best education and health
systems in the region. Years of British influence
have made English widely spoken. Site of one of
the oldest civilisations in the world and thought
by some to be the site of the Garden of Eden,
Bahrain is packed with archaeological sites, historical
museums, dhow building yards and back-street souks,
awaiting you to discover them.
Iran,
or as it was once known-Persia, has long been
the seat of civilisation and high achievements
in poetry, art, architecture, science and history.
Names like Darius, Xerxes, Alexander the Great,
Rustam, Omar Khayyam, Hafiz, Saadi, Shamsh Tabriz,
Attar and Ibn Sina just to name a few, are all
amongst the great achievers who left great contributions
to the world we live in today.
The territory of modern Iraq is roughly equivalent to that of ancient Mesopotamia, which fostered a succession of early civilizations, such as Sumer, Babylonia and Assyria. Later invasions by Alexander the Great and the Persians also left their mark.
For
detailed itineraries, prices
and dates, please select from
one of the following cultural
tours we offer to Israel... 
Jordan
conjures images of Bible stories, lost cities
and Lawrence of Arabia. It's a country that ought
to be filled with tourists, but the Middle East's
problematic past has kept them away. Jordan is
peaceful and one of the most welcoming, hospitable
countries in the world.
Kuwait is an oil-rich Arab country with an area of 17,818 sq km situated at the north-western tip of the Arabian Gulf. Its territorial waters include nine islands and a coastline that is 290km long. The country is bordered on the north and west by Iraq, on the south by Saudi Arabia and on the east by the Arabian Gulf. After the Iraqis were driven out in early 1991 and reconstruction work began on the ruins of Kuwait City, the government is meticulously re-creating the country's pre-invasion appearance - right down to the pink marble steps at the entrance to Kuwait City's leading five-star hotel. With the war a fading memory, Kuwait is once again the prototypical oil state, and travellers looking for a relaxed entry into the Muslim world can expect beautiful mosques, souks and other sandy traces of bygone Bedouin days.
Few places offer such diversity and interest in such a small space as Lebanon: ancient cities, Roman ruins, luxurious ski resorts, bucolic charm and Islamic architecture are just the beginning.
Long
known as the hermit of the Middle East, the Sultanate
of Oman is slowly emerging from its shell, revealing
a land of friendly people, dramatic landscapes
and many forts. The capital, Muscat, lacks the
nouveau-riche feel that typifies much of the rest
of the Gulf.
Best known for being unknown, Qatar has a habit of falling off the outside world's radar screens. Most foreign maps of Arabia drawn before the 19th century don't show the Qatar peninsula. Not among the world's prime tourist destinations, it began issuing tourist visas in 1989, but after a slow start Qatar has begun to reap the benefits of its new openness. Albeit it is not as developed as the tourist centres of the UAE, Qatar is definitely worth a look.
Arabia has intrigued travellers for centuries. Today's Saudi Arabia has held on to its mystique by being incredibly difficult to visit. But it is worth coming here for the diverse desert landscapes and rugged mountain scenery, and some of the Middle East's best archaeological sites. Vast, complex and fascinating, Saudi Arabia has a rich collection of historical sites, such as the Nabatean remains of Madain Saleh and two of Islam's holiest cities - Mecca and Medina.
Taking
one of our Syria tours is like taking a journey
through time. Syria is the cradle of the great
civilization, and the accomplishments of her ancient
peoples are renowned throughout the world. It
was here that agriculture began ten thousand years
ago, that settlement commenced and civilization
emerged. Houses, not caves, became man's dwellings,
and he embarked on a journey of self-discovery.
If you are interested in history and historical
monuments, you cannot miss Syria because there
is a monument around every corner and there is
no civilization in the east or west throughout
world history that didn't pass through Syria,
leave a mark there as well as be effected by its
long, long history. This is why Syria was called
rightfully "The cradle of civilizations".
The
United Arab Emirates is a union of seven sovereign
shaikhdoms, formed when the British withdrew from
the Gulf in 1971. The Sun always shines here,
it's naturally desert climate and its convenient
location in the Arabian Gulf has endowed it with
warm seas and cozy beaches. Together with a booming
economy, where trade and tourism are encouraged,
it also makes for the ultimate shopping destination.
Every year, tourist attractions are constantly
being upgraded and added - from one of the world's
largest aqua parks to cultural and wildlife museums.
From Wind Towers to Towering Skyscrapers, the
country has a unique blend of the traditional
Arab, Islamic culture combined with the modernity
of a cosmopolitan living environment.
Since
ancient times Yemen has enchanted travelers, merchants,
philosophers and kings with its secrets and its
wealth. At the crossroads of spice and incense
routes, Yemen is one of the oldest continuously
inhabited regions in the world that has not yet
been touched by the winds of modernity. Our Yemen
tours will take you through this fascinating country
stretching from the shores of the Red Sea to beyond
the shores of the Arabian Sea through extraordinarily
rich historical sites. The ancient sites are refreshingly
free of commercial ventures with an atmosphere
of uncluttered authenticity no longer present
at better-trodden historical locations. One of
the most striking features of Yemen is its astonishing
architecture. The country is covered in ancient
skyscrapers made from stone and mud - where people
live on top of their animals.