Istanbul to Damascus

A day-by-day breakdown of what to expect and where you'll be staying.

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Day 1, Istanbul to Gallipoli Peninsula

Leaving the bustling city of Istanbul behind we head into the countryside through olive groves and rural settlements to Gallipoli and the Straits of the Dardanelles.

Day 2, Gallipoli Peninsula

Gallipoli is synonymous with World War I where the ANZAC and Allied forces battled for 9 fruitless months against the Turkish. It is a moving experience to visit the war graves and battlegrounds here and the lessons learnt from this campaign defined a chunk of nation-building history particularly for the New Zealanders and Australians.

Day 3 to 4, Gallipoli Peninsula to Selcuk (via Troy)

Leaving historic Gallipoli behind we cross the Straits of the Dardenelles, leave Europe and enter Asia. We stop at Troy - historic site of the famous Trojan Horse - before making our way to the coast and the huge, ancient Roman site of Ephesus.

Day 5, Selcuk

A chance today to take a trip to the ancient city of Ephesus. Built by the Greeks in 1000BC and then 'renovated' by the Romans, this huge ancient city boasts a 24,000 seat amphitheatre, a harbour with no water and a library said to be second only to the Great Library of Alexandria. All still in pretty good condition!

Day 6 to 7, Selcuk to Oludeniz

After our first major brush with Roman history we travel towards the Mediterranean coast and the small town of Oludeniz. Depending on the weather we may stop off at Pamukkale mineral springs for a hot-water soak or take the scenic mountain route towards Marmaris.

Day 8, Oludeniz

A free day today to enjoy the beautiful Med coast and all the water activities it offers. To get a birds-eye view take the opportunity to Paraglide from one of the best sites in Europe and Asia.

Day 9 to 10, Oludeniz to Olympos

A day's drive will see us at the home of the 'Eternal Flame' and we spend the next 2 nights either camping or sleeping in tree houses! A night visit to the Chimaera or 'Eternal' flame is well worth the walk. Burning natural gas escaping from numerous fissures in the rock lights up the mountainside and is a very interesting natural phenomenon. It is also believed by many to be the original birthplace of the Olympic (Games) Flame. Spend a day on the beach or hire a bike and explore.

Day 11, Olympos to Cappadocia

Leaving the coast we climb into the inland mountainous regions of Turkey. Some stunning, green mountain scenery gives way to the other-worldly look of the Cappadocia region. Don't be surprised if it looks a bit empty - many people live underground! Prepare to be amazed!

Day 12 to 13, Cappadocia

Over hundreds of years Cappadoccia houses, churches, forts, businesses and even entire cities have been carved out of the volcanic rock - underground! A few days in the Goreme Valley gives you time to visit many of these sites, see some belly dancing, take a hot air balloon ride and check out the carpets of Eastern Turkey.

Day 14, Cappadocia to Aleppo

Heading south today we cross into Syria - home of some of the most hospitable people you can meet. A long history boasts the rule of Persian, Egyptian, Roman and Babylonian Empires, and even the 'Crusades' passed through. Tonight's stop is the town of Aleppo.

Day 15, Aleppo

The bustling market town of Aleppo is a great day out cruising around the markets for cheap curios, checking out the beautiful citadels and absorbing the Syrian culture.

Day 16, Aleppo to Palmyra

Driving toward the desert we stop at the 800 year old Crusader Castle of Crac de Chevaliers. Look out for the carved lions of Richard the Lionheart over the gate. Then the oasis town of Palmyra awaits. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was once one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world - from the massive size and numerous architectural influences of the ruined city that remains, you can see why.

Day 17, Palmyra to Damascus

After our visit to stunning Palmyra we turn back west towards the oldest inhabited city in the world - Damascus.

Day 18, Damascus

A chance today to explore the oldest inhabited city in the world.

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There are 9 optional activities available on this trip.

Prices shown are approximate

• $6 Aleppo City Tour
• $300 Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Trip
• $15 Crac de Chevaliers Castle Tour
• $25 Ephesus Guided Tour
• $270 Lebanon Day Trip from Damascus
• $100 Oludeniz Paragliding
• $9 Palmyra City Tour
• $15 Pammukale Hot Springs
• $32 Turkish Bath