** “Possibility of adding extension to Omo Valley tribal region of the south” ** Single Supplement: $800.00 ** Price based on a group size of 8 - 14 participants

Tour Includes:
* All transfers and ground transportation (A/C Coaster bus, English speaking driver) * Accommodations in first class or best available hotels outside of Addis and 4 Stars (first class) hotel in Addis * Non alcoholic drinks with meals and daily bottled mineral water on tours * All entrance fees as per the program and boat trip on Lake Tana * Professional English speaking guide throughout; Local guides and helpers; shoe keepers while in churches and scouts in Simien Mountains National Park * Roundtrip International air from Dulles to Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airline (air credit if not using Ethiopian Airline is $1,000) * All internal flights within Ethiopia * Gratuities to guide, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff and porters

Not Included:
* Airline taxes and security charges (Currently estimated at $430.00) * Departure taxes from Addis (currently none) * Travel insurance (highly recommended) * Meals not mentioned * Items of a personal nature: beverages, laundry, phone calls, email, souvenirs, camera fees at sites, etc. * Visa for Ethiopia (Currently $20 obtainable on arrival – Subject to change) * Air from your home city to Dulles and any required dayroom or hotel overnights if necessary due to airline schedule changes

Tour Notes:
About your guide – Asrat Kahsay was born in the rural town of Adwa, in Tigray province in northern Ethiopia near the border with Eritrea. He spent his childhood in an agricultural setting: collecting firewood, fetching water, tending herds, animal feed collection, plowing, sowing seed, weeding and harvesting crops. He attended the local elementary and junior high schools and completed three years of high school before moving to eastern Ethiopia for his final year, a move necessitated by the border war with Eritrea. He studied at the Maichew Technical College before deciding to pursue a degree/career in tourism. He served an apprenticeship with one of the more reputable Ethiopian tour operators, spending time both in the office and in the field and working with some of the better-known tourism companies around the world. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, religions, fauna and flora of his country making him one of the most sought after guides in the country. His attention to detail and ability to converse in several of the local dialects (as well as English, French and German) contribute to the enjoyment of your tour. Special notes on Travel to Ethiopia: This is a very poor country and the tourism infrastructure is still lacking in many areas. This trip requires participants to be in good health. We designed the itinerary to be as comfortable as possible. Elevations could constitute problems for people with breathing difficulties (some areas are at 7000 ft) and rough, dusty roads could also affect travelers. Finally, you should be aware that some of the accommodations are considered primitive (though clean and suitable for our kind of adventure), they are the best available in some of the visited towns, Some of the drives are very long on gravel and dirt roads, so patience, a team spirit, a sense of adventure and flexibility are all needed traits to enjoy this tour. Also at festival times, hotels can occasionally oversell and force us to make last minute changes.

Hotels: Amman AL Qasr Metropole (1 night) Petra Holiday Inn Dead Sea Spa and Hotel (2 nights)

Tour Includes:
* Transfer from Damascus to Amman with assistance at Ramtha border with formalities and visa and final departure at Queen Alia International Airport * All tours with private A/C min-van * Visa to Jordan (Currently $30 on arrival) * All entrance fees to the mentioned sites as per the program * Local guide at Jerash and Petra * Accommodation sharing a double room on Bed and Breakfast Basis + 2 lunches

Not Included:
* Lunches en route except where mentioned * Dinner and beverages throughout * Portages, at the hotels and borders. * Gratuities: tips to the driver, horse boy, local guides… etc. * Any expense of personal nature and any item not mentioned above

Tour Notes:
** Package Price based on min. 4 participants & max. 12 participants ** Single Supplement $126.00

About your lecturer host...Mohamed Halouani...ATunisian native transformed his profound passion for travel and history into a creative and diversified educational career, designing and carrying out multiple archaeological and cultural trips for institutions, such as The Detroit Institute of Art, the Textile Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, Cross Cultural Adventurers and many more organizations. After having received his degrees in English and Spanish, Mr. Halouani completed his European Master’s in linguistics and Hispanic studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has extensive knowledge on Islamic architecture and Eastern decorative elements as well as Roman archaeology and history. A skilled multilingual interpreter, Mohamed has served as the head tour guide in Tunisia. He now resides in Paris and leads only certain select small groups to the three countries in North Africa that boast the highest concentration of Roman Ruins: Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

Tour Includes:
* The best hotel accommodations available (Deluxe, First Class and local tourist class lodges) * Meals as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * Daily bottled mineral water on the bus * Tipping to guide, driver, porters, hotel and restaurant staff throughout Tunisia * All tours as per itinerary including guidance and entrance fees * Transfers/transportation by air-conditioned motor-coach and 4 wheel drive vehicles * All local taxes and service charges on included items

Not Included:
* International airfare from NYC area airports - Tunis, roundtrip (approx. $1,200 from NYC) * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage, etc.) * Meals not listed and beverages with all meals * Travel protection insurance * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates and * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $775.00 ** Minimum 2 participants and Maximum of 12 participants

** Single Supplement: $655.00 ** Minimum 8 participants and Maximum of 14 participants - Trip may go with a small group surcharge if there are less than 8 participants *** We (STS) reserve the right to change hotels, restaurants or the order of activities if/as needed

Tour Includes:
* Five star and superior four-star accommodations or best available * English-speaking private guide throughout & Bedouin guide in the desert * Meals as specified in the itinerary + bottled water on touring days in bus * Travel by modern, air-conditioned motor coach and in 4WD vehicles * All activities described in the tour and entrance fees to all sites mentioned * Round trip airfare New York City/Muscat (airfare credit in case of not using our built-in flights is $950.00) * Gratuities to your guide, drivers, porters, restaurant and hotel staff * All applicable hotel taxes * Visa to Oman (Currently costing $80) * Above mention transfers & tours by vehicles mention above with English speaking driver

Not Included:
* Dayrooms or extra hotel overnights if necessary * Airport transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled group flights * Fuel surcharges, border departure taxes, airport taxes and security charges (approximately $400.00) * Expenses of a personal nature such as: Meals not included; beverages; telephone/internet service; camera fees; laundry bills, etc. * Any other service/s not specified above * Travel Insurance

Tour Notes:
Your lecturer - Denise Schmandt-Besserat is professor emerita of Art History and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. A graduate of L’Ecole du Louvre in Paris, she is a renowned Near Eastern archaeologist. She has worked on archaeological collections in all the major museums of the Middle East, Europe and the USA. She is the author of When Writing Met Art (2007), Before Writing (1992) and How Writing Came About (1996), which was selected by American Scientist magazine as “one of the 100 books that shaped science in the 20th century”. Her work on the origins of writing and mathematics has been covered by Scientific American, Time, Life, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. She has appeared in television programs such as Out of the Past (Discovery Channel), the Nature of Things (CBC), Search for Solutions (PBS) and Tell the Truth (NBC)

Tour Includes:
* 03 Nights Mena House Hotel (Garden wing) on Bed and Breakfast Basis * 02 Nights at Marriott Cairo on Bed & Breakfast basis * 02 Nights Luxor Sonesta-01Hotel on Bed and Breakfast Basis * 02 Nights Aswan Movenpick Hotel on Bed and Breakfast Basis * 03 Nights Cruise on Full Board Basis * 02 Nights Alexandria at Sofitel Cecil on Bed and Breakfast Basis * All Transfers and Sightseeing by A/C Coach * All Entrance Fees as per the Program * All Meals as per above Program * English speaking Guide throughout the tour * Two free people in 2 singles for 12 paying and over

Not Included:
* Entry visa (Currently $15.00 available upon arrival) * International Air (Egyptair from JFK is $750.00 + Taxes- Currently $325.00) - 1 free every 20 paying participant. * Inter-Egypt flights ($260.00 if not using Egyptair over the ocean) and $170.00 if using Egyptair over the ocean. Again ONLY one free every 20 paying passengers. * Airplane trip to Abu Simbel ($250.00) and $180 if using Egyptair over the Ocean (Both Non Free) * Tips, Drinks , extra Meals , Personal expenses , Insurance

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $ TBA ** Group Size minimum is 12 participants, maximum is 16 participants

About your guide ... Mr. Mansur Ramazonov is a graduate of Tashkent State University of Economics. He also attended Bukhara State University where he studied Economics and English. He has completed course work in the history and archaeology of Central Asia and received diplomas certifying him as a Guide/Interpreter from accredited organizations in Uzbekistan. Besides speaking English he is fluent in Uzbek, Russian and Tajik. He has been leading tours in various countries along the Silk Road including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Turkey, Iran and Russia since 2000. He is passionate about the history, archaeology, ethnography and music of Central Asia and enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge with others. Mansur consistently receives ratings from our travelers that are so phenomenal that we consider him THE BEST guide to lead you on a tour through this part of the world! His knowledge, leadership abilities as well as his amazing compassion and attention to detail all contribute to a thoroughly rewarding and enriching experience for our guests. During the tour, Mansur gives some very interesting lectures on various subjects which add a lot of spice to the program and gives some very scholarly insight to many aspects and facets of life in Central Asia.

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from JFK using Turkish Airlines (Via Istanbul) – Other gateways available for supplement * All transfers by comfortable air conditioned vehicle * Accommodation based on double occupancy, at combinations of 4 & 3 star hotels as well as best available properties in the smaller towns. * Sightseeing throughout the program using local guides in some sites * Entrance tickets to the sites, museums, mausoleums, parks, etc.; * Visa support an invitations for the 5 stans * Breakfasts, lunches and dinners throughout and daily bottled water on all touring days * All gratuities to guides, drivers, hotel staff, etc.. * Airplane ticket; Ashgabat-Mary-Ashgabat, Ashgabat–Tashauz (Turkmenistan), Khodjent-Dushanbe (Tajikistan) & Dushanbe–Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)

Not Included:
* Charges in hotels for personal additional services * Consular fees for 4 visas (currently approx. $400.00) and Turkish visa if you stop over (obtainable on arrival for $20 cash) * Turkmenistan Immigration tax at the border $12 per person (subject to change) * Photography and video camera fees * Personal travel insurance (highly recommended for your own protection) * Airplane ticket taxes, fuel surcharges and security fees (subject to change , currently $425)

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $925.00 ** Air Allowance (if doing your own air): $1050.00 ** Minimum 8 participants and Maximum of 14 participants *** If number of participants is less than 8, trip may still depart with payment of Small Group Surcharge *** Visas: The process of obtaining all visas is simple but lengthy. We need to start applying for your invitation letters by end of July in order to allow ample time to get all your visas from Washington DC.

Tour Includes:


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Tour Notes:

Tour Includes:


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Tour Notes:

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Tour Notes:

Extension to Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia (Pre-tour extension to Bosnia and Croatia (May6-12, 2013)) * Land Cost: $.00 per person based on Double Occupancy * Single Supplement $.00 * Trip cost based on Minimum of 2 participants - Maximum group size is 6 participants ..........Price includes * All transfers with assistance * Transportation with a modern A/C motor coach * Accommodation at first class hotels * All meals as per the itinerary * Professional English speaking Guide * All entrance fees to visited sites (mentioned in the itinerary) * Tips, and gratuities to porters, drivers and guides * 1 bottle of water per day ..........Price does not include * Beverages with meals and meals not mentioned * Items of a personal nature, i.e. souvenirs, camera fees, laundry, phone calls, emails, etc. * Travel insurance * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes or misconnections

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from New York city airports (Airfare credit for not using our included ticket $1,100.00) * All transfers with assistance * Transportation with a modern A/C motor coach * Accommodation at first class hotels * All meals as per the itinerary * Professional English speaking Guide * All entrance fees to visited sites (mentioned in the itinerary) * Tips, and gratuities to porters, drivers and guides * 1 bottle of water per day * 1 folklore program in Bulgaria

Not Included:
* Airport taxes, fuels surcharges and security charges (Estimated $440.00) * Airfare from your home town to JFK or supplement from other gateways * Beverages with meals and meals not mentioned * Items of a personal nature, i.e. souvenirs, camera fees, laundry, phone calls, emails, etc. * Travel insurance * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes or misconnections

Tour Notes:
** With possible extension to Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia from May 30 - June 04, 2013 ** Single Supplement $.00 ** Trip cost based on Minimum of 8 participants - Maximum group size is 14 participants

A Special Festival Celebration: In May, Tumbuna Sing Sing, is one of the most colorful cultural festivals in Papua New Guinea's highlands. Tumbuna means from the time of the ancestors. This event is a truly authentic Sing Sing, based on traditions handed down from generation to generation. We will have the opportunity to closely observe the sing sing dancers' preparation for the traditional cultural event. Faces will be painted. Pounds of necklaces will be wound around necks. Feathers will be carefully unwrapped from protective leaves and positioned in fantastic headdresses. Drumming, dancing, chanting, laughing--the day's sights and sounds will excite us and exhaust our camera batteries. At the end of the day, our best memories may be of our interactions with tribal dancers, villagers and elders

Tour Includes:
* All transfers with assistance and luggage porterage * Transportation within country using modern A/C motor coach and charter aircrafts (Mt. Hagen/Tari/Karawari/Mt. Hagen) * All mentioned accommodations in First class lodges and hotels * All meals as listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner) * All entrance fees to visited sites (mentioned in the itinerary) * Service of professional English speaking tour manager and local guides at various cities and sites * All gratuities to hotel and restaurant staff and local guides and drivers * Bottled water on bus during touring days * All gratuities to guide, porters, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff etc.

Not Included:
*International air USA/Port Moresby and back. Roundtrip coach class estimated at $2500 including taxes, via Brisbane, Australia on Quantas airlines from Los Angeles. Departure from USA May 19th. You can also make a stop-over in Australia. * Regular scheduled flights Port Moresby/Mt. Hagen/Port Moresby (estimated at $1000) * Beverages with meals and meals not noted * Items of a personal nature, i.e. souvenirs, laundry, phone calls, emails, etc. * Visa– currently obtainable on arrival for small fee * Travel insurance which is mandatory * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes

Tour Notes:
** Single supplement: $1,935.00 ** Trip cost based on minimum of 8 participants - Maximum group size is 12 participants

About your lecturer...Professor Geoff EmberlingHe has been Director of the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago from 2004 till 2010, while there, he supervised the installation of a gallery devoted to ancient Nubia, one of only two permanent exhibits on Nubia in the United States. More recently, he curated the exhibit “Nubia: Ancient Kingdoms of Africa” that is currently on display at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World in New York City. He directed salvage excavations at the 4th Cataract in northern Sudan in 2007-2008 in an area that is now completely underwater, and is currently planning his next excavation project in Sudan. Dr. Emberling received his BA in Anthropology from Harvard and his PhD in Anthropology and Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan. He was previously Assistant Curator in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum, and has directed excavations and led tours in Syria

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Tour Notes:

Sailing the Nile…aboard a Dahabiya - also spelled (dahabeah, dahabeeyah, dahabiah, dahabiyah and Dahabia) . These river-going sailboats were common in Egypt in the days of the monarchy (1880-1940s) when travelers loved to cruise the Nile in style. We've revived those elegant days, but with modern comforts and facilities. It is an original and peaceful option to navigate on the river Nile and discover the most singular places of the landscape in a more intimate setting while in absolute luxury, exploring some of Egypt’s ancient sites in the same manner as those nearly 100 years before you.

Tour Includes:
* 02 nights’ accommodation at Sonesta hotel in Luxor on bed and breakfast basis * 05 nights’ accommodation on Queen Farida Dahabiya Cruise on Full board basis * 04 nights’ accommodation at Marriott hotel on bed and breakfast basis * All tours and sightseeing as per above program * All entrance fees as per the program * Private English speaking guide on all tours except on cruise (when you share with other English-speaking clients ) * All transfers and sightseeing by A/C vehicle and assistance of our staff

Not Included:
* Airline tickets and taxes * Egypt Visa (currently $20.00 available upon arrival at the airport payable cash) * All items of a personal nature, i.e. curios, min-bar, telephone calls, laundry etc. * Gratuites i.e. drivers, guides, hotels, restaurants, etc. * Meals not specified in the itinerary and beverages * Travel Insurance

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $820.00 ** Group Size minimum is 4 participants, maximum is 12 participants

** Fine print: This tour can be added either as a post-tour to our Saudi Arabia trip (Nov.4-18) or as a pre-tour to our Oman trip (Nov. 26- Dec. 08). ** The transition between any of those components/trips may necessitate additional flights or border transfers. Extra costs may be involved and we can advise details of the coordination once the request has been made.

Tour Includes:
* First class accommodations in centrally located hotels. * English-speaking private guide throughout & Bedouin guide in the desert. * Meals as specified in the itinerary. * Travel by modern, air-conditioned motor coach and in 4WD vehicles. * All activities described in the tour. * Entrance fees to all sites mentioned. * Above mentioned transfers at airports. * English Speaking guide on all tours and visits.

Not Included:
* International airfare or Doha/Dubai flight (Currently pricing at $320) * Visa for UAE (Currently gratis) and Qatar Visa (Currently $30 on arrival) for US citizens {subject to change} * Beverages with meals and meals not mentioned * Gratuities to drivers, porters, restaurant and hotel staff * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes * Airport transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled group flights * Expenses of a personal nature such as: beverages with meals, telephone, email, camera fees, laundry bills, etc. * Any other service(s) not specified above * Travel Insurance

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $585.00 ** Minimum 4 participants and Maximum of 12 participants ** We (STS) reserve the right to change hotels, restaurants or the order of activities if/as needed

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO...... The actual itinerary may change to coincide with market days in towns visited. You must be in good physical condition to participate on this tour. You should not suffer from any respiratory ailment, allergies to dust or asthma. Some roads are dusty although in the last few years there has been a lot of improvements on the roads. Some drive days are quite long. Temperatures in southern Ethiopia can reach in the high 90’s. Vehicles are supposed to be air-conditioned but we cannot guarantee that they will be. Hotels are not air-conditioned. There are mosquitoes in this area and it is recommended that you take malaria prophylactic. You should consult your physician or a travel clinic regarding this matter. Some of the hotels will have mosquito netting, making it hot for sleeping. If you suffer from back problems be advised that you will be traveling over bad roads for an extended period of time. There are airports in Arbaminch and Jinka but the flights are not dependable. They are often cancelled or overbooked and since they are only twice weekly you would experience a considerable delay if you were not able to leave on your scheduled flight. This is not a wildlife tour. While there is wildlife in the national parks you will probably not see it. This is a populated area and the animals stay pretty well hidden. Some animals that you may see include baboon, monkey, zebra, dik dik, warthog and gazelle. You can also expect to see hippo and crocodile on your boat tour. The purpose of this tour is to visit the various tribes that populate this area. The people and their way of life have pretty much remained the same as it has been for centuries. No electricity, running water, cell or telephones, televisions, satellite dishes, cars, etc. Your hotel will have some of these but they are pretty basic. The people themselves are being negatively impacted by tourism. Money being the key to interacting with them and the competition for your attention is fierce as it has become a business for them.

Tour Includes:
* Accommodations as mentioned in the itinerary & Day use room in Addis Ababa on the last day of the tour * All transfers with assistance and porterage * All included sightseeing with entrance fees to visited sites * Fully escorted by an English speaking, native historian/guide & scout services in the National parks * All meals as specified * 4 X 4 vehicles for touring outside of Addis Ababa & boat trip on Lake Chamo * 2 bottles of water each day and a soft drink or sparkling water with lunch and dinner * Local guides, local helpers and national park scouts

Not Included:
* Any airline tickets or airline taxes & Security charges * Meals not mentioned * Items of a personal nature: beverages, laundry, phone calls, email, souvenirs, camera fees at sites, etc. * Visa for Ethiopia which must be obtained ahead of time * Tips to guide and driver and scouts * Air from your home city to Addis Ababa * Dayroom or hotel overnights if necessary due to airline schedule changes

Tour Notes:
Price per Person is: $2,050.00 (2 people - 1 vehicle) $1,705.00 (3 people - 1 vehicle) $1,550.00 (4 people - 2 vehicles) **The single supplement is $395.00 **The above prices are based on double occupancy, with minimum of 2 people participating. **PS: Please note that to do the OMO extension, you will leave the main group tour on Nov 07th when they go back to Addis Ababa and you will Drive back to Addis Ababa on your way back from the Omo. **Rates for the Omo extension have into consideration the deletion of the 1 nights of Nov 07 and the late checkout of Nov 08

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Tour Notes:

Your Host: the Rev. Dr. Gordon E. Ellis The Rev. Dr. Gordon Ellis and his lovely wife, Diane, will be the hosts of our Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which coincides with Holy Week & Easter in the Orthodox tradition of Christianity. Gordon, the Senior Minister of the United Church of Christ in Keene, NH, previously served as the Senior Minister of UCC churches in Seekonk, MA & Southington, CT. From his years of biblical scholarship & preaching, as well as his experience leading 2 previous Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, he will delight & inspire us with his stories, insights, scriptural reflections & accumulated knowledge at many of the sights we will visit. In addition, Gordon’s songs, guitar-playing & worship leadership will add both fun & a deepened spirituality to our travels. Gordon also hopes & expects to arrange conversations with global ministry partners & local residents to help us better understand the life & culture, faith & critical issues of this important region of our world.

Tour Includes:
* Accommodation on Half Board Basis (Breakfast + one other meal a day) * Transportation for Transfers and Full Sightseeing as per program in large modern A/C bus * Accompanying guide in each country. * All entrance + Porterage Fees to all places visited and at all hotels and borders * Horse Ride in Petra (Maximum 10 minutes) * Collective Visa to enter Jordan * Exit Tax at Allenby Bridge * Service Charge

Not Included:
* International airfare (currently beyond booking range but will average about $1200-$1500 into Tel Aviv and out of Amman with all taxes). * Tipping to Hotels Staff, Guides and Drivers (estimated at $12.00 per person per day for the whole trip) * Any other expense of private nature such as Beverages, Medical Care or Travel Insurance. * Any meals not mentioned, beverages, items of personal nature like laundry, internet or phone calls.

Tour Notes:
** Single room supplement $720.00 ** Plus airfare (Tentative cost) from Boston inclusive of taxes $1,200-$1,500

Your Persian National Tour Guide's name is Bahman Zenhari, he was born in Tehran on 31st of January 1967, he got his diploma in biology in 1989 and then his BA in English translation (1990-1994) from Tehran university, then he passed a year training in a course in Tourism Management in Toronto and Vancouver in Canada where he lived in 1999. Then after he returned to Iran, he went through a training course to become a professional tour guide and got his official license from the Tourism Organization of Iran as one of the top students. As a professional English Translator he has translated a number of Archaeology, History, Geography, tourism, Social and Sport Magazines and pamphlets from English into Persian. He has also translated two English literary books into Farsi: The Old Man and the Sea as well as the Bridges of Madison County. He has also gone through several short training courses in pre and post Islamic Persian history. As a tour guide, since 1995 to date, he has lead numerous American cultural tour groups operated by many of the top US operators such as Geo Expeditions, National Geography, Distant Horizons, TCI, TRAVCOA, Caravan Serai International Tours, Academic Arrangements Abroad. He is also the appointed National Guide to lead prestigious museum Tour groups such as the Metropolitan Museum of NYC. Bahman is married to a former model, who is also a gifted painter who does oil on canvas and has participated in many national exhibits and won many artistic awards. The fruit of this Marriage is an 11 year old girl. Bahman Zenhari has not only been one of the most successful Iranian National Guides and one of the most demanded national tour guides in Iran, especially, by American Tour Groups, but also he has been a successful person in other aspects of life. He played basketball at the level of the Iranian National Team for about 5 years and played as a professional Basketball player in Iran National Basketball League. Aside from basketball he goes on mountaineering and swimming on a regular basis. As a National guide and Marketing manager for Pasargad Tours, the number one Iranian Private Tour Operator, and a professional Basketball player he has traveled to over 80 countries in the world including numerous time to the USA

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from NYC area airports - Tehran, roundtrip (air allowance $1000.00) * Superior and first class hotels or best available * Meals as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * English speaking guide throughout * Porterage and tipping to guide, drivers, porters, hotel and restaurant staff * All tours as per itinerary including guidance and entrance fees * Transfers/transportation by air-conditioned motor coach * One bottle of water and/or tea or fruits on the bus

Not Included:
* Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges (estimated at $450.00) * Items of a personal nature (camera fees at sites, laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage, etc.) * Travel protection insurance * Airfare from cities other than New York City (price differs depending on gateway city) * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled flights/tour dates * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules * Iran visa (Cost is currently $135.00, but subject to change) – Passport should not include any Israeli stamps

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $730.00 ** Group Size minimum is 4 participants, maximum is 14 participants

** Sailing the Nile..aboard a Dahabiya- also spelled (dahabeah, dahabeeyah, dahabiah, , dahabiyah and Dahabia) . These river-going sailboats were common in Egypt in the days of the monarchy (1880-1940s) when travelers loved to cruise the Nile in style. We've revived those elegant days, but with modern comforts and facilities. It is an original and peaceful option to navigate on the river Nile and discover the most singular places of the landscape in a more intimate setting while in absolute luxury, exploring some of Egypt’s ancient sites in the same manner as those nearly 100 years before you.

Tour Includes:
* Round-trip air JFK/Cairo/JFK (airfare credit for not using the included air is $700.00) * Domestic flights within Egypt: Cairo/Luxor - Aswan/Cairo * 5 nights’ accommodation at Marriott hotel or similar on bed and breakfast basis * 5 nights’ accommodation on the Queen Farida Dahabeya cruise on full board basis * All Transfers and Sightseeing by A/C Coach * All Entrance Fees as per the Program * All Meals as per the Program (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch or D: Dinner) * English speaking Egyptologist/Guide throughout the tour * Gratuities to Drivers, Guides, porters, etc,

Not Included:
* Entry visa (Currently $20.00 available upon arrival) * Airport taxes, security charges, fuel surcharges (Currently $332.00) * Tips, Drinks , extra Meals , Personal expenses , Insurance * Any meals not mentioned in the itinerary

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $1,250.00 ** Group Size minimum is 10 participants, maximum is 16 participants

** THE FINE PRINT...Saudi Arabia is a dry country. Alcohol is absolutely forbidden (as are narcotics and pornographic materials). Dress is modest and women must cover their heads and wear black abayas at all times (which will be provided by the agency in Saudi Arabia). Be advised that you will be fingerprinted and undergo a retinal scan upon arrival in the country. We strongly urge you to read the State Department Warnings before signing up and payment of your deposit confirms your understanding of the circumstances regarding travel to Saudi Arabia. Also be aware that everything in the Kingdom shuts down between noon and 4 pm every day as well as several other times during prayers and often the group will be returned to the hotel for some free time during these periods. In addition, sometimes sites can be closed for no foreseen reasons or authorities can also deny visit of certain places without prior notice and we (STS) are not responsible for any such events/acts.

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Tour Notes:

About your guide, Asrat Kahsay was born in the rural town of Adwa, in Tigray province in northern Ethiopia near the border with Eritrea. He spent his childhood in an agricultural setting: collecting firewood, fetching water, tending herds, animal feed collection, plowing, sowing seed, weeding and harvesting crops. He attended the local elementary and junior high schools and completed three years of high school before moving to eastern Ethiopia for his final year, a move necessitated by the border war with Eritrea. He studied at the Maichew Technical College before deciding to pursue a degree/career in tourism. He served an apprenticeship with one of the more reputable Ethiopian tour operators, spending time both in the office and in the field and working with some of the better-known tourism companies around the world. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, religions, fauna and flora of his country making him one of the most sought after guides in the country. His attention to detail and ability to converse in several of the local dialects (as well as English, French and German) contribute to the enjoyment of your tour.

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Not Included:


Tour Notes:

THE FINE PRINT...Saudi Arabia is a dry country. Alcohol is absolutely forbidden (as are narcotics and pornographic materials). Dress is modest and women must cover their heads and wear black abayas at all times (which will be provided by the agency in Saudi Arabia). Be advised that you will be fingerprinted and undergo a retinal scan upon arrival in the country. We strongly urge you to read the State Department Warnings before signing up and payment of your deposit confirms your understanding of the circumstances regarding travel to Saudi Arabia. Also be aware that everything in the Kingdom shuts down between noon and 4 pm every day as well as several other times during prayers and often the group will be returned to the hotel for some free time during these periods. In addition, sometimes sites can be closed for no foreseen reasons or authorities can also deny visit of certain places without prior notice and we (STS) are not responsible for any such events/acts. *** Your lecturer - Denise Schmandt-Besserat is professor emerita of Art History and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. A graduate of L’Ecole du Louvre in Paris, she is a renowned Near Eastern archaeologist. She has worked on archaeological collections in all the major museums of the Middle East, Europe and the USA. She is the author of When Writing Met Art (2007), Before Writing (1992) and How Writing Came About (1996), which was selected by American Scientist magazine as “one of the 100 books that shaped science in the 20th century”. Her work on the origins of writing and mathematics has been covered by Scientific American, Time, Life, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. She has appeared in television programs such as Out of the Past (Discovery Channel), the Nature of Things (CBC), Search for Solutions (PBS) and Tell the Truth (NBC).

Tour Includes:
* International air from New York-JFK/Jeddah & Dammam/New York-JFK , Roundtrip coach class (airfare credit $800) * All transfers with assistance and luggage porterage * Transportation within country using modern A/C motor coach * All mentioned accommodations in 5* hotels (or best available in smaller towns) * All meals as listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner) * All entrance fees to visited sites (mentioned in the itinerary) * Service of professional English speaking tour manager and local guides at various cities and sites * Bottled water on bus during touring days * All gratuities to guide, porters, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff, etc.

Not Included:
* Beverages with meals and meals not noted * Items of a personal nature, i.e. souvenirs, laundry, phone calls, emails, etc. * Airport taxes/fuel surcharges and security fees (approx. $485) * Airfare to/from JFK to/from home airport * Saudi Arabia Visa - $150.00 at time of printing * Travel insurance * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes

Tour Notes:
** Single supplement: $855.00 ** Trip cost based on minimum of 8 participants - Maximum group size is 14 participants ** We (STS) reserve the right to change hotels, restaurants or the order of activities if/as needed

***About your guide – Asrat Kahsay was born in the rural town of Adwa, in Tigray province in northern Ethiopia near the border with Eritrea. He spent his childhood in an agricultural setting: collecting firewood, fetching water, tending herds, animal feed collection, plowing, sowing seed, weeding and harvesting crops. He attended the local elementary and junior high schools and completed three years of high school before moving to eastern Ethiopia for his final year, a move necessitated by the border war with Eritrea. He studied at the Maichew Technical College before deciding to pursue a degree/career in tourism. He served an apprenticeship with one of the more reputable Ethiopian tour operators, spending time both in the office and in the field and working with some of the better-known tourism companies around the world. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, religions, fauna and flora of his country making him one of the most sought after guides in the country. His attention to detail and ability to converse in several of the local dialects (as well as English, French and German) contribute to the enjoyment of your tour. ***Special notes on Travel to Ethiopia: This is a very poor country and the tourism infrastructure is still lacking in many areas. This trip requires participants to be in good health. We designed the itinerary to be as comfortable as possible. Elevations could constitute problems for people with breathing difficulties (some areas are at 7000 ft) and rough, dusty roads could also affect travelers. Finally, you should be aware that some of the accommodations are considered primitive (though clean and suitable for our kind of adventure), they are the best available in some of the visited towns, Some of the drives are very long on gravel and dirt roads, so patience, a team spirit, a sense of adventure and flexibility are all needed traits to enjoy this tour. Also at festival times, hotels can occasionally oversell and force us to make last minute changes.

Tour Includes:
o Roundtrip International air from Dulles to Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airline (air credit if not using Ethiopian Airline is $1000) o All internal flights within Ethiopia o Accommodations in first class or best available hotels outside of Addis and 4 Stars (first class) hotel in Addis o All transfers with assistance and porterage o All included sightseeing with entrance fees to visited sites o Fully escorted by an English speaking, Ethiopian historian/guide o All meals starting with dinner on arrival day and ending with dinner on departure day o Private motor coach for city tours and transfers and 4x4 for the rest of the trip based on 3 people per vehicle o A bottle of water each day and a soft drink or sparkling water with lunch and dinner o Gratuities to guide, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff and porters

Not Included:
o Airline taxes and security charges (Currently estimated at $420) o Departure taxes from Addis (currently none) o Travel insurance (highly recommended) o Meals not mentioned o Items of a personal nature: beverages, laundry, phone calls, email, souvenirs, camera fees at sites, etc. o Visa for Ethiopia (Currently $20 obtainable on arrival – Subject to change) o Air from your home city to Dulles o Dayroom or hotel overnights if necessary due to airline schedule changes

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $700.00 ** Price based on a group size of 8 - 14 participants *** “Possibility of adding extension to Omo Valley tribal region of the south”

***About your tented accommodations: The lodge at Sesibi is a simple but clean and comfortable camp that has private rooms and bathrooms. The Meroe tented Camp is actually very comfortable, overlooking the pyramids of the Royal Necropolis of Meroe. Accommodation consists of 10 twin-bedded large and tastefully furnished tents and 10 bathroom huts with toilet and shower. Each tent is equipped with a veranda with two comfortable chairs and electricity produced by a generator. Single tents in camps are not guaranteed for late signers (Must sign up as early as possible to guarantee single tent). ***About your host/lecturer...Louis Werner Louis Werner is French and Arabic speaking journalist (for Archaeology and Saudi Aramco World magazines), documentary filmmaker (films including "Voice of the Whip", about a camel drive from Sudan to Cairo, for BBC-TV), and communications consultant.... He has been visiting Sudan since 1984. He has written articles on the restoration of the Aleppo citadel, sellers in the Aleppo souk, and the symbolism today of Krak des Chevaliers. He has also made two government-sponsored screening tours with the film to Sudanese villages in camel country and been has interviewed on Sudan TV During travels in some fifteen countries in the region, his most notable interviews have been with antiquaries in Damascus, well diggers in the Egyptian oases, sheep herders in Anatolia, mountaineers on Mt. Ararat, archaeologists in Saudi Arabia, dhow captains on the Red Sea, samovar smiths in the Caucasus Mountains of Azerbaijan *** Fine print: Visa process is currently quite simple and straight forward but could be subject to change. Passports must not include any Israeli stamps/visa. We may visit active archaeological excavations as January as it is a dig season for many teams

Tour Includes:
• Airport transfers (if arriving/departing on scheduled flights) by private motor coach • Accommodation in comfortable clean lodges/camps and hotel in Khartoum • Meals as per itinerary (Full board) and mineral water while on tour • Transport with 4x4 vehicles with A/C and use of minibus in Khartoum. • Accompanying English-speaking Sudanese guide/Historian • All archaeological sites’ entry fees • Photo permits (excluding video) and passport registration • Round trip airfare New York City/Khartoum (International Airfare credit for not using the included air $800.00) • All tipping to guide, drivers, hotel staff and restaurants

Not Included:
• Visa for Sudan (Currently $125 for Visa approval and $155.00 visa fee both to be paid on arrival – Fees are current and subject to change) • Video camera permit $10 per site • Dayrooms or extra hotel overnights or transfers in Khartoum if necessitated due to different arrival times/flights or hours • Fuel surcharges, airport taxes and security charges (approximately $325.00), Khartoum airport departure Tax ($17 currently & subject to change) • Expenses of a personal nature such as: beverages with meals, telephone, email, laundry bills, etc. • Round trip airfare between your hometown and NYC (Call us for special add-on fares) • Any other service/s not specified above and Travel Insurance

Tour Notes:
** Single supplement: $865.00 ** Minimum 8 participants and Maximum of 14 participants, if number of participants is less than 8, trip may still depart with Small Group Surcharge ** We reserve the right to change the order of activities or places visited due to unforeseen schedule conflicts or in order to make the itinerary run smoothly. ** Rates are based on today’s (Dec. 2011) exchange rate (Euro) and if it fluctuates, you will be billed for the difference.

Tourist facilities are very limited in the remote regions and small villages we are visiting. There are few first-class hotels anywhere outside the cities, but rest assured we always try to acquire the best possible. For the most part, the hotels are comfortable, but they are very basic. Hotel air conditioning in West Africa does not cool a room to American standards of comfort, and there may be occasions where the hotel electricity goes off for periods of time. We make frequent stops and you have ample opportunity to stroll around villages and markets to see and experience the differences in architecture, dress, and culture among the many tribes in West Africa. Participants should understand that this trip involves long drives, hot and humid weather, and somewhat basic hotels outside of Accra. The physical shape you are in will be an important factor in your enjoyment of your trip. We recommend you bring Gatorade-type powdered mixes or packets of OHS (oral hydration salts) to add to your water bottle from time to time on really hot days. There are dangers inherent in any expedition traveling to remote regions. These dangers include everything from the possibility of a vehicle accident or sickness without access to the means of rapid evacuation. The availability of medical supplies, or the adequacy of medical attention once provided, cannot be guaranteed and cannot be expected to measure up to Western standards. If you have any chronic health problems (respiratory or cardiac problems, a bad back, or diabetes), we recommend you consider a different trip. It is highly advisable to purchase travel protection insurance for such a journey.

Tour Includes:
* Accommodation at best available hotels * Roundtrip International air from JFK or DC using KLM/DL airline (any other airlines may entail extra costs) * Air credit if not using our included air is $1,000 * All entrance fees as per the program and boat trip on Lake * All transfers and ground transportation (A/C Vehicles and 4x4 cars) * All meals as per the itinerary with Picnic lunches as mentioned and bottled water * English speaking guide and local guides at the various villages * Gratuities to guide, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff and porters * Camera fees

Not Included:
* All Visa expenses (Togo and Ghana: multiple entry and Benin: single entry) * Airport taxes, fuel surcharges and security charges (Currently $220.00) * All other expenses not specified in the program * Travel insurance (highly recommended) * Items of a personal nature: beverages, laundry, phone calls, email, etc. * Any hotel bookings due to changes of air schedule or misconnections * Vaccination shots, Yellow fever immunization, Anti-malaria prophylaxis (All highly recommended)

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $850.00 ** Minimum 6 participants and Maximum of 12 participants

**The Fine Print...The following is some pertinent information regarding services and conditions that may help you decide if this trip is right for you. You should not expect the standard of accommodations in Senegal and Mauritania to be similar to the more popular tourist destinations in Africa. Rooms and facilities may be rustic. Vehicles may be a bit “tired” and the air conditioning may not function. Food can be somewhat bland. You will be doing some exploring on foot so you should be in good physical condition in order to participate on this tour and have appropriate footwear. Be advised that temperatures can be quite hot at this time of year. Dust levels are high and can cause complications for people with asthma or respiratory problems. Begging can become annoying in some places. We highly urge you not to give money as it will encourage this practice. Vaccines are required for this tour and you should contact the CDC. *Those wishing to have their Senegal and Mauritania tour as a continuation to our Ghana/Togo & Benin trip of Jan/6-21 will need some air adjustments. **About your expert lecturer/guide...Mr. Mohamed HALOUANI a Tunisian native, Mohamed transformed his profound passion for travel and history into a creative and diversified educational career, designing and carrying out multiple archaeological and cultural trips for various institutions, such as The Detroit Institute of Art, the Textile Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and many more organizations. After having received his degrees in English and Spanish, Mr. Halouani completed his European Master’s in linguistics and Hispanic studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has extensive knowledge on Islamic architecture and Eastern decorative elements as well as archaeology and history. An excellent lecturer on ethnographic and anthropological subjects, he will introduce you not only to the historical jewels of Mali but he’ll also reveal to you the culture of Mali better than many of the country’s own local native guides. He now resides in Paris and will lead our tour through Mali.

Tour Includes:
* 15 nights’ accommodation in hotels (best available) and auberges * Airfare from NYC via Paris on Air France * All meals as listed and one bottle water with meals (lunch & dinner) * Airport transfers upon arrival in Nouakchott and departure from Dakar if traveling on selected flights * All activities described in the tour and entrance fees to all sites mentioned (museums & parks) * National Senegalese guide and local guides at the various towns and parks * National Mauritanian guide and local guides at the various towns and parks * Transportation in minivan with A/C (12 seater) in Senegal & in 4WD vehicles with A/C in Mauritania * Water on board throughout the tour * Porterage and all gratuities to local guides, village helpers, porters, drivers, hotel, boat and restaurant staff

Not Included:
* Visa for Senegal (currently gratis for US citizens) and visa for Mauritania (Currently $131.00) * Tipping to your main guide: Mr. Halouani * Expenses of a personal nature such as beverages with meals, camera fees at sites, telephone, laundry bills, travel insurance, etc. * One way air from Accra, Ghana to Nouakchott if you will be combining both tours back to back * Round trip international air from hometown or other cities aside from NYC * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes * Any other service/s not specified above

Tour Notes:
** Single supplement: $955.00 ** Airfare credit if not doing Air France with us $1,450.00 ** Minimum 6 participants and maximum 12 participants - Rates are based on current exchange rates with the euro

About your lecturer host...Mohamed Halouani...ATunisian native transformed his profound passion for travel and history into a creative and diversified educational career, designing and carrying out multiple archaeological and cultural trips for institutions, such as The Detroit Institute of Art, the Textile Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, Cross Cultural Adventurers and many more organizations. After having received his degrees in English and Spanish, Mr. Halouani completed his European Master’s in linguistics and Hispanic studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has extensive knowledge on Islamic architecture and Eastern decorative elements as well as Roman archaeology and history. A skilled multilingual interpreter, Mohamed has served as the head tour guide in Tunisia. He now resides in Paris and leads only certain select small groups to the three countries in North Africa that boast the highest concentration of Roman Ruins: Libya, Tunisia and Algeria

Tour Includes:
* Airfare from NYC excluding taxes (air credit for not using our air $900.00) * Accommodation at the hotels listed in the program * Transportation in a private car with A/C * Transfers IN/OUT with airport assistance * Entrance fees to the sites and museums as per the program * English speaking guide throughout * Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner as listed in the program * Porterage and water on board (1L/bottle/person/day)

Not Included:
* Meals not mentioned in itinerary * Airport taxes, security charges and fuel fees (about $480) * Personal expenses and beverages at meals * Camera fees in sites and museums = 1DT per camera/site * Tipping to the guide and driver

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $550.00 ** Minimum 4 participants and maximum 14 participants