** “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...Professor Norman Jones is Chair of the Department of History and Director of Religious Studies at Utah State University. Holding a doctorate from Cambridge University, he specializes in the interplay of religion and culture, especially on the cultural fault lines where religions meet and national identities are shaped by religious allegiances, as in the Caucasus and Kurdistan. He teaches the history of Christianity, and his publications, focusing on the early modern world, include work on the relations between Christianity and Islam

Tour Includes:
* All transfers with assistance and luggage porterage * Transportation within country using modern A/C motor coach * All mentioned accommodations in best hotels available * All meals as listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner) and Bottled water on the bus and at meals * All entrance fees to visited sites (mentioned in the itinerary) * Service of professional guide * All gratuities to guides, porters, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff etc.

Not Included:
* Airfare to JFK in New York City or Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. from Kurdistan and onward to home airport * Beverages with meals and meals not noted * Items of a personal nature, i.e. souvenirs, camera fees, laundry, phone calls, emails, etc. * Kurdistan Visa - currently $40.00 - obtainable from the Kurdistan Regional office in D.C. * Travel insurance * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes or misconnections in Europe

Tour Notes:
** Single supplement: $600.00 ** Trip cost based on Minimum of 6 participants - Maximum group size is 14 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)

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.

Your expert lecturer/guide: Mr. Mohamed HALOUANI: a Tunisian 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, Archaeological Tours, 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 Roman archaeology and history. A skilled multilingual interpreter, Mohamed has served as the head tour guide in Tunisia as well as for some of our tours in Algeria and Libya. He now resides in Paris and will lead our special tour through the Splendors of Sicily where his expertise on ancient architecture and civilizations will enrich your experience and enhance your enjoyment of the island.

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from NYC area airports - Palermo, roundtrip * Accommodations at 4*/First class centrally located hotels * All tours as per itinerary including guidance and entrance fees * Transfers/transportation by air-conditioned motor-coach * All local taxes and service charges on included items * Meals as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * Beverages during farewell dinner (1/4 bottle of local wine & ½ bottle water) * English speaking local guides * Olive oil tasting in Selinunte and Wine and honey tasting on Etna * English speaking assistant at departure

Not Included:
* Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges (estimated at $380) * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage, etc.) * Tipping to guide, lecturer, driver, porters, hotel and restaurant staff throughout Sicily * Meals not listed and beverages with all meals * Travel protection insurance * Airfare from other cities than NYC * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $600.00 ** Group Size minimum is 8 participants, maximum is 16 participants

Your expert lecturer/guide: Mr. Mohamed HALOUANI: a Tunisian 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, Archaeological Tours, 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 Roman archaeology and history. A skilled multilingual interpreter, Mohamed has served as the head tour guide in Tunisia as well as for some of our tours in Algeria and Libya. He now resides in Paris and will lead our special tour through the Splendors of Sicily where his expertise on ancient architecture and civilizations will enrich your experience and enhance your enjoyment of the island.

Tour Includes:
* 4 nights’ accommodation in twin room on Half Board basis * Porter service on arrival and departure * One way Hydrophoil ticket from Catania, Sicily to Valletta, Malta * Transfers IN/OUT with air-conditioned minibus and throughout the tours * Fully qualified and licensed local English speaking guide throughout * Harbor cruise (scheduled service - not private), return ferry ticket to Gozo * Entrance to all museums and sites noted within program

Not Included:
* Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage, etc.) * Beverages with all meals * Tips to Lecturer, driver and guide * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules or due to misconnection on the return * Lunches

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $200.00 ** Group Size minimum is 6 participants, maximum is 14 participants

Crete Extension Price includes: * Meet and assistance during arrival & Departure transfers * One way Larnaca / Heraklion and one way Heraklion/Athens * Accommodation at First class (4*) hotels * All meals as per the itinerary * English speaking professional guide * All transfers and tours in Private air condition vehicle * Tipping budget to all guides, drivers, porters and restaurant staff Price does not include * International airfare (as well as fuel surcharges and taxes) * Any fluctuations in exchange rate to the Euro * Greek Visa (Currently Gratis for US citizens) * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage charges, etc.) * Travel protection insurance (highly recommended) * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from JFK (based on current airfare- air Credit for not using the included air is $900.00) * Meet and assistance during arrival & Departure transfers * Accommodation at First class (4*) hotels or best available from April 21 till check out on May 5th, 2012 * All meals as per the itinerary * 1 soft drink offered during lunches and 2 bottles of water every day during tour * English speaking professional guide (During touring for the 2 days in the north, tour will be escorted by a Turkish Cypriot guide) * Tipping budget to all guides, drivers, porters and restaurant staff

Not Included:
* Cyprus Visa (currently gratis for US citizens) * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage charges, etc.) * Travel protection insurance (highly recommended) * Any fluctuations in exchange rate to the Euro * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates * Airport taxes, fuel surcharges and security fees (currently at $450) * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $680.00 ** Tour Group Size minimum is 8 participants, maximum is 14 participants ** Small Group Surcharge if less than 8 *** Crete Extension (May 04 - 09, 2012) Land cost$1,850.00 per person in double occupancy / Single Supplement: $300.00 Tour Group Size minimum is 6 participants, maximum is 14 participants - Small Group Surcharge if less than

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

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:
** Single Supplement $700.00 ** Trip cost based on Minimum of 8 participants - Maximum group size is 14 participants

The Fine Print: Some of the hotels can be rather spartan and plain especially in small towns. You must be in good health to participate as there are some long sightseeing days with walks possibly on uneven ground. 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. ** Single Supplement: $1,230.00 ** Air Allowance (if not using our included air): $1,150.00 ** Minimum 8 participants and Maximum of 14 participants

Tour Includes:
* First class, four-star, boutique hotels and best available in the smaller towns * English-speaking private guide throughout * Meals as specified in the itinerary (some lunches are picnic style, light fare) * Airport transfers and travel by modern, air-conditioned minivan throughout * All activities described in the tour and entrance fees to all sites mentioned unless listed as optional * Round trip airfare from Chicago using Turkish Airlines – (STS reserves the right to change airlines) includes air taxes and fuel surcharges (current) * Any internal flights within Uzbekistan * Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, restaurant and hotel staff * Bottled water on the bus daily (one per person)

Not Included:
* Visas (currently about $400 for all visas)- subject to change * Travel Insurance * Dayrooms or extra hotel overnights if necessary * Expenses of a personal nature such as: beverages with meals, telephone, email, laundry bills, camera fees, etc. * Round trip airfare from other cities or gateways or airline Taxes and fuel Surcharges (currently $425)

Tour Notes:
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............................................................................................................... About your lecturer...Professor Matthew Canepa is a specialist in the art and cultures of the late Roman Empire and Pre-Islamic Central Asia. His research focuses on cross-cultural interaction in the ancient world. His forthcoming book entitled The Two Eyes of the Earth (University of California Press) will be the first to analyze the artistic, ritual and ideological interactions between the Roman and Sasanian empires in a comprehensive and theoretically rigorous manner. His current projects include an exploration of Middle Persian art and the global idea of Persian Kingship, the publication of C of C’s Joel Handshu collection of Classical and Near Eastern coins, and the Sasanian seals in Baltimore’s Walter’s Art Gallery. Professor Canepa has been the recipient of numerous research grants including a fellowship from the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (2002-2003) and the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut’s research fellowship for North American Scholars (2007). He conducted extensive fieldwork in Iran with support from the Edward Ryerson endowment in 2001, focusing especially on the pre-Islamic heritage. He has been studying the Sogdian material in Penjikent (Tajikistan) for sometime and taught a class on Samanid, Mongol, and Timurid art and the famous monuments of Bukhara and Samarkand

About your lecturer/host… Geoff Emberling is an archaeologist and museum curator, currently Visiting Scholar at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan. He has directed archaeological projects in Syria and Sudan and has also excavated in Turkey and Oman. Much of his research concerns ancient Iran, particularly the earliest cities and states of western Iran, the ancient nomads of the Zagros Mountains (ancestors of the modern Bakhtiyari tribes), and the exotic craft products and mythologies of little known kingdoms like Marhashi and Aratta. He has worked with the excavated remains from Persepolis now at the Oriental Institute, and also supervised an exhibit on the medieval Islamic city of Rayy (near Tehran). 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 Lecturer at the Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Copenhagen, as well as Assistant Curator in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum. He has led tours to Syria, Jordan, and Sudan

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from JFK to Tehran and back (via Europe) – Air credit for doing your own air is $1,000.00 * Deluxe and First class properties in most cities and one or 2 hotels superior tourist class in smaller towns for a few nights * All meals (Full-board) as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * All tours as per itinerary including entrance fees and an expert accompanying Iranian English-speaking guide * Tipping to guide, drivers, porters, hotel and restaurant staff * Transfers/transportation by large comfortable modern A/C vehicle during the whole tour * All local taxes and service charges on included items * A bottle of mineral water per passenger per day on touring days plus juice, coffee and tea on board the bus

Not Included:
* Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges (estimated at $400.00) * 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: $800.00 ** Group Size minimum is 8 participants, maximum is 14 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

About your lecturer...Professor Norman Jones is Chair of the Department of History and Director of Religious Studies at Utah State University. Holding a doctorate from Cambridge University, he specializes in the interplay of religion and culture, especially on the cultural fault lines where religions meet and national identities are shaped by religious allegiances, as in Anatolia, Persia and the Caucasus region. He teaches the history of Christianity, and his publications, focusing on the early modern world, include work on the relations between Christianity and Islam.

Tour Includes:
* Round trip international air from JFK to Istanbul (Air credit $750.00) * 15 nights’ accommodation in superior, first class hotels (or best available) * Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on Daily Basis * Transportation throughout in air conditioned minivan * Airport transfer upon arrival and departure if traveling on selected flights * All activities described in the tour and entrance fees to all sites mentioned (museums) unless otherwise specified * Full time professional tour guide throughout the tour * Private van to Mount Nemrut and Suphan Crater Lake and private boat to Akdamar Island * Tips for guide, driver, hotels and restaurants * One bottle of water each day when touring as a group * Internal flights from Istanbul to Erzurum and from Mardin to Istanbul * Porterage and all gratuities to main guide, local guides in villages, porters, drivers, hotel, boat and restaurant staff

Not Included:
* Visa for Turkey can be obtained at Istanbul airport on arrival ($20 cash) * Expenses of a personal nature: alcoholic beverages, camera fees at sites, telephone, email, laundry bills, meals not listed, etc. * Air from your home to JFK * Travel Insurance (highly recommended) * Dayroom or extra hotel nights necessitated by airline flight schedule changes * Any other service (s) not specified above * Airport taxes, fuel surcharges and security fees (approximately $450.00)

Tour Notes:
** Single Supplement: $525.00 ** Minimum 6 participants and maximum 14 participants ***Trip Grade: Moderately Vigorous Touring - You will be covering a lot during this journey. The roads are good and the bus very comfortable. Some driving days are long. There will be several restroom stops along the way, some in primitive Turkish-style toilets. It is important to recognize the exhausting nature of some of the long sightseeing days as well as some of the site visits where you may have to climb on uneven terrain, steps, rocks and sand as well as up inclines and stairs. Some of the sites involve more strenuous walking (uphill on uneven ground) in order to view the sights. Not easily done if you are not in good physical condition. Be prepared with comfortable shoes. You do have the option of staying with the vehicle if some sites seem difficult for you.

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.

** Please call 1-800-645-3233 to inquire about different airlines and gateways

Tour Includes:
* International airfare from/to New York (airfare Credit for not using our included air is $900.00 – which is based on Turkish Airlines) * First class (4*), boutique hotels and in one or 2 spots in remote villages clean and simpler tourist class hotels * All meals as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * Tipping to guide, driver, porters, hotel and restaurant staff throughout * All tours as per itinerary including guidance and entrance fees * Transfers/transportation by air-conditioned motor coach and 2 transfers from Azerbaijan border & to Armenian border * English speaking guide as per program * One bottle of water per day per person * All local taxes and service charges on included items Armenia & Nagorno Karabakh * First class (4*), boutique and tourist class hotels * Meals as specified in the itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch and D-dinner * Tipping to guide, driver, porters, hotel and restaurant staff throughout * All tours as per itinerary including guidance and entrance fees * Transfers/transportation by air-conditioned motor coach * English speaking guide as per program * One bottle of water per day per person * All local taxes and service charges on included items

Not Included:
* Azeri visa (currently free on arrival) and Georgian visa (also currently free on arrival) * Air taxes, fuel surcharges and security fees (currently at $420 per ticket) * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage charges, etc.) * Travel protection insurance (highly recommended) * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates or times * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules Armenia & Nagorno Karabakh * International airfare or taxes and fuel surcharges. * Items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage charges, etc.) * Travel protection insurance (highly recommended) * Transfers if not arriving/departing on scheduled tour dates * Dayroom or overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules

Tour Notes:
**If continuing to Armenia: Single Supplement: $1300.00 Tour Group Size minimum 8 participants, maximum 12 participants - Small Group Surcharge will apply if less than 8 **If not doing Armenia and leaving Georgia May 24th: Single supplement: $1,400.00 Tour Group Size minimum is 4 participants, maximum is 12 participants - Small Group Surcharge will apply if less than 4 ***** Armenia ***** ** Land cost per person in double occupancy $2,725.00 **Single Supplement: $425.00 **Group Size is minimum 6 participants and a maximum of 12 participants

** Single supplement: $950.00 ** Trip based on minimum of 8 and maximum 14 passengers ** Air credit for not using our included air is $900.00

Tour Includes:
* Transportation throughout the tour in modern large A/C bus * All transfers from airports to hotels and V.V including luggage porterage and assistance of local staff * Flight Tripoli - Benghazi - Tripoli * English-speaking guide throughout the tour. * All meals as per the itinerary * Bottled water with included meals and refreshments while travelling * Sightseeing and entrance fees (excluding camera fees unless included in entry ticket). * Passport registration and travel permits * Gratuities to guides, drivers, hotel staff and restaurant tips

Not Included:
* Personal items such as telephone calls, extra drinks, laundry and room service, gratuities for drivers and guides. * Visa (cost and processing TBA) * Airport taxes and fuel surcharges (currently estimated at $400) * Camera fees at sites when not included in entry ticket and any additional governmental taxes or fees imposed by Libyan gov’t later on * Beverages, items of personal nature such as internet, phone calls, laundry * All items not specifically mentioned as included.

Tour Notes:
*** THE FINE PRINT: Currently the only remaining important information we need to verify for bookings on this tour is pertaining to the visas. We have not yet received final word on the process and its requirements and as soon as the transitional government notifies their consulate in DC on the procedure, we will alert you. Libya is fast trying to re-establish its tourism industry after it has been suspended during the last year as a consequence of the revolution and the war. We understand that most of the establishments are still in a very good shape and needed just some cosmetic repairs and that all historical sites are intact. Please note that Libya is a dry country though one can find non-alcoholic beer. A flexible spirit is required to join the tour. *** About your lecturer host...Mr. Mohamed Halouani, a Tunisian 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 diverse institutions, such as The Detroit Institute of Art and The American Museum of Natural History. Having received his degrees in English and Spanish, he completed his European Master’s in linguistics and Hispanic studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. He has extensive knowledge on Islamic and secular architecture and Eastern decorative elements. He is a renowned expert on the Roman sites of North Africa and a skilled multilingual interpreter. He has been leading 10 tours a year to Libya and will lead our special tip through the marvels of this country.