Middle East tours

There’s still time to discover in 2026. Selected departures are still available – simply call 1-800-759-7715 to find out more. Follow in the footsteps of the ancient caravans through Oman, a crossroads of trade for thousands of years. From the Bronze Age tombs of UNESCO-listed Bat to Iron Age fortresses, Classical trading settlements and Islamic sites, uncover the layers of history that reveal Oman’s pivotal role in the ancient world. Travel from the mountains and coast of Muscat to the spectacular landscapes of the Wahiba desert and the Arabian Sea, with a special journey into the Empty Quarter to discover the once-lost city of Ubar, an important centre of the ancient frankincense trade. Along the way, rock art, ancient settlements and remarkable archaeological remains offer a fascinating insight into the civilisations and commerce that have shaped this extraordinary country.

Throughout the recorded past, Jordan shook to the often heavy footfalls of conquerors and felt the sweeping movements of peoples and customs, of prophets and kings. Its Iron Age history, home to the Israelites, Ammonites, Edomites and Moabites, is documented in the Old Testament. And the upheavals caused by the mighty Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and the Roman Empire’s purple centuries in Jordan as a part of Provincia Arabia, are recorded in the New Testament. Here the East first met the revolution of Hellenism, bringing its world philosophy and technological expertise. Jordan’s position geologically is as important as it is culturally. The dramatic gorges of the wadi beds, the deserts of black basalt and golden sand and the end of the Great Rift Valley containing the salty waters of the Dead Sea – the lowest place on earth. Petra’s tombs and temples are only a fraction of Jordan’s story. We explore traces of biblical tribes, Roman legions, Christian crusaders, and Islamic caliphates in this promised land of archaeology and fascinating history.