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Travel the World with us
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Dear Travelers:
As we are ready to celebrate Passover and Easter holidays these coming days, we feel blessed and grateful to have survived the pandemic, especially knowing that other businesses in the travel and tourism industry did not. As you might have noticed, things are changing back to normal, and travel has resumed with a vengeance! Airports are bustling with travelers. Airplanes are packed with passengers. And we are beating previous records of numbers of travelers. In fact, we are humbled by the high demand for our services in 2023 and beyond.
But don’t let all that general demand on travel daunt or deter you from leaving home! Our team, which is composed of intensely motivated professionals who span the globe---and have strategically aligned ourselves with partners who share our values and business ethics---
shall help you navigate the opportunities and possibilities, whether you prefer joining our scheduled tours or traveling on a customized private basis. Regardless of where you want to go or what you want to do, we promise to steer you in the right direction; providing for you a stress-free, seamless, personalized travel experience that would enrich your store of happy memories.
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We are thrilled and excited to tell you about the various new projects we have ventured into lately. The first and most exciting is our new Bangladesh tour (February 27 - March 11, 2024). We already have six travelers signed up, and our capable Tour Manager, David William, just returned from an inspection tour of the country, doing a test run on it and checking the services we will be offering on our tour. It’s an unspoiled destination and a truly fascinating country that lies outside the radar of mass tourism. Within it are relics of long-forgotten Buddhist kingdoms, lush tea plantations, primeval swamps with tigers, tribal clans in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area, of indigenous tribes with traditional cultures and stretches of beautiful beaches, as well as freshwater dolphins, and, most importantly, some of the most hospitable people you will ever meet. Being one of the world’s least traveled destinations, you will be delighted by the pristine nature of the country, and locals too will be delighted to have you take their pictures and never ask for money. Our tour will be the perfect amalgam of highlights offered by this fascinating country, which displays an attractive mix of ancient architecture, legendary temples, ruined medieval cities, religious sites, grand mosques, haunting Hindu temples, beautiful lakes and rivers, and shrines of Muslim saints, colorful bazaars, mega shipyards, and soothing rolling green hills. This country is a photographer’s paradise. | |
Another planned tour is the fabulous journey, that we mentioned in our last newsletter to the Baltic States and Poland. The first tour we launched is already sold out and hence we have planned a second tour scheduled for July 29 - August 11, 2024. The cities of the Baltic countries were some of the wealthiest and most important cities in medieval northern Europe. Estonia and Latvia can boast a glorious Hanseatic and Livonian legacy, while Lithuania was a vital component of the most significant state in medieval Europe, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, interrupted only by the interwar period, the Baltic countries were forgotten treasures incorporated into Imperial Russia and later into the Soviet Union. Since the Baltic countries regained their independence at the beginning of the 1990s, the cities have regained their past beauty and glory and have recaptured their natural position on the European map. This tour takes you on a thrilling journey through the three Baltic countries’ millennium of history with remarkable contrasts between the medieval past and the modern present and with plenty of beautiful unspoiled countryside in between. | |
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Another tour that clients raved about when we offered it in 2019 was Northern Morocco with the Spanish Enclaves; and so we decided to launch it once again for (March 07 - March 17, 2024). This departure will perfectly fit after our tour of Morocco's South & the Western Sahara (February 22 - March 7, 2024). At the same time, we also offer another tour that you can chose in lieu of the Northern Morocco and the Spanish Enclaves which is towards the south of Morocco heading into Mauritania (scheduled for March 07 - March 15, 2024)
Those Spanish enclaves called Ceuta and Melilla are two small territories located on the coast of Morocco. Despite seemingly being a part of Morocco, they actually belong to Spain. Coveted by Morocco, they have long been a flashpoint in diplomatic relations with Spain. Madrid asserts that both territories are integral parts of Spain and have the same status as the semi-autonomous regions on its mainland. Increasingly Ceuta and Melilla's heavily fortified borders have come under pressure from African migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Both cities date their original establishment to the Phoenicians, the sailors, and merchants of the ancient Mediterranean. Later Ceuta and Melilla became the site of a Carthaginian settlement, which the Romans eventually took over. In the 5th century, the Vandals captured the cities, and in time, lost them to Byzantium. After that, the Visigoths, Arabs, Portuguese, and finally, the Spanish seized control in 1580. Since that time, except from 1694 to 1720, when the Moors gained power, the enclaves have remained under the jurisdiction of Spain.
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Our summer flagship tour is to Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi (August 16 - August 30, 2023), which Michel Behar leads, and it still has a few remaining spots available. This incredible journey, during which we will be getting in touch with the rich cultural heritage of those three countries and enjoying their exotic natural scenery and wildlife, will culminate with the best trek ever to meet the mountain gorillas of the Bwindi impenetrable forest! Remember that for those concerned about joining this tour from fear of being unable to trek to see the Gorillas, you can hire a team of strong helpers who carry you both ways for a fee of approximately $500. | |
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Our May 2023 tour to Zambia & Malawi, and Comoros is sold out, and we plotted a similar program (May 12 - May 26, 2024), which will cover Malawi & part of Zimbabwe that is very historical, and a UNESCO site called Greater Zimbabwe. This tour will visit some obscure and forgotten ancient sites. Great Zimbabwe has been described as “one of the most dramatic architectural landscapes in sub-Saharan Africa.” It is the largest stone complex in Africa built before the modern era, aside from the monumental architecture of ancient Egypt. It was constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries and was continuously inhabited by the Shona people until about 1450 (the Shona are the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe).
Additionally, we shall visit in this tour the Matobo Hills and caves, that are listed a UNESCO World Heritage site, which exhibit a profusion of distinctive rock landforms rising above the granite shield covering much of Zimbabwe. The large boulders provide abundant natural shelters and have been associated with human occupation intermittently since the early Stone Age to early historic times. They also feature an outstanding collection of rock paintings. The Matobo Hills continue to focus intensely on the local community, which still uses shrines and sacred places closely linked to traditional, social, and economic activities. The tour ends in Victoria Falls, where those who want to add more can join our Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho extension. We have a long list of interested clients who wish to go on this tour, so do not procrastinate and sign up soon if you decide to join.
The pre-tour to the alluring island nation of Comoros explores this little-known archipelago which is home to active volcanoes, lush forests, and pristine coral reefs and has great historical significance – from ancient Persian colonizers to Indian sailors, and with a deep African connection, it will be a great addition to your repertoire of explored far-flung corners of the earth. And as a post-tour, we shall offer an extension to Mozambique, Eswatini (The ancient Kingdom of Swaziland), and Lesotho.
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I had the great pleasure of escorting a small group last February to Yemen. It's indeed one of the region's most eccentric and striking countries. This tour takes you to the safe eastern corner of the country to the historical area of Hadramawt, famous for its centuries-old architecturally unique towns. In particular, it is the UNESCO site of Shibam and the religious center at the mystic town of Tarim, littered with many religious edifices. There you will be able to explore stunning canyons, shimmering mountains, and quaint towns built with terraced homes that look like enchanting gingerbread houses. These buildings are iconic and can only be found in Yemen. The trip begins and ends in Cairo, the only city from where there is a direct flight into mainland Yemen. Our next dates for this trip are November 14 -November 22, 2023, February 20 - February 28, 2024, and March 08 - March 16, 2024. The latter one is led by Michel Behar following his Egypt trip scheduled February 20 - March 08, 2024. It would be a perfect combination to join Michel in Egypt first then accompany him into Yemen afterwards. | |
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Finally, after listening to several comments from our guests on how to run our Arabian Gulf tour better, we made some enhancements to the program, and you can see the positive additions we made on our February 21 - March 04, 2024, tour. The journey will take you across the three major cities of Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, while a pre-tour extension is offered to Kuwait and Bahrain (February 16 - February 21, 2024). Each of these countries possesses its own distinctive culture and is host to some of the most renowned museums in the world. The tour's culmination in beautiful Oman is the ideal climax to this expedition--where we explore its magnificent landscape and stunning coastline, as well as its towering verdant mountains and medieval cities and sites.
Those of you who greatly desire to explore a country in depth will appreciate another exciting journey to the magical land of Oman. Previously, we only offered it for a few days as part of our Arabian Gulf tour every November and February. This journey delves deep into this diverse country, marveling at its majestic mountains, vast deserts, and beautiful coastline, not to mention its historical heritage of Portuguese forts and maritime legacy. It has also been one of the safest and most stable countries in the Muslim world, providing a very highly developed tourist infrastructure while at the same time is not overrun by mass tourism. Oman exemplifies the perfect amalgam of Oriental and Arabian cultures. This hidden gem awaits you to explore it and enjoy its legendary hospitality.
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As you know from the last newsletter, we offered, for the first time, a tour to the beautiful Islands of the Indian Ocean, to take place in September 2023; this tour now fully booked except for ONLY ONE spot still available. However, we are planning a new departure scheduled for next year (September 09 - October 04, 2024). The Indian Ocean covers about one-fifth of the world's total ocean area, spanning from the Eastern shores of Africa to the western shores of Asia and Australia. It is the youngest of the three major oceans, with fewer islands when compared to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Many have explored it, from the Egyptians around the 18th century BC to the Arabs between the 9th and 15th centuries. European navigators began their explorations of the Ocean in the early 16th century, including the famous British navigator James Cook in 1772. This journey voyages to some of the Indian Ocean's most stunning islands, including the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Réunion, and Comoros. And to complete the circle, those who have not yet explored the ecologically unique Island of Madagascar can add that colorful Island at the end of the tour as a separate extension (as we noted that many of you may have already done that Island on another occasion in the past, so we kept it as a separate extension). | |
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After noticing the high level of interest in our Eastern Mediterranean tours, we are offering once again on April 10 - April 18, 2024, the comprehensive one-week tour of Lebanon to be followed by a whole week tour to nearby Cyprus (April 18 - April 26, 2024). Note that clients could opt to also combine this tour with our Eastern Turkey adventure that is scheduled for April 26 - May 11, 2024, which is led by one of our top-notch scholars: Dr. Barbara Porter.
Lebanon has always been a well-traveled bridge between East and West, between sea and desert, and so is dense with a rich history. Above the layers of antiquity lies a land of mesmerizing beauty and contrast, from the modernity of Beirut, once known as the Paris of the Middle East, to the lush Cedars. A trip to Lebanon provides an experience of the warmth of its people, the tastes of its world-renown cuisine, the aromas of its souks, the majesty of its past, and offers the opportunity to explore some of the best-preserved ancient Roman and Byzantine cities in the Near East, as well as many jewels of Islamic architecture. It also enables exploration of the Phoenician cities of Sidon & and Tyre, the well-preserved Roman city of Baalbek, and the town of Byblos with its multiple layers of civilizations.
Cyprus covers all treasures from Monasteries to churches to ancient ruins and small quaint villages to spectacular mountains and beaches. Our tour always includes the island’s 2 distinct sides: the Greek side as well as the Turkish side.
Eastern Turkey has always been one of our hottest-selling destinations. This tour comprises a unique package to a “less-explored” region of Turkey, in which we take less-traveled roads to visit remote sites inhabited by predominantly Kurdish communities whose rich culture has often been either insufficiently explored or wholly misunderstood; so we invite you to join this exploration of the “other Turkey” led by our excellent local guide: Ms. Aysel who was highly praised by our clients in the past.
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For centuries, the land that now makes up Saudi Arabia has been a mystery to outsiders; but this condition has been recently undergoing rapid change. At the initiative of the ruling Saud family, the country, under the leadership of the crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman (known in the West as MBS) is opening up, and foreign travelers are now warmly welcomed. The visa is a breeze to get, and the diversity and breadth of what the Kingdom has to offer visitors are astounding. Astonishingly beautiful prehistoric petroglyphs, monumental ancient tombs, outstanding cuisine, medieval oasis villages, and futuristic skyscrapers are all available. Beyond the world-class sight of “Madain Saleh,” the Petra of Arabia, you will experience the unique places where Saudis lead their daily lives---from bustling bazaars to sacred mosques---and view majestic and surprisingly varied landscapes. Even the old tradition of banning non-Muslims from setting foot into Islam’s holy city of Medina, has also been reversed, and foreign visitors can even enter the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
The dates of our tours to Saudi Arabia are: February 10 - February 23, 2024, and October 05 - October 18, 2024. The first is led by an amazing scholar: Ms. Iman Abdul Fattah, who has been leading our trips to the Kingdom for the last two years; and the second will be led by our capable tour manager David William.
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Another fantastic destination we introduced several years ago and since then has been one of our biggest successes is Pakistan. Our tour reveals the marvels of this great, eclectic, colorful nation. We offer both parts of the country: the awe-inspiring Karakorum Highway and the Hindu Kush Mountain range of Northern Pakistan, which offer some of the earth’s most incredible scenery along the fabled Hunza Valley. Lately we have enhanced our Northern Pakistan program by incorporating into it a short visit to the beautiful area of Skardu Valley and Khaplu town. This region is the gateway to many of the world’s highest peaks, the most famous of which is the Masherbrum peak, visible from Khaplu. Also, Lake Sadpara is a wonder in itself and lower Kachura is a paradise wrapped in immense mountains. You will stay in 2 historic forts during your visit that will make you feel like royalty in the real sense of the word: Khaplu Fort and Shigar Fort.
Then we offer the South, which focuses on one of the world’s most impressive ancient civilizations: The Indus Valley; that tour starts at the Arabian Sea in Karachi and continues until the stunning city of Lahore, visiting in between so many gems, palaces, shrines, mosques, and ancient sites presenting Hindu and Buddhist treasures.
We also offer in May a new frontier in Pakistan, focusing on the Kalash Valley and attending the Chitral festival with the unique and colorful pagan tribes. You can choose our October 11 – November 05, 2023 which has three spots left, or one of our 2024 tours: February 25 - March 10, 2024, OR May 09 - May 24, 2024, followed by the North tour May 17 - June 02, 2024, OR October 20 - November 14, 2024.
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A rather new program that we are offering this summer is to Papua New Guinea (July 09 - July 19, 2023), and we are repeating it again in 2024 (July 17 - July 27, 2024). This tour offers a journey into the dense forests & Stone Age cultures of remote Papua New Guinea. You would there enjoy exclusive cultural experiences and stunning natural beauty on this adventurous exploration of a little-visited land. Issuing from your comfortable lodges, you will be stopping at tiny villages, to interact with the locals & understand their way of life. You will no doubt appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the colorful Mt. Hagen Show, where tribal people from all over the country converge to compete in traditional dances. In addition, in the Highlands, you will attend a festive Tumbuna Show. In this remote land you will be staying in comfortable accommodations and be escorted by veteran local guides who will introduce you to local people & customs. You may also make the most of your time with scenic chartered flights over the impenetrable rainforest that has kept tribes isolated for centuries. We still have a few openings for this year’s tour if you would like to do something unique this summer. | |
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Finally, our most exciting piece of news is that Libya seemingly opened up its doors to American visitors, and we are conducting a couple of small pilot tours in May 26 - June 02, 2023 to check on current conditions, after which, if all goes well as we expect, we shall offer two group departures in fall 2023: and we shall begin to set aside several departures for 2024 led by a variety of lecturers and scholars who specialize in ancient Near Eastern Civilizations and Roman legacy. Libya is a country of stark contrasts, offering visitors an opportunity to see not only some of the greatest remains of ancient Roman and Greek cities in the world but also the spectacular Libyan Desert. On Libya’s western Mediterranean coast, we explore the charming Old Town in the country’s capital city of Tripoli and admire the breathtaking ancient Roman city of Leptis Magna; and we will travel to the heartland of the Berber people in the Nafusa Mountains to see one of the world’s greatest treasures, the Granary of Qasr al-Haj. We shall see the unique whitewashed houses designed to keep the homes cool during the hot days and warm during the cold nights. You will be getting a fascinating glimpse into the Berber culture and see how they live in their traditional troglodyte caves. At the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sabratha, you will discover Roman Ruins that date back to the second century AD. With Libya now allowing US Citizens to enter the country, it is the time to visit this stunning destination before their government decides once again to suspend visas. It’s been a rough roller-coaster every year with their policies opening and closing doors on Americans. Beside our May/June plan, our tentative dates for this year are September 30 - October 07, 2023 and October 07 - October 14, 2023.
If you are interested in joining, please contact Amy and she will add you to the list. Also if you are interested in doing it as a private tour you will be able to do so, just let us know so we can plan it based on your preferred dates.
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Finally, we want to remind you of two important things: If you have enjoyed your tour with us please post a supporting review of us, on GOOGLE and follow us on our FACEBOOK page so that we can spread the joy of travel to more friends and followers.
Whether you are celebrating Passover or Easter, we wish you a wonderful holiday season together with your loved ones. Thank you once again for your interest in our journeys and we look forward to serving you as always.
Sincerely,
Ihab Zaki, Managing Director
and Spiekermann Travel Team
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Spiekermann Travel Service Inc.
18421 E. Nine Mile Rd.
Eastpointe, MI 48021
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