Given what one sees in the news, people are often hesitant to travel to the Middle East and North Africa. This is a shame because many countries there are as safe as—if not safer than—more frequently visited destinations. While the history is phenomenal, it's really the people who make these places shine. You might be a little shocked at how welcome you'll be made to feel; and don't be surprised if you're routinely encouraged to sit down for tea and a chat, invited into people's homes for a feast, or if you receive gifts out of the blue.

Antique Lands Travel is happy to facilitate friendly cultural interactions that educate as well as foster new friendships that transcend distance, culture, language, and creed.
We do this primarily two ways: 

• By coordinating private meals with local families offering delicious food and meaningful conversation. 
  
• And by arranging private classes or demonstrations where you can learn about any number of cultural topics and traditions, including: Calligraphy, Music, Dance, Cooking, Religion, Language, Perfume Making, Handicrafts, Horsemanship, and Art.

The Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean abound in opportunities for adventure as they are an outdoor enthusiast's paradise.
If you're into scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, canyoneering, cycling, overland excursions, skiing—yes, skiing—or if you just revel in breathtaking scenery, some of the activities we can make possible for you are:

• Hiking through Cappadocia in Turkey or through Egypt's rugged mountains, visiting Bedouin encampments along the Sinai Trail.
• Engaging in a little canyoneering in some of Jordan and Oman's amazing slot canyons.
• Cycling through Jordan's Rift Valley and along the King's Highway for an unforgettable adventure.
• Exploring the world's most beautiful deserts while on an overland excursion in Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or Oman.
• Skiing or snowboarding in Turkey's Anatolian mountain range. 

We can thank the Ancient Romans for inventing the spa and the Arabs and Turks for keeping the tradition of fine pampering alive and well. We can also thank the Egyptians for perfecting the art of getting away from it all when they built the first Christian monasteries in the desert. You'll thank yourself after indulging in a stress-melting hammam treatment or when you unplug and unwind at any number of secluded lodges and resorts found in these antique lands.
Let us arrange some unforgettable spa and wellness experiences for you, such as:

• Relaxing with a long steam session before receiving a blissful scrub, massage, and bath treatment in a historic and lavishly decorated hammam in Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia, or Turkey.
• Practicing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness in some of the most sacred and spiritual landscapes on the planet.
• Rejuvenating mind, body, and spirit at a hidden resort or luxury eco-lodge in a scenic oasis in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or Tunisia, on the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan, high up in the mountains of Oman or Morocco, or in your own private seaside cove in Turkey or Oman.

To really sink your teeth into a culture, you need to sink your teeth into its food. When you do that in the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean, you'll realize that the regions' cuisines are as diverse and delightful as the cultures that created them. The opportunities for culinary discoveries are practically limitless, ranging from hearty Moroccan stews sweetened with apricots to a selection of light Turkish appetizers. Tackling the extensive repertoire of these cuisines takes some guidance, and that's where we step in.
Here are just some of the ways we facilitate culinary discoveries for you and thereby sate your hunger for both delectable comestibles and unique travel experiences:

• When at the Ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis in Morocco, eat as the Romans did. Enjoy an on-site picnic featuring dishes from Ancient Rome made from locally grown ingredients and prepared according to ancient recipes.
• Shop in Cairo, Marrakech, and Istanbul's spice and produce markets with a local chef who'll guide you through thousands of years of history and flavors, culminating in a private cooking demonstration and lavish feast.
• Tour Morocco, Italy, and Turkey's venerable wineries and savor farm-to-table dishes while sampling some truly delicious wines.
• Participate in any number of private cooking classes that will have you cooking like a local in no time.
• Enjoy a walking food tour through Cairo, Marrakech, Istanbul, Tunis, or any number of other cities, sampling their culinary highlights at various restaurants throughout your tour.
• Enjoy a dinner in a private home where the family will be happy to teach you their secrets for making mouth-watering fare.

When one thinks of the Middle East and North Africa, a vision of starkly beautiful deserts is more likely to come to mind than that of  turquoise blue waters. One of the beauties of exploring these antique lands is discovering that none of them is one dimensional and that there's something for everybody. If sailing, yachting, scuba diving, or just sunbathing take you to your happy place, then let us take you to some of the most jaw-dropping coastlines and vividly colored waters where you can:

• Enjoy world-class scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking in the Red Sea, Mediterranean, or in the Gulf of Oman.
• Sail down Turkey's dramatic Aegean coastline and view ancient ruins accessible only by water in a private gulet — a traditional yacht —on a trip the Turks call the "Turquoise Journey," given the sea's breathtaking hues. 
• Tour Tunisia's rugged Cap Bon Peninsula in a private yacht, stopping to visit a local winery, Carthaginian ruins, and seaside restaurants.
• Be awestruck by Oman's Musandam Peninsula where you'll sail through its majestic desert fjords in a private dhow.

Even if you've never been in the saddle before, there really is nothing like viewing the Pyramids between the ears of a horse. It's a vista and a memory you'll always cherish. In addition to a sunset hack on the Giza Plateau, there are numerous other opportunities for memorable riding experiences that range from multi-day treks through the desert to short surf rides in the Mediterranean or Red Sea. Whether you're a rank greenhorn or an avid equestrian, we'll arrange it so you can:

• Travel through monumental scenery on a multi-day overland journey in Egypt's Eastern Desert, Jordan's Wadi Rum, or through Italy's Maremma region in Tuscany.
• Tour the grandeur of Jordan's Petra or Saudi Arabia's AlUla  on the back of a fine Arab steed.
• Enjoy an afternoon ramble taking in Turkey's otherworldly rock formations in Cappadocia.
• Charge through the surf on horseback on Tunisia's Djerba Island or along the beach in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
• Learn about Arab and Amazigh horsemanship at a stable in Morocco where you can also go for a day ride through one of the country's numerous and delightful palm groves.
  If you'd prefer to sightsee from the back of a camel instead of a horse, we can gladly arrange that.

While lofty minarets and church spires dominate skylines in antique lands, it's the bazaar — or souq — that's the beating heart of any city. For millennia the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean have been crossroads for trade, making its peoples masters of the arts of transport and exchange. They also mastered the arts of craftsmanship, and artisans still produce exquisitely made ceramics, carpets, gold and silver jewelry, books, brocades, perfume, metalware in copper and brass, glass, and leather goods, among others.
Take your shopping therapy to a new level by having us arrange:

• A private shopping tour through some of the greatest temples dedicated to materialism ever created, such as Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, Cairo's Khan al-Khalili market, Marrakech's Souq Semmarine, and Riyadh's Dira Souq, just to name a few.
• Behind-the-scenes access to artisans' ateliers where you'll learn both the story of—and the secrets behind—their crafts.
• A private class where you can learn how to make your own works of art ranging from an ornate copper tray to an intoxicating perfume that becomes your own signature fragrance.
  We can make arrangements to have your must haves shipped to your home for you. Some restrictions may apply.

Last but not least, as our client you'll travel to these antique lands as an insider, enjoying unrivaled access to locations, services, and experiences few other agencies can provide. We are always working closely with our in-country partners to develop new and unforgettable experiences and services that will exceed your expectations and keep you traveling with us for years to come. 
Some examples of what Insider Access means for you as our client are:

• Skipping the lines wherever and whenever possible.
• Having access to the Pyramids of Giza and other select important sites and museums well outside normal operating hours.
• Enjoying private lectures by top archeologists and experts such as Dr. Zahi Hawass and Professor Kent Weeks.
• Going behind the scenes in places such as Egypt's new Grand Egyptian Museum and viewing preservation and restoration work in action.
• Similarly, witnessing the restoration of Renaissance art at any number of locations in Italy's Veneto.
• Visiting exclusive sites normally not open to the public such as the hidden chambers beneath the Sphinx, the Underwater Excavations Center in Alexandria, and numerous other tombs and archeological digs still in the progress of discovery.
• Being the guest of honor at your own private concert of traditional music or being privy to a performance of Sufi dervishes, all held in spectacular and historic venues.
• Savoring the most romantic private dinner you can imagine in an ancient Egyptian temple, a former Ottoman palace, a palazzo on the Grand Canal, at Jordan's Little Petra, or in a 2,000-year-old underground monastery in Turkey.