Lycia in southern Turkey is packed with some of the finest wonders of the world, with a coastline perfect for sailing. Today there is a whole raft of nautical charts and coastal pilots available for people cruising there. Yet only 200 years ago this coast in the Eastern Mediterranean was a complete blank on the earth’s atlases. The man we have to thank for its transformation, for literally putting this part of Turkey on the map, is a celebrated figure in all things maritime. His name is an absolute constant on shipping forecasts and various instruments, for it became the scale on which all winds are rated: Beaufort.
Of course the coast of Lycia was well known and used long before Francis Beaufort, a British Admiral, began his survey in 1810. It was directly on one of the main shipping routes in antiquity, the way between Greece and Egypt and in Christian times on the pilgrim trail from Constantinople to Jerusalem. Anybody who was anybody in ancient times seems to have sailed along its coast or changed ships there – from Anthony and Cleopatra to St. Paul, Brutus to Hadrian.
Yet these sailors are relatively recent compared with those who were travelling on one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever made. The world’s oldest shipwreck lies off the Lycian shore, revealing the extraordinary length of time that people have been navigating along this coast. When the Ülü Burun wreck was dated to 1,350 BC, it sent shockwaves through maritime history. Here was a 3,350 year old vessel – a time capsule from the Bronze Age – and no ordinary little boat at that, but one carrying an extraordinary cargo that gives some idea of the sophisticated trade going on here in the dim and distant past. Aboard were tons of copper, ingots of glass and lapis lazuli, pellets of purple dye, swords and tridents, a wax book, and even a musical instrument similar to a lyre, probably used by the crew to entertain themselves of an evening. A golden scarab of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti is a clue as to the ship’s possible origin.
Today travellers can cruise in comfort unimaginable in the Bronze Age or even Beaufort’s time. The very best way to see the Lycian shore is aboard a gulet. The word probably derives from the French goulette, or schooner. For generations these two-masted wooden vessels, sometimes also known as caiques, have been used for transport and fishing along the southern coasts of Turkey. Typically designed with a sharp bow, broad beam and rounded aft, they are now designed and fitted with comfort, not trade in mind. Hand crafted in Turkey they come fully crewed, with a captain, cook, and additional deck hands. All passengers have to do is lie back, gaze at the horizon, and relax.
Much of the Lycian coast remains completely unspoilt. Soaring limestone mountains drop sheer into azure seas, carving the shore into a cavalcade of tiny coves, hidden bays, and pristine beaches. Hillsides are swathed in pine and olives trees. The ruins of countless ancient cities, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine cram the coast, limiting development to a few isolated areas. It’s the incredible combination of historical wonders, sailing, and superb swimming that make this coastline a truly magical destination.
Back in 1952, Freya Stark, one of the greatest women travellers of the 20th century, sailed along this shore and fell madly in love with it:
‘Every bay or headland of these shores, every mountain top round whose classic name the legends and clouds are floating, carries visible and invisible signs of its past…There are not so many places left where magic reigns without interruption…and of all those I know, the coast of Lycia is the most magical.’
Where the native Lycians came from and when is shrouded in the mists of time, but the civilisation they developed is utterly unique. Set between the Persian Empire to the east, and the ancient Greeks to the west, they borrowed ideas from both, fusing them into an exceptional architectural style, best seen in the tombs they’ve left behind. There are giant monolithic pillars crowned with grave chambers made of marble dating back some 2,500 years. Hewn out of cliff faces are gigantic tombs fashioned to look like Greek temples. Other burials were fashioned from the living rock to look like houses, complete with roof timbers, exactly like the wooden grain stores used in the surrounding countryside to this very day. Most common are the Gothic looking sarcophagi, thousands of them still litter the region, some decorated with the head of Medusa or ferocious lions to ward off tomb robbers. The lids of these sarcophagi curve up to a narrow point, which if you look at them upside down, appear like a ship’s hull and keel, a significant motif for such a seafaring people.
Many of the greatest Lycian sites are directly accessible from the coast. Cast off after breakfast from Göçek, one of the main yachting centres in the region, and within a couple of hours you can have travelled back 1,400 years. Moor up at Gemiler island, less than a kilometre in length, and you’ll be able to explore the remains of a small Christian community from Byzantine times, that’s been surveyed by Japanese archaeologists over the past two decades. Clinging to the island’s slopes are no less than five churches, littered with geometric mosaics and fallen columns carved with crosses. The northern shore is packed with houses and shops equipped with cisterns where rainwater was collected and probably sold on for a tidy sum to passing shipping. Climb up through the trees and you’ll find an ancient processional way used by pilgrims en route to the cathedral church on the island’s peak. Time your visit correctly and you’ll reach the top ready to experience one of the very finest sunsets imaginable: the sea sparkling with gold as ranges of craggy hills turn into shimmering silhouettes.
Just inland from Gemiler lies Kaya Koy, a place brimming with atmosphere and mystery, the setting for Louis de Berniere’s latest novel. This is a genuine ghost town, abandoned by its Greek inhabitants when Turkey and Greece swapped populations in 1923. It’s not very old by the standards of other ruined towns along the coast, but wandering along its empty streets past crumbling houses and chapels is both pleasurable and inspiring, and makes you realise quite how well the truly ancient sites have survived.
Back on the gulet, life is like one long list of heavenly pleasures: a morning dip into the warm turquoise waters; a spot of snorkeling beside the rocky shore; an adventurous turn on the windsurfer as a breeze comes up; a short expedition in the kayak to scout out a hidden inlet. Needless to say if you want to conserve your energy, there are relaxation opportunities galore, from reading and sunbathing to a full blown snooze. Then there’s the parade of tasty treats sent out from the galley, a real cornucopia of freshly prepared mezes and main dishes; stuffed eggplants, grilled lamb, multicoloured olives, spicy meatballs, feta cheese, and a whole host of salads tossed with local lemons and olive oil. On top of that is the bounty of fresh seasonal fruit: from mulberries to melons, pomegranates to strawberries. Turkey is a gastronome’s paradise and the ship’s cook never fails to conjure up mouthwatering sensations each and every day.
As you set sail from another languid lunch stop and the boat’s captain checks his position on the GPS, spare a thought for Captain Beaufort cruising along this coast at the start of the 19th century. He complained in his diary how little he had to go on to find his way:
“the only accounts extant were those left by the ancient geographers…there was no nautical description of the coast, nor any charts whatever by which the mariner could steer”
His task was utterly painstaking. Dragging a 100 yard long steel chain marked with flags and poles on the shore, they took meticulous sightings and sextant angles, and plotted the resulting position points. Slowly but surely his team of surveyors worked their way along the coast, putting Lycia on the map, despite the heat and overgrown vegetation:
“their shoes cut on the rocks, soaked by the quagmires, or burned in the red hot sands were of but little use’.
One of the prettiest places along the whole coast is ÜçaÄYız, which means ‘three mouths’. This tiny fishing village is connected to the interior by a thin rutted road that twists tortuously through a wild landscape of knife edge rocks. Not surprisingly the village is there because of the sea. It’s beautifully protected by two giant spits of land as well as the long thin mass of Kekova Island which forms a natural breakwater. This has been a vital harbourage for some 2,500 years, and its history lies all about. On one side is an incredible necropolis (literally ‘city of the dead’) of stone sarcophagi standing up to ten foot tall and dating back to the 5th century before Christ; on the other; the storage buildings, churches, and houses of the Byzantine town a 1,000 years later. The modern village of ÜçaÄYız is tiny compared to its predecessors. Here you can find a few small places to stay; a couple of shops selling food and carpets, a tiny mosque, some restaurants and a bar. That’s it. It’s a perfect place to moor up and idle away a couple of days.
Sail east and the Taurus Mountains suddenly recede from the shore revealing a large fertile plain at Finike, which is the source of many of Turkey’s oranges. A glorious hour’s drive inland rises up and up to the ancient site of Arykanda. Set high on the side of a mountain this Greek and then Roman town literally has it all. It’s been dubbed the ‘Turkish Delphi’ because of its spectacular location and excellent preservation, but unlike the site in Greece you’re more than likely to be the only visitors there. There are all the usual trappings of a prosperous antique city – agora, stadium, temples, baths – but the setting makes it truly stand out. The view from the top of the theatre down a steep sided valley to the distant mountains is simply heart-stopping.
There is more to Lycia than sailing and archaeology. One of the great highlights of the region now is the Lycian Way, Turkey’s first long distance footpath. Rated by the UK’s Sunday Times as one of the ten best walks in the world, the trail follows 500 km of ancient tracks and mule roads that linked the region before the coming of the car. Waymarked with red and white stripes, many sections of it follow the coast, so it’s perfectly possible to drop anchor and venture off for a gentle stroll or serious hike. Some gulet operators now offer specialist walking cruises, so you can trek along some of the very best stretches of the Lycian Way, with a boat ever present offshore, providing luxurious transport, dining and accommodation. What could be finer than walking along a Roman road or shepherd’s track, discovering remote ancient cities with breathtaking vistas, and then having a swim off the gulet at the end of the day?
In many parts of Lycia you can head a short distance inland and step back in time to a simpler, pre-industrial age – to a countryside worked much as it would have been in America and Europe a few centuries back. Go in the right month and you’ll find women in colourful trousers sickling down golden wheat grown on slender hill terraces. Walk along dirt roads and you’ll hear the tinkle of goat bells filling the air, with a goatherd ushering on his flock of shiny black charges. Very occasionally you might even come across some semi-nomadic charcoal burners arriving into harbour with the fruits of their labours after several months living and working in the forests.
It’s the timeless quality of Lycia that is one of its greatest attractions. Although a lot has changed since Francis Beaufort first mapped the coast and many of its ancient cities, there’s a great deal that he would recognise today. His survey revealed a magnificent coastline and an untapped wealth of archaeological wonders. It wasn’t long before a whole army of European treasure hunters were out looking for the best ruins to ship home. When the first consignment of Lycian ‘marbles’ – statues, temples, and tombs – arrived at the British Museum in London they caused such interest and excitement among the public that there was a Gothic architectural revival. Fortunately there’s a vast amount left to be seen in Lycia, and more and more is being uncovered by archaeologists every year. These ancient sites form a perfect backdrop to a splendid sailing vacation. In many cases it’s possible to sail directly into the ancient harbour of a Lycian city and moor for the night. How much better can cruising get? Sailing the Lycian Shore really is the experience of a lifetime.

Tour Details
Tour Length: 8 Days
Tour Type: Private Tour Package
Tour Location Cairo – Luxor – Aswan – Alexandria
Schedule: Daily
Tour Itinerary
Day # 1: Arrival Cairo
Arrive in Cairo international airport, where our representative will meet you beyond passport control to handle your Egyptian entry visa then will be accompanied to your hotel for check in with free welcome drink. Tonight, relax or enjoy optional evening of out of this world entertainment as we go to the Pyramids for the incredible Sound and Light Spectacular after you will return to your hotel and then the night is at leisure.
Day # 2:Giza Sightseeing Tours / Aswan by sleeper train
After your relaxing breakfast at the hotel in Cairo your own private English speaking Egyptologist guide will take you to Giza Plateau, home of Egypt’s Greatest attractions to visit The Great Pyramids, ONE of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world including the Great Pyramid of Cheops, middle pyramids of Chephren and the little one of Mykerinos with camel ride and family photo in front of Pyramids, then visit the mysterious Sphinx, the Father of Terror for the ancient pharaohs, the tour includes visit to the valley temple facing the great sphinx with lunch break. Then you will visit the world-renowned Museum of Egyptian Antiques that was built in neo-classical style designed by the French architect t Marcel Dourgnon which exhibits a collection now over 120000 masterpieces ranges from pre-dynastic era, Pharaonic era to the Greco-roman period in Egypt including the treasures of the child King Tutankhamen, Pharaonic Gods and Goddess, with option visit to the mummies room at the Egyptian Museum where you may learn about the Great Egyptian civilization and the mummification art in ancient Egypt. then visit the Christian heritage in Coptic Cairo including some of the early religious monuments of the city such as the hanging church or the suspended church this basilica church was named for its location on top of the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon the church became the center of the Christian Church of Egypt then you will be transferred to Giza train terminal to board the first class sleeper train to Aswan with dinner and overnight onboard
Day # 3: Aswan Nile cruise Holiday Package
Breakfast onboard train and then will be met and assisted by our REP who will transfer you to embark your Nile cruise for the next 4 days / 3 nights. Later you will be taken in an exciting tour to the world famous High Dam that was an engineering miracle when it was built in the 1960s. It contains 18 times the material used in the Great Pyramid of Cheops; continue to the granite quarries which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples. The quarries still hold the famous Unfinished Obelisk and then you will be taking by motor-boat to island of Egilka visit the majestic Philae temple that was dedicated to the Goddesses Isis. For our enjoyment, a Felucca Ride is included on the Nile River in Aswan this afternoon. A final optional evening excursion will offer the sound and light show at the Temple of Philae. Return to the Nile Cruise ship in Aswan free time at leisure in Aswan and overnight stay
Day # 4: Nile Cruise Holiday Package
Early Sailing to Kom Ombo. After your breakfast will be escorted by your Egyptologist speaking guide to visit Kom Ombo temple, the crocodile-headed God of fertility and creator of the world, then you will take your lunch aboard your cruise with free time at leisure while sailing to Edfu to explore Edfu’s Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved Ancient Egyptian temples on the Nile Continue the cruise down to Luxor. Afternoon tea is served on the sun —deck with dinner and overnight stay onboard cruise
Day # 5: Nile Cruise Holiday Package
Breakfast onboard the cruise, and then you will be taken into the West Bank of the river Nile to visit the two colossal statues (Colossi of Memnon), and then visit the Valley of the Kings, where the magnificent tombs discovered, those tombs were carved deep into the desert rock, richly decorated and filled with treasures for the afterlife of the pharaohs, you will visit 3 tombs. Continue the tour to visit the Hatshepsut temple at El Deir El Bahary, this impressive temple dedicated to the Queen Hatshepsut the only female pharaoh rises out of the desert plain in a series of terraces and merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it then back to the cruise for lunch, after afternoon tea on the ship with free time at leisure and overnight stay onboard, enjoy an optional sound and light show at the Temple of Karnak
Day # 6: Nile Cruise Holiday Package / Cairo by sleeper train
After breakfast you will be accompanied by your guide to visit Karnak Temple, the largest place of worship ever built. Its ancient name Ipet-isut means “the most sacred of places.” The temple, or, more correctly, the complex of temples, was built over more than two thousand years by generation after generation of pharaohs. Within the complex, the great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars .Then you will be transferred to Luxor temple which built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II for ritual and festivals and dedicated to the god Amon, and then you will be transferred to Luxor train terminal to board your sleeper train back to Cairo, dinner and overnight stay on board
Day # 7: Cairo / free day /Optional Tour of Alexandria
Breakfast onboard train before arriving to Cairo where you will be met by our Rep, and then transfer either to your hotel in Cairo, or enjoy amazing optional tour to visit the major sights of Alexandria, excursion to Pompeii Pillar, Catacombs of Kom El Shokafa, Library of Alexandria, Alexandria National Museum and Citadel of Qaitbay – with lunch during the tour in Alexandria. Free time at leisure then transfer to your hotel in Cairo for free time at leisure and peaceful overnight at your hotel in Cairo
Day # 8: Cairo / Home
Breakfast at your hotel in Cairo then you will be transferred to Cairo airport where you will connect with your flight back home.
For more Details and Prices please visit
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The city of West Palm Beach offers an exotic combination of adventure and excitement for the visitors. Located in the west coast of Florida, this place is filled with serene waterways and wildlife sanctuaries and you should not wait longer to fix good airfare deals to visit this city.
Enjoying a vacation after long and stressful office work is the most fascinating idea and Palm Country Beach is the most versatile tourist spot with wildlife sanctuaries, parks and beaches. In fact, there are a number of lovely and exclusive beaches and a candle lit dinner with your partner will surely revive the memories of the past. These beaches are perfect for hosting social occasions and buying cheap tickets to West Palm Beach will serve as the right occasion to celebrate your anniversary. The private cruises are equipped with wonderful banquet services for hosting parties. However, you can even spend a quiet evening with your loved one or with your entire family in one of the cruise liners that operate for four hours.
Places to visit in West Palm Beach
The wildlife photographers will surely have the most amazing experience if they have decided to buy cheap tickets to West Palm Beach to visit The Lion Country Safari. This is one of a kind zoo wherein wild animals are roaming free inside this safari and are not confined to cages. If you are an animal lover, you will have loads of experiences watching them from the closest distance ever. In fact, you will have to stay away from the temptation of touching these animals that you have admired in the books or inside the cages of city zoo. Beside the animals in the Safari park, the tourists can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings particularly during the day. The Palm Beach Zoo is home to many animals of several countries over the world with a variety of endangered species that includes the Bengal tiger, Cotton Top Tamarin and the panther from Florida. By taking cheap flights to West Palm Beach in Florida you will ensure not to miss this exotic location. The other locations to visit include the Rapids Water Park, South Florida Science Museum, Palm Beach Polo and Players Club, etc. Another must to do is the Loxahatchee Everglades tour, in which you will be able to explore the unusual locations of Florida.
City Locations
There are museums inside the city premises that will attract the attention of the art lovers through the rare collections of artifices other than the essence of nature and wildlife. Cheap Flights to West Palm Beach will allow the tourists to explore the famous Clematis Street, a place that is filled with eateries and good restaurants. There are antiques shops as well that contain rare items. The city has in offer mixed elements of luster and serenity and one can easily visit the city by taking the best fares.
Finest Travelling Opportunities to West Palm Beach
The city is a must visit as not only it offers a variety of places to visit but also the experience will be even greater with best fares that are offered some renowned travel companies. With some of the most convenient airfare deals that are available, West Palm Beach seems to be one of the best destinations that will allow people to get a flavor of nature and wildlife.

Royal and rustic Bikaner is one of the most adorable destinations of the Rajasthan. To visit this wonderful city and spend quality holidays, thousands of tourists select Bikaner tour packages every year.
Brief History of the Bikaner
Bikaner was founded by the Rathore prince, Rao Bikaji in 1486 ADs. The city is still covered by the wall and connected with roots of the tradition of Rajasthan. Bikaner travel will be best for you if you want to visit exquisite fair, festival and historical places.
It is believed that father of Bikaji, Rao Jodhji asked his son to set up the kingdom on his own. Bikaji accepted the challenge and Bikaji select the “Jagaldesh” territory and named after his name- Bikaner.
Reason to take services of a tour operators or travel agents
Well, if you are totally new to Bikaner, how would you explore the tourist destinations of the city and get a detail about that. It will consume lots of time, and that is exactly what people do not have.
Rajasthan tour operators offer economic Bikaner tour packages to increase the volume of tourism in the state.
They provide the complete range of travel service, which includes the different kind of packages, guide facility, online hotel booking and car booking services.
Under guide facility, they provide complete information about the tourist destinations of the city in an impressive way. In addition to this, the detail of various kinds of hotels is listed on its website. You can select any on the basis of your pocket and requirement. Some of tour operators of Rajasthan also provide travel services in UK, France and other European countries.
Key attractions of Bikaner
The reason to travel to Bikaner is numerous; here are some striking features you will witness on your Bikaner Travel:
Camel Festival – This is the most colorful and admirable event, organized by Rajasthan tourism in Bikaner every year in January month. Various performances such as a camel dance, camel race, camel parade, etc.
Fort Museum – Ganga Mahal has converted into the fort museum. You will visit Antique weapon of rulers. Camel hides shields, etc.
Ganga Golden Jubliee Museum – This small museum is famous for its large collection of pre- Harappan, Gupta and kushan pottery. You will get a great collection of pottery, carpets, paintings, and armory, etc. in this museum.
Junagarh Fort – The impregnable fort has the distinction of remaining unconquered. Raja Rai Singh (1571-1611 AD), one of the most outstanding generals of Emperr Akbar, built this impressive fort. It is encircled by a moat and houses many outstanding palaces, Pavilions and temples made of red sandstone and marble with kiosks and balconies.
Apart from this, Jambeshwar fair, Karni mata fair and Kapil muni fair are eminent.