We have had some requests for maps of our tour routes recently, so I am trying to create route maps in Google Maps. I just finished the map for our Caucasus tour this fall, and will post the link to the others as I complete them. Please excuse the roughness- I am still figuring it out. :)
Map of Caucasus Tour Route
Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
Oct 28: After breakfast we will depart for full day tour of Baku including lunch at the open-air restaurant Chanag Gala. Baku, Azerbaijan's capitol city has a cosmopolitan air about it with oil wealth used to create a unique blend of Soviet and Islamic architecture. Oil has been a part of Baku for many centuries but the city did not become an oil "boom town" until the late 1800's. Tour includes visit of open-air museum Gobustan (rock paintings), Old City with Shirvan Shah Palace and Maiden Tower, visit of local Teza Bazaar and walking tour of pedestrian zone. Dinner at Bah Bah Restaurant, famous for its delightful cuisine prepared on the basis of old Azerbaijan culinary recipes. Transfer to the hotel after dinner. (B/D)
Oct 29: After breakfast we will depart Baku for the mountain town of Sheki via Shemakha, the royal seat of the Shirvan Shahs from the 9th century to the 18th century. Lunch and sightseeing en-route (see Diri Baba, Yeddi Gumbaz in Shemakha). Continue to Sheki. Upon arrival in Sheki, check in at 5* Sheki Saray Hotel. Overnight. (B/D)
Oct 30: After breakfast we will check out and depart for a half-day tour of Sheki including visit of magnificent Khan's Palace, Panorama point, shabaka shop, sweet shop, and the local bazaar. Depart Sheki for the Georgian / Azerbaijan border (Lagodekhi) via Zakatali where we will stop for lunch. Zakatali is located at the confluence of several rivers that come down from the Caucasus Mountains to the north. Meet at the border with our Georgian partner and exchange bus / guide. Welcome to Georgia! After we get our Georgian bus and guide we will drive to Telavi. Overnight in guesthouses. (B/D)
Oct 31: After breakfast we depart for Tbilisi with stops on the way. We will visit the town of Tsinandali and a noble family house/museum of the 19th century with a beautiful park. In Signaghi we will see the 16-17th century town, renovated, so called town of love, all surrounded by the wall. We will have a chance to wander around and to explore the city. There are nice cute restaurants there as well and we will have time for independent lunch there. Continue on to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight at the Holiday Inn or similar. (B/D)
Nov 1: After breakfast we will have a city tour of Tblisi which will include the State Museum of Georgia, which has a vast collection of icons and metalwork, and also include a walk along Sharden Street and the new Peace Bridge. Afterwards we will drive to Mtskheta, the ancient spiritual capital of Georgia. Visits will include Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) and Jvari Church (7th century). Return to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight. (B/D)
Nov 2: After breakfast we will depart for David Gareji, one of Georgia's most important and remarkable ancient religious sites. The area contains several monasteries carved out of the limestone rock, and built in the 6th century by the Davit, one of the 13 Syrian fathers. The area had fallen into neglect and was even used by the Soviets for military exercises, but the 19 known monasteries in the area are now being restored. We will have a picnic lunch along the way. Return to Tbilisi for overnight. (B/D)
Nov 3: Check out after breakfast and drive to the Armenian border. Upon arrival at the border crossing of Bagratashen, proceed through usual immigration and customs formalities and we will change to our Armenian bus. Welcome to Armenia! Drive to the Haghpat Monastery, perched on the edge of the Debed Canyon. The monastery has UNESCO World Heritage status and the view alone with worth the visit. Built by Queen Khosrvanuch in 976, it is a splendid architectural monument in a spectacular natural setting. Also visit another UNESCO site - the Sanahin Monastery. Overnight in Alaverdi. (B/L)
Nov 4: Check out from the hotel and continue your Armenia trip from Alaverdi, Vanadzor to Dilijan (visit Haghartsin and Goshavank Monasteries in Dilijan -magnificent and beautiful ecclesiastic monuments which are the highlight of the medieval Armenian architecture. Continue to Lake Sevan. Visit the peninsula and enjoy your lunch here - fresh fish from sweet waters of the lake! Spend some time exploring the wild nature and sunshine as well as visit 9th c AD Sevan Monastery. Head to the hotel and check in for overnight in spa town Tsakhkadzor. (B/L/D)
Nov 5: Check out after breakfast at the hotel. We depart for and Noravank (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Khor Virap via the famous Selima Pass - one of the main junctions on the Great Silk Route. We will stop to visit the caravanserai recorded as best preserved of its kind, the gather place for travelers along the Silk Road where they could re-supply, exchange news and information, and rest from their long journey. We will have a picnic lunch near the monastery of Noravank, known for its architecture and dramatic setting. Continue on to Yerevan with an optional visit to a local winery en-route to the capital. Arrive in Yerevan; check in at the hotel. Free evening and overnight at the hotel. (B/L)
Nov 6: Today we will have a full day of sightseeing around Yerevan, Armenia's capital. Yerevan is a diverse city with a very intense cultural life. There are dozens of theaters, museums, concert halls, galleries, and live music clubs. People are relaxed and go at relaxed pace. The city itself has a history dating back to 782 BC, and its past is as diverse as the present. Visit Matenadaran, the repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts (UNESCO World Heritage Sight). Lunch will be at a local restaurant, then continue your tour to Etchmiatsin, the Vatican of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, and Surb Hripsimeh Martyria Church. Free evening for independent activities and optional dinner. (B/L)
Nov 7: After breakfast depart for a full day tour to Ashtarak to visit the Saghmosavank (1215) and Ohannavank (1216-1221) Monasteries as well as the Byurakan/Amberd Fortress (weather permitting). Both monasteries perch on the edge of the precipitous gorge of the Kasakh river. The book repository of Saghmosavank, built in 1255 under Prince Kurd Vachutyan is among Armenia's buildings rare in their purpose and original in their composition. Amberd Fortress is on the slopes of Mt. Aragats at 2300 meters above sea level. It was built during the 11th to 13th centuries. (B/L)
Nov 8: This morning we will visit Garni Temple, the only survivor witness of Hellenistic period in the history of the country. Dedicated to the goddess of Sun Mihr (Mythra) it dates back to the first century, AD. We then continue our excursion and visit Geghard Monastery (UNESCO Heritage Sight), named after the lance that pierced Christ's side at the crucifixion. The spear was once housed there but now resides at Etchmiatsin. Lunch will be hosted by a local family in Garni. Return to Yerevan and visit one of the most fascinating museums - the History Museum. Return to hotel for brief rest before farewell dinner. (B/L/D)
Nov 9: Group transfer to the airport for final departure (breakfast is served from 7:00 AM). (B)
End of services.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Armenia - Post by a recent tour participant
This was sent in by Julius W. who went on our April tour to the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Thank you Julius for sharing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A small group of 10 of us recently returned from Caravan
Serai’s tour through the Caucasus- Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. What an incredible time! Caravan Serai organized a very fascinating
and educational tour through the former Soviet Union. It was amazing to tour many of the scenic
places in the region and learn about these countries on a historical,
political, religious, and cultural level.
One of the many highlights included visiting the Mother of
Armenia monument at Victory Park in Yerevan,
Armenia. It was erected in 1967 to replace a statue of
Joseph Stalin and is made entirely of copper.
This pride of Armenia
symbolizes peace through strength and stands tall with a sword and shield,
overlooking the city. Our group picture
is taken here, with a view of the capital in the background (one tourist is not
pictured).
Our next stop was a visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian
Genocide memorial, which was completed in 1965.
This visit was exceptional because the national day of remembrance for
the holocaust happened during our time there.
Thousands rallied at the site during the holiday.
Armenians continued to visit the site throughout the
week. The site was beautiful decorated,
notably with a tall building and a circular monument next to it. An eternal flame was installed at the very
center of the circular monument, in remembrance of the 1.5 million victims who
died in the Armenian genocide. As we got
closer, our senses were overcome by the strong floral aroma from the circular
wall of flowers.
Many visited and paid their respects with prayers and
pictures. Many parents lifted their
children to lay flowers and see the eternal flame. I tip-toed just high enough to take a picture
of the flame. This was both tragic and
beautiful but an important part of learning about Armenia’s history.
Caravan Serai’s unique combination of tour experience,
knowledgeable tour guides, and well-designed itineraries really came together
to produce a great tour. I’d recommend
this tour for anyone who has a thirst for culture, history, and good food!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Traveling and Your Money - FAQ's
One question that we always get about this time of year as
people are planning their summer holidays is how to deal with their money (cash,
credit cards, ATMs) while traveling.
What kind of currency, the use of ATM machines, what credit cards to
take, should I exchange money before leaving, etc. I hope this article gives
you information that might help you with your plans.
Credit cards and ATM machines have eased the challenge of
spending and exchanging money on a trip overseas, but occasionally you will be
in a country where the ATMs don't work or they might reject your card since it
doesn't have a chip in it like most European credit cards do. US cards usually have a magnetic strip, rather
than a chip, but some US
card issuers are now making their credit cards with a strip and the chip. Make sure to check this out with your card
issuer or the bank.
Before leaving the US, make sure to let your credit
card company know that you are traveling so they do not decline your card or
block usage for “suspicious” activity.
They usually want to know what countries you will be traveling to. When traveling to Iran you can use a credit card, but
not American Express, for a large purchase such as a carpet. The Iranians have set up a program where they
are using merchants in Dubai or Abu Dhabi to get the transactions to go through,
because of the sanctions. So remember,
if you are traveling to Iran,
be sure to include the “UAE”, “Emirates”, or “Dubai
and Abu Dhabi”,
when you notify your credit card company of your travels, otherwise they might
not give the authorization code for the purchase. They do not have ATM machines in Iran that can
be used with American cards so you will have to travel with cash so make sure
to figure out your budget before departing.
 |
| Finally got cash out of the ATM in Syria! |
You can check out the exchange rate for your destination before
you leave for your trip. There are
numerous websites that will give you a quick conversion and one site that will
create a “cheat sheet” for you – listing different quantities of currency and
the equivalent in US dollars, and vice versa. That site is http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/.
This is handy in case you are trying to pay for something in dollars that was
quoted in the local currency.
 |
| Cheat Sheet from the for-ex site OANDA |
Also, make sure to only exchange the money that you will
need for the next couple of days. It is more difficult to exchange back to US
dollars and you will lose money on the exchange. It takes some planning, and you don’t want to
be in a situation where you run out of local currency and then have to try and
find an ATM or exchange office at the last minute. Most hotels will exchange
money, as well as banks and exchange offices. So if you are getting low, its
best to stop at the front desk on your way out for the day and exchange some
more money, rather than have to interrupt your sightseeing with a trip out of
the way to find an ATM or bank. On the
other hand, a lot of merchants will take US dollars and you will be amazed at
how quickly they make the conversion in their heads! But remember, not all
places will take US dollars, so be sure to ask your guide about this. Generally
they will not take dollars for small purchases like a soda or sandwich, but
will for the more expensive items.
When planning your cash to bring with you, be aware that particularly
on the larger bills like $50s and $100s that they may be too old to be
acceptable. If the issue date on the bill is prior to 2003, it may not be
accepted for exchange. There are new security measures in place on the US currency and
prior to that there was a lot of counterfeit money being exchanged. Naturally
the merchants, banks, and hotels don’t want to get stuck with a counterfeit
bill and lose their money. Also make sure the cash is clean and not too worn or
damaged, even if it is after 2003.
Sometimes your guide will also exchange money for you (and
may add a small percentage to do it). It will be a convenience to you that
helps, but generally do this on the bus, but do not let officials see you to do
this - it is usually not considered legal.
Make sure to check with your bank and see what fees they
will be charging you for using the ATM machines and your credit card overseas -
it might be higher then you think. With
the new laws out that all banks and credit card need to list all the fees that
they charge their customers it is easy to look this up on line.
Have a great trip and enjoy your summer bouncing around the
world! Let us know if you have any questions ~ we are here to help and make it
an easier trip for you!
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