Western Deserts of Egypt Tour Map

Ok, I am getting the hang of posting the places and getting them to save! Enjoy your virtual tour!

Western Desert & Nile Cruise Tour Map

More tour information can be found here: Tour Details

Caucasus Tour Map!

If you are interested in the places we will be visiting on our tour to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, check out this map. I have tagged the locations with corresponding itinerary descriptions. Enjoy!

Caucasus Tour Map

For more details on the tour including pricing and inclusions go here: Caucasus Tour Info

Map of our March tour to Turkey

I just posted our tour on Google Maps. You can go to this link and see a day by day itinerary, plus the map locations of the places we will go. This is the first time I have tried this, so please be patient as I figure it out! It should give you an idea, though, of where we will go. I will work on the other tours as soon as I can! Enjoy!

Map of our Tour of Western Turkey, March 2012

More information about the tour can be seen here: Tour Details

Testimonials from American Tourists in Cairo

Video of Karnak in Egypt

2011 Top Travel Specialist Award

PRESS RELEASE

November 28, 2011

Contact:          Brenda Pierce

Caravan-Serai Tours, Inc.

                        Brenda@caravan-serai.com

                        206-890-3852

                        3806 Whitman Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103

For Immediate Release

Rita Zawaideh Named Top Travel Specialist for 9^th Year in a Row by Conde Nast Traveler

SEATTLE: Once again, Caravan-Serai Tours owner by Rita Zawaideh has received the prestigious honor of being named Top Travel Specialist from industry-leading Conde Nast Traveler magazine. 2011 marks the ninth consecutive year in which Rita has received this recognition. In an annual survey of travel specialists, the magazine lists “The Top Travel Specialists” developed after exhaustive interviews, reference checking, and recommendations from other industry insiders. Caravan-Serai Tours and owner Rita Zawaideh have been recognized for excellence and the depth and recent firsthand knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa, but particularly for the countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

Also part of the equation is Rita's strong relationship with local contacts, the high level of client commitment, a willingness to work with a range of budgets, and discriminating taste. This year's listing and more details on how the list was prepared can be found in the December 2011 edition of the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. 

Caravan-Serai provides expert travel services and tour organization to the Middle East and North Africa. The company caters to small and medium sized groups as well as independent travelers. All inclusive, tailor-made tours blend an educational and cultural experience with fun and adventure. Travel is the only way to bring people together and build bridges of understanding. 

Wondering about travel to Iran?

As usual, Iran is in the news, and not in a good way - what's new? Still, this may give some people pause to think about traveling to Iran "at such a time". On my trip to Iran in October of 2009, it was only months after the world watched in horror at the brutal crackdown on protests over the Iranian elections. We monitored the situation, and determined that it would be ok to travel, and the tour went on schedule. 

We were welcomed warmly and had an amazing time on the tour. People were always happy to talk to us, and even wanted their photos taken with an American. I remember at one of the sites we stopped at, a group of women approached us and handed one of the women in our group an infant, then stood beside her so another person could take a photo. A moment saved for posterity - "here you are at the age of 8 months or so being held by an American!"

There are tourists in Iran - Europeans know that Iran has a lot to offer the visitor in hospitality, excellent services, and sites that are truly breathtaking. Americans, not so much. And many Iranians were out visiting their national treasures right along side the foreigners. This is how we were able to meet so many wonderful people from all over Iran - families, students, all ages touring the sights and willing to talk to us, to tell us about their lives and how they viewed the world. 


Travel to Iran is an immensely rewarding experience. You will be welcomed by the masters of hospitality, see amazing sights, get to know the people a bit, eat wonderful food, and leave thinking "what is the problem with our respective governments!"

If you are interested in learning more about traveling to Iran, just give us a call. We will be happy to answer your questions, and hopefully ease your concerns.