For centuries Malta, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica held the key to the Mediterranean. Malta secured the Mediterranean for Britain and made it the world’s major maritime power. Possession of Sicily brought similar benefits to Rome, as did Corsica for France. However today the inhabitants retain their way of life for us to explore. Our program compares and contrasts the geography, history, culture and peoples of these 4 islands.

For centuries Malta &  Sicily, held the key to the Mediterranean. Malta secured the Mediterranean for Britain and made it the world’s major maritime power. Possession of Sicily brought similar benefits to Rome. However, today the inhabitants retain their way of life for us to explore. Our program compares and contrasts the geography, history, culture and peoples of these two islands.

Join Odyssey Traveller as we take a leisurely tour of the French countryside, travelling by train from Paris to Bordeaux to Provence and back, over the course of 20 days.

During this program we encounter history from ancient periods; religions such as Buddhism and Shintoism; the philosophy of the people through visits to world renowned temples and shrines; and old towns full of ancient legends. Together we will share some traditions which the Japanese have inherited. A variety of sites including UNESCO World Heritages, has been chosen for this tour, all filled with clues to understand the essence of Japan.

Experience the beautiful landscapes and the unique wildlife at places such as Kruger National Park, Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Chobe Game Reserve. During the program participants will have the opportunity to learn about the culture, the politics and the social issues facing African people and how the natural resource managers are caring for their wildlife reserves in the face of land enclosure, climate change and poaching.

Our program, as well as featuring the rugged countryside of Southern Italy, also encompasses learning about the many civilisations that have shaped the nature and persona of this land. As we explore the diversity of Southern Italy we learn about the influence of the early Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Normans, Angevins and Aragonese while we search for evidence of their colonisation.

This program offers the most spectacular, varied and historically important sites in Turkey, from Istanbul one of the world’s oldest cities to the ancient and now legendary city of Troy. Visit the theatres in Pergamum; enjoy visiting Ephesus and discover the cultural centres of Ankara, capital city of Turkey. Languish in Antalya, the major city of the Anatolian Mediterranean and in Konya learn about the mystic Whirling Dervishes.

The mountainous regions of France, the French Alps and the Pyrenees, are as much part of France as they are of the countries with which they are most associated, Spain and Switzerland. Perhaps because of this the France of the Alps and of the Pyrenees is often by-passed by travellers as they hasten on their way to these other nations to experience them. Our program will take our group deep into the villages, valleys, shrines and ski resorts of these high regions which for other tourists will always remain unvisited, hidden in plain sight.

Our journey to the land of the Midnight Sun gives an insight into the history of this Icelandic nation. In geological terms, Iceland is very young and the landscape is alive with nature’s forces. Our program explores glaciers, national parks and majestic waterfalls as we learn about Iceland’s natural heritage and its Viking past. Iceland is also teeming with birdlife, with the 14 kilometre longest precipitous cliff in Europe, host to millions of seabirds.

This program is designed to give people an opportunity to explore Tbilisi, Baku, Yerevan as well as important monuments, historical and religious sites, diverse landscapes and ancient architecture by visiting the Caucasus Mountains and the lowlands of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Led by local English speaking guides, there will be the opportunity to meet local people.

Our 21 night program explores the north-west corner of France before hopping across the English Channel to the tiny autonomous islands of Jersey, Guernsey and Sark as well as the historic Isle of Wight. The tour combines the dramatic scenery of Normandy and Brittany with the quirky history and natural beauty of the Channel Islands together with the natural and historic splendour of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel.

Ireland is a lush green island full of thatched cottages, friendly pubs, music, poetry, ebullient people and dramatically diverse rugged countryside. It is also a land of diverse and rich gardens from the dramatic Powerscourt to the impressive kitchen Garden of Kylemore Abbey and the secretive Anne’s Grove. Our program ranges from the bustling capital of Dublin with its historic Botanic Garden to the greenness of Killarney with its rugged Kerry peninsula and charming Muckross House as well as to the natural beauty of the Connemara.

Few people think of Scotland as an island archipelago. These islands all have one thing in common – they all contain living history. The people who dwell on them, for the most part, live their daily lives now as they did centuries ago. These isles are among the world’s great repositories of archaeological treasures including villages preserved almost in their entirety.

This Odyssey is designed for the adventurous traveller, a traveller who is prepared for a range of accommodation styles, for walking excursions and some long travel days in 3 Central Asian countries. The program combines experiences with great scenery, ancient and modern histories, family visits and lifestyles that differ dramatically.

Travel on the Trans-Siberian rail network from West to East to finishing in Siberia  after 21 days. The tour explore 6 key cities along the route with 2-3 night stays in each location before re-joining the train. Irkutsk has good flight connections for onward travel.

Our 21 day tour explores the land of great philosophers, myths, and legends. We will learn about the culture and heritage of modern Greece which only found independence in its uprising from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century.