• > How Strenuous are these Trips?
• > Group Participants and Tour Leader
• > Private Tours and Custom Dates
• > Local Transportation
• > Accommodations
• > Meals
• > Climate
• > Travel Documents
• > Flights
• > Airline Tickets
• > Money
• > Health
• > Luggage & Clothing
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How Strenuous are these Trips?

We have arranged tours to gravity. It takes into account the duration of the trips, the level differences, the heights on which we walk and the ratio of rest and walking days. This is of course an estimate. Your personal experience also depends upon factors like weather and your physical condition.
During these trips you make a number of longer walks (four to six hours per day) in hilly to mountainous terrain. Moderate walks are interspersed with some tough trips. Anyone with a normal health condition should be able to manage these walks.

Trekking along the Lycian mountain villages in Turkey consists of a 5-day hike between villages of the Taurus Mountains. You come to a maximum height of about 1200 meter. The first walking day starts at 1200 meter, just south of Gombe, where the bus from Kas to our causes. You walk about 5 hours apart and some short steep climb. This area is great of a relaxing walk. The second day you walk  about 5 hours in total. The third day is the longest walking day, you made a 25 kilometer journey from here and the walk is approximately 7 hours. You end at a height of 900 meter in Camlikoy. The fourth day we do some light climbing and descend in about 5 hours. On the last walking day we walk in about 1.5 hours for 900 meters down to Kaya Didi where the bus picks you.

Go well prepared!
Make sure you are well-prepared. Spend the months prior to your journey in getting in shape and equipped to try handle the trekking so you can truly enjoy our vacation. Good equipment is also important. Always been good walking shoes and take the right clothes. Nothing is more annoying than defective material.

Group Participants and Tour Leader

Participants:  
International Group  MIN: 8 MAX: 20  Dutch tour leader.


Guide Service
The tour leader serves as logistics coordinator, not a lecturer. They provide information about the daily life and culture and practical tips regarding restaurants, transport, admission fees, activities, etc.  The tour leader organizes and accompanies some activities but participants also enjoy independent time.
 
In-Country Staff
Our land representatives are situated in the destination country you will visit. We work closely with them and they function as our liaison with the guide, drivers and hotels. They are also available in the case of an emergency and their number will be provided on your emergency contact list.
 
Problems or Emergencies
While you are away, should you have a problem, you have several points of contact. Your guide, our land representative, and of course, we are just a call or email away. We will provide contact numbers for you before you leave. Please distribute this list to family or to your contact person at home. If someone needs to reach you from home due to an emergency, but is having difficulty due to language or bad connections, they can call our office and we will assist in contacting you.
 

What To Expect When Traveling on an INTERNATIONAL GROUP TRIP

Djoser, Inc. is an offshoot of a  highly regarded, Dutch tour operator, established in 1985 in the Netherlands.  Djoser has operated in the U.S. since 1998.  We share an outstanding network of land representatives around the world, many of whom have worked with us since our beginnings.  Many of our trips are offered in cooperation with the Djoser, Netherlands office.

On our Price/Dates pages you will see that departure dates are denoted as being organized for  NORTH AMERICAN GROUPS or INTERNATIONAL GROUPS.  On INTERNATIONAL GROUPS trips you will join Dutch and Belgian travelers. This multi-cultural aspect is the draw for many regular Djoser travelers, but not the perfect fit for every traveler. We invite you to consider the description below when selecting to travel with an INTERNATIONAL GROUP or a NORTH AMERICAN GROUP. 

All Djoser adventures are designed for active travelers with emphasis on cultural interaction and nature explorations. The balance of guidance and freedom is also crucial to our journeys. Our International Group programs are some of our most adventurous and comprehensive. Some trips feature days spent in remote areas, with some long drive days, and a night or two in very basic or indigenous accommodations.

The group size ranges from 8 to 22 travelers of all ages, most from Holland.  You will find 1 to 5 North Americans participating in these groups. Almost every participant will have a superb command of English, but you are sure to hear plenty of Dutch. You may need to exert a bit more effort to make initial contact but usually in a day or two, the group warms up to one another. The success of the social interaction tends to depend more on the individual personalities in the group rather than nationalities, just as with any other tour group. 

On most trips, a Dutch tour leader will accompany the group and will speak both Dutch and English. In a few countries, a local guide will accompany instead or will assist the Dutch tour leader, such as in Japan or Syria. 

These are not lecture tours. The guide functions as a logistics coordinator and you will receive the important information. The guide will organize and accompany some activities and meals, but also gives suggestions so that participants can dine and explore independently.  Participants on these trips are rather independent-minded and welcome time on their own in addition to the group activity. Don't expect as much one-one-one attention from the guide as you would find on a North American Group tour.  

On our African safaris with camping accommodations, there will be an English-speaking, African guide with a camp courier assisting with food preparations.Most of the safaris with lodge accommodations will have a a Dutch tour leader.

If you have a travel partner, or if you are solo and can easily engage with others, and welcome the idea of an international mix and an active travel style, then this should be a fun experience for you. If you are traveling alone, or if you are more introverted, blending with the group may be more challenging. Again, so much  depends on the chemistry of the individual group members.

We want you to be happy and it is important that you select a trip style that fits.  If you are worried that you will feel like the "odd man out" then we suggest that you consider a North American group trip.  But if you welcome the added layer and occasional challenges of this added cultural experience, as well as the more adventurous nature of these trips, then these journeys are for you. 

Feel free to call us with your questions. 877-356-7376

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Local Transportation

During this trip we use a private bus from the beginning and end of the voyage, Fethiye. The bus also brings us to the start of the walk in Gombe and picks us after 5 days in Kaya Dibi. The large luggage during the 5-day hike carried by local transport in a domus, a local bus company. 

Accommodations

In Fethiye we stay in a comfortable hotel with private shower and toilet. During the walk of 5 days between Gombe and Kaya Dibi we stay in small mountain villages. We stay for 3 nights at home with families with several people sleeping in one room and shared bath facilities. You must bring a sleeping bag and a mat. This is a fun way to get acquainted with the local life.  One of the nights we stay in a simple guesthouse with two people sharing a room and communal bath facilities.
 
Single:  It is not possible to book a single room on this trip.

Meals

The breakfast fare is always included. The meals during the hike (with host families and in the guesthouse) are included in the trip. The other meals are not included in the fare. In Fethiye you decide where and with whom you will eat. The tour guide will give you recommendations.  For the first walking from Fethiye and Kas take your own lunch along. When we are guests of the local people in their homes, we prepare delicious meals. This gives you an opportunity to experience local life and to sample the local cuisine. We take breakfast and dinner at the family home. We get our lunch from the family and find a nice place of a picnic en route, on our walk. During the boat trip on day 7 is also included lunch.

In the typical restaurants,  you get dishes like "lokantas 'and' kebab salonu's",stuffed vegetables, stews and grilled meat, rice, pasta or Turkish pizza. Typical of the Turkish meal is the frequent use of fresh vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers, fresh fruit, light olive oil and garlic. You will find  turkey meat lambs, sheep and goats. Besides the typical Turkish restaurants are the teahouse and the "pastane '(cake) very popular. In the coastal towns you will find many fish restaurants. Bottled mineral water is available everywhere, and the national people drink tea.

Climate

The climate in southern Turkey is characterized by dry and hot summers and a mild and pleasant spring and autumn. Summer is warmer than in spring and autumn, but because of the relatively low humidity the heat bearable. It is slightly cooler in the Taurus Mountains, given the altitude and the mountain winds. In spring and autumn, the evenings are very fresh and cool.

Travel Documents

A visa is needed for Turkey.

Be sure to check with the Department of State for the most recent document requirements for travel to your destinations. Be sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after departure from your destination. Also make sure there are extra pages in your passport.  When completing VISA applications, be sure to confirm whether you will need a SINGLE or DOUBLE entry tourist visa. We will provide you in-country contact information for your visa application. The website for the Dept. of State is:  http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.
 
Visa & Passport Rush Service
If you are in a rush for documents, a passport or visa expediting service can arrange your documents in a couple of weeks or a couple of days. We have used ITS EASY PASSPORT & VISA SERVICES, for years. They have easy to follow process instructions and have always been reliable. ITS EASY will honor a 10% discount off the processing portion of the fee if you let them know you are traveling with us. Please use the following link for ITS EASY PASSPORT & VISA SERVICE: http://www.itseasy.com/visa-expediting-services.php

Flights

Booking Your Flights From / To the U.S.

As we provide only the LAND PORTION of the trip, you will need to book your own flights from and to the United States. Book your flights into and out of the cities listed below:
 
Land program begins in:   Dalaman (then transfer with group from airport to Fethiye)
Land program ends in:     Fethiye (than transfer with group to airport in Dalaman

Please note the arrival and departure times listed for the Dutch participants. Plan your flights to arrive prior to the scheduled arrival of the Dutch travelers so that you will not miss the initial group meeting with the tour leader. Flight delays or late arrivals could result in missed activities or can even require that you catch up to the group, which may involve costly transfers. Leave ample time for flight connections and terminal changes. If the scheduled arrival time for the Dutch participants is between 3AM & 11AM we recommend that you arrive the night before, requesting an extension hotel night when you book your trip. If the group arrives late evening or up until 3AM, we include the hotel night and you are free to check in early and rest up or explore on your own. The hotels are usually available for check-in at 1PM.

The Dutch participants are scheduled to arrive on DAY 1 at: 6:40 PM
On the final day, the flight for the Dutch participants is scheduled to leave at:
9:45 AM

You should schedule your flight to arrive earlier so that you can transfer with the group from the airport from Dalaman to Fethiye and back at the end of the program.

USEFUL LINKS FOR BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS
ORBITZ:   http://www.orbitz.com/
EXPEDIA: http://www.expedia.com/

BEFORE YOU FINALIZE YOUR FLIGHT, GET TRIP CONFIRMATION!
Do not book your flight prior to written or e-mail notification from Djoser that the trip is a "go". For instance, group trips must meet the required minimum enrollment. We will notify you of the status of enrollment upon request. Also, on very rare occasions, an unforeseen itinerary or date change can occur.  We advise you to take out travel insurance. Before booking your flight, make sure that you are aware of your flight provider's penalties for changes or cancellations.  We are not liable for penalties incurred for flight changes or cancellations. 
 
Airport Transfer
Upon arrival at the destination country, a representative, holding a DJOSER sign, will meet you at the airport and will take you to the hotel where you will meet the tour leader and the other travelers. Prior to your departure you will receive more information about this.  Be sure to give us your flight information: airline name, flight numbers, airport name, arrival and departure times.
 
Flight Delayed?
If your flight is delayed or canceled, please notify us so that we can alert the tour leader and land agent of your later arrival. It is possible that we will not be able to cancel or reschedule the pick-up for you upon arrival. In this case, you should take a taxi from the airport to the hotel address, which we have provided for you. Djoser is not responsible for this extra expense, however, generally, travel insurance will cover this expense.

Airline Tickets

If internal flights, trains or boats are used during a Djoser program, the tour leader will handle the tickets and disperse them to group participants at the appropriate time. 

Money

The cost of the land packages includes city-to-city transport, guide assistance, lodging as described, and only meals listed in the price inclusive section. You should budget for out-of-pocket expenses for other meals, fees for optional excursions and activities, in-city transport and other personal expenses.  See our prices for the estimated out of pocket expenses. 

We recommend that you bring enough cash for the walk since there are no exchange services along the road. You can withdraw in Kas and Fethiye and Istanbul airport and / or Dalaman. As a guideline figure for expenditure not included in the fare, such as other meals, entrance fees, optional excursions and personal expenses about € 150, - per person per week.

 
Currency & Cash
On your trip you will want to make sure you are prepared with the proper form of currency. ATMs can be scarce and charge cards are not always accepted.  You will want to exchange money for the local currency.  Before you go, you can check the most current conversion rates, and you can also print out a handy currency exchange "cheat sheet" at: http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet
 
ATMs are everywhere in Turkey but not available during walk
Cash: Euro
Credit cards are accepted almost all major restaurants
Traveler's checks are redeemed at times, at high commissions.

Tipping
On our international group trips, for your convenience, the tour leader will organize a tip pot at the beginning of the trip. At the beginning of the trip, each participant will donate a few dollars per day to the pot. The  amounts will be disbursed to drivers, local guides, hotel staff, and others along the way.  If there are funds remaining at the end of the trip, they will be divided among the group.  The tip pot does not include a tip for your tour leader. On our private trips, tipping is up to you.

Health

Check with your doctor or local health authorities for the latest recommendations. Be mindful of what you eat. We recommend you carry a first aid kit and be sure to be equipped with your personal medications, painkillers, and medicines to prevent diarrhea and stomach disorders. The tour leader will also carry a first aid kit in case of emergencies. Keep in mind that travel can be tiring. It is important to be in good health, in good condition and fully equipped for the journey. Take care that you eat properly, drink plenty of water and get lots of rest. Those who travel on our more physically active trips, including our   Walking Tours or Biking Tours, should have higher level of fitness and stamina. For country specific health advice, please consult the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
For piece of mind, we highly recommend that you procure travel insurance.  Make sure that you are covered in the event of illness or injury. If adequate treatment is not readily available in the area,  emergency evacuation is often required by private carrier and can be exorbitantly expensive. Also, unforeseen events at home can prevent you from going, such as the illness of an immediate relative. Even things like delayed or missed flights or lost luggage can be costly. You are free to choose your own insurance provider. Over the years, we have recommended TRAVELEX. They offer a variety of plans and most importantly, they are responsive. Should you choose to go with TRAVELEX, you will contact them directly and the cost of your coverage will depend on the plan you choose. The cost will be based over the total cost of your trip and flights, and the amount is also subject to your age. Ask about the TRAVEL PLUS plan and the more economical TRAVEL LITE plan.  Their website is www.travelexinsurance.com and phone number is 1-800-228-9792.  It is important to get travel insurance immediately after booking as most companies have a brief window (10 days from booking) for coverage of pre-existing conditions, for example, coverage of cancellation due to a chronically sick relative.

Luggage & Clothing

Please limit your luggage to 35 pounds. We recommend a soft, rolling duffle bag. Hard suitcases are difficult to pack on the vehicle.  Be sure to bring good walking shoes that are comfortable and already broken in. Make sure any equipment that you bring is in good working order.

It is recommended that you bring a universal adapter plug and extra batteries for your flashlight, in the event of power outages.  Voltage is 220V.

  * Walking, we advise you to take sturdy walking shoes with a good grip and support for the ankles. Make sure your shoes are fully broken in and that they fit comfortably
    * Light shoes or sandals
    * Walking clothing (long sleeved shirts and warmer clothes are recommended in the spring, in June and September can be very hot and it is best to bring loose fitting clothing)
    * (Fleece) sweater for cold nights in the mountains
    * Lightweight rainwear
    * Walking socks
    * Swimwear

Turkey is an Islamic country and certainly in rural areas is appropriate clothing appreciated. We advise women to always have clothes to go to your knees. Shoulders and upper arms should be covered while walking through a village or when visiting a mosque

Other luggage

    * Two-season sleeping bag (three seasons in spring and autumn)
    * Sleeping mat
    * Water bottle (1 liter minimum capacity)
    * Spare laces
    * Sunscreen with a high protection
    * Sunglasses or Cap
    * Lip balm
    * Flim / video appartuur with extra film / memory card and batteries
    * Travel alarm clock
    * Flashlight
    * Walking sticks, which are not necessary but recommended
    * Evt. compass and binoculars
    * First aid kit including blister plasters, antiseptic and tape, aspirin and drugs indigestion
    * Toiletries including towel (s)

Resources

A good guidebook is invaluable. We recommend the Lonely Planet series as well as the DK Guidebooks.

Communication

Mobile service will be sporadic on this trip. Check with your phone provider before departure regarding coverage or consult the following webpage: www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml
 
Book a Trip
The recommended cut-off date for booking most trips is 30 days prior to departure for group trips. Many trips fill months in advance and bookings are subject to availability. For trips that have internal flights or visa requirements it is important that you book early so that flight can be booked and the documents processed in plenty of time. Feel free to call us later, however, as we can always check for availability.

You may "Book A Trip" on our website, or print a form out and fill it in manually. Or, we can email or mail you a booking form.

You will receive an invoice within a few days of booking your trip. We will notify you as to the enrollment status of the trip.
At this time your deposit is due to hold your place on the trip.

Mail the signed booking form with you check, made payable to Djoser, Inc. . Mail to Djoser at 154 Woodgate Lane, Paoli, PA 19301, Attn: Booking Dept.
The amount of the deposit is: $351
The deposit is non-refundable unless your requested date is unavailable, or in the event that we must cancel the trip, due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a political or natural crisis, or  for example, on a group trip, if we do not meet the required enrollment minimum. In these events, your deposit would be returned to you.
The balance of your payment is due 90 days prior to departure.

Your next communications will come to you including a day to day description of the program, your visa requirements, insurance, packing instructions, and other useful information. Invoices and other notifications will come to you by email unless you instruct us otherwise.

Before you finalize your flight, be sure that you have received written confirmation from us that our trip is a "go". In the case of a group trip, you will need to be sure that the trip has reached the minimum number of participants required. 

Be sure to verify the most recent visa requirements on the Department of State website, provided.

About 2 weeks prior to your trip you will receive your final information, which will include a hotel list with addresses and emergency contact information, your tour leader’s name, and the names of other trip participants.  In addition, you will receive a detailed list of final instructions regarding your trip, including information about your airport transfer upon arrival.
You will find our cancellation terms and conditions on our booking form.
 
CONTACT US
Phone: Toll Free 877-356-7376 -  484-595-0480
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