For over 30 years, we have run tours for anyone with a general interest in Near Eastern culture and history. Fully escorted by leading experts who share their personal love of travel and archaeology with their tour participants, our program is run in conjunction with Sydney-based companies Academy Travel and Alumni Travel.
Egypt: 2023
This tour from Cairo to Abu Simbel provides a wonderful blend of traditional Upper & Lower Egyptian sites as well as exploring the several sites of Middle Egypt.Organised with Alumni Travel
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Greece 2023: Agamemnon to Alexander
Our tour of the great sites of ancient and medieval Greece focuses especially on the worlds of the Aegean Bronze Age and the Macedonian rulers Philip and his son Alexander the Great, whose exploits altered the ancient world forever.
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Israel & Jordan 2023: A Cradle of Civilisation
This 20-day tour took participants on a leisurely and thorough fashion through the very birthplace of Western civilisation. From ancient archaeological tells to bustling markets, participants explored this fascinating region safely and enjoyably.
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Egypt 2019: Cairo to Abu Simbel
This tour from Cairo to Abu Simbel provides a wonderful blend of traditional Upper & Lower Egyptian sites as well as exploring the several sites of Middle Egypt. It encompasses great monuments of the ancient Egyptian world such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the glories of Upper Egypt including the Temple …
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China 2019: Western China, Along the Silk Road
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In 2019, NEAF members retraced the ancient Silk Road across China from Xi’an in the Chinese heartland to Kashgar in far western China. This trip is an examination of the ancient and modern faces of a mighty nation whose time has come again. Just as we marvelled at beautiful Buddhist frescoes …
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Morocco 2018
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In March/April 2018 20 NEAF members travelled to Morocco to find the country bursting with the vibrant colours of one of the best spring seasons the country has seen in many years. The three week tour has time to take in the very best of what Morocco has to offer. It …
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Iran 2017: Iran in Depth
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In April/May 2017 21 NEAF members travelled to Iran to explore this extraordinary country so often misrepresented in the western press. This tour began in Tehran, Iran’s capital: a busy, often smoggy city but with some fantastic museums to help us prepare for the trip ahead. Leaving Tehran we headed to …
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China 2017: Western China, Along the Silk Road
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In September 2017 20 NEAF members retraced the ancient Silk Road across China from Xi’an in the Chinese heartland to Kashgar in far western China. This trip is an examination of the ancient and modern faces of a mighty nation whose time has come again. Just as we marvelled at beautiful …
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Iran 2016: Iran in Depth
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In April/May 2016 21 NEAF members explored the highways and byways of Iran: from the little-visited north to the sensational sights of Persepolis and Isfahan in the south. Iran is a delightful country to visit, notwithstanding the common comment from friends before departure: “is it safe?’, or “Why would you want …
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Morocco 2016
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In October 2016 21 NEAF members travelled to Morocco to explore the land of a thousand kasbahs, the Atlas Mountains and the legendary cities of Fes and Marrakesh. Morocco can easily be divided into two zones: the area north of the Atlas where the majority of the population have traditionally dwelled, …
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Western China 2015: Along the Silk Road
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher In May 2015 17 NEAF members retraced the ancient Silk Road across China from Xi’an in the Chinese heartland to Kashgar in far western China. The Silk Road in China is a defined path linking oasis towns separated by inhospitable desert. On our journey we appreciated that it was not only …
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Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan 2014
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher NEAF and Academy Travel’s May 2014 tour Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan: A Journey through Central Asia has successfully concluded with 16 NEAF members enjoying warm but fine spring weather throughout Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The tour focussed on the major sites in these countries including the living Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, as …
Read MoreTurkey & Iran 2014: In the Footsteps of Alexander
Tour Leader: John Tidmarsh During late September and early October 2014 twenty NEAF members traced part of the route traversed by Alexander the Great through Turkey and Iran during his great eastern conquests between 334 – 323 BCE. In Turkey we explored many of the cities conquered by Alexander (often only after a prolonged siege) …
Read MoreMexico 2012
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher NEAF’s 2012 Mexico tour was a repeat of its successful 2004 tour – and like in 2004, the recent trip was a great success for the 13 participants who joined Ben Churcher in visiting some of the great sites of Mesoamerica. This comprehensive tour visited areas once dominated by the Olmecs, …
Read MoreSyria and Jordan 2010
Tour Leader: Dr John Tidmarsh For thousands of years, Syria and Jordan controlled the inland caravan routes along which goods were transported from the Orient to the Mediterranean. From the Nabataeans in their stronghold at the ‘rose-red city’ of Petra to the merchants in the bustling markets of Aleppo, the region has a rich and …
Read MoreIran 2009
Tour Leader: Ben Churcher NEAF’s 2009 tour to Iran has just returned after a very successful visit to one of the world’s great travel destinations. Contrary to popular worries, the group encountered no political issues during their visit but, instead, were able to freely enjoy the many delights Iran has to offer. Whether it is …
Read MoreSyria & Jordan 2009
In April 2009, 21 travellers accompanied John Tidmarsh for a three week journey through Jordan and Syria. This is now the fifth time that NEAF has run a tour to the Levant and the popularity of this region (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon) for NEAF tourists shows no sign of waning. On this tour visits to the …
Read MoreTunisia and Libya 2010
Tour Leader Dr. Stephen Bourke and a group of NEAF travellers have just returned from visiting the homeland of Hannibal and along the way saw some haunting desertscapes and oases, pre-Carthaginian stone-age remains, Graeco-Roman and Byzantine-Christian city ruins, Islamic medinas and villages, Medieval fortresses and a fascinating mosaic of vibrant cultures – past and present.
Read MoreOman 2008
This was the first time that NEAF had run a tour to Oman (“Oman: Travels in Old Arabia”) and, in view of the country’s wonderful natural attractions and excellent tourist facilities, it is unlikely to be the last. In November, 10 NEAF members travelled with John Tidmarsh, the tour leader, through the length of Oman …
Read MoreSyria 2008
This was the 4th time that NEAF has run a tour to Syria, and this year’s version: “Syria: A Levantine Wonder”, went very well – as always in Syria. The tour is certainly one of historical extremes. From the magnificent early sites along the Euphrates and Mediterranean coast to the jostle of the Aleppo souk, …
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