13days / 11 Riding Days

From bustling Bucharest to picturesque rural villages seemingly lost in time, all the way down to oriental Istanbul and the scenic Black Sea Coast, there is something for the sightseer in everyone. Riding two of Europe’s best roads - the majestic Carpathian Mountains’ Transfagarasan Road and the equally challenging Transalpina - and then snaking through the astonishing Rodophe Mountains and Greece all the way to Turkey, there is something for every rider.

Join us as we motor through verdant hills and lush farmscapes dotted with ancient castles and painted monasteries, experience mystical Istanbul, relax on some of the best sandy beaches in Eastern Europe and explore incredibly biodiverse Danube Delta, best preserved of Europe’s deltas.

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign, where Turkish and Allied Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought in the WWI. For that reason we have opened a new date, Sept 10 - 25, during which we will stay in Gallipoli for two nights rather than one, to have more time to visit all the sights and memorials from the war.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE 16 days / 14 Riding Days13days / 11 Riding Days

From bustling Bucharest to picturesque rural villages seemingly lost in time, all the way down to oriental Istanbul and the scenic Black Sea Coast, there is something for the sightseer in everyone. Riding two of Europe’s best roads - the majestic Carpathian Mountains’ Transfagarasan Road and the equally challenging Transalpina - and then snaking through the astonishing Rodophe Mountains and Greece all the way to Turkey, there is something for every rider.

Join us as we motor through verdant hills and lush farmscapes dotted with ancient castles and painted monasteries, experience mystical Istanbul, relax on some of the best sandy beaches in Eastern Europe and explore incredibly biodiverse Danube Delta, best preserved of Europe’s deltas.

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign, where Turkish and Allied Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought in the WWI. For that reason we have opened a new date, Sept 10 - 25, during which we will stay in Gallipoli for two nights rather than one, to have more time to visit all the sights and memorials from the war.

DATES in 2017June 10 - June 25August 19 - September 03or any time May - Oct for Self guided tour.

COUNTRIESRomania, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria

TOUR STARTS / ENDSBucharest, Romania

REST DAYS3; Sibiu, Istanbul 2x

ROUTEMileage: 2.800 km (1.800 miles)Daily rides: 250 - 330 km (155 - 210 miles)The whole tour runs on asphalt.

HIGHLIGHTSRiding in Carpathian Mountains, Brashov, Sighisoara, Sibiu, Transfagarasan Road, Istanbul, Gallipoli, Transalpina, Black Sea

ACCOMMODATIONComfortable, very nice hotels, mostly 4****

GENERAL OVERVIEW

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE 16 days / 14 Riding Days

Brasov

Sighisoara

BULGARIA

Bucharest

Sibiu

Pitesti

Veliko Tarnovo

PlovdivSofia Nesebar

Kavarna

R O M A N I A Tulcea

B L A C KS E AS E R B I A

G R E E C ET U R K E Y

AL

BA

NIA

MACEDONIA

HUNGARY

Gallipoli

Istanbul

TOUR MAP

CULTURE ROADS LANDSCAPE

Day 1: Arrival to BucharestDay 2: Bucharest – BrasovDay 3: Brasov – SibiuDay 4: Rest day in SibiuDay 5: Sibiu - PitestiDay 6: Pitesti - Veliko TarnovoDay 7: Veliko Tarnovo - PlovdivDay 8: Plovdiv - GallipoliDay 9: Gallipoli - IstanbulDay 10: Rest day in IstanbulDay 11: Rest day in IstanbulDay 12: Istanbul - NesebarDay 13: Nesebar - KavarnaDay 14: Kavarna - TulceaDay 15: Tulcea – BucharestDay 16: Flight home from Bucharest

DAY BY DAY

16 days / 14 Riding Days

Day 1: Arrival to Bucharest

Welcome to Romania!

Your guides will welcome you at the airport and take you to the hotel in Bucharest. If you arrive early, you’ll have some time to relax or do some sightseeing before the welcome briefing. Bucharest is definitely worth seeing. Due to city’s elegant architecture it was once known as the “Paris of the East”. Major highlights include Old Princely Court, Parlia-ment’s Palace, Stavropoleos Church and many more. At 5 PM we’ll meet for an introductory briefing. Welcome dinner will be held in a fine restaurant where traditional Romanian cui-sine is complemented by the lively Romanian folk music.

Day 2: Bucharest – Brasov

Today our motorcycle ad-venture begins. We will first wind our way north through Bucegi Moun-tains towards Peles Cas-tle, a masterpiece of Ger-man new-Renaissance architecture, considered by many one of the most stunning castles in Eu-

rope. Transylavania’s symbol Bran Castle is next. Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, Bran Castle owes its fame to the myth created around Bram Stocker’s Dracula. We’ll end today’s ride in the town of Brasov, fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture.

Day 3: Brasov – Sibiu

From Brasov we will continue our journey through mysteri-ous Transylavania. Today’s ride will be shorter but enjoyable as we will take small country roads and ride through the heart of Romania. Arriving early we will have time to explore and relax in Sighisoara, a perfectly intact 15th century gem with nine towers, narrow passage-ways and cobbled streets. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sighisoara is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad the Impaler. It was Vlad who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula. In the afternoon we’ll head towards Sibiu, European Capital of Culture in 2007.

Day 4: Rest day in Sibiu

Sibiu was the largest and wealthiest of the seven walled citadels built in the 12th century by German settlers known as Transylvanian Saxons. Explore Sibiu and just relax in the lovely city atmosphere. Sections of the medieval wall still guard the historic area, where narrow streets pass steep-roofed 17th century buildings with gable overhangs. Or ride one of the most spectacular roads of the Carpathian Moun-tains called Transalpina. The road was built by King Carol II and rebuilt during World War II by German troops. The road with the highest point of 2.145m above sea level offers for-midable views over the surrounding valleys and mountain peaks.

Day 5: Sibiu - Pitesti

Today we ride the famous Transfagarasan Highway that was declared the best road in Europe by Top Gear Team. Zigzag-ging through the Fagaras Mountains in Romania, this 100 km drive is a truly unforgettable experience. Not for the faint-hearted, the route climbs up to an altitude of 2.034 meters and links Transylvania with its neighboring province Munte-nia. Passing through dramatic scenery it offers spectacular views, particularly of the highest peak in Romania, Moldove-anu. On our way to Pitesti we can visit the ruins of Poienari Fortress, considered by Dracula buffs to be Romania’s ‘real’ Dracula’s castle. From one mystery to another we will end our day in Pitesti, turbo capitalistic city, with famous Pitesti prison, well known for its experimental brainwashing tech-niques.

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY DETAILED ITINERARY

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY DETAILED ITINERARY

16 days / 14 Riding DaysROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE

Day 6: Pitesti - Veliko Tarnovo

Today’s ride is going to be fast as we wind our way through flat Wallachia, the southern-most region in Romania. This region is a producer of some of Romania’s best red wines. Leaving Romania behind we’ll ferry across the great Danube and enter Bulgaria. Veliko Tar-novo, the evocative capital of the medieval Bulgarian tsars, is our stop for the night. Ve-liko Tarnovo is dramatically

set amidst an amphitheatre of forested hills, divided by the ribboning Yantra River. Commanding pride of place is the magisterial, well-restored Tsarevets Fortress, citadel of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Day 7: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv

As we weave through small rolling hills on country roads Bul-garia seems like an unpolished Balkan jewel. Today we are up for some mountainous riding. For drama and majestic vistas, few routes in Bulgaria match crossing Shipka Pass. We’ll stop in Koprivshtitsa, a unique museum village filled with Bulgar-ian National Revival-period architecture, cobblestone streets and and bridges. By the end of the day we reach Plovdiv, vi-brant city with innumerable art galleries, exuberant spirit and great nightlife. Many Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Bulgar-ian antiquities can be found in Plovdiv’s old town, the most being the Roman amphithea-tres – the best preserved in the Balkans.

Day 8: Plovdiv - Gallipoli

Today we head south towards Greece riding through aston-ishing Rhodophe Mountains. It will be a fast ride with beauti-ful scenery. We soon leave Greece behind and enter Turkey. Gallipoli peninsula awaits with 31 war cemeteries as the great remains of the Gallipoli Campaign during the World War I, where Turkish and Allied Australian and New Zealand soldiers are buried side by side. Peninsula is surrounded with Aegean sea on west side and Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli name de-rives from the Greek “Kallipolis”, meaning “Beautiful city”.

Day 9: Gallipoli - Istanbul

Taking a short ferry ride we’ll be crossing Dardanelle canal, a narrow strait, which separates two continents. We leave Europe behind and enter Asia Minor. Following the southern shore of Marmara sea we will visit the remains of the an-cient Troy, site of the legendary Trojan War. The story of remark-able Trojan heroes is written in every language. We continue our way on the south shore of Marmara sea, passing Bursa, former Ottoman city famous for its traditional baths and mineral water. Heading towards today’s destination a ferry will take us to the other side of the Bosphorus, meeting the mystic Istanbul.

Day 10: Rest day in Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country’s economic, cultural, and historical heart of the country. For nearly sixteen centuries following its reestablishment as Con-stantinople, it served as the capital of four empires: the Ro-man, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empire. On our first rest day we’ll visit the historic center, the famous church turned into a mosque, Aya Sofya, amazing residence of sultans Top-kapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and many more. What a city!!!

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY DETAILED ITINERARY

16 days / 14 Riding DaysROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE

Day 11: Rest day in Istanbul

Cruising around the beautiful Bosporus Strait, following a route that includes views of Istanbul’s top attractions – all en-chantingly illuminated at night, is just one of the things on to-day’s list. You can explore the wonderfully colored Grand Bazar, sipping Turkish coffee or çay (tee) in the local coffee shops while observing the street buzz or simply relax in the baths of hamam. Make sure not to miss the whirling dervish show or the attractive belly dancers. But most of all, put your taste buds on alert - the food and the Turkish delights are amazing.

Day 12: Istanbul - Nesebar

Leaving behind mystic Istanbul we are heading back to Bul-garia. We’ll be riding trough Strandzha Mountains, passing some ancient cities and admiring the nature diversity, be-ing surrounded by the lakes, forests and sea. On the way to Nesebar we can explore the swaths of stunning beaches and picturesque bays of Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Nese-bar’s most distinctive features are the cobble-stone streets, the well preserved medieval churches and the tim-bered houses dating back to the 19th cen-tury. Soak in the unique combination of Bulgar-ia’s ancient culture and modern life, or hop on the sandy beach.

Day 13: Nesebar - Kavarna

Today’s route coils by the coast as we ride from one coastal town to another to get some more relax seaside felling. Var-na, our stop on the Black Sea coast, is by far the most cosmo-politan town on the Black Sea coast, and a definite highlight of the region. Baroque, turn-of-the-century and contempo-rary architecture pleasantly blend with shady promenades and a handsome seaside garden. We end the day just outside of Kavarna, in a beautiful newly built resort on the Black Sea coast. If you fancy golf, you can go for a play on what’s by many described as the most spectacular golf course in the world!

Day 14: Kavarna - Tulcea

Today we leave the Black Sea Coast behind and ride north. We can stop for lunch in Mamaia, Romania’s Monte Carlo. But we quickly contin-ue to Tulcea in Danube Delta. The Danube Delta is a mar-velous world where water, fish and birds call the shots. Here at the end of its long journey across Europe the mighty Danube River spills into the Black Sea creating 4187 sq-km wetland. We’ll hop on the boat with a local fisherman and spend the af-ternoon exploring the laby-rinth of canals and desolate fishing villages of the largest wetland of Europe.

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY

16 days / 14 Riding DaysROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 15: Tulcea – Bucharest

On our last riding day we will first ride west along the Dan-ube to get some more great views of the mighty river and occasional glance of Ukraine just north from where we ride. Heading south we’ll ride among lush forests and small hilly terrain, take the ferry over Danube River once more and head back towards the Romanian capital. We will arrive back to Bucharest with just enough time to let you walk around the city before our farewell dinner.

Day 16: Flight home from Bucharest

Today you will say good-bye to your guides and new friends as you return home with great memories. Till we meet again for another great motorcycle adventure!

Group discounts available.

The 16 day Romania to Istanbul Adventure includes:

•Late model motorcycle with lockable hard luggage and tank bags plus a Third party liability insurance and Comprehensive vehicle insurance. •Experienced guide on a motorcycle. •Support van for luggage, souvenir purchases and one or two passengers. •15 nights accommodation in quality 4**** hotels.•15 complete buffet breakfasts in the hotel. •12 dinners, mostly in traditional local restaurants. •Guided tour of Istanbul.•Airport transfers on arrival and departure. •All maps with marked routes for the region being toured. •Extensive tour booklet.•GPS with all the routes uploaded.

Not included in the tour price:

•Air ticket, dinners on rest days, most lunches, drinks, gasoline, tolls, personal spending, tips.

16 days / 14 Riding DaysROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE

ROMAN6 SICILY TOUR (per person in EUR)

MOTORCYCLEPrice for the RIDER

Based on sharing a double / twin room.

Yamaha MT-07Suzuki V-Strom 650 4.580 € Price for the

PASSENGER3.340 €

BMW F 700 GS, F 800 RYamaha MT-09 Tracer 4.760 €

BMW F 800 GS, F 800 GTHonda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin 4.990 €

BMW R 1200 GS, R 1200 R, R 1200 RS 5.550 €

BMW R 1200 GS AdventureBMW R 1200 RTBMW S 1000 XR

5.750 €Single roomsupplement

610 €

Ducati Multistrada 1200 6.230 €

Your Own Motorcycle 3.380 €

Self-guided tour - app 20% discount applies for tour prices above, contact us

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE 2017 (per person in EUR)