Signature tours

There’s still time to discover in 2026. Selected departures are still available – simply call 01722 705 215 to find out more. Follow in the footsteps of the ancient caravans through Oman, a crossroads of trade for thousands of years. From the Bronze Age tombs of UNESCO-listed Bat to Iron Age fortresses, Classical trading settlements and Islamic sites, uncover the layers of history that reveal Oman’s pivotal role in the ancient world. Travel from the mountains and coast of Muscat to the spectacular landscapes of the Wahiba desert and the Arabian Sea, with a special journey into the Empty Quarter to discover the once-lost city of Ubar, an important centre of the ancient frankincense trade. Along the way, rock art, ancient settlements and remarkable archaeological remains offer a fascinating insight into the civilisations and commerce that have shaped this extraordinary country.

Ancient Egypt still has stories to tell. Across Cairo and Alexandria, new excavations, technologies and museum developments are bringing fresh discoveries to light and offering new insights into how ancient Egyptians lived, worked and worshipped. From recently excavated tombs at Saqqara to the newly renovated Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria, uncover remarkable finds that continue to reshape our understanding of the ancient world. At Giza, visit the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, home to an extraordinary collection of artefacts including the treasures of Tutankhamun and the vast solar boat of King Khufu. Alongside these headline discoveries, explore collections that have only recently been brought back into the public eye, revealing just how much remains to be understood about one of history’s most enduring civilisations.

There’s still time to discover in 2026. Selected departures are still available – simply call 01722 705 215 to find out more. Learn more about Pompeii at the recently excavated villas. Nowhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Before the eruption of Vesuvius, these were thriving, lively seaside towns – Pompeii, a trading town equipped with many bars, shops and brothels, while Herculaneum was an affluent elegant town. All this came to an abrupt halt, however, one autumnal day in AD 79 when Vesuvius, which had done little more than rumble for years, erupted with cataclysmic force. Two thousand years later, the sites of the Bay of Naples confront the modern visitor with a vivid, haunting immediacy like nothing else in the ancient world. In some cases, we even know the names, professions and personal histories of the people who owned the villas and shops we visit, with our expert guide lecturer illuminating the ordinary people of Pompeii, Herculaneum and beyond. This is an exciting time for visitors to these Vesuvian towns, as new discoveries are constantly being made and new houses constantly opened up. Lose yourself in the past, walking the ancient streets in the footsteps of gladiators, slaves, senators and citizens.

From the Delta to the first Cataract Howard Carter’s description of his first sight into Tutankhamun tomb is also a fitting description of Andante’s exploration of the archaeology of this amazing country. Egypt is indeed a land of ‘wonderful things’, a country where adjectives are insufficient to describe the monuments and experiences which are not to be found anywhere else in the world. This epic tour encompasses all of these iconic sites and so much more, as we take a journey of a lifetime through Upper and Lower Egypt, travelling through the millennia.

There’s still time to discover in 2026. Selected departures are still available – simply call 01722 705 215 to find out more. Rome is one of the most charismatic and engaging of the great cities of the world, her monuments an omnipresent testament to a past in which she controlled an empire reaching from Scotland to Syria. Surprisingly, it is also an intimate city – the historic centre is small and it is easy to understand based on the ancient layout. This tour is the perfect introduction to the ‘Eternal City’ in the company of archaeologist and historians who illuminate the triumphs, tragedies and political intrigue that characterised the Roman Empire.