Middle Eastern cuisine is full of flavour, history and tradition. Main dishes consist of grilled or roasted meat, poultry or fish served with rice or couscous. A variety of spices and herbs, such as cumin, coriander, mint and parsley, are used to add depth and complexity to the dishes. Meals are often centered around bread, dips and salads. Vegetables and legumes, such as eggplant, chickpeas and lentils, are also commonly used.
Breakfast is served in the hotel and usually includes western dishes. Lunches and dinners feature a wide selection of high-quality Middle Eastern and Western dishes. It is found that this style of dining suits the wide and varied tastes of our customers. Tea is the beverage of choice, often served sweetened with sugar or honey.
Some of the best meals in the Middle East are the local cuisine or street food. Caution is always advised if buying raw food from street vendors or at open markets. Packaging and expiry date should be checked, and no food should be eaten before it has been washed. If you wish to try typical local food, you may make a choice between falafel, koshari, molokhia, fava beans, houmous or eggplant. If you are a meat lover, a grilled lamb/veal kebab is a must!
On some days where lots of sights are covered, dinner times may vary and sometimes the group will go straight to dinner after a days sightseeing, therefore you not get the chance to freshen up at the hotel before dinner. Your guide will normally eat with you if invited or eat separately if the group prefers. No refund will be given for any meals missed.
If you like, you can bring some supplements with you from home. Tea/coffee bags, instant soups
or noodles, biscuits, energy bars – consider your luggage weight, though! There are numerous small supermarkets and shops in every town and village along the way where you can buy odd items e.g. instant noodles, muesli and chocolate bars, biscuits, drinks, chips, cakes and sweets.
Drinking & Water
You may like to drink beer, wine, soft drinks, fruit juice or bottled water with your meals – please note that most drinks are not included in your tour price so payment for these is made directly to the restaurant staff.
Egypt: It is not advisable to drink tap water throughout Egypt.
Jordan: Tap water is considered potable but quality/taste may vary.
Israel: Tap water is considered potable but quality/taste may vary.
Saudi Arabia: Tap water is generally safe to drink throughout Saudi Arabia but quality/taste may vary.
Overall, we strongly recommend only drinking bottled water, and avoid ice in your drinks. Some hotels will provide bottled water in the room, as well as a kettle or flasks of boiled water which is suitable for drinking and cleaning teeth. Bottled drinking water, soft drinks and beer are widely available and affordable.
Dietary Requirements
Those with dietary requirements will be catered for - just make sure to inform your booking agent of any specific requirements well in advance of your trip. Please be aware however that restaurants may not always be able to accommodate these. Wendy Wu Tours cannot guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination for travellers with severe allergies, and suggest you remind each restaurant of your requirements. Gluten-free food may not be as readily available as in Australia.
Whilst travelling away from major cities, it is highly recommended that passengers with food intolerances take additional food items, as not all dietary requests will be met due to the limited foods available.