This tour has ended. But we might do it again in the future, if there is demand.
Maybe you’ve once watched the film or read the book “Murder In The Orient Express”, published in 1934. It’s a typical Agatha Christie novel – quite entertaining – with Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot trying to solve a murder mystery. The plot takes place on the legendary Orient Express. The train in the novel runs the Simplon route.
We’ll explore this route from the sky. Departing from a little airport at the fringes of France’s capital, Paris, we’ll officially start the rally over the Gare de Lyon, where the Orient Express originally started. Our final destination will be the golden gateway of Istanbul.
Over the gentle hills of Burgundy you’ll feel like a bird gliding above the Rhône’s alpine headwaters. Heading east, deep-blue lakes and winding river valleys stretch out below, inviting you to immerse yourself in landscapes unseen from typical flight paths. From the highest peaks of the Alps to the sweeping Thracian Plain, a kaleidoscope of villages, châteaux, and ancient trade routes unfolds beneath you—a journey that marries railway romance with airborne adventure.
I’ll be flying my beloved Kodiak Everybody else is welcome to join with any plane they wish – as long as it is somewhere in the ballpark of a C208 or K100 and can do speeds of around 150 KIAS.
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More InformationAerial Highlights Along the Way
- Paris & Burgundy: Glide first over Paris’s elegant Haussmann boulevards and the spires of Notre‑Dame, then watch the soft patchwork of Burgundy’s vineyards around Dijon light up in the early sun—perfect for that first photo.
- Jura & Lake Geneva: Just before Switzerland, the rugged Jura Mountains rise beneath you. Moments later, Lake Geneva opens up as a shimmering mirror, flanked by snow‑capped Alpine ridges—especially magical in backlit conditions.
- Simplon Tunnel Entrance: At Brig, you’ll see the steep valley entrances where the train once dove into the 20 km Simplon Tunnel. In your simulator, mark these tunnel portals as key waypoints.
- Lake Maggiore & Po Valley: Follow the Italian‑Swiss border to see Lake Maggiore’s glittering surface; then descend into the flat expanses of the Po Valley, where solitary farmsteads punctuate the wide plains—a stark contrast to the mountain wilds.
- Venetian Lagoon: Rising to about 2,000 ft AGL near Venice Santa Lucia, you’ll witness the delicate lacework of canals and islands—a stunning aerial mosaic.
- Julian Alps & Karst Plateau: Between Trieste and Ljubljana, sharp karst peaks and deep sinkholes appear—excellent visual references for navigation.
- Zagreb & the Sava River: The green oasis of Jarun Lake and Zagreb’s medieval core reflect beautifully in the Sava—consider a low‑pass at around 500 ft for an urban flyby.
- Serbian Plains & Balkan Passes: Over Belgrade, the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers is striking, before the rugged hills around Niš demand your attention.
- Sofia & the Rhodope Foothills: In Bulgaria, circle above Sofia to admire its cascade of grand buildings, then look out for mist‑filled valleys in the distant Rhodopes—dramatic in early morning light.
- Bosporus & Istanbul: Approaching Istanbul, the scene shifts to the strait itself: slender minarets, Rumeli Hisarı fortress, and the bustling shorelines form a living mosaic. A majestic final approach over the Bosporus completes the “sky‑Orient Express” odyssey.