Around the World Series

Egypt , Greece , Turkey and Japan

Around the world in 27-days : A Grand tour of the East Mediterranean and a Foray into the Orient

Here's the best of Egypt in a week: a good look at Cairo and a 5-day cruise along the Nile, locally escorted. The Romance of the Greek Isles, The Ottoman Empire & Serene Japan . Including a stay in a villa in Santorini This 27 days Tour starts weekly on Saturdays in Athens, Apr through Oct. Air fare is included between Athens, Istanbul & Tokyo . Compare with the 21-day version without Egypt

DAY 1 - Saturday CAIRO Tour Starts Weekly in Cairo - Apr-Oct
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : Australian, NZ, American, EU , Canadian, Singaporean & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

DAY 2 - Sunday - CAIRO (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the " Mummies Room" , the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.
In the evening attend Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show.

This is a very full day , we are providing it based on market demand. Yet for a more balanced itinerary , you may choose the 9 or the 10 day edition

DAY 3 - Monday - ASWAN, Camel Caravan! (BLD)
We fly : Add $ 150 for upgrade to business class ( subject to availability)to Aswan ( or Luxor ) and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. Only for those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride for almost half an hour to visit a local Nubian Village.

DAY 4 - Tuesday - ASWAN & KOM OMBO (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

The Mystery of Isis

Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis:

"I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled."

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Because of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey to the Underworld.

Isis is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect the world.

Isis, the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless Egypt when you Travel in Style!

Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples.

DAY 5 - Wednesday - EDFU & ESNA (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple. Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated to Khnum, the creator-god. Evening finds us in Luxor.

DAY 6 - Thursday -LUXOR (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings , including Tutankaomn's tomb, and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

Afterward, we'll continue on Luxor's west bank to get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

DAY 7 - Friday - LUXOR & CAIRO - Home Hosted Family Dinner (B)
The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the morning, followed by a return flight to Cairo. In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping.

A complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo ! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 8 - Sat - CAIRO ATHENS
Transfer to Cairo Airport and fly to Athens . Air ticket is included in our rate in economy class.
Our Athens representative will meet you at the airport, assist you through customs and immigration, and escort you to your hotel in the bustling city center. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Stroll, browse for curios and treasures, and perhaps dine at a cafe in the old Plaka district and take in a folklore show.

DAY 9 - Sun- ATHENS (B)
This morning you'll tour Athens and get to know the high points of the city, especially the towering Acropolis and the adjacent museum. You'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city, and see the Parliament, and guards in colorful traditional outfits. Your afternoon is free for further exploring or shopping, or you could well be drawn back by the charm of the Plaka. Or take advantage of one of our optional tours, such as an afternoon visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, with spectacular sunset view.

DAY 10 -Mon- ATHENS FLIGHT TO MYKONOS (B)
we'll call for you and see you to the airport for your flight to the island of Mykonos. We'll have a representative on hand to meet you, and check you in to your hotel. Relax! . Stroll at your own pace along lanes lined with whitewashed houses, up to the Church of Paraportiani, or along the shore to the island's signature windmills. Enjoy an ouzo or a glass of retsina at a waterside cafe.

DAY 11 - Tue - MYKONOS (B)
Maybe this will be your day to stay put. Or maybe you'll mix relaxation with walks to photograph the famed windmills of Mykonos, or to watch fishermen at work along the sea.

DAY 12 - Wed - MYKONOS, SANTORINI (B)
Reserve some time to stroll the cobbled lanes of Mykonos, to sip an ouzo or a retsina at a waterside cafe, to discover a beach or two, to pick up a loaf of fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look out to sailboats at sea. We'll rendezvous in time to take you to your flight for Santorini. On arrival, we'll see that you're checked in to your hotel. Sample Villas in Santorini:

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DAY 13 - Fri -SANTORINI (B)
You'll take a leisurely breakfast on your private terrace. An optional tour to the archaeological site of Akrotiri is offered. Or, you can spend the day relaxing, and take in breathtaking views of the volcano and caldera.

DAY 14 - Sat - SANTORINI (B)
The day is yours for relaxing or exploring on your own--or both! You might take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Or savor a soak in hot sulphur springs.

DAY 15 - Sun - SANTORINI (B)
Enjoy the views from your villa, discover a black-sand beach, savor the sea breezes from the terrace of a cafe, or try your hand at fishing. Or arrange a winery visit or another excursion. The choice is yours.

DAY 16 - Mon - SANTORINI, ATHENS, Istanbul (B)
Our personnel will assure a seamless transfer to Santorini's Airport. You'll catch a flight to Athens, where you'll board your connecting flight to Istanbul .

Turkish Hamam (spa) is a Turkish tradition that goes back for centuries

DAY 17 - Tue- ISTANBUL
You're met at the airport by our representative, who sees you to your hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people. Welcome fruit basket in your room awaits you with our compliments.

DAY 18 - Wed- ISTANBUL (BL) The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian's great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops.

DAY 19 - Thu- BOSPHORUS (B)
Istanbul's history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world. Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway. Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise of two continents, crossing from Europe to Asia and back, includes visits to the Military Museum, the Bosphorus Bridge, Çamlica Hill lookout, and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace. Complimentary plate of Turkish Lokoom pastries (Hotel room)

Day 20 - Fri - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:" Saturday (BL)

Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates), and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour.
In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).

DAY 21 - Sat - ISTANBUL Tokyo(B)
There are many more things to see and do in this fascinating city, but they will have to wait for your next visit. After breakfast, our representative escorts you to the airport for your Tokyo bound , overnight across Asia & the Sea of Japan. Dinner is served on board.

DAY 22 - Sun - Tokyo (B)
After breakfast on board, we arrive at Narita airport and clear customs and immigration. We've arranged for transportation to your hotel on the airport limousine bus, just as arriving Japanese do. You'll appreciate immediately the small marvels of Japanese urban life: spotless streets, a pace that's fast but always in control, bicycles left unlocked, vending machines dispensing superb hot coffee in cans (or whiskey, if you wish). Everything's the same, but a little bit different. You'll be comfortable in, and fascinated by, Tokyo.
When you arrive at New Tokyo International Airport (Narita). You are requested to proceed to the shuttle van counter in the arrival lobby on the first floor. Transfer to your hotel by seat-sharing van.

Extend your stay -Onsen /spa in the shadow of Mt. Fuji

DAY 23 - Mon - TOKYO (B)
Continental breakfast is included at the hotel.
This one-day tour of Tokyo puts everything in this busy but orderly city in perspective. You'll visit the Diet (say "dee-yet")! Japan's parliament, and the Meiji Shrine. You'll ascend Tokyo Tower for a view of the metropolis, and walk through the Imperial Palace East Garden, a tranquil anomaly in the very center of the city. Then, for a total change, you'll see the throbbing Ginza, where space is in such high demand that restaurants and stores are on the second and third and fourth floors of every building. After seeing Kushiage, we'll have our lunch at Ginza Isomura. The day continues with a drive by the Imperial Palace, a stop at the Tasaki Pearl Gallery, and a forty-minute boat ride to Asakusa on the Sumida River. We'll stop at the Asakusa Kannon Temple, the famous Nakamise shopping street, and Akihabara, the neighborhood where next year's miniature cell phones, video cameras and avant-garde electronics are on sale right now. This tour operates daily, so you may choose to take it on another day while you are in Tokyo (advance notice is required) : departing at 9 a.m. and returning at 6:30 p.m. Lunch and entry fee to Tokyo Tower are included.

DAY 24 -Tokyo - Mount Fuji (BL)
Continental breakfast is included at the hotel.
Departure between 07:30 AM & 08:30 AM , time will be reconfirmed locally
MT. FUJI - HAKONE: Enjoy a scenic drive aboard your deluxe motor-coach to the foot of Mt. Fuji , we drive halfway up Japan's highest mountain to enjoy a spectacular view from a height of 2,300 meters.

Lunch at Hotel Highland Resort.
After lunch , we proceed to Hakone for a cruise on Lake Ashi and a ride aboard Mt. Komagatake Aerial Cableway. Overnight at Hakone Hotel Kowakien , Hakone Prince Hotel , or Yumoto Fujiya Ryokan , based on your preference .

DAY 26 - DAY 20 TOKYO 
You'll plan your explorations with the help of the options we offer. Venture to Kyoto . Pick up a few Japanese words. You've already learned the essential "arigato" (thank you) on the way over. But you'll also find that many Japanese are eager to try out their English and help you toward wherever you're going. And with maps, ticket machines, and signs that you can read, the subway makes it easy and inexpensive to get around.

DAY 27 - DEPARTURE FOR HOME 
Board the limousine bus , that will take you back to the airport - until next time!

Rates per person in US$, Double Occupancy,

Tour starts in cairo every Saturday , April through October.

Rate includes:.

• Domestic air fare in Egypt and Greece , economy class , tax included .
• One-way Cairo/ Athens/Istanbul airfare, economy class , tax included .
• One-way Istanbul /Tokyo airfare , economy class
• Lonely Planet travel guide books
• Villa accommodation in Santorini, sample villas that are used:
  For First Class , 4 stars accommodation:
  Villa style Astra Apartments in Imerovigli, or in a 1 or 2-bedroom apartment villas , Grotto Villas in Firostefani in a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment.
  
• Hotel accommodation as per itinerary , please note that in Japan we are using only deluxe hotels.
  
• Pre set meals as listed including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner
  
  
• Transfers in all countries listed as per itinerray
  
• Hotel service charges and taxes
  
• A complimentary home hosted family dinner in Cairo.
  
  
• Bottled water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are on board the Nile cruise.
  
  
• Tea or coffee /bottled water with each meal while on board the Nile cruise.
  
  
• Egyptian Visa fee , visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : American,Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.
  
  
• Nile Cruise with all meals , one large bottle water ( per person ) daily while on board the cruise & a welcome fruit basket
  
  
• All the shore excursions while on board the Nile Cruise and a complimentary welcome drink.
  
  
• Preset menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner .
  
  
• All guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees. On board the Nile cruise you'll be part of an average 10-15 English speaking group.

Not included:

• International airfare from/to USA
• Gratuities Personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically listed .
• Trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance, we'll be glad to mail you the flyer.

Sample hotels in Athens :
Deluxe: Divani Palace Acropolis.
First Class : Stanley , Electra Palace.

Sample Villas in Santorini:
Dana Villas, in Firostefani with view of the volcano.
Chromata Apartments, in Imerovigli with a view of the volcano.

A 32- Day Grand Tour of the Near East and the former Ottoman Empire

This dream vacation Includes an in-depth tour of Istanbul and Anatolia.
A one week Nile Cruise on a deluxe Dahabiya, Alexandria , Cairo , Giza in Egypt .
Petra and even camping with the Bedouins in Wadi Rum in Jordan
Arrive weekly in Cairo . April though end of Oct

North Africa Grand Tours Series
Egypt, Morocco & Tunisia : 21 Days- Tour starts weekly on Sundays . Year Round