1001 Egyptian Nights
With a Foray into the Kingdom of Morocco

A Grand 21 Day Private Tour of Egypt and Morocco
A true North African Adventure

 

 

Airfare included from USA. This exceptional package includes Egypt in all its variety, from the wonders of the Great Pyramids to a Nile cruise, and even the unspoiled beaches of the Red Sea. As well as the mighty temples at Abu Simbel, Queen Nefertari's Tomb, Denderah Temples, Diving or snorkeling, and a CAMEL CARAVAN to a Nubian Village

In Morocco : Tour the Imperial cities in as the grand Vizier would have ! The grace and splendor of the Orient, traditional Arab hospitality, and the fine service and amenities of a boutique hotel all come together in the Moroccan Riad ,(Sample images). This package affords a sampling of these unique accommodations, along with an array of unforgettable experiences, ranging from train and camel rides to dinner in the home of a local family. Compare with the 14 Day edition . Add Petra , Greece , Morocco , or Alexandria & Fayoum Oases . Add Extra Nights in Luxor , Upper Egypt

 

DAY 1 - USA/CAIRO - This is a private tour - While you may choose your own date ( subject to availability ) , we suggest : Sunday
JFK Passengers : We take off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, bound for Cairo , tax included. For Boston Chicago,Philadelphia , Pittsburgh : $ 250 , for Miami, Dallas Ft. Worth , Orlando Houston : $ 350. Most West Coast cities : $ 450

This tour is available without air fare : If you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare, please deduct $600 per person from the rates.
We do welcome bookings from all over the world .

 

 

DAY 2 - CAIRO Monday
On arrival, we escort you to your comfortable hotel. Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for the following nationalities; American, Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian , Japanese and Singaporean , your passport must be valid for at least 6 month beyond date of arrival.

Visa will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel

 

 

DAY 3 - CAIRO- Sailing on the Nile - Tuesday (cBLD)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room. We'll continue to Royal Manial Palace of former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali , on to the Coptic Museum, and the Church of Abu Sergha, and the Beni Ezra Synagogue.
We'll see where , according to the legend, Moses was found along the banks of the Nile by the Queen of the Nile and Pharaoh's wife . We'll take our lunch at a local restaurant.
Enjoy a walking tour of the ancient Khan El Khalili Bazaar district , before we head back to your hotel.

 

 

 

DAY 4 - Giza Pyramids : DAHSOUR - HOME HOSTED MEAL Wednesday (cBLD)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years , the wooden boat was readied for the king's daily journey with the sun god, Ra . Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!

Continue to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:

The "Discovery" of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru's pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza's Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru's--miraculously--is still in place.

Lunch is included at the Mena House .

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 l! 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 5 - The Red Sea resort of Sharm , Thursday (cBD)
Head for the airport and a short flight to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy this unique desert beach resort. Relax by the cerulean waters, take a camel ride at your option , and observe in the distance the steady line of ships heading to and from the Suez Canal.
(Optional) Sunset Camel Caravan or on Horse Backs :
A two hour caravan on camels, if you prefer to enjoy a 2 hour of horse back riding, please do let's know, but in this case the horse ride will not be into the Sahara .
The camel caravan is fully escorted & guided as well by local Bedouins through the desert and through the mountain passes of El Aat mountain , we stop at the highest point in the valley for a cup of tea with the Bedouin, take in the the evening charm of the desert & nature before we head back to your hotel.

 

 

 

 

DAY 6 - Sharm El Sheikh, Snorkel or Dive- Friday (cBD)
The Red Sea just off "Sharm" is replete with fascinating coral and aquatic species unique to this area. You'll spend the full day today exploring these wonders as you snorkel or scuba dive (for which proof of certification is a must ). There's also time to relax, take an optional excursion, or look into the life of the Bedouins who have made a way of life in the desert. Evening Bedouin Dinner.

 

 

 

DAY 7 - LUXOR & Denderah -Saturday (cBLD)
An early flight takes us to Luxor ( or Aswan) , along the Nile in fabled Upper Egypt, where We'll make a brief stop at the hotel to freshen up , pick up our lunch box then proceed to Denderah in a day excursion or by car , to visit the best preserved temple in Egypt, then its back to Luxor for a spectacular sound & light show at Karnak temple. Return to Luxor & your hotel.

 

 

 

 

DAY 8 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS -Nile Cruise - Sunday (cBLD)

After breakfast at the hotel, check-out. Proceed to explore the Pharaohs capital for 20 centuries

Special announcement : Queen Nefertari's tomb will be closed until further notice for urgent repairs, so we 'll be touring instead : Ancient Workers Village at Deir El Medineh, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

 

Deir El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you 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.

As soon as Nefertari is opened again, we will reinstate it in our programs.

The Queen for whom the sun shines : ( closed for the time being)
We rise very early in the morning to be able to secure entry to the recently restored tomb of her Majesty Queen Nefertari, wife of the mighty Pharaoh Ramses the Great , limited to the first 100 visitors.

Long before Cleopatra humbled the ruler of Rome, an Egyptian queen held power over the heart and soul of Ramses, Egypt's greatest pharaoh. In the 12th century BC, a brokenhearted Ramses built a grand funerary tomb for Queen Nefertari, "the Beautiful one," in the Valley of the Queens. It's been exquisitely restored with the aid of an American endowment, and is among the rarest sights in all Egypt: the only great tomb ever built by a pharaoh for his late queen. Artistically, it is the closest thing you could ever come to see the original Ancient Egyptian art in all of its glory and finesse.

Because of its fragile nature, only a limited number of visitors are allowed entry each day. We are the only company to include a visit to Nefertari's tomb in our daily program. Because of the limited access we must rise early for our visit, appropriate as Ramses named Nefertari "the one for whom the sun shines."

Today's tour include as well a visit to the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb , temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, and Colossi of Memnon, returning to our Nile cruiser for lunch. Following lunch aboard, we visit the great Temple of Luxor, and the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, returning to our vessel in time for tea. Complimentary welcome fruit basket in your cabin.

 

 

 

DAY 9 - ESNA & EDFU- Monday (cBLD)
We cruise to Esna during the night and pass through the locks. After breakfast we cruise to Edfu and board horse-drawn carriages to get to the fine Temple of Horus. In the evening, we have a jolly galabia party. A Galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments.

 

 

 

 

DAY 10 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN , CAMEL CARAVAN -Tuesday (cBLD)
We explore Kom Ombo's twin Temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, before cruising south to Aswan. After lunch aboard, we board a graceful felucca for a cruise among the Nile islands .Then to really immerse yourself, try your hand at a complimentary camel riding! We'll take willing passengers on a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers. Only Travel In Style affords this unique opportunity to meet & interact with local Nubians. We are proud to offer this insight into the Nubian way of life. Back in your cabin : Complimentary Egyptian pastry & sweets platter.

 

 

 

DAY 11 - ASWAN & ABU SIMBEL / CAIRO Wednesday (cBD)
Breakfast and check-out . Do you Prefer to extend one more day on the Nile Cruise ?

The mighty Aswan dams are our first goal this morning, followed by a trip 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!

Back on land, we visit an ancient Pharaonic red granite quarry, then Nubia Museum before we take a short flight to Abu Simbel. There we'll marvel at the temples dedicated to Ramses the Great and Queen Neferatri, saved from rising waters of the Nile when the High Dam was built,in the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters.
The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow.

Fly back to Aswan and connect with our returning flight to Cairo .Dinner at the hotel in Cairo

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel:
All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam. Read More .

It’s worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy loved Egypt, and Egypt still loves her.

 

 

DAY 12 - Departure Cairo Marrakech -Thursday (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to Casablanca where you clear customs and passport formalities. Connect to Marrakech ( air fare is included in economy class ). Our local staff will meet you at Marrakech Menara airport and escort you to your accommodations at Riad or a hotel pending on your preference , where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. The formality of check-in can wait.

 

DAY 13 - Marrakech- Leisure-Friday (B)
Enjoy a relaxing day at leisure in Marrakech . In the evening : Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home: Meet the locals: You'll finish the day with a memorable experience of Moroccan hospitality, dinner in the home of a Marrakech family in the old Medina
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, this is not a touristy scheme, we try to afford our guests a unique experience and a chance to get to meet the locals, the Arabs, the Middle Eastern , you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

 

 

DAY 14 - Marrakech--Saturday (BL)
Full day Marrakech, including lunch : Tour the Koutoubia, the landmark mosque of the city. Perhaps you'll note its similarity to its sister tower, the Giralda of Seville, in Spain. You'll continue to the Saadian Tombs, and the Bahia palace, built in the nineteenth century, with room after stately oriental room with intricate plaster work and finely detailed columns, and sedate hidden gardens. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. In the afternoon, you'll discover the old city and always-lively Djemaa El Fna Square, populated by water sellers, magicians, peddlers, politicians, and animal tamers, who carry on an endless flurry of activities straight out of the middle ages , the we are off to the souks of Marrakech which will always keep you entertained .

 

 

DAY 15 - Marrakech - Home Hosted Dinner Sunday (BL)
After breakfast in you hotel, leave to Amizmiz, 54 Kilometers from Marrakech. On the way you will see the Oumnast Kasbah then the Lalla Takerkoust Dam built between 1929 and 1935 with it man made lake. It will take you about an hour to reach Amizmiz , a typical Berber village , we tour the Kasbah and the "Mellah" (Jewish quarter). Every Tuesday an important country market is held, where all the villagers from the area come for their weekly shopping and gossiping. You can buy there interesting Regragra potteries. Your guide will welcome you in his home for a traditional Berber breakfast then you will start your hiking first through Sidi Hossein valley to reach Tizi Oughourane. On the way you will see picturesque landscapes of the Atlas mountains , Berber villages with their houses built in stone and earth. After a typical lunch accompanied by mint tea, you will come back to Amizimiz by a different itinerary and be transferred back to busy Marrakech by late afternoon. Remainder of the day at leisure , just before sunset, we'll call on you to take you for your sunset camel ride, in the 13,000 acres of palm groves around Marrakech.

 

 

 

DAY 16 - MARRAKECH, CASABLANCA, RABAT, MEKNES, FEZ Monday (BL)
We'll pick you up in the morning and take you to the Marrakech railroad station. Tickets in a first-class compartment and lunch are provided. You'll roll in comfort through stunning mountain scenery to Casablanca. Once you detrain, we'll escort you to visit the Hassan II Great Mosque, a monument to Moroccan artisanry and architecture. Then we'll continue to Rabat, the capital of the kingdom, where we'll stop at the mausoleum of Mohamed V, built in the Spanish-Moorish style, and at the nearby Hassan Tower. We'll continue by way of Meknes to arrive in the evening to Fez, and your accommodations at one of the charming Riads. A welcome mint tea and a fruit basket await you, usually In the heart of the Medina, the old city of Fez. A Moroccan-style breakfast is included.

 

 

 

DAY 17 - FEZ, Leisure Tuesday (BL)
Full day at leisure or join on of our local tours :
Optional tour : Full day to Volubilis including lunch:
We'll set out in the morning for the site of Volubilis, once the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitania. We'll have lunch en route, and continue to Moulay Idriss, the picturesque shrine village named for the founder of the kingdom, who is interred here. Late afternoon return to Fez ( cost$60 per person)

 

DAY 18 - FEZ Wednesday (B)
Put on your walking shoes this morning for a trip in time back to the ninth century, as you explore the old city of Fez. Its Medina and its labyrinth of souks have been declared a world cultural treasure. Your afternoon is free for relaxation or shopping or further exploration as you wish.

 

DAY 19 - FEZ - MIDLET - ERFOUD - MERZOUGA Thursday (BLD)
We'll call on you early in the day and start or trip south through the Middle Atlas range, lunch is included at Kasabah Asmaa, in Midlet at the foot of Djebel Ayachi.

We drive through the famous Legionnaires Pass, Rachidia and the Tafilalet Valley. Upon arrival at Erfoud, board a our motorized caravan ( Turbo four-wheel -drive Land Rover), to continue on to Merzouga on the edge of the Sahara. Accommodation: Bedouin Tent, -foam mattress- billow, sheets, blankest will be provided, toilet tents available. Your stay includes a sunset or a sunrise camel ride, as you prefer !

Evening bonfire as well as folk dance by the villagers from nearby oases. Dinner included with one bottle of mineral water for each person.

Tonight we enjoy our desert sunset and night sky, not to mention the cool, pure breezes that waft through our tents. We camp in the shadow of the Erg Chebbi dunes south of the Tafilalet Valley. The sand mountains of the erg hide scattered oases marked by groves of date palms and other greenery.

 

 

 

DAY 20- ERFOUD - OURZAZATE Friday (BLD)
Early morning spiritual sunrise experience with a 1,000 stars as the sun comes up over the Sahara Dunes.
After breakfast , we ride our ( four wheel drive Turbo Land Rover) , and head back for Erfoud where we change our mode of transportation to a Mercedes Sedan or a an air conditioned van depending on the numbed of guests.

We stop briefly at Tinerhir , a former military outpost built on terraces above a magnificent palmgrove , we head into the Todra Pass for lunch at Yasmina restaurant , at " The ends of the Earth" famous point at the Gorge snuggled between 300 meter high cliffs. Reach Ouarzazate in time for dinner and a relaxing evening.

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 21 - MARRAKECH / JFK Saturday (B)
Early Morning we drive across Atlas mountains and through Tizi N'Tichka Pass heading north for Marrakech at escort you to Marrakech Menarah airport, where you'll board your flight to begin your journey back to JFK .

 

 

 

 

 

RATES per person in USD

From New York	Deluxe Egypt's Domestic flights in Business class	First Class Hotels/Cruise	Tourist Class
Triple	US$ 6275.00	US$ 5525.00	US$ 5300.00
Double	US$ 6316.00	US$ 5605.00	US$ 5400.00
Single	US$ 8811.00	US$ 7700.00	US$ 7200.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEPARTURE NOTES:

 

The all suites M/S Amarco

The Ultra Deluxe M/S Amarco

 

For PRIVATE GUIDE/CAR/DRIVER :
For the full duration of the Nile Cruise & shore excursions: please add $ 200 per person .This supplement doesn't apply when you have at least 6 guests in your party, as you'll have always your own private car/driver/guide.

 

 

 

DINING NOTES
The set-menu meals included in your tour are indicated in the itinerary: B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner. On our luxury Nile cruise vessels, our spacious dining rooms accommodate all passengers at one seating, so there is no need to worry about making reservations , one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner. Smart Casual dress is suggested for dinner . No tie / Formal dress requirement

 

 

 

AIRFARE NOTES

 

 

 

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honeymoon / Anniversary Special : Free Zaffa in Cairo and /or while cruising the Nile :

Zaffa:
Before the sunset , we have arranged for a welcome Zaffa (procession that will resemble an Arabian/Egyptian wedding party) with a troupe of dancers and musicians dressed with the Egyptian typical clothes, welcoming guests by singing and dancing Egyptian Folklore).

Or Repeat your vows in one of Cairo historical churches:
For guests who are interested in repeating their vows in one of Cairo churches:
Priest will be ready from the church according to your request (church) for the wedding vows. ( donation to the church will be expected - that 's at your discretion) . After the ceremony, Champagnes will be served to the new couple & guests.

Complimentary transfers in an air-conditioned sedan , are included between the hotel & the church , if you prefer a stretch limo supplement will apply.

 

 

 

DRESS CODE :

All of our Nile cruise vessels are fully air conditioned. Onboard dress is casual except at dinner, when smart casual is the rule. Lightweight cotton and other natural fiber clothing is best, with swimsuits and sun hats for the sundeck and pool. Bring a light sweater or light jacket for cool mornings and evenings, but most days are warm to hot, with very little rain. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for shore excursions.

 

 

 

What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Cairo , Luxor & Aswan, morning & evenings are cooler. During Winter ... very rare do we get rain, if so , very brief showers. No need for real rain wear/gear.
Before sunrise , after sun-set , you'll need a light jacket , or light sweater .

For Nile cruise shore excursions, we suggest comfortable cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing.

Comfortable walking shoes are essential for all tours in Cairo or Upper Egypt.

 

Clothing on Board the Nile Cruise :
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat.
Dining room dress code is casual for breakfast & lunch, but smart casual for dinner. Please do not wear swimsuits into the dining room. All ships are fully air conditioned