A 29 - 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

Compare with the Jewels of the Near East with an extended stay in Jordan
For Special Anniversary Honeymoon Wedding Party Please click here

Indiana Jones himself couldn't squeeze more adventure into this 1001 Ottoman Nights Dream Vacation . You will journey through the Ottoman Empire most exotic cities and regions :
In Egypt : Tour Cairo , Alexandria , Giza most important sites : Sakkara , Memphis, Dahshour and the Pyramids, a sailing cruise on the Nile on board a deluxe Dahabiya , the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes . In Turkey : A true GRAND tour of Istanbul and Anatolia. Starts weekly in Cairo . Compare with the 12-day version . Compare with flying in and out of Cairo , or the Ultra Deluxe Version

DAY 1- CAIRO - Tuesday- Weekly - Year Round
Our Egypt-based staff greets you in bustling Cairo airport and escorts you to your hotel . Complimentary Egyptian visa fee (valid for American, Australian , NZ, EU , Canadian, Mexican & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). At your hotel, complimentary coffee or tea ( please advise your preference), one bottle of water for each guest, and a platter of Egyptian sweets will await you at your room.
Hotel : Grand Hyatt . Conrad or Similar

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 2 - CAIRO- The Egyptian Museum - Wednesday (cBLD)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. You have all morning to spend at the Museum . Lunch around 1 PM at a charming local restaurant . Then off to the Islamic Medieval Cairo : We'll stop at the Citadel of Saladin , the Alabaster Mosque, Sultan El Rifai Mosque a true master-piece in Arabic & Islamic Architecture , brief stop inside the mosque to see the Shah of Iran and King Farouk mausoleums .
Finally , we wander through the Khan El Khalili 12-Century bazaar district and scenes that are out of the Raiders of the Lost Arc" movie set. Return to your hotel late afternoon for a brief rest before we head for the sound & light show .

In the evening, we return to the Pyramids for an awe-inspiring sound-and-light show.

In Egypt / Turkey , our rate includes , with each & every meal , each & every day :

• One small bottle of water ( one per person)
  
• Tea / coffee with every meal

DAY 3 - CAIRO- Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara - Home Hosted Dinner - Thursday (cBLD)
A morning tour takes us to the time capsule treasure of Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo: DAHSOUR - we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, 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.

After lunch at a local restaurant : The afternoon is for Memphis and Sakkara, including the Step Pyramid of Zoser & Nobles tombs/Mastabas.


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 dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 4 - Giza Pyramids - Friday (BLD)
Drive to the edge of Cairo and on to Giza and the mysteries of the Pyramids , the Solar Boat Museum , the Valley Temple and Sphinx. After lunch at Mena House or Le Meridien Pyramids we head for Coptic Cairo , the Coptic Museum , the Al-Moalaka Church and Beni Ezra Synagogue.

DAY 5 - Luxor - Dahabiya Nile Cruise - Saturday (BLD)
Very early morning breakfast and transfer to Cairo Airport. Flight is included in our rate, in economy class , tax included . Morning arrival at Luxor . We'll meet you at the airport , and escort you to your deluxe air conditioned Nile cruise felucca or dahabbiya , Board Luxor ( or Aswan ) .

Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously appointed Dahabbiya. Lunch and dinner are included on board . Overnight moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. Names of some of the Felucca / Dahabias :
Yasmina , Amber , El Bey (His Lordship) .  El Hanem (The Lady)  *  Zahra (Flower)    *  and Nesma (Breeze)

Today : Start with Madinet Habu , Closi of Memnon and the 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.

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 6 - Sunday - Luxor - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
You will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns, followed by the imposing 28 th Dynasty Luxor Temple. Overnight moored in Luxor.

Day 7 - Monday - Luxor to Esna - Private Guided Tour of Denderah Temple
After breakfast on board , we drive inland to tour Denderah and Abydos Temples. Among the best preserved in Egypt. This temple as a sight to hold. Indiana Jones would have felt at home, with the massive stones & underground passages: Private air condition car for your tour today. Private chauffeur. Private Egyptologist
DENDERAH IN A DAY
We'll travel to Denderah to visit the Temple of Hathor, one of the best-preserved in all of Egypt, and also one of the most important. In the ancient beliefs, Hathor was the consort of the god of daylight, ruler of the west, and protector or the underworld. In the manner of wise desert wayfarers, we'll leave before dawn to take advantage of cool temperatures. Our air-conditioned van will take us through timeless Nile-side villages, where life revolves around the irrigation and harvest of crops. Finally, we'll reach the temple precincts. We'll take note of the unusually deep tombs, and pass under the celebrated Zodiac, in a chapel dedicated to Osiris. (Denderah is the traditional site of his rebirth.) Our full day will also include a visit to Abydos, traditional home of Osiris, god of the underworld, and a stopping point on the journey of wayfaring souls. We'll enjoy a box lunch, and return to Luxor late in the afternoon, and your hotel . Lunch box provided today from the Dahabiya, we head back to the Nile and catch up with the Dahabiya in Esna where we will dock for the night.

Day 8 - Tuesday - Edfu - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved Temple of Edfu.
Overnight on board as we will look for an island in the middle of the Nile where we moor.

Come to Egypt and enjoy your private honeymoon or Anniversary cruise

Day 9 - Wednesday - Kom Ombo - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning sun. Overnight moored beside a Nile island.

Day 10 - Thursday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
A leisurely grand day of sailing the Nile to Aswan where the dahabiyya moors overnight.

Day 11 - Friday - Aswan- Abu Simbel - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old Dam (completed in 1902) and the unfinished obelisk, lying in situ since the days of the pharaohs. You will also visit the Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction.

Today we will be flying as well to : ABU SIMBEL :
Ramses the Great - Master Builder of all Times (Lunch Box.)
Lunch box will prepared by your cruise chef.
Take a short flight to the great temples of Abu Simbel . Air fare is always included within Egypt, in economy class, tax included.
In Abu Simbel : Your private air-conditioned vehicle, and private Egyptologist will be waiting for you at Abu Simbel Airport , off to the larger temple dedicated to Ramses the Great , 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. We explore these fine temple by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Then we fly back to Aswan and your Dahabiya cruise .

Day 12 - Saturday - Aswan - Fly back to Cairo and on to Alexandria
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya and check-out. We bid farewell to the crew, we switch transportation modes and head for Aswan Airport and your flight back to Cairo, from the airport proceed with your private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide to Alexandria and your hotel: Helnan Palestine or Hilton or similar . Air fare is always included within Egypt, economy class , tax included .

DAY 13 - ALEXANDRIA / CAIRO - Sunday (BL)
Start around 8 AM . Breakfast is always included at the hotel.
Conqueror of the Mediterranean Coast - Alexander the Great
In 332 BC, Egypt was laboring under Persian military control when Alexander the Great arrived to drive out the invaders without the shedding of a drop of blood. The Persian governor surrendered and the conquering hero was hailed as a liberator and given Egypt's double crown symbolizing control of Upper and Lower Egypt. Alexander reinstated Egypt's traditional government and founded the city of Alexandria at the country's most important crossroads: where the Nile meets the Mediterranean.

Today, we'll get to known Alexandria in depth, as we visit the Roman Amphitheater, the Koum El Shougafa Tombs,lunch is included in an Alexandrine restaurant.
Today our tour includes as well : Qayet built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk , then its off to the new site for the Alexandria Library before heading back to south. Time permitting we 'll visit the new museum in Alexandria , the building was originally built in 1926 for the US consulate in Alexandria and is a masterpiece in 1920's architecture & Mediterranean style buildings.

Midway between Alexandria and Cairo, we stop to visit the Wadi El Natroun Monastery, one of the most important sites for the Egyptian Coptic Church Establishment. Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel: J. W. Marriott or Sonesta Hotel.

Octavious visiting Alexander the Great's Tomb in Alexandria just after the Roman Emperor defeated Cleopatra & Marc Anthony.  He left his coat as a token of respect to Alexander the Great. The search continues for Alexander the Great's Tomb.

DAY 14 - Cairo / Istanbul - Monday (B)
After breakfast , our local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight to Istanbul, air fare is included in economy class , tax included .

Our staff meets your plane at Istanbul Airport and escorts you to your hotel. All of our airport transfers here are on a private basis , private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.

In Egypt / Turkey , our rate includes , with each & every meal , each & every day :

• One small bottle of water ( one per person)
  
• Tea / coffee with every meal

DAY 15 - ISTANBUL- Tuesday (BL)
We tour historic Istanbul, including the Hippodrome, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Süleymaniye Mosque, and the 4000-shop Grand Bazaar.
Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant, one small bottle of water for each guest is included with each and every meal as well as tea & coffee with each meal .

DAY 16 - ISTANBUL- Wednesday (BLD)
After a visit to the aromatic Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar on the Golden Horn, we board a ferryboat and cruise northward along the Bosphorus, the strait which separates Europe and Asia. Sipping Turkish coffee or tea, we pass waterside palaces, mansions, forests and parks. Disembarking at a fishing village, we have a seafood lunch at a local restaurant, then drive south to tour fabled Topkapi Palace, where we will stroll through the palace gardens to see the Treasury and Chinese porcelains. In the evening, we go out for dinner with live music and belly dancing.

DAY 17 - DARDANELLES & TROY- Thursday (BLD)
We drive through Thrace (European Turkey) to Gallipoli, scene of famous battles in WWI. After lunch we cross the Dardanelles (Hellespont) and drive to legendary Troy to see the famous walls and a replica of the Trojan Horse before settling in at our hotel in Çanakkale.

DAY 18 - PERGAMON & IZMIR - Friday (BLD)
Driving south through the fields and olive groves along the Aegean shore, we come to Bergama, ancient Pergamon. Ascending its lofty acropolis, we see the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the remains of the 200,000-volume library which was surpassed only by Alexandria's. A few miles away, we tour the asclepion, the early medical center where Galen was a physician, before continuing to Izmir for the night.

DAY 19 - EPHESUS & KUSADASI - Saturday (BLD)
In the morning light we ascend Kadifekale, Izmir's hill crowned by a fortress built by Alexander the Great, to enjoy the view. Then it's off to biblical Ephesus to see the Basilica of St John the Evangelist, who came here with the Virgin Mary. Passing the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, we reach Ephesus, the most impressive ancient city on the Mediterranean. After our tour, we continue to the fine Ephesus Museum and the hilltop House of the Virgin Mary, said to be her last home on earth. We spend the night in the Aegean resort of Kusadasi.

DAY 20 - PRIENE, MILETUS & DIDYMA - Sunday (BLD)
A short drive brings us to the well-preserved ruins of Priene, a very ancient city perched above the aptly-named Meander River. We next tour Miletus, where the philosopher Thales was born. Finally, we tour the gigantic oracular temple at Didyma, which challenged the primacy of Delphi, before returning to our hotel in Kusadasi.

DAY 21 - APHRODISIAS & PAMUKKALE - Monday (BLD)
Driving east along fertile river valleys crowded with fields and fruit orchards, we reach Aphrodisias, the City of Aphrodite, goddess of love. After our visit, we continue to Pamukkale, the "Cotton Fortress," where cascades of gleaming white calcium cover a hillside. The warm mineral-laden waters attracted the Romans, who built the spa-city of Hierapolis here. We tour its ruins, and enjoy the swimming pool at our hotel here in the evening.

DAY 22 - ANTALYA- Tuesday (BLD)
We drive back to Antalya, "capital" of the Mediterranean Turquoise Coast. After settling in at our hotel, we'll enjoy dinner before a well deserved night rest

Arena Boutique Hotel in Istanbul

DAY 23 - PERGE, ASPENDOS & SIDE - Wednesday (BLD)
We tour three ancient cities close to Antalya, including Perge, with its great gates and colonnaded street; Aspendos, with its perfectly-preserved theater; and Side, with its creamy marble temples of Athena and Apollo, where Cleopatra once met Marc Anthony for a romantic tryst.

DAY 24 - LAKE DISTRICT & KONYA - Thursday (BLD)
Climbing up onto the Anatolian plateau, we drive through Turkey's lake district on our way to Konya, the capital of the 11th-century Seljuk Turkish Empire and the home of the mystical whirling dervishes. We visit the Mevlana Museum, with the tomb of Jelaleddin Rumi, founder of the Whirling Dervish order, and also the Karatay Museum, a 13th-century theological seminary.

DAY 25 - KONYA & CAPPADOCIA- Friday (BLD)
We travel eastwards along the ancient Silk Road, stopping at the camel caravanserai of Sultanhan for a look at this "caravan motel." Entering biblical Cappadocia, we descend into the ground at Derinkuyu or Kaymakli to explore an entire city carved from the soft volcanic rock by ancient Christians.

DAY 26 - CAPPADOCIA - Saturday (BLD)
Continuing our explorations of Cappadocia, we tour the Göreme Valley, filled with brightly-painted cave-churches hollowed from the rock. Next is the monastic Zelve Valley, and then the farming towns of Avanos and UÇhisar.

DAY 27 - ANKARA- Sunday (BLD)
Driving north, we come to Ankara, known to the Romans as Angora, and now the modern capital of the Turkish Republic. We visit the renowned Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the monumental mausoleum of AtatÜrk, founder of the republic, before flying to Istanbul.

DAY 28- ISTANBUL - Monday (BLD)
" Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque" (late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:"

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) . Return to the hotel for a leisurely dinner.

DAY 29 - DEPARTURE - Tuesday (B)
We escort you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage.

RATES per person in USD

Easter ( two weeks) , Christmas, New Year's Dec 20 - Jan 5 : 20% supplement will apply.

Prices include:

• All transfers , always on a private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur .
  
• Private sleeping compartment on Nile-side train in Egypt .
  
• Air fare Cairo Istanbul in economy , tax included .
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  Bottled water ( one per person) delivered daily to your cabin.
  Bottled water / tea / coffee with every meal on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges as listed
  
• Deluxe Dahabiya Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions, cabins are always private outside cabins with windows and private facilities.
  
• Deluxe Hotel ( in Egypt & Jordan ) , but four stars in Turkey , hotel accommodation as per itinerary with tax, breakfast daily as per itinerary.
  
• Camping in Wadi Rum as listed ( very basic ) , and a complimentary sleeping bag, you may wish to donate the sleeping bag to the bedouins before you leave .
  
• Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
  
• Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
  
• Travel guidebook to Jordan , Turkey and Egypt
  
• Jordanian departure tax.
  
  
• In Egypt / Turkey , our rate includes , with each & every meal , each & every day :

• One small bottle of water ( one per person)
  
• Tea / coffee with every meal
  
  
• Egyptian visa fee (valid for American, Australian , NZ, EU , Canadian, Mexican & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival).

Sample Hotels used in Turkey : or similar:

Istanbul : Arena , Armada , Blue House , Aygun PLaza Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Çanakkale Tusan Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Izmir Princess Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Kusadasi Pine Marina Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Pamukkale Lycus River Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Antalya Golden Ring Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Konya Dundar Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Cappadocia Perissia Hotel or similar (local 4 star)

Not included:

• Personal expenses and beverages .

• Air fare from / to your home country .
  
• Gratuities
  
• Additional meals, drinks and services
  
• Visa fee for Turkey : Pay in cash upon arrival or from the nearest consulate. Due to tight security at the Airport in Istanbul, the local reps are not able to meet guests inside the security zone to help with the visa , that's why you need to secure the visa upon arrival in Istanbul or from any Turkish Consulate.
  
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance (please see our insurance brochure).

• An 8 Day version Egypt & Jordan Tour  .
  
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• Add Wadi Rum 
  
• Ad a short stay in Istanbul
  
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• Extend your stay in Egypt in a 14 day with or without Abu Simbel
  
• Add a cruise on Lake Nasser in Nubia
  
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