Egypt & Jordan a la Indiana Jones

A Grand 15 days in Egypt and Jordan, Including Petra. Friday Departure from USA

(Include a four day Nile Cruise - flying within egypt - compare with the sleeper train version)

Indiana Jones himself couldn't squeeze more adventure into this journey: Cairo and the Pyramids, a cruise on the Nile, the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, diving in the Red Sea, the mountains of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan. Departures are weekly on Saturdays .Compare with flying in and out of Cairo , or with the Ultra Deluxe Version

DAY 1 - DEPARTURE - Thursday ( or Friday) Weekly year round
( click here if your prefer to start in Amman Jordan)
We take off aboard Lufthansa, Swiss , Air France, British Airways or KLM from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

DAY 2- CAIRO - Friday
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.

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 Saturday (BL)
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. We'll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Then it's on to Giza and the mysteries of the Pyramids and Sphinx. Evening 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 afternoon 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 afternoon , 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 4 - Fayoum Oases -Sunday
On Desert Safari for the Day - Fayoum Oases - And you thought the Pyramids were old , (BL)
We leave Cairo by sunrise ( private air conditioned car/driver/guide): Full day Fayoum Oases including:
Hawara Pyramid, El Lahoun Pyramid, Ruins of Karanis, drive by Lake Qarun, lunch is included at a local restaurant.

The wilds of the desert begin right on the outskirts of Cairo, and continue for hundreds of miles to the east and west, through sands, rock, mountains, oases, and a surprising variety of scenery and inhabitants.

Join us for a day ranging across the desert like modern nomads. In place of camels, we’ll travel in comfortable, reliable four-by-four Toyota Land Cruisers. Your guide and drivers will meet you at your hotel, and soon you’ll leave bustling Cairo behind as you undertake the drive toward the Oasis of El Fayoum, 150 kilometers to the southwest. Hard as it is to believe, a great inland sea once covered these sands. It was a holy reserve of sacred crocodiles, symbolized by the god Sobek.

We’ll visit the temple of Kom Oshim, drive over ancient lake beds, and alongside the waters of today’s Fayoum Lake to reach the fishermen’s village of Chak Chouk. There we’ll stop for a lunch of fish caught fresh that morning. There will be time to wander the village lanes and discreetly watch the everyday activities of baking flatbread, irrigating crops from the lake’s waters, and bringing in the catch. We’ll also include the craft and pottery museum where the best works of local artisans are on display.

Then it’s into our four-by-fours again, for an off-road adventure! We’ll head alongside and across desert washes, between dunes, and over ancient lake beds for 35 kilometers to the Valley of the Whales ( In Arabic : Wadi-El-Hitan) . Incredibly, these great mammals once thrived - almost forty million years ago- in waters surrounded by sands. We’ll stop and gaze in amazement at their fossilized remains alongside smaller sea creatures that remain in stone.
This valley was discovered in 1936 , by the German geologist George Schweinfurth in the northwestern corner of Wadi El-Rayan.

The valley provides evidence of one of the major changes in this mammal evolution has been declared by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. It is believed that these land based whales once had feet that may have helped them somewhat while ashore . A team from the University of Michigan discovered in the late 80's that these Zeuglodon whales did have rudimentary feet , this was a startling discovery , suggesting that whales of Wadi -El-Hitan had recently started living in water as well , these whales were not related to any of the whales we have today , rather a more slender body and may grow up to 75 feet long. Several skeletons of whales are exposed in the sand. George Schweinfurth named this extinct specie the Zeuglodon Isis Whales .

In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel in Cairo. Land transportation in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser with the services of driver and English-speaking driver. Lunch is included

DAY 5 - CAIRO- Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara - Monday (BL)
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. In the evening, we return to the Pyramids for an awe-inspiring sound-and-light show.

DAY 6 - CAIRO - Tuesday (B+ High Tea)
Full day at leisure and enjoy the amenities of your hotel.
Early evening transfers to the Four Seasons to enjoy High Tea at the Hotel.

DAY 7 - ASWAN Wednesday (BLD)
After an early breakfast board your flight heading for Aswan , where we settle you into your cabin on your Nile steamer. Complimentary welcome fruit basket.
We'll visit the world famous Nubian Museum, the enormous dams at Aswan, then board a launch on Lake Nasser to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters.

DAY 8 - KOM OMBO -Thursday (BLD)
We cruise northward down the Nile today, at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We'll also see Haroeris, the solar disk.

DAY 9 - EDFU and LUXOR- Friday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we'll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut ; and, back in Luxor, the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak.

DAY 10 - SHARM EL SHEIKH - RED SEA Saturday (BLD)
Now that you've seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You'll fly over the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik on the Red Sea. You're at the beach and free to swim, or explore under the waters. Lunch is included at the hotel in Sharm, is the flight is a late one, snacks will be served at your room at no additional charges.
Complimentary welcome dinner at the hotel.

DAY 11 - SHARM EL SHEIK - Dinner with the Bedouins in Sinai Sunday (BLD)
Relax! Today is set aside as a strategic mid-journey break. Spend some time in the sun, but don't miss your chance to snorkel or dive under Red Sea waters for an array of coral and glittering tropical fish. Lunch at the hotel. Evening dinner with the bedouins in Sinai .

DAY 12 - MOUNT SINAI Monday (BLD)
Our knowledgeable guides arrange a pre-dawn departure into the still-cool wilderness of Sinai, through which Moses led the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. Our goal is the Monastery of St. Catherine, built of rock at the base of Mount Sinai, at the site of the Burning Bush. We tour the monastery, rich in history, icons and sacred paintings, then return to Sharm El Sheik. Dinner is included at the hotel.

Please advise us early on , if you prefer to do Mount Sinai / St. Catherine's tour by Jeep versus air conditioned sedan / vehicle .

DAY 13 - AQABA, PETRA Tuesday (BLD)
We'll drive to the port of Nuweiba, where we'll board the Red Sea ferry. Across the water in Aqaba, with Israel and Saudi Arabia in sight, our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You'll drive north under a towering ridge of mountains, and arrive at your hotel in Petra for the night. Complimentary Jordanian visa fee (valid only for American , Australian, NZ , Canadian, EU , Singaporean & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). Lunch is included today.
Complimentary welcome dinner tonight at the hotel.

DAY 14 - PETRA - Wednesday (BLD)
We'll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury. Lunch at a charming local restaurant . Dinner at the hotel.

DAY 15 - DEPARTURE FOR HOME- Thursday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport of Amman for your flight home. Or, you may choose to add one of our extensions,to Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, Syria, Greece or Turkey or even stop in Paris or London on the way back. Interested in adding an extra night in Amman ? Please click here

RATES per person in USD

• For departures from most west coast cities, as well as Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta , please add $350 to the above rates.
  
• For an upgrade to the Four Seasons in Cairo & Amman (standard room ) , please add : $500 to the deluxe rate ( Per person)
  
• For travel May through end of Sep , as well as Dec 20 - Jan 2 please note that a $350 air-fare supplement is added to the above rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare
  
• Easter ( two weeks) , Christmas, New Year's Dec 15 - Jan 5: 15 % supplement will apply.

Enjoy a drink on board the deluxe Sonesta Nile Cruises in Egypt

Prices include:

• International air fares ( with tax) from New York to Cairo with return from Amman . If / when you handle your own air fare please deduct $ 500 from the listed rates.
  
• All domestic flights within Egypt, economy class with tax .
  
• Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
  
• All transfers in Egypt & Jordan.

• Red Sea ferry ticket.
  
• 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.
  
• Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions, cabins are always outside with large panoramic windows.
  
• Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
  
• Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

• Lonely Planet guidebook to Jordan and Egypt
  
• Jordanian visa and Egyptian visa fee (valid only for American & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival).
  
• Jordanian departure tax.

   Not included:

• Personal expenses and beverages .

• Gratuities

• Additional meals, drinks and services

• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance (please see our insurance brochure).

From: "WILLIAM RUSSELL" <cwrussell1@.....................> Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 3:47 PM
To: Omar@travelinstyle.com
Subject: Russell Family Trip
Attachments: (none) HTML | Plain Text | Header | Raw Content

Dear Omar,
We are home and I am working my way through a mountainous pile of laundry!
What a wonderful trip we had- everything was beautifully arranged from transfers, to guides to flights to accommodation. We thought the guides we had : Rania in Cairo, and Wa-el in Luxor were fantastic, informative, friendly and great with the kids. Both were terrific but I would especially recommend Wa-el, great person and couldn't do enough to make our trips special.
Josef transferred us around without a hitch, our private van arrived as if by magic each time we needed it.
We were so sorry that we couldn't visit Waafa at her house, but we had to get up very early the next morning(3am) for our flight to Luxor and it would not have been fair to the children to keep them out late. Our first day in Luxor was extremely busy so we were glad that the kids had some sleep the night prior. Our cruise ship was lovely, and everyone on board were so friendly and kind to us. We had fruit baskets in our room, and the chef came by each meal to see that everything was fine and offering to make the kids anything special.
What a relief it was to have everything organized for us, after a day of trekking around monuments, it was wonderful to see our van appear to whisk us off to the hotel or ship.
Omar, I can't say enough about how professional and friendly everyone was. Liam especially made a ton of friends both old and young, they all seemed intrigued by his blond hair and cute smile!We brought back Papyruses for Shona's classmates and she is regaling them with her travel tales this week.
We would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending travel in style to any of our friends. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish and we hope to use your services again if not for Egypt, perhaps for another destination.
Many thanks to all of your team Omar, it was a "once in a lifetime experience" which we enjoyed so much.
Best wishes from us all,
Catriona, Bill, Shona and Liam