Great Egypt

The Nile & the Nubian Sea : A 15 - day Egyptian tour

This inclusive tour shows you the true grandeur of Egypt, with visits to the timeless monuments of cosmopolitan Cairo, a cruise to the temples along the Nile, and a voyage to the ancient sites on the vast inland sea of Lake Nasser in Nubia. It's all of Egypt in 15 days, at the best rates possible.

We have even included all the tips

Compare with the Alexandria Edition , 18-day edition . Add Denderah or the 20 Day edition

Tour starts weekly in Cairo on Saturdays . Compare with Thursday Board Luxor Version

DAY 1 - USA/CAIRO -Friday- Weekly departure - Year Round
JFK Passengers : We take off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, bound for Cairo ,
For East Coast passangers : Egyptair is the only non-stop flight between JFk and Cairo , and gets you into Cairo in the afternoon, all other carriers do get in late evening or after midnight, please lets know your preference.

For west coast passengers : you need not to fly thru JFK, usually we will use Lufthansa, or British or Air France etc, so you fly non-stop to Europ then a short flight to Cairo .
Air fare add-on : For Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando Houston : $300. Most West Coast cities : SFO, LAX, SEA, SAN , PDX $ 350
This tour is available without air fare : If you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare, please deduct $500 per person from the rates. We do welcome bookings from all over the world.
For upgrade to business class on Egyptair , please add : $ 2500 ( $ 3000 during Christmas ) roundtrip JFK Cairo JFK, tax included ( subject to change)

Day 2 - CAIRO Saturday
For London Passengers : Board your Egyptair non-stop flights today and arrive Cairo same day .
In Cairo : Your private air-conditioned vehicle, and private chauffeir await you . Complimentary visa will be issued upon arrival for citizens of : Australia, USA, Canada , Japan and EU. . Your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival. Upon arrival, we escort you to your hotel. Welcome local pastries awaits you in your room. ( More cruise images)

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 . Add Extra Night : To add Memphis , Sakkara , Coptic Cairo and more, please click here

DAY 3 - CAIRO Sunday (cBL)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies room, Giza Pyramids, the Solar Boat Museum housing the oldest known Royal Barge that was found next to the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and was supposed to be ready for the Mighty Pharaoh in his "after Life" journey !. We tour as well the enigmatic Sphinx. Evening Sound & Light show at Giza.

DAY 4 - ASWAN/ NUBIAN CRUISE - Monday (cBLD)
After an early breakfast, we drive to the airport for the flight to Aswan, ( or Abu Simbel ) where we board our lake cruiser. Complimentary welcome fruit basket in ear cabin. After lunch aboard, we visit the Temple of Kalabsha, originally constructed in Pharaonic style, but later remodeled in Greco-Roman style and dedicated to the god Mandoulis. Next we visit Beit el Wali, a work of Pharaoh Ramses the Great, followed by a stop at Kertassi Kiosk, dedicated to the goddess Isis. We dine aboard our floating hotel.

DAY 5 - CRUISING Tuesday (BLD)
Lake Nasser, Egypt's great man-made inland sea formed by the waters held behind the Aswan High Dam. As we head south towards Wadi el Seboua, you have time to relax on deck, take a dip in the pool, read up on Egyptian history, and get to know your fellow travelers.

DAY 6 - WADI EL SEBOUA, DAKKA & AMADA Wednesday (BLD) Our first port of call is at the Temple of Wadi el Seboua, dedicated by the mighty Ramses the Great to two of ancient Egypt's most powerful gods. Our next stop is Dakka Temple, followed by a visit to Amada and the tomb of Penout, the powerful viceroy of Nubia, one of ancient Egypt's richest regions. Known as the "Land of Gold," Nubia was famous for the stream of gold, ivory, precious stones and minerals which made their way from Africa to Egypt via the Nubian Nile. We dock at Kasr Ibrim, where we dock for the night.

DAY 7 - KASR IBRIM & ABU SIMBEL Thursday (BLD)
As the sun brightens the lake shore we gaze at the citadel of Kasr Ibrim, a once-mighty fortress which time and weather have rendered fragile, the only structure of its kind still extant in Nubia. We learn about the history of Nubia and this fortress, then, after lunch, set sail for Abu Simbel. Arriving at the great temple, we have time to explore its colossal facade and surroundings before enjoying dinner and spectacular sound-and light show with the temple as our backdrop.

DAY 8 - ABU SIMBEL & ASWAN Friday (BD)
Get up early today to enjoy the extraordinary vision of the temple of Abu Simbel at dawn, when the sacred sunlight penetrates deep into its holy of holies as its architect intended. The morning sun bathes the ruddy stone in golden light, providing perfect conditions for photography. We fly to Aswan, transfer to your hotel, enjoy the local souks or the water front.

DAY 9 - NILE CRUISE Saturday (cBLD)
Morning visit to Aswan dam, the unfinished Obelisk, and 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!

before heading for our Nile Cruiser in time for lunch, complimentary fruit basket & bottle of mineral water (awaits you in your cabin), afternoon sailing on the Nile by felucca. A mini Camel Caravan short ride to a Nubian Village for a visit with the locals!!. Evening Nubian Folklore show on board.

DAY 10 : KOM OMBO Sunday (BLD)
Morning sailing and departure for Kom Ombo, visit its twin temple then continue to Edfu. Afternoon tea served on deck. Complimentary galabya will be delivered to your cabin, you may wish to try it on for the costume party on board.

DAY 11 : EDFU & ESNA /LUXOR Monday (cBLD)
We dock in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the temple of Horus, Egypt's best preserved. Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna. Evening finds us in Luxor.
Complimentary Egyptian sweets & pastry.

DAY 12 : LUXOR, Tuesday (BLD)
Crossing the Nile, to the West Bank we tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings including King Tut's Tomb, and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut , and the Colossi of Memnon As well as the hidden ancient "Workers village " or Deir El Medinah, 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.

Then on to visit the new & old "Qurna" or Gurnah" : In Ancient times as well as in a more recent history, the locals populated the West Bank and lived in series of villages near the tombs they built for their kings & queens. The largest of these villages is Gurnah or Qurna , these villages continue to grow in population in spite of the damage caused to the nearby tombs, the house are an example of the traditional Egyptian rural homes, the houses are usually built of mud break mixed with straw, the New Gurnah was designed by the famous Hassan Fathy , author of " Architecture for the Poor", we conclude the afternoon by a visit to the nearby Nobles Tombs , can not guarantee which ones will be open as they are rotated , but you may visit : tomb of Rekhmire , Senoufer , or Ramose .
Evening Sound & Light show at Karnak.

DAY 13: LUXOR & CAIRO Wednesday (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. Transfer to hotel.

DAY 14 : OLD CAIRO- Ottoman Cairo. Home Hosted Dinner Thursday (BLD)
Coptic Cairo :The treasure filled Coptic churches & Synagogue are our goal this morning. After which we tour the former Royal palace of Abdeen, where Sadat welcomed Nixon in the 70's , Nixon was the first American president to visit Egypt since Roosevelt made a brief visit during W.W.II

We enjoy lunch at the famous El Khan restaurant then embark on a walking tour of the legendary 12th century district of Khan El Khalili including the Caravanserai: Wekalet el Ghouri & the 15th century Ottoman style house of Beit El Kritlya ( Gayer Anderson Museum).

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 t with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.  Add an extra day in Cairo ? With Memphis and Sakkara ?

DAY 15 - DEPARTURE Friday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home.

RATES are per person

• AIRFARE NOTES
  For any departures from May 1 through Sep 30, Dec 20 - Jan 2 : please add $300 high-season airfare surcharge to the rates shown above. This air fare supplement doesn't apply when you handle your own airfare.
  
  
• For Christmas, New Year, Easter, please add:15 % supplement.
  
• For Mena House Hotel , or Four Seasons : 30 % supplement to the Deluxe rate.
  
• For Private Guide (s) on board the CRUISE : Supplement $250 per person per cruise
  ( Lake Nasser & Nile Cruise ) $ 500 total per person .
  
• Please click here for the Ultra Deluxe Edition
  the ultra deluxe Queen TiYi  , MS Oberoi Philae , ,M/S Nile Vision( suites with private balconies ) , M/S Senator ( all suites with private balconies ) ,  Sonesta Moon Goddess and Sonesta Star Goddess ( all suites with private balconies ) , Amarco ( All Suites )

Rates include:

• International airfare from New York, US departure tax, economy class .
  
• All the tips to drivers, guides, Nile cruise crew, etc.
  
• All transfers in Egypt on private basis.
  
• Guided sightseeing as listed including all entrance fees.
  
• Hotel and cruise accommodations.
  
• All shore excursions on board the cruise as listed, including all entrance fees.
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Lake Nasser & the Nile Cruise.
  
• Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Lake Nasser & the Nile Cruise.
  
• Meals as listed including cB = Continental Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
  
• Domestic airfare within Egypt "Y" economy class.
  
• Complimentary visa will be issued upon arrival for citizens of Australia,NZ, USA, Canada , Japan, Mexico, Singaporean & EU . Your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival.

Not included:

• Insurance of any kind (please ask your own insurance agent for details ).
• International air fare Please ask us about our special air deals to Cairo.

The King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid was not meant to be visited:
Getting to it is challenging, and once you enter, it is very difficult to turn back. The stone passage is only wide enough for one person. You must be in good physical condition, able to climb several flights of stairs, bend double, crouch and duck-walk for short distances. The King's Chamber itself is the world's most claustrophobic place, with dim light and heavy, hot, oxygen-poor air. There is no ventilation. If you are at all sensitive to claustrophobia or confinement, or if you have any sort of respiratory condition, for your own safety and the safety of others, you must not enter the pyramid because it is impossible to remove a person or to bring aid to them quickly

More Choices:

• Add a Red Sea Extension .
• Add Memphis , Sakkara and the Zoser Step Pyramid
• Compare with the 10 day version,
• The In-depth 20-Day Version
• Add air fare from JFK : 15 days version
• Compare with the Alexandria Edition ,
• The 18-day edition with extended stay in Cairo .
• Add the best preserved temple in all of Egypt : the mighty Denderah Temple complex
• Click here for : Thursday arrivals : Board the cruise in Luxor

Dining Room Reservations: Meet other passengers :
YOU will not require any, our dining rooms do accommodate all our guests in one seating, one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner.

Do we get sea sickness while sailing the Nile ?
This is river sailing, so do not expect any waves , no rough seas ! Your Nile cruises is actually a floating hotel that moves from place to place along the Nile. Actual cruising times are short and pleasant.

In a message dated 7/23/2005 6:56:29 AM Pacific Standard Time, gmccall@twcny..........com writes:

Dear Omar the Great,

At the beginning of the trip we were the queen and princess of Egypt, but after a few days we became the goddesses of the Nile. Everyone treated us so wonderfully and the two weeks flew by too fast. We loved Egypt and the Egyptians so much that we tried to extend our time in Egypt, however we were not able to get all the plane reservations that we had hoped for.

Mayada and Mageud in Cairo were so caring and wonderful and what can I say about the wonderful dinner at Mayada’s family’s apartment? Her mother is a delight and I hope to see her again in the future. The cruise was absolutely superb. T

One of our favorite people of ancient Egypt is Queen Hatshepsut and we would have loved to see her temple. We did not go and when we returned home we found that it was supposed to have been on our itinerary. That was one of the places we really wanted to see.

The two guides we had were very different, very knowledgeable and we learned so much from both of them. We both learned several phrase in Arabic (such as: “fell mish mish”) and Michelynn was learning how to write in Arabic. If you ever need someone to make a recommendation to anyone thinking of going with your company I hope you would think of us. It was a dream come true from the very first day! The staff in Egypt was very attentive to our every wish and you were always so prompt in responding to any of my questions before the trip.

With many, many thanks to all the people who made this so special,

The two goddesses of the Nile

Gale and Michelynn McCall

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

Egypt's Last Royal Family :
Photo Album: King Farouk, Queen Farida and Princess Feryal

Travel With Children in Egypt:

From: "W. 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 travelinstyle 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

Add a Spa Package to your stay in Egypt

Sample Deluxe ships on Lake Nasser :

The Ships

The M.S. Kasr Ibrim was named after the ancient citadel on Lake Nasser, the only Nubian monument that still exists in its original location. The Kasr Ibrim citadel, standing on a high bluff overlooking the river valley, was adapted to suit the needs of its diverse occupants throughout the ages. Likewise, the M.S. Kasr Ibrim provides an epic setting for international travelers, while commemorating the citadel as an enduring link with Egypt's distant past.
Relax in the ship's spacious lounge areas, its restaurant or bars. On deck you will find a shaded area, a mosaic-lined swimming pool and deckchairs to make the most of idle luxury. Kasr Ibrim's facilities also include a sauna, steam bath, exercise equipment, state-of-the-art water filtration systems, and is fully air-conditioned.
Service is thoughtful and friendly; the cuisine is superb. Each day we anchor beside one of Lake Nasser's historic sites, where a launch will take you ashore to explore.

Cabins

M.S. Kasr Ibrim was launched in September 1997. The ship is 79 meters long, with just 55 cabins for maximal comfort, and 10 luxurious suites. The interior décor reflects the Art Deco style of the 1920's.
The ship fifty-five spacious cabins measure 22.75 m2, each with an ensuite bathroom (bath, shower, washbasin, w.c. and hairdryer). There are seven 29 m2 junior suites; two 59 m2 Royal suites and one 140 m2 Imperial suite (all ten suites have bathrooms with jacuzzi, shower, washbasin, w.c. and hairdryer).

The Executive Deck has 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with a private balcony (total space 22.75 m2). The Executive Deck cabins (400 numbers) are available at an additional surcharge per cabin and per night.

The Upper Deck has 18 twin-bedded cabins each with a private balcony (total space 22.75 m2). A guaranteed allocation to one of the Upper Deck cabins (300 numbers) is available at an additional surcharge per cabin and per night.

The Main Deck has 18 twin-bedded cabins each with a private balcony (total space 22.75 m).

The Lower Deck has 7 twin bedded cabins without balconies (22.75 m); these can also be used for triple occupancy.

M.S. Eugenie

The Eugenie was proudly named to evoke an historic event in Egypt's recent past: the grand opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, attended by the crown heads of Europe including the Empress Eugenie of France. The completion of the Suez Canal marked Egypt’s passage into modernity, and a new era of international trade and interaction.

Likewise the Eugenie, the first ship to sail Lake Nasser, launched a new era of tourism, offering travelers fresh vistas of Egypt’s natural beauty and archeological treasures. Lake Nasser extended the boundaries of Egypt’s touristic possibilities, while the Eugenie reminds us of this ancient country’s endless capacity for renewal.

The M.S. Eugenie was constructed in 1993 in the style of a turn-of-the-century Nile steamship. It is 74 meters long, with just 52 cabins for maximal comfort, and two luxurious suites. Each cabin has an ensuite bathroom with shower, washbasin, w.c. and hairdryer.

The Eugenie’s facilities include a sauna, steam bath, exercise equipment, sun decks, a swimming pool, air-conditioning and state-of-the-art water filtration systems.

The Upper Deck has 22 twin-bedded cabins each with a private balcony (total space: 21m2). Cabins 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311 and 315 are ‘executive cabins’ available at an additional surcharge per cabin and per night.

The Main Deck has 20 twin bedded cabins, also with private balcony (21m2) and two single bedded cabins, also with private balconies (cabins 201, 202).

The Lower Deck has 8 twin bedded cabins without balconies (21m2); these can also be used for triple occupancy.

Sailing ( Subject to change )

Aswan / Kalabsha to Wadi El Seboua 11 hours
Wadi El Seboua to Amada 4 hours
Amada to Kasr Ibrim 2.5 hours
Kasr Ibrim to Abu Simbel 4 hours

More Choices:

• Add a Red Sea Extension .
• Add Memphis , Sakkara and the Zoser Step Pyramid
• Compare with the 10 day version,
• The In-depth 20-Day Version
• Add air fare from JFK : 15 days version
• Compare with the Alexandria Edition ,
• The 18-day edition with extended stay in Cairo .
• Add the best preserved temple in all of Egypt : the mighty Denderah Temple complex
• Click here for : Thursday arrivals : Board the cruise in Luxor