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In
Search of Egypt's Ancient Lands
Including Abu Simbel Temples
11
Days in Egypt with an 8 day Nile Cruise - Boarding Aswan
Start Weekly Year round in Cairo
How
would you like to cruise the Nile the way the Pharaoh & Cleopatra did
? These graceful boats will allow you to cruise the great river in a
stately Pharaonic style. Our 11-day "soft adventure" cruise visits Cairo,
all of Upper Egypt's top sights, and gives you the chance to see the
timeless Nile as adventurers have seen it throughout the ages.See the
Pyramids,the Sphinx, the timeless temples along the Nile in Luxury fit
for a Pharaoh. Meet the locals: Enjoy a home hosted meal. Tour Starts
Weekly in Cairo , year round.
DAY
1 - CAIRO : Arrive weekly ( year round) on a Wednesday or Thursday :
Upon
arrival, we escort you to your comfortable hotel. Meridien, Hilton or
Sheraton. Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for the following
nationalities; American, British, Canadian & Japanese, 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
2 - CAIRO & GIZA - Home Hosted Dinner - Thursday (cBLD)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including
the Mummies Room. Lunch at a local restaurant. In
the afternoon we see Giza's major sights: Giza Pyramids, and
the mighty Sphinx.
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.
Add an extra day of touring in Cairo & Giza ? Please
click here
DAY
3 -ABU SIMBEL / Aswan ( You may board the Nile cruise in Aswan or LUXOR)
- Friday (BLD)
Very early Morning flight to Abu Simbel (the flight will make a stop
in Aswan ) .
Abu
Simbel may be considered the highlight of your Egyptian adventure. Fly
south over Lake Nasser.
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.
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. Read More.
In Abu Simbel : The larger temple is 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 as part of an English speaking
group with a local guide ( private touring is available for an an additional
$50 per person , minimum 2 guests ) , admiring their ancient aura and
artistry, after which we fly back to Aswan
Airport and your Nile Cruise.
Complimentary
welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin.
Get
ready for
the tour of Aswan Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, , and Philae
Temple ,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!
We
head back for our lunch aboard. Enjoy an afternoon on board as we sail
north.
DAY
4 - EDFU - Saturday (cBLD)
In Edfu, we board horse-drawn carriages for the ride to the Temple
of Horus. The best preserved temple in Egypt. Returning to our ship,
we set sail for Aswan .Complimentary Galabya , you may wish to try on
for the evening when there's a jolly galabia party aboard.
DAY
5 - Full day cruise - Sunday (cBLD)
Enjoy a relaxing full day on board your ship as we set sail for Luxor
. Afternoon tea is always served on the sundeck.
DAY
6 - Luxor - Monday (cBLD)
Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, including King Tut's tomb,
Valley of the Queens, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi
of Memnon. After lunch on to the Gigantic Temple of Karnak &
the great temple of Luxor , then we see the most recent discoveries
housed in the relatively new & charming Luxor Museum. Return
to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea. Evening Sound & Light
show at Karnak Temple.
DAY
7 - Full Day Cruising - Tuesday (cBLD)
Enjoy scenery that changed little since Biblical time as we cruise and
pass through Esna Locks , in our way to Kom Ombo where we dock for the
night.
DAY
8- KOM OMBO - Wednesday (BLD)
We explore the twin Temples of Haroeris , the Sun God, and Sobek , the
Crocodile God, at Kom Ombo, . Returning to our ship in time for
tea. We set sail for Aswan.
DAY
9 -ASWAN & CAMEL CARAVAN - Thursday (BLD)
After breakfast . If you , please join us on a
complimentary short camel caravan ride to a near by Nubian Village for
tea with the locals. afternoon at leisure
.
DAY
10 - Cairo - Friday (B)
After breakfast , check-out , fly back to Cairo
and your hotel .
DAY
11 - Departure - Saturday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon
Voyage
Deluxe
Hotels ( Hilton, Sheraton or similar )
Deluxe Nile Cruise :
MS Solitaire, MS Renaissance , M/S Nile
Vision , M/S Monaco or
M/S Monte Carlo, MS Mojito
Deluxe RATES per person in USD $ :
| Triple |
US$
2210.00 |
| Double |
US$
2340.00 |
| Single |
US$
3660.00 |
Please
add : 20 % supplement for the Ultra Deluxe Boats :
Sample
of the The Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruise :
First
class ( 4 stars ) hotels & Cruise : RATES per person in USD
$ :
| Triple |
US$
1950.00 |
| Double |
US$
2080.00 |
| Single |
US$
3300.00 |
Dec
20 - Jan 5 and Easter Week : Please add 15% holiday supplement.
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :
- Egyptian
domestic airfares as described in the itinerary in " Y "
class . Please add $100 to upgrade to business class.
- All
airport transfers and taxes in Egypt.
- Hotel
accommodations in the category you select , including taxes.
- Pre
set-menu (table d'hôte) meals as indicated in the itinerary
above.
-
Nile cruise based on your category selection, with all shore excursions
and meals .
- 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 Nile Cruise.
- Tea
or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on
board the Nile Cruise.
- Guided
sightseeing by air-conditioned motorcoach, including all admissions
fees.
- Visa
fee issued upon arrival for Western European , American, Australian,
NZ, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, passport must be valid for
at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival.
Not
included :
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.
Extend
your stay in El Gouna and Hurgada and maybe luxuriate at the legendary
Oberoi Sahl Hashish
Oberoi Hurgada -Sahl Hasheesh
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 .
Other
choices:
Egypt's
Last Royal Family :
Photo Album: King Farouk, Queen
Farida and Princess Feryal
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