In
Search of Egypt's Ancient Lands
13
Days - The Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises
Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess, Sonesta MS Star Goddess
M/S Philae , M/S Alexander the Great , M/S Senator or
Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruise Edition
Egypt with a 7 or an 8 day Nile Cruise , Cairo and Giza , including
a home hosted family dinner
Start on Weekly in Cairo
Honeymoon
on the Nile - Enjoying a drink before sunset on deck :
The legendary Moon Goddess - Photo: Courtesy of Sonesta Nile Cruises
Compare with the 14 Days
, or with Red Sea Extension.
Add Alexandria
See the Pyramids,the Sphinx, the timeless temples along the Nile in
Luxury fit for a Pharaoh. Tour starts weekly in Cairo year round. 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 Egyptian adventure" cruise visits Cairo,
all of Upper Egypt's top sights, and gives you the chance to see the
Ancient city of Alexander the Great , the timeless Nile as adventurers
have seen it throughout the ages. Available as well in
10 , 12 day edition
& 14 Days
, or add a Red Sea
Extension . Abu
Simbel Edition . 20-Day
including Minya and Tel Al-Amarna
DAY
1 - CAIRO : Start weekly on : Sunday or Wednesday
/ Friday
Upon
arrival, we escort you to your comfortable hotel. Meridien, Hilton or
Sheraton. Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for the following
nationalities; American,EU , Canadian & Japanese, your passport
must be valid for at least 6 month beyond date of arrival.
All
transfers in Egypt are on a private basis. Private
air conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
DAY
2 - GIZA -Monday (cBL)
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 a local restaurant or at your hotel. In the evening
we return to Giza Plateau for the Sound & Light Show. All
tours in Cairo are on a private basis. Private
air conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
DAY
3 - CAIRO & GIZA -- Tuesday (cBL)
Today we see Cairo's
major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room,
The Manial Royal Palace, former residence of Egypt's last crown prince.
Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon tour Saladin's Citadel,
the Alabaster Mosque,and the 12th Century Khan El Khalili Bazaar district.
All tours in Cairo are on a private basis. Private
air conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
Do you prefer
to fly today to Aswan and spend the night at the legendary Old Cataract
? Please click here.
DAY 4 -Cairo / ASWAN, Camel Caravan! (LD)
Wednesday
Transfer is included from your hotel in Cairo .Air fare is included
, ticket is issued & delivered in Cairo . Early
morning arrival in Aswan and your ultra deluxe Nile Cruise :
M/S Moon Goddess.
For those who are interested: a complimentary camel caravan & ride
to visit a local Nubian Village and enjoy tea with the locals.
Return
to your cruise in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome
fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely
sail by graceful felucca among the rocky islands of the Nile.
DAY
5 - ASWAN & KOM OMBO - Thursday (BLD)
First we tour( for guests staying on board the Amarco & Radamis
we include the new Nubian Museum).
Today we tour the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite
quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch
to the island temples of Philae. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser,
we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples. Overnight
at Edfu.
DAY
6 - EDFU & ESNA - Friday (BLD)
In Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through
the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple.
Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated
to Khnum, the creator-god. We re-board in time to enjoy lunch
as we sail further north for Luxor.
Evening finds us in Luxor.
DAY
7 - LUXOR - Saturday (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley
of the Kings , including Tutankaomn's
royal tomb.
We tour as well the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the
Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.
Afterward,
we'll continue on Luxor's west bank to 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.
The
gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple
of Luxor are our goals in the afternoon, we overnight in Luxor.
DAY
8 - LUXOR - Sunday (B)
Sip tea and enjoy your lunch,
as we leave for Qena. Afternoon tea is served on deck, reach Qena in
time for dinner , we dock at Qena for the night.
DAY
9 - DENDERAH / LUXOR Monday (BLD)
After breakfast we drive inland to tour Denderah Temple. 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.
Denderah's
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.) Sail
back to Luxor as we sip our afternoon tea on deck.
Evening Welcome Cocktail & Dinner . Evening
Sound & Light show at Karnak Temple. Cabin amenity : One large bottle
of water.
DAY
10- Disembarkation / Luxor - Tuesday (B)
After breakfast, we check out, proceed to the legendary Winter Palace
Hotel.
Remainder of the day at leisure.
DAY
11 - Luxor - Wednesday (cBL)
Another full day on your own to explore Luxor and the Ancient capital
of the Pharaohs.
If you prefer to
add Alexandria
please click here
DAY
12- CAIRO - Home Hosted Family Dinner- Thursday (B)
Private car & driver for the transfer to the airport , air fare
is included . Fly back to Cairo where we proceed by private car
/van to your hotel.
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 dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting
us know your preferences.
DAY
13 - Departure - Friday (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon
Voyage
Deluxe
Hotels & Cruise - RATES per person in USD $
The Ultra Deluxe : M/S
: Moon Goddess , Sonesta MS Star Goddess
Both are: All suites , all with private balconies
| |
Rates
are per person in USD $ |
| Triple |
US$
2510.00 |
| Double |
US$
2560.00 |
| Single |
US$
4060.00 |
Dec
20 - Jan 5: Please add 20 % holiday supplement.
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :
-
Egyptian domestic airfares as described in the itinerary in "
C" class business class .
- All
airport transfers on a private basis 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 and 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 EU , American, Australian, NZ, Singaporean
& Japanese citizens, passport must be valid for at least 6 month
beyond the date of arrival.
Not
included :
Other
choices:
|
