Day
1 - MARRAKECH - Wednesday- Weekly - Year Round (D)
Your international flight arrives mystical Marrakech. Our staff escorts
us to our hotel, where we enjoy a Moroccan-style welcome dinner.
DAY
2 - MARRAKECH - Thursday (BL)
We board a horse-drawn carriage for a clip-clop tour of this ancient
royal capital, including the Kotoubia, a former royal palace,
and of course the labyrinthine souks (bazaars).
Home
hosted dinner, 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 Marrakech 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.
Day
3 - MARRAKECH Friday (B)
Now that you've got your bearings, today is yours to explore the city
on your own. If you prefer, join one of our optional tours (for an additional
fee): one takes you to a nearby Berber village, another takes you into
the souks for a shopping spree.
Day
4 - BY TRAIN TO CASABLANCA Saturday (BL)
"Getting there is half the fun!" We board the train for our return to
Casablanca, cruising through the lovely countryside past green
fields, fruit-laden orchards, traditional villages and modern towns,
with the lofty Atlas Mountains soaring in the distance. Our tour
escort points out interesting features, and fills us in on Moroccan
life and culture. After arriving in Casablanca, we visit the majestic
new Grand Mosque of King Hassan II, second only to the Great
Mosque at Mecca in size. We continue on a panoramic tour of the city
and its souks.
Day
5 - Casablanca / CAIRO Sunday (aBD)
After
breakfast , we drive to the airport for our Royal Air Maroc or Egyptair
flight across North Africa to Egypt. Air fare is included in
our rate , in economy class , tax included
We
arrive in Cairo with the dawn,Complimentary visa issued upon arrival at
Cairo Airport, valid only for American, Australian , NZ, Canadian , EU,
Mexican & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for 6 month at
least at time 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
6 - CAIRO Monday (BLD)
Today we visit Cairo's most famous monuments: the awesome pyramids of
Giza, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx.
After lunch we drive to Dahshour, the newly opened pyramid field
south of Cairo, where we visit several ancient structures, including
the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. 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.
Lunch is included at a local home to 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 lunch , 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 lunch in a local restaurant- of our choosing - with your
travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.
In
the evening, we
board your first-class
sleeper train for the journey to Upper Egypt.
The train is rated 4 stars officially, yet we rate 3 stars. Guests who
love trains, will enjoy this experience, guests who hate trains, should
consider flying instead of using the sleeper train. In Which case the
additional cost is $90 per person , you'll spend tonight in Cairo ,
and fly tomorrow morning early AM to Aswan.
On board the sleeper train : Dinner is served in our private compartments
as we speed southward along the banks of the Nile.
DAY
7 - NILE CRUISE Tuesday (aBLD)
We leave our train for our Nile cruiser.
Tour of Kalabsha Temple dedicated to the ancient god Mandulis,
and the goddess Isis . Built during the reign of the Roman Emperor
Augustus , the small rock-cut temple of Beit El Wali, built
by Ramses the Great , and the small yet charming Kiosk of
Qertassi.
Return
to the Nile Cruise in time for a delicious lunch. In the afternoon we
enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. For those
who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride for almost half
an hour to visit a local Nubian Village for tea with the locals.
DAY
8 - ASWAN & KOM OMBO Wednesday (BLD)
First 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.
DAY
9 - EDFU Thursday (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop
through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved
temple. Evening finds us in Luxor.
DAY
10 - LUXOR Friday (BLD)
We tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings including
King Tut's Tomb , and Valley of the Queens
DAY
11 - LUXOR & CAIRO Saturday (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, and your hotel
DAY
12 - CAIRO Sunday (B)
Breakfast at the hotel...morning at leisure.
Refreshed, in the afternoon we visit the Citadel of Saladin and
its Alabaster Mosque, enjoying spectacular views of the city below.
We descend from the Citadel into Khan el-Khalili, the bazaar
district, in search of Egyptian treasures. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant . The rest of the day is yours: find a little local
restaurant for dinner , go museum-hopping, take a nap, or stroll along
the Nile, as you like.
Day
13 - Istanbul Monday (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight
to Istanbul , air fare is included in economy class with tax, ticket
is issued & delivered in Cairo Egypt
You're
met by our representative, who sees you to your hotel, and answers any
questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into
the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history
are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender
minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient
monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten
million people.
Welcome fruit basket in your room awaits you with our compliments.
DAY
14 - ISTANBUL- Tuesday (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point,
framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We
visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge
the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then
walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian's great Sancta Sophia.
Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace,
the sultans seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits
of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish
court costumes. After lunch in a local restaurant ,we finish up in the
bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair
rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets
holding nearly 4000 shops.
DAY
15 - BOSPHORUS- Meet the locals - Wednesday (BL)
Istanbul's history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait
that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea
of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between
the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world.
Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway.
Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe,
Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four
great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the
Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise
(morning cruise fro Oct-Apr season) of two continents, crossing from
Europe to Asia and back, includes visits to the Navy's Museum (showing
some magnificent boats used by the Ottoman Sultans), the Bosphorus Bridge,
Çamlica Hill lookout, and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant.
Hotel
Room amenity : Complimentary
Turkish Lokoom pastries
DAY
16 - ISTANBUL - Thursday (B)
Istanbul is all yours, day at leisure, any way you like it.
Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook to Istanbul and stroll along the restored
19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once known as
the Grand Rue de Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies in the Egyptian
Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city's many Byzantine
churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square. Climb
the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for
a panoramic view of Old Istanbul.
Day
17 - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:" - Friday (BL)
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).
DAY
18 - ISTANBUL - Saturday (B)
There are many more things to see and do in this fascinating city, but
they will have to wait for your next visit. After breakfast, our representative
escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight--until next time!
Bon
Voyage
RATES
are per person in USD
|
Deluxe |
First
Class |
| Triple |
US$
7650 |
US$
7090 |
| Double |
US$
7778 |
US$
7130 |
| Single |
US$
8860 |
US$
8220 |
Hotels
:
Marrakech
In Morocco
Option A : Deluxe
Deluxe Standard 5 stars hotel :
KENZI FARAH or similar www.kenzi-hotels.com/anglais
Deluxe Standard 5 stars Riad - RIAD
TIWALINE - www.riadtiwaline.com
In
Egypt : Cairo : Sofitel / Hilton / Sheraton / Grand Hyatt / Conrad/
Inter.continental
Nile Cruise : M/S Adonis . M/S Florence . M/S Mojito . M/S Monaco .
M/S Monte Carlo .
Istanbul
: Inter.Continental . Hyatt . Hilton
Option B : Deluxe Superior
Deluxe Superior ( 15 % supplement applies to the deluxe rate listed
above)
Marrakech
in Morocco :
Deluxe Superior 5 stars Riad - RIAD KNIZA www.riadkniza.com
Deluxe five stars Superior
hotel / Riad : JARDINS DE LA KOUTOUBIA www.lesjardinsdelakoutoubia.com
In
Egypt : Cairo : Four Seasons Hotel
In Istanbul : Four Seasons or Ciragan Palace
Nile Cruise : All Suite
- M/S
Moon Goddess .
- M/S
Philae .
- M/S
Amarco
Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruise : M/S Queen TiYi.
Your
tour includes:
- Air
fare Between Morocco, Egypt & Istanbul , all in economy class,
tax included .
- All
tips and gratuities.
-
Domestic airfares within Morocco as well as Egypt, in economy class,
tax included .
-
First-class day train Marrakech-Casablanca , including tax and service
- All
airport and train station transfers in Morocco, Istanbul and Egypt
as described in the tour itinerary
-
Your hotel room at a carefully-selected deluxe, first class or tourist
class hotel, whichever you prefer, including tax & service
- Five
day Nile cruise include all meals and shore excursions, all cabins
are outside, all with large panoramic windows, tax & service charges
are included. Bottled water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin
daily while you are on board the cruise. Tea or coffee /bottled water
with each meal while on board the cruise.
- B
= Breakfast, (or aB, American Buffet Breakfast),
L = Lunch, D = Dinner
and all Egyptian airport taxes.
- Guided
sightseeing as listed in the itinerary including all entrance fees.
US and Japanese passport holders need a visa to enter Egypt. You will
obtain a visa at the airport upon arrival in Cairo With our compliments,
valid with American or Japanese passport that is valid for at least
6 month . Visas are not required of US and Canadian passport holders
for entry into Morocco.
- VERY
IMPORTANT NOTE ON the visa for Turkey : You WILL require visa, please
contact the Turkish Consulate or secure upon arrival in Istanbul (
Cash only)
Rate
doesn't include :
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.
-
-
Click
for 19
day version with a Nile Cruise
and couple of nights at a deluxe camp in the Moroccan sahara
.
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