Tour Greece Turkey and Egypt, Nile Cruise, Radamis, Moon Godess,Nile Cruise, Egypt Cruise | Temples and Timeless Vistas

13-Day tour of Eastern Mediterranean
Combine
Athens , Istanbul And a Nile Cruise

In Egypt A five-day Nile cruise , Abu Simbel a true Ancient World wonder
Greece : Athens , and a Foray into Istanbul City of the Sultans
A perfect add-on to a Cairo visit

Weekly on Sat , Mon , Tue, Wed & Thu. Embarkation Luxor or Aswan - Inclusive of Regional air fare

We have several boats that do start on different days of the week to accommodate your schedule: You may start this 5 day sailing Weekly on any Saturday , Monday , Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Check in on your cruiser at noon. Complimentary welcome drink is served upon arrival.
Welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin .
After lunch, we visit the great temples of Luxor and the mighty Karnak, then return to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea.

DAY 2 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS Sunday (cBLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings, including Tut-Ankh-Amon's tomb, and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise. Then it's on to Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.

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.

DAY 3 - EDFU & KOM OMBO Monday (cBLD)
We cruise by Esna to Edfu, where we board horse-drawn carriages for the ride to the Temple of Horus. Returning to our ship, we set sail for Kom Ombo. In the evening, there's a jolly galabia party aboard.

DAY 4 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN Tuesday (cBLD)
We explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek at Kom Ombo, then sail south to Aswan. After lunch we board a graceful felucca and cruise among the islands, returning to our ship in time for tea.

DAY 5 - ASWAN ABU SIMBEL Wednesday (cB)
After breakfast we check out, visit the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk, then board a motor launch to visit the the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess 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!

Returning to Aswan Airport by late morning. A short flight to Abu Simbel.

There we'll marvel at the temples dedicated to Ramses the Great and Queen Neferatri, saved from rising waters of the Nile when the High Dam was built. In the larger temple, 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 by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temples we begin our leisurely drive back along the shore to Aswan Airport for your flight.

Fly back to Aswan . Domestic air fare is included , issued & delivered in Egypt: Aswan Abu Simbel Aswan .

Connect in Aswan and on to Cairo by air . Domestic air fare is included as well back to Cairo .
In Cairo , we meet you at the airport & escort you back to your hotel for the night .

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.

DAY 6 - Cairo Istanbul - Thursday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel we will assist with your transfer to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. And your hotel . You may get your visa for Turkey upon arrival or prior to your departure from your home country.

You're met at the airport in Istanbul 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 7 - Istanbul - Friday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy Istanbul as you please . Explore on your own.

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.

DAY 8 - Istanbul - Saturday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel. Another day on your own.

Suggested optional tour :
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 9 - Istanbul - Athens : Sunday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel , our local rep. will assist with your transfer to the airport for your flight.
across the Aegean to Athens and your hotel. Air fare is included , issued & delivered in Istanbul, economy class, tax included.

Complimentary entrance tickets to the Harem's Quarter in Topkape Palace in Istanbul

DAY 10 - ATHENS -Monday
Arrive at Athens Airport, where you will be greeted by our staff and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like. Take your first look at this great ancient-modern city. Wander through the Plaka, and up to the Acropolis if you like, guidebook in hand.

DAY 11 - ATHENS CITY TOUR- Tuesday (cBD)
After breakfast, a half day seat in a coach tour:
we tour the great Greek capital, including Constitution (Syntagma) Square, Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier, and the National Library.

Driving down Herod Atticus street you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniforms and the Presidential Palace.

On your way to the Acropolis, you will see the Panathenaic Stadium (where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896), the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch.

The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important site of the city. During Perikles' Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.
The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date from the Neolithic period. Over the centuries, the rocky hill was continuously used either as a cult place or as a residential area or both. The inscriptions on the numerous and precious offerings to the sanctuary of Athena (marble korai, bronze and clay statuettes and vases) indicate that the cult of the city's patron goddess was established as early as the Archaic period (650-480 B.C.).

During the Classical period (450-330 B.C.) three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike, dedicated to Athena Parthenos, Athena Polias, and Athena-Apteros Nike, respectively. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period.
The monuments on the Acropolis reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Some of them were converted into Christian churches, houses of the Franks and later on, of the Turks. After the liberation of Athens from the Turks, the protection, restoration and conservation of the monuments was one of the first tasks of the newly-founded Greek state. This major effort is continued until today, with the large-scale restoration and supporting of the monuments, which started in the 1970's and is still in progress.
The first excavations on the hill were conducted between 1835 and 1837. More systematic work was carried out in 1885-1890 by Panagiotis Kavvadias.

DAY 12 - ARGOLIS - Wednesday (cBL)*
Leave Athens along the Saronic Gulf coastal road to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Drive on to Mycenae, the Homeric City of the Atreides, "rich in gold" of the ancient poets. (Visit the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the Royal Tombs). Drive through the fertile plain of Argolis to Nafplion, a picturesque town nestled at the foot of the Palamidi Fortress. After lunch, leave for Epidavros to visit the theater (4th Century B.C.), famous for its astonishing acoustics. Return to Athens by the national road connecting Epidavros with Corinth. Lunch in Mycanae or Nafplion.

DAY 13 - DEPARTURE- Thursday (cB)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to connect with your flight.

Please add 20 % supplement to the deluxe rates for :
The all suite Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess, the all suites Sonesta M/S Star Goddess ( Mozart Suite ), Radamis II , The new Royal Lotus , Nile Vision , Queen TiYi , Amarco , MS Queen of Hansa, MS Movenpick Radamis I , MS Movenpick Radamis II , MS Movenpick Royal Lotus

Suite on board the Ultra Deluxe M/S Amarco .

- Christmas / New Year / Easter : please add 20 % to any of the rates

- For a PRIVATE: CAR/DRIVER & GUIDE for all the shore excursions for the duration of the cruise , please add :$ 150 per person.(this doesn't apply when you book the Presidential Suite)

Children discount :
30 % on the adult double rate. ( 9 years of age or younger), must be raveling with an adult.
No children discount on triple or single rates.

Transfer Between Hurgada & Luxor :
Minimum 2 guests : Rate per person : $55 + $15 handling fee. . Private air conditioned car & driver

Boarding the cruise is from either Luxor or Aswan, depending on the availability at the time of booking.

� 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.

What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Luxor & Aswan, morning & evenings are cooler. For Shore excursions, we suggest comfortable cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.

Clothing on Board:
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat. Dining room dress code is casual for breakfast & lunch, but smart casual for dinner. All ships are fully air conditioned

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.

No one questioned that the temple must be saved. UNESCO developed a marvelous plan to cut the huge monument into 1,423 stone blocks and move it 200 meters (219 yards) north and 63 meters (207 feet) higher,
just above the estimated level of Lake Nasser, the vast inland sea that would be created by the new dam.

But who would pay? As a developing country, Egypt could not shoulder the burden alone. Other countries could contribute, but only one country--the United States of America--truly had the resources for this
monumental rescue effort.

No matter how much wealth there is, it is never enough. Many legitimate, worthwhile projects compete for funds. What Abu Simbel needed was an advocate, someone who recognized the temple for the irreplaceable world art treasure that it was.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, already famous for her grace, refinement, and sensitivity to the arts, saw the need to work for the salvation of Abu Simbel. It was she who urged Congress to allocate $10 million for the rescue effort (a sum roughly equivalent to $100 million today). It was an enormous amount of money, but she saw that America
must step up to the challenge of saving this treasure of worldwide importance for all time.

In appreciation for her efforts, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser presented the First Lady and the president with a 4000-year-old Egyptian statue (which is now preserved in the John F Kennedy Library &
Museum in Boston). (http://www.jfklibrary.org/visit_museum-14.html)

President Nasser wanted also to give a gift of thanks to the people of the United States for their valuable support. He asked Mrs. Kennedy to choose an appropriate monument. She suggested the small Temple of
Dendur (c. 15 BC), and the gift was readily approved. The temple was brought to the United States in 1965 and installed at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967.
(http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/ view1.asp?dep=10&full=0&item=68%2E154)

Times change, leaders come and go, but some acts of support and generosity are remembered through the decades.

In Istanbul we recommend Arena Istanbul Hotel . Ottoman Mansion Inn . Boutique Hotel in Istanbul

Hotel Arena

Owned and personally managed by Mrs. Gul Kucukserim, the Hotel Arena is a small Ottoman-style mansion hotel only a stone's throw from the Byzantine Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Sancta Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Turkish carpets and traditional crafts such as faience (fine colored tile work), filigree brass, miniature painting and embroidery give a richness and historic aspect to the decor. The service is personal and individual, and the view from the rooftop terrace of Old Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara is simply breathtaking.