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Temples
and Timeless Vistas
A 10-Day Fantasy Cruise Vacation in Egypt
A Nile Cruise and Lake Nasser Abu Simbel Cruise - WE have even included
all the tips
Our
10 -day combination of a Nile cruise and Lake Nasser Abu Simbel
cruise is the perfect way to see Upper Egypt. Weekly on: Monday ,
year round. Start in Aswan
Click
for the full listing of Nile Cruises - Map
-Nile Cruise Route - Sharm
El Sheikh - Add Petra
On
to Spain and Andalusia . Marsa
Alam Petra edition
DAY
1- Monday- Cairo / Aswan , Board
your Cruise (LD)
Please advise your hotel name in Cairo , transfer is included to Cairo
Airport.
Domestic air fare is included Cairo Aswan " Y" class, issued
& delivered in Cairo Egypt.
We drive to the airport for the flight to Aswan, where
we board your lake cruiser. 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 Mandulis. 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
2 - Tuesday
(BLD)
We set out on our voyage across vast Lake Nasser, Egypt's great
man-made inland sea formed by the waters held behind the Aswan High
Dam. Our luxury cruise vessel is equipped with a swimming pool,
jacuzzi, Turkish (steam) bath, sauna and staff trained in massage. 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
3 - 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.
DAY
4 - Thursday- Abu Simbel
(BLD)
As the sun brightens the lakeshore 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 your
dinner .
DAY
5 - Friday-Abu Simbel/ Aswan / Luxor
(BD)
Get up early today to enjoy (go to the temples on your own ) 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, connect with our
flight to Luxor ( all domestic air fare is included ) , and drive to
our hotel:
Deluxe
: Hilton, Winter Palace, Sheraton, Sonesta St. George. First Class :
Novotel or similar.
afternoon tour of Karnak & Luxor temples.
DAY
6 - Saturday- Board your Nile Cruise
- Luxor (BLD)
After breakfast, we cross the Nile to ancient Thebes, capital
of the Egyptian kingdom for almost 20 centuries. We visit Valley of
the Kings , including King Tutankhamon's tomb ( Entrance fee included
) . Then we go on to El Deir El Bahari & Queen Hatshepsut 's temple,
then on to the Valley of the Queens.
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.
Return
from the tour to the Nile cruise & check
in at noon, in time for lunch.
DAY
7 - Sailing the Nile - Sunday (cBLD)
After lunch, we visit the great temples of Luxor and Karnak,
then return to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea. to Esna ,
pass the locks and dock for the night
DAY
8 - 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
9 - 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
10 - ASWAN - Nubian Museum, Camel Caravan, Cairo , Wednesday (cB)
After
breakfast we check out, visit the awesome Aswan dams, and next
an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk, the Nubian
Museum ,then board a motor launch to visit the 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!
Be
our guest if you wish on a complimentary short camel caravan to a near
by Nubian Village for tea with the locals, returning to Aswan Airport,
air fare is included Aswan Cairo " Y" class.
In Cairo our local rep will assist with the transfer to your hotel or
the International Terminal at Cairo Airport.
End
of our service - Bon Voyage !
RATES per
person in USD $
|
|
|
| Triple |
US$
2190 |
| Double |
US$
2340 |
| Single |
US$
2990 |
For
the Old Winter Palace Hotel : please add $ 60 Per person
Please
add 20 % supplement to the deluxe rates for the ultra deluxe:
M/Tuya or M/S TiYi , the all suites
Sonesta Star Goddess or , MS Sonesta Moon
Goddess ( all state rooms do offer private balconies)
, Queen
of Hansa,
Movenpick Radamis I , Radamis II
The All Suites M/S Moon Goddess - All with private balconies
For
a PRIVATE: CAR/DRIVER & GUIDE for all the shore excursions
for the duration of the cruise , please add :$ 400 per person.
RATES per
person in USD$
Inclusions:
-
All
shore excursions, entrance fees, the service of an English Speaking
guide.
-
The
Nile Cruise and Nubian Cruise Lake Nasser Abu Simbel cruise as per
itinerary.
-
All
transfers as per itinerary.
-
One
night hotel accommodation in Luxor Meridien, Sheraton, Hilton ,
Sonesta or similar , with tax & service charge and continental
breakfast.
-
Domestic
Air Fare within Egypt " Y" class, please add $200 to upgrade
to business class.
-
Welcome
fruit basket upon check-in on the Nile cruise & Abu Simbel cruise
.
-
Large bottle of water per person per day delivered to your cabin.
-
All
outside cabins, including all tax & service charges.
-
All
meals: B = Breakfast, L
= Lunch, D = Dinner.
-
Afternoon
tea daily onboard.
-
One
small bottle of water per person with each meal
-
Tea/
coffer & small bottle of water with each & every meal while
on board the cruise
- Tips
to porters, drivers, guides, all the crew on board on the Nile and
Lake Nasser cruises.
Notes:
- For
Christmas/New Year's and the month of April : Please add % 20
supplement, to any of the listed rates.
- Children
discount : 50 % 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.
Rates
do not include:
- Insurance
- Drinks
with meals. Meals not specifically mentioned. Tips for guides and
hotel personnel.
Expenses of a personal nature
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.
The
rescue funds were approved by Congress and the temple was saved.
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.
First
Lady Jacqueline Kennedy loved Egypt, and Egypt still loves her.
Other
choices:
We
are proud to work with Sofitel Hotels in Egypt, Morocco and Greece :
Luxury with a French Flair
Add
a Spa Package to your stay in Cairo when you stay at Sofitel , the Hyatt
or the Four Seasons
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