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Ancient
land of the Mediterranean
A 15-Day tour of Egypt and Lebanon
Here's
the best of Egypt in a week : a good look at Cairo, The Mighty Temples
of Abu Simbel and a 5-day cruise along the Nile.
Tour Starts Weekly in Cairo - Year Round
We have even included all the tips. No Hidden
charges. No additional tax
Click
here for a 10 day edition with 2 nights hotel stay in Luxor or Aswan
Embark on a true Grand African
Tour and add Zambia
Honeymoon
Egypt :
with an extended stay in Sharm El Sheikh - 13 Day Version
DAY
1 - CAIRO Tour
Starts- Weekly in Cairo - Thursday - Year Round
Our
representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel.
Visa fee for Egypt , visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport
for a limited number of nationalities such by paying $ 15 in cash upon
arrival in USD or Euros, no photo needed , this is for a limited number
of nationalities such as : : American , Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian
and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport
in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival
in Cairo
. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you
(private vehicle) to the hotel. Deluxe
: JW Marriott . Sonesta , Grand Hyatt . Cairo Marriott or similar
DAY
2 - CAIRO - Friday (BLD)
Private touring : private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur,
private guide:
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum,
including the "Mummies Room" then drive to the edge of
Cairo and Giza desert to stand in awe in front of the Pyramids of
Giza, the Sphinx . Lunch is included at the Mena House .
Dinner is included at La Bodega restaurant . Do
you wish to extend one more day in Cairo?
DAY
3 - LUXOR ! (or Aswan) - Saturday
(BLD)
We fly to LUXOR ( or Aswan) and
board your Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch.
Complimentary
welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin .The gigantic Great
Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor
are our goals in the afternoon. We'll return in time for the afternoon
tea served on deck. You'll have a chance to explore your ship before
dinner. In the evening your guide will call on you for a horse-drawn
carriage ride throughout Luxor souks and waterfront.
DAY
4 - LUXOR , EDFU (BLD)
We
tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings
including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb and 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.
We sail in the afternoon we cruise to Esna to go through the
locks , and on to Edfu where we dock for the night. In the evening ,
we'll celebrate in Egyptian style, dressed in galabias, the flowing
national costume, a galabya will be delivered to your cabin with
our compliments)
DAY
5 - EDFU, KOM OMBO- on board your Nile Cruise
(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. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we enjoy lunch as we sail
further south upriver .
We disembark downstream at Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples
of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, the continue
our voyage to Aswan, while we party after dinner with music& dance.
DAY
6 - CAMEL CARAVAN, NUBIAN VILLAGE , ASWAN -
on board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to the new Nubian Museum then the
awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete
with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to 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 .
In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the
Nile.
For those who are interested : a short camel caravan & ride is included
( almost a half hour ride) to visit a local Nubian Village. Our
farewell dinner this evening is a buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed
by a show featuring oriental performers, including of course a belly
dancer.
DAY
7 - ASWAN , Private touring in Abu Simbel - CAIRO
(B . Lunch box .D )
Breakfast is always included daily . Today your chef will prepare your
lunch box, including bottle water .
Board a short flight to Abu Simbel:
where your private air-conditioned vehicle, private guide and private
chauffeur await you :
Ramses the Great's huge desert temple at Abu Simbel marked the southern
border of the pharaoh's dominions. Rescued from the rising waters of
Lake Nasser by an international effort, it is a marvel of sacred engineering.
Twice a year ,and only then the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies,
illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari. Group tour exploring
the two huge temple, admire their ancient aura and artistry.Fly
back to Aswan and connect with your our return flight to Cairo
and your hotel. Deluxe : J. W. Marriott . Sonesta , Grand Hyatt . Cairo
Marriott or similar .
Dinner is included at your hotel in cairo
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
DAY 8 - Cairo- Beirut (B)
Our
local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight to Beirut. Air
ticket issued and delivered in Cairo. Arrival
in Beirut . You
fly in over the blue Mediterranean and clusters of trading vessels of
every size and shape in the great curve of the port and bay of Beirut
sheltering under green mountains. Our representative will be on hand
to greet you, and to assist with entry formalities. Visas are issued
upon arrival to citizens of the USA, Canada, the European Union, and
several other nations. We’ll see you to your hotel. The remainder
of the day is yours to relax, recuperate from your travel, stretch your
legs, and make your first discoveries of Beirut. Our representative
will be pleased to suggest a restaurant or an informal café,
or a night club, depending on whether you prefer music into the wee
hours, fine cuisine, or an authentic Arab meal . . . you’ll find
it all in Beirut.
Day 9 —Beirut, Sidon, Beiteddine, Deir El Kamar (BL)
After
breakfast, we’ll call for you at your hotel, and whisk you off
toward the south. Our first stop is the port city of Sidon, an ancient
Phoenician city that tells its story through a heritage of sandstone
mosques, a medieval Crusader castle, an Ottoman palace, and a Roman
theater. We’ll continue inland to Beiteddine, known for its intricate
nineteenth-century palace where medieval armaments and Phoenician treasures
are displayed. Just outside of town is Deir El Kamar, with its tile-roofed
sandstone palaces, and center of tradition and the arts where you can
stroll pleasant lanes and stop in at galleries. Lunch is included
today at the Baadaran Village with the locals : The village
of Baadarane up in the Chouf mountains is known for its traditional
Lebanese architecture from the period of the Emirs. Some say the origins
of the name origins are Phoenician and translate Baadarane as “a
rest station,” citing its role as a Roman army post in 20 B.C.
The local tradition of looming is still in evidence here and visitors
to the village can view Nazih,a local craftsman demonstrating his skill.
Day 10 – Beirut, Ksara, Anjar, Baalbek, Bshareh (BL)
We’re
off in a different direction today, toward the Bekaa Valley. Ksara is
the oldest winery in Lebanon, developed by French Jesuits in the nineteenth
century following a long local tradition. We’ll continue to Anjar,
a mountain-girt village where Armenians from Turkey found refuge in
the last century, and developed their own Christian community. Farther
on is Baalbek which, as Heliopolis, whose majestic Roman temples were
a sonder of the ancient world. We’ll wander through and wonder
at the ruins, before we continue to Bshareh. Lunch is included
today at Deir El Ahmar WADA village with the locals: Deir El Ahmar :
Visiting
WADA, the Women's Association of Deir El Ahmar, in the Bekaa region
, is an authentic rural experience. The local women are known for their
culinary talents and offer lunch to visitor as well as and selling traditional
products. Many farmers are happy to play host and open their homes for
an authentic bed and breakfast featuring true Lebanese hospitality and
traditions. The surrounding area has several unknown historical sites
such as the Roman temple of Jupiter and Astarte. Visitors can also participate
in seasonal farming activities.
Day 11 – Bshareh, Cedars, Gibran Museum, Qadisha, Byblos (BL)
Bshareh
is the home village of painter and writer Khalil Gibran. We’ll
visit the museum dedicated to the life and work of the author of The
Prophet. We’ll continue through countryside carpeted with Lebanon’s
famed cedars, used to make the ships that plied the seas in ancient
times. We’ll traverse the Qadisha, or Holy Valley, its steep slopes
perforated with cave chapels and monasteries cut from solid rock by
monks, its peaks marked with some of the highest red-roofed villages
in Lebanon. Finally, we’ll reach Byblos, where we stop for the
night.
Picnic lunch is included today in Qadisha Valley .
Qadisha : The impressive Qadisha Valley, classified as an UN
World Heritage Site, in Lebanon’s northern region is one of Lebanon’s
best kept secrets. Inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC to the Roman
period, the valley is scattered with cave chapels, hermitages and monasteries
cut from rock. Since the Early Middle Ages generations of monks,
and hermits found asylum here. At the bottom of this wild gorge runs
the Qadisha River whose source is at the foot of the Cedars. Several
walking trails lead through the valley along wild bushes, fir and pine
trees to shady spots to enjoy a picnic.
Day
12 – Byblos (BL)
Byblos
is one of the oldest inhabited cities anywhere, well worth the day we
spend appreciating its many layers. Phoenician temples remain from thousands
of years before the time of Christ, while a castle and the Church of
St. John the Baptist bespeak the ebb and flow of the Crusades through
the city. But Byblos is more than history. Its seaside location and
backdrop of mountains make it a favorite locale for browsing, shopping,
and lingering over a repast and beverages on terrace with views to ships,
slopes, and treasured buildings. Seafood lunch is included today
at a local restaurant, if you prefer other cuisine / dishes , please
let's know in advance .
Day
13 – Byblos, Jeita, Harissa, Beirut (BL)
Surprises
continue today, as we head toward the Jeita Caves, a vast limestone
complex south of Byblos and north of Beirut, inhabited in prehistoric
times. The caves hold the world’s largest known stalactite, and
shelter a river that supplies water to Beirut. We’ll stop at the
hillside shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon at Harissa, high above the city
of Jounieh, noted for its statue with a chapel inside, as well as for
spectacular views. By nightfall, we’ll find ourselves back in
Beirut. Lunch is included today enroute : a charming local restaurant.
Day
14 – Beirut (BL)
Our
last full day includes a full tour of Beirut. Beirut gleams with well-preserved
Ottoman buildings and rebuilt quarters with the latest in avant-garde
architecture. We’ll see the central neighborhoods, the marina,
and of course the National Museum with its treasures from times ancient
to Ottoman. There will be time for last-minute shopping today in the
many fine and surprising boutiques of the city, where Oriental wares
and the latest western fashion are on offer.
We have researched some of the best local Beirut restaurant
for your culinary pleasure
( lunch included ) , and this is one of them : the Basha’s
Shawarma ! This popular Beirut is the best place in town to try out
this tasty Middle Eastern specialty ( the Shawerma ) , if you are vegetarian
then we'll go for the excellent spinach pies.
Day
15 – Departure (B)
We’ll
call for you after breakfast, and see you to the airport to begin your
homeward journey.
Bon Voyage !
Rates per
person in USD:
| |
Deluxe |
First
Class |
Tourist
Class |
| Triple
Occupancy |
US$
5378 |
US$
5150 |
US$
4943 |
| Double |
US$
5491 |
US$
5232 |
US$
5021 |
| Single |
US$
7585 |
US$
6719 |
US$
6416 |
- In
Lebanon : Deluxe hotels are not available outside Beirut, so it will;
be 3-4 stars outside Beirut , while in Lebanon .
- Sample
Deluxe Nile Cruise used for this tour :
The M/S Mojito , the M/S Monaco , , M/S Tuya , M/S TiYi, Sonesta M/S
Moon Goddess , Sonesta M/S Star Goddess ( Mozart Suite) , Movenpick
M/S Royal Lilly , Movenpick M/S Royal Lotus , Mövenpick M/S Radamis
II and M/S Amarco
Rates
includes :
- All
domestic airfares , in economy class within Egypt, tax included.
- Air
fare Cairo Beirut in business class , tax included
, ticket issued and delivered in Cairo , Egypt.
- All
transfers in Egypt, always on a private basis, private air-conditioned
vehicle, private chauffeur.
- A
complimentary home hosted family dinner in Cairo.
- 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.
- Hotel
accommodation with tax & service charges.
-
Nile Cruise with all meals and shore excursions.
- Complimentary
welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin.
- Complimentary
galabya on board the cruise for the costume party.
- Preset
menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB,
Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D
= Dinner .
- All
guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees. Private
Egyptologist while in Cairo , but while on board the cruise you'll
be part of an average 10-15 English speaking group.
-
We have even included all the tips to your drivers,
guides, porters, and the crew on board your cruise . No Hidden charges.
No additional tax
Not
included:
-
International airfares to or from Cairo.
- Travel
Insurance
- Visa
will be secured upon arrival in Cairo by paying $ 15 in cash , please
have the exact amount , no photos required, this is for a limited
number of nationalities such as American , Australian, NZ , Canadian,
EU , Singaporean, and Japanese Citizens , if in doubt about your eligibility
, please contact the Egyptian Consulate nearest you .
After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you
to the hotel
Syria
and Lebanon will not issue you a visa , if your passport has any Israeli
stamps or visa for Israel, you are responsible for ensuring that your
passport is valid and in order, please provide us with your passport
info and an eligible scan of the info page in your passport at least
45 day sin advance to allow us to secure your visa .
More
choices :
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-
Go
fishing for a day on Lake
Nasser .
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Add
an extra night in Sharm
. Going to Taba ?
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Honeymooners
, Private Parties ? Ask for a Private
Cruise .
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The
10 days, 11
Day , 12 Day with extended
stay in Luxor or Aswan .
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-
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Click
here for the 14 -day edition with one week in Hurgada or El Gouna
on the Red Sea:
A "Dream
Come True" tour. 14 days , Cairo and the Pyramids. A Nile
Cruise of course, and a beach resort at Hurgada or El Gouna,
on the Red Sea. Including the welcome Zaffa (procession that will
resemble an Arabian/Egyptian wedding party) with a troupe of dancers
and musicians dressed with the Egyptian typical clothes, welcoming
guests by singing and dancing Egyptian Folklore).
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 .
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