|
Egyptian Wonders
Tourist class hotels - 14 -Day Version
Our
deluxe tour of Cairo and the Nile gives you an in-depth look at the wonders
of Egypt in 14 days, at the best rates possible. Meet the local, enjoy
a home hosted meal.
Tour starts weekly in Cairo on Mondays. Add
an extension to Petra Jordan or
to Alexandria.
Add a foray into the Western Sahara
and camping in the White Desert
DAY
1 - CAIRO Monday - Weekly - Year round
(D)
On arrival, our local rep. will escort you to your
comfortable hotel. Our
local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your
hotel. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited
number of citizens such as : American, EU , Canadian , EU Singaporean
and Japanese citizens. For Americans , please pay the $ 15 USD fee in
cash upon arrival . You are responsible for having your passport in order
valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our
local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name you after you clear
the passport and customs formalities .
After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private
vehicle) to the hotel . Dinner
is included upon arrival at the hotel.
DAY
2 - CAIRO - Tuesday (BLD)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum including the"
Mummies room" , King Tut's gold treasure room , Saladin's Citadel,
Sultan Hassan Madrassa , the Alabaster Mosque,and the 12th Century
Khan El Khalili Bazaar district including Muez Ledeen Allah Street
. Lunch is included at Naguib Mahfouz a true charming local restaurant.
on to El Darb El Ahmar and Hadaik El Azhar ( Read more on the Agha Khan
in Egypt) . Dinner at La Bodega restaurant in
Zamalek .
DAY
3 - GIZA - OLD CAIRO - Wednesday (BLD)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza and the
timeless Sphinx, including that famous shot on the camel with the
Pyramids in the background, this is a PHOTO OP. Not a camel ride, as time
is very limited.
in the afternoon we tour Old Cairo: the Coptic museum, Church of Abu Sarga,
and Ben Ezra Synagogue, where we will visit the spot at which, tradition
says, Moses was found by the banks of the Nile. Lunch at Mena House .Evening
Whirling Dervishes performance at Wekalet El Ghouri.
Evening dinner at Zeitouna restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel.
DAY
4 - CAIRO- Home Hosted Dinner Thursday (BD)
Morning tour of one of the gems of Cairo lay hidden for years behind locked
gates in a nondescript neighborhood: the tomb and gardens of Khedive Tawfik.
The Khedive was the viceroy who administered Egypt for the Turkish sultan.
It was Tawfik’s father, Khedive Ismail, who saw to the construction
of the Suez Canal. In the process, he mortgaged the nation, and threw
Egypt into turmoil. Tawfik was installed in his father’s place.
But with foreign bankers pressing on one side, and resentful nationalist
officers on the other, he was ineffectual. British troops moved into the
Suez Canal area to protect their investment—and didn't leave until
1952, when the monarchy was given the boot.
Tawfik’s mausoleum far outshines his rule. The original family burial
area was enlarged in 1881 and decorated with a splendor not seen since
the times of the Pharaohs. Columns with intricate Islamic-Mameluke decoration
adorn the entrance, while parts of the gold-threaded woven cover of the
holy Kabah of Mecca adorn the walls inside the doorways.
The tomb of Bambah Qadin, in white marble, is impressive, but that of
Tawfik himself is stunning: constructed of ebony, with inlays of ivory,
mother-of-pearl, and precious woods. Elsewhere are the tombs of other
family members, including that of Price Muhammad Ali, who married a French
actress. Even the family library is here.
With treasures like these, it’s no wonder that the precincts were
closed off from public view in uncertain times.
Even today, Tawfik’s Tomb and Gardens are off the beaten track for
most visitors, but at Travel in Style, we’re proud to include this
little-known treasure house of Egyptian history and art on our regular
tours.
This afternoon Cairo is yours to explore (or to shop!) as you like, guidebook
in hand; or ask about our optional tours.
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
5 - DAHSHOUR Friday (cBL)
A half-day tour takes us to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid
field south of Cairo: 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.
DAY
6 - LUXOR & KARNAK Saturday (cBLD)
An early flight takes us to Luxor, where we settle in aboard our Nile
cruiser. Following lunch aboard, we visit the great Temple of Luxor,
and the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, returning to our
vessel in time for tea.
DAY
7 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS Sunday (cBLD)
We tour the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb,
temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, and Colossi of Memnon,
returning to our Nile cruiser for lunch. In the afternoon, do as you like:
Luxor's folksy bazaar awaits you.
DAY 8 - ESNA & EDFU Monday (cBLD)
We cruise to Esna during the night and pass through the locks.
After breakfast we cruise to Edfu and board horse-drawn carriages
to get to the fine Temple of Horus. In the evening, we have a jolly
galabia party.
DAY
9 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN Tuesday (cBLD) We explore Kom Ombo's
twin Temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, before
cruising south to Aswan. After lunch aboard, we board a graceful
felucca for a cruise among the Nile islands .
DAY
10 - ASWAN & CAIRO Wednesday (cB)
The mighty Aswan dams and the Nubian Museum are our first goal this morning,
followed by a trip 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
the world.
Isis,
the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless
Egypt when you Travel in Style!
Back on land, we 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, before returning to Cairo
by plane.
Zoser Hotel or similar
DAY
11 - Giza , Memphis , Sakkara Thursday (BL)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza and the
timeless Sphinx. The afternoon is for Memphis and Sakkara, including
the Step Pyramid of Zoser & Nobles tombs/Mastabas. In the evening,
we return to the Pyramids for an awe-inspiring sound-and-light
show. Dinner is included tonight at your hotel.
DAY
12 - CAIRO - Friday (BD)
Full day at leisure in Cairo . Explore the city as you wish on your own.
Dinner and folk show tonight on board the Hyatt Dinner Cruise .
DAY
13 - CAIRO - Saturday (BL)
The Culture of Cairo
Today
we’ll explore deep into the heart of Cairo, and get to know its
daily rhythms, its spirituality, its history, and its modern diversions.
We’ll
start early, with a visit to a local market, with an immense variety of
seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer, both familiar and exotic.
You’ll
see that shopping in Cairo goes far beyond a supermarket experience. Be
prepared for whispers, gestures, shouting, and controlled chaos. It’s
all part of the bargaining process, engaged in by women in traditional
modest garb as well as others in Western dress.
Then
it’s on to the Museum of Islamic Art, with its tapestries, textiles,
swords and other objects exemplifying one of the world’s great decorative
traditions. We’ll continue to the Gayer-Anderson House, a serene
and classic domestic oasis, right down to its central fountain and exquisite
furnishings. Our visit is also a journey into a vanished way of life—the
residence is actually two traditional medieval Cairo houses restored by
an English physician to a former king. We’ll stop for lunch at a
restaurant where Cairenes go, then visit the Bab an-Nasr, the Gate of
Victory in Cairo’s old walls. You’ll even see graffiti that
survives from soldiers of Napoleon and of the British Empire, among the
many who passed this way.
DAY
14 - DEPARTURE Sunday (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon
Voyage.
RATES per
person in US$
| Start
in Cairo |
|
| Triple |
US$
2196 |
| Double |
US$
2238 |
| Single |
US$
3113 |
DEPARTURE
NOTES
Egyptian Wonders starts on Mondays in Cairo . For departures during Christmas,
New Year's , please add 20% to the rates .
DINING
NOTES
The set-menu meals included in your tour are indicated in the itinerary:
B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental
Breakfast), L = Lunch, D
= Dinner. On our luxury Nile cruise vessels, our spacious dining rooms
accommodate all passengers at one seating, so there is no need to worry
about making reservations.
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES:
-
Egyptian domestic airfares as described
in the itinerary, in economy class .
- All
airport transfers and taxes in Egypt.
- Tourist
class Hotel accommodations in Cairo (including taxes).
- Set-menu
(table d'hote) meals as indicated in the itinerary above.
- A
Nile cruise with all shore excursions and meals.
- Guided
sightseeing by air-conditioned motor coach, including all admissions
fees.
- Visa
fee is included & will be issued upon arrival for : American, Canadian,
EU, Australian, NZ , Singaporean, & Japanese citizens.
- Bottled
water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are
on board the cruise.
- Tea
or coffee & bottled water with every & each meal while on board
the cruise.
- Complimentary
fruit basket upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
- Welcome
drink served upon arrival on board your Nile Cruise.
Not
Included:
- International
Air fare
- Tips
- Travel
Insurance
DRESS
CODE All of our luxury Nile cruise vessels are fully air conditioned.
Onboard dress is casual except at dinner, when smart casual is the rule.
Lightweight cotton and other natural fiber clothing is best, with swimsuits
and sun hats for the sundeck and pool. Bring a light sweater or light
jacket for cool mornings and evenings, but most days are warm to hot,
with very little rain. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for shore
excursions.
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.
For Private Sailing Compare with
: Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya
Tha
Agha Khan in Egypt :
Darb
Al-Ahmar, one of the
poorest parts of Cairo, is the site for various AKDN social programmes
- including restoration of the decayed housing stock - which are designed
to help revitalise the historic district. Al-Azhar park, undertaken
by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, has proven to be a powerful catalyst
for urban renewal in the neighbouring district of Darb al-Ahmar -- one
of the poorest districts in Cairo. Other AKDN agencies are now working
on social programmes in the neighbourhood, including microfinance, education,
civil society strengthening and health.
Darb
Al-Ahmar Social Programmes
Less than two centuries ago, Darb Al-Ahmar was one of the wealthiest
neighborhoods in Historic Cairo. Today, however, the 92,000 inhabitants
of the district are among the poorest. While featuring one of the richest
concentrations of Islamic architecture in the world, the district also
suffers from a lack of adequate basic infrastructure and services such
as water and sanitation. When the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)
made a baseline study in 2003, the housing stock was crumbling, piles
of trash lined the streets, the historic monuments had come under increasing
stress, the neighborhood retained an unsavory reputation and hope among
its inhabitants for improvements in the quality of life had dimmed.
Since
2003, AKTC and its partners have created a number of social programmes
in Al Darb Al-Ahmar, each of them designed to address a development
challenge. Hundreds of families have benefited from improvements to
the water supply network, including the replacement of lead junctures.
Repair of the electrical systems began in 2007. Parts of the sewage
network have been upgraded and expanded into alleys previously not served
by these facilities. New drainage works are preventing the pooling of
water, thereby reducing the potential for water-borne disease. Environmental
programmes have stressed general environmental awareness as well as
focusing specifically on environmentally friendly solid waste disposal
practices. A programme to remove the trash and rubble that is strewn
across many roofs in the area and replace them with vegetable gardens
was undertaken. Another project installed water supply cisterns on roofs,
addressing a chronic lack of water and water pressure. In addition,
to tackle the lack of heating in 25 percent of the area’s homes,
a pilot project for affordable solar water heating systems was started.
|
