Tour starts weekly in Athens on : Saturdays , March through Nov
You may add extra days pre or post . Among the most treasured memories of many travelers are a trip to Greece and a journey on a Nile steamer. You'll experience both, along with the high points of Classical Greece, on this tour. Grand Tour ATHENS, ISTANBUL & NILE CRUISE, compare with Egypt Palestine and Israel version . Compare with the Santorini edition.Add a Greek Cruise ?

DAY 1 - Weekly on Saturday : March thru end of Nov t : -ATHENS
Our local personnel meets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel.
Athens is yours and you may wish to cover on your own the high points of the city, especially the towering Acropolis and the adjacent museum.

Private chauffeur, private air conditioned vehicle for all your transfers while you are in Greece, Turkey and Egypt with us . Compare with the Four Ultra Deluxe Edition , or the 20-Days Grand Tour of the East Mediterranean

DAY 2 - Sunday- ATHENS- Private Tour (BL)
On your first morning in Athens we show you the top sights: private tour : private air-conditioned vehicle, private guide , private chauffeur : the Acropolis and its museum, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Theater of Dionysus, and more. In the afternoon, plunge into the city as you like for sightseeing and shopping.

Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. Dinner is included at a typical Greek Taverna.
Private chauffeur, private guide private air conditioned vehicle for all your touring today.

DAY 3 - Monday - MYCENAE, EPIDAURUS - NAUPLIA- Group Tour (BD)
We set forth from Athens to tour classical Greece, passing Corinth and its steep-walled canal as we go. We stop at Mycenae, center of ancient Mycenaean civilization (2800-1100 BC); and Epidaurus, site of the temple of Asclepius. We spend the night in Nauplia. First class hotels : Amalia or similar . Tourist class : Victoria or similar

DAY 4 - Tuesday - OLYMPIA- Group Tour (BD)
We pass by Tripolis and Megalopolis on our way to Olympia, ancient site of the Olympic games. We visit the great Temple of Zeus, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, and tour the museum. First class hotels : Europa or similar .

DAY 5 - Wednesday - DELPHI- Group Tour (BD)
We drive through Rion, Antirion and Nafpaktos and along the Corinthian coast on our way to Delphi, site of the famed oracle, at the foot of Mount Parnassus.
First class hotels : Amalia or similar .

DAY 6 - Thursday - DELPHI & ATHENS- Group Tour (B)
We tour the ruins of Delphi and its oracle, sacred to Apollo and Dionysus. In the afternoon, we drive via the lovely village of Arachova to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loucas, then on to Athens.

DAY 7 - Friday - ATHENS, CAIRO (B)
You'll sail into Piraeus early in the morning. Our Athens-based personnel will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, air fare is included in our rate Athens Cairo in economy class, tax included. In Cairo our local local staff whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward through the desert to your hotel .
Visa fee is included, issued upon arrival for : EU , American, Singaporean , Japanese and Australian, NZ citizens, passports must be valid for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival. You are responsible for your passport being valid & in order.

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

Private chauffeur, private air conditioned vehicle for all your transfers while you are in Greece, Turkey and Egypt with us

DAY 8 - Saturday - LUXOR - Board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
After an early breakfast, we assist with your transfers & flights ( all included) and transfer to board our Nile cruiser in Luxor 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.

DAY 9 - Sunday - 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 10 - Monday - EDFU, KOM OMBO (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 11 - Tuesday - ASWAN (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to 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.

In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile.

Our farewell dinner this evening is a buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by a show featuring oriental performers, including of course a belly dancer.
Cabin amenity: Egyptian Sweets platter.

Abu Simbel A Savage Grandeur :
Abu Simbel is the grand finale for the Egyptian Nile : 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 Feb 20 and Oct ( thought to be the birthday& coronation of Ramses the Great ) and only then the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies, illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari.

We explore the huge temple with your own PRIVATE GUIDE , admire its ancient aura and artistry, then retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temple we begin our leisurely drive back along the shore to Aswan, arriving late afternoon. And your hotel in Aswan, for deluxe category : the legendary Old Cataract or Oberoi Aswan

DAY 13 - Thursday -Camel Caravan - Nubian Village - CAIRO, Home Hosted Dinner (B)
Only for those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride to visit a local Nubian Village for tea with the locals, then on to the new Nubia Museum . before heading to the airport to catch our flight to Cairo. After we settle you into your hotel, you'll have your last opportunity to experience the excitement of this great city and, of course, do some last-minute shopping.
Tonight you are invited to meet the local, and enjoy dinner with our compliments , you'll be honored guests at a local family home, if you prefer to have a quite evening on your own , please do let's know.

DAY 14 - Friday - CAIRO (BL)
Today, you'll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights, but your day has just started. You'll also see the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In Giza, on the edge of the desert, you'll gaze in awe at the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids , for those interested a complimentary ticket is included for entry to the King's chamber inside the Pyramid, you must be physically fit to be able to climb.
Private chauffeur, private guide private air conditioned vehicle for all your touring today.

The Great Pyramid of Cheops . . . Are You Up to the Adventure?

A journey into the heart of the Great Pyramid is a real-life Indiana Jones adventure. But it can also be a taxing and frightening one.

You'll follow claustrophobic passages cut into the heart of the pyramid, feel the pull of the mass of stone directly above. For better or worse, you have placed yourself in the hands of the engineering expertise of the ancients.

As you continue along the unventilated passages, the oxygen becomes depleted, the air becomes noticeably warmer and more pungent. The ascent of steep stairways consumes more energy than you imagined, and you find yourself short of breath. Lighting is dim, every footstep must be carefully calculated. Low passageways repeatedly oblige you to advance while bent down, and your muscles protest. Where walls disappear into the dark above, you feel wedged into a shaft. Despite warnings, and your own resolve, claustrophobic feelings are hard to suppress.

Finally, you behold the King's Chamber at the heart of the Great Pyramid. The effort to reach it has made the reward more exhilarating than you imagined. If only you can face the return.

Is the King's Chamber for you? If you're not used to bending and regular exercise, you might find the challenge beyond your capabilities. Turning back is more difficult the farther you go, and the experience could leave you aching for days afterwards.

Be realistic about yourself, your abilities, and your disposition. And remember that there are many other rewarding sights and adventures at Giza, without the physical challenge and risks of the King's Chamber.

The decision is up to you.

DAY 15 - Saturday - RETURN HOME (B)
Our Cairo-based staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage.

General Notes

• Departures are weekly , March through Nov . Cruise itinerary may vary according to ship and line selected
  
• RATES per person in double occupancy in US$:
  
• Rates based on an outside standard cabin with two lower beds.