DAY 8 - Thursday . ISTANBUL, CAIRO (B)
After breakfast our local representative will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, air fare is included in economy class, tax included , in Cairo , our local rep. 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, Australian , NZ , Japanese and Australian citizens, passports must be valid for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival. You are responsible for your passport being valid and 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

DAY 9 - Friday . CAIRO (BLD)
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. Evening departure on board the sleeper train -officially 4 stars , we rate it : Modest 3 stars ( private compartment), dinner is served on board. If you prefer to fly , please add : $150 per person to any of the rates, in which case you spend tonight in Cairo, and fly tomorrow morning to Aswan.

DAY 10 - Saturday - ASWAN ( or Luxor ) - Board your Nile cruise (BLD)
Breakfast is served on board before you arrive Aswan in Upper Egypt. You'll arrive in time to take lunch aboard your Nile cruiser. We'll have the opportunity to experience Egypt at its most authentic, as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If you wish, try your hand at camel riding! We'll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.

DAY 11 - Sunday . ASWAN, KOM OMBO - Nile Cruise (BLD)
After breakfast on board, we'll visit the dams at Aswan, including the High Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land. At the ancient granite quarry, we'll see an obelisk left unfinished, then board a launch on Lake Nasser to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters. Back aboard our cruiser, we'll sail northward down the Nile at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek.

DAY 12 - Monday . EDFU, ESNA - Nile Cruise (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Later, we'll cruise to Esna, and by evening, we'll be in fabled Luxor.

DAY 13 -Tuesday . LUXOR - Nile Cruise (BLD)
We'll cross the Nile to view an array of ancient splendors: the tomb chambers of the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the Valley of the Queens; and, the Colossi of Memnon. Evening Karnak Sound & Light Show

DAY 14 - Wednesday . LUXOR, CAIRO, (B)
We'll visit the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the great Temple of Luxor 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.

Day 15 - DAHSOUR - HOME HOSTED MEAL - Thursday (BL)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice! Continue 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. Lunch is included at a local restaurant or at your hotel. 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. Prefer to extend your stay in Egypt or Turkey ? please click here.

DAY 16 - Friday . RETURN HOME (B)
Our Cairo-based local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Departures are weekly, year round, on Thursdays & Fridays.  

RATES per person in double occupancy in US$:
All cabins on the Nile cruise are outside cabins with two lower beds, all with panoramic windows.

  Christmas/ New Years, Easter Weeks: Please add : 20 percent to the rates

Sample Deluxe Nile Cruise:
M/S Mojito , M/S Monaco or M/S Monte Carlo Nile Cruise, M/S Adonis , M/S Beau Soleil , M/S Florence .M/S Tuya , M/S TIYI .

Sample Suite on board the Ultra Deluxe M/S Amarco (supplement applies for the suite)

For Ultra Deluxe Cruise
Or the All Suites/ All with private balconies : Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess
The All Suites M/S Amarco , Movenpick M/S Royal Lotus , Movenpick M/S Royal Lily
please add % 20, to the deluxe rate

• Lonely Planet travel guides to Turkey and Egypt
  
• Air fare in economy class : between Istanbul and Cairo , tax included.
  
  
• Five day Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions.
  
  
• Guided tours as listed , including all entrance fees.
  
  
• Hotel accommodation as mentioned in Turkey and Cairo, including tax and service charges, and breakfast daily.
  
  
• Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
  
  
• Airport greeting and assistance. Transportation between airports, hotels, and port.
  
  
• One-way air transportation Istanbul and Cairo, economy class , tax included .
  
  
• Port taxes.
  
  
• Domestic air & sleeper train ( private compartment) transportation in Egypt .
  
  
• Egyptian visa fee, available only for American, Australian, NZ, Canadian, EU , Singaporean & Japanese citizens. Must have a valid passport. Issued upon arrival at Cairo airport.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.

For children : 2-10 years of age : 20 % discount will apply when sharing with parents in a double room

Sample hotels ( Subject to change subject to availibility at the time you book ):

Not Included:

• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
• Turkish Visa fee, you may contact the Turkish Consulate nearest to you to secure your visa before you travel, or upon arrival at Istanbul in this case cash only ,
• Additional personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary .
• International air fare from/ to your home country

More choices :

• Compare with the 14 day version adding Athens tour.
  
• prefer a land based tour without the Nile cruise ? please click here
  
• Compare wit the 16 day Santorini Version , or a foray into Istanbul .
  
• Touring Greece by land rather than by cruise - 15 day Edition .
  
• Grand Tour ATHENS, ISTANBUL & NILE CRUISE .
  
• Compare with the Ultra Deluxe Version including Istanbul.
  
• Compare with Egypt , Palestine and Israel version .
  
• Add the Arabian Gulf hottest destination : Dubai , the true 1001 Arabian Nights destination.
  
• Compare with the Santorini edition
  
• The 20-Days Grand Tour of the East Mediterranean including Cappadoccia
  
• Around the World : Athens , Istanbul and Tokyo, add Egypt

Extend your tour to cover Abu Simbel :Temple of Queen Nefertari :
The great funerary temple built in the 12th century BC by Ramses the Great for Queen Nefertari is unique in Egyptian history. Beautifully restored with American aid, it's the only such temple built by a pharaoh for his queen. We rise early to see it as few visitors are admitted each day. It's sure to be a highlight of your Egyptian adventure.

Abu Simbel:
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. We've planned our visit to maximize your Abu Simbel experience. Rising before dawn, we drive along the shore of Lake Nasser, watching the sky lighten and the sacred sun rise above the horizon. We reach the temple while the air is clean, clear and cool, and the sun's light still golden‹just right for photographs. We explore the huge temple by ourselves, 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 in time for a late lunch.