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Magic
of Istanbul and the Nile
A 12 day Tour of these two gems of the Mediterranean
- Private touring
Start any day of the week , subject to the availability of flights
and a Nile Cruise
Add
Syria
Departures
are daily year round
You may cruise the Nile in the Privacy of your own Royal boat,
click here for details.
DAY
1 - ISTANBUL- Start daily in Istanbul - Year Round
(B)
Upon arrival at Istanbul ,
you're met at the airport by our representative, who sees you to your
hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know
the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two
thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient
Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful
mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling
modern metropolis of ten million people.
DAY
2 - ISTANBUL (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul
was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and
the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet
III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia.
We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian's great
Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous
Topkapi Palace, the sultans' seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking
exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles,
and lavish court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar,
where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics,
copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops.
DAY
3 - ISTANBUL (BL)
ISTANBUL-
"Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:"
Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where
the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then
take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish
tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates),
and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the
famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in
the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and
be picked up for the afternoon tour.
In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri,
a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military
History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military
band (mid-afternoon).
Then
go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar.
Breakfast, Lunch.
DAY
4- ISTANBUL (B)
Full day on your own in Istanbul , one last chance
for shopping spree in the legendary covered Bazaar. Istanbul is all
yours, any way you like it. Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook and stroll
along the restored 19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once
known as the Grand Rue, DE Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies
in the Egyptian Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city's many
Byzantine churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square.
Climb the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for
a panoramic view of Old Istanbul.
DAY 5- ISTANBUL, CAIRO (B)
Air fare is included between Istanbul and Cairo in economy class
, tax included . After breakfast our local representative will take
you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, where our local staff
whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward
through the desert to your hotel .
Visa fee for Egypt is included, issued upon arrival for EU , American,
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 & 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
6 - 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.
Evening
Sound & Light show as well at Giza by the Pyramids is included.
DAY
7 - Sat . CAMEL CARAVAN/NUBIAN VILLAGE / ASWAN - Nile Cruise (BLD)
Enjoy an breakfast before you fly to Aswan ( or Luxor ) 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
8 - ASWAN, KOM OMBO (BLD)
First
we tour new Nubian Museum then the dams at Aswan, including the High
Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land, and next an ancient granite
quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch
to the the Island temple of Philae , rescued from rising waters it was
moved to this island after building the High Dam. dedicated to the Ancient
Goddess ISIS :
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.
Honeymoon on the Nile - Enjoying a drink before sunset on deck :
DAY
9 - EDFU, ESNA (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
10 - LUXOR (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of
the Kings , including Tutankaomn'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.
DAY
11 - LUXOR, CAIRO (BD)
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. Dinner included at the hotel.
DAY
12 - RETURN HOME (B)
Our
Cairo-based staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home.
RATES
per person in double occupancy in US$:
All cabins on the Nile cruise are outside cabins with two lower beds,
all with panoramic windows.
Rates
per person in US$ :
| |
Deluxe |
First
Class |
Tourist
Class |
|
Triple |
$
4050.00 |
$
3439.00 |
$
2960.00 |
| Double |
$
4180.00 |
$
3560.00 |
$
3080.00 |
| Single |
$
5229.00 |
$
4850.00 |
$
3610.00 |
Christmas/
New Years, Easter Weeks: Please add :15 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
For
Ultra Deluxe Cruise M/S
Queen TI-YI .
Or the All Suites/ All with private balconies : Moon
Goddess , or M/S Senator
The All Suites Amarco , please
add % 20, to the deluxe rate
For
Dec 20 - Jan 5 , Easter : Please add 20 % supplement to any of the rates
Rate
includes:
-
Lonely
Planet travel guides to Turkey and Egypt
-
5-day
Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions ..
-
Guided
tours as listed , including all entrance fees. Private Guide in
Cairo, Istanbul & on board the cruise, for all the shore excursions.
-
Private
car/driver for all airport/hotel/cruise transfers.
-
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
-
Domestic
air flights within Egypt .
-
Egyptian
visa fee, available only for American, Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian,
British & Japanese citizens. Must have a valid passport. Issued
upon arrival at Cairo airport.
For
children : 2-10 years of age : 25 % discount will apply when sharing
with parents in a double room
Not
Included:
Extend
your stay in Egypt one night in Aswan or 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.
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.
Grand Tour
ATHENS,ISTANBUL & NILE CRUISE
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