Magic of Istanbul and the Nile

A grand 18 days Tour of Egypt and Turkey

Turkey, Istanbul , Egypt , Cairo Abu Simbel and a Nile Cruise
Including air fare from JFK ( ask us for air fare add-on from major cities in the USA)
Board your Nile Cruise in Luxor

DAY 1 - Wednesday . USA -Departures are weekly year round
Board your comfortable wide body jet at JFK International Airport. Economy class , tax included . Ask us for air fare add-on from major USA cities.
Overnight across the Atlantic. (International air fare is included in our listed rates ) . Our airline partners are : Lufthansa, Air France ,British etc. We will confirm at the time we recieve your request.

DAY 2 - Thursdday . ISTANBUL (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. Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur for all and private guide

DAY 3 - Friday (B)
Full day on your own to explore Istanbul as you wish .

DAY 4 - Saturday . ISTANBUL (BLD)
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.
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. Dinner at an exclusive Turkish restaurant Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur for all and private guide

DAY 5 - Sunday - CAPPADOCIA (B)
Morning flight to Kayseri and on to biblical Cappadocia and your Hotel Breakfast at the hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure . Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur and private guide

Day 6 - Monday . CAPPADOCIA (BL)
We explore the "moonscape" of Cappadocia, visiting the painted churches in the Göreme and Zelve Valleys, the rockhewn dwellings in Ortahisar, the pottery-making center of Avanos, and the incredible underground city of Kaymakl (or Derinkuyu). Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur and private guide

Day 7 - Tuesday . CAPPADOCIA / KAYSERI / IZMIR, EPHESUS (B)
Proceed by private car to Kayseri, board your flight on to Istanbul and connect to Izmir , and your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure.
Breakfast at the hotel . Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur and private guide

DAY 8 - Wednesday . Ephesus / ISTANBUL (B)
We proceed to time capsule & the gem of ancient cities of the Greco Roman world: Ephesus, the capital of Roman Asia Minor, we spend most of the day in Ephesus and touring the Basilica of St. John, said to mark his tomb. Then fly back to Istanbul & our hotel, 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. Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur and private guide

DAY 9 - 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, 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. Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur for all your transfers in Turkey and Egypt.

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 10 - 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. Private air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur and private guide

DAY 11 - Saturday . Luxor ( or ASWAN ) (BLD)
Very early breakfast at your hotel. Morning flight ( air fare is always included in our rate ), fly to Luxor or Aswan . Upon arrival proceed to 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. On to the Ramesseum, Medinet Habu then back to the East Back to check-in around noon on board your Nile cruise , in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin . Afternoon tour of Luxor Museum , In the evening , we have arranged for a horse drawn carriage ride for you to attend the Sound & Light show at Karnak ( Please bring a jacket and always carry with you a bottle of water ( long performance , bring a jacket and a flash light )

DAY 12 - 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.

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. 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 13 - 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 14 - 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 :
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.

DAY 15 - Wednesday - Abu Simbel (Breakfast + Lunch)
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 , admire its ancient aura and artistry

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.

Ramses the Great Abu Simbel Temple :
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.

After the tour we then retire to a comfortable hotel for lunch and refreshments ( bottled water / tea / coffee included) . Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temple we begin our leisurely drive back along to Aswan, arriving late afternoon, your hotel in Aswan : Movenpick or Isis Island Hotel for deluxe ( the legendary Old Cataract is closed for renovation ) , or Basma for first class.

If you wish, please join us and try your hand at camel riding ! We'll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.

This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo ! 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. Extend your stay in Egypt? Please click here .

DAY 18 - Saturday . RETURN HOME (B)
Our Cairo-based staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage

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.

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 Tuya , M/S 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
  
• All the tips to porters, guides, drivers, and the crew on board your Nile cruise.
  
  
• International airfares from/to NYC including tax. When you handle your own air fare , please deduct $ 500 from any of the rates for ( JFK ISTANBUL & Cairo JFK)
  For May - Sep please add $350 air fare supplement.
  For Boston & Chicago please add $350. For Miami & Houston , please add $ 300 .
  For most of West Coast cities please add $450. This doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare.
  
  
  
• 5-day Nile cruise, including all meals , afternoon tea served on deck daily , and shore excursions.
  
  
• One large bottled water per person delivered to your cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise . Plus a small bottle of water with each & every meal on board the cruise
  
  
• Tea or coffee and water with each & every meal while you are on board the Nile cruise.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• 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 .
  
  
• Port taxes.
  
  
• Domestic air within Egypt, in business class, tax included .
  
  
• 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.

For children : 2-10 years of age : 25 % 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 .

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