Magic
of Istanbul and the Nile
16
days : Turkey and Egypt , and a Sailing on the
Nile
on board the Royal Cleopatra - Including air fare from JFK
Cruise
the Nile in the Privacy of your own Royal Cleopatra Sailing boat
DAY
1 - Thursday- USA .
Departures are weekly on: Thursdays & Fridays year round
Board your comfortable wide body jet at JFK International Airport.
Overnight across the Atlantic. (International air fare is included in
our listed rates , in economy class, tax included ) . Our partners are
Turkish Airlines, Egyptair , British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Swiss
or other IATA accredited airlines, subject to availability.
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.
DAY
2 - Fri. 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.
DAY
3- Sat. ISTANBUL - Sleeper Overnight Train to Ankara
(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. Complimentary entrance tickets to the
Harem's Quarter in Topkape Palace in Istanbul, when
you book your tour/cruise with us. Overnight Sleeper train to Ankara
DAY
4- Sun, ANKARA / CAPPADOCIA (BLD)
Morning arrival at Ankara. Visit
the Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilization. & Ataturk mausoleum continue
to Sultanhani the Seljuk Turkish caravanserai before making the drive
to biblical Cappadocia and our Hotel
Day
5- Mon. CAPPADOCIA (BLD)
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).
Day
6- Tue. CAPPADOCIA / KAYSERI / IZMIR, EPHESUS (B)
Proceed by private car to Kayseri,
board your flight on to Istanbul & connect to Izmir , and your hotel.
Remainder of the day at leisure.
DAY
7- Wed. Ephesus / ISTANBUL (BL)
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.
DAY
8- Thu. ISTANBUL, CAIRO (B)
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 is included, issued upon arrival for EU , Canadian , American,
Japanese , Australian and 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
DAY
9- Fri. 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.
Dinner is included with a folk and belly dance show.
DAY
10 - Sat. Luxor - (BLD)
A
very early breakfast at the hotel . Before we head for a 6 or a 7 AM
flight for Luxor.
and
escort you to your hotel .
Today
We tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley
of the Queens, including the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, stopping
also at the Colossi of Memnon before heading back to Luxor This afternoon
we stand in awe before the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak,
and the mighty Temple of Luxor.
Day
11 - LUXOR, ESNA-EDFU - ROYAL CLEOPATRA Sunday (BLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Board your private air conditioned van to EDFU
:
Check-in , and board your Felucca the Royal Cleopatra ( rated:
modest 3 stars)
( Your crew of 5 will be available to welcome you : the captain, sailor,
chef, housekeeper and of course your Resident Egyptologist)
Welcome
drink served upon arrival "Karkadeh - Local herb tea". Lunch
will be served . Welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin, watch
sunset as we dock north of Edfu and sip tea on deck. Dinner follows
) , then to bed, with the ripples of the Nile gently rocking you to
sleep
Day
12- EDFU- Wednesday (BLD)
Breakfast in your cabin, or on the sundeck,As
sun rises we continue our sailing towards Edfu.
In
Edfu, climb aboard your private horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop
through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best preserved.
Enjoy
a grand afternoon of sailing on the Nile watching villages & scenery
that changed little since Biblical times.
We enjoy lunch at one of the small islands on the way. Dock at Elmerinat.
Day
13 - GABAL ELSISILAH - FARES - Thursday (BLD)
Breakfast on board. We sail further upstream heading for GABAL
ELSISILAH
Enjoy lunch on board . We reach Gabal Elsisilah early afternoon and
tour the ancient sandstone quarries. A charming off the beating track
site that 's not yet overwhelmed with large groups of tourists.
Watch sunset as we sip tea on
deck. Dinner follows, then on to Fares where we dock for the night .
Enjoy the Egyptian southern clear skies with thousands of stars to watch
! A galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments.
Day
14 - Kom Ombo - Aswan Friday (B)
After breakfast on board. We return to Royal Cleopatra to bid farewell
to the crew. We change our mode of transportation and board an air conditioned
van/car , we stop at Kom Ombo , visit its twin temple dedicated to the
crocodile god of the Nile, a true Greco Roman masterpiece.
Inspect
the ancient wall carvings that documents the measurements and detailed
description of the medical instruments available to the Ancient Egyptian.
Time permitting we 'll head for Draw for a quick tour of the Camel
Market . We enjoy a short walking tour thru the local village and
souks of Kom Ombo, before sailing south and dock just north of Aswan.
Day
15 - Aswan-Camel Caravan / Cairo - Saturday (B)
Enjoy breakfast on board in the comfort of your cabin or on the Sun
Deck. Check- out,we
bid farewell to the crew. Enjoy
a short camel ride/mini caravan to a nearby Nubian Village to meet the
locals .Then we switch transportation modes to a
tour of the Island Temple of Philae dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian
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.
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..
With
these vivid impressions in mind, we drive to the airport , for the flight
back
to Cairo. And your hotel.
DAY
16 - RETURN HOME - Sunday (B)
Our
Cairo-based staff 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$:
Rates
From JFK:
| |
Deluxe |
First
Class |
Tourist
Class |
|
Sharing in Triple Occupancy |
$
6840.00 |
$
6118.00 |
$
5515.00 |
| In
Double Occupancy |
$
6860.00 |
$
6231.00 |
$
5598.00 |
| In
Single Occupancy |
$
7611.00 |
$
7305.00 |
$
7008.00 |
Christmas/ New Years, Easter Weeks: Please add :15 percent to the rates
Rate
includes:
- Lonely
Planet travel guides to Turkey and Egypt
-
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.
- Royal
Cleopatra Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions.
- Guided
tours as listed , including all entrance fees.
- Hotel
accommodation as mentioned in Turkey and Egypt , 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 .
-
Domestic air fare in Egypt in economy 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.
- 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.
Inclusions
while on board the Sailing boat:
-
Meals
as indicated, preset menu: BLD: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner.
-
Shore
excursions are included as indicated.
- Resident
guide/Egyptologist onboard.
-
One
bottle of water per person per day while on board the cruise .
- Tea
or coffee with each meal while on board the cruise
-
Welcome
fruit basket upon arrival on board the Royal Cleopatra .
- Fuel,
docking fees.
-
The
service of an English Speaking guide. Resident on board your felucca
-
Transfers
as indicated.
- The
service of a small tug boat with it's 2 crew member , that will always
be on a standby sailing with us, in case of lack of wind to power
our sail.
- One
night hotel accommodation in Luxor at the Hilton, Meridien or Sheraton,
tax & continental breakfast included.
- One
night hotel accommodation in Aswan at Movenpick Elephantine Island
Hotel or similar , with tax and Continental breakfast.
Children
: 2-10 years of age :
10 % discount will apply when sharing with parents in a double room
Not
Included:
- Trip
interruption and cancellation insurance (please see your insurance
agent
- Turkish
Visa fee, you may contact the Turkish Consulate nearest to you to
secure your visa before you travel, or upon arrival at Istanbul ,
cash only
- Additional
personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned
in the itinerary .
Royal
Cleopatra is a modified felucca type vessel, officially called
a sandal , is modestly furnished and crewed by it's own private staff
of 5 members: Captain, Sailor, Chef, Housekeeper, and Resident Tour Guide.
There are exactly two cabins on-board the vessel, each with its own bathroom.
Normally, we have the resident tour guide stay on-board with our guests,
in the rear guide's cabin. However, and upon your request , for added
privacy while you are on board , we would ask the resident tour guide
to meet you at all sight seeing excursions along the way.
In addition, the craft is powered by sails only. We have a private tug
boat (Called Garrar - In Arabic!) that would accompany you along the way,
in-case of wind loss.
Although a very ancient way of traveling the Nile (ie. Felucca Style)
- Felucca, Sandal, and Dahabia Private Charter has become a growing trend
for vacationing in Egypt. Especially for those repeat customers, that
want a new experience (rather than a typical Nile Cruise).
Royal
Cleopatra
An Egyptian-built Yacht, lateen-rigged, 62 feet long by 24-1/2 feet
wide, capable of sleeping from two to six people.
Your felucca Nile Cruiser has a main salon/ reception area, bar , sun
deck and two large state rooms .
The state rooms each with private bathroom (sink, shower and toilet)
and a large panoramic window giving unobstructed views of the Nile,
may be configured with two or three single beds, one
queen size bed, or one queen size bed & one single.
At night, under the ever-clear Egyptian sky, the sun-deck is
great places for stargazing, and even alfresco sleeping. You
may wish to enjoy your breakfast on deck or in the privacy of your
cabin.
Royal Cleopatra Sailing Felucca
Your
crew accommodated in separate quarters, includes a captain and a professional
guide available to answer your questions on Egypt, its history, people
, an civilization at any time during your cruise.
If you would like more privacy, indeed, an unforgettable vacation,
then you might want to consider cruising the Nile in your own vessel.
Please call us for availability. Our goal is to provide you with one
- of - a -kind experiences that will enrich your life and make your
vacation unforgettable. This is certainly one of them.
What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Luxor & Aswan,
morning & evenings are cooler. For Shore excursions, we suggest comfortable
cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing. Comfortable walking shoes
are essential. Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits,
sun hat.
For men, suggest to bring a battery operated shaver.
Boat shoes are required on board the boat
Please
note that sailing boats are subject to delay , if there is no wind,
itinerary is subject to change , we keep the right to use car between
sites while the boat caches sup with us , in case the winds slows us
down. If for whatever reason there is extreme delay , due to weather
or traffic on the Nile through the different locks and/or other factors,
our obligation is limited to accommodating you on a 5 star deluxe
Nile Cruise instead of the Royal Cleopatra sailing boat.
Feluccas
are the traditional sailing vessel of much of the Mediterranean
world, and the traditional Nile felucca, or dahabeah, was the
mainstay of travel in ancient Egypt.
With
shallow drafts, sails, and oars, feluccas could navigate not only
the great river, but the maze of canals threading through its banks,
with or without wind, reaching every part of the kingdom.
Feluccas
long ago transcended their role as humble transports. They held the
ancient empire together, carrying troops, decrees, and the very mystery
of the pharaoh.
Royal
feluccas bore a larger-than-life image of the pharaoh, seated
on a throne, to be seen and venerated by inhabitants even along the
most remote canal. In turn, imbued with the same "ka," or spirit,
as the living pharaoh himself, it would keep watch over his subjects
and their activities.
So
integral was the Nile felucca to the ancient Egyptian way of life
that it assumed legendary attributes. Even today, you can see the
oldest known Nile felucca, the regal Pharaonic dahabeah of Cheops,
the ruler immortalized by the Great Pyramid at Giza. Known as the
Solar Boat, it was believed to sail through the skies carrying
its royal passenger along sunbeams in his single cabin, the royal
suite of its day.
In
later times, pashas, emirs, and sultans found that feluccas were indispensable.
When Napoleon invaded Egypt, the Mameluke rulers observed the
Battle of the Pyramids from their dahabeahs, and in the wake of defeat,
set them afire, still laden with treasures, in the middle of the river.
Always one to adapt to local practice, Napoleon even had his own dahabeah,
the Italie, which was used by his officers to explore Upper Egypt.
In
the nineteenth century, the well-equipped Nile felucca was essential
to the upper-crust adventurer. Lord Kitshner used several feluccas
for his famous trip from Cairo to Khartoum.
It
took from two to three months to ascend the Nile under wind power,
and another month-and-a-half to float back downstream, stopping at
the great temples along the way. King Farouk, Churchill, Montgomery,
Mark Twain and others settled in for the journey, and a certain Lady
Edwards even had a piano installed on her sailing vessel.
Eventually, steamers displaced dahabeahs, opening up an Egyptian adventure
to greater numbers on Thomas Cook's tours, and trains nearly
finished them off. But never completely. Even today, despite the inroads
of rail, steam power, and highways, the graceful Nile felucca retains
its place.
Now, Travel in Style and Nubian Nile Cruises re-create the
grand era of Nile adventure. Through their special contacts, they
have arranged cruises on private Nile vessels. Completely refitted,
our craft will delight the discriminating traveller, with full amenities,
and modern conveniences and safety features unimaginable by upper-crust
visitors of old or even the ancient pharaohs.
Our
private Nile cruisers are at your disposal to accommodate couples,
honeymooners, families, children enjoy most this barging cruise on
the Nile, and small groups, affording the unique experience of
navigating the ancient river on your own.
The
M/S Cleopatra is a lateen-rigged Nile sailing vessel, 62 feet
long by 24-1/2 feet wide, with sleeping accommodations for two
to six people.
Spacious
quarters include a main salon, bar, and sun deck. Each of two staterooms
has private sink, shower, and toilet, and may be configured for your
voyage with a queen bed, a queen and single, or up to three single
beds.
A
skilled river captain is on board at all times . A
guide is at your disposal to plan your itinerary and escort you
through the sites you choose to visit. The crew has completely separate
quarters, to ensure your privacy.
Meals
may be taken as you wish in your cabin, in the salon, or on deck
while you watch the timeless way of life along the banks of the river,
and villages twinkling at dusk. The temptation to spend at least one
night gazing at stars and sleeping on deck may be irresistible. Enjoy
luxury and unique adventure, made possible at a price delightfully
within your reach through Travel in Style!
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