Mediterranean Fantasies
Luxury Nile Cruise & The Greek Isle of Santorini
The 14 -Day edition with extra nights in Santorini and Cairo

This 14 -day itinerary combines a Nile Cruise of Ancient Egypt with Classical Athens & the romance of the honeymoon Greek Isle of Santorini - Arrive any day (subject to cruise availability: Mar-Oct)
Extend your stay on the Red Sea at Sharm El Sheikh or Hurgada

DAY 1 - Athens
Arrive in Athens any day (subject to the Nile cruise availability in Egypt : Apr-Oct)
Our local rep will meet you at Athens Airport and assist with your transfer to your hotel.

If you arrive early morning from the USA on Olympic Airways then you'll have time on your own to explore the Greek capital, browse for treasures and curios, and venture to a terrace cafe or a fine meal in the old Plaka district.

DAY 2 - Athens (cB)
A half-day morning city (group) tour will orient you to the high points of Athens. You'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city; and culminate in a visit to the Acropolis. Private tour of Athens is available upon request (supplement applies).

DAY 3 - Santorini (cB)

Fly to Santorini , choices are available between , Villas, flats & hotels, please advise us of your preference.
Luxuriate for two days on the beach at Santorini , Honeymooners this is the perfect romantic getaway.

DAY 4 - Santorini (cB)

Enjoy your lovely hotel (or Villa),or venture out on your own ,to explore Akrotiri,reputedly the site of fabled Atlantis. Then maybe on to Athinios port to take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater.

DAY 6 - Cairo (cB)
After breakfast, we escort you to the airport for your flight to Athens connecting same day to Cairo on Egyptair or Olympic Airways.

Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : EU , American, Australian, NZ , Canadian, Singaporean & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.
Complimentary welcome fruit basket.

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 7 - CAIRO (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

DAY 8 - ASWAN, Board your Nile Cruise : Camel Caravan! (BLD)
We fly to Aswan and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. Only for those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride for almost half an hour to visit a local Nubian Village. Cabin amenity: Local sweets platter. 2 large bottles of water.

DAY 9- ASWAN & KOM OMBO (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the island temples of Philae. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples. Cabin amenity: Galabya.

DAY 10 - EDFU & ESNA (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, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated to Khnum, the creator-god. Evening finds us in Luxor.
Cabin amenity: Fruit basket- 2 large bottles of water

DAY 11 - LUXOR (BLD)

Today's tour includes : Ancient Workers Village at Deir El Medineh, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

Deir El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you 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.

Today's tour include as well a visit to the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb , temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, and Colossi of Memnon, returning to our Nile cruiser for lunch. Following lunch aboard, we visit the great Temple of Luxor, and the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, returning to our vessel in time for tea. Complimentary welcome fruit basket in your cabin.

DAY 12- LUXOR & CAIRO (B)
The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the morning, followed by a return flight to Cairo and your hotel. Adding an extra night in Cairo ?

DAY 13- CAIRO (B)
Full day at leisure. Explore Cairo on your own.
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 by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 14 - CAIRO/ Departure(B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight.
If you wish to fly back to Athens , please add $ 200 for the return air fare Cairo Athens, in economy class , tax included.

This tour starts daily in Athens, but subject to Nile Cruise availability.
All tour rates are subject to change without notice.

For the Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruise such as Movenpic , Sonesta M/S Amarco , M/S TiYi : Please add 20 % to the deluxe rate

The tour includes...

• Airfare Athens Santorini Athens Cairo " Y " economy class, with tax
• As well as domestic air between Cairo & the Nile Cruise in " Y " economy class , with tax.
• All transfers in Greece and Egypt
• Private transfers, private car/driver .
  Private touring in Cairo, private air-conditioned car/driver in Cairo.
• Hotel accommodations , including all taxes and service charges, based on the rate category you choose. In Santorini you have the choice of staying in a condominium/ Villa or a hotel .
  
  
• Pre-set menu meals as shown including B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
• Guided, escorted sightseeing tours in Athens, the Nile Cruise and Cairo as indicated in the itinerary, including all entry fees
• 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 coffle 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.

Not included:

• Tips.
• Trip Cancellation/travel insurance, please ask us for the flyer
• International air fare from/to USA, please ask for information on these fares or use your own free air miles.
  
  
  

Sample Villas in Santorini:
Dana Villas, in Firostefani with view of the volcano.
Chromata Apartments, in Imerovigli with a view of the volcano.

For Katikies and / or the Pantheon: Please add : 5 % for the standard room , or 10 % for the deluxe room

 

 

 

Sample hotels in Athens :
Deluxe: Divani Palace Acropolis. First : Electra Palace , : Stanley

Sample hotels in Cairo :
Deluxe: Hilton. Sheraton. Hyatt . First :Helnan Shepheard's .