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Mediterranean
Fantasies
Luxury Nile Cruise , The Egyptian Riviera , the Red Sea
And The Greek Isles of Santorini & Mykonos
18 -Day Version
This
18 -day itinerary combines a Nile Cruise of Ancient Egypt with
Classical Athens & the romance of the honeymoon Greek Isles of
Santorini, Mykonos and the Red Sea , Sharm
El Sheikh
Arrive any day (subject to cruise availability: Mar-
Oct)
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 - MYKONOS (B)
We'll rendezvous in time to take you to Athens Airport to fly to
Mykonos. On arrival, we'll see that you're checked in to your hotel.
For
first class hotels : we suggest in Mykonos : Pelican
Bay Art Hotel
DAY
4 - MYKONOS (B)
The day is totally yours. There's no need to venture beyond the grounds
of your lovely hotel. But on the other hand, there's plenty of reason
to do so, starting with 350 whitewashed churches and chapels, dramatic
cliffs, blue seas, and secluded beaches.
Maybe
this will be your day to stay put. Or maybe you'll mix relaxation with
walks to photograph the famed windmills of Mykonos, or to watch fishermen
at work along the sea.
DAY 5 - Santorini (cB)
We'll
rendezvous with you to go to the port , and board the ferry ( business
class ) on to Santorini , choices are available between , Villas, flats
& hotels, please advise us of your preference. Luxuriate for two
days on the
beach at Santorini , mecca for Honeymooners & the perfect romantic
getaway.
Sample Villas in Santorini:
DAY
6 - 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
7 - Santorini (cB)
You
may have some free time to enjoy a swim in a hot spring !!.
Another idea is to visit Thirassia Island
( enjoy lunch on you own at a local restaurant /tavern) and watch sunset
in Oia. Usually you return to your hotel/villa early evening .
Upgrade
to a suite with a private pool
DAY
8 - 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
9 - 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
10 - 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
11- 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
12 - 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
13 - 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
14- LUXOR & Sharm El Sheikh (B)
We're
headed to a special place, today, off the traditional visitors' itineraries.
After breakfast, we'll board our flight for the short trip to Sharm
El Sheikh on the Red Sea. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy this
unique desert beach resort. Relax by the cerulean waters, take a camel
ride at your option, and observe in the distance the steady line of
ships heading to and from the Suez Canal.
(Optional) Sunset Camel Caravan or on Horse Backs :
A two hour caravan on camels, if you prefer to enjoy a 2 hour of horse
back riding, please do let's know, but in this case the horse ride will
not be into the Sahara .
The camel caravan is fully escorted & guided as well by local Bedouins
through the desert and through the mountain passes of El Aat mountain
, we stop at the highest point in the valley for a cup of tea with the
Bedouin, take in the the evening charm of the desert & nature before
we head back to your hotel.
DAY
15 - SHARM EL SHEIKH (B)
The Red Sea just off "Sharm" is replete with fascinating coral and aquatic
species unique to this area. If you choose, you may spend the full day
today exploring these wonders as you snorkel or scuba dive (at your
option, for which proof of certification is a must). There's also time
to relax, take an optional excursion, or look into the life of the Bedouins
who have made a way of life in the apparently hostile desert.

DAY
16 - CAIRO (B)
After more relaxation time in Sharm, we'll fly back to Cairo. Local
staff will see us to our overnight accommodations.
DAY
17- 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
18 - 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.
RATES per
person in USD (Apr - Oct)
| Per
person Sharing in : |
|
First
Class
Hotels & Nile Cruise |
Tourist Class
Hotels & Nile Cruise |
| Triple
Occupancy |
US$
4690.00 |
US$
4450.00 |
US$
4250.00 |
| Double
|
US$
4725.00 |
US$
4510.00 |
US$
4390.00 |
| Single |
US$
5970.00 |
US$
5820.00 |
US$
5450.00 |
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 M/S Amarco, M/S
Liberty , M/S Tuya , M/S TiYi :
Please add 20 % to the deluxe rate

The
tour includes...
- Airfare
within Greece, in Y , economy class , with tax.
- Air
fare Athens Cairo " Y " economy class, with tax .
- Ferry
ticket Mykonos Santorini with tax.
- As
well as domestic air between Cairo , the Red Sea & 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 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.
Not included:
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. Superior First : Electra
Palace. First Class : Stanley
Sample
hotels in Cairo :
Deluxe: Hilton. Sheraton. Hyatt . Superior First :Helnan
Shepheard's . First Class : Cairotel. Maadi. Windsor. Novotel
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