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Andalucia , Morocco and Egypt
All in 20 Day

Castles , Casbahs and Ancient Temples
Weekly : On Wednesdays year round

Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Jerez, Cadiz, Algeciras, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Meknes, Fez, Costa Del Sol, Granada, Cairo , Luxor , Aswan and A Nile Cruise . Compare with the 12 days or 14 days version , or if you prefer to do Egypt only in 8 days including air fare from / to Madrid Spain

Fantasy and fable . . . castles and romance . . . beaches, desert sands and oases . . . stark, stunning beauty and sun. On this 11-day, 10-night excursion through the best of Andalusia and Morocco, you’ll retrace the routes of conquerors, sample wine right where it matures, cross between continents, wander through the casbahs, and delight in oriental treasures. Let your senses go and leave nothing to the imagination, because, incredibly, it’s all real!

Tour starts weekly in Madrid on WEDNESDAYS

Itinerary and tour code :
(T-05/214 - Class T : Spain and Morocco : 3 Star and Egypt 4 stars )
(C-05/214 - Class C : Spain and Morocco 4 Star and Egypt 5 stars)

DAY 1—MADRID, CORDOBA, SEVILLE - Wednesday
We meet up this morning at the coach terminal in Oriente Square in Madrid and set out by 9 a.m., making the most of our time en route to introduce ourselves to each other and learn more about what lies ahead. Within a couple of hours, we’ll be in Córdoba, where we’ll visit the Mosque that held a central role when caliphs ruled this land. Then it’s southwestward, over the stark plains of Andalusia, overnight in Seville.

DAY 2—SEVILLE - Thursday (B)
We’ll linger today in Seville, where the Moors have left their mark in whitewashed houses, tile roofs, graceful archways, and a warren of intimate lanes with surprises at every turn. Our visit will take us to the monumental and stunning tower of La Giralda, the Cathedral that once echoed with daily calls to prayer, and the Palace of the Alcazar, with its delicately carved stonework and pleasure gardens that still delight. Your afternoon is free to wander the alleyways of Seville on your own, and perhaps to stop in and sample the tapas at an inviting establishment.

DAY 3—SEVILLE, JEREZ, CADIZ, ALGECIRAS - Friday (B)
After breakfast, we’ll motor southward through the famous grape-growing region around Jerez, and even have a chance to stop at a winery where world-famous Xeres wine—sherry to the rest of the world—is matured. Samples will be available, of course. After the tasting, we’ll reach the port of Cadiz, almost surrounded by water and long Spain’s window on the world that it ruled. We’ll tarry a while appreciate the old walled city and its cobbled streets, then continue to our overnight stop in Algeciras, near the very southern tip of Spain.

DAY 4—ALGECIRAS, TANGIER, RABAT - Saturday (B, D)
After breakfast, we’ll board the ferry to North Africa, and the mysterious city of Tangier, where Spaniards in suits and Moroccans in burnooses intermingle with souls from every continent. We’ll look around the old city and its treasures, before we board the coach for seaside Rabat, the capital of the nation. We’ll look around at monumental sights that include the Royal Palace, and have dinner and stay the night.

DAY 5—RABAT, CASABLANCA, MARRAKECH - Sunday (B, D)
It’s on the road again after breakfast, to fabled Casablanca, where a great modern city with wide streets and fine shops and restaurants stretches from the old quarter. We’ll sample both parts, of course, and then continue our route through rolling terrain, into lush valleys of fruit orchards and over mountain passes, until we reach the desert city of Marrakech, where dinner and our overnight accommodations await.

DAY 6—MARRAKECH - Monday (B, L)
There’s too much to see in Marrakech and too much excitement to simply move on. We’ll take a tour in the morning, concentrating on the walled city that has been a mecca of desert caravans for centuries. We won’t miss the Koutoubia, with its tower that recalls the Giralda in Seville. The Menara gardens and the souks along winding alleys will also have our attention. After lunch, you’re on your own for shopping, or to watch the daily excitement in Jemaaa el-Fna square, where water-sellers, jugglers and magicians never allow a forgettable moment.

DAY 7—MARRAKECH, MEKNES, FEZ Tuesday (B, D)
After breakfast, we depart Marrakech and roll out toward the Meknes, site of imperial palaces, the impressive Sidi Said mosque, and the Moulay Ismail mausoleum. And there are also stunning views of the green Agdal valley. After a tour, we’ll continue to Fez for dinner and our overnight stop.

DAY 8—FEZ - Wednesday (B, L, D)
We’ll spend a full day in Fez, and with good reason, for this is the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco, with its largest old city, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. We’ll stroll the winding lanes and alleys to the venerable Attarin Medersa where theology has been taught over the centuries, and see impressive city gates and traditional mansions with archways of carved cedar and shady courtyards. After lunch, you’re free to wander on your own, to see tanners at work over great vats, and to negotiate for carpets and brassware.

DAY 9—FEZ, TANGIER, ALGECIRAS, COSTA DEL SOL - Thursday (B, D)
We head northward in the morning, back to Tangier to board the ferry that crosses to Spain, with a new appreciation of the currents that connect two continents and two cultures. Past Algeciras, we’ll follow the dramatic Mediterranean coast of Spain, rimmed with spectacular beaches. We’ll stop for the night and appreciate the fine resort life of Spain: sand, a dinner in good company, and the sound of waves gently breaking on shore.

DAY 10—COSTA DEL SOL, GRANADA - Friday (B)
There will be time after breakfast to continue the Costa del Sol experience: sun, sand, and perhaps shopping. Then it’s back onto the coach for our trip inland and over gentle mountains to the heritage city of Granada.

DAY 11—GRANADA, MADRID - Saturday (B)
Have we saved the best for last? The Palace of the Alhambra inspired caliphs, conquerors, and writers as noted as Washington Irving, and you’ll understand why as you walk through its magnificent rooms and along its intricately decorated Moorish archways. We’ll include its fabled Generalife gardens in our visit, of course, before heading back to Madrid, with a break for lunch en route. Tour ends at the terminal in Madrid . Our local rep will escort you back to the hotel.

Day 12 . Toledo Sunday ( BL)
Breakfast and visit The Full-Day Tour includes a complete visit to the Cathedral (chapter house, sacristy, choir and treasury); the Victorio Macho Sculpture Museum, dramatically situated on an outcrop with sweeping views to the Tagus River, with a documentary film profiling the artistic soul of Toledo and its monuments); sightseeing, lunch at a Toledo-style restaurant, and a visit to the Tavera Museum. Upon return to Madrid: Our local rep will escort you from the terminal to hotel, Category "A" Melia Princessa Madrid. Category " T" Convencion Hotel.

Day 13 - Madrid - Luxor - Egypt (B) - Monday
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to Luxor Egypt and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin .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.

DAY 14 - LUXOR , EDFU - Tuesday (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.

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.

We sail in the afternoon 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 15 - EDFU, KOM OMBO - Wednesday (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 16 - CAMEL CARAVAN, NUBIAN VILLAGE , ASWAN
Thursday (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to the 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 temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS . In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile.
For those who are interested : a short camel caravan & ride is included( almost a half hour ride) to visit a local Nubian Village.

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 17 - ASWAN , CAIRO - Friday (BD)
Board our return flight to Cairo. In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping.

A complimentary 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 dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 18- CAIRO - Saturday (BL)
On your first full day in Cairo we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the "Mummies Room" , the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster.

DAY 19 - CAIRO- Sunday - you thought the Pyramids were old (BL)
We leave Cairo by sunrise ( private air conditioned car/driver/guide): Full day Fayoum Oases including:
Hawara Pyramid, El Lahoun Pyramid, Ruins of Karanis, drive by Lake Qarun, lunch is included at a local restaurant.

The wilds of the desert begin right on the outskirts of Cairo, and continue for hundreds of miles to the east and west, through sands, rock, mountains, oases, and a surprising variety of scenery and inhabitants.

Join us for a day ranging across the desert like modern nomads. In place of camels, we’ll travel in comfortable, reliable four-by-four Toyota Land Cruisers. Your guide and drivers will meet you at your hotel, and soon you’ll leave bustling Cairo behind as you undertake the drive toward the Oasis of El Fayoum, 150 kilometers to the southwest. Hard as it is to believe, a great inland sea once covered these sands. It was a holy reserve of sacred crocodiles, symbolized by the god Sobek.

We’ll visit the temple of Kom Oshim, drive over ancient lake beds, and alongside the waters of today’s Fayoum Lake to reach the fishermen’s village of Chak Chouk. There we’ll stop for a lunch of fish caught fresh that morning. There will be time to wander the village lanes and discreetly watch the everyday activities of baking flatbread, irrigating crops from the lake’s waters, and bringing in the catch. We’ll also include the craft and pottery museum where the best works of local artisans are on display.

Then it’s into our four-by-fours again, for an off-road adventure! We’ll head alongside and across desert washes, between dunes, and over ancient lake beds for 35 kilometers to the Valley of the Whales ( In Arabic : Wadi-El-Hitan) . Incredibly, these great mammals once thrived - almost forty million years ago- in waters surrounded by sands. We’ll stop and gaze in amazement at their fossilized remains alongside smaller sea creatures that remain in stone.
This valley was discovered in 1936 , by the German geologist George Schweinfurth in the northwestern corner of Wadi El-Rayan.

The valley provides evidence of one of the major changes in this mammal evolution has been declared by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. It is believed that these land based whales once had feet that may have helped them somewhat while ashore . A team from the University of Michigan discovered in the late 80's that these Zeuglodon whales did have rudimentary feet , this was a startling discovery , suggesting that whales of Wadi -El-Hitan had recently started living in water as well , these whales were not related to any of the whales we have today , rather a more slender body and may grow up to 75 feet long. Several skeletons of whales are exposed in the sand. George Schweinfurth named this extinct specie the Zeuglodon Isis Whales .

In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel in Cairo. Land transportation in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser with the services of driver and English-speaking driver. Lunch is included

DAY 20 - CAIRO- Monday - Departure (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your flight back to Madrid, hasta luego. End of our service . Bon Voyage

Price includes:

• Guided tours as per itinerary including all entrance fees .
• English speaking Tour Escort in each country
• Hotel accommodation as per itinerary , including tax
• Travel bag presented in Spain.
  Travel on deluxe air-conditioned motor coach.
  Breakfast daily and four lunches (L) and dinners (D) as indicated.
  Visit to a wine cellar in Jerez.
  Baggage /porters service.
• Bottled water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin daily on board the Nile cruise.
• Tea or coffee /bottled water with each meal while on board the cruise.
• Hotel accommodation with tax & service charges.
• Visa fee for Egypt , visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : American,EU , 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.
• Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions.
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin.
• Complimentary galabya on board the cruise for the costume party.
• Preset menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner .
• All guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees. On board the cruise you'll be part of an average 10-15 English speaking group. ( O Espanol si quiere)

Not included:

• International air transport from / to your home country (please consult us about our special fares).
• Trip cancellation Insurance/Travel Insurance
• Expenses of a personal nature, such as tips.
• Beverages.
• Meals other than those specifically mentioned.

• Discount for the third person sharing in triple occupancy : 5% Discount
• Easter week , Seville's Fair: 15 % Supplement will be added to the rate.
• Dec 20 - Jan 1 Christmas and New Year’s season : Please add : $177 USD per person

Please add 10 % supplement to the deluxe rates for the all suites Sonesta Moon Goddess, or the Sonesta Star Goddess ( Mozart Suite ) ( all state   rooms do offer private balconies), or the presidental or Royal suites on the M/S Amarco

The M/S Amarco

The Ultra Deluxe M/S Amarco

• Compare with : Andalusia - Costa del Sol- Toledo : Seven Day Version
  
• Compare with the 4 day Andalusia Toledo version
  
• Five Days Ronda Andaluza : Andalusia and Costa Del Sol