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Sultans
of the Mediterranean
Egypt, Morocco , Tunisia and Turkey
Private
Touring . Private Car/ driver and Guide ( Egyptologist in Egypt)
A Grand 28 Day Tour - starts Daily Year Round - You choose your own
dates
We have even included all the tips
We'll take
you through North Africa and the Land of the Sultans : Turkey /Anatolia
, The Ancient Nile Kingdoms of the mighty Pharaohs, Cairo , Giza, enjoy
a 5 day Nile Cruise, then its off to Carthage, capital of the
legendary Hannibal, but there's much more to this tour. You'll also
Continue west on across North Africa to Morocco. Marrakech, Fez &
Casablanca. visit ancient cities, desert oases, curious troglodyte dwellings,
Islamic splendors, and Roman ruins in Africa ! ,
compare
with Tunisia : the honeymoon edition
Compare
with the : 25 day edition including Alexandria .
DAY
1 - ISTANBUL- Daily - Year Roudn - Choose your own date
Private car / driver always for all your transfers in Turkey
Our staff meets your plane and escorts you to your hotel.
Or you may arrive into Kusadasi by ferry ( Apr - Oct) from the Greek
isle of Samos.
Then we can still arrange for this itinerary to start in Kusadasi /Izmir.
DAY
2 - IZMIR (BL)
Private car / driver / guide :
Tour the great Ottoman capital, visiting the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome,
Hagia Sophia and Topkapi, the palace of the sultans, with its fabulous
Treasury and collections of priceless Chinese porcelains. Late afternoon
flight to Izmir . In Izmir : Hilton Izmir hotel or similar. (BL)
DAY
3 - PAMUKKALE (BD)
Private car/driver/guide:
The miraculously revealed House of the Virgin Mary is our first stop,
after which we tour Ephesus, the capital of Roman Asia Minor, and the
Basilica of St. John, said to mark his tomb. Lunch at the small town
of Selcuk, attend a local fashion show, before we head for Pamukkale
to tour the extensive ruins of Roman Hierapolis. Lycus River Hotel or
similar, (BL) .
DAY
4 - KONYA & CAPPADOCIA (BL)
Private car/driver/guide:
An early morning drive to the mystical city of Konya, birthplace of
the Whirling Dervishes, for a visit to the Mevlana Museum. We continue
to Sultanhani the Seljuk Turkish caravanserai before making the drive
to biblical Cappadocia and our hotel. (BL) Hotel: Mustafa or similar.
DAY 5 -CAPPADOCIA (BL)
Private car / driver / guide :
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). Afternoon at leisure to allow for shopping.
(BL)
DAY 6 - ANKARA & ISTANBUL (BL)
Always private car / driver for all your transfers in Turkey:
Drive to Ankara, visit the Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilization.
& Ataturk Mausoleum. Before we fly back to Istanbul and our hotel. Ceylan
Inter.Continetal , Hyatt , Hilton or similar. (BL).
DAY
7 - Istanbul - CAIRO (B)
Our local representative will escort you to the airport for your flight
to Cairo .
Air
fare is included in business class , tax included Istanbul Cairo .
In Cairo , our local rep. 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 : American, British, Canadian & 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.
DAY
8 - CAIRO Monday (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
9 - ASWAN, Camel Caravan! Board your Nile Cruise -Private car and Egyptologist
for all your cruise shore excursions (BLD)
We fly to Aswan and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious
lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in ear 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.
DAY
10 - 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.
DAY
11 - 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. Afternoon tea is served
on deck. Evening finds us in Luxor.
DAY
12 - LUXOR - The Workers Village , the first known workers strike in
history (BLD)
We tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings and
the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon
before we l
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.
Back
to your cruise in time for lunch. Afternoon tea is served on deck. The
gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple
of Luxor are our goals in the afternoon
DAY
13 - LUXOR - CAIRO (B)
Breakfast, check-out and a return flight to Cairo. In the afternoon,
wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping.
DAY
14 - On
Desert Safari for the Day - Fayoum Oases - And 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-Hi tan 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 15 - TUNIS (B)
Board your flight heading west for Tunis. All transfers are always on
a private basis. Air fare is included Cairo to Tunis, with tax. Our
local staff will meet you upon arrival at Tunis Carthage International
Airport. You'll be assisted with the formalities, and escorted to one
of the the fine hotels . There will be time to relax and recuperate
from your journey, and enjoy the excellent facilities. If you wish,
you can adventure into the center of Tunis to start your exploration
of the winding alleys of the souk, filled with treasures of beaten brass
and basketry and carpets, and merchants who will welcome you with traditional
mint tea.
DAY 16 - HAMMAMET, SOUSSE, MONASTIR,
EL DJEM, SFAX - (BLD)
After a leisurely breakfast, we'll set off to explore! Our first stop
is Hammamet, a cosmopolitan port where sun-worshippers from all over
happily coexist with fishermen and traditional ways. We'll stop at the
port of El Kantaoui, and then proceed back into time to venerable Sousse,
once the Phoenician City called Hadrumatum. We'll stroll through the
medina, the old quarter, cooled by sea breezes, and visit the museum
as well as the Ribat, a stronghold of the warriors of Islam. Then we'll
continue to Monastir, where we'll stop for lunch, and visit its own
notable ribat, as well as the Bourguiba Mosque, dedicated to the hero
of Tunisia's independence. Lunch will be served at a comfortable four-star
hotel. In El Djem, we'll marvel at an ancient amphitheater, before continuing
to stop for the night in four-star lodgings in the bustling coastal
city of Sfax.
DAY 17 - SFAX, DJERBA, GABES, MATMATA
(BLD)
Our busy day starts with a drive to the coastal city of Gabes, a Roman
outpost of old and a traditional market center where, for centuries,
goods from across the sea and across the desert have changed hands.
We'll visit the oasis, where palm groves and gardens flourish. We'll
then cross to Djerba, an island where Ulysses once encountered the legendary
Lotus-Eaters. You'll have time to explore the old quarters, including
the synagogue of Hara Sghira, Hara Kebira with its modern Jewish community,
and Guellala, with its craft stalls, and to see the waterfront and fishing
fleet, and the lively town of Houmt Souk.
After a lunch stop, we'll cross back to the mainland. Our route takes
us through terrain of increasingly sparse grasses and shrubs, into the
desert to Matmata.
We'll stop to look in on a community of miniature underground houses,
where the earliest settlers sheltered from the extremes of the desert
above -- as do the Berbers of today. We'll settle in to comfortable
lodgings and dinner at a four-star hotel.
DAY 18 - MATMATA, KEBILI, DOUZ, TOZEUR (BLD)
We'll enjoy a full day of desert adventure, today.
First we'll visit the village of Kebili, largest of a cluster of oases,
islands of life in a harsh landscape, then proceed to Douz, fabled as
the Gateway to the Sahara. There, a special treats waits, the opportunity
to sample a caravan trek! This close encounter with a camel is entirely
at your option! Afterwards, we set off across the Chott El Djerid, a
great dry salt lake, for Tozeur. Here, we'll wonder at the ancient irrigation
works, and visit the zoo. Our lodgings for the next two nights will
be at the comfortable, four-star Hotel Ramla.
DAY 19 - TOZEUR, NEFTA
(BLD)
We'll learn more about oases this morning. Despite the dryness of its
surface, great aquifers underlie the Sahara. Where they spill their
riches out in springs, they create the green havens of Tunisia's oases.
We'll see a dramatic example, as we explore the irrigated fields around
Tozeur and motor overland to the great palm groves at Nefta. Nefta is
also an important religious center, with notable mosques, and a town
of craftsmen, especially basket weavers. We'll return to Tozeur for
lunch at our hotel, after which you're free until dinner. You can choose
to enjoy the unique desert resort comforts at your hotel. Or, you might
decide to wander the streets of Tozeur, look in on daily life, admire
the classic North African houses built around patios on terraces above
a river fed by springs, and shop for baskets and capes of camel hair.
DAY 20 - TOZEUR, GAFSA, SBEITLA, KAIROUAN,
TUNIS (BLD)
We'll delve more into Tunisia's rich and varied past today, as we motor
overland through pleasant, rolling coastal lands. At Gafsa, we'll see
the Roman pools of Capsa, the ancient crossroads between desert oases
and the cultivated coastal lands. We'll wonder at the Roman ruins of
Suffetula, as well as the great mosque. Later in the day, we'll reach
Kairouan, an ancient, holy, and vibrant city noted for its historic
mosques and centers of learning. We'll lunch at the five-star Hotel
La Kasbah. Kairouan also is noted for its souk, and the crafting of
carpets and leather goods. Of course, there will be time to check out
these wares, before we depart to Tunis, where a night's rest and dinner
await us once again at the Hotel El Hana.
DAY 21 - TUNIS, CARTHAGE, SIDI BOU SAID
(BLD)
On our last full day, we'll marvel at the ruins of Carthage, a true
metropolis of the ancient world, as evidenced by its theater, circus,
baths, port installations, and extensive urban plan. We'll lunch at
a fine local restaurant, then speed forward in time to the middle ages,
as we visit the picture-perfect Moorish village of Sidi Bou Said. With
its whitewashed walls and narrow laneways, it's the perfect setting
as we stop for traditional mint tea. Back in Tunis, we'll stop at the
Bardo Museum, to view the most extensive Roman mosaics in the world.
We'll then head for the Medina, the old quarter of the city, with its
warrens of shops filled with wares ranging from humdrum to exotic. After
a break to freshen up, we'll meet up at our hotel for our farewell dinner.
DAY 22 - Morocco (B)
After breakfast, our local personnel will escort you to the international
airport, where you'll board your flight to Marrakech ( Via Casablanca).
Upon arrival we escort you to your hotel. Mint Tea & welcome local
pastries & fruit awaits you at your hotel room.
DAY 23 - MARRAKECH (B)
OWN ACTIVITIES. You design your own program.
There is much to see in this great city which Winston Churchill called
"the most beautiful place in the world at sunset." Grab your
guidebook and explore! The top sights include the stately Koutoubia
Minaret, the hidden tombs of the Saadian dynasty, the Menara
pavilion and gardens, the ruins of sprawling Badi Palace,
the Bahia Palace Museum, the Ben Yousef medersa, and the
Koubba (chapel) of el-Ba'adiyn. If you'd like an orientation
tour (optional at extra cost), just contact our local representative,
who will be happy to make your reservation.
DAY
24 - MARRAKECH - Home Hosted Dinner (BD)
Why not devote today to Marrakech's fabulous medieval souk (bazaar)?
Penetrating the labyrinthine souk, you'll see some of the age-old guilds
at work, including the dyers and tanners. Save an hour--and bring your
camera--for famous Djemaa el-Fna square with its fun circus atmosphere
of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers,
snake charmers, medicine men and public scribes. Find a cozy bistro
for lunch.
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 Marrakech 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
25 - MARRAKECH TO CASABLANCA BY TRAIN (B)
Today you board the Marrakech Express bound for Casablanca! (train
ticket/first class is included ,issued & delivered in Morocco).
Roll across the beautiful Moroccan countryside, admiring the towering
Atlas Mountains in the distance, and the timeless scenes of North
African village and town life right beside the rails. When you arrive
in Casablanca, our staff meets your train and embank on a panoramic
tour of the city including the great mosque of Hassan II before
escorting you to your hotel. Once you're settled in, take out your guidebook
and explore Morocco's commercial capital.
DAY 26 - CASABLANCA TO FEZ
(B)
After breakfast, board your first-class train to Fez (train ticket
included) , another of Morocco's four royal cities. When you arrive
in Fez, our staff will escort you to your hotel, and the city is yours
to explore, guidebook in hand. The Lonely Planet guide includes all
the important things to see, and recommendations for restaurants in
all price ranges, so you'll never be at a loss for advice.
DAY
27 - FEZ (B)
Oldest of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, Fez is endlessly fascinating,
and today we have included in our rate a full day covering the
top sights include the medina (old city), the 15-century Borj
Nord Arms Museum, the gateway of the royal palace, the fortifications
of the Kasbah, the 9th-century Karaouine Mosque and University,
the medersas (theological seminaries) of Bou Inania and Attarine,
the shrine of the city's founder Moulay Idris II, the Nejjarine
Fountain, the monumental gateway of Bab Boujelloud, the old
harem gardens, Dar Batha Museum, and the artisans'
guilds in the souks.
DAY
28 - DEPARTURE (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight back homeward.
Sample Cabin on the Ultra
Deluxe Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise
or the Sonesta all suites: Star Goddess
Rates per person in us $
| |
Deluxe* |
|
In Triple occupancy |
US$
8510
|
|
In Double occupancy |
US$
8750
|
|
In Single occupancy |
US$
11410
|
Deluxe applies to hotels in Egypt ,Morocco
, Turkey as well as in Tunisia but 4 stars and 3 stars in the smaller
towns/cities outside of the city of Tunis
Inclusions:
-
Round-trip transportation between airport and hotels, always on a
private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
- Air
fare Istanbul / Cairo in business class tax included.
- Air
fare Cairo/ Tunis/Marrakech. In business class Tax included.
- Hotel
Accommodations as mentioned in itinerary, in comfortable Five or four-star
(first-class) hotels
- Five
days deluxe Nile Cruise
including all shore excursions and all meals.
- Meals
as indicated from preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner).
-
Private Guided sightseeing as indicated in air-conditioned
coach, including all admission fees.
Please note that in Tunisia, touring & guiding will be in French
and English
- One-way
first-class train transportation Marrakech-Casablanca and Casablanca-Fez,
or vice-versa.
- Travel
guidebook for Turkey Tunis, Morocco, Egypt .
- Gratuities
for local personnel
: tips to all the guides, porters, drivers, crew on board your cruise
etc.
- Egyptian
Visa fee , visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for :
American, Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian & 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.
- A
complimentary home hosted family dinner in Marrakech
- Bottled
water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are
on board the Nile cruise.
- Tea
or coffee /bottled water with each meal while on board the Nile cruise.
Sample
Hotels in Istanbul
Deluxe |
Istanbul
Conrad Hotel
Istanbul Hyatt Hotel
Merit Antique Hotel Istanbul
Divan Hotel Istanbul
The Marmara Istanbul Hotel |
Not
Included:
- International
air transportation from/to your home country
- Optional
excursions,
- Any
meal not specifically mentioned beverages, and personal expenses.
- Travel
insurance .
-
Airport taxes.
- Visa
fee for Turkey, paid in Cash upon arrival ( for USA, Canadian , EU,
Japanese , Australian citizens ), or secure from the Turkish Consulate
before your departure.
Compare with Tunisia/Morocco/Egypt/
Nile Cruise : 25 day edition including Alexandria ,
or the 21 day version .
Add
South Africa
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