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The
Romance of the Near East
A Grand tour of Jordan ,Turkey and Egypt
All
in 21 days on a Locally Escorted Adventure Tour
Visit
Turkey's top sights-- Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia
and Ankara. Then on to the land of the Pharaohs: Tour Egypt's top sights
: Cairo , Giza, Luxor and Aswan , you 'll get to cruise the Nile in
Luxury . As well as get to see
the top sights in Jordan , including Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum
Tour
starts weekly in Istanbul , compare with the Bodrum
Edition . Add Jordan and Petra
DAY
1 - ISTANBUL Wednesday - Weekly - Year Round
We meet your flight and escort you to your Deluxe (5-star) hotel : Conrad,
Hyatt or if you prefer a boutique hotel : Blue House or similar
DAY
2 - ISTANBUL- A Very Full Day - Thursday (cBLD)
Let us show you the city: the Blue Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome,
Hagia Sophia , then the Underground Cistern. walk thru the columns
of this grand water reservoir and Topkapi Palace.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant.
In the after breakfast , drive to Balat along the Golden Horn where
the Star of David appears on the facades of some buildings. See Ahrida
Synagogue, built in the 15th century. See the Jewish Cemetery, where
the martyrs of Neve Shalom are buried.
Continue to the centuries-old Jewish neighborhood, Galata, with its
tower built by the Genoese. From the panorama balcony. See the stunning
views of old constantinople, Bosphorus, Golden Horn and the Jewish quarters.
DAY
3 - CANAKKALE Friday (cBLD)
After breakfast we start our scenic drive south to the famous Galipoli,
we cross the strategic Dardanelles, to land in Asia ! , tour Troy ,
before we reach Çanakkale , dinner at your hotel: Iris (3 stars)
or similar .
DAY
4 - PERGAMON & IZMIR Saturday (cBLD)
We drive to Pergamon to see its Acropolis, Temple of Trojan,
Altar of Zeus and Temple of Dionysus, the Red Basilica, and the ancient
medical center of the Asclepion, then continue to Izmir and Kaya
Prestige or Konak hotel or similar for the night.
DAY
5 - EPHESUS & PAMUKKALE Sunday (cBLD)
We drive to Selçuk to visit the extensive ruins of Roman
Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. After lunch we continue to
Pamukkale for a tour of the ancient Roman spa of Hierapolis and
its warm calcium-rich mineral baths. Lycus River Hotel or similar.
DAY
6 - KONYA Monday (cBLD)
Passing through Turkey's fertile Lake District, we drive to Konya,
capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and home of the Whirling Dervishes.
We visit the Mevlana Museum, where the founder of the dervish order
is buried, Konya Ozkaymak Hotel (modest 3 stars - best available), or
similar.
DAY
7 - CAPPADOCIA Tuesday (cBLD)
Enjoy your breakfast before continuing on to Cappadocia, stopping
at the Sultanhan Caravanserai on the way. We descend into a labyrinthine
Underground City at Kaymakli, then tour the rockhewn cave churches
and monasteries of the Göreme Valley and the rockhewn natural
citadel of Uçhisar. Cappadocia Inn Hotel , Perissia Hotel or,
Kapadokya Lodge or similar
DAY
8 - ANKARA & ISTANBUL Wednesday (cB)
Heading north, we drive to Ankara for a visit to the monumental mausoleum
of Atatürk, father of modern Turkey, then we tour the famous
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations before heading to the airport for
our flight to Istanbul. Deluxe (5-star) hotel : Conrad, Hyatt
or if you prefer a boutique hotel : Blue House or similar
DAY
9 -CAIRO Thursday (cBD)
We escort you to the airport for your flight
to Cairo,
air fare is included in our rate.
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your
hotel. Hyatt , Conrad , Sonesta or similar 5 stars
Visa fee for Egypt is included and visa will be issued upon arrival
at Cairo Airport for : Australian, NZ, American,Western European , 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.
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
10 - CAIRO - Friday (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt 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
11 - CAIRO SLEEPER TRAIN - Saturday (BLD)
Full day on your own in Cairo.
Evening transfer is included ( private car/driver) from your
hotel to Cairo Railway Station .Sleeper train ticket between
Cairo & the cruise is included.
Overnight on board the sleeper train ( modest 3 stars ) , private compartment,
upper & lower berth dinner & breakfast included on board.
DAY 12 - LUXOR - BOARD your NILE CRUISE - Sunday(BLD)
We have several boats that do start on different days of the week to
accommodate your schedule:
Transfer is included from Luxor Train Station to the Cruise. ALWAYS
on a private basis.
Check in on your Deluxe Nile cruiser at noon. After lunch, we visit
the great temples of Luxor and Karnak, then return to our Nile
cruiser in time for afternoon tea.
Sample
deluxe Nile cruises : M/S
Monaco , M/S Monte
Carlo
, M/S Mojito . Queen
of Hansa ,
MS Solitaire. MS Renaissance . MS Beau Soleil . MS
Adonis ,
M/S Florence. MS Renaissance.
DAY
13 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS Monday (cBLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the
Kings, including Tut-Ankh-Amon's tomb, and the great temple of Queen
Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back
to our cruise. Then it's on to Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi
of Memnon.
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.
DAY
14 - EDFU & KOM OMBO Tuesday (cBLD)
We cruise by Esna to Edfu, where we board horse-drawn
carriages for the ride to the Temple of Horus. Returning to our
ship, we set sail for Kom Ombo. In the evening, there's a jolly galabia
party aboard.
DAY
15 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN Wednesday (cBLD)
We explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek at Kom Ombo,
then sail south to Aswan. After lunch we board a graceful felucca
and cruise among the islands, returning to our ship in time for tea.
DAY
16 - ASWAN ABU Simbel CAIRO Thursday (cB)
After
breakfast we check out, visit the awesome Aswan dams, and next
an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk, then
board a motor launch to visit the Temples of Philae, returning
to Aswan by late morning. Transfer is included ( private car/driver)
back to Aswan airport.
A
short flight to Abu Simbel.
If you wish to overnight in Abu Simbel & attend the Sound &
Light show, please click here
in Abu Simbel : There we'll marvel at the temples dedicated to Ramses
the Great and Queen Neferatri, saved from rising waters of the Nile
when the High Dam was built, fly back to Aswan and connect with our
returning flight to Cairo .
Domestic air fare is included Aswan Abu Simbel Aswan as well as back
to Cairo .
In Cairo , we meet you at the airport & escort you back to your
hotel
DAY
17 - CAIRO - Amman - Friday (BD)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your Amman flight.
Air fare is included in Y class, tax included .
Our staff will meet you upon arrival and help with the transfer to your
hotel in Amman .Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for American
& Japanese passport holders. Passport must be valid at least for 6 month
beyond the date of your arrival. Dinner is included at your hotel
DAY
18 - MADABA, KERAK & PETRA - Saturday (BD)
We drive south along the King's Highway, an ancient caravan route, to
Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of the Holy
Land. Continuing to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised
Land the way Moses saw it for the first time. Further on, at Kerak,
we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders' castle of Renaud de Chatillon,
one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Finally, we arrive
to PETRA .
DAY 19 - PETRA - Sunday (BD)
Today the fabulous Nabatean City of Petra awaits us. Made famous in
the Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," its ancient temples,
tombs and striking Khazneh (Treasury) were hewn right from the pink
and violet sandstone. We spend a full day here, and another night.
DAY
20 - WADI RUM & AMMAN - Monday (BD)
We board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the
"Valley of the Moon" where T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") organized
Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. After our visit,
we return to Amman.
DAY
21 - Amman - Saturday - Departure
(B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight.
Bon Voyage !
Itinerary
is subject to change without notice.
For
guests that are going on to Syria
with us. You will continue on
to The Syrian border, visit Bosra before continuing to Damascus. Or
if you are touring Syria on your own, we'll be glad to arrange for the
transfer to Bosra in Syria ( Supplement $65 per person,
minimum 2 guests, private car/driver to Bosra), Do you Speak THE
LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK ?
Visit Maaloula in Syria . Extend to Dubai
& the United Arab Emirates
Jordanian
departure tax is included in our rate.
Salam
& Bon Voyage
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RATES
(per person) in USD $ |
| Triple |
US$
5910.00 |
| Double |
US$
6020.00 |
| Single |
US$
8750.00 |
Tour
starts in Istanbul every Wednesday, year round . Click here for the
12 days edition ( Without Egypt)
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES:
- Complimentary
visa is issued upon arrival in Cairo and Amman for American, Australian,
NZ, EU , Singaporean & Japanese citizens, passports must be valid
for at least 6 month beyond the date of your arrival
Domestic
airfare within Turkey, Egypt (economy class ) as well as sleeper train
ticket within Egypt.
One
way air fare Cairo Amman in economy class , tax included.
Deluxe
Nile Cruise in Egypt including all meals, shore excursions. Large bottle
of water per person per day delivered to your cabin while
on board the Nile cruise Afternoon tea daily onboard the Nile cruise
.Tea/ Coffee and one small bottle of water per person with
each meal on board the Nile cruise
All transfers and porterage
Jordanian Departure tax
Locally escorted, guided sightseeing (including admissions fees) as
described in the itinerary
Meals as shown: (cB = continental breakfast;
L = set-menu lunch; D
= set-menu dinner)
Deluxe ( 5 stars ) and First Class (4-star) hotels as listed ,
including hotel tax and service charges
Bonus! Lonely Planet Turkey, Egypt and Jordan guidebooks
Rate
doesn't include :
More
Choices :
You
may choose to cruise the Nile on a Deluxe Yachts on the Nile
Or for a supplement : A deluxe private Air conditioned felucca or Dahabiya
cruise on the Nile
Sultans
, Caliphs and Pharaohs (17 Days)
Istanbul
, Petra , Sinai and Cairo and even include a Deluxe Dahabiya Nile Cruise.
Weekly
year Round : 17-Day Adventure in Turkey, Jordan and Egypt
Alexandria
Edition , including camping with the Bedouins in Wadi Rum
Memphis and Sakkara in Giza Egypt .
Go
Beyond Istanbul and combine the Grand Tour of Turkey, Egypt and Jordan
Including
a one week Deluxe Dahabiya Nile Cruise Weekly Arrival : April through
end of Oct .
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