Archive for Turkey Egypt

From Istanbul to the Nile with a Foray into Cappadocia (15 Days)

by kathy
October 21st, 2014

Sunset in Cappadocia. Photo by John Compton.

A Private Tour of Egypt and Turkey in 15 days. See the top sites in these two ancient/modern countries on this locally escorted tour. Click here to add a Nile cruise on the 16-day version, adding Cappadocia and even a foray into Nubia to tour the Mighty Temples on Ramses the Great.

Tour

DAY 1 – Daily – Year Round – Istanbul:
Arrive at Istanbul Airport (morning arrivals) and meet our local representative at the exit gate for the transfer to your hotel. After checking-in at the hotel and a brief rest, meet our guide and driver at your hotel for a half day tour. We start the tour with lunch. After lunch, we visit Topkapi Palace (including treasury) and Süleymaniye mosque. For all your transfers and tours in Egypt in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur.

DAY 2- Istanbul (BL)
Meet our guide at the hotel in the morning and start the tour. The sights we visit today are very close to each other and to the hotel, so we do not need the vehicle today. Visits to Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Underground Cistern. After lunch we visit Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and Grand Bazaar. For all your tours in Egypt in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 3- Istanbul – Kayseri- Cappadocia (BL)
Transfer from your hotel to Istanbul Airport for the 08:35 flight to Kayseri. On arrival to Kayseri Airport, our driver and guide meet you at the airport and start the tour there. Our first stop is the Soganli valley, which is one of the earliest settlements in Cappadocia. After this, we drive back to Mustafapasa through the unspoiled villages of Cappadocia, surrounded by the “table-top” mountains. On the way we visit the Medrese in Taskinpasa, a Theological School of the Seljuk Turks. After lunch in Mustafapasa at an old Greek house hosted by a local family, we descend towards the centre of the earth at the underground city of Kaymakli, one of the largest and deepest of Cappadocia’s many such settlements. Return to hotel in Cappadocia. For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 4 – Cappadocia (BL)
Our first real encounter with Cappadocia’s almost Martian landscape is in the Dervent valley, where the rock formations are amazing. A walk through the Zelve Open Air Museum is a journey into the past, with its troglodyte houses. This is one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements in Cappadocia. After Zelve we visit Pasabag’s “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of the wind harmonizes with the songs of the fairies. From here we pause at Avanos, a centre of terracota art since 3,000 BC, for a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. After lunch in Avanos, we visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. These are found in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings dating from as early as the 10th century. We complete the tour with a visit to the Uchisar Rock-Castle, giving you a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 5 – Cappadocia – Izmir (Kusadasi) (BD)

Breakfast is included daily at your hotels. Transfer to Kayseri Airport, where we board your flight heading for Izmir (via Istanbul). Our local rep. / driver meets you at Izmir Airport and transfers you to your hotel in Kusadasi and overlooking the Mediterranean.

DAY 6 – Izmir / Ephesus / Istanbul (B)
Today we first drive to the Virgin Mary’s House; after that we visit Ephesus which was founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians. Strolling through the streets of Ephesus, we will witness the perfection of the Graeco-Roman Art. Later in the afternoon we will visit St John’s Basilica, believed to be the tomb of the Apostle John, Christ’s beloved disciple. From the basilica, we will be able to look down on the remains of the temple of Artemis. We end the day with our visit to the Isa Bey Mosque, and you take the 19:00 flight to Istanbul. Transfer from Istanbul Airport to your hotel.

DAY 7 – Istanbul – Bosphorus Cruise (B)
Istanbul’s history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world. Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway. Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise (morning cruise for Oct-Apr season) of two continents, crossing from Europe to Asia and back, includes visits to the Navy’s Museum (showing some magnificent boats used by the Ottoman Sultans), the Bosphorus Bridge, Çamlica Hill lookout, and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace.

Day 8 – Cairo (B) VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport
Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid for at least 6 months 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 your name. 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 and into the 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)
We start with the best of Cairo: the Egyptian Museum including King Tut’s Gold Treasure Pavilion and the Mummies Grand Hall, Citadel of Saladin and its Alabaster Mosque. After lunch (included) at the Mena House we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx. For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 10 – Aswan (B)
We leave Cairo in the early hours of the morning and fly to Aswan. Upon arrival we proceed to visit the enormous dams at Aswan, then board a launch on the Nile to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters. The Mystery of Isis: Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis: “I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled.”

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Because of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey to the Underworld.

Isis is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect the world. Isis, the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless Egypt when you Travel in Style! Visit as well the red granite quarries with their unfinished obelisk.

For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 11. Aswan / Edfu / Kom Ombo / Luxor (BL)
We board a private air conditioned sedan / vehicle, drive north heading for Luxor, visiting enroute Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We’ll also see Haroeris, the solar disk. And at Edfu horse-drawn carriages or vans will meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we’ll continue beside the Nile to the Ancient Capital of the mighty Pharaoh: Luxor. Luxor Hilton or similar. Lunch box is included. For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 12. Luxor (BL)
Cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings, including King Tut’s Tomb, and the Colossi of Memnon. Return to your hotel for lunch (included).

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. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs. For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 13: Luxor. CAIRO (B)
Morning visit to the small yet charming Luxor museum, then cross back to the West Bank to visit the village of Gourna as well as 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. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs. Later in the day head for the airport for our flight back to Cairo, and our hotel For all your tours in Egypt and in Turkey: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 14: CAIRO (B)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Full day at leisure.

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! 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, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions. Just let us know your preferences.

DAY 15: CAIRO (B)
Early morning transfer to Cairo Airport. Bon Voyage.

Rates per person in US $: Based on: 2-3 Guests
First Class
Hotels		 Deluxe
Hotels
Triple $ 6220. $ 6650.
Double $ 6340. $ 6760.
Single $ 7460. $ 7690.
Rates per person in US $: Based on: 4-5 Guests
First Class
Hotels		 Deluxe
Hotels
Triple $ 5710. $ 6130.
Double $ 5820. $ 6240.
Single $ 6840. $ 7080.

Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter weeks: 10% supplement will apply.

Sample 4 Stars / First Class Hotels in Turkey:

  • Istanbul: Accura Hotel www.accurahotelistanbul.com
  • Cappadocia: Perissia Hotel www.perissiahotels.com.tr
  • Izmir: Best Western Hotel Konak www.bestwesternturkey.com/konakhotel.htm

Sample 5 Stars Hotels and best available in Turkey:

  • Istanbul: Conrad Hotel, Hyatt Hotel, Inter.Continental or similar.
  • Boutique hotel in Istanbul: If you prefer a boutique style Ottoman Mansion Hotel, please let’s know in   advance: Sample: Blue House. Arena. Yesil Ev, Sultanahmet Sarayi, Sultanhan or similar
  • Cappadocia: Cave Suites Hotel or similar (local 4 star)
  • Izmir: Hilton or Kusadasi:Korumar -5 Stars and Kismet Hotel – Special Category

Sample 5 Stars Hotels in Egypt:

  • Cairo: Hilton. Sheraton. Sofitel
  • Luxor: Steinberger. Sonesta St. George or similar
  • Aswan: Old Cataract, Movenpick Aswan, Isis Island Aswan or similar
  • Movenpick Nile Cruises: M/S Royal Lotus. M/S Royal Lily

Inclusions:

  • One way airfare Istanbul / Cairo, including tax, in economy class.
  • Domestic airfare within Turkey & Egypt, in economy class, tax included.
  • Meals, as listed: B = Continental breakfast, L/D = Preset men lunch/dinner. * Guided sightseeing, all transfers in Turkey & Egypt, as per itinerary, including all entrance fees.
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
  • Locally hosted guide will escort you at all times during sightseeing.
  • All transfers within Egypt & Turkey: private air-conditioned vehicle and private chauffeur
  • VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport
    Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, 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.Egyptian 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 your name. 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.

Not included:

  • Personal expenses and beverages
  • Gratuities.
  • Additional meals and services
  • International air fare from / to your home country.
  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)

 

Categories EgyptTurkey_multi, Turkey, Turkey Egypt

Magic of Istanbul and the Nile (16 Days)

by kathy
October 20th, 2014

A Grand 16-day Tour of Egypt and Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey and Cairo, Egypt
Abu Simbel and of course a Nile Cruise
Board your Nile Cruise in Luxor

Luxury Nile Cruises

Tour

DAY 1 – Friday. ISTANBUL – Weekly – Year Round (B)
Upon arrival at Istanbul, you’re met at the airport by our representative, who sees you to your hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people.

DAY 2- Saturday. ISTANBUL (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian’s great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans’ seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops.

Smooth Tricks of a Turkish Ice Cream Parlor. Video by Tom Henry.

DAY 3 – Sunday. Istanbul / CAPPADOCIA (BD)
Morning Flight to the heart land of Anatolia arriving at biblical Cappadocia and your Hotel. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide. Dinner is included this evening at charming local restaurant.

Day 4 – Monday. CAPPADOCIA (B)
We explore the “moonscape” of Cappadocia, visiting the painted churches in the Göreme and Zelve Valleys, the rock hewn dwellings in Ortahisar, the pottery-making center of Avanos, and the incredible underground city of Kaymakl (or Derinkuyu).

Day 5 – Tuesday.CAPPADOCIA / KAYSERI / IZMIR, EPHESUS (B)
Proceed by private car to Kayseri, board your flight on to Istanbul and connect to Izmir, and your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure.

DAY 6 – Wednesday. Ephesus / ISTANBUL (B)
We proceed to time capsule & the gem of ancient cities of the Greco Roman world: Ephesus, the capital of Roman Asia Minor, we spend most of the day in Ephesus and touring the Basilica of St. John, said to mark his tomb. Then fly back to Istanbul and our hotel for one last chance to go on a shopping spree in the legendary covered Bazaar. Istanbul is all yours, any way you like it. Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook and stroll along the restored 19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once known as the Grand Rue, DE Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies in the Egyptian Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city’s many Byzantine churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square. Climb the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for a panoramic view of Old Istanbul.

DAY 7 – Thursday. ISTANBUL, CAIRO (BD)
After breakfast our local representative will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo – air fare is included in economy class, tax included. In Cairo, our local rep. whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward to your hotel.

VIP Meet & Greet Service @ Cairo Airport
Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid for at least 6 months 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 your name. 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. Dinner is included this evening at the hotel.

DAY 8 – Friday. CAIRO (BLD)
Today you’ll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights, but your day has just started. You’ll also see the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In Giza, on the edge of the desert, you’ll gaze in awe at the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids. Evening departure on board the sleeper train – officially 4 stars, we rate it: Modest 3 stars (private compartment), dinner is served on board. If you prefer to fly, please add: $120 per person to any of the rates, in which case you spend tonight in Cairo, and fly tomorrow morning to Aswan.

DAY 9 – Saturday. Luxor (or ASWAN) – Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
Breakfast is served on board before you arrive Luxor in Upper Egypt. Where our local rep will meet you and escort you to your Nile Cruise. Subject to the time of arrival, you may enjoy breakfast again on board the Nile cruise if you arrive in time while breakfast is still being served.

Your cabin may not be ready early in the morning as other guests are still checking out, however you’ll have access to all the public areas on board the boat. You might wish to explore the water front and Luxor souks. Check-in around noon, in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the evening, we have arranged for a horse drawn carriage ride for you to attend the Sound & Light show at Karnak. Please bring a jacket and always carry with you a bottle of water (long performance) and a flash light.

The the souq (open-air market) in Luxor, Egypt

The the souq (open-air market) in Luxor, Egypt
By Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

DAY 10 – Sunday. Luxor / Edfu – On Board Your Nile Cruise (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 will 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.

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. 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 11 – Monday – EDFU, KOM OMBO- On Board Your Nile Cruise (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, then continue our voyage to Aswan, while we party after dinner with music and dance.

DAY 12 – Tuesday – ASWAN- On Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams and then explore 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.

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 13 – Wednesday – Abu Simbel (B)
We take a short flight to Abu Simbel, where your private guide, private air-conditioned vehicle and private chauffeur, will be waiting for you. We will explore these huge temples:

Temple of Queen Nefertari:
The great funerary temple, built in the 12th century BC by Ramses the Great for Queen Nefertari, is unique in Egyptian history. Beautifully restored with American aid, it’s the only such temple built by a pharaoh for his queen. We rise early to see it as few visitors are admitted each day. It’s sure to be a highlight of your Egyptian adventure.

Ramses the Great Abu Simbel Temple:
Ramses the Great’s huge desert temple at Abu Simbel marked the southern border of the pharaoh’s dominions. Rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser by an international effort, it is a marvel of sacred engineering. Twice a year – and only then – the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies, illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari.

After the tour we then fly back to Aswan, arriving in time to take lunch aboard your Nile cruiser.

This afternoon we’ll have the opportunity to experience Egypt at its most authentic, as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If you wish, try your hand at camel riding! We’ll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.

DAY 14 – Thursday. Aswan, CAIRO, HOME HOSTED DINNER (B)
After breakfast we’ll head to the airport to catch our flight to Cairo. After we settle you into your hotel, you’ll have your last opportunity to experience the excitement of this great city and, of course, do some last-minute shopping.

This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! 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, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions. Just let us know your preferences.

DAY 15 – CAIRO- Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara- Friday (BLD)
A morning tour takes us to the time capsule treasure of Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We’ll motor to the edge of Cairo, to Dahshour, the pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structures:

The “Discovery” of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru’s pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza’s Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru’s – miraculously – is still in place.

After lunch at the Mena House we head for Memphis and Sakkara, including the Step Pyramid of Zoser and Nobles tombs/Mastabas. Dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 16 – Saturday. RETURN HOME (B)
Our Cairo-based local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Compare with the 12 day Version, or the 15-day version without a nile cruise.

RATES per person in double occupancy in US$:
All cabins on the Nile cruise are outside cabins with two lower beds, all with panoramic windows.
Deluxe
Hotels		 First Class
Hotels		 Tourist Class
Hotels
Sharing in Triple
Occupancy		 $ 5035. $ 4785. $ 4466.
In Double Occupancy $ 5178. $ 4865. $ 4588.
In Single Occupancy $ 6290. $ 5884. $ 5422.
Christmas/ New Years (Dec 15 – Jan 3), Easter Weeks: Please add: 20% to the rates
For children 2-10 years of age: 25 % discount will apply when sharing with parents in a double room

Sample Deluxe Nile Cruise:
M/S Mojito, M/S Monaco or M/S Monte Carlo Nile Cruise, M/S Adonis, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Florence, M/S Lady Diana

Sample First Class Nile Cruise:
M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby

Rate includes:

  • 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.
  • Guided tours as listed, including all entrance fees.
  • Hotel accommodation as mentioned in Turkey and Cairo, including tax and service charges, and breakfast daily.
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
  • Airport greeting and assistance. Transportation between airports, hotels, and port.
  • One-way air transportation Istanbul and Cairo.
  • Port taxes.
  • Domestic air in Egypt.
  • VIP Meet & Greet Service @ Cairo Airport
    Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
    Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, 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.
  • Egyptian 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 your name.
    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.

Not Included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
  • Add air fare from USA.
  • Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
  • Additional personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

Sample Hotels used or similar – 5 Stars and best available:

  • Istanbul: Conrad Hotel, Hyatt Hotel, Inter.Continental or similar. If you prefer a boutique style Ottoman Mansion Hotel, please let’s know in advance: Sample: Blue House. Arena. Yesil Ev, Sultanahmet Sarayi, Sultanhan or similar
  • Kusadasi: Korumar Hotel or similar
  • Pamukkale: Colassae Hotel or similar
  • Antalya: Talya Hotel or similar
  • Konya: Riixos Hotel or similar
  • Cappadocia: Cave Suites Hotel or similar (local 4 star)
Categories Turkey, Turkey Egypt

Magic of Istanbul & the Nile

by kathy
October 18th, 2014

Tour Egypt and Turkey
The Two Gems of the East Mediterranean
All in a 12-day Honeymoon Wishes Tour

Couple Enjoying Meal In Outdoor Restaurant

Tour

DAY 1 – ISTANBUL- Thursday – Weekly in Istanbul – Year Round (B)
Upon arrival at Istanbul, you’re met at the airport by our representative, who sees you to your hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur for all your transfers in Turkey and Egypt.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL- Friday (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian’s great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans’ seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

Video by touropia

DAY 3 – ISTANBUL- Saturday (BL)
ISTANBUL – “Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque” (late 19th century), the exotic romance of the “Paris of the East”

Morning walking tour: We start with our guide in Karaköy where the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates), and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the famous Pera Palace Hotel. Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour.

In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the “Mehter,” or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).

Then go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. Breakfast, Lunch. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 4- ISTANBUL- Sunday (B)
Full day on your own in Istanbul, one last chance for shopping spree in the legendary covered Bazaar. Istanbul is all yours, any way you like it. Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook and stroll along the restored 19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once known as the Grand Rue, DE Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies in the Egyptian Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city’s many Byzantine churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square. Climb the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for a panoramic view of Old Istanbul. If you prefer to spend more time in Cairo rather than Istanbul, please click here.

DAY 5- ISTANBUL, CAIRO- Monday (B)
Air fare is included between Istanbul and Cairo in economy class, tax included. After breakfast our local representative will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, where our local rep. whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward to your hotel.

VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport
Our local representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel.  Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order and valid for at least 6 months 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 your name. 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 the 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 6 – CAIRO- Tuesday (BL)
Today, you’ll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights, but your day has just started. You’ll also see the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In Giza, on the edge of the desert, you’ll gaze in awe at the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 7 – Wednesday – ASWAN – Nile Cruise (BLD)
Enjoy an breakfast before you fly to Aswan (or Luxor) in Upper Egypt. You’ll arrive in time to take lunch aboard your Nile cruiser. We’ll have the opportunity to experience Egypt at its most authentic, as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If you wish, try your hand at camel riding! We’ll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.

DAY 8 – Onboard Your Nile Cruise – ASWAN, KOM OMBO- Thursday (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the dams at Aswan, including the High Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the the Island temple of Philae, rescued from rising waters it was moved to this island after building the High Dam. dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS.

Back aboard our cruiser, we’ll sail northward down the Nile at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek.

Video by electrakate

DAY 9 – Nile Cruising EDFU, ESNA- Friday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans will meet us at the riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Later, we’ll cruise to Esna, and by evening, we’ll be in fabled Luxor.

DAY 10 – Cruising The Nile: LUXOR- Saturday (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings, including Tutankaomn’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.

DAY 11 – LUXOR, CAIRO- Sunday (BD)
We’ll visit the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the great Temple of Luxor before heading to the airport to catch our flight to Cairo. After we settle you into your hotel, you’ll have your last opportunity to experience the excitement of this great city and, of course, do some last-minute shopping. Dinner is included this evening at a charming local restaurant.

DAY 12 – RETURN HOME- Monday (B)
Our Cairo-based local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home.

RATES per person in double occupancy in US$:

  • All cabins on the Nile cruise are outside cabins with two lower beds, all with panoramic windows.
  • For children: 2-10 years of age: 20 % discount will apply when sharing with parents in a double room
Rates per person in US$: Minimum 2-3 Guests:
Deluxe
Hotels		 First Class
Hotels		 Tourist Class
Hotels
Triple $ 4650. $ 4339. $ 3860.
Double $ 4780. $ 4460. $ 3980.
Single $ 5929. $ 5650. $ 4610.
For Dec 20 – Jan 5, Easter: Please add 20 % supplement to any of the rates
Rates per person in US$: Minimum 4-5 Guests:
Deluxe
Hotels		 First Class
Hotels		 Tourist Class
Hotels
Triple $ 4445. $ 4145. $ 3795.
Double $ 4575. $ 4298. $ 3899.
Single $ 5691. $ 5555. $ 4341.
For Dec 20 – Jan 5, Easter: Please add 20 % supplement to any of the rates

Sample Deluxe Nile Cruise:

Movenpick Nile Cruises: M/S Royal Lotus. M/S Royal Lily, M/S Mojito, M/S Monaco or M/S Monte Carlo Nile Cruise, M/S Adonis, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Florence, M/S Lady Diana

Sample First Class Nile Cruise:

M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby

Sample hotels, or similar:
Deluxe First class Hotels
Istanbul Marmara The Arena, Armada, Blue House, Senator
Cairo Hilton, Sheraton, Sonesta Shepherds, Oases
Nile Cruise M/S Monaco, M/S Mojito, M/S Queen of Hansa. M/S Royal Ruby, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Lady Diana M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby

Rate includes:

  • Five day Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions..
  • Guided tours as listed, including all entrance fees. Private Guide in Cairo, Istanbul & on board the cruise, for all the shore excursions.
  • Private car/driver for all airport/hotel/cruise transfers.
  • Hotel accommodation as mentioned, including tax and service charges, and breakfast daily.
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
  • Airport greeting and assistance. Transportation between airports, hotels, and port.
  • One-way air transportation Istanbul and Cairo. Economy class with tax
  • Domestic air flights within Egypt in economy class, tax included.
  • VIP Meet & Greet Service @ Cairo Airport
    Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
    Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, 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.
  • Egyptian 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 your name.
    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.

Not Included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
  • Tips
  • Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
  • Additional personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary
Categories EgyptTurkey_multi, Turkey, Turkey Egypt

Private Tour of Turkey & Egypt (11 Days)

by kathy
October 17th, 2014

Istanbul: The Grand City of the Sultans

Cairo – Giza – Alexandria:
The Grand Cities of the Pharaohs and Sultans

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey.

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey. © rudi1976 | Bigstock

Private Tour-Private Guide – Private Air Conditioned Deluxe Vehicle. An 11- Day Tour of Turkey and Egypt: Istanbul, Ephesus and Kusadasi. Cairo, Giza and Alexandria. If you have only a short time this is the perfect getaway for these two gems of the Eastern Mediterranean. Your stay is filled with enough exotic sights, sounds, scenes and scents to make it seem like weeks. Daily Arrival. Arrive ANY DAY! Choose your own date, year round. Compare with the 9-day Group departure version- Fully escorted

Tour

DAY 1 – ISTANBUL- Daily – Year Round
Our local representative will meet your flight, or cruise port – arrive on any cruise line (Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises or other Mediterranean cruises) – and escort you to your hotel.

The representative will answer any questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people. Welcome fruit basket in your room awaits you with our compliments.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL (B)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian’s great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes, we finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops. We conclude our day with a tour of “SALT GALATA” and the Ottoman Bank most charming Museum and Building, the Ottoman Bank as inaugurated in 1892. The building is a landmark unique to Istanbul with surprisingly distinct architectural styles—neoclassical and oriental.

Smooth Tricks of a Turkish Ice Cream Parlor. Video by Tom Henry.

DAY 3 – BOSPHORUS Cruise (B)
Istanbul’s history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world. Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway. Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise (morning cruise for Oct-Apr season) of two continents, crossing from Europe to Asia and back, includes visits to Çamlica Hill lookout, and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace. Return to your hotel or explore Istanbul further on your own.

Day 4 – “Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque” (late 19th century), the exotic romance of the “Paris of the East:” (B)
Morning walking tour: We start with our guide in Karaköy where the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates), and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the famous Pera Palace Hotel.

Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour. In the afternoon the tour visits Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz.

Day 5 – Istanbul – Kusadasi (B)
Transfers are always on a private basis. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur. Fly to Izmir (airfare is always included in economy class, tax included), after landing in Izmir, your first stop on this fascinating tour is at the House of the Virgin Mary. Then, you will continue on to visit ancient Ephesus, one of the most magnificent and best-preserved ancient sites in the world.

See the Terrace Houses, the Odeon, the Market Basilica, Curetes Street, Bath, Celsus Library, Marble Street and the Great Theatre with a seating capacity of 25,000 people. See the Terrace Houses, the newly excavated site in Ephesus, excavation site for the ancient homes of richest ephesians.

In the afternoon, we visit the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk and see the Temple of Artemis, one of the wonders of the ancient world. View Basilica of St John and Isabey Mosque. En-route to Kusadasi enjoy the scenery and the local arts, enjoy possible shopping opportunity if you wish, then on to Sirince Village. This old Orthodox Village, 30 kilometers from Kusadasi, was once “Cirkince”(ugly). Indeed, the inhabitants gave this name on purpose as they did not want to be bothered by foreigners nor to share the beauty of their village. Still, after years, visitors understood that the village was not ugly and called it “Sirince” (pretty). Today the village is a perfect synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture as of the 1920’s; after the Turkish Independence War, people exchange between Greek and Turks has occurred and all the typical Greek houses, though they kept their original outside characteristics, have received the local layout inside. At Sirince Village you will have a chance of seeing the local life at a village and purchasing some small local souvenirs and handicrafts. The village is also famous for its local grape and other fruit wines. During the lunch mingle with the local people of the village, as you will be a guest in their village, for a simple cup of traditional Turkish coffee at the main coffee house of the village. Depending on the number of guests, a gypsy woman may read your fortune after you finish your coffee.

DAY 6 – Kusadasi (B)
Full day at leisure in this Mediterranean paradise. The city stands on a bay in the Aegean with the peninsula of Guvercin Ada sticking out into the sea at one end, and the mountain of Kaz Dagi behind. Explore the town or take a day gulet cruise, or just simply enjoy the beach, the choice is yours.

DAY 7 – ISTANBUL- Cairo (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, head back to Izmir Airport and fly back to Istanbul. Please proceed on your own to connect to the onward flight to Cairo, Egypt (air fare is included in our rate in economy class, tax included).

At Cairo Airport:
Our local representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport. VIP Meet & Greet Upon arrival at Cairo Airport, visa issued locally in Cairo (for a limited number of nationalities) no photos required.

Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order, valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 8 – CAIRO (BL)
We plunge into Cairo: the treasure-filled Egyptian Museum including the “Mummies Room”, the Citadel of Saladin, perched high above the city, and Mohammed Ali’s Alabaster Mosque. After lunch at Hadaik el-Azhar or Naguib Mahfouz, we explore Old Cairo: first a Roman fort, then the Jewish Quarter, then the Coptic Christian Quarter. We visit the Coptic churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra synagogue. Finally, we wander through the alleys of Khan el-Khalili bazaar in search of magic carpets and other traditional souvenirs.

Great Sphinx of Giza (foreground) Pyramid of Menkaure

Great Sphinx of Giza (foreground) Pyramid of Menkaure

DAY 9– Cairo – Alexandria (BL)
After breakfast, our local rep. will assist with your transfer to the Railway Station to board your first class reserved seats, air-conditioned Express train to Alexandria. Upon arrival in Alexandria, your private guide, and private air-conditioned vehicle will be waiting for you.

Today, we’ll get to known Alexandria in depth, as we visit the Roman Amphitheater, the Koum El Shougafa Tombs and Qayet Bey Fortress.

Qayet Bey Fort was built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world: the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at “El Selsela” the site of the underwater reserves where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant, and then it’s off to the new site for the Alexandria Library. Time permitting we’ll visit the new museum in Alexandria. The building was originally built in 1926 for the US consulate in Alexandria and is a masterpiece in 1920’s architecture and Mediterranean style buildings. In the afternoon we tour: Zanket El-Setat and the local souks, el-Raml district and downtown area with coffee and tea served at one of the local cafes, then on to the railway station and back to Cairo, where our local rep. will be waiting for you at Cairo Station for your transfer to the hotel.

DAY 10 – CAIRO (BLD)
We drive to Giza to see the Pyramids, the Sphinx, Cheops Royal Barge Museum and the Valley Temple. If you’re physically fit, you may scramble deep within the Great Pyramid to the king’s chamber. After lunch at a local restaurant, we tour some of Egypt’s most ancient sites: the ruins of Memphis, the step pyramid of Sakkara, and the “bent” pyramid at Dahshour, open to visitors after a half-century of seclusion: A grand pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:

The “Discovery” of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru’s pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza’s Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru’s–miraculously–is still in place.

Lunch is included at the Mena House. In the evening, we host you on a Nile dinner cruise complete with exotic Egyptian entertainment.

DAY 11 – DEPARTURE (cB)
After a full breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage.

Rates per person in USD $
Private Touring, Private Transfers, Private Air-Conditioned Vehicle, Private Guide
  Ottoman Mansions
Arena, Blue House or similar		 Hilton- Swissotel
Conrad Istanbul Hotel
or similar		 Four Seasons
or Ciragan Palace
Triple US$ 4050. US$ 4550. US$ 5280.
Double US$ 4140. US$ 4670. US$ 5395.
Single US$ 6050. US$ 6560. US$ 7470.

Rate includes:

  • All transfer are on a private basis.
  • Private guided sightseeing.
  • All entrance fees.
  • Meals as listed: B. L. D.: Preset menu continental breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Hotel accommodation in the category of your choice, with tax included and service charges.
  • Domestic air fare within Turkey in economy class as well as one way air fare Istanbul Cairo, tax included
  • VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
    Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (photos are not required).
  • Egyptian Visa will be issued for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and 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. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo upon arrival with our compliments.

Rate doesn’t include:

  • International air fare from/ to your home country..
  • Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
  • Trip/travel insurance, highly recommended.
Young woman in a hammam or turkish bath

Add a Hamam / Spa Experience to your tour

Alexandria… Mediterranean Fantasy… and a Voyage Into History

Conquerors, emperors, ancient travelers and traders have all approached Alexandria from the sea . . . and so will you! Only Travel in Style makes it possible to experience the very essence of this ancient city as it should be experienced, as it was known by pharaohs, queens, and invaders from Marc Antony to Napoleon.

We’ll set sail into the great harbor, still the destination and port of call for ships from the far corners of the world. Landward, we’ll espy the great and throbbing maritime metropolis of Egypt. Our course will take us directly above statues that lie on the seabed, and stone slabs of the Lighthouse-one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World-toppled in an ancient earthquake. We’ll approach the great stone fortress of Qait Bey, reputedly constructed with some of those very stones.

Then we’ll set a course along the coast to the East Harbor, dropping anchor above the Royal City that was submerged by earthquakes and tidal waves in the fourth century A.D.

This underwater treasure house includes the palace of Cleopatra, the Timonium of Mark Antony, fallen columns and capitals, sphinxes, and statues and ceramics, much of it remarkably well preserved. Certified divers among our guests may book an optional excursion to explore this submarine Pompeii.

Along the way, we’ll view the spectacular Bibliotheca Alexandrina —the Library of Alexandria—as few are privileged to see it. Taking the stunning form of an inclined disk rising from the waters, it aptly captures the rebirth from the sea—in Pharaonic fashion—of the lost Alexandria Library of the ancient Greeks that held the works of the greatest scientists and philosophers of the ancient world. Like its namesake, the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina serves as a storehouse of knowledge and a beacon of culture and intellectual expression in this part of the world. Our maritime view is just a preview of our visit to the library itself.

Then we’ll set a course along the coast to the East Harbor, dropping anchor above the Royal City that was submerged by earthquakes and tidal waves in the fourth century A.D. This underwater treasure house includes the palace of Cleopatra, the Timonium of Mark Antony, fallen columns and capitals, sphinxes, and statues and ceramics, much of it remarkably well preserved. Certified divers among our guests may book an optional excursion to explore this submarine Pompeii.

Finally, we’ll conclude an unforgettable voyage through history by setting a course to Abu Qir, where the French fleet under Napoleon was destroyed by Admiral Horatio Nelson. The visit is a perfect counterpoint to a visit to the Qait Bey, where moving relics of the ill-fated fleet are on display.

Please note that this opportunity is limited to up to seven guests at a time. Two small cabins are available for changing and rest, as well as a bathroom, galley, dining salon, and sundeck. Our vessel is fully staffed by a crew of three, including captain. By prior arrangement, we can arrange for a sunset sailing, with cocktails and light music on your vessel’s sound system, or a full day of sport fishing.

We can also make arrangements for you to meet and share dinner as guests of a local family.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to go beyond the limits of the casual visitor, to share your aspirations, outlook, customs, and experiences with people who have a lot more in common with you than you might ever expect. If you’re interested, just let us know, and consider taking along something from your home town to leave with your hosts as a gesture of appreciation.

The recent discoveries join the New Library, opened just last year, among the top attractions in Alexandria. And the New Museum will shortly open in a historic palace that once housed the United States consulate

Categories Turkey, Turkey Egypt

Let’s Go to Turkey and Egypt

by kathy
August 28th, 2014

Luxury Tour of Egypt and Turkey
All in 14 Days

Mevlana Museum, Konya, Turkey.

Mevlana Museum, Konya, Turkey.
By Alexander Ostrovsky, Kiev (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

Visit Turkey’s top sights — Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia then on to Cairo to see the best of Egypt with 5-day cruise along the Nile.

Tour

DAY 1 – ISTANBUL: Friday – Weekly – Year Round
We meet your flight and escort you to your hotel. Private transfers at all times.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL: A Very Full Day – Saturday – Private Touring (BL)
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.

DAY 3 – IZMIR- KUSADSI: Sunday- Private Touring (BD)
We fly to Izmir (air fare is always included, in economy class, tax included) and after touring the local bazaar and the fortress built by Alexander the Great, we head for Kusadasi and your hotel where dinner awaits you.

DAY 4 – EPHESUS – PAMUKKALE: Monday – Private Touring (BD)
We drive to Selçuk to visit the extensive ruins of Roman Ephesus including the Terraced Houses 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.

DAY 5 – KONYA: Tuesday – Private Touring (BD)
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.

DAY 6 – CAPPADOCIA: Wednesday – Private Touring (BD)
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.

DAY 7 – Cappadocia / ISTANBUL / Cairo: Thursday (B)
Enjoy breakfast before heading to the airport for our flight to Istanbul where you will connect with your flight to Cairo.
Air fare is included in our rate. Economy class Cappadocia /Istanbul Cairo.

Our Egypt-based local rep. greets you in bustling Cairo airport and assist you to your hotel. VIP meet and greet service included Egyptian visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport, no photos required, (valid only for a limited number of nationalities such as: American, EU, Canadian, Australian, NZ, S. Korean, Singaporean and Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival). After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

DAY 8 – CAIRO: Friday – Private Touring (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the “Mummies Room” and King Tut Gold Treasures Hall, followed by a tour of the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster, then on to the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple. Lunch is included at the Mena House.

Pyramids Of Giza & The Sphinx (Cairo, Egypt) February 2014. Video by secabol.

DAY 9 – LUXOR – BOARD your NILE CRUISE: Saturday (BLD)
Very Early morning flight to Luxor. Transfer is always on a private basis. From the airport we proceed to tour 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.

Check in on your 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.

DAY 10 – Full day Cruising – On Board Your Nile Cruise: Sunday (BLD)
We cruise to Esna and pass through the Esna locks to Edfu, where we Dock for the night.

DAY 11 – EDFU – KOM OMBO – On Board Your Nile Cruise: Monday (BLD)
In Edfu, 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 Galabiya party aboard.

DAY 12 – KOM OMBO – ASWAN – On Board Your Nile Cruise: Tuesday (BLD)
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 13 – ASWAN ABU Simbel CAIRO: Wednesday (BD)
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. in Abu Simbel we’ll marvel at the temples dedicated to Ramses the Great and Queen Nefertari, 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 where dinner awaits you.

DAY 14 – CAIRO: Thursday- Departure (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight. Bon Voyage! Itinerary is subject to change without notice. Bon Voyage.

Rates per person in USD $ – Minimum 2 Guests
Modest Three
Stars Hotels		 Four Stars
Hotels		 Deluxe
Five Stars Hotels
Triple $4733. $5210. $6805.
Double $4888. $5320. $6900.
Single $5869. $6790. $8130
Rates per person in USD $ – Minimum 4-6 Guests:
Modest Three
Stars Hotels		 Four Stars
Hotels		 Deluxe
Five Stars Hotels
Triple $4224. $4860. $6025.
Double $4393. $4935. $6116.
Single $5588. $6275. $8680.

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES:

  • Air fare Istanbul Cairo in economy class with tax included.
  • Domestic airfare within Turkey and Egypt (economy class) with tax included.
  • Nile Cruise in Egypt including all meals & shore executions.
  • All transfers and porters within Turkey and Egypt.
  • Guided sightseeing (including admissions fees) as described in the itinerary
  • Meals as shown: (cB = continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner)
  • Hotel & Nile Cruise accommodations, including hotel tax and service charges
  • VIP meet and greet service is included upon arrival at Cairo Airport.
  • Egyptian visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport, no photos required, (valid only for a limited number of nationalities such as: American, EU, Canadian, Australian, NZ, S. Korean, Singaporean and Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

Rate doesn’t include:

  • International air fare.
  • Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
  • Trip/travel insurance
  • Tips
Categories Lets go to Turkey, Turkey Egypt, Turkey_private