Escape to the Sun (Aswan)

8 Day Tour

Boarding Aswan and including
Ramses The Great Mighty Abu Simbel Temples

Abu Simbel temples, Egypt
Rémih [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

DAY 1 – CAIRO – Arrival
VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
Visa issued locally in Cairo (for a limited number of nationalities) no photos required. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks 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 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 and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments. Weekly on Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays & Wednesdays, year round.

DAY 2 – CAIRO (BL)
Today we get to know the great Egyptian capital on a full-day tour. We start at the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummy room & Tutankhamoun Treasures, then go on to visit the majestic pyramids of Giza and the timeless Sphinx, and conclude with the 12th century district of Khan El Khalili. Lunch is included at Al-Azhar Park.

DAY 3 – Aswan (or LUXOR) / Edfu (BLD)
An early flight takes us to Abu Simbel, where your private guide, private chauffeur and private air-conditioned vehicle will be waiting for you to tour of Ramses the Great two mighty temples:

In the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which we head back to Abu Simbel Airport and fly back to Aswan, (Cruise embarkation may also be from Luxor).

Check-in on board your cruise, settle on board, then visit the Aswan High Dam, the red granite quarries of the ancient pharaohs, and the temples of Philae, reconstructed on an island in the middle of the Nile, rescued from rising waters, dedicated to the Ancient Goddess 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 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!

After a shipboard lunch, we set sail for Kom Ombo, where we explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek. We continue our cruise to Edfu, where we dock for the night. Welcome complimentary fruit basket.

DAY 4 – EDFU & Luxor (BLD)
We board horse-drawn carriages (or motor vans) for the ride to Edfu’s Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved Ancient Egyptian temples on the Nile. After lunch, we continue our cruise down the Nile to Luxor. Afternoon tea is served on the sun-deck. Dinner & entertainment on board. Complimentary Galabya, maybe to wear it for tonight’s costume party.

DAY 5 – Luxor (BLD)
Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple of El Deir El Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch,we tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, the “mother” of all temples, and the smaller yet charming Temple of Luxor, Afternoon tea is served on deck. Dinner & folk dance show on board. Complimentary Egyptian sweets/pastry tonight.

DAY 6 – Disembarkation – Fly Back to CAIRO (BD)
Check-out after breakfast. We return by plane to Cairo and our hotel. Experience Cairo as you like. Now’s a good time to do your souvenir and gift shopping in the city’s fabled bazaars. Dinner is included at La Bodega Restaurant or El Sid restaurant or similar.

DAY 7- MEMPHIS / SAKKARA / DAHSOUR (BL)
Enjoy American or Buffet breakfast before we explore the great Egyptian capital in this full-day tour of Memphis, the Step Pyramid of Sakkara and DAHSOUR. We’ll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King’s Chamber (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid, depending). Continue to Dahshour, the newly-opened 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.

DAY 8- DEPARTURE (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage!

Please add a supplement of 10% to these rates for December 20 to January 3, or during Easter Week.

Rates include:

• 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 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet 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.
• Domestic airfare within Egypt in economy class tax included,  tickets issued & delivered in Cairo.
• All transfers within Egypt, always on a private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
• Bottled water (one large bottled per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are on board.
• Tea or coffee and small bottled water with each & every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise, and a welcome fruit basket in your cabin upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
• Pre set menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
• Hotel accommodation,including tax & service charges.
• Guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees
• Nile cruise including all meals & shore excursions. For a private Egyptology while on board the cruise, please add $250 per person, this will include as well private air conditioned car /driver for the duration of the Nile Cruise.

Rates do not include:

• Any international airfare
• Travel Insurance
• Tips

Clothing on board:
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing, swimsuits, sun hat. Dinning room dress code: Casual for breakfast & lunch, smart casual for dinner. All ships are fully air conditioned.

DRESS CODE:
All of our Nile cruise vessels are fully air conditioned. Onboard dress is casual except at dinner, when smart casual is the rule. Lightweight cotton and other natural fiber clothing is best, with swimsuits and sun hats for the sundeck and pool. Bring a light sweater or light jacket for cool mornings and evenings, but most days are warm to hot, with very little rain. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for shore excursions.

What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Cairo, Luxor & Aswan, morning & evenings are cooler. During Winter… very rare do we get rain, if so, very brief showers. No need for real rain wear/gear.
Before sunrise, after sun-set, you’ll need a light jacket, or light sweater.

For Nile cruise shore excursions, we suggest comfortable cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing.

Comfortable walking shoes are essential for all tours in Cairo or Upper Egypt.