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Discover
Egypt and Libya
An 11 -Day North African Adventure
Here's
the best way to see the best of North Africa : Egypt & Libya in
only eleven days.
Special
and unforgettable opportunity to encounter locals in Egypt and Libya
:
Meet a local family in Cairo and an encounter with the Berber families
and have lunch with Berber tribes in the Sahara
Now
you can combine the highlights of Egypt with a discovery of Libya. You'll
start with the throbbing capital of Egypt, and an exploration of the
key sites both within the city and nearby. Then it's on to the old-new
land of Libya We'll sample not only the ancient sites rich in temples,
amphitheaters and mosaics, but the warm hospitality offered by Libyans
in modern lodging places, modest hilltop Berber villages, and in timeless
desert encampments under a million stars. You'll discover a country
that's completely unexpected . . . and completely enchanting. A ground-breaking
11-day, 10-night tour..
Consider adding Tunisia
to this tour.
DAY 1 - CAIRO - Friday - Weekly - Year Round
Our staff meets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel, visa
will be issued on a complimentary basis for American, Australian, NZ,
Western European, Canadian , Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your
passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival.
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
You
may add or combine with any of our tours of Greece, Italy or Spain
DAY
2 - CAIRO- Home Hosted Dinner - Saturday(cBLD)
We start with the best of Cairo: the Egyptian Museum, Manial Palace
of the former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali, Citadel of Saladin and its
Alabaster Mosque. After lunch , we walk the narrow streets of
Old Cairo, once a Roman fort, later 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 souvenirs.
Dinner
is included at a local home:
Meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (
T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to
a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way
of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your
new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background.
Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that
you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may
enjoy dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting
us know your preferences.
DAY 3 - CAIRO - GIZA - DAHSHOUR PYRAMID AREA - Sunday (cBLD)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the Valley
Temple and the timeless Sphinx. After lunch we drive to Dahshour,
the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit several ancient
structures, including the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops.
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.
DAY 4 - Cairo / Tripoli / ARRIVAL IN LIBYA - Monday (BLD)
After breakfast, our Cairo staff escorts you to the airport, where you'll
board your flight to Tripoli. After you clear the customs and immigration
formalities, our Libyan personnel will take you in hand and see you
to your hotel, where you'll spend the next two nights. Take a good look
around at the blend of traditional and modern as you motor into town:
street merchants, haggling, and shiny modern buildings. After you check
in, you'll have time to relax, and to venture out to explore the modern
quarters of the town, or the winding lanes of the old city.
Check
on weather in Tripoli . The climate of
Tripoli is Mediterranean with hot dry summers, cool winters and some
modest rainfall. Weather can be variable, influenced by the Sahara Desert
and the Mediterranean Sea which moderates daily temperature ranges.
DAY
5 - TRIPOLI - Tuesday (BLD)
After breakfast, we'll take you for a drive to the Tripoli Museum, housing
treasures of Libyan history from Roman times and earlier. We'll venture
into the Old Town, and along the winding lanes of the souks, where in
age-old fashion, merchants and customers haggle over local handicrafts
and produce, treasures from across the desert, and practical items from
over the seas. We'll see the venerable arch of the Roman emperor Marcus
Aurelius, the Gurgi Mosque, and the Karamanly Museum. Afterwards, you'll
be free to explore on your own, and possibly to return to the souks
to try your hand at bargaining for some of the crafts and treasures
that you spied earlier.
DAY
6 - SABRATHA, JABEL NAFUSA, BERBER ENCOUNTER - Wednesday (BLD)
Today we'll make our way out of the capital, and into the heart of Libya.
Our first stop will be Sabratha, an ancient Roman outpost. We'll tour
the well-preserved ruins and visit the museum, where we'll learn of
Libya's key position on ancient trade routes. Then it's on to adventure,
into the cool and lush Nafusa highlands. We'll visit the granaries at
Gasr El Haj, then continue to Ruhaybat. Here, we'll gain insights
into the way of life of the Berbers, the mountain people of North
Africa. We'll have a special and unforgettable opportunity to encounter
local Berber families, and learn about their unique customs. Finally,
we'll settle in for the night, but not at a standard tourist hotel.
Travel in Style has arranged- for you to stay in a Troglodyte house
set right into the earth . . . a delightful conclusion to an extraordinary
day.
DAY
7 - KABAW, GHADAMES, INTO THE DESERT- Thursday (BLD)
We descend from the highlands after breakfast, toward Kabaw, where we'll
visit the granaries-more evidence of the surprising variety and wealth
of this land. In the afternoon, we'll reach the oasis outpost of Ghadames
with its intertwined dwellings, and settle into our lodgings at the
modest and welcoming Kafila/Winzrik Hotel. But we won't tarry long!
Four-wheel-drive vehicles await. We'll embark on an excursion up, over,
and between the rolling sand dunes to sample the life, the views, and
the spectacular sunsets of the Sahara. Of course, we'll make camp, where
our hosts will brew mint tea, bake fresh and delicious flat bread over
the coals, and offer camel rides to the willing. At your option, your
dinner may also be prepared in the desert before your return to the
hotel.
DAY
8 - GHADAMES, RUHAYBAT - Friday (BLD)
We wander the old quarters of Ghadames this morning, making our way
through souks (traditional markets) along winding lanes, and continuing
to the town museum. There will be time to stop and haggle for and acquire
select local treasures, including brassware, rugs, and the utilitarian
items fashioned from camel skins. Afterward, we'll be en route once
again into the high country, to Ruhaybat, where we'll be welcomed as
returning friends for another night at our quaint Troglodyte accommodations.
DAY
9 - TORMISA, GHARIAN, ZLITEN - Saturday (BLD)
Our explorations continue in the land of the Berbers. We'll stop at
the clifftop village of Tormisa, known for its nearby caves, then continue
to Gharian, where we'll stop at a workshop and see how traditional pottery
is fashioned by hand and fired in kilns. After a lunch stop, we'll visit
the El-Urban Mausoleum, and continue to Zliten. We'll visit the modern
and elaborate tomb of Sidi Abdusalam, and settle into the Zliten Hotel,
our lodging place for the next two nights.
DAY
10 - LEPTIS MAGNA, SILIN - Sunday (BLD)
We'll spend most of today at Leptis Magna. This UNESCO World Heritage
Site is considered the best-preserved Roman city in Africa. The enormous
amphitheater and the remains of fine buildings testify to the city's
former importance. After gaining insights into the old city at the ruins
and in the museum, we'll continue to the delightful and largely intact
Roman villa at Silin, with its remarkably lifelike mosaics and frescoes.
DAY
11 - Departure- Monday (B)
We'll have our last views of Libya as we motor to the airport of Tripoli.
Our Libyan personnel will see you through the formalities and wish you
a pleasant journey onward.
Bon Voyage
RATES per
person in USD
| Sharing
in : |
Category
A Hotels |
Category
B Hotels |
| Triple Occupancy
room |
US$
3280 |
US$
3110 |
| Double Occupancies |
US$$
3350 |
US$
3155 |
| Single Occupancy
|
US$
4375 |
US$
4125 |
International
airfare is not included from / to your home country
Tour
starts on the first Friday of each month in in Cairo
Category
A class hotels :
Five-star Sheraton / Hilton / Meridien in Cairo
Five-star Corinthia
Bab Africa in Tripoli (www.corinthiahotels.com)
Bab Al baher or Al Mahari or similar
Category
B class hotels :
Novotel / Maadi / Oases in Cairo
Yosser Hotel in Tripoli (newly renovated, near old town and Tripoli
Museum)
Available
also Egypt & Paris or
Petra
In
Libya, surprises are the order of the day! An invitation to a refreshing
glass of mint tea while you browse in a shop . . . an encounter with
a humble desert dweller . . . a gust of wind and a swirl of sand, followed
by perfect stillness, and vistas under an endless blue sky.
You'll find sometimes that your tour schedule will be switched to accommodate
changes in conditions. You might even start with your last day and proceed
resolutely to the first! Your hotels will have facilities that match
their ratings, and idiosyncrasies in service on the upside and downside,
but always with a warm welcome.
It's all part of the experience and privilege of going where few have
gone. Be flexible and ready for surprises. If that's not you, don't
worry, we offer myriad options elsewhere tailored to your requirements
and expectations.
Rate
Includes:
- Hotel
accommodation with tax as listed , and two nights in troglodyte
accommodation
- All
transfers in Egypt & Libya .
- Guided
sightseeing including all entrance fees as per itinerary , always
by air conditioned sedan/van or mini bus ( 15 - 24 seater) .
- One
way air fare Egypt / Libya , tax included .
- Pre
set meals as listed including B = Breakfast,
(or cB, Continental Breakfast), L
= Lunch, D = Dinner
- Cairo
& Libya and travel guide books.
- Egyptian
& Libyan Visa:
Will be issued on a complimentary basis for American, Australian,
NZ, EU, Canadian , Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your passport
must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival.
Not
Included :
- Any
International Airfare from/to
your home country
- Tips.
- Beverages
with meals
- Travel
Insurance
Sample
Tripoli hotels ( Five Stars ) :
Corinthia ( Bab Africa ) ( Five star Superior)
Tel: +218 21 3351990 Fax: +218 21 3351992 Email: tripoli@corinthia.com
Al Mahari. Al Kabir . Bab Al Bahr .
More Choices :
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