|
Egypt
and Jordan a la Indiana Jones
Including
a one week Nile Cruise on a deluxe Dahabiya
14 days in Egypt and Jordan, Including Petra, Memphis and Sakkara
Without any International Air Fare . We have even
included all the tipping
You
will have a private air-conditioned vehicle,
private chauffeur and private guide all the way except while on board
the Dahabbiya ,
you will be part of this small group.
Indiana
Jones himself couldn't squeeze more
adventure into this exotic journey: Cairo , Sakkara , Memphis, Dahshour
and the Pyramids, a sailing cruise on the Nile on board a deluxe
Dahabiya , the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, and
a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan. Starts weekly in
Cairo . Extend your sta to the Red
Sea : Hurgada or Sharm El-Sheikh, or add Alexandria
. Compare with flying
in and out of Cairo , or
the Ultra Deluxe Version . Add
a GRAND in-depth tour of Anatolia and Istanbul
DAY
1- CAIRO - Wednesday- Weekly - Year Round
Our Egypt-based staff greets you in bustling Cairo airport and escorts
you to your hotel . Complimentary Egyptian visa fee (valid for
American, Australian , NZ, EU , Canadian, Mexican & Japanese citizens.
Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). At your
hotel, complimentary coffee or tea ( please advise your preference),
one bottle of water for each guest, and a platter of Egyptian sweets
will await you at your room.
Hotel : Grand Hyatt . Conrad or Similar
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
2 - CAIRO- Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara - Home Hosted Dinner - Thursday
(cBLD)
A
morning tour takes us to the time capsule treasure of Dahshour,
the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo: DAHSOUR - we'll
motor to the edge of Cairo, 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.
After
lunch at a local restaurant : The afternoon is for Memphis and Sakkara,
including the Step Pyramid of Zoser & Nobles tombs/Mastabas.
In
the evening, we return to the Pyramids for an awe-inspiring sound-and-light
show.
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 evening with your travel companions, by letting
us know your preferences.
DAY
3 - CAIRO and Giza Pyramids - Friday (BL)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the
Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies,
statuary, precious stones and metals. We'll also stop at the Citadel
of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Then it's on to Giza and the mysteries
of the Pyramids and Sphinx. r.
DAY
4 - Luxor - Dahabiya Nile Cruise Saturday (BLD)
Very early morning breakfast
and transfer to Cairo Airport. Flight is included in our rate, in economy
class , tax included . Morning arrival at Luxor . We'll meet you at
the airport , and escort you to your
deluxe air conditioned Nile cruise felucca or dahabbiya , Board Luxor
( or Aswan ) .
Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously
appointed Dahabbiya.
Lunch and dinner are included on board . Overnight
moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. Names
of some of the Felucca / Dahabias :
Yasmina , Amber , El Bey (His
Lordship)
. El Hanem (The Lady) * Zahra (Flower) *
and Nesma (Breeze)
Today
:
Start with Madinet Habu , Closi of Memnon and the Ancient Workers
Village at Deir El Medineh, the first known "Workers Village"
these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs
for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.
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.
Today's
tour include as well a visit to the Valley of the Kings including
Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb , temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari,
and Colossi of Memnon, returning to our Nile cruiser for lunch.
Following lunch aboard, we visit the great Temple of Luxor, and
the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, returning to our
vessel in time for tea. Complimentary welcome fruit basket in your cabin.
Day
5 - Sunday - Luxor - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
You will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak,
with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns, followed by the imposing
28 th Dynasty Luxor Temple. Overnight
moored in Luxor.
Day
6 - Monday - Luxor to Esna - Private Guided Tour of
Denderah Temple
After breakfast on board , we
drive inland to tour Denderah and Abydos Temples. Among the best preserved
in Egypt. This temple as a sight to hold. Indiana Jones would have felt
at home, with the massive stones & underground passages: Private
air condition car for your tour today. Private chauffeur. Private Egyptologist
DENDERAH IN A DAY
We'll travel to Denderah to visit the Temple of Hathor, one of the best-preserved
in all of Egypt, and also one of the most important. In the ancient
beliefs, Hathor was the consort of the god of daylight, ruler of the
west, and protector or the underworld. In the manner of wise desert
wayfarers, we'll leave before dawn to take advantage of cool temperatures.
Our air-conditioned van will take us through timeless Nile-side villages,
where life revolves around the irrigation and harvest of crops. Finally,
we'll reach the temple precincts. We'll take note of the unusually deep
tombs, and pass under the celebrated Zodiac, in a chapel dedicated to
Osiris. (Denderah is the traditional site of his rebirth.) Our full
day will also include a visit to Abydos, traditional home of Osiris,
god of the underworld, and a stopping point on the journey of wayfaring
souls. We'll enjoy a box lunch, and return to Luxor late in the afternoon,
and your hotel. Lunch box provided today from the Dahabiya, we head
back to the Nile and catch up with the Dahabiya in
Esna where we will dock for the night.
Day
7 - Tuesday - Edfu - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved
Temple of Edfu.
Overnight
on board as we will look for an island in the middle of the Nile where
we moor.
Come to Egypt and enjoy your private honeymoon or Anniversary
cruise
Day
8 - Wednesday - Kom Ombo - On board your Yacht Nile
Cruise
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated
to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning
sun.
Overnight
moored beside a Nile island.
Day
9 - Thursday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
A leisurely grand day of sailing the Nile to Aswan where the dahabiyya
moors overnight.
Day
10 - Friday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old
Dam (completed in 1902) and the ' unfinished obelisk', lying in situ
since the days of the pharaohs. You will also visit the Philae Temple,
dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters
of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction.
Day
11- Saturday - Aswan - Fly back to Cairo
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya and check-out. We
bid farewell to the crew, we switch transportation modes and head for
Aswan Airport and your flight back to Cairo and your hotel. Air fare
is always included within Egypt, economy class , tax included . Hotels
: Sonesta , J. W. Marriott or similar
DAY
12 - Cairo , Amman / PETRA - Sunday (BLD)
After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Cairo Airport for your flight
to Amman, air fare is included in economy , with tax . Upon arrival
, you'll drive from the airport south under a towering ridge of mountains,
we
will be driving along the King's Highway, an ancient caravan route,
to Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of Palestine
and 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
for the night. Movenpick Petra hotel or similar . Lunch
is included enroute
Complimentary
Jordanian visa fee (valid only for American , Australian, NZ,
Canadian , EU , Mexican , & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid
for at least 6 month upon arrival).
Complimentary welcome dinner at the hotel.
DAY
13 - PETRA- Monday (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel . We'll spend the entire day at Petra,
the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of
pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and
rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders
of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone
gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs,
Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.
Lunch & Dinner are included today at the hotel .
DAY
14 - DEPARTURE FOR HOME - Tuesday (B)
After breakfast , our local rep. escorts you to the airport of Amman
for your flight home. Or, you may choose to add one of our extensions
,to Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, Syria, Greece or Turkey .
RATES
per person in USD
|
|
Deluxe |
First
Class Hotels |
| Triple |
US$
5050 |
US$
4510 |
| Double |
US$
5210 |
US$
4600 |
| Single |
US$
8310 |
US$
7250 |
Easter
( two weeks) , Christmas, New Year's Dec 20 - Jan 5 : 20% supplement
will apply.
Prices
include:
- All
transfers in Egypt and Jordan.
- Air
fare within Egypt , as well as Cairo Amman, in economy , tax included
.
- Complimentary
welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
- Bottled
water ( one per person) delivered daily to your cabin.
- Bottled
water / tea / coffee with every meal on board the Nile Cruise.
-
Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
as listed
- Deluxe
Dahabiya Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions, cabins
are always private outside cabins with windows and private facilities.
- Deluxe
Hotel accommodation
as per itinerary with tax, breakfast daily as per itinerary
- Sightseeing
with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
- Meals
as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
- Lonely
Planet guidebook to Jordan and Egypt
- Jordanian
visa and Egyptian visa fee (valid only for Canadians , American, Australian,
NZ, EU & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6
month upon arrival).
- Jordanian
departure tax.
Not
included:
-
-
-
-
Add
the Ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis and the Step Pyramid
in Sakkara
-
-
-
-
The
Wonders of Egypt & Arabia 22
days
-
Honeymoon
Wishes
A
"Dream Come True"
tour. 14 days , Cairo and the Pyramids. A Nile
Cruise of course, and a beach resort at Hurgada or El Gouna,
on the Red Sea. Including the welcome Zaffa (procession that will resemble
an Arabian/Egyptian wedding party) with a troupe of dancers and musicians
dressed with the Egyptian typical clothes, welcoming guests by singing
and dancing Egyptian Folklore).
Many
visitors come to Egypt to fulfill their dream of sailing the Nile
on board a private boat.
These Four Dahabbiya allow you to experience the Nile 's romance in
an intimate, privileged setting. These dahabiyas take you back in
time to a gentler, more gracious era.
On
the Nile in Royal Style Feluccas or Dahabiyas are the traditional
sailing vessel of much of the Mediterranean world, and the traditional
Nile felucca, or Dahabia, was the mainstay of travel in ancient Egypt.
With
shallow drafts, sails, and oars, feluccas could navigate not only
the great river, but the maze of canals threading through its banks,
with or without wind, reaching every part of the kingdom.
Dahabbiyas
/ Feluccas long ago transcended their role as humble transports. They
held the ancient empire together, carrying troops, decrees, and the
very mystery of the pharaoh.
Private
docking areas: ( not available to all Dahabiyas)
Your Dahabia will moor on privately owned areas of the riverbank at
Luxor and Aswan, you will avoid the over crowded docking area of the
regular large size cruises.
In your felucca docking are you will be welcomed with the sight of
flowers and gardens that are frequented by exotic birds. These gardens
provide our ships with flowers and organically grown vegetables and
herbs.
Along the way, we moor on un-inhabited Nile islands, whose virgin
landscapes have hardly changed throughout millennia. Wandering the
gardens and Nile islands is an idyllic pastime, and the perfect compliment
to your visits to Egypt 's matchless monuments.
The Dahabbiyas are beautifully crafted wooden ships, outfitted in
colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches. The interiors boast
period furnishing, and each cabin has its own distinct style and interior
.
The
Cabins: ( Number of cabins may vary between 4 to 6 cabins
)
Each boat has six delightfully appointed private cabins measuring
5.75 meters x 2.50 meters . The cabins (maximum occupancy two persons)
have private bathrooms of 1.25 meters x 2.50 meters with a wc, wash
basin, shower and hairdryer. Some cabins offer two single beds and
others have a double. Each Dahabia comfortably accommodates twelve
passengers sharing in doubles . Yet of course in a lot of cases we
have smaller parties that prefer to charter the boat for four, five
or six guests only .
The
cabins are named them in keeping with the ship's theme. For example,
on the Zahra ('flower') you will find the 'white lotus' cabin; on
the Nesma ('breeze') you have 'the zephyr', each with tasteful, individualized
embellishments.
The
cabins are located towards the front of the boat on the starboard
and port sides, separated by a central corridor. The communal lounge
covers the width of the boat, and is a lovely setting for enjoying
meals.
Engines
will only be used if wind is insufficient to sail, but generators
are available to provide electricity.
From
the bow, two staircases lead to the partially shaded top deck. Here,
guests can sunbathe or just enjoy the ride and spectacular views from
comfortable rattan deck chairs, or in oriental seating areas of colorful
cushions and carpets. Meals will also be served on the top deck, a
great place for cocktails and stargazing
The
Dahabbiyas Nile cruisers are at your disposal to accommodate couples,
honeymooners, families, and small groups, affording the unique
experience of navigating the ancient river on your own.
A
skilled river captain is on board at all times . A guide is at
your disposal to plan your itinerary and escort you through the
sites you choose to visit. The crew has completely separate quarters,
to ensure your privacy.
Mediterranean
Fantasies
Luxury Nile Cruise & The Greek Isle of Santorini
This
12 -day itinerary combines a Nile Cruise of Ancient Egypt with
Classical Athens & the romance of the honeymoon Greek Isle of
Santorini . Arrive any day (subject to cruise availability: Mar-Oct)
Egypt
Dahabia and Felucca Tour
A 10 -Day Adventure . Tour Egypt The Way Ramses , Nefertiti and Cleopatra
did
Cairo , Luxor, Aswan, Edfu and Kom Ombo . Choose
from Sailing aboard a Sailing Boat / Felucca
Air Conditioned Dahabyia , or one of the Royal Family Dahabiyas
Nile felucca or a Royal Dahabia cruise , perfect for couples , honeymooners,
families, great for families with children , and great as well for small
group and parties.
With a professional local captain . And your resident English Speaking
guide on board of course available at all times
|
