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The
Egyptian Oasis
A True Grand 17 -Day Egyptian Adventure- Alexandra and
Siwa Edition
The
search continues for the tomb of Alexander the
Great
Here
are all the splendors of Egypt, from the magnificence of the pharaohs
to the glory of the Egyptian desert oases from Alexandria to
Siwa and Al-Alamein. This 16-day itinerary includes a
Nile cruise, of course,
plus the attractions that most visitors miss, add
Petra in Jordan or ,
add Mount Sinai
DAY
1 - DEPARTURE-- Weekly -Tuesday - Year Round
We take off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, bound
for Cairo. Overnight across the Atlantic .
Guests who are leaving from the West Coast : You need not to fly via
NYC, you fly non-stop to Europe then onward to Cairo .
DAY 2 - CAIRO - Wednesday -
VIP
Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport Upon Arrival.
Our
local representative greets you at the airport and whisks 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 valid at least for
6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.
Visa
will be issued upon arrival. As you exit the gate, you will
pass through a door or two , down some stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes
, until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor
, you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local
representative, who will be holding a sign with 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
DAY
3 - CAIRO, Thursday (BLD)
Today you'll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures
of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, and precious stones and
metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights,
but your day includes much more. You'll see Cheops Royal Barge Museum,
and in Giza, on the edge of the desert, you'll view the mysterious Sphinx
and the Pyramids. Lunch is included at the Mena House. Dinner is included
at La Bodega restaurant in Zamalek.
DAY
4 - CAIRO, Friday (BLD)
Today, we'll get to know more of Cairo, both historic and contemporary.
We'll set off for Khan el-Khalili, the labyrinthine bazaar district
with its array of spice shops and clothing merchants and purveyors of
baskets and brass ware and a thousand other specialties. We'll also
stop at the Citadel of Saladin , the Alabaster Mosque, Sultan Hassan
Great Mosque, a true master piece. The afternoon is devoted to seeing
more of Islamic Cairo's sights: Ibn Touloun Mosque, City of the dead
with it's architectural treasures from Medieval Cairo and more contemporary
Ottoman Times, Including Khedive's tombs & Qait Bey .
Evening
buffet dinner at Zeitouni restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo
. Zeitouni . Authentic
Lebanese flavours come alive in Zeitouni, 24 hours a day. An extensive
buffet display situated in front of the restaurant's open kitchen offers
breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests enjoy premier views of the Nile
from large picture windows. Secluded alcoves, featuring contemporary
wood décor, provide a more intimate dining alternative .Specialties
: Guests enjoy a wide range of authentic Lebanese specialties such as
breads, mezzes and grilled dishes, prepared by a team of gourmet Lebanese
chefs.
DAY
5 - LUXOR - Nile Cruise - Saturday (BLD)
After breakfast , we fly to Luxor! and proceed right to our Nile cruiser
for breakfast. While our bags are looked after, we'll set out for Luxor
Museum , then the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the Temple
of Luxor. In the evening your guide will call on you for a horse-drawn
carriage ride throughout Luxor souks and waterfront .
DAY
6 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS - Sunday(BLD)
We'll set out across the Nile to view an array of ancient splendors:
the tomb chambers of the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple
of Queen Hatshepsut in the Valley of the Queens.
Stop
at the Colossi of Memnon before we head back to the boat.
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.
DAY
7 - ESNA, EDFU -Monday- On Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
We'll make our way up the Nile during the night. After breakfast, we'll
proceed through the Esna locks, and on to Esna itself. Horse-drawn carriages
meet us at riverside to take us to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved
in all of Egypt. While we continue our sail up the Nile in the evening,
we'll party in Egyptian style. You might well have bought a galabia,
the flowing national dress. Now's your chance to wear it!
DAY
8 - KOM OMBO, ASWAN - Tuesday- On Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
Soon after daybreak, we'll disembark at Kom Ombo to explore the twin
temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, then
continue our voyage to Aswan. All the while, you will have seen feluccas
sailing the Nile. Now we'll experience Egypt at its most authentic,
as we sail in one of these graceful craft. To really immerse yourself,
try your hand at camel riding! We'll take willing passengers on a traditional
caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.
DAY
9 - CAIRO, ALEXANDRIA - Wednesday (BD)
We'll leave our cruiser after breakfast.
Tour he awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry
complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the
island temples of Philae
, dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :
We
proceed
to the airport of Aswan, where we'll board a plane to fly northward
to Cairo. We'll be met at the airport, then proceed northward overland
to the great port of Alexandria, where we'll settle in to our hotel.
Conqueror
of the Mediterranean Coast - Alexander the Great
In 332 BC, Egypt was laboring under Persian military control when
Alexander the Great arrived to drive out the invaders without the shedding
of a drop of blood. The Persian governor surrendered and the conquering
hero was hailed as a liberator and given Egypt¹s double crown symbolizing
control of Upper and Lower Egypt. Alexander reinstated Egypt's traditional
government and founded the city of Alexandria at the country's most
important crossroads: where the Nile meets the Mediterranean.
In
the evening we enjoy a leisurely walking guided tour of the old medina
and " El Raml " .
Private
Egyptologist - Private Air-Conditioned Vehicle . Private Chauffeur
DAY
10 - ALEXANDRIA, EL ALAMEIN - Marsa Matrouh - Thursday (BLD)
We'll cross into another era of history today, as we motor westward
through the dunes along the Mediterranean coast, following the route
of Field Marshall Montgomery to El Alamein. Here we'll visit the fields
of battle where Rommel's advance on Cairo was finally halted. We'll
visit the museums war memorials . .
As the gateway to Egypt, the Nile and Africa, Alexandria has been contested
by armies and navies ever since. In 1798, Lord Nelson defeated Napoleon¹s
navy just east of Alexandria.
In
1807 the British occupied the city. In 1941, General Erwin Rommel's
Afrika Korps stormed across North Africa all the way to El Alamein,
only 70 miles west of Alexandria.
Rommel
was driven back in desperate fighting by British forces under the command
of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery yet another of the many generals
to have struggled for control of this strategic land. Lunch is included
at Ala-Alamein Charm Hotel or similar then we are off to Marsa Matrouh
where dinner and comfortable beds await us .
DAY
11 - Marsa Matrouh - SIWA, ORACLE OF AMON - Friday
(BLD)
It's back to ancient days as we follow the pilgrimage route of Alexander
the Great to the Oracle of Amon. He marched westward along the Mediterranean
coast, then inland (south) to the great oasis of Siwa . His aim was
to visit the great temple of Amun which, tradition says, his legendary
"ancestors" Heracles and Perseus had visited. He entered the temple
and was hailed by the priests as pharaoh, the son of Amun. He then had
a private audience with the High Priestess of the oracle, who proclaimed
him to be a god, the son of Zeus. She predicted that he would conquer
vast territories. He did. Leaving Egypt, he marched into Persia conquering
all who came before him, all the way to what is now Lahore in Pakistan.
On his return trip, however, he fell ill and died at the ripe age of
33 in Babylon.
According to ancient inscriptions, Alexander's body was returned
to Egypt and buried , but where? Both Siwa and Alexandria
are possibilities. His tomb has not yet been identified for sure.
In Siwa expect nothing but the best : Adrere Amellal Ecolodge ( must
book in advance ) . Imagine a hotel without electricity, let alone internet
access, a true dream come true , no faxes , no e.mail !!
The
Adrere Amellal lodge ( 40 rooms and suites) , this is a boutique oases
of luxury in the Egyptian desert that was built with Siwan labour and
care so that it would fit entirely into the architectural styles of
the oasis. Siwa and the Adrere border the largest ocean of sands in
the world . Built out of indigenous material using traditional Siwan
building techniques and styles so as to have a minimal impact on the
land . The Adrere Amellal Ecolodge sets an example for being environmentally
friendly hospitality establishment . Situated at the base of a majestic
white mountain and overlooking palm groves and Siwa lake,
Adrere Amellal consists of a series of traditional Siwan houses that
have been restored and re-designed into guests suites and rooms, all
of which offer genuine desert-style comfort. Furnishing is simple, but
of the highest quality, drawing exclusively on local material and design
to reflect Siwa's rugged spirit. The Siwan homes are built using a a
mixture of sun dried salt rock mixed with straw for wall building. Furniture
and fixtures are made of palm trunks and ceilings are beamed with palm
logs , the carpentry and accessories display the rich and colorful variety
of Siwa's indigenous handicraft. Oil lamps and candles are used for
lighting. On cold winter nights, coal-filled braziers are used for heating.
(
A brazier is a container for fire, generally taking the form of an upright
standing or hanging metal bowl or box. Used for holding burning coal
as well as fires .Braziers are mentioned in the Bible. The Hebrew word
rendered “brazier” (´ach) is of Egyptian origin, suggesting
that the brazier itself was an innovation from Egypt. ) . Please do
not expect that you 'll be able to access e.mail tonight !
Siwa Adrere Ecolodge ... have a drink by the sea !! Sea of sand that
is !!
DAY
12 - Siwa, Oracle of Amon -Saturday (BLD)
All meals are included today :
Today's tour includes : At Gebel Mawta, we'll see tombs of the Greco-Roman
era, including one that's reputed to be Alexander's own tomb. At Siwa,
we'll see an ancient fortress with winding alleyways, and the Temple
of Amon, where Alexander's divinity and legitimacy were proclaimed.
Within a short distance, we'll traverse centuries as we visit Cleopatra's
Pool, a Roman outpost, and a Ptolemaic temple. Our lunch break will
be at the springs of Ain Sharouf, where we might get to take a dip.
At your Adrere Ecolodge , your meals are a true culinary delight using
a mix of Egyptian , and Siwan cuisine always fresh, the nearest thing
you get to organic in an oases ; fresh yogurt, thick date syrup, eggs,
local bread, fruit and rich coffee make up breakfast which is served
in natural rocky grottos at the base of the mountain, lunch in village
style by the swimming pool, hidden within a palm and olive grove and
fed by one of the 230 springs in the area, while dinner is by candle
light and served in the maze of dining rooms, alcoves and bars, their
mud walls studded with salt mini slabs (from nearby salt lakes) that
make dining under candlelight like eating in a " Star War "
movie set . The lodge is telephone and electricity free. Candles and
torches are used for lighting.
Day
13- SIWA, ALEXANDRIA - Sunday (BLD)
Today is a very full and long day as we head back north , we break for
lunch at Marsa Matrouh , then off to Al-Alamein for a brief stop at
Al-Alamein Charm hotel . Day use rooms will be available for one hour
to take showers , freshen up, enjoy supper / light dinner then we'll
retrace the desert route to Alexandria the ancient capital of Cleopatra
and your hotel.
DAY
14 - ALEXANDRIA, CAIRO - Monday (BLD)
Today, we'll get to known Alexandria in depth, as we visit the Roman
Amphitheater, the Koum El Shougafa Tombs, the fortress of Kayet Bey,
and the new Library of Alexandria . After lunch in an Alexandrine restaurant,
we'll travel to Cairo with a stop at wadi El Natroun , lunch is included
enroute. Dinner is included at the hotel .
DAY
15 - Pharaonic Giza , Tuesday (BLD)
Today we tour Memphis and Sakkara, including the Step Pyramid of Zoser
& Nobles tombs/Mastabas, The Serapeum, Unas, Pyramid of Teti and
key Mastabas.
In the afternoon the tour takes us to Dahshour, the pyramid field
south of Cairo:only-opened few years back after Sadat signed the peace
treaty with Israel, and the Army did let go of this strategically "important"
area.
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.
We'll tour as well the famous "Bent" Pyramid. Dinner is included
at La Bodega Restaurant .
DAY
16 - CAIRO - Home Hosted Dinner - Wednesday (BLD)
The Culture of Cairo : Today
we’ll explore deep into the heart of Cairo, and get to know its
daily rhythms, its spirituality, its history, and its modern diversions.
We’ll start early, with a visit to a local market, with an immense
variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer, both familiar and
exotic.
You’ll
see that shopping in Cairo goes far beyond a supermarket experience.
Be prepared for whispers, gestures, shouting, and controlled chaos.
It’s all part of the bargaining process, engaged in by women in
traditional modest garb as well as others in Western dress.
Then
it’s on to the Museum of Islamic Art, with its tapestries, textiles,
swords and other objects exemplifying one of the world’s great
decorative traditions. We’ll continue to the Gayer-Anderson House,
a serene and classic domestic oasis, right down to its central fountain
and exquisite furnishings. Our visit is also a journey into a vanished
way of life—the residence is actually two traditional medieval
Cairo houses restored by an English physician to a former king. We’ll
stop for lunch at a restaurant where Cairenes go, then visit the Bab
an-Nasr, the Gate of Victory in Cairo’s old walls. You’ll
even see graffiti that survives from soldiers of Napoleon and of the
British Empire, among the many who passed this way.
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
17 - RETURN HOME - Thursday (B)
After breakfast, our Cairo staff will accompany you to the airport,
where you'll board your flight to start your journey home.
Click
here for more images from the Oases
RATES
per person in USD, based on departure from New York on Egyptair
, Lufthansa via Frankfurt , Air France via Paris or British Airways
via London or Olympic Airways via Athens, etc, we will confirm to based
on availability at the time you book with us.
RATES per
person in US$ :
From
New York |
Deluxe |
First
Class
Hotels |
Tourist
Class
Hotels |
| Triple |
US$
5896. |
US$
5431. |
US$
5080. |
| Double |
US$
5938. |
US$
5583. |
US$
5190. |
| Single |
US$
7013. |
US$
6608. |
US$
6415. |
-
Air fare supplement : Doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare
:
For travel in May thru end of Sep , please note that a $ 350 airfare
supplement is added to the above rates.
- Air
fare from your home city:
For departures from most west coast cities, as well as Dallas-Fort
Worth, Houston, Orlando or Atlanta please add $ 350 to the above rates.
Boston, Miami : $ 250
Rate
includes:
- All
ground transportation to and from airports and while touring overland
.
- Hotel
accommodations with tax .
-
Domestic air fare in Egypt as per itinerary , economy class , tax
included
- Cabin
on Nile cruise vessel, with all meals & shore Excursions. Cruise
embarkation is from Luxor or Aswan.
- Your
Nile Cruise will always Include :
Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise. Large
bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while
you are on board the Nile Cruise.Tea or coffee an bottled water with
each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
-
Airfare from New York to Cairo and return, and domestic air within
Egypt as per itinerary, all in economy class , tax included .
-
Sightseeing with guide and entrance fees as indicated .
- Meals
as indicated, preset menu (B:Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner) .
-
Visa
fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport
for a limited number of nationalities such as : Australian,
NZ, American, EU , Canadian , Mexican, South African & 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.
-
VIP
Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport Upon Arrival.
Not
included:
- Abu
Simbel Excursion
- Trip
interruption and cancellation insurance
-
Personal expenses.
- Tips.
Distance
:
CAIRO
- Bahariya Oasis: 365 Kilometers
Bahariya Oasis - White Desert : 140 Kilometers
White Desert - Farafra Oasis : 40 Kilometers
More
Choices :
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