Tour Egypt and Turkey in 10 Days

Istanbul & a Nile Cruise

Includes A five-day Nile cruise with Abu Simbel Excursion and a Foray Into Istanbul City of the Sultans

A perfect add-on to a Cairo visit. Weekly on Sat , Mon , Tue, Wed & Thu. Embarkation Luxor or Aswan - Inclusive of air fare in Egypt -Economy class - Compare to driving to Abu Simbel
Flights schedule between Cairo & Istanbul is subject to change without notice

Click for the full listing  of  Nile Cruises - Map -Nile Cruise Route
Rates & Itinerary for : 4 days , 8 Days Cruise - Add Sharm El Sheikh Resort on the Red Sea

On to Spain and Andalusia . Marsa Alam Petra edition

DAY 1 - LUXOR ( or Aswan) Saturday (LD)

Please advise the name of your hotel in Cairo or in Sharm El Sheikh . Or ask us for assistance with a hotel in Cairo ? or in Sharm El Sheikh
Transfer is included ( private car/driver) from your hotel to the airport.
Domestic air fare between Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh and the cruise is included.
If/when you are handling your own air fare between Cairo & the cruise. Please click here .
Or if you prefer to use the overnight sleeper train between Cairo and Luxor , please click here.

We have several boats that do start on different days of the week to accommodate your schedule: You may start this 5 day sailing Weekly on any Saturday , Monday , Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Check in on your cruiser at noon. Complimentary welcome drink is served upon arrival.
Welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin .
After lunch, we visit the great temples of Luxor and the mighty Karnak, then return to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea.

DAY 2 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS Sunday (cBLD)
We tour today as well 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. Then it's on to Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.

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 3 - EDFU & KOM OMBO Monday (cBLD)
We cruise by Esna to Edfu, where 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 galabia party aboard.

DAY 4 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN Tuesday (cBLD)
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 5 - ASWAN ABU SIMBEL Wednesday (cB)
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 the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

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!

Returning to Aswan Airport by late morning. A short flight to Abu Simbel.

There we'll marvel at the temples dedicated to Ramses the Great and Queen Neferatri, saved from rising waters of the Nile when the High Dam was built. 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 by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temples we begin our leisurely drive back along the shore to Aswan Airport for your flight.

Fly back to Aswan . Domestic air fare is included , issued & delivered in Egypt: Aswan Abu Simbel Aswan .

Connect in Aswan and on to Cairo by air . Domestic air fare is included as well back to Cairo .
In Cairo , we meet you at the airport & escort you back to your hotel for the night .

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 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 a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 6 - Cairo Istanbul - Thursday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel we will assist with your transfer to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. And your hotel . You may get your visa for Turkey upon arrival or prior to your departure from your home country.

You're met at the airport in Istanbul 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. Welcome fruit basket in your room awaits you with our compliments.

DAY 7 - Istanbul - Friday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy Istanbul as you please . Explore on your own.

Suggested optional tour :

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 fro 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 - Istanbul - Saturday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel. Another day on your own.

Suggested optional tour :
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. After lunch in a local restaurant ,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.

DAY 10 - Istanbul - Sunday (cB)
After breakfast at your hotel , our local rep. will assist with your transfer to the airport for your flight.
End of our service - Bon Voyage ! Extend your stay to Athens ?

Nile Cruise Itinerary is subject to change without notice. Add extra night in Aswan ?

Compare with the overnight in Abu Simbel version

RATES per person in USD - First Class

RATES per person in USD - Deluxe

Please add 20 % supplement to the deluxe rates for :
The all suite Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess, the all suites Sonesta M/S Star Goddess ( Mozart Suite ), Radamis II , The new Royal Lotus , Nile Vision , Queen TiYi , Amarco , MS Queen of Hansa, MS Movenpick Radamis I , MS Movenpick Radamis II , MS Movenpick Royal Lotus

Inclusions:

• All shore excursions, entrance fees, the service of an English Speaking guide.
• Welcome fruit basket upon check-in.
• Hotel accommodation in 4 or 5 stars based on your choice, with tax, continental breakfast and service charges.
• Large bottle of water per person per day delivered to your cabin.
• All outside cabins, including all tax & service charges.
• All meals: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner. Afternoon tea daily onboard.
• One small bottle of water per person with each meal
• Complimentary transfer from/to airport / railway station / Cruise in each of Luxor & Aswan.
• Abu Simbel Excursion, including transfers, group tour in Abu Simbel & entrance fees.
• Domestic air fare: Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh to Luxor , as well as Aswan / Abu Simbel Aswan / Cairo / Istanbul with tax included , all in economy class.

Rates do not include:

• Tips.
• Visa fee for Turkey
• Insurance ( we'll be glad to send you the flyer)
• Drinks with meals. Meals not specifically mentioned. Tips for guides and hotel personnel.
  Expenses of a personal nature
• Baby Sitting during the Nile Cruise : Available upon request : $10 per child / per hour
  

Children discount :
30 % on the adult double rate. ( 9 years of age or younger), must be raveling with an adult.
No children discount on triple or single rates.

Transfer Between Hurgada & Luxor :
Minimum 2 guests : Rate per person : $55 + $15 handling fee. . Private air conditioned car & driver

Boarding the cruise is from either Luxor or Aswan, depending on the availability at the time of booking.

Dining Room Reservations: Meet other passengers :
YOU will not require any, our dining rooms do accommodate all our guests in one seating, one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner.

Do we get sea sickness while sailing the Nile ?
This is river sailing, so do not expect any waves , no rough seas ! Your Nile cruises is actually a floating hotel that moves from place to place along the Nile. Actual cruising times are short and pleasant.

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What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Luxor & Aswan, morning & evenings are cooler. For Shore excursions, we suggest comfortable cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.

Clothing on Board:
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat. Dining room dress code is casual for breakfast & lunch, but smart casual for dinner. All ships are fully air conditioned

In Istanbul we recommend :

Arena Istanbul Hotel . Ottoman Mansion Inn . Boutique Hotel in Istanbul
Hotel Arena

The Hotel Arena is like an elegant Ottoman home open to travelers.

Owned and personally managed by Mrs. Gul Kucukserim, the Hotel Arena is a small Ottoman-style mansion hotel only a stone's throw from the Byzantine Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Sancta Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Turkish carpets and traditional crafts such as faience (fine colored tile work), filigree brass, miniature painting and embroidery give a richness and historic aspect to the decor. The service is personal and individual, and the view from the rooftop terrace of Old Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara is simply breathtaking.