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The
Wonders of Egypt and Arabia
A
Grand 22 -Day Tour of Egypt and Jordan A La Indiana Jones
We have even included the tips
Our
deluxe tour of Cairo and the Nile gives you an in-depth look at the
wonders of Egypt and Jordan , Meet the local, enjoy a home hosted meal.
Tour departs weekly on Sundays Year Round
Compare
with the Sonesta Cruise Version
Add a foray into the Western Sahara
and camping in the White Desert
Add Abu Simbel Temple Tours
DAY
1 - USA/CAIRO - Sunday- Weekly - Year Round
Your wide-body jet departs the USA bound for Cairo. Overnight across
the Atlantic.
Air fare add on is available from most major cities in the USA. For West
Coast Passengers : You need not to connect via JFK, you will fly LH, BA
or AF etc. non-stop to Europe , then connect to another non-stop to Cairo
. For JFK Passengers : Please note that Egyptair is the only-non-stop
flight JFK Cairo , with a great afternoon arrival time, versus other carriers
very late PM arrivals.Air fare is always subject to change, even on a
last minute basis. Feel free to handle your own air fare if you prefer
to do so : Credit $ 500 to be deducted from any of the listed rates.
For business class upgrades from JFK ( roundtrip tax included ) :
Egyptair , Lufthansa or British Airways : Please add : $ 3050 tax included
.
For business class upgrades from LAX, SFO, SEA or SAN (roundtrip) :
Lufthansa or British Airways : Please add : $ 4300 tax included .
DAY
2 - CAIRO - Monday - All transfers in Egypt and Jordan are always
on a private basis:
Upon arrival in Cairo , we escort you to your comfortable hotel.
Visa fee is included & will be issued upon arrival for : American,
Australian, NZ , EU Canadian,Singaporean & Japanese citizens.
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
3 - CAIRO - Tuesday (cBL)
All touring in Cairo and Jordan is always on a private basis:
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum including the"
Mummies room" , King Tut's' gold treasures room , Saladin's Citadel,
the Alabaster Mosque,and walking tour of the 12th Century Khan El Khalili
Bazaar district . Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private Egyptologist, private chauffeur.
DAY
4 - CAIRO - Wednesday (cBL)
We tour Old Cairo: the Coptic museum, Church of Abu Sarga, and Ben Ezra
Synagogue, where we will visit the spot at which, tradition says, Moses
was found by the banks of the Nile. Remainder of the day at leisure. Private
air-conditioned vehicle, private Egyptologist, private chauffeur.
DAY
5 - CAIRO- Home Hosted Dinner - Thursday (cBD)
Today Cairo is yours to explore (or to shop!) as you like, guidebook in
hand; or ask about our optional tours.
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 ! 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
6 - DAHSHOUR - Friday (cBL)
A half-day tour takes us to 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.
DAY
7 - LUXOR & KARNAK - Saturday- NILE CRUISE (cBLD)
An early flight takes us to Luxor, where we settle in aboard our Nile
cruiser.
Following lunch aboard, you have the afternoon at leisure, you may enjoy
to visit the Luxor museum or just enjoy the facilities on board.
DAY
8 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS - Sunday - on board your Nile cruise (cBLD)
We tour the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb, temple
of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, 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 9 - ESNA & EDFU - Monday- Nile Cruise
(cBLD)
We cruise to Esna during the night and pass through the locks.
After breakfast we cruise to Edfu and board horse-drawn carriages
to get to the fine Temple of Horus. In the evening, we have a jolly
galabia party.
DAY
10 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN - Tuesday- Nile Cruise (cBLD)
We explore Kom Ombo's twin Temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and
Sobek, the crocodile god, before cruising south to Aswan. After
lunch aboard, we board a graceful felucca for a cruise among the Nile
islands .
DAY
11 - Disembarkation from your Nile Cruise - ASWAN & CAIRO - Wednesday
(cB)
The mighty Aswan dams and the Nubian Museum are our first goal this morning,
followed by a trip by motor launch to : 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!
Back on land, we tour of Kalabsha Temple dedicated to the ancient
god Mandulis, and the goddess Isis . Built during the reign of the
Roman Emperor Augustus , the small rock-cut temple
of Beit El Wali, built by Ramses the Great , and the small
yet charming Kiosk of Qertassi, before returning to Cairo
by plane.
DAY 12 - Giza , Memphis , Sakkara - Thursday (cBL)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza and the
timeless Sphinx. 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.
DAY
13 - CAIRO - Friday (cBL)
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.
DAY
14 - Cairo - Saturday (cB)
Full day at leisure . Explore Cairo on your own .
DAY
15 - Cairo / Amman - Sunday- Private guide will meet you at Amman Airport
(cB)
Air fare ( economy class ) is included , ticket is issued & delivered
in Cairo .
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Our local rep will escort you to Cairo
Airport for your flight to Amman ,where
you'll be met and escorted to your hotel. Visa fee is included & issued
upon arrival for American,
Australian, NZ , EU Canadian,Singaporean & Japanese citizens.
Passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival.
Remainder
of the day at leisure in Amman
DAY
16 - AMMAN- Monday- Private Guide - Private Tour
(BD)
Enjoy a morning tour of Amman. Visit the Roman Theater, the Citadel, the
Archaeology and Folklore Museums, old and modern Amman and one of the
many art galleries in this enchanting capital city. Afternoon is free
for your leisure. In the evening visit Kan Zaman Village for dinner, a
Folklore show and a preview of the many handicraft ateliers.
DAY
17 - DEAD SEA / GALILEE - Tuesday- Private Guide - Private Tour (B)
After breakfast, drive down to the lowest spot on Earth and experience
floating in the waters of the Dead Sea. Continue northwards to Pella in
the Jordan Valley. Visit Um Qais, Gedara of the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34)
for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River and
the Golan Heights.
Return in the late afternoon to Amman
DAY
18 - JERASH / AJLOUN Wednesday-
Private Guide - Private Tour (B)
A later morning tour of Jerash (Gerasa of antiquity), the best
preserved city of Roman times. Visit its theaters, temples, churches and
colonnaded streets. Then continue to Ajloun to tour the 12th century Saracen
Castle built by one of Saladin’s lieutenants in the campaign against the
Crusaders. Overnight in Amman.
DAY
19 - KERAK / PETRA Thursday-
Private Guide - Private Tour (B)
We will drive southwards along the Kings’ Way to Petra, visiting Madaba,
the oldest map of the Holy Land, and its Mosaic School, Mt. Nebo and the
alleged burial site of Moses overlooking the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley.
Then drive through the magnificent scenery of Wadi Mujib to visit the
Crusader Castle of Kerak. Stop for optional lunch. Overnight in Petra.
DAY
20 - PETRA Friday-
Private Guide - Private Tour (B)
A full day to visit the many sites of Petra, the city that was caved into
the rose-red Sharah Mountains by the Nabateans and lost to civilization
until it was rediscovered by the Swiss Burkhardt. Walk through the Siq,
a narrow and winding fissure between the cliffs, to reach the treasury,
the Roman Theater, the Courts, Qasr Bint Pharaoun, Temple of the Winged
Lion and other monuments. A break for optional lunch, or you may wish
to climb up to the Monastery. Overnight in Petra.
DAY
21 - WADI RUM DESERT / AMMAN Saturday-
Private Guide - Private Tour(B)
Visit the Wadi Rum Desert (with a short ride in a 4 Wheel Drive vehicle)
and its awesome moonlike landscape, where the film “Lawrence of Arabia”
was shot. Return to Amman on the Desert Highway. Overnight in Amman.
DAY
22 - DEPARTURE- Sunday (B)
Transfer to Amman International Airport and assistance with departure
formalities. Jordanian Departure tax is included.
Ultra
Deluxe - Private Guide and Private air-conditioned vehicle for
your
Flying Business class within Egypt
Nile Cruise portion- RATES per person in US$ From JFK
From
New York |
Ultra
Deluxe
|
Triple |
US$
6689 |
Double |
US$
6808 |
Single |
US$
8510 |
- Cairo
: Grand Suite at the Grand Hyatt
-
Amman : Deluxe room Hyatt Amman or Sheraton Al-Nabil
- Petra
: Suite at Movenpick Petra
- Nile
Cruise : Beethoven Suite on Sonesta Star Goddess Nile Cruise
, With private balcony, or similar
RATES per
person in US$ From JFK
From
New York |
Deluxe
Hilton Hotel
Category |
First
Class
Shepheard's Hotel
Category |
Tourist
Class
Hotels
First Class Cruise |
Triple |
US$
5096 |
US$
4831 |
US$
4500 |
Double |
US$
5138 |
US$
4983 |
US$
4690 |
Single |
US$
6213 |
US$
4708 |
US$
4420 |
Air
Fare Supplement Notes :
Our airline partners for departures from New York are : Lufthansa , British
Airways, Air France, Egyptair and Olympic Airways.
From San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle-Tacoma,
Phoenix, Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth please add an additional $350
From Chicago or Washington, DC's Dulles International
Airport, please ad an additional $300.
Air
Fare High Season: ( doesn't apply
to Business class passengers)
In addition, for any departures from May 1 through Sep 30 , Dec 20
- Jan 2 , please add $300 high-season airfare surcharge to the rates
shown above. This doesn't apply when you handle
your own air fare.
If you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare,
please deduct $500 per person from the rates.
Land
Arrangements High Season and Departure Notes:
For departures during Easter ( 2 weeks season ) , or : Dec 20 - Jan 2:
Christmas, New Year's , please add 15% to the listed rates .
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES :
Not
included:
- Expenses
of personal nature, such as phone calls, laundry , beverages, etc
- Travel
Insurance
DRESS
CODE All of our luxury 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.
THE
LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK
Syria
is truly the Land of the Book. The ancient alphabets of the Near East
grew into Aramaic and then Hebrew, and finally Arabic and the modern
Latin script that you're reading!
Jesus
spoke to His Disciples in Aramaic. And nowhere else in the Holy Land
does His language live as in Maaloula, where His words may still be
heard exactly
as He spoke them. For the believer, or for anyone who values traditions
of faith, it is a deeply moving experience.
Maaloula
is just a short drive from Damascus, and home to Christian community
that thrives after 2000 years.
As
much as any land, Syria is the birthplace of the Christian faith. St.
Paul converted on the road to Damascus, and in the early centuries of
the Church,
six Syrian bishops were elevated to the Holy See as popes. The grand
Omayyad Mosque is built on a sacred site shared by Muslims and Christians
for centuries,
expressing the true brotherhood at the center of both faiths. Two million
Syrians worship as Christians.
The
full panoply of the Christian experience in the Near East has been played
out in Syria. The Krak des Chevaliers is the unique Crusader fortress
, never conquered
that stands intact as if ready to host the Knights of the Cross once
again––and is a must stop for the visitor of faith to the
holy sites.
Extend
your stay in Syria for one day and visit Maaloula
More
Choices :
Egypt's
Last Royal Family :
Photo Album: King Farouk, Queen
Farida and Princess Feryal
The
King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid was not meant to be visited:
Getting to it is challenging, and once you enter, it is very difficult
to turn back. The stone passage is only wide enough for one person.
You must be in good physical condition, able to climb several flights
of stairs, bend double, crouch and duck-walk for short distances. The
King's Chamber itself is the world's most claustrophobic place, with
dim light and heavy, hot, oxygen-poor air. There is no ventilation.
If you are at all sensitive to claustrophobia or confinement, or if
you have any sort of respiratory condition, for your own safety and
the safety of others, you must not enter the pyramid because it is impossible
to remove a person or to bring aid to them quickly
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