Sultans
, Caliphs and Pharaohs
17-Day
: With a Dahabiya Nile Cruise Version
Istanbul
, Petra , Sinai and Cairo and even include a
Deluxe Dahabiya Yacht Nile Cruise on the Nile
A
17-Day Adventure in Turkey, Jordan and Egypt
Back
to Jordan Main home page .
Dubai
& Jordan in 7 Days . Back to Egypt
Main Page
Add
Camping in Wadi Rum in Jordan . Add
a GRAND in-depth tour of Anatolia and Istanbul
DAY
1 - Friday - Weekly - Year Round - ISTANBUL
Our
local rep. meets your flight , or
cruise line ( Oceania Cruises , Princess Cruises , Crystal Cruises
or other Mediterranean cruises ), and escorts you to your hotel.
You're met 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.
DAY
2 - Saturday - ISTANBUL (BL)
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
3 - Sunday - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:" (BL)
Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where
the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters,
then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish
tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates),
and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at
the famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in
the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and
be picked up for the afternoon tour. In the afternoon the tour visit
Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz,
and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye
in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).
Day 4 -Monday - Arrive Istanbul Amman
: (B)
After breakfast , we escort you to Istanbul Airport and your flight
to Amman, airfare is included in economy class , tax included . In Amman
We'll pick you up from Queen Alia Airport . Visa Fee is included &
issued upon arrival for : Americans, Canadians, EU citizens, Australians,
NZ, And Japanese. Our local rep will meet you , assist with your visa
and then proceed
to Amman for check-in and overnight at the hotel of your choice.
( Complimentary local sweets & bottled water : one large bottle
for each guest) .
Day
5 - Tuesday - Mt. Nebo - Madaba - Jerash - Petra :
(BLD)
We
head south in our private air conditioned sedan . On to Mt. Nebo!
Then we'll continue to Madaba and visit the site of the oldest
map of the Holy Land, St. George's Cathedral, and Jerash,
the best preserved Roman City of the East.
On to Petra with lunch served ( Included) enroute at a local restaurant.
Reach Petra late afternoon , check-in and overnight at the hotel of
your choice. ( Complimentary fruit basket & one large bottled water
for each guests )
Now
open in Petra, The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your
Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen
is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare
an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision
of our chef.
Each
evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main
course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside
glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.
The
Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special
dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward
well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly
Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted
in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s
Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered
by the Jordan River Foundation.
The
rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages
as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.
Day
6 - Wednesday - Petra/Aqaba/Sharm El Sheikh : (BL)
A full day tour of Jordan's most famous site, the rose-red city of Petra.
Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains)
until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures
at Petra, is carved into the rose-red Nubian sandstone. In the afternoon,
we
escort you to Aqaba to board the ferry to Nuweiba and extend to Sinai
& Egypt. In Nuweiba , our local rep will meet you with a private
van to escort you to Sharm El Sheikh .
Sharm
El Sheikh .Private air condition car always for your transfers.
We'll settle you into your hotel in Sharm : First Class : Novotel or
similar . Deluxe : Marriott Sonesta , Hyatt Hotel or similar.
DAY
7 - Thursday - Sharm El Sheikh - (B)
Full day at leisure . Hit
the water , or venture into the nearby Bedouin village to see how the
local people live-as you like.
DAY
8-
Friday - Sharm El Sheikh - (B)
Another full day at leisure in Sharm, own activities or ask us for
help with optional tours.
DAY
9 -Saturday
-
Luxor or CAIRO Luxor - (B)
Depending on flight availability , we fly to Luxor non-stop or via Cairo
, our local rep will be available in Cairo to assist with your flights
connection if needed .
On
to Luxor and board your deluxe air conditioned Felucca
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.
After
lunch, excursion to the West Bank for visits to the burial places of
the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered
the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Continue to the adjacent Valley of
the Queens, the temple of Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon.
Overnight
moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. Names
of the Four Felucca / Dahabia : El Bey (His
Lordship)
. El Hanem (The Lady) * Zahra (Flower) *
and Nesma (Breeze)
Day
10 - 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
11 - Monday - Luxor to Esna - On board your Yacht
Nile Cruise
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to
Esna where your Dahabbiya will moor
Day
12 - 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
13 - 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
14 - Thursday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise
A leisurely day sailing to Aswan where the dahabiyya moors overnight.
Day
15 - 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
16- 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 : City Stars Inter.continental . Nile Hilton , Cairo Conrad or
Grand Hyatt or similar
DAY 17 - CAIRO/ Departure Sunday (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight.
Bon Voyage
Inclusions:
-
All
Airport transfers by private air-conditioned vehicles and private
chauffeur.
-
private
air-conditioned vehicles , private guides in each of Jordan, Egypt
and Turkey , and private chauffeur.
-
Jordanian
departure tax fees
-
Egyptian
and Jordanian visas are issued upon arrival in Amman & Sharm
El Sheikh : for Canadians, Australian , NZ American, EU Citizens,
Singaporean & Japanese citizens.
-
All
tours and transfers as per itinerary
-
All
entrance fees
-
Complimentary
Horse ride at Petra ( for those who are interested in riding horses)
-
English
speaking guide, private guide in each of Istanbul and Petra ( extended
4 hours tour & guiding in Petra rather than the usual 2 hours)
-
Hotel
accommodation including taxes
-
Greeting
and assistance upon arrival and departure
-
Meals
as listed: cB: Continental breakfast, L: preset menu lunch.
-
Air
fare : Istanbul Amman in economy class, tax included.
-
Ferry
ticket Aqaba / Sinai. Ticket issued & delivered in Jordan
-
All domestic flights are included within Egypt- Possible free Upgrade
to business class , subject to availability .
-
Deluxe
Dahabiya Yacht accommodation: Private cabin.
-
All
Dahabiya Nile cruise shore excursions with all the guided sightseeing
including all entrance fees, all as per itinerary .
-
Private
Egyptologist and private car/driver for Cairo , Istanbul and Jordan
tour as listed including all entrance fees and lunch.
-
All
meals on board the Felucca / Yacht / Dahabiya Nile cruise : Pre
set meals as listed including B = Breakfast,
(or cB, Continental Breakfast), L
= Lunch, D = Dinner
-
Tea/
coffle and afternoon tea while on board the Deluxe Nile Cruise
Not included:
-
Tips
to drivers, guides and horse boy at Petra
-
All
personal items
-
Any
meals not mentioned above
-
Insurance
of any sort
-
Visa
fee for Turkey, secure from the nearest Consulate or upon arrival
( in cash) , must have valid passport (issued at the airport for
limited number of nationalities: USA, Canada, EU etc.)
Rates are per person, in US$:
| Category |
First Class |
Deluxe |
| In
Triple Occupancy |
$ 4890 |
$ 6109 |
| In
Double |
$ 4980 |
$ 6291 |
| In
Single |
$ 6095 |
$ 7600 |
Peak
Season Supplement : Dec 15 -Jan 5 Please add 15 % supplement
Check Baptism site in Jordan
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:
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:
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
Grand Dahabiya Sailing on the Nile A True Romance , the best Honeymoon
vacation
More
Choices :
Combine this tour with any Travel in Style tour to Egypt, or Turkey
for an even more exciting vacation adventure.
|
