iExplore Egypt Experience Gold(Trip #15186)

Tour Overview

An experienced Egyptologist accompanies you on every leg of this luxurious Nile cruise. Explore Egypt's ancient temples, from the mysterious Sphinx to the awe-inspiring Temple of Kom Ombo. Highlights include a desert camel ride, a tour of the once-flourishing city of Memphis, the opulent Grand Palace of Giza, exploring the treasure-filled tombs of the Valley of the Kings, and a tour of the Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 01: Cairo, Egypt
Arrival Cairo International Airport. You are met and transferred by air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
Four Seasons First Residence Hotel

Day 02: Cairo
Breakfast: buffet breakfast at hotel. Pyramids: Your Egyptologist will meet you at the hotel to escort you on an unforgettable tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza. The only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, they are among the world’s greatest tourist attractions and never lose their ability to inspire and overwhelm visitors. Your tour today includes an opportunity to enter inside one of these fabulous monuments and explore the mysteries of its ancient past for yourself.

Camel Ride: No trip to Egypt would be complete without a ride on a “ship of the desert”, and so you will have an opportunity to mount your individual camel for a short ride across the sands of Giza to the Sphinx.

Sphinx: Enter the temple of the mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure shrouded in legend and mystery. Your Egyptologist will enthrall you with the tales told of this fascinating figure.

Sakkara: Experience Egypt’s long and rich history in our exciting double tour to the city of Memphis and the necropolis of Sakkara. At vast Sakkara, you will see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world. Your Egyptologist will guide you to some tombs belonging to the nobles of the past. They show the beauty and excellence of Ancient Egyptian art on their walls and give an insight in the daily life of Ancient Egypt.

Memphis: At the site of Memphis, you will see the ancient capital that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs. The place is thickly surrounded by lush palm groves and bushes, isolating the site of the old city from modern civilization.
Breakfast
Four Seasons First Residence Hotel

Day 03: Cairo - Luxor
Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Cairo and (early morning) check-out. Transfer: You are met at your hotel for transfer to Cairo Domestic airport in an air-conditioned bus. Flight: Board your short flight to Luxor. Check-in: (Before 09:00 AM) with welcome chilled fruit juice.

Arrive on your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, the “Sun Boat IV”, moored in private dock in Luxor. On board, you are welcomed by reception staff offering chilled fruit juice while assisting with your check-in.

Entertainment: Exact entertainment schedules during your cruise are adjusted according to the needs of each group and the exact sailing schedule of the boat, and, therefore, the day of each feature is subject to change. However, every cruise on the Nile Adventurer will include:

A colorful “galabeyya party” traditional Egyptian dress and dance to Arabic music.
A belly dancer, accompanied by a whirling dervish show in Luxor.
A trio of authentic Egyptian musicians in Aswan during afternoon tea.
A lecture accompanied by a slide show, by your Egyptologist guide.

Food & Beverage: Menus are changed on a seasonal basis to enable the Chef to use the freshest ingredients at all times. However, the following is applicable to every cruise:

Most meals are served in the restaurant. However, at least one barbecue lunch (while sailing) will be served on deck (weather permitting).
Afternoon tea includes a range of teas and herbal infusions, fresh coffee and a selection of freshly baked, homemade cake, cookies and finger food
Mineral water, tea and coffee are included on a complimentary basis during meals.

Karnak Temple: Proceed to the Temple of Karnak, built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars, covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch: to be served on board

Visit to Valley of the Kings & Queens: Afternoon visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You will also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens.

Hatshepsut Temple: Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh) merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument.

Photostop Colossi of Memnon: On the way back to the river Nile, your road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.

Captain’s Cocktail Party: Tonight you will be greeted by your Boat Manager, who will introduce you to the boat staff and review on-board facilities and your cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary cocktail and a selection of canapés will be served.

Dinner: Gourmet menu on board. Overnight: On board in Luxor.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sunboat IV

Day 04: :Luxor
Very early sailing to Qena.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board while you cruise northwards to Qena. This part of your cruise is very much off the beaten track, and passes through some of the most beautiful scenery along the Nile, far away from the crowds or other cruise boats.

Denderah: Visit the Ptolemaic Temple of Goddess Hathor in Denderah. This wonderfully preserved temple complex is a rare sight to behold, complete with a massive stone roof, dark chambers, underground passages and towering columns inscribed with hieroglyphs. The main Temple of Hathor is almost intact. Hathor was the goddess or pleasure and of love, usually represented as a cow, or a woman with a cow’s head. She was the beneficent deity of maternal and family love, of beauty and light; the Greeks associated her with Aphrodite.

Lunch: Return to your boat for Lunch during sailing back to Luxor.

Afternoon Tea: Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Luxor.

Luxor Temple: In the afternoon your Egyptologist will guide you on a tour of the East Bank of Luxor, to the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the God Amun. Dinner: Gourmet menu on board. Overnight: On board in Luxor.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sunboat IV

Day 05: Luxor - Kom Ombo
Early sailing to Edfu passing by Esna Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board while you cruise to Edfu.

Lunch: Lunch on board, while you continue cruising to Edfu.

Edfu Temple: This afternoon, explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic – albeit Greek-built – temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Afternoon Tea: Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Kom Ombo.

Dinner: Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyas”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialities, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone. Overnight: On board in Kom Ombo.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sunboat IV

Day 06: Kom Ombo - Aswan
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board.

Kom Ombo Temple: Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.

High Dam: This morning, your Egyptologist guide will escort you to visit the Aswan High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example of building on a monumental scale.

Philae Temple: Take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka.

Unfinished Obelisk: Next we proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk.

Felucca Ride: In the afternoon (weather permitting) take a ride on a felucca, a typical Egyptian sail boat, around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum.

Afternoon Tea: Return to your cruise for afternoon tea.

Dinner: Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a formal gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. Overnight: On board in Aswan.
Breakfast. Lunch, Dinner
Sunboat IV

Day 07: Aswan - Cairo
Breakfast: Buffet breakfast on board, and check out.

Transfer to the Aswan Domestic Airport for you scheduled flight to Abu Simbel.

Arrive Abu Simbel and board a shuttle bus for short transfer to the temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. Here you will enjoy a narrated tour of Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is a temple built by Ramesses II (c.1279-1213 B.C.E.) in ancient Nubia, where he wished to demonstrate his power and his divine nature. Four colossal (65 feet/20 meters high) statues of him sit in pairs flanking the entrance. The head and torso of the statue to the left of the entrance fell during ancient times, probably the result of an earthquake.

Return to the airstrip and board your flight to Cairo. Arrival Cairo domestic airport & transfer to your hotel for check in and overnight.
Breakfast
Four Seasons First Residence Hotel

Day 08: Cairo
Breakfast: buffet breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Cairo (select two half-day tours below):

Museum: Your Egyptologist will escort you today on a fascinating tour of 7,000 years of Egyptian history with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum houses the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun.

Coptic Cairo: Your Egyptologist will guide you today round the highlights of Coptic Cairo. There you will find the remains of the old Fortress of Babylon, built at the time of the Romans in Egypt to protect the country from invading enemies. Churches: The walls of the fortress enclose the Church of St. Sergius, which is built on a crypt considered to be one of the resting places of the Holy Family during their flight to Egypt 200 years ago. You will also see the “Hanging Church”, supported by only one column, and boasting incredible paintings inside. Synagogue of Ben Ezra: Visit the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, from the time of the once thriving Jewish community in Egypt under the leadership of Rabbi Ben Ezra. Inside were discovered the so-called “Geniza Documents”, which showed an unparalleled source of information about life of the Jews in Egypt’s past. Coptic Museum: You will also enter the Coptic Museum, which displays a wonderful collection of medieval statues, bells, bone carvings, frescoes, icons and colorful textiles.

Islamic Cairo: Take a fascinating tour of Islamic Cairo, including the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress perched on a hill above the city. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums. ultan Hassan. Built in 1356 AD as a mosque and religious school for all sects, it was designed so that each of the four main Sunni sects could have their own ‘madrasa’ or school within while also sharing the mosque.
Breakfast
Four Seasons First Residence Hotel

Day 09: Cairo - Depart
Transfer to Cairo International Airport for your international departure.
Breakfast

Departure Dates

Departures on request, please call for details.

Prices

2009
January 1 - April 9, October -December 20
$4095 per person, double occupancy, based on 2 passengers
$3895 per person, double occupancy, based on 4 passengers
$1795 single supplement
$6025 solo traveler

May 1 - September 30
$3695 per person, double occupancy, based on 2 passengers
$3550 per person, double occupancy, based on 4 passengers
$1515 single supplement
$5295 solo traveler

April 10 -30 - December 21-31
$4595 per person, double occupancy, based on 2 passengers
$4350 per person, double occupancy, based on 4 passengers
$2025 single supplement
$6695 solo traveler

Child Policy: Children (age 6-11 years) sharing with 2 adults, will receive a 50% disount on the above package prices. Note: Sunboat IV restricts children under 6 years.

Inclusions:
· Meet & Greet services at the Cairo International Airport with assistance at Passport Control
· All transfers as per attached itinerary with highly qualified English speaking local representatives taking guests from each point to direct them to their next destination on days 1, 3, 7 & 9
· Four nights at Four Seasons First Residences Hotel, standard room based on bed & buffet breakfast
· Four nights cruise on board Sun Boat IV in standard Nile deck cabin on full board basis including all sightseeing as per cruise program
· Private tour of Giza, Sakkara and Memphis – full day
· Private city tour in Cairo - Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo & Churches - full day
· Services of a English-speaking Egyptologist for sightseeing in Cairo on a private basis
· Domestic flights from: Cairo-Luxor and Aswan-Abu Simbel-Cairo
· Airport assistance and transfers in Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel on a non-exclusive basis
· On-board English-speaking Egyptologist guides on Sunboat Iv on a non-exclusive basis
· Sightseeing on Sunboat IV as indicated in the itinerary on a non-exclusive basis
· Entrance fees
· Abu Simbel excursion with local English-speaking guide – non-exclusive basis
· Meals as indicated (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Exclusions:
· International airfare, airport and departure taxes
· Entry visa to Egypt (currently US$ 20.00 per person, if purchased on arrival at the airport)
· Telephone, drinks and items of a personal nature
· Any item not listed as an inclusion
· Travel Insurance
· Visa Fees (if required)
· Holiday surcharges
· Gratuities

These trips are priced assuming two travelers. Surcharges for solo travelers and discounts for groups, if any, will be applied. Prices assume itinerary is purchased "as is". Minor changes to hotels or hotel add-ons to the beginning or the end of the existing itinerary can be made at no extra charge. Any customization requiring us to start with a new base itinerary will require a non-refundable upfront planning fee of $250 that is creditable towards the final trip price.

All prices are in US dollars and do not include international airfare, unless otherwise noted.

Prices displayed are based on the lowest season base price and assume double occupancy. Prices are shown in U.S. dollars and may or may not include administrative fees, taxes, meals, airfare (where applicable) and Single Supplements. Cancellation penalties, blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

Options & Upgrades

Sinai Extension:

Day 01: Cairo - Sharm el-Sheikh
Transfer to the Cairo Airport for your domestic flight from Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh. Meet & assist at Sharm airport by your professional English-speaking local representative. Transfer by private vehicle to your hotel for check-in. Balance of day at leisure.
Hyatt Regency Hotel

Day 02: Sharm el-Sheikh
Transfer to the marina of Sharm El Sheikh where you will be assisted by our representative with your snorkeling/diving equipment, then board a luxury yacht for a wonderful sailing cruise to the National Park of Ras Mohamed or Tiran Island to enjoy snorkeling and diving on the reef & watch underwater life. Lunch will be served on board by the crew.
After lunch, you will have the opportunity to snorkel/dive in another spot of the National Park before returning to Sharm El Sheikh Marina.
Hyatt Regency Hotel (B,L)

Day 03: Sharm el-Sheikh
You are collected from your hotel this morning for guided tour of St Catherine’s, a Greek Orthodox Monastery, constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565. Also called Deir Sant Katerin, it is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world. The monastery's spiritual heart is the Chapel of the Burning Bush, an unassuming structure of tremendous religious significance. According to the oldest monastic tradition, this chapel sits atop the roots of the same Biblical bush that burned when God spoke to Moses for the first time. The reputed bush itself is a rare species of the rose family called Rubus Sanctus. This species is endemic to Sinai and extremely long-lived, a fact that lends scientific credence to the site. The sprawling bush is said to have been transplanted in the 10th century when the chapel was given a roof.
Hyatt Regency Hotel (B)

Day 04: Sharm el-Sheikh-Cairo
Transfer to the Sharm el-Sheikh airport for your domestic flight to Cairo. Arrive Cairo airport, you are met and transferred to Sheraton Heliopolis Hotel for check-in. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, we suggest to any last minute shoppers, a return visit Khan El-Khalili bazaar to shop!
Sheraton Helioplis Hotel (B)

Day 05: Cairo - Depart
Transfer to Cairo International Airport. You will be assisted at check-in for your homebound flight. (B)

From $1395 per person, double occupancy, based on 2 passengers
$175 single supplement

Inclusions:
· 3 nights at Hyatt Regency Hotel in a standard room on bed and breakfast basis
· 1 night at Sheraton Heliopolis hotel in a standard room on bed and buffet breakfast basis
· All transfers mentioned in the program, with professional local English-speaking Representatives meeting you at each point to take you to your next destination in modern air-conditioned vehicles
· All tours and sightseeing as described in the program
· Meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
· Porterage at airports and hotels
· Domestic flights in Egypt to and from Sharm (quoted separately at published Egypt Air rates, and subject to change without notice)

Exclusions:
· All items of a personal nature (telephone calls, laundry, room service, etc)
· All drinks excluding those mentioned above will be charged as per consumption
· Entry visas to Egypt (currently US$ 17.00 per person)
· All tips for Egyptologist, drivers, hotel and cruise staff, are excluded from the package
· High season or holiday surcharges

Alexandria Extension:

Day 01: Cairo - Alexandria
Depart by air-conditioned coach (3 hrs) along the desert highway to the city of Alexandria “Ancient Queen of the Mediterranean.” Upon arrival this afternoon you will visit the Alexandria National Museum: The collection in this newly opened museum includes thousands of items spanning from the Pharaonic Era, through Greco-Roman times, to the Modern Era. Also visit the Alexandria Library and Museum; The Bibliotheca Alexandria is not only a library, but also an integrated cultural complex, with libraries, museums, exhibition areas, educational centers, and an international conference center. It is built on the believed site of the old Library of Alexandria, built by Ptolemy I. It was the largest of all antiquity, frequented by scholars from all over the Mediterranean from the 4th Century BC until its eventual destruction by fire seven hundred years later. Sofitel Cecile Hotel (B,L)

Day 02: Alexandria - Cairo
Morning visit to the Roman Amphitheater, the only Roman amphitheater in Egypt, discovered quite recently, when the foundations for a new apartment building were being dug. Next visit Qait Bay Fort, a 15th century Mamluk fort overlooking the entrance to the Eastern Harbour in Alexandria. It is built on the foundations of the Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and incorporates both a castle and a mosque within its walls. Transfer to the train station and board First Class rail to Cairo (2hrs.) Arrive Cairo and transfer to Sheraton Heliopolis hotel for overnight. Sheraton Heliopolis Hotel (B)

Day 03: Cairo Depart
Transfer to Cairo International Airport where you will be assisted at check-in for your homebound flight. (B)


From $975 per person, double occupancy, based on 2 passengers
$135 single supplement

Inclusions:
· 1 night accommodation at Sofitel Cecile or similar on bed and breakfast
· 1 night accommodation at Sheraton Heliopolis or similar based on bed and breakfast basis
· All transfers and sightseeing as per above itinerary
· First Class Rail from Alexandria to Cairo
· Lunch at local restaurant on day 1
· Service of English speaking guide throughout the trip
· Mineral water throughout

Exclusions:
· Tips for Guide, Representative, and hotel
· Extra beverages
· Extra sightseeing