Eighteen Day tour of Egypt including one week on air conditioned yacht Dahabiya Nile Cruise and a one week Red Sea Live Aboard

DAY 1 - CAIRO Tour Starts weekly year round in Cairo: Tuesday
Our 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.

Hotels : City Stars Inter.continental. Nile Hilton , Cairo Conrad or Grand Hyatt or similar

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 2 - CAIRO - Wednesday (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the " Mummies Room" , the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster.

DAY 3 - CAIRO / Hurgada or Marsa Ghaleb , subject to the Boat that's available at the time you book - Thursday Weekly in Cairo , year round (LD)
We pick you up from your hotel in Cairo around 5 AM. Please advise us of your hotel name, or ask us for assistance with your hotel in Cairo .
Board a morning flight to Hurgada (air ticket is included in our rate in economy class ).
We'll meet you at the airport and escort you to your Live Aboard .

Embarkation Hurgada or - Mersa Galeb. Subject to availability at the time you book
First Dive: Abu Dabbab. ( 2 hours sailing ).
Second Dive: Shaeb Alam
Mersa Alam to Samadai; One hour sailing.
Night Dive: Samadai and overnight.

Day 4 - Samadai to Wadi El Gemal; ( 2 hours sailing ). Friday (BLD)
First Dive: Shaeb El Sharm. (Wadi El Gemal).
Second Dive: Shaeb El Sharm. (Wadi El Gemal) or El Ghadir.
Night Dive: " Dah-ret " Wadi El Gemal and overnight.

Day 5 - Wadi El Gemal to Satayeh ( 4-5 hours sailing ). Saturday (BLD)
Sailing around 04:00 a.m.
First Dive: Shaeb Claudia or Maksour.
Second Dive: Shaeb " Abu Diab " a shore dive.
Night Dive: Abu Halawa.
Overnight at Satayeh.

Day 6 - First Dive: Satayeh. Sunday (BLD)
Satayeh to Wadi El Gemal.
Second Dive: Ras Um Krab.
Night Dive: Wadi El Gemal and overnight.

Day 7 - Monday (BLD)
First Dive: El Ghadir.
Second Dive: Shaeb El Ghadir.
Night Dive: Samadai and overnight.

Day 8 - Tuesday .(BLD)
First Dive: Elphenstone.
Second Dive: Abu Dabab.
Night Dive: Shaeb Abu Dabab (another part of the big reef) and overnight.

Day 9 -Wednesday (BLD)
First Dive: Ket-aat Abu Dabab.
Second Dive: Ket-aat Abu Dabab.
Night Dive: El Shouna.

Day 10 - Thursday . (BLD)
First Dive: El Shouna on to El Gouna or Hurgada
Return to Mersa Ghaleb and disembarkation.
All diving / diving sites is/are WEATHER PERMITTING. Transfer back to el Gouna or Hurgada and one of the deluxe hotels

Day 11 - Your Deluxe Nile Cruise t - Saturday -Hurgada to Luxor and board your deluxe air conditioned Nile Cruiser
Very early morning breakfast and transfer by private air conditioned vehicle to Luxor and escort your deluxe air conditioned Nile cruise felucca or dahabbiya , Board Luxor ( or Aswan ) .

Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing five day cruise the Nile on a luxuriously appointed Nile Cruiser

Board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch.
Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the afternoon. We'll return in time for the afternoon tea served on deck. You'll have a chance to explore your ship before dinner.

DAY 12 - LUXOR , EDFU (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

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.

We sail in the afternoon we cruise to Esna to go through the locks , and on to Edfu where we dock for the night. In the evening , we'll celebrate in Egyptian style, dressed in galabias, the flowing national costume, a galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments)

DAY 13 - EDFU, KOM OMBO (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we enjoy lunch as we sail further south upriver .
We disembark downstream at Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, the continue our voyage to Aswan, while we party after dinner with music & dance.

DAY 14 - ASWAN (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to the 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.
In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile.

Our farewell dinner this evening is a buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by a show featuring oriental performers, including of course a belly dancer.

DAY 15 - CAIRO (B)
Check out after breakfast , we bid farewell to the crew, 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 16 - CAIRO - Home Hosted Family Dinner in Cairo - Sunday (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Morning at leisure .Lunch is served at a charming local restaurant at Khan El Khalili old district, followed by a leisurely walking tour of the Khan El Khalili12-Century District .

A 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 at your hotel with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 17 - CAIRO/ Departure Monday (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight. Bon Voyage

Rates are per person in USD $
Rate per person in double : $ 3210
Rate per person in single : $ 5100

Peak Season Supplement : Easter ( 2 weeks ) & Christmas and New Year ( DEc 20 - Jan 3 ) :
Please add : 20 % to the listed rates

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 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

All airfares within Egypt in "Y" class including tax .
Private air conditioned car /driver for all transfers within Egypt.
Deluxe hotel accommodation with tax & service charges.
Seven nights accommodations in a single or double occupancy cabin, there is no triple occupancy cabins on board the Live Aboard boat , with all meals included . Preset menu.
Sailing itinerary and diving as listed , Itineraries are just an example of North and South Red Sea cruising Safaris, there is a lot to see! Sequence of itinerary and diving sites depend mainly on weather conditions. Please remember; Diver's safety always comes FIRST !!
Diving and Sailing times are approximate, depending on weather conditions!
Your Captain is one of the best in the Red Sea, please always follow his advice!
Your Dive Master is well experienced in this area. He is your Key to a safe dive!
Diving Instructors on board are available to answer any of your questions.
Air tanks
Accommodation in a private cabin : Double or single on board The Nile Cruise with all meals and shore excursions
A complimentary home hosted family dinner in Cairo

Bottled water ( one per person) delivered to your Nile Cruise cabin daily while you are on board the cruise, as well as : Tea or coffee & bottled water with every & each meal while on board the Nile cruise, and a complimentary fruit basket upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
Welcome drink served upon arrival on board your Nile Cruise.
Visa fee , visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : 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.
Preset menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner .
All guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees.

Nile Cruise 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.

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. Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat.

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel:
All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam.It’s worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost. Read More

Abu Simbel:
Ramses the Great's huge desert temple at Abu Simbel marked the southern border of the pharaoh's dominions. Rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser by an international effort, it is a marvel of sacred engineering. Twice a year‹and only then‹the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies, illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari. We've planned our visit to maximize your Abu Simbel experience. Rising before dawn, we drive along the shore of Lake Nasser, watching the sky lighten and the sacred sun rise above the horizon. We reach the temple while the air is clean, clear and cool, and the sun's light still golden‹just right for photographs. We explore the huge temple by ourselves, admire its ancient aura and artistry, then retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temple we begin our leisurely drive back along the shore to Aswan, arriving late afternoon.