Luxury Tour of India and Deluxe Nile Cruise in Egypt | 1001 Egyptian Nights with a one week tour of India

DAY 1 - USA/CAIRO Sunday - Weekly departure - Year Round
Your wide-body jet departs the USA bound for Cairo, overnight across the Atlantic .

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

Honeymoon tour, Egypt tour, Adventure travel Egypt

DAY 3 - CAIRO- Sailing on the Nile - Tuesday (cBLD)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room. We'll continue to Royal Manial Palace of former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali , on to the Coptic Museum, and the Church of Abu Sergha, and the Beni Ezra Synagogue. We'll see where,according to the legend, Moses was found along the banks of the Nile. We'll take our lunch at a local restaurant.
Enjoy a 30 minute felucca sailing on the Nile to see Cairo from a different angle before we head back to your hotel. Dinner is included at your hotel

DAY 4 - DAHSOUR - Wednesday (cBL)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!

Continue 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.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Evening Sound and Light show by the Pyramids.

DAY 5 - The Red Sea resort of Sharm , Thursday (cBD)
Head for the airport and a short flight to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy this unique desert beach resort.
Relax by the cerulean waters, take a camel ride at your option.
Breakfast & dinner included

DAY 6 - Sharm El Sheikh, Snorkel or Dive- Friday (cBD)
The Red Sea just off "Sharm" is replete with fascinating coral and aquatic species unique to this area. You'll spend the full day today exploring these wonders as you snorkel or scuba dive (for which proof of certification is a must ). There's also time to relax, take an optional excursion, or look into the life of the Bedouins who have made a way of life in the desert. Evening Bedouin Dinner.

DAY 7 - LUXOR & Cruise to Denderah -Saturday (cBLD)
An early flight takes us to Luxor,along the Nile in fabled Upper Egypt, where We'll navigate the waters of the Nile to Denderah in a day excursion cruise ( or by car) , to visit the best preserved temple in Egypt, then its back to Luxor for a spectacular sound & light show at Karnak temple. Accommodation on board your Nile Cruise. One large bottle of mineral water in your cabin with our compliments.

Queen Nefertari's tomb is closed for urgent repairs, so we 'll be touring instead : Ancient Workers Village at Deir El Medineh, as soon as Nefertari is opened again, we will reinstate it in our 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 (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. A Galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments.

DAY 10 - KOM OMBO & ASWAN , CAMEL CARAVAN -Tuesday (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 .Then to really immerse yourself, try your hand at a complimentary camel riding! We'll take willing passengers on a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers. Only Travel In Style & Nubian Nile Cruises afford this unique opportunity to meet & interact with local Nubians. We are proud to offer this insight into the Nubian way of life. Back in your cabin : Complimentary Egyptian pastry & sweets platter.

DAY 11 - ASWAN & ABU SIMBEL/CAIRO Wednesday (cBL)
The mighty Aswan dams are our first goal this morning, followed by a trip by motor launch to the Philae temples. this Island temple , 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.

Back on land, we visit an ancient Pharaonic red granite quarry, then we take a short flight to Abu Simbel. ( Lunch box included and large bottle of water) , 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, fly back to Aswan and connect with our returning flight to Cairo .

ABU SIMBEL

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 temples, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which we begin our leisurely drive back to Abu Simbel Airport

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel Temples in Egypt :

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. Arrive early in Egypt, extend one day to be able to see Abu Simbel . Read More

DAY 12 - Cairo -Thursday (cB)
Breakfast is included at the hotel . Full day at leisure , explore Cairo on your own .

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

DAY 13 - Cairo Fayoum -Friday (cBL)
On Desert Safari for the Day - Fayoum Oases - And you thought the Pyramids were old

The wilds of the desert begin right on the outskirts of Cairo, and continue for hundreds of miles to the east and west, through sands, rock, mountains, oases, and a surprising variety of scenery and inhabitants.

Join us for a day ranging across the desert like modern nomads. In place of camels, we’ll travel in comfortable, reliable four-by-four Toyota Land Cruisers. Your guide and drivers will meet you at your hotel, and soon you’ll leave bustling Cairo behind as you undertake the drive toward the Oasis of El Fayoum, 150 kilometers to the southwest. Hard as it is to believe, a great inland sea once covered these sands. It was a holy reserve of sacred crocodiles, symbolized by the god Sobek.

We’ll visit the temple of Kom Oshim, drive over ancient lake beds, and alongside the waters of today’s Fayoum Lake to reach the fishermen’s village of Chak Chouk. There we’ll stop for a lunch of fish caught fresh that morning. There will be time to wander the village lanes and discreetly watch the everyday activities of baking flatbread, irrigating crops from the lake’s waters, and bringing in the catch. We’ll also include the craft and pottery museum where the best works of local artisans are on display.

Then it’s into our four-by-fours again, for an off-road adventure! We’ll head alongside and across desert washes, between dunes, and over ancient lake beds for 35 kilometers to the Valley of the Whales ( In Arabic : Wadi-El-Hitan) . Incredibly, these great mammals once thrived - almost forty million years ago- in waters surrounded by sands. We’ll stop and gaze in amazement at their fossilized remains alongside smaller sea creatures that remain in stone.
This valley was discovered in 1936 , by the German geologist George Schweinfurth in the northwestern corner of Wadi El-Rayan.

The valley provides evidence of one of the major changes in this mammal evolution has been declared by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. It is believed that these land based whales once had feet that may have helped them somewhat while ashore . A team from the University of Michigan discovered in the late 80's that these Zeuglodon whales did have rudimentary feet , this was a startling discovery , suggesting that whales of Wadi -El-Hitan had recently started living in water as well , these whales were not related to any of the whales we have today , rather a more slender body and may grow up to 75 feet long. Several skeletons of whales are exposed in the sand. George Schweinfurth named this extinct specie the Zeuglodon Isis Whales .

In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel in Cairo. Land transportation in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser with the services of driver and English-speaking driver. Lunch is included

DAY 14 - Departure for Delhi , India - Saturday (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to India, air itinerary are always subject to change without notice. Air fare is included in economy class Egypt/ India in economy class, tax included.

The Adventure begins and 1001 Indian Nights : Delhi * Agra * Jaipur * Delhi
Arrive at New Delhi’s International Airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for a three night stay. The drive from the airport introduces Delhi as a spacious, tree-lined city with a number of beautiful parks.

In India : An English Speaking Escort will always be with you for the entire tour staying at the different hotels as the group

Day 15 - Delhi
The morning is at leisure. In the afternoon take a tour of Delhi including visits to Qutub Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, and Humayun’s tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor in the Indo-Persian style. See the imposing India Gate, Parliament buildings and Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President’s residence. (B)

Day 16– Delhi to Agra
Travel by road this morning to Agra (approx 4 ½ hours) and check-in to your hotel for an overnight stay. Visit the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays), arriving at the gates by horse drawn carriage. The Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built in the mid 17th century by Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. The Taj appears amazingly perfect from almost any angle, and close-up, the marble inlay work is astounding. You will have ample time to view this outstanding piece of architecture. Continue on to Agra Fort, once the seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire. This evening try your hand at bargaining at the marble & leather factories. (B)

Day 17– Agra to Fatehpur Sikri to Jaipur
You will be driven to Jaipur today (approx 6 hours) stopping en-route to visit Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted red sandstone city, built by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace in the late 16th century. It was abandoned soon after when the wells dried up and it remains today in much the same condition that it was over 300 years ago.
On arrival in Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’ of palaces and monuments, proceed to your hotel for a two night stay. (B)

Day 18 - Jaipur
Sightseeing today includes an elephant ride up to the Amber Fort, then time to stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. See Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of the Winds, whose elaborately carved façade captured cooling breezes and concealed from view the ladies of the court watching the activity in the streets below. Visit the City Palace gardens and courtyards, and explore the collections of costumes, armoury and rare manuscripts in its museum. Walk to the adjacent Astronomical Observatory, built in 1726 and still in use, and shop in the local bazaar. (B)

Day 19 – Jaipur to Delhi
Return to Delhi by road (approx 5 hours) and transfer to your hotel . (B).

Day 20 - Delhi
Take a morning tour of Old Delhi, beginning with a visit to Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. See the Red Fort and continue on to Jama Masjid, one of Asia’s largest mosques. It was the last architectural extravaganza of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, built in 1656 AD, and large enough to hold as many as 25,000 devotees. The afternoon is free for shopping or leisure. (B)

Day 21 - Departure Back to NYC or your home town in the USA (B)
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur for your transfer back to the airport in Delhi
Air fare is included in economy class back to NYC or any other major city in the USA ( based on your booking) . Extend to the Indian Riviera : The Best of Kerala

Deluxe Nile Cruises :
Monaco , Monte Carlo , Mojito , Beau Soleil , Florence. Solitaire . Renaissance , Adonis, Queen of Hansa , Princess Sara or similar

DEPARTURE NOTES:
this tour departs , weekly, year round For departures during Christmas, New Year's or Easter weeks, please add 10 % to the rates above.

For PRIVATE GUIDE/CAR/DRIVER for Nile Cruise Shore Excursions:
For the full duration of the Nile Cruise & shore excursions: please add $200 per person .This supplement doesn't apply when you have at least 6 guests in your party, as you'll have always your own private car/driver/guide.

Our airline partners for departures from New York are British Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss , KLM : Dallas-Fort Worth , Chicago, DC, Denver, Miami, : an additional $300; from most West Coast cities : an additional $350.

Special inclusions In India :
• A horse carriage ride from the nearest parking to Taj Mahal in Agra.
• An elephant ride (alternatively by jeeps) to ascend Amber Fort in Jaipur.
• All currently applicable taxes including the 4.94% government service tax .

Not included:

Nile Cruise :
DINING NOTES
The set-menu meals included in your tour are indicated in the itinerary: B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner. On our luxury Nile cruise vessels, our spacious dining rooms accommodate all passengers at one seating, so there is no need to worry about making reservations , 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.

All of our 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.

A journey into the heart of the Great Pyramid is a real-life Indiana Jones adventure. But it can also be a taxing and frightening one.

You'll follow claustrophobic passages cut into the heart of the pyramid, feel the pull of the mass of stone directly above. For better or worse, you have placed yourself in the hands of the engineering expertise of the ancients.

As you continue along the unventilated passages, the oxygen becomes depleted, the air becomes noticeably warmer and more pungent. The ascent of steep stairways consumes more energy than you imagined, and you find yourself short of breath. Lighting is dim, every footstep must be carefully calculated. Low passageways repeatedly oblige you to advance while bent down, and your muscles protest. Where walls disappear into the dark above, you feel wedged into a shaft. Despite warnings, and your own resolve, claustrophobic feelings are hard to suppress.

Finally, you behold the King's Chamber at the heart of the Great Pyramid. The effort to reach it has made the reward more exhilarating than you imagined. If only you can face the return.

Is the King's Chamber for you? If you're not used to bending and regular exercise, you might find the challenge beyond your capabilities. Turning back is more difficult the farther you go, and the experience could leave you aching for days afterwards.

Be realistic about yourself, your abilities, and your disposition. And remember that there are many other rewarding sights and adventures at Giza, without the physical challenge and risks of the King's Chamber.

1001 Egyptian Nights

With a Foray into India

21 Days, airfare included from USA