A Grand 14 Day tour of Egypt, airfare included from USA. This exceptional package includes Egypt in all its variety, from the wonders of the Great Pyramids to a Nile cruise, and even the unspoiled beaches of the Red Sea. As well as the mighty temples at Abu Simbel, Denderah Temples, Diving or snorkeling, and a CAMEL CARAVAN to a Nubian Village

Compare with the 19 -day version with the Greek Isles
The 15-Day version with Alexandria & Fayoum Oases

Add Spain & Andalusia ,   Italy ,  or Arabia : Dubai and Petra Jordan
Add India

DAY 1 - USA/CAIRO Sunday - Weekly departure - Year Round
Your wide-body jet departs the USA bound for Cairo, upgrade to business class
for $ 2300 or First class $ 3500, round-trip including tax, on board Egyptair non stop wide body jet.
This tour is available without air fare : If you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare, please deduct $500 per person from the rates. We do welcome bookings from all over the world .

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.

DAY 8 - VALLEY OF THE KINGS Sunday (cBLD)

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 . 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 (cBD)
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 :

Back on land, we visit an ancient Pharaonic red granite quarry, then Nubia Museum before a short flight to Abu Simbel. 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 .Dinner at the hotel

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

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

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 ! 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 - Saturday (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage

RATES per person in USD

Sample Nile Cruises:
Deluxe Nile Cruises :M/S Monaco ,M/S Monte Carlo , M/S Mojito , M/S Beau Soleil ,M/S Florence , M/S Royal Ruby . M/S Lady Diana . M/S Adonis or similar
First Class : Nile Dream , Ruby or Similar

Upgrade to the Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises:
Supplement : 20 % applies to be added to the deluxe rate
Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess all suites all with private balconies
The Sonesta ultra deluxe M/S Star Goddess , all suites with private balconies
The Oberoi M/S Philae ( all state   rooms are Junior Suites do offer private balconies)
The Ultra Deluxe" Queen TiYi ( presidential suite)
The ultra deluxe : M/S Amarco ) Royal or Presidential Suite )

The M/S Amarco

The Ultra Deluxe all suites M/S Amarco , accommodation : Presidential or Royal suite

DEPARTURE NOTES:

• This tour departs , weekly, year round
  
• For departures during Christmas, New Year's or Easter weeks, please add 15% to the rates above.
  
• For PRIVATE GUIDE/CAR/DRIVER :
  For the full duration of the Nile Cruise & shore excursions: please add $250 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.

AIRFARE NOTES

• If you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare, please deduct $500 per person from the rates.

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :

• International airfare from New York, US departure tax. Economy class
  
  
• Egyptian domestic airfares ( economy class ) as described in the itinerary.
  
  
• All airport transfers and taxes in Egypt.
  
  
• Hotel accommodations (including taxes).
  
  
• And set-menu (table d'hôte) meals as indicated in the itinerary above.
  
  
• Nile cruise with all shore excursions and meals.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
  
• Guided sightseeing by air-conditioned motor coach, including all admissions fees.
  
  
• Visa fee issued upon arrival for American, Australian, NZ,EU , Korean, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, passport must be valid for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival.

Other choices :

• Your Own Forum on Egypt and Jordan
  A Monthly Roundtable on Middle East History, Politics, Economics and Beliefs
  Egypt and Jordan in 14 Days
  
• Compare with the air conditioned Yacht Dahabiya cruise on the  Nile 
  
• Indiana Jones Adventure 17 day , 8 Day  

DRESS CODE :

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.

 

	Web www.nubiannilecruises.com

 

The Great Pyramid of Cheops . . . Are You Up to the Adventure?

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.

The decision is up to you.

Click here for Intimate size Nile Cruise : 6 Cabins cruises, available also for charter and private cruising. Of course Air Conditioned

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