Best of the Nile & Istanbul

12 - Day version : CAIRO , ABU SIMBEL
Petra , Istanbul & a four day Nile Cruise

Pharaonic & Egyptian Costume Party on board the Nile Cruise
Luxury on the Nile

Daily in Istanbul . Subject to cruise availability in Egypt.
Cruise embarkation from Aswan or Luxor, embarkation days vary between Deluxe, First class , as well as the different cruise boats, we will try our best to accommodate your dates. Add Italy
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DAY 1 -- ISTANBUL
Tour starts daily in Istanbul
Our staff meets your flight and escorts you to your hotel.

This tour starts daily in Istanbul, yet please keep in mind that we keep the right to substitute some site based on the following: Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday. Ayasofia is closed on Monday. Kariye Museum is closed on Wednesdays. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

DAY 2 -- ISTANBUL (BL)
We dive right into this fascinating city with visits to its top sights: Topkapi, the palace of the Sultans for centuries; Hagia Sophia, the greatest church in Christendom for a thousand years; the Blue Mosque, with its exquisite blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome, scene of chariot races and gladiator combat; and the eerie Sunken Palace cistern beneath it. Then we go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. If you like, join us for Istanbul by Night, a dinner tour with live music and belly dancing (optional, at extra cost)
Breakfast, Lunch.

DAY 3 - Cairo - (B)
Breakfast is included at your hotel. Our local rep will assist with your transfer to Istanbul Airport .
Air ticket is included & issued in Istanbul for Istanbul / Cairo air fare, tax included.
Arrive at Cairo Airport, on a Monday, Wednesday or a Thursday .
Visa fee is included & issued upon arrival for citizens of : EU, US, Australia, NZ, Canada, & Japan, you're responsible for your passport being in order & valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival. Transfer is included to your hotel:
Deluxe : Grand Hyatt , Le Meridien , Gezirah Sheraton or similar, First Class : Oases or Maadi.

DAY 4 - CAIRO / ASWAN/ Abu Simbel (B)
Tuesday , Thursday, Fridays
Early breakfast at the hotel. Very Early morning Transfer is included from your hotel to the airport.
Domestic air fare between Cairo & the cruise is included, issued & delivered in Cairo . Your flight will make a brief stop in Aswan then continues on to Abu Simbel .

In Abu Simbel : Tour the mighty Temples of Ramses the Great & his Queen:
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 temple by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, before we head back to Aswan by air.

Upon Arrival in Aswan : We proceed to the Old Cataract Hotel ( Deluxe ), or Basma Hotel Aswan ( First Class ) , overlooking the Nile and the ancient island of Elephantine. Remainder of the day at leisure.

Day 5 - Aswan - KOM OMBO (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel .
We have several vessels available , embarkation on Wednesdays & Fridays , upon arrival our local rep will assist with your transfer from the hotel to your luxury Nile Cruise.
Check in on our luxury cruiser in the morning, then visit the Aswan High Dam, the red granite quarries of the ancient pharaohs, Nubian Museum, and the temples of Philae, reconstructed on an island in the middle of the Nile . After a shipboard lunch, we set sail for Kom Ombo, where we explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek. We continue our cruise to Edfu, where we dock for the night.

DAY 6 - EDFU & LUXOR (cBLD)
We board horse-drawn carriages (or motor vans) for the ride to Edfu's Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved Ancient Egyptian temples on the Nile. After lunch , we continue our cruise down the Nile to Luxor. Afternoon tea is served on the sun -deck. Dinner & entertainment on board.

DAY 7 - LUXOR & THEBES (cBLD)
Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple of El Deir El Bahari , and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch, the afternoon is free for shopping. Afternoon tea is served on deck. Dinner & folk dance show on board.

DAY 8 - LUXOR & KARNAK (cB)
After breakfast, check - out
We tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak , the "mother" of all temples, and the smaller yet charming Temple of Luxor, checking out of our cruise vessel before lunch. Transfer is included back to Aswan airport
Domestic air fare is included as well back to Cairo .
In Cairo , we meet you at the airport & escort you back to your hotel: Deluxe : Grand Hyatt, Le Meridien Pyramids , Sofitel Gezirah or similar, First Class : Novotel by the Airport, or Oases by the Pyramids.

DAY 9 - CAIRO-Amman (BD)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your Amman bound flight. Bon Voyage ! Air fare is included in our rate between Cairo & Amman . tax included
We'll pick you up from Queen Alia Airport, visa is issued upon arrival with our compliment for citizens of the : USA, EU, Canada, Australia, NZ & Japan. Welcome complimentary dinner at the hotel.

DAY 10 -Amman (BL)
This day is dedicated to discovering Amman, the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, with its unique combination of modern sites and archeological highlights, and Jerash, the best preserved Roman City of the East. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.
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. Back to Amman and your hotel .

Day 11 - Petra (cBL)
Early morning departure by an air conditioned sedan / van, lunch is included enroute
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. .

Day 12 - Departure (cBL)
Our local rep. will escort you back to the airport ( Departure tax is included in our rate) . For those going on to Syria with us. You will continue on to The Syrian border, visit Bosra before continuing to Damascus. Or if you are touring Syria on your own, we'll be glad to arrange for the transfer to Bosra in Syria ( Supplement $65 per person, minimum 2 guests, private car/driver to Bosra)

Salam . Bon Voyage. Have a nice flight .Itinerary is subject to change without notice.

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RATES per person in USD
First Class Hotels & Nile Cruise ( 4 stars)
Sample 4 stars cruises : Presidential Nile Cruises , Ruby , Nile Dream

Christmas, New Year's & Easter Weeks : Please add % 20 to the above listed rates

RATES per person in USD$

For a PRIVATE: CAR/DRIVER & GUIDE for all the shore excursions for the duration of the cruise ,
please add :$ 200 per person.

Rate Includes :

• Bottled water (large bottle per person daily while on board the cruise)
• One way air fare "Y" class Istanbul Cairo Amman with tax.
• One night hotel accommodation in Aswan at the Old Cataract or similar ( Nile view room) ,or Basma Hotel ( or similar) for first class
• Two nights hotel accommodation in Cairo : Deluxe : Grand Hyatt, Le Meridien , Gezirah Sheraton or similar, First Class : Novotel by the Airport, or Oases by the Pyramids.
• Hotel accommodation with tax & service charge in Amman & Petra as per itinerary.
• Abu Simbel group tour & entrance fees
• Welcome fruit basket on board the cruise
• All shore excursions on board the Nile Cruise.
• All entrance fees and the service of an English speaking guide .
• Meals B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner. As well as afternoon tea daily, on board the cruise
• Domestic air tickets between Cairo & the cruise, as well as ABU SIMBEL, tickets are issued & delivered in Cairo, "y" class with tax included.
• All transfers in Istanbul, Egypt & Jordan.
• Egypt, Jordan & Istanbul travel guidebooks .
• Visa fee for Jordan & Egypt, visa will be issued upon arrival at Airports for : American,Australian, NZ, 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.

Rates are per person in US Itinerary is subject to change without notice.
Boarding the cruise is from either Luxor or Aswan, depending on the availability at the time of booking.

Rate doesn't include :

• International air fare.
• Turkish Visa Fee : $20 in cash upon arrival, ( $100 for US citizens, or $45 for Canadians), or from any of the  Turkish Consulates.
• Trip/travel insurance ( please ask us for the flyer).
• Tips

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.

Clothing on Board:
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat. Dining room dress code is casual for breakfast & lunch, but smart casual for dinner. All ships are fully air conditioned

Check Turkey's main home page for more tour choices in Turkey & Istanbul
Complimentary entrance tickets to the Harem's Quarter in Topkape Palace in Istanbul

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Radamis I
The four-deck, 72-meter (236-foot)-long Radamis I operated by the Swiss Mövenpick hospitality experts has 71 deluxe staterooms, four deluxe suites, a gourmet restaurant, swimming pool, bar and boutique.

Radamis II
The four-deck, 72.3-meter (237-foot)-long Radamis II operated by the Swiss Mövenpick hospitality experts has 80 luxurious staterooms (including six suites), swimming pool, gourmet restaurant, three bars, nightly music and dancing in the lounge/discotheque, onboard boutique,
hair dresser