From Jerusalem to the Nile

Here's the best of Egypt and Jerusalem in only 14 days

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 3- CAIRO (BL) - Thursday
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummy Room and the fabulous treasures Tutankhamon, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. In the evening, we return to the pyramids for a memorable sound-and light show.

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. Isis, the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless Egypt !

Day 10 - Fayoum Oases - The Valley of the Whales - Thursday ( BL)
A True Gift from Joseph to the Mighty Pharaoh of Egypt As a token of gratitude for taking in the Israelites escaping the drought in Palestine.

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. Incredibly, these great mammals once thrived in waters surrounded by sands. We’ll stop and gaze in amazement at their fossilized remains alongside smaller sea creatures that remain in stone.

In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel in Cairo.

You will enjoy your private : Land transportation in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser. Services of your own private chauffeur and private English speaking guide .
Lunch is included today at a local seafood restaurant.

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

Upgrade to the Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises:
Sonesta Star Goddess , Sonesta M/S Moon Goddess , or M/S Philae ( all state   rooms are Junior Suites do offer private balconies). Supplement : 20 % applies to be added to the deluxe rate

Christmas / New Year : Supplement applies :
Dec 15 - Jan 05 : and Easter Seasons ( Two weeks ), Passover Season : April 15-30 : Please note that a 15 % supplement applies.

Air fare notes: ( doesnt apply when you handle your own air fare )

• For departures from Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego or Seattle, please add US$ 350 per person to the rates.
  
• Summer Season Dates : For May through end of Sep departures, please add a summer airline surcharge of $350 per person to the rates.

• Round-trip transatlantic airfare, including air taxes, from New York to Cairo and return in economy class, tax included , we keep the right to use any IATAN accredited airline such as British Airways, Lufthansa , KLM, Swiss etc. , subject to seat availability at the time of reservation.
  
  
• All domestic airfares in Egypt; passengers paying the deluxe rate will be upgraded to business class on flights within Egypt at no additional charge, subject to seat availability.
  
  
• Air fare: Cairo / Tel Aviv in economy class, tax included .
  
  
• All transfers in Egypt & Israel.
  
  
• Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
  
  
• Nile cruise; the sequence of sights visited between Aswan and Luxor is subject to change according to vessel requirements, and the cruise may begin in either Aswan or Luxor.
  
• 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.
  
  
• Meals as indicated in the tour itinerary: B = continental breakfast; L =set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner.- Guided sightseeing by private air-conditioned motor coach or car as per itinerary, including all entrance fees.
  
• Complimentary Lonely Planet travel guidebook to Egypt/Jerusalem.
  
• Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for the following nationalities; American, Australian, NZ, EU , Canadian & Japanese, your passport must be valid and in order .

[ Up ] [ Pyramids and Prophets ] [ Jerusalem  to the Nile ] [ Kings and Queens ] [ Minarets & Menorahs ] [ Shining Cities ] [ Triangle of Ancient Lands ]

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.

For PRIVATE GUIDE/CAR/DRIVER for Nile Cruise Shore Excursions:
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.

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.