Legends
of the Greek Isles and Nile
The 18 Days Version . A Greek Cruise and a Nile Cruise
combination
Weekly
Departure : Thursday , Friday and Saturday , March through November Among
the most treasured memories of many travelers are a cruise to the
Greek Isles and a journey on a Nile steamer. You'll experience
both, along with the high points of Classical Greece, on this 18-day
tour.
DAY
1 - ATHENS- Thursday
Our local rep. meets you at the airport and escorts you to your accommodations.
You'll have time on your own to explore the Greek capital, browse for
treasures and curios, and venture to a terrace cafe or a fine meal in
the old Plaka district.
DAY
2 - ATHENS- Friday (B)
This morning group tour you'll tour Athens and get to know the high
points of the city, especially the towering Acropolis and the adjacent
museum. You'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city, and
see the Parliament, and guards in colorful traditional outfits. Your afternoon
is free for further exploring or shopping, or you could well be drawn
back by the charm of the Plaka , or take advantage of one of the available
optional tours, such as an afternoon visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple
of Poseidon, with spectacular sunset view.
DAY
3 - Athens Markets or BYZANTINE Churches- Saturday
(BL)
We may have to change itinerary around to accommodate changes in Market
days , and local holidays. Ride the new Athens Subway alongside the locals
today ( always escorted with your English speaking Guide) ! We take pride
in affording you this experience, entirely by public transportation, with
orientation by our English-speaking representative. You'll get to tour
Athens fascinating vegetable & fruit markets by subway and/ or taxi.
Enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant before we head back to the
hotel . Markets days/dates are subject to change, we may have to change
your program in Athens to accommodate such changes.
DAY
4 - ATHENS, ARGOLIS-Group Tour - Sunday (BL)
Today we'll travel overland through the heart of Classical Greece,
crossing the historic Corinthian Canal to Mycenae. You'll visit the Lion
Gate and the tombs of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, then take a seaside
lunch in Nauplion. Afterwards, visit the theater of Epidaurus and marvel
at its perfect acoustics, and see the museum at Askelpeion.
DAY
5 - ATHENS, Board your Greek Cruise-Piraeus- Mykonos - Monday (BLD)
Our local rep. will escort you to Piraeus, the port of Athens, where
you'll embark on your three-day cruise to the Greek Isles. You'll sail
into the Aegean, and by sunset, reach the jet-set isle of Mykonos.
Stroll at your own pace along lanes lined with whitewashed houses, up
to the Church of Paraportiani, or along the shore to the island's signature
windmills. Enjoy a drink at a waterside cafe. Re-embark for a nighttime
sailing.
DAY
6 - KUSADASI (Turkey), PATMOS- Tuesday (BLD)
We anchor at 7 a.m. in Kusadasi, on the Turkish mainland, gateway
to ancient Ephesus. Stroll the streets and stop in at shops filled with
leather goods and bargains in gold. Our optional tour takes you to Ephesus,
one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. You'll reboard
in time for an afternoon sailing. In the late afternoon, your ship will
call at the island of Patmos. Here you can visit the Monastery of St.
John where the Book of Revelations was written.
DAY
7 - RHODES- Wednesday (BLD)
Our cruise ship arrives early at the harbor, allowing a full day on
the Island of Roses. The compact, cobbled medieval city is perfect
for exploring on your own. You'll want to visit the Palace of the Knights
of St. John, take a look at the wares in the boutiques, and spend some
time in a seaside cafe. Or discover a hill-fringed beach a short walk
or taxi ride from town. We also offer an optional excursion to the Acropolis
of Lindos and the Valley of the Butterflies. Spend a restful night on
board as we sail to our next destination.
DAY
8 - HERAKLION (CRETE), SANTORINI - Thursday ( BLD)
We drop anchor in the port of Heraklion at 7 a.m. You can explore
the old Venetian section of town on your own, or take an optional excursion
to the 5000-year-old Minoan Palace at Knossos and the archaeological museum.
We sail at midday. In a few hours, we'll reach Santorini, where the lost
civilization of Atlantis flourished. Enjoy outdoor cafes and wander the
lanes of Thira, lined with craft and clothing shops and bakeries and cafes.
Ride the funicular to the cliff top, or be adventurous, and do it on muleback!
Either way, you'll be rewarded with a spectacular sunset over the Aegean.
DAY
9 - ATHENS, CAIRO- Friday (B)
You'll sail into Piraeus early in the morning. Our Athens-based local
rep. will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, where
our local rep. whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal,
and onward through the desert to your hotel near the fabled Nile.
Air fare is included in economy class Athens Cairo , with tax included.
Venture out amid the spice shops, cafes, peddlers from bygone days, modern-day
professionals, and an unforgettable array of sights, sounds, and aromas.
Visa fee for Egypt ,Visa maybe issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for
a limited number of citizens such as : American, EU , Canadian , EU Singaporean
and Japanese citizens. Guests are to to pay for it upon arrival ( $ 15
- subject to change ) . You are responsible for having your passport in
order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo
. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you
to the hotel .
DAY
10 - CAIRO, HOME HOSTED DINNER- Saturday (BLD)
Today, you'll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with
its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious
stones and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze
on these sights, but your day has just started. You'll also see the
Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In
Giza, on the edge of the desert, you'll gaze in awe at the mysterious
Sphinx and the Pyramids.
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 with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences
DAY
11 - Cairo Fayoum - Sunday (BL)
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
12 - ASWAN ( or Luxor) - Abu Simbel - Nile Cruise- Monday (BLD)
Nile Cruise may be confirmed boarding either Aswan or Luxor subject to
availability at the time of booking . Our Cairo local rep. will escort
you to the airport to board your flight to Abu Simbel via Aswan
in Upper Egypt.
ABU
SIMBEL
For some Abu Simbel is the highlight of their Egyptian adventure. Flying
over Lake Nasser, watching the sky lighten and the sacred sun rise above
the horizon. We reach the great temples while the air is clean, clear
and cool, and the sun's light still golden;just right for photographs.
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 in the quiet of the morning, admiring
their ancient aura and artistry, after which we fly back to Aswan your
Nile Cruise
You'll arrive in time to take lunch aboard your Nile cruiser. We'll
have the opportunity to experience Egypt at its most authentic,
as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If you wish, try your hand
at camel riding! We'll take a traditional caravan to enjoy
tea with Nubian villagers.
DAY
13 - ASWAN, KOM OMBO- Aboard Your Nile Cruise - Tuesday (BLD)
After breakfast on board, we'll visit the dams at Aswan, including
the High Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land. At the ancient
granite quarry, we'll see an obelisk left unfinished, then board a launch
on Lake Nasser to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters.
Back aboard our cruiser, we'll sail northward down the Nile at a stately
pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated
to the crocodile river god, Sobek.
DAY
14 - EDFU, ESNA-
Aboard Your Nile Cruise -
Wednesday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through
Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Later, we'll
cruise to Esna, and by evening, we'll be in fabled Luxor.
DAY
15 - LUXOR -Aboard
Your Nile Cruise -
Thursday (BLD)
We'll cross the Nile by ferry and continue overland to view an array
of ancient splendors: the tomb chambers of the Valley of the Kings; the
imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the Valley of the Queens;
and, on the way back to the ferry landing, the Colossi of Memnon.
DAY
16 - LUXOR-Aboard
Your Nile Cruise -
Friday (B)
We'll visit the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the great
Temple of Luxor before checking in at your Luxor hotel. Evening Sound
and Light show at Karnak.
DAY
17 - Fly LUXOR, CAIRO- Saturday (B)
After breakfast , head to the airport to catch our flight to Cairo.
After we settle you into your hotel, you'll have your last opportunity to
experience the excitement of this great city and, of course, do some last-minute
shopping.
DAY
18 - RETURN HOME- Sunday (B)
Our Cairo local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home.
Cruise itinerary may vary according to ship and line available at the
time. Extend
your stay to Jordan and Petra.
Rates
per person in double occupancy in US$:
| |
Deluxe |
First Class |
Tourist Class |
| Triple |
US$
6420. |
US$
5845. |
US$
5190. |
| Double |
US$
6569. |
US$
5952. |
US$
5289. |
| Single |
US$
8801. |
US$
7271. |
US$
6728. |
| Athens |
|
|
|
Greek
Cabin Category
Louis Cruises Majesty |
Outside
Cabin
From SJ to SJO
Categories and levels |
Outside
Cabin
From XB to XF
Categories and levels |
Inside
Cabin
IE Category |
| Cairo
|
|
|
Novotel
El Borg Hotel |
| Nile
Cruise |
|
|
|
| Luxor
|
|
|
Novotel
Luxor Hotel |
Rate
includes:
- Travel
guide books to Greece and Egypt
- Greek
cruise to Greek Isles and Turkey, including meals
-
Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions
- Guided
sightseeing as per itinerary , including all entrance fees
- Hotel
accommodation as mentioned in Athens and Cairo, including tax and service
charges, and breakfast daily.
- One-way
air transportation from Athens to Cairo in economy class , tax included
- Port
taxes
- Meals
as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
-
Airport greeting and assistance
- Transportation
between airports, hotels, and port
- Domestic
air transportation within Egypt.
Cruises
to the Greek Islands with Louis Majesty
Her Majesty at your service!
Majestic LOUIS MAJESTY, a truly regal jewel in the bejwelled Louis fleet,
reveals the legends and treasures of the Aegean during Greek island cruises.
Sail aboard LOUIS MAJESTY to the breathtaking sunsets, white-washed beauties
and culturally enlightening experiences offered by this ancient sea, named
after Ageus, the 9th king of Athens.
Whether
you need a short break away from everyday routine, or a full-blown holiday,
the Greek coastline is always an excellent choice of a Greek cruise. Enjoy
a Mediterranean cruise aboard the LOUIS MAJESTY and embark on a voyage
from Athens to the enticing island of Mykonos and continue to the cosmopolitan
city of Kusadasi in Turkey. From there, sail to the legendary island of
Patmos and visit the ancient sites in Crete before enjoying the sunset
over romantic Santorini and returning to Piraeus port.
Not
included:
- International
Air fare from /to your home country .
- Trip
interruption and cancellation insurance
- Personal
expenses
-
Gratuities
- Shore
excursions from Greek cruise ships except those specifically included
in itinerary
- International
airfares from/to your home country .
- Visa
fee for Egypt ,Visa maybe issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for
a limited number of citizens such as : American, EU , Canadian , EU
Singaporean and Japanese citizens. Guests are to to pay for it upon
arrival ( $ 15 - subject to change ) . You are responsible for having
your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date
of your arrival in Cairo . After exiting the terminal, our local representative
will escort you to the hotel .
All
hotels , Greek and Nile cruise are subject to availability at the time
of book, otherwise similar choices will be offered , and always subject
to your review & approval.
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