Legends
of the Greek Isles and Nile
With a Foray into Jordan and Petra
A Grand 21-Day Tour of Egypt , Greece and Jordan
With A Greek Cruise and a Nile Cruise See the top sights in Jordan
including Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum and Jerash
Departures
are: 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 fifteen-day tour.
DAY
1 - ATHENS
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 (B)
This morning 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 our optional tours, such
as an afternoon visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, with
spectacular sunset view.
DAY
3 - Athens Markets (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 (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 (BLD)
Our staff 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 an ouzo or a glass of retsina at a waterside cafe. Re-embark for
a nighttime sailing.
DAY
6 - RHODES (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
7 - KUSADASI (Turkey), PATMOS (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
8 - HERAKLION (CRETE), SANTORINI
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 (B)
You'll sail into Piraeus early in the morning. Our Athens-based personnel
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 (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 - ASWAN - Abu Simbel - Nile Cruise (BLD)
Our Cairo personnel 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
12 - ASWAN, KOM OMBO (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
13 - EDFU, ESNA (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
14 - LUXOR (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
15 - LUXOR (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
16 - LUXOR, CAIRO (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
17 - Cairo Fayoum (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
18 - Cairo Amman - Petra (BL)
Our Cairo local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight to
Amman , air fare is included in our rate Cairo Amman in economy class
with tax included . Complimentary visa is issued in Amman upon arrival
for American, Australina , NZ, EU, Canadian & Japanese passport holders.
Passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival.
From
Queen Alia Airport , we drive south along the King's Highway, an ancient
caravan route, to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised
Land the way Moses saw it for the first time. Further on, at Kerak, we
tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders' castle of Renaud de Chatillon,
one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Lunch is included
enroute , all our lunches on this tour include tea or coffee, as well
as one large bottle of water for each guest . Finally, we arrive to PETRA
and your hotel, where dinner awaits you .
DAY
19 - PETRA (BD)
Today the fabulous Nabatean City of Petra awaits us. Made famous in the
Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," its ancient temples,
tombs and striking Khazneh (Treasury) were hewn right from the pink and
violet sandstone. ride into Petra on a horse or a camel , as you wish
. We spend a full day here, and another night.
In the evening we
will call on you for a unique experience :
Dine as a local : The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your
Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is
a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an
evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our
chef.
Each evening meal
includes soup, cold and hot mezza ( appetizers ) and salads, and a main
course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside
glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.
The Petra Kitchen
offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience,
with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great
care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right
down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced
by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table
linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.
Tour experience tonight
includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well
as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.
DAY
20 - WADI RUM - The Dead Sea (BL)
We board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the
"Valley of the Moon" where T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of
Arabia") organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War
I. We break for tea with the local bedouins . After our visit, we head
north to the Dead Sea , lunch is included enroute, all our lunches on
this tour include tea or coffee, as well as one large bottle of water
for each guest . Sampel Hotels : Deluxe : Dead Sea Movenpick, Kempinski
Dead Sea Ishtar. First Class : Dead Sea Spa Hotel , or similar . Prefer
to camp in Wadi Rum ? please click here .
DAY
21 - Departure (B)
After breakfast , we will escort you back to Amman's Queen Alia Airport
, departure tax is included in our rate . Bon Voyage .
For guests that are 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 $ 165 per person, minimum 2 guests, private
car/driver to Bosra), Do you Speak THE LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND
OF THE BOOK ? Visit Maaloula in Syria . Extend to Dubai & the United
Arab Emirates . Jordanian departure tax is included in our rate. Salam
& Bon Voyage
RATES
per person in double occupancy in US$:
Cruise
Line/Ship
: Golden Sun Cruises / Louis Cruise Lines
| |
Deluxe |
First Class |
Tourist Class |
| Triple |
US$
7690. |
US$
6470. |
US$
5750. |
| Double |
US$
7785. |
US$
6540. |
US$
5860. |
| Single |
US$
9840. |
US$
8390. |
US$
7075. |
Rates
based on Greek and Nile cruise in outside standard with two lower beds.
Rate
includes:
- Travel
guide books to Greece , Jordan 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 and Amman 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 in economy class with tax included .
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 .
For
on-the-spot service in Europe , We are glad to introduce . . .
Our Person in Europe :
Mrs. Wafaa Moawad : GM : International Travel Service (ITS)
For carefree travel in Italy . . . or booking one of these tours while
you are in Europe :
For
your travel in Italy, or plan your wedding and Honeymoon in Italy :
Because
International Travel Service (ITS) is right there, they’ll handle what
others can’t, from airport transfers arranged in advance to private
tours in Rome and Venice, to coach seats in all of Italy. They'll make
every arrangement from their European office throughout your journey.
For
understanding service right wherever you are . . .
When you’re booking a Mediterranean cruise or a North African tour from
Europe, you prefer to deal with somebody who not only speaks English,
but also knows where you’re coming from. That’s our European agent.
She’ll work out all the details in real time.
For
trusted payment options . . .
You have the option of booking online through ITS popular Web site,
or picking up the phone and arranging payment in your own time zone,
without concerns about online transactions.
For
expert arrangements as you travel . . .
Decided you’d like to stay longer in Venice? Extend your trip to Morocco
or Tunisia? Starting your trip in Europe? We’ve always been there to
help. Now, you don’t have to stay up late to speak to somebody live
or wait for a reply. Our Person in Europe will get to it right away.
Before you go or even when you’re underway, feel free to call on ITS
/ International Travel Service in Europe:
Mrs.
Wafaa Moawad
Managing Director
International Travel Services / representative of Travel in Style
Piazza Falcone Borsellino No.1
Forli 47100
Italy
Tel.: 0039 0543 65110
Fax.: 0039 0543550073
Direct / Cell : 0039 3358 19093
its@its-spa.com or
wafaa@its-spa.com
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