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Aegean
and Egypt Fantasy Tour
This
Egypt , Greece and Turkey 19 -day grand tour shows you the top sights
of
Egypt , Turkey--Istanbul, Troy, Pergamon, Izmir, Ephesus, Kusadasi-- and
a foray into Crete
Compare with the 7-Day and
the 9-Day Turkey Travel Packages
DAY 1 - ISTANBUL-
Saturdays - Weekly - Year Round
Our staff meets your
plane and escorts you to your hotel. , Five stars : Hilton, Conrad, Hyatt
or similar
DAY 2 - ISTANBUL
- Sunday (BL)
After a visit to the
aromatic Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar on the Golden Horn, we board a ferryboat
and cruise northward along the Bosphorus, the strait which separates Europe
and Asia. Sipping Turkish coffee or tea, we pass waterside palaces, mansions,
forests and parks. Disembarking at a fishing village, we have a seafood
lunch at a local restaurant, then drive south to tour fabled Topkapi Palace,
where we will stroll through the palace gardens to see the Treasury and
Chinese porcelains. Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3 - DARDANELLES
& TROY - Monday (BL)
We drive through Thrace
(European Turkey) to Gallipoli, scene of famous battles in WWI. After
lunch we cross the Dardanelles (Hellespont) and drive to legendary Troy
to see the famous walls and a replica of the Trojan Horse before settling
in at our hotel in Çanakkale. Breakfast , Lunch
DAY 4 - PERGAMON & IZMIR - Kusadasi - Tuesday (BL)
Driving south through
the fields and olive groves along the Aegean shore, we come to Bergama,
ancient Pergamon. Ascending its lofty acropolis, we see the Altar of Zeus,
Temple of Dionysus and the remains of the 200,000-volume library which
was surpassed only by Alexandria's. A few miles away, we tour the asclepion,
the early medical center where Galen was a physician, before continuing
to Kusadasi for the night. Breakfast , Lunch
DAY 5 - EPHESUS & KUSADASI - Wednesday (BL)
In the morning light
we ascend Kadifekale, Izmir's hill crowned by a fortress built by Alexander
the Great. Then it's off to biblical Ephesus to see the Basilica of St
John the Evangelist, who came here with the Virgin Mary. Passing the ruins
of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world,
we reach Ephesus, the most impressive ancient city on the Mediterranean.
After our tour, we continue to the fine Ephesus Museum and the hilltop
House of the Virgin Mary, said to be her last home on earth. We spend
the night in the Aegean resort of Kusadasi. Breakfast , Lunch
DAY 6 - PRIENE,
MILETUS & DIDYMA - Thursday (BL)
A short drive brings
us to the well-preserved ruins of Priene, a very ancient city perched
above the aptly-named Meander River. We next tour Miletus, where the philosopher
Thales was born. Finally, we tour the gigantic oracular temple at Didyma,
which challenged the primacy of Delphi. Breakfast , Lunch
DAY 9 - Izmir Athens
Crete - Friday (B)
After breakfast ,
we escort you to Izmir airport for your flight to Athens , air tickets
are included in our rate : Istanbul Athens Crete, in economy class , tax
included , in Athens proceed on your own to connect with the onward flight
to Crete.
As your flight over the blue Aegean lands in Crete our local rep will
escort you to your hotel.
SampleHotels in Crete : All Inclusive Candia Maris Hotel
& Resort in Crete
DAY 10 - Crete
- Own activities (B)
To stay in your lovely hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the
amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the , coves, and villages
. . . that is the question! No doubt, you'll mix a bit of both. Your days
will be filled. See below more details on tours in Crete.
DAY 11 - Crete
- Own activities (B)
Own activities , another day in this Mediterranean paradise .
Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop ,sip an ouzo or retsina
at a waterside café, discover a beach or two, pick up a loaf of
fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look
out to sailboats at sea. Your days will be filled. See below more details
on tours in Crete.
DAY 12 - Crete Athens Cairo (B)
After breakfast we'll call for you and see you to the airport . Air fare
is included in our rate Crete/Athens/ Cairo .
DAY
13 - CAIRO
Our staff meets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Enjoy
the sights and sounds of Cairo as you like for the rest of the day.
Complimentary visa issued upon arrival for American , Australian,
NZ, EU & Japanese citizens.
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 your name .
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
14 - CAIRO (cBL)
The renowned Egyptian Museum, filled with the wealth of the pharaohs,
is our first stop. Following lunch at the charming local Restaurant,
we drive to the old part of Islamic Cairo to tour Saladin's Citadle,
the Alabaster Mosque, Sultan Hassan Mosque and then wander through the
allys of Khan El-Khalail Bazaar ancient district.
DAY
15 - Giza (cBL)
The renowned Step Pyramid and the Necropolis of Memphis are our goal
today.
Lunch is included at the Mena House or the Le Meridien Pyramids . After
which we head for to the Sphinx and the valley temple,
and a tour of the Pyramids.
DAY 16 - Cairo / Luxor (cBL)
Crossing the Nile , we tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of
the Kings and Valley of the Queens, including the great funerary
temple of Queen Hatshepsut , we stop at the Colossi of Memnon
on the way back to your hotel in Luxor .
DAY
17 - LUXOR & CAIRO Wednesday (BL)
The
gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple
of Luxor are our goals in the morning, followed by a return flight
to Cairo. In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own,
or do your last-minute shopping.
DAY
18 -Own activities (cB)
With your travel guide book in hand,m explore Cairo as you wish or go
on a shopping spree, the choice is all yours.
DAY
19 - DEPARTURE (B)
After a full breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your
flight home.
Rates
per person- Deluxe
Hotels
| In
Triple occupancy |
US$
6130.00
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| In
Double occupancy |
US$
6250.00
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| In
Single occupancy |
US$
7670.00
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Rates are per person
and include:
- Airfares within
Turkey and Egypt in economy class , tax included
- Air fare in economy
class : Istanbul Athens Crete Athens Cairo , in economy class , tax
included . .
- All transfers within
Turkey, always in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
- All guided sightseeing
as per itinerary including all entrance fees
- Pre -set Meals
as listed including breakfast daily .
- Accommodations
in comfortable five star -class hotels are included.
Crete:
CLIMATE
Aegean climate year - round. Average temperatures 18 degrees in winter
and 29 degrees during the summer.
Sample
Hotels :
Heraklio / Hersonissos Area:
- Creta
Maris ( 5 stars)
- Knossos
Royal Village (5 stars)
- Royal
Mare Village (5 Stars) - Garden View Garden or for the higher $$ upgrade
to VIP Bungalow with shared pool
- Atlantis
Hotel ( 5 stars - Town property)
- Aldemar
Royal Mare (5 stars)
Heraklio
/Amoudara Area:
Candia Maris
Hotel ( 5 stars)
Elounda Area:
Hotel Elounda
Mare (5 stars):
Supplement $65 per person per night with breakfast & dinner included
(part of the deal, cant delete).
Lasithi Area:
Hotel Elounda
Mare (5 stars) : PRIVATE BUNGALOW with private pool: Supplement $200 Per
person per night.
What's
not included..
- Turkish
Visa Fee payable in cash upon arrival at the airport in Istanbul, or
contact any of the Turkish Consulates near you .
- Any
shore excursion while cruising/sailing.
- Travel
Insurance. Please ask us for the flyer
-
Gratuities (at your discretion)
- International
airfare from to your home country
Extend
your stay in Turkey on board a comfortable Gulet
Amusing
airplane/train/bus or end-of-the-day reading? Turkey: Bright
Sun, Strong Tea, my humorous travel memoir:
http://www.brightsunstrongtea.com/
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