17 days/ 16 nights
Friday: Depart New York
at 11PM on a non-stop flight to Egypt.
Saturday: Arrive Cairo,
be met by our staff who will assist you with clearing
immigration and customs. Transfer to the Sonesta
hotel.
Sunday: Enjoy visiting
the Pyramids at Giza, the inscrutable Sphinx plus the
Egyptian museum and the Khan el Khalili Bazaar before you
board your first class sleeper train to Aswan. (B,D)
Monday: Arrive Aswan and
staff will transfer to the Basma Hotel. Located at the
highest elevation in the area you will have striking views
of the Nile and the Desert. Free day to enjoy
Aswan. An optional tour to the Nubian Museum can be
arranged. O/N Aswan. (B)
Tuesday: Board your Felucca and
sail to the west bank of the Nile where you will climb
aboard a "ship of the desert" (Camel) for a ride
to St.
Simeons monastery. This early Christian monastery/fortress
presents a great story of early Christianity and the photo
opportunities are excellent. Return to the river, raise the
sail, turn the bow downstream and you are off. You
will spend the night onboard at El Hardeyat Island (about 12
miles upriver of Kom Ombo). The Felucca's deck is
nicely covered with large mattresses and comfortable
cushions, serving as your bedroom, living room and dining
room most of the time. The Felucca is equipped with a simple
kitchen sufficient for providing you with your tasty meals,
as well as hot and cold drinks. Sailing on the Nile starts
in the early morning till sun set in normal conditions but
can be
interrupted due to reasons like wind or river currents or
perhaps after
spotting a nice area for swimming or lunch.
In the evening you might want to build
a small fire on shore and visit with your Nubian crew where
they can teach you songs, show you their native dances and
share stories. O/N Felucca (B,L,D)
Wednesday: Sail on to Kom
Ombo, visit the temple and then sail to
Hammam Island (about 18 miles upriver of Edfu) where you
will dock for the evening. O/N Felucca (B,L,D)
Thursday: Sail on to Edfu,
visit the temple and overnight. O/N Felucca
(B,L,D)
Friday: Disembark your
Felucca and transfer by private air-conditioned
bus to Luxor. At Luxor enjoy visiting the antiquity
sites of both banks of the river including the Necropolis of
Thebes with the valley of the Kings, valley of the Queens,
Queen Hatshepsut's temple, Colossi of Memnon plus the
temples of Luxor and Karnak. Board the sleeper train
about 10PM for your overnight trip to Cairo. (B,D)
Saturday: Arrive Cairo
about 6AM and staff will transfer you the Sonesta hotel.
Free day to enjoy Cairo. O/N Cairo (B)
Sunday: We depart Cairo
early in the morning crossing the Eastern desert to the Suez
Canal. Taking the tunnel under the Suez into Sinai,
the land bridge between Africa and Asia we will proceed
along the coast to Abu Zeneima, stopping along the way to
visit Moses Springs where the
Israelites rested after crossing the Red Sea during Exodus.
From here its on to Serabit El Khadem and our overnight
camp. (B,L,D)
Monday: We visit the
ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the Goddess
Hathor high on the sandstone plateau above a Bedouin
village. Then a visit to the ancestral shrine of
Sheikh Habus on the way to the Forest of Pillars, a rare
geological phenomena, set under the great Limestone plateau
of El Tih. Drive through Wadi Seih to Wadi Maghara
where we camp overnight. (B,L,D)
Tuesday: We visit the
Ancient Egyptian Turquoise mines which are set above an
acacia lined valley. Above the entrances are Old
Kingdom
inscriptions. We depart for Wadi Mukkattab, the
Nabatean trade passage, with inscriptions marking the route
which brings us to Wadi Fieran. It was here that Moses
struck the rock of Horeb and water flowed forth. Here in the
midst of the beauty of South Sinai's largest oasis is the
Convent of Moses. A small church is built from
the remains of the old Archbishops palace. We
overnight at St. Catherines Plaza, at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
(B,L,D)
Wednesday: We leave early
for a climb to see the sunrise from the summit of Mt. Sinai
then visit the magnificent St. Catherine's
monastery, founded by the Emperor Justinian. It houses
one of the worlds most famous collections of early Christian
art. From here we drive along Wadi Safra with an opportunity
to climb sand dunes surrounded by great sandstone lattice
work. We camp overnight. (B,L,D)
Thursday: We pass the great
pilgrimage landmark, Gebel El Makhroom, before visiting the
Nawamis. These extremely well preserved burial
chambers are from the early Bronze Age. From here we
visit the crusader pilgrimage route which brings us to the
Rock of Inscriptions where Nabatean and early Christian
inscriptions survive side by side. A short walk brings
us to the Date Palm gardens of Ein Khudra. This oasis
is traditionally Hazerot, a resting place for the children
of Israel.
Leaving we drive through Wadi Gazala to Wadi Nakhal to walk
through the
colored canyon. We camp overnight. (B,L,D)
Friday: We drive to the
Gulf of Aqaba and enjoy swimming and snorkeling
in the beautiful clear waters. From here we
drive back to Cairo and
overnight at the Sonesta hotel. (B,L,D)
Saturday: A free day to enjoy
Cairo or an optional tour of the Pyramids at Giza, The
Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum or perhaps Old Cairo with
it's famous churches, synagogues and mosques. O/N Sonesta.
(B)
Sunday: Staff transfers you to
the airport, assists with exit formalities and checking in
for your 9AM international departure.
GROUP TOURS INCLUDE:
Maximum of 16 travelers. Round trip air from JFK (add on air
from other U.S. cities available). All transfers by
air-conditioned vehicle relating to the tour program
starting with arrival to Cairo. Baggage handling of no more
than 2 pieces of luggage per person however baggage and
personal effects are at the owner's risk at all times during
the tour. Hotels (based on double occupancy). Meals as
outlined by B for Breakfast, L for lunch and D for dinner.
Fees for visiting antiquity sites and museums. Services of
an English speaking licensed Egyptologist. Service charges
and taxes. Tips for ground personnel except guide. Travel
Insurance for those departing from the USA or Canada.
Not included are: items of a personal nature such as tips
for guide, entry visa (available at the airport on entry for
USA and Canadian citizens. Other nationalities should
check with the nearest Egyptian consulate), phone calls,
laundry, bar bills, beverages during meals, any items not
specifically covered in the included items.
TEA 116C Sailing and 4X4 combo
Groups: $3195 p.p. (dbl. occ)
Single supplement (hotels only): $232
Group departures: October 12, November 09, December 07
2002: January 11, February 01, March 01, April 12
