Legends
of the Greek Isles and Nile
The 18 Days Version . A Greek Cruise and a Nile Cruise
combination
Departures
are: Thursday , Friday and Saturday , Apr 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 personnel 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 (BL)
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.
Lunch is included : a charming local restaurant. Your afternoon is
free for further exploring or shopping, or you could well be drawn
back by the charm of the Plaka.
DAY
3 - Athens Markets or BYZANTINE Churches (BL)
We may have to change itinerary around to accommodate changes in Market
days , and local holidays. Lunch today is once again included in a charming
local restaurant.
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.
Or
if you prefer you may choose instead to tour one of the following tours:
BYZANTINE CHURCHES
Russian Orthodox Church at Filellinon & Amalias
Athens cathedral (Mitropolis) at Mitropoleos
Kapnikarea at Ermou
Saint Theodore at Klafthmonos
They then visited the Jewelry museum (LALAOUNIS) before breaking for lunch.
They used the metro 3 times (because they wanted to).
HISTORICAL INTEREST- Museum Tour :
BENAKI MUSEUM - (closed on Tuesdays)
Covering the history of Greece from Paleolithic (pre-historic, 60000 B.C.)
till present. Can easily spend over 4 hours in there. There is also a
cafeteria for breaks.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST
Temple of Olympian Zeus / Dionissos Theater/ Ancient Agora/ Roman Agora
Guests who have been on the organized tour (the day before) can use the
same entrance ticket to all the archaeological sites mentioned above.
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, 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 mule back! 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 staff whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of
the terminal, and onward through the desert to your hotel near the
fabled Nile. Venture out amid the spice shops, cafes, peddlers
from bygone days, modern-day professionals, and an unforgettable
array of sights, sounds, and aromas.
In
Cairo : Deluxe : Grand Hyatt . Cairo Marriott , Cairo Sheraton ,
Ramses Hilton or similar, First Class : , Oases
or Maadi.
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
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. Lunch
is included at the Mena House
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.
In
ABU SIMBEL Your private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
and private guide will be waiting for you : 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 & Light show at Karnak.
DAY
16 - LUXOR, CAIRO (BD)
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. Dinner included at the hotel
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 - RETURN HOME (B)
Our Cairo-based staff escorts you to the airport for your flight
home. Departures are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March through
November Cruise itinerary may vary according to ship and line selected
RATES
per person in double occupancy in US$:
Cruise
Line/Ship
|
First
Class
Hotel |
Deluxe
Hotel |
Golden
Sun Cruises
Louis
Cruise Lines
|
US$
4520.00 |
US$
5365 |
Rates
based on Greek & Nile cruise in outside standard with two lower beds.
Rate
includes:
- Travel
guides to Greece and Egypt.
- Three
day cruise to Greek Isles and Turkey, including meals : Louis Cruise
Lines or the Golden Sun . We will confirm to you a specific ship at
the time of your booking, based on your dates .
- Five
day Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions :
Sample first class : M/S Nile Dream , M/S Ruby or similar
Sample deluxe : M/S Monaco , M/S Mojito , M/S Queen of Hansa or similar
.
- Guided
sightseeing as per itinerary , including all entrance fees .
- Hotel
accommodation :
Athens : Sample first : Titania or similar . Deluxe : Divani Acropolis
or similar
and Cairo : Sample First : Shepheard's or similar . Deluxe : Grand Hyatt
, Cairo Marriott or Cairo Sheraton , or similar .
-
All hotel tax , service charges, and breakfast daily.
- One-way
air transportation from Athens to Cairo in economy class , tax included
- All
cruise taxes , including : Port taxes.
- Meals
as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
.
-
Airport greeting and assistance .
All airport transfers are on a private basis.
- Transportation
between airports, hotels, and port .
- Domestic
air transportation within Egypt , in economy class , tax
included.
- Egyptian
visa fee, available only for American, Australian, NZ, Canadian, EU
, Mexican & Japanese citizens. Must have a valid passport.
Issued upon arrival at Cairo airport.
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
|
