Egypt and Jordan a La Indiana Jones
Including Abu Simbel Temples and a tour of Alexandria
A 19 -day tour in Egypt and Jordan,
Including Petra
And a cruise the Nile onboard an air-conditioned deluxe Yacht Dahabiya
Indiana
Jones himself couldn't squeeze more adventure into this journey, Alexander
the Great Mediterranean capital : Alexandria . Cairo and the
Pyramids, and a cruise on the Nile on board a Dahabiya , the fabled
temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, touring the mighty temples of
Ramses the Great at Abu Simbel, snorkeling in the Red Sea, the mountains
of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan . Departures
are weekly year round .
Add Syria Magic
of the Arabian Empire : Syria, Jordan & Egypt
. Compare with the Alexandria
version : 9 Days ?
DAY
1 - DEPARTURE - Monday - Weekly Year Round
We take off aboard our Air France, British Airways,
Lufthansa , or if you prefer Egyptair non-stop JFK Cairo, from New York's
John F. Kennedy International Airport.
For
departures from most west coast cities, as well as Phoenix, Dallas-Fort
Worth or Atlanta in conjunction with travel on British Airways, Lufthansa
or similar carriers please add $ 350 to the above rates.
For
travel in May / June/July/August, please note that a $300 air-fare supplement
is added to the above rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your
own air fare
DAY
2- CAIRO - Tuesday
Our Egypt-based staff greets you in bustling Cairo airport and escorts
you to your hotel . Complimentary Egyptian visa fee (valid only
for American & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid
for at least 6 month upon arrival).
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
3 - CAIRO- Wednesday (BL)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the
Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs:
mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. We'll also stop at the
Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Then it's on to Giza and
the mysteries of the Pyramids and Sphinx. Lunch is included at a local
restaurant . Return to your hotel late afternoon.
DAY
4 - Alexandria- Thursday - (BL)
Private air conditioned vehicle Cairo Alexandria :
Very Full day tour : The Museum , the Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater
and Qayet Bey Fortress. Qayet
Bey Fort was
built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous
Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the
site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered,
as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. Then
head to the local souks and zanket el-setat before we head back to the
water front and check in at the Palestine Montazah Hotel, (
subject to availability ) built amidst the Royal garden of
the Montazah Palace of King Farouk.
After you settle in, you may wish to walk across the garden to the "
Salamlek " Palace hotel which was the "royal guest house "
, where the late Shah once stayed with his first bride Her Royal Highness
Princess Fawzia of Egypt , who became later on Her Imperial Highness
The Shahbanu of Iran.
After your siesta, get ready for an evening out on the old town with
your private guide .
We take a leisurely walk through the old town, with unmistakable European
Mediterranean style of architecture . Maybe you 'll enjoy a cup of tea
and some local pastries with our compliments at one of the local street
cafes!
Princess Fawzia of Egypt
Later on the Consort to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Shah of Iran
DAY
5 - Alexandria-Cairo - Friday (B. Lunch box-
Bottled water and soft drinks )
Private air conditioned vehicle Alexandria / Cairo:
Breakfast at the hotel . Brief
tour of the new Alexandria Library before heading across the Western
Saharan , heading south to Wadi El Natroun monastery
almost midway to Cairo , where early Coptic Christians retreated here
to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian
Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun.
Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel. Refreshments and bottled water
are always available today on board your private vehicle , with our
compliments . In Cairo we check in at the Sonesta ( superior room )
or J. W. Marriott club level room
DAY
6 - Board your Nile Cruise - Saturday (BLD)
Early breakfast at your hotel, before we head for the airport to board
your flight o Aswan and
your deluxe Dahabiya Nile cruise . Boarding Luxor or Aswan
Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously
appointed Dahabbiya.
After
lunch, excursion to the West Bank for visits to the burial places of
the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered
the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Continue to the adjacent Valley of
the Queens, the temple of Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon.
Overnight
moored on the Nile banks of Luxor.
Day
7 : On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Sunday - (BLD)
You will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak,
with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns, followed by the imposing
28 th Dynasty Luxor Temple.
Overnight
moored in Luxor.
Day
8: On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Monday - (BLD)
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to
Esna where your dahabiyya will moor overnight.
Day
9: On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Tuesday - (BLD)
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved
Temple of Edfu.
Overnight
moored beside a Nile island.
Day
10:On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Wednesday- (BLD)
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated
to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning
sun. Overnight moored beside a Nile island.
Day
11: On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Thursday - (BLD)
A leisurely day sailing to Aswan where the dahabiyya moors overnight.
Day
12: On board your deluxe Dahabiya - Friday - (BLD)
Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old
Dam (completed in 1902) and the ' unfinished obelisk', lying in situ
since the days of the pharaohs. You will also visit the Philae Temple,
dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters
of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction.
Day
13- Aswan - Abu Simbel Tour - Private Egyptologist-Private car
Saturday - Fly back to Cairo (B.
Lunch Box )
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya and check-out. Lunch
box will be prepared by your chef on board.
We bid farewell to the crew, we switch transportation modes and head
for
Aswan Airport and your flight to Abu Simbel Temples a short 50 minute
flight south of Aswan in Nubia .
Your private Egyptologist will either fly with you from Aswan or will
be waiting for you at Abu Simbel Airport with your private air-conditioned
vehicle.
In
the larger temple of Ramses the Great ,
colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by
his queen and daughters. The smaller temple in Abu Simbel 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 , admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after
which we head back to
airport , for the flight back to Cairo , air fare is always included
, business class , tax is included as well.
Back to Cairo and your hotel : Sonesta Hotel or J. W. Marriott - Club
level room
DAY
14 - SHARM EL SHEIK - RED SEA- Sunday (B)
Now that you've seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides
escort you
to the airport. You'll fly over to Cairo , where we connect on ward
and fly over the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik
on the Red Sea. You're at the beach and free to swim, or explore under
the waters.
Hotels : Savoy. Grand Hyatt . Movenpick . Sonesta . Marriott or similar
DAY
15 - SHARM EL SHEIK - Monday (B)
Relax! Today is set aside as a strategic mid-journey break. Spend
some time in the sun, but don't miss your chance to snorkel or dive
under Red Sea waters for an array of coral and glittering tropical fish.
DAY
16 - SHARM EL SHEIK- Tuesday (B)
Another day at leisure in the Egyptian Riviera
DAY
17 - AQABA, PETRA -Wednesday (BD)
We'll drive to the port of Nuweiba, where we'll board the Red Sea
ferry. Across the water in Aqaba, with Israel and Saudi Arabia
in sight, our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You'll
drive north under a towering ridge of mountains, and arrive at your
hotel in Petra for the night. Complimentary Jordanian visa fee (valid
only for American & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for
at least 6 month upon arrival).
Movenpick Petra or similar. Dinner awaits you at the hotel .
DAY
18 - PETRA - Thursday (BL)
We'll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by
the Nabateans
from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known
in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like
Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city
through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple
of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.
Late check-out from the hotel is included in our rate . Lunch is included
either in Petra or enroute to Amman, and your hotel : Hyatt , Sheraton
or Similar
DAY
19 - DEPARTURE FOR HOME - Friday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home, departure
tax is included in our rate .
RATES
per person in USD:
| |
Deluxe |
| Triple |
US$
6090.00 |
| Double |
US$
6180.00 |
| Single |
US$
7690.00 |
- Easter,
Christmas, New Year's : 10 % supplement will apply.
- For departures from most
west coast cities, as well as Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta
in conjunction with travel on British Airways, Lufthansa or similar
carriers please add $ 350 to the above rates.
- For travel in May / June/July/August,
please note that a $300 air-fare supplement is added to the above
rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare
Four
Seasons Hotels Touch : RATES per person in USD:
Upgrade to : Four Seasons Hotels in Cairo , Sharm El Sheikh and Amman
| Upgrade
to Four Seasons and or the Ritz and Mena House
|
Ultra
Deluxe |
| Triple |
US$
6760.00 |
| Double |
US$
6850.00 |
| Single |
US$
8450.00 |
Four
Seasons Hotels : Standard Rooms
Easter,
Christmas, New Year's : 10 % supplement will apply.
Prices include:
- All transfers in Egypt and Jordan, always on a private basis.
- International air fares from New York to Cairo with return from
Amman , in economy class
, tax included
- Domestic air fare within
Egypt always in business class
, tax included
- The Red Sea ferry ticket from Egypt to Jordan .
- Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
- Sightseeing with professional local guides and entrance fees as
indicated
- Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch,
D = Dinner)
- Jordanian and Egyptian visa fee (valid only for American, Canadians,
EU & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month
upon arrival).
- Jordanian departure tax.
- Deluxe Dahabiya with all meals and
shore excursions
Not included:
Other
choices :
Many
visitors come to Egypt to fulfill their dream of sailing the Nile
on board a private boat.
These Four Dahabbiya allow you to experience the Nile 's romance in
an intimate, privileged setting. These dahabiyas take you back in
time to a gentler, more gracious era.
On
the Nile in Royal Style Feluccas or Dahabiyas are the traditional
sailing vessel of much of the Mediterranean world, and the traditional
Nile felucca, or Dahabia, was the mainstay of travel in ancient Egypt.
With
shallow drafts, sails, and oars, feluccas could navigate not only
the great river, but the maze of canals threading through its banks,
with or without wind, reaching every part of the kingdom.
Dahabbiyas
/ Feluccas long ago transcended their role as humble transports. They
held the ancient empire together, carrying troops, decrees, and the
very mystery of the pharaoh.
Private
docking areas:
Your Dahabia will moor on privately owned areas of the riverbank at
Luxor and Aswan, you will avoid the over crowded docking area of the
regular large size cruises.
In your felucca docking are you will be welcomed with the sight of
flowers and gardens that are frequented by exotic birds. These gardens
provide our ships with flowers and organically grown vegetables and
herbs.
Along the way, we moor on un-inhabited Nile islands, whose virgin
landscapes have hardly changed throughout millennia. Wandering the
gardens and Nile islands is an idyllic pastime, and the perfect compliment
to your visits to Egypt 's matchless monuments.
The Dahabbiyas are beautifully crafted wooden ships, outfitted in
colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches. The interiors boast
period furnishing, and each cabin has its own distinct style and interior
.
The
Cabins:
Each boat has six delightfully appointed private cabins measuring
5.75 meters x 2.50 meters . The cabins (maximum occupancy two persons)
have private bathrooms of 1.25 meters x 2.50 meters with a wc, wash
basin, shower and hairdryer. Some cabins offer two single beds and
others have a double. Each Dahabia comfortably accommodates twelve
passengers sharing in doubles . Yet of course in a lot of cases we
have smaller parties that prefer to charter the boat for four, five
or six guests only .
The
cabins are named them in keeping with the ship's theme. For example,
on the Zahra ('flower') you will find the 'white lotus' cabin; on
the Nesma ('breeze') you have 'the zephyr', each with tasteful, individualized
embellishments.
The
cabins are located towards the front of the boat on the starboard
and port sides, separated by a central corridor. The communal lounge
covers the width of the boat, and is a lovely setting for enjoying
meals.
Engines
will only be used if wind is insufficient to sail, but generators
are available to provide electricity.
From
the bow, two staircases lead to the partially shaded top deck. Here,
guests can sunbathe or just enjoy the ride and spectacular views from
comfortable rattan deck chairs, or in oriental seating areas of colorful
cushions and carpets. Meals will also be served on the top deck, a
great place for cocktails and stargazing
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