From Jerusalem to the Nile

Here's the best of Egypt and Jerusalem in only 12 days : Join us for a journey to these ancient lands, and an unsurpassed array of sights, sounds and memories, a good look at Cairo , a Nile cruise, and a walk along the ancient byways of Jerusalem and much more

Compare with Jordan & Israel Version, or Greece Turkey edition

DAY 1 - DEPART NEW YORK- Saturday , weekly departures on Sat, year round. Board your wide-body jet at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for your transatlantic flight .

Day 2 - CAIRO - Sunday
In Cairo our representative greets you at the airport, helps with formalities, and whisks you to your hotel.
Visa fee is included, issued upon arrival for EU , American, Japanese and Australian, NZ citizens, passports must be valid for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival. You are responsible for your passport being valid & in order.

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 3- CAIRO (BLD) - Monday
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummy Room and the fabulous treasures Tutankhamon, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. In the evening, we settle you into your private sleeping compartment on the train bound along the banks of the Nile. You'll enjoy dinner on board.

DAY 4 : CAIRO/ LUXOR- Nile Cruise (BLD): Tue.
We arrive Luxor (or Aswan depending on cruise confirmation & availability at the time of booking) and board our Nile cruise ,in time for lunch , then to get ready for the afternoon visits to Luxor and Karnak Temples. Evening at leisure for you to explore local markets.

DAY 5 : LUXOR - On Board the Cruise (BLD) - Wed.
Crossing the Nile , we tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the great funerary temples of Queen Hatshepsut. We'll have a brief stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to Luxor . Afternoon sailing up river to go through Esna locks.

DAY 6 : ESNA /EDFU (BLD) - Thu. Sail further south to Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt’s best preserved temple. Re-embarking, dock at Kom Ombo for the night.

DAY 7 : KOM OMBO (BLD) - Fri.
Visit the twin temple at Kom Ombo then re-embark and sail to Aswan. Afternoon leisure cruise on the Nile by felucca. If you wish try your hand at camel riding, with our compliments ! We'll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian Villagers. We are proud to offer this opportunity for insight into local ways.

DAY 8 :ASWAN / CAIRO (B) - Sat.
Today we visit Aswan dam, the unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple before heading back to the airport. To board your return flight to Cairo , and your hotel

Complimentary 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 9- Tel Aviv (B)- Sunday - Private Transfers at all times
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your flight to Tel Aviv to start our Jerusalem Mini Package. You will be met by our Israel - based representative who will be at hand to assist with your transportation to your hotel in Jerusalem . You'll have the rest of this day to discover Jerusalem on your own. The crowds along Ben Yehuda Street, the new city Hall, the walls of the Old City illuminated at dusk, the gleaning Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem surpasses every expectation!

Day 10 - Mon. OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM, BETHLEHEM (B) Our visit to the Old City includes the reconstructed Jewish Quarter. Visit the newly excavated Cardo and continue to the Western Wall , the only remaining portion of the Second Temple. Nearby is the Dome of the Rock , one of the holiest places of Islam. We will follow in the footsteps of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and through the colorful bazaars. We'll depart Jerusalem in the afternoon to Bethlehem , birthplace of King David. Visit Rachel's Tomb and the Church of Nativity , before returning to Jerusalem. All your tours in Palestine/Israel are on a private basis: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private guide .

Day 11 - Tuesday . NAZARETH, TIBERIAS (B)
Drive north from Jerusalem to Nazareth to see the Church of the Annunciation. Then continue to the Sea of Galilee and ride the waters to Tabgha. Traveling overland again, we'll stop at Cana, and stroll through lively waterside Tiberias. At Capernaum, on the Sea Of Galilee, to see the ruins of the Synagogue and Church of St. Peter. We'll return to Jerusalem via the baptismal site on the Jordan River.All your tours in Palestine/Israel are on a private basis: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private guide .

Day 12- Wednesday - Departure (B).
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight via London or Paris . ( We keep the right to choose any IATA accredited international Air Line) . All your tours in Palestine/Israel are on a private basis: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private guide .

Rates per person

	Deluxe	First Class	Tourist Class
Triple	US$ 4245	US$ 3370	US$ 3070
Double	US$ 4395	US$ 3490	US$ 3190
Single	US$ 5795	US$ 4090	US$ 3890

DEPARTURE DATES

This tour departs weekly on Sat from New York (JFK).

For departures from Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego or Seattle, please add US$ 350 per person to the rates.

For May - Sep departures, please add an airline surcharge of $350 per person to the rates.

Dec 20 - Jan 05 : 20 % supplement applies.

Your tour includes:

• Round-trip transatlantic airfare, including air taxes, from New York to Cairo and return on British Airways, Air France , Olympic Airways , or another IATAN airline, subject to seat availability at the time of reservation.

• All airfares in Egypt in economy class , tax included , as per itinerary
• Sleeper train ticket in Egypt, as per itinerary , private compartment

• Air fare : Cairo / Tel Aviv, economy class , tax included .

• All transfers within Egypt & Israel .

• Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.

• Nile cruise; the sequence of sights visited between Aswan and Luxor is subject to change according to vessel requirements, and the cruise may begin in either Aswan or Luxor.

• Meals as indicated in the tour itinerary: B = continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner.

• Guided sightseeing by private air-conditioned motor coach or car as per itinerary, including all entrance fees.

• Complimentary Lonely Planet travel guidebook to Egypt/ Jerusalem .
  
  
• All your tours in Palestine/Israel are on a private basis: Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private guide .

Compare with Jordan - Israel Version

General Hotel Listing

Extend your stay and enjoy a spa package at the dead sea or in Cairo

Israel and Palestine

Everyone wants to go to the holy land. In Israel and Palestine , faith and history are all around you, from the plains of Armageddon (Megiddo) to the Sea of Galilee, from the Red Sea resort of Eilat to the sow-covered slopes of Mount Hermon. Where else can you pray where the patriarchs prayed, walk where Jesus walked, and see where Muhammed began a fabled celestial journey? It's simply amazing: the Bible becomes your guidebook as you approach the Western Wall of Jerusalem's Temple, crowned by the magnificent Dome of the Rock; or stroll along the Via Dolorosa, now a path through a bustling bazaar, stopping for reflection at the Stations of the Cross. The hilltop city of Jerusalem is your base for day-trips to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus; Jericho, site of the famous Biblical battle, now a busy Arab town; the Dead Sea, where swimmers bob like corks in the mineral-rich waters; Masada, where a small band of Jewish zealots held off the armies of imperial Rome. Israel is much more than a place of pilgrimage, of course. Its Mediterranean coast has long sandy beaches and bustling seaside resorts. The Red Sea is among divers' favorite destinations for its abundance of colorful underwater life. Archeological digs are active throughout the country in summer, turning up ever more ancient cities. Whatever your beliefs, Israel is a must-see.

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Amusing airplane/train/bus or end-of-the-day reading? Turkey: Bright
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http://www.brightsunstrongtea.com/