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 Special Programs
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Tour Itinerary |
Day 1: Cairo, Egypt |
 Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where you will be met and assisted with customs and visa formalities. You will be transferred to the Hotel 5* luxury hotel in Cairo with assistance at check in. After a quick transfer, we'll enjoy a dinner of traditional Lebanese dishes at Taboula.
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Day 2 : Cairo, Egypt |
 After breakfast at the hotel, you depart via private bus with the guide to the Pyramids of Giza, where you’ll embark on an unforgettable tour of the pyramids built for the Pharaohs Cheops, Chefren, and Mycerinus.
They were constructed about 2500 B.C. with limestone blocks from the plateau and the Turah hills on the outskirts of Cairo. The Great Pyramid of Cheops alone, the only present-day survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, required over 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each weighing about 2.5 tons. At its base, it covers 13 acres of land. You will also visit the Solar Boat Museum at Giza, which contains the actual, reconstructed Solar Boat that was used in the funerary ceremonies of the Pharaoh Khufu more than 4,600 years ago. The discovery of the boat is considered to be the single most important archaeological find in Egypt since the Tomb of Tutankhamum.
You’ll also tour the Valley Temple, housing the mysterious Sphinx, located in what was once a quarry to the east of Chephren’s pyramid. One theory suggests this Pharaoh's workers shaped the body into a lion and gave it their king’s face, as a guardian of the necropolis. Almost a thousand years after its construction, King Thutmose IV placed a stela between the front paws. It describes how the Sphinx had spoken to their prince in a dream, promising him kingship if he cleared away the desert sand that was choking the Sphinx.
Lunch will be set up in the lovely garden of the Andrea restaurant near the Pyramids. After lunch you will have a short visit (with time to shop) at a local Papyrus Factory to see how the paper is made before heading back to hotel to relax and refresh.
This evening you will enjoy a fabulous dinner at Barry's Oriental Restaurant with a terrific night view of the lit up Pyramids.
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Day 3: Cairo, Egypt |
 After breakfast at the hotel, you transferred with the guide to the ancient city of Memphis, founded around 3,100 BC. Tour the open-air museum in Memphis and see the Colossus of Ramesses II and experience Egypt’s long and rich history in an exciting tour to the necropolis of Saqqara. Here you’ll see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, a ziggurat-like structure that anticipates the later design of the great pyramids. It stands guard over the mastabas (noble tombs) of the Saqqara necropolis and was the first freestanding stone structure in the world. The guide will show you some tombs belonging to the nobles of the past, which show the beauty and excellence of ancient Egyptian art on their walls and give an insight in the daily life of ancient Egypt.
You will have a special lunch in the countryside at Blue Lotus restaurant; they cook old Egyptian cuisine using only locally grown, farm-fresh produce. After lunch we will visit a nearby carpet school. Less than a few kilometers from Memphis, Egyptians strive to keep alive a fast dying tradition, that is nearly 1500-years old — the legendary art of weaving ‘magic’ carpets. There are more than 200 carpet schools, each of them training some 40-odd school children this ancient art. All of these children go to school and are getting a proper education. We will have a brief demonstration about how the carpets are made, enjoy tea and of course time to shop! Tonight you will enjoy dinner at Abou El Sid restaurant with its traditional Egyptian menu.
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Day 4 : Cairo |
 After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out with luggage in hand and board the bus headed to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum, open since 1902, exhibits over 120,000 objects in its 107 halls, comprising the world’s greatest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. Two grand halls containing countless artifacts and one room reserved for the golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamen will astound and delight you. Oriental Tours Egypt will provide you a special permission to enter the Mummies Room, a specially built area dedicated to the well-preserved mummies of 12 royal kings and queens of ancient Egypt, including the Great Ramses II, Egypt’s longest ruling pharaoh .
You’ll then proceed to the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar,reputedly the largest bazaar in the Middle East. You’ll enjoy a five-star lunch of traditional oriental dishes at the Arabian-style Nageuib Mahfouz Restaurant. Named after the Nobel-prize-winning Egyptian author, the restaurant lies in the very heart of the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of craftsmanship from woodwork, glassware , gold work and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Pharaonic curiosities. You will have several hours to wander and shop on your own. Remember to bargain hard!
Our group meet up spot will be the El-Fishawi Cafe , where we will gather for tea before heading into the countryside for a wonderful cultural exchange and have dinner in restaurant . Saying goodbye to Cairo for now, we board our 1st class deluxe sleeper air-conditioned train cars for our overnight train journey from Cairo to Luxor.
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Day 5: Luxor, Egypt |
 After an early breakfast on the train you arrive Luxor. Modern Luxor is built on the site of ancientThebes, the capital during Egypt’s New Kingdom and the period when the pharaohs reached the peak of their strength and empire.
After assistance with check in at El-Nakhil hotel on the West bank in Luxor, you will have time to get organized in your rooms, take a shower and have some tea or coffee. Then it’s off to the East bank side of Luxor with the guide to the exquisite Temple of Karnak to marvel at its obelisks and rows of ancient columns that adorn its awesome Great Hypostyle Hall—a monument that recalls the classic elegance of ancient Greece, yet is older (Karnak was built over a period of 1,000 years!). It covers an area larger than the whole of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral.
We will enjoy Lunch at Jewel of the Nile restaurant in Luxor. After lunch you go back to the hotel to relax or go to the Luxor Museum and local souk (optional) and. Guide will explain the option during lunch.
Oriental Tours Egypt will provide you a special permission for Tonight, The Temple of Luxor will come alive after more than 2,000 years for you as you dine via candlelight among the ruins.
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Day 6 :Luxor, Egypt |
 After a wonderful breakfast at our hotel we begin our full day of sightseeing with a visit to Luxor’s West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of pharaohs. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh, merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. You’ll also stop for a photo at the giant statues of the Colossi of Memnon.
Lunch at Marsam Restaurant in the garden will offer a nice cool reprieve and a chance to recharge over lunch and a cold beer or mint tea. Also known as Sheik Ali's Hotel, this small, mud-brick guest house facing the Temple of Merenptah was originally built in 1924 for University of Chicago scientists and still serves as a digging-season residence for international archaeological missions.
Oriental Tours Egypt will provide you a special permission to enter into the tomb of Nefertari, (Ramses II head wife) in the Valley of the Queens and tour the completely excavated village of Deir El Medinah. Tonight enjoy a special musical and dancing performance at our hotel before dinner on our terrace as we toast the glories of ancient Thebes!
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Day 7: Embark on Nile Cruise |
 After a wonderful breakfast at hotel you transferred (1 hour) to the town of Esna where you will tour the The Temple of Khnum. Built in Greco-Roman times by the Ptolemies. The temple remains consist only of the first hypostyle hall of columns. It was dedicated to the ram headed god Khnum. The god Khnum was worshiped at Esna as the Creator. Note – there is a long flight of steps to reach the entrance, and then of course a long flight of steps out.
Around noon you will embark on your private Dahabiya, , where you will be served a welcome drink and have a chance to meet the captain, crew and get acquainted with our rooms and the boat. Lunch will be served on board today as you sail down the storied Nile to our first stop at El Hegz island! Enjoy drinks, card playing, Arabic music from the CD player as you sit and watch the scenes on the Nile go by. Sundowners and appetizers on board with a lecture by guide about the Nile and our cruise this evening before dinner.
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Day 8: Nile Cruise |
 After breakfast you sail to Edfu to explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic (albeit Greek-built) temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu, dedicated to the falcon-headed god. You travel to the temple by horse-drawn carriage. After your visit to the temple, either ride or walk through the bazaar, this is an extensive bazaar where you can barter for souvenirs, spices and perfumes. you will then set sail for our private island "El Fouza" where you will disembark for dinner served to you on the edge of the Nile.
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Day 9: Nile Cruise |
 Today you set off for a relaxing journey to the temple of Gebel El Silsila and tie up alongside the Speos of Hormheb. Tonight dinner will be served in front of the illuminated temple.
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Day 10: Nile Cruise |
 After breakfast you sail on to Kom Ombo. Listen to the sounds of the water buffalo as they wade in the shallow water. Visit the Greco Roman Temple at Kom Ombo dedicated to the Falcon God Haeoeris and the Crocodile God Sobek. Lunch will be served as you head for a small island, where you will moor for the evening and enjoy dinner at this enchanting location.
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Day 11: Nile Cruise |
 Enjoy the sail today to Aswan, gateway to Nubia and the Sudan. you will have plenty of time to visit the Temple of Philae, before you boat motor boats to visit Gharb Aswan, a less frequented Nubian village. May be a group of children will sing for you while an old man beats the Darabuca. You might be welcomed into a house, where you will get a glass of tea, admire the small crocodiles they have as pets, see the kitchen and the stove where bread is made. Women will offer you Nubian jewelry, if they ask you to change Euros or Cents to Egyptian money, please do. They don't get coins changed at the bank. Take a bottle of water and a hat or scarf to protect against the sun. Unfortunately children have become used to begging. It is better to give them pens, sweets, … instead of money. After lunch back on board, you will have the afternoon to tour and shop in Aswan's Sharia as-Souq.
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Day12: Abu Simbel |
 After breakfast you bid farewell to the crew and board our private bus for a 3 hour journey to Abu Simbel. Once you arrive you will check into Seti Abu Simble first hotel, have time for lunch, to relax and swim in the pool. Late afternoon you feast our eyes on the magnificent sun temples of Ramses the Great, where stone masons hewed giant figures of the king on the face of cliffs above the Nile. The massive rock-cut figures radiated power and with their gaze reigned over all who dared to enter Egypt from the south. In a massive undertaking organized by UNESCO, the temples were completely relocated in the 1960s to save them from inundation by the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam.
This evening you will enjoy the sound and light show at Abu Simbel and for dinner you will go to a Mr. Fekry Kachif's house in Abu Simbel, called Eskaleh. It is a small house representing the Nubian traditional life in an attempt to save the Nubian civilization cultural history, customs, music and nature.
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Day 13: Cairo |
 Early morning transfer to Abu Simbel airport and fly to Cairo. Your private bus and driver will be waiting for you . you will stop for lunch at Alzahar Park at Studio Misr with a wonderful view of Cairo before going to Mena house hotel. This afternoon, enjoy the pool and views from hotel. Gather this evening for a cocktail reception (for groups only ) followed by dinner in the famed Moghul Room. Over night at the hotel for final transfer next morning .
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Day 14: Cairo |
 After breakfast , you will be transferred to Cairo airport for final departure
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Inclusions
General Information
Program starts in in Cairo and ends in Cairo .
5 nights hotel stay in Cairo
2 nights hotel stay in Luxor
5 nights hotel stay on Dahabeya sailing Boat
1 night hotel stay in Abu Simble
1 night hotel stay in Cairo
Accommodations
Hotel Talisman: This boutique hotel for the discerning traveler occupies a 1935 French colonial style building on Sharia Talaat Harb, one of the most important of Cairo’s downtown streets. The Talisman’s city location makes it an easy walk to the Egyptian Museum and an easy drive to the souks of Khan el Khalili and the old Islamic city. The nearby metro will whisk the interested traveler to other main attractions like the Coptic churches. The Talisman’s 22 rooms and 2 suites are decorated in warm colors and Egyptian style with quality local manufactures like handmade bedcovers but do not fail to provide all new, modern amenities like double glass windows for silence, private marble bathrooms with shower, hair dryer, bathrobe, international television with 15 channels, individual air conditioning and heating unit, and 24 hour internet connection. The hotel’s public areas are decorated with museum quality fine arts beginning with the Arabic salon and continuing through the opulent dining facility filled with masharabia chairs and sofas, mother of pearl marquetery consoles and dressers, Turkish ottoman lustres, Persian carpets, original oil paintings, and antique Islamic silver. A complimentary continental breakfast is available and the property also features a porter/bellhop, multilingual staff, a library, and a 24-hour front desk.
El Nakhil: El Nakhil is set in a pleasant garden on the west bank of the Nile on the edge of Geziret-el-Beirat, the village that has grown up around the ferry landing for boats from Luxor's east bank. The immaculately clean inn is run with genuine hospitality by a young Egyptian-German couple, with 14 simple yet comfortable rooms with garden-view balconies. Meals can be taken in the garden or on the roof terrace overlooking green fields and a Nile canal.
Dahabiya Judi: Judi Dahabiya is a luxurious 9 bedroom/9 bathroom Dahabiyathat comprises elegantly furnished suites and cabins. Each cabin has a large window to enjoy the charming view of the River Nile while keeping privacy in the rooms. The boat offers eight tastefully decorated and fully air conditioned cabins and 1 suite. Each cabin is measuring 14sqm, has one large bed or twin beds with Egyptian cotton bedding, a phone, an ample wardrobe, and a large window. The private bathrooms are all equipped with shower, toilet, washing basin and hairdryer. The upper Deck is partially shaded and is equipped with comfortable furniture as well as sun beds. There are two Pergolas decorated in Arabic style, one of them has a big bar serving fresh juices and drinks both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. The meals are served at the large banqueting table, and after the meals you will get a mint tea in the Arabic corner, which is furnished with local carpets sofas and cushions. The salon at the front of the boat is a cozy meeting place and an alternative location for taking meals. Borrow a book or DVD from our small library, play board games, watch major events on satellite TV or connect with the outside world through the onboard internet connection. The salon is also the right place to meet your fellow travelers and enjoy a drink at the bar before dinner while discussing the events of the day.
Seti Abu Simbel:This is a reasonably large hotel located in between the town of Abu Simbel and the Temple complex. It sits on the shores of Lake Nasser. It's "rocky" architecture blends in well and it is clear that considerable effort and care went into the hotels construction. The hotel grounds are large, and the garden landscaping is nicely done. Rooms have nice details, including engraved wood and are reasonable large with new fixtures and furnishings. Rooms have direct dial telephones, private baths, individually controlled air conditioning, minifrigs, terraces and satellite color television. The hotel has several different restaurants and bars, basically set up to provide entertainment and facilities to guests in a location where there are few other sources. There is a nice roomy bar just off the main lobby, as well as a garden bar near the swimming pool. The hotel also has a an adult and children's swimming pools which are very nice.
Mena House Oberoi:This palatial hotel in the shadow of the Great Pyramids in Cairo has enchanted guests since 1869. Located in forty acres of jasmine scented gardens, Mena House Oberoi has played host to kings and emperors, Heads of State and celebrities. Its royal history is reflected in luxurious interiors that are embellished with exquisite antiques, handcrafted furniture and rich textiles. A variety of international as well as Egyptian cuisine is on offer at the excellent restaurants and bars in the hotel.
Mena House Oberoi has 523 rooms and suites in the Palace and Garden wings. All 13 Suites, 21 of the Palace Rooms and 140 Garden Rooms have a view over the Pyramids. All guest accommodation at Mena House Oberoi is air conditioned with private bathroom. Rooms and Suites are lavishly appointed with traditionally inspired furnishings and rich carpets. There are many wonderful ways in which to keep fit whilst staying at Mena House. The outdoor swimming pool is set in landscaped gardens with a fabulous view of the Pyramids. The Mini gym is open 24 hrs a day. There is an 18-hole golf course right on the doorstep, with distracting views of the pyramids.
Price
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Number of guests |
1st May - 30th Sep |
1st Oct - 30th April |
22nd Dec - 1st Jan |
| 3 Star |
2 guests |
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00 Euro per person |
00 Euro per person |
| 3 Star |
2 guests |
00 Euro per person |
00 Euro per person |
00 Euro per person |
| 3 Star |
2 guests |
00 Euro per person |
00 Euro per person |
00 Euro per person |
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