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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Specialised travel at its best

 

Ancient Egypt Tour

03 to 14 December 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Do you not know that Egypt is a copy of heaven or rather, the very place on earth where the forces of heaven are balanced and ordered?  Even more than that, if truth be told, Egypt is the temple of the entire world”  Egyptian Scribe

 

TOUR LEADER

Kim Lings will be accompanying the group to Egypt.  Kim is the owner of Nile Travel, a founding, corporate and honorary life member of the Ancient Egyptian Society as well as a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society in London.  She has visited Egypt on forty one occasions during the past ten years and has led over twenty five tours to Egypt over the past nine years.  

 

EGYPTOLOGIST

Mrs. Eman Bahaa Samy graduated with a degree in Egyptology from Helwan University in 1989.  Eman has over 20 years guiding experience, works for some of the most prestigious travel companies, and has recently guided former president Bill Clinton and the King of Morocco.  Eman has also worked with world famous Egyptologists like Dr. Zahi Hawass, Dr. Kent Weeks, Mark Lehner and Robert Ritner.  Her exclusive services have been secured for the duration of your tour.

 

ITINERARY

 

DAY 1 - Friday, 03 December 2010

On arrival at the airport please proceed to the Egypt Air check-in counters 31 to 36 (this could change on the evening, so please consult the departure board).  I would suggest you arrive around 3 hours prior to departure to ensure better seating.  Nile Travel will request pre-seating with Egypt Air but this cannot be guaranteed.  Seats AC and JK are the window and aisle options and DEFG are the four middle seats, therefore the seating is 2 seats, 4 seats and 2 seats.  After passport control you can use the Premier Lounge located on the upper level near CAN by presenting the invitation supplied to you by Egypt Air at the check-in counter.

 

Depart Johannesburg on Egypt Air flight MS 840 at 21H45 for Cairo.  Each person is allowed 20kg of luggage and 1 carry on piece of luggage.  I suggest that you bring extra drinks for during the flight (bought in duty free due to liquid restrictions in hand luggage), and please be advised that Egypt Air does not serve any alcoholic drinks.

 

DAY 2 - Saturday, 04 December 2010

Arrive in Cairo at 05H40, where we will be met by a representative from our agent in Egypt, who will assist us in passing through customs and immigration.  We will immediately transfer to the Le Passage hotel near the airport for breakfast.  After breakfast we will transfer to the domestic terminal for our flight to Luxor.

 

Depart Cairo on MS 355 at 10H45, arriving in Luxor at 11H55.  On arrival in Luxor we will be collected at the airport and transfer to the Sonesta St George hotel.  Rest of the day at your leisure.  

 

We will meet again in the early evening to visit the impressive temple of Luxor.  Construction at Luxor Temple began under the reign of Amenhotep III; it was then added to by Ramses II and Nectanebo I.  It has an intact gathering of sphinxes in front of the Ramses II pylon.  The Battle of Qadesh of Ramses II against the Hittites is detailed on the pylon walls.  This is the only religious monument in the world that includes Pharaonic, Macedonian, Ptolemaic, Roman, Christian and Islamic constructions.  Dinner and overnight in hotel.

 

DAY 3 - Sunday, 05 December 2010

After breakfast we will visit the West Bank of Luxor, one of the richest archaeological sites on Earth by crossing the road bridge to see the world famous Valley of the Kings.  During the greatest period in ancient Egyptian history, most of the pharaohs were buried here, in tombs of extraordinary beauty and in chambers filled with vast treasures.  We will visit three tombs where we will view their afterlife dreams coming true.  We will study the voyage of eternity and the sailing through the sky, as the Pharaohs make their trip toward what is in the beyond.  View the kings succeeding in passing through the “Gates of the Afterlife,” in very detailed, brilliantly coloured and intact scenes.  Entrance to the tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamen is also included.

 

We will then visit the unique temple of the female pharaoh Hatchepsut at Deir El-Bahri which is the show piece of the West Bank.  In its superb setting the temple rises in a series of broad terraces that at the topmost level joins with the limestone cliffs.  It is in this temple of beauty and power that you can view Hatchepsut’s peaceful expedition to Punt, with its commercial exchange of goods and warm relations.    On our way back to the hotel we will stop at the Colossi of Memnon who have stood the test of time, surviving long after the temple they guarded has vanished, for photography.  Rest of the day at your leisure.  Dinner and overnight in Sonesta St George hotel.

 

DAY 4 - Monday, 06 December 2010

After breakfast we will check out of our hotel and do our second visit to the West Bank of Luxor to see the Workmen’s Village and two workmen’s tombs, noblemen tomb of Ramose and the temple of Medinet Habu.  We will transfer back to the East Bank of Luxor and check into our Nile Cruiser M/S Amarante in time for lunch.  Afternoon at your leisure.  Dinner and overnight on board, docked in Luxor.

 

(A highly recommended optional hot air balloon ride can be arranged for this morning at the cost of approximately US $160 per person.  We would be collected at our hotel around 05H00 and cross the Nile by motor boat and do a 40 minute hot air balloon ride over the West Bank of Luxor viewing the Ramesseum temple, Medinet Habu temple, tomb entrances,  desert, farm land and in the distance the mighty river Nile.  An unforgettable experience!)  

 

DAY 5 - Tuesday, 07 December 2010

Breakfast on board.  Morning visit to Karnak Temple.  Named Ipet-Isut, the most perfect of palaces by the ancient Egyptians, it remains magnificent after thousands of years.  Apart from its size, Karnak represents a vastness of historical time.  The main temple of Amun, from the foundations of the original Middle Kingdom temple to the First Pylon, built during the 25th Dynasty, saw construction over a span of 1 300 years.   The largest of all the temples of Egypt, its 25th dynasty pylon welcomes visitors.  The Great Hypostyle Hall contains 134 columns with the royal names of Seti I and Ramses II.  The great temple of Amun contains a double avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, pylons built by Tutmose I, Horemhab and Amenhotep II, shrines of Seti II, Amenhotep I and II, obelisks of Hatchepsut (325 tons of granite) and texts by Tutmose III, Ramses II and III.  

 

We will return to our cruiser and sail to Esna passing through the lock (delay in crossing the lock depends on cruiser traffic).  Lunch on board as we sail to Edfu enjoying the unique scenes along the banks of the Nile.  View Egyptian farmers and mountains as we sail between them.  Dinner and overnight on board, docked in Edfu.

 

DAY 6 - Wednesday, 08 December 2010

After breakfast we will visit the huge temple dedicated to the God Horus at Edfu.  This is the best-preserved temple of its time, built during the Ptolemaic rule, the construction commenced in 237 BC under Ptolemy III Evergetes I and was accomplished in 57 BC.  The temple celebrates the legendary battle between the Gods Horus and Set.    

 

Lunch on board as we sail to Kom Ombo to visit the temple situated on a hill (kom) overlooking the East Bank of the Nile, and dedicated to two Gods, Horus the Elder and Sobek the Crocodile deity.  Built in the time of Greco-Roman rule, it contains sanctuaries, hypostyle-pillared halls and corridors.  The temple also contains mummified crocodiles now placed in a small shrine dedicated originally to Hathor.  The name Kom Ombo (the ancient Greek settlement of Ombos) is derived from the Ancient Egyptian word, nubt, which means city of gold.  Sail to Aswan.  Dinner, followed by a fancy dress party (Galabeya night) and overnight on board, docked in Aswan.

 

DAY 7 - Thursday, 09 December 2010

After breakfast we will visit the ancient granite quarry with its 1 000 ton Unfinished Obelisk.  We will then visit Philae Temple, built on an island, and devoted to the goddess Isis.  We will travel by a small motor boat to Agilika Island.  The temple was moved to this island in the 1960’s when the new High Dam threatened to put the island underwater forever.  The temple rose in importance during the time of the Ptolemy’s and was the main cult center of Isis.  The site was so popular that it survived well into the Christian era as one of the last outposts of paganism.  Early Christians transformed the main temple’s hypostyle hall into a chapel and added churches to the island.  Dedicated to Isis, mother of the Lords, guardian and magician, the temple was built by Egyptians under the rule of Taharqa and Nectanebo I.  Later the Ptolemy’s and Romans added their royal names on the original construction. This was the last temple where the Pharaonic cult was practiced; the last hieroglyphic inscriptions (394 AD) were carved and has the last demotic graffiti (425 AD).

 

Lunch on board.  In the afternoon we will do a traditional Felucca Cruise from which we will view Kitcheners and Elephantine Islands and the mausoleum of the Aga Kahn.  This is a relaxing way to learn about the importance of the Nile to both its ancient and modern cultures.

 

An evening visit the atmospheric Aswan market with its ancient spice market, vegetable stands and fascinating vendors which runs the length of the town is recommended.  Dinner and overnight on board, docked in Aswan.

 

DAY 8 - Friday, 10 December 2010

After breakfast we will disembark from the cruise and transfer to the airport for our flight to Abu Simbel visiting the Aswan High Dam which forms the 500 km long Lake Nasser on the way.  Depart Aswan on MS 249 at 11H30 arriving in Abu Simbel at 12H15.  On arrival we will transfer to the Seti I hotel.  Lunch at own expense.  Late afternoon visit to the Temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari.   We will remain at the same temples to see the sound and light show which is voted the best in the world.  Dinner and overnight in hotel.

 

DAY 9 – Saturday, 11 December 2010

After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Aswan.  Depart Abu Simbel on MS 246 at 07H45, arriving in Aswan at 08H30.  We will change planes and fly to Cairo on MS 146, departing at 10H30, arriving in Cairo at 12H00.  

 

On arrival in Cairo we will be collected at the airport and immediately visit the world famous Cairo Museum.   This guided tour will focus on some of the most ancient Egyptian artifacts, Ra-Hotep and Nofret’s legendary statues, Khafre’s immaculate diorite statue and the artifacts and gold of Tutankhamen.  Entrance to the somber and intriguing Mummy Room with its embalmed ancient royals, including the famous Ramses the Great (1290 -1224 BC) is also included.  

 

We will then transfer to the Meridian Pyramids hotel.  Rest of the day at your leisure.  Dinner and overnight in hotel.

 

DAY 10 – Sunday, 12 December 2010

After breakfast we will be collected at our hotel and do a full day tour to the Giza Plateau and Saqqara Necropolis.  We will visit the Pyramid of Khufu, the oldest and largest of the three pyramids on the plateau.  Originally 482 feet high, it is now slightly lower due to the removal of its outer casing and capstone.  The pyramid of Khafre, slightly smaller than that of Khufu his father, retains some of its outer limestone covering.  The pyramid of Menkaure’s is the smallest of the group, but perhaps the most expensive to construct due to its building material.  (Entrance into the Great Pyramid is not included and cannot be guaranteed as there is a limited number of tickets sold each day and entrance costs – EP100.  Entrance to the Pyramid of Khafre costs EP20).

 

We will then visit the Solar Boat, believed by many to be the funerary bark that carried the body of Khufu from Memphis to his pyramid tomb at Giza.  We will then visit the panorama area where there is an opportunity to ride a camel followed by a visit to the Sphinx and the valley temple.

 

Free time will be allocated for you to buy some lunch (own expense) before we drive approximately 40 minutes to Saqqara, one of the richest archaeological sites in Egypt.  This vast desert necropolis was built for kings and nobles of the Old Kingdom.  We begin at the centerpiece of Saqqara, the Step Pyramid and the surrounding enclosure of King Djoser, king of Egypt from 2667 to 2648 BC.  Built for the king by Imhoptep, high priest and the world’s first architect and physician.  We continue on to the Pyramid of Titi, first king of the 6th dynasty, with its hymns, litanies and spells of protection, the first flowerings of a tradition that would later blossom into the full blown, full-colour, floor-to-ceiling wall paintings seen in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Queens in Luxor.  We then visit the mastaba tomb of Mereruka with its 33 chambers and magnificent relief’s including hunting scenes of birds, fish and hippo.  Dinner and overnight in hotel.

 

DAY 11 - Monday, 13 December 2010

After breakfast we will be collected at our hotel and visit the Citadel of Salah-El-Din who ruled Egypt from 1171 to 1192 AD.  Situated within the Citadel is the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, which he built after taking the throne of Egypt in 1805.  He ruled until 1848, and died in Alexandria in 1840.  He is buried within his alabaster mosque that took fifteen years to complete and possess one of the largest minbards (pulpits) in the world.  We will then visit the Hanging Church and the Synagogue before saying farewell to the people doing the Jordan or Turkey extension.

 

The rest of the group will have the rest of their day at leisure before being collected at the airport around 19H00 and visit the famous Khan El Khalili Bazaar with its vast lanes of ancient shops, spices, gold and silver for dinner at Naguib Mahfouz restaurant (no alcohol served) and time for shopping.  We will transfer to the airport around 22H30 for our return flight to Johannesburg.

 

DAY 12 - Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Depart Cairo on flight MS 839 at 01H40, arriving in Johannesburg at 09H55.

 

THE ABOVE ITINERARY INCLUDES:

 

THE ABOVE ITINERARY EXCLUDES:

 

NB:  Please note the standard of accommodation in Egypt can vary considerably to the same star accommodation in South Africa.  Therefore a 5 star hotel in Egypt is not necessarily representative of a 5 star hotel in South Africa.

 

Nile Travel reserves the right to change the order of the itinerary, guide, hotels and cruise should the need arise.  Nile Travel shall not be liable for any loss or harm, delay, damage or injury to property or person however caused.  For a list of our full terms and conditions please visit www.nile.co.za.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE

While we will strive to include all the sites mentioned in the above itinerary Nile Travel cannot be held responsible for any sites being closed at the time of visiting.  The order of the above itinerary may also vary in order to accommodate the weather and energy levels of the group.  Please ensure that you wear comfortable shoes and dress accordingly for the weather.  If you have any strict dietary requirements or need to eat at regular intervals please ensure that you have enough food and drinks with you prior to departure each morning as we may not get back to the hotel/cruise exactly at lunch time every day.  The hotels will be able to arrange a lunch box for you if required, please check costs with reception.

 

TOUR PRICE

The above itinerary will cost R9 170 for international and domestic flights on Egypt Air ex Johannesburg.  This airfare may increase and is subject to confirmation at the time of issuing.  The tax fluctuates according to the fuel price and current rate of exchange.  Business class international flights are permissible at an extra cost of around R? per person.

 

The land arrangements in Egypt will cost US $2 195 per person sharing a double room.  At the current exchange rate of around R7.50 to $1 the tour including flights would cost R25 632 per person sharing.  The single supplement is approximately US $520 or R3 900 (availability of single rooms is limited).  

 

Please note the above price is quoted in South African Rands for the airfares and in US Dollars for the land arrangements due to the constant currency fluctuation.  When final payment is due the amount will be calculated according to the buying rate of exchange.  

 

The price is subject to the rand/dollar exchange rate and airline increases until full payment has been received.  A non-refundable deposit of R3 000 secures your booking.  The balance owing will be due by 1 October 2009.  The price is based on a minimum of 16 passengers and a maximum of 26 passengers.

 

JORDAN EXTENSION

Why not extend your tour and visit Petra in Jordan - one of the New Seven Wonders of the World for two nights, a night in Amman and a night at the Dead Sea.  This extension will cost in the region of US $1 250 per person sharing for land arrangements and about R2 500 per person for the extra flights and taxes to Amman (this flight price is only applicable for passengers flying from South Africa on Egypt Air).  The single supplement will be US $500.  This price is based on a minimum of 7 passengers travelling together.  If the number increases or decreases the price will vary accordingly.  Please contact Kim for further details.

 

DAY 1

Depart Cairo on MS 701 at 17H00, arriving in Amman at 18H25.  On arrival in Amman you will be collected at the airport and transfer by road to Petra (takes around 3 to 4 hours).  On arrival in Petra you will check into the Movenpick hotel for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

 

DAY 2

After breakfast you will be collected at your hotel and do a full day tour of Petra visiting the main sites (around 3 to 5 hours with a local guide).  Most treasured and Jordan's pride and joy, Petra stands proud and erect in the south of the Kingdom.  The soul-stirring, mind-blowing, rose-red city of Petra is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in south Jordan more than 2000 years ago. The Nabataen Kingdom lasted for many centuries, and Petra, at the time, became widely admired for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels.  It remains so to this very day, thousands of centuries later.

 

The city of Petra was lost for 300 years, only to be re-discovered in 1812 by the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.  Today, Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its art revered and respected, its architecture admired, its vastness awed, its beauty eternally famed. From the main entrance, you walk through the siq (chasm), which ripped through the rock in a prehistoric quake, only to be taken aback by beauty and immensity when your eyes first land on Petra's most famous monument, Al- Khazneh (the Treasury).  This towering facade is only the first of Petra's secrets, treasures that are scattered around the city in abundance, from buildings, facades, tombs, baths and funerary halls to temples and haunting rock drawings. The majesty of the site of Petra will be etched in your mind forever.

 

You can have lunch at the basin restaurant (own expense) before deciding on whether to climb the 950 steps to El Deir (the monastery) which is highly recommended.  You can hire a donkey for an additional cost of around US $30.    Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

 

DAY 3

After breakfast you will check out of your hotel and transfer to the desert of Wadi Rum (90 minutes drive) and on arrival will transfer to 4 X 4 vehicles for a two hour ride into the desert.

 

“Vast, echoing, and God like, that is Wadi Rum” in the words of T. E. Lawrence who was based there during the Arab Revolt.  With its awesome stretches of reddish sand, Wadi Rum is a vast, silent place that is both romantic and starkly beautiful.  Massive mountains and rocks, in strange shapes and colors, seem to come out of nowhere everywhere you look.  Engravings on the rocks and inside the natural caves indicate that the area was inhabited since the earliest known time.  Today, this desert, overwhelming with its indescribable beauty, is home to several friendly, hospitable Bedouin tribes where you will enjoy lunch.

 

You will then travel to the Dead Sea and on arrival will check into the Marriott hotel.  Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

 

DAY 4

After breakfast you will have part of the morning at your leisure to enjoy swimming in the Dead Sea and/or book a spa treatment.  You will check out of your hotel and visit Bethany the supposed spot where Jesus was baptized and if time allows you will also stop in Madaba to see the map which is proudly displayed on the floor of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, built in 1896. You will then continue to Mt Nebo situated some 10 kilometers from Madaba, and at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level.  Mount Nebo is the presumed site of Moses' tomb and where he is thought to have viewed the Promised Land.  The hilltop of Mount Nebo indeed commands a spectacular, breathtaking view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, to the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  

 

You will then transfer to the Marriot hotel in Amman for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

 

DAY 5

After breakfast you will do a city tour of Amman visiting the Ancient Citadel, towering above Amman, the Roman temple and the Byzantine Church.  You will also visit the fascinating displays in the Archaeological Museum.  At the foot of the Citadel proudly lies the Roman Theatre, a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill and still used today for cultural events.  

 

You will then travel northwards to Jerash, the famous Roman city knows as the “Pompeii of the East” or the “City of a Thousand Columns”.  Jerash is the best preserved Roman city in existence and widely regarded as one of the most beautifully preserved ancient cities in the Word.

 

You will then transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo.  Depart Amman on MS 702 at 19H35, arriving in Cairo at 21H05.  You will remain in transit until your flight departs to Johannesburg.

 

DAY 6

Depart Cairo on flight MS 839 at 01H40, arriving in Johannesburg at 09H55.

 

TURKEY EXTENSION

Why not extend your tour and visit vibrant Istanbul for 4 nights.  This extension will cost in the region of Euro ? per person for the land arrangements and about R2 500 per person for the extra flights and taxes to Istanbul (this flight price is only applicable for passengers flying from South Africa on Egypt Air).  The single supplement will be Euro ?.  The final price will depend on the number of people travelling together.  Please contact Kim for further details.

 

CONTACT DETAILS

If the mysteries of Egypt, its Pharaohs and Pyramids fascinate you contact: Kim Lings on 083 630 7926, 011 788 3823, kim@nile.co.za. www.nile.co.za

 

“One wonders that people come back from Egypt and live lives as they did before.”  Florence Nightingale