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Grand Tour of Egypt
Sail through 5-thousand years of history on this 12-day Cruise & Tour vacation. After guided sightseeing in Cairo, you'll visit the Sphinx, the Great Pyramids, and the seaport of Alexandria. Next, travel to Memphis to admire the 40-foot statue of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx before flying to Luxor. There you'll board the elegant Royal Lotus for a 3-night cruise on the legendary Nile River. Sightseeing includes the stunning monuments of Karnak, the Valley of Kings and Valley of Queens, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, and the Temple of Horus in Edfu by way of horse-drawn carriage. Sail to Aswan, where you'll see the turn-of-the-century Old Dam, take a boat to the Temple of Isis, and enjoy a felucca ride across the blue waters of the Nile. Your unforgettable vacation ends in Cairo.
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| Call (630) 879-2930 for more information or to book today! Mention code 6528773 | | Globus | | | | Day | Destination | Description | | Day 1 | Depart | (Mon.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. | | Day 2 | Cairo | (Tue.) A welcome drink awaits you at your hotel; settle in and start soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city. | | Day 3 | Cairo | (Wed.) Meet your Egyptologist and traveling companions at 8 a.m. Then a leisurely day of sightseeing in and around Africa's largest metropolis starts at the EGYPTIAN MUSEUM with Tutankhamon's fabulous treasures, an exciting first encounter with the splendor of three millennia of Egyptian civilization. On to GIZA for a close-up look at the enigmatic SPHINX and the daunting Great Pyramids . Cheops, with an original height of 496 feet, is the most colossal pyramid ever built. A suggestion for tonight: return to Giza to enjoy the optional sound and light show. (BB) | | Day 4 | Cairo | (Thu.) A pleasant drive through the fertile Nile Delta to the seaport of Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C., this Mediterranean port city soon became one of the major centers of commerce and science of the Hellenistic world. Your sightseeing features the GRECO-ROMAN MUSEUM, Pompey's massive red granite pillar, and the intriguingly decorated CATACOMBS. Before making your way back to Cairo, stroll through the narrow lanes of the ancient city. (BB,L) | | Day 5 | Luxor | (Fri.) Depart Cairo for ancient MEMPHIS, where you'll admire the 40-foot statue of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. On to SAKK ARA'S "stairway to the sky," the oldest of all pyramids. Later, transfer to the airport for your 300-mile flight up the Nile Valley to Luxor. (BB,D) | | Day 6 | Luxor | (Embarkation) (Sat.) After a morning at leisure, board your elegant river cruise vessel in time for lunch. This afternoon, look forward to a grand start to sightseeing in the Nile Valley. See the stunning monuments of LUXOR and KARNAK, the greatest cities of ancient Egypt that had a combined population of more than one million. To walk among the pillars of the colossal TEMPLE OF AMON RA and along the AVENUE OF THE SPHINXES is an experience you will treasure the rest of your life. Tonight, consider taking in the optional sound and light show at Karnak. (BB,L,D) | | Day 7 | Edfu | (Sun.) Focus on the VALLEY OF KINGS and VALLEY OF QUEENS on the west bank of the Nile, where generations of pharaohs and nobles were buried in great splendor in crypts cut into the cliffs. Sixty-two royal tombs have been uncovered so far, of which only the tomb of Tutankhamon was nearly inviolate when discovered in 1922. Visit DEIR EL-BAHARI, Queen Hatshepsut's monumental rock temple. Stop for pictures at the two COLOSSI OF MEMNON guarding the valleys. This afternoon, start your leisurely cruise up Egypt's river of destiny. During the hottest part of the day sip a drink on the sun deck of your cruise boat and savor the panorama. See white-clad farmers with their donkeys, camels, and water buffaloes work lush, green fields; and ever present on the horizon beyond the palm trees is the desert. (FB,L,D) | | Day 8 | Kom Ombo | (Mon.) Board a horse-drawn carriage for the drive through Edfu to the TEMPLE OF HORUS with its menacing black stone statue of the falcon god. Built in the time of Cleopatra about 2,000 years ago, it is recent by Old Egyptian standards and beautifully preserved. After lunch, dock at KOM OMBO for a short walk to its bluff-top temple dedicated to the crocodile and falcon gods. Haggle for bargains in the local market before returning to the boat and sailing toward Aswan. (FB,L,D) | | Day 9 | Aswan | (Disembarkation) (Tue.) After breakfast on board, disembark and check into your hotel in Aswan. An included excursion takes you to the turn-of-the-century Old Dam - to this day the widest dam in the world - and the gigantic Aswan High Dam , completed in 1970. Board a motor launch to the island of Agil Ika between the two dams and visit the TEMPLE OF ISIS, transplanted from the submerged island of Philae. Stop at the ancient GRANITE QUARRIES to see the famous unfinished obelisk. Spend the day at leisure to enjoy this lovely resort town at your own pace. (FB,D) | | Day 10 | Aswan | (Wed.) A free morning lets you catch up on postcard writing and shopping - or take an optional flight (weather permitting; approximately US$190) to the huge sandstone temples of Abu Simbel. A special treat this afternoon: board a felucca and sail right across the blue waters of the river. En route, see the ancient "nilometer" on Elephantine Island, Kitchener Island's lush BOTANICAL GARDENS, and the splendid Aga Khan Mausoleum on the left bank. (BB,D) | | Day 11 | Cairo | (Thu.) Fly from Aswan back to Cairo. There's time this afternoon for independent activities or to join an optional excursion to walled Old Cairo, with Saladin's 12th-century Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, and the labyrinthine bazaar. And how about our optional dinner cruise on the Nile River tonight to celebrate the success of your Egyptian touring adventure? (BB) | | Day 12 | Homebound Flight | (Fri.) Homebound flight. (BB) |
| | | CAIRO Oberoi Mena House Garden (D) | | LUXOR Movenpick Jolie Ville (SF) | | ASWAN Elephantine Island Resort (SF) | | CAIRO Heliopolis (D) |
| US$ Price Details
Applicable air fare taxes and feesSupplement for single room on land and single stateroom on cruise: $628 (0108-0429); $434 (0506-0923); $628 (0930-0310). Extra nights per person in Cairo:
in single room $205; in twin room $130 2009 departures are subject to itinerary and price modification.
Our volume buying power saves you money!
-We may be able to provide you with flight arrangements from your gateway city.
-Additional accommodations before or after your tour may be available at our low prices. Departure/arrival taxes and fares from other cities will be advised at the time of booking. Price Guarantee: All vacation prices are based on rates (including foreign exchange rates) expected to be in effect at the time of departure. Prices are subject to increase without notice if such rates change prior to departure. The current price will be confirmed at the time of reservation. However, once Globus has received your deposit for any vacation departing during the current year, that land price is guaranteed, and any subsequent land cost increases are at our expense, not including any government tax increases. Airfares included as part of air-inclusive vacation prices are guaranteed when we receive confirmation of air itinerary and full payment. Vacation prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Single room supplements and triple room reductions may be applicable. Not included in the tour price: Federal Inspection Fees for the U.S. Customs and immigration; International Air Transportation Tax; agricultural tax; any other taxes; security fee; airport taxes and fees; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your tour director; tour host; tour driver; local city guides; gratuities on ferries, trains and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; mini bar; alcohol; beverages and food not on the regular table d'hote menu (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel or restaurant); optional excursions; porterage at airports; travel protection; excess baggage fees; all other items of a personal nature. |
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