EGYPT
Enjoy some of the most famous temples and monuments in the world.
DISCOVER ANCIENT EYGPT
If this is your first trip to Egypt, we recommend this "Discover Ancient Egypt" package. Five nights accommodation at a 5-star hotel in Cairo, four night/five day 5-star Nile Cruise, escorted by an English-speaking licensed Egyptologist gives you the best experience in Egypt!
Guided tours including transportation and all entry fees to these exciting
attractions and more!:
Great Pyramids of Giza
The Great Sphinx of Giza
Step Pyramid in Sakkara
Colossus of Ramses in Memphis
Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
Luxor Temple
Karnak Temple
Valley of the Kings
The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
The Colossi of Memnon
Edfu Temple
Kom Ombo Temple
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN EGYPT
COST & PAYMENTS
The cost of this trip is $2,349 per person, based on double occupancy.
This does NOT include airfare to and from Egypt.
Single supplement is $630.
Your space will be secured when we receive a deposit of $250.
Upon receipt, 50% of the deposit paid is nonrefundable.
The balance is due by three months before your departure.
CANCELLATION & REFUNDS
In the event that you need to cancel your trip, these fees will be applied:
Within 100-61 days of travel: Full deposit.
Within 60 and 46 days of travel: 50% of tour price.
Within 45 and 31 days of travel: 75% of tour price.
Within 30 and 1 days of travel: 100% of tour price.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
HOTEL
Five nights in 5-star Cairo hotel
NILE CRUISE
Four night Nile cruise on a 5-star deluxe boat
MEALS
All meals, including bottled water and soft drinks
TOURS
All tours provided by an English-speaking licensed Egyptologist
ADMISSIONS
Entrance fees to all sights
GROUND
TRANSPORATION
All transportation, in modern air conditioned vehicles, with free beverages and Wi-Fi on board
AIRPORT
TRANSFERS
We'll pick you up at the Cairo airport when you arrive, and bring you to your hotel. When it's time for you to leave, we'll bring you from your hotel back to the airport
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Domestic flights in Egypt to/from Nile cruise
DAILY TIPS
Daily tips to drivers, porters, airport agents, restaurant and cruise staff (all but to tour guides)
COME BACK TO EGYPT!
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
We are very excited to announce a new 11-night tour designed for our guests who have already visited Egypt, or those who prefer a more upscale tour off the beaten path.
We’ve planned wonderful experiences like a cruise on a luxurious sailing dahabiya with just eight cabins. We’ve added a tour of the rarely seen tomb of Queen Nefetari, which because of its exquisite paintings is called the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt. We'll spend the night at an authentic Nubian Lodge on the banks of Lake Nasser, just a mile from Abu Simbel, where we'll watch the nighttime sound and light show. And we'll visit the newly opened Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor; the medieval architectural treasures on El Moez Street in Old Cairo; and the Nubian Village in Aswan. We'll still visit the most important sites in Egypt - the pyramids and sphinx, Karnak and Luxor Temples, the Valley of the Kings, and many more. We invite you to join us on the premiere of this extraordinary tour! Maximum of 14 guests.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN EGYPT
Dahabiya Cruise
Imagine gliding along the Nile in a beautifully appointed sailing yacht with only eight cabins, eating gourmet meals on deck by candlelight, and exploring small villages, islands, and ruins where larger cruise ships can't go. Called dahabiyas, they are two-masted boats with no engines, completely dependent on the wind and river, and were the traditional method of travel for royals.
You'll revisit the famous temples in Edfu and Kom Ombo, but you'll also get to explore El Kab, the ancient city of Nekheb with Old Kingdom temples and tombs; and Gebel el Silsila, where the cliffs on both sides close to the narrowest point along the Nile. We'll explore the Egyptian countryside, visiting secluded picturesque spots and farms, and have lots of chances to interact with local people. And we'll dine like royalty. The chef creates amazing meals using fresh supplies delivered each morning from local markets and farmers along the river. When conditions allow, we may dine under the stars at a beautiful spot on the banks of the Nile.
The Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt
The tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens are amazing. But the most exquisite is the tomb of Queen Nefertari, most beloved wife of Ramses the Great. The real wow factor is more than 5,200 square feet of stunning paintings, earning it the nickname the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt. Most visitors in Egypt don’t get to see this amazing sight because access has been highly restricted to preserve the delicate paintings since its 1904 discovery. When it first opened, the infiltration of water and salt from the porous limestone and the humidity from visitors’ breath caused the paintings to deteriorate, so it was closed to the public for decades. It was opened starting in 2006 for private tours at a cost of $3,000. It recently opened to individual visitors at a cost of about $100 a person. The paintings tell of the ceremonies after Nefertari’s death. On the door of her burial chamber, we see Nefertari reborn from the eastern horizon as a sun disc, forever immortalized in victory over the world of darkness. We are extremely privileged to be able to visit this extraordinary national treasure.
Overnight at Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel is generally considered the grandest and most beautiful temple in Egypt. Most visitors see it around sunrise, with hundreds of other tourists. But it is magical at night with no crowds, when a sound and light show provides a journey back in time to the pharaohs’ era. The enchanting music and vibrant lights depict how this temple originally looked, and tells of its fascinating history.
We’ll stay overnight at a charming Nubian lodge on the shores of Lake Nasser, just a mile from the monument. The hotel was built using natural materials such as Nile mud bricks. With a maximum capacity of 16 guests, Eskaleh Nubian House provides warm service in a relaxing, natural and warm atmosphere. Eskaleh also offers a restaurant, a lounge and accommodations with a balcony.
"The Path of God"
In November 2021, the 3,000-year-old Avenue of Sphinxes, which connects the Temples of Luxor and Karnak, was opened to the public following more than seven decades of excavation efforts. It is nearly two miles long and 250 feet wide, lined on either side by more than 600 ram-headed statues and traditional sphinxes. The ancient walkway, once named the "Path of God," was buried under sand for centuries. In 1949, Egyptian archaeologist Zakaria Ghineim discovered the first eight sphinx statues in front of Luxor Temple. Seventeen more statues were uncovered from 1958 to 1961, and another 55 were unearthed from 1961 to 1964. The entire route of the walkway was finally determined by 2000, leaving it to excavators to uncover the road over the last 20 years. The Avenue of Sphinxes was built to celebrate the annual Opet Festival in the ancient city of Thebes, now known as Luxor. The festival promoted fertility and included a procession that carried statues of ceremonial gods from Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple.
Medieval Architectural Treasures
El Moez Street, a lively pedestrian street in Old Cairo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world.
It runs between two massive gates in the original stone city wall, built in the 11th century when Cairo was founded. With slits for arrows and shafts for pouring boiling oil on attackers, the gates stood to protect the ancient city from invaders more than 1,000 years ago.
Wandering the meandering alleyways and discovering magnificent mosques, fine old houses and palaces, cafes and restaurants, and tentmaker’s market is a treat for locals and visitors alike.
What About the Grand Egyptian Museum?
As of this date, the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is still under construction adjacent to the Pyramids. The foundation stone for the GEM was laid in 2002, and the museum was originally scheduled to be completed in 2013. Construction delays and the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the opening to be pushed back several times, from 2013 to 2018 to 2020 and 2021. The most current estimate for its opening is the last half of 2022.
When opened, the GEM will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. It will house 18,000 artifacts of ancient Egypt, including the complete 5,000-piece King Tut collection with many pieces being displayed for the very first time.
We are all anxious to see the spectacular new museum.
As soon as it is open to guests, we will include visits there in this itinerary.
COST & PAYMENTS
The cost of this trip is $3,995 per person, based on double occupancy.
This does NOT include airfare to and from Egypt.
Single supplement is $1,900.
Your space will be secured when we receive a deposit of $500.
Upon receipt, 50% of the deposit paid is nonrefundable.
The balance is due by two months before your departure.
CANCELLATION & REFUNDS
In the event that you need to cancel your trip, these fees will be applied:
Within 100-61 days of travel: Full deposit.
Within 60 and 46 days of travel: 50% of tour price.
Within 45 and 31 days of travel: 75% of tour price.
Within 30 and 1 days of travel: 100% of tour price.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
HOTEL
Seven nights in 5-star hotels; four in Cairo; one night in Luxor; one night in Aswan; and one night in Abu Simbel
NILE CRUISE
Four nights on a 5-star deluxe Dahabiya
MEALS
All meals, including bottled water
TOURS
All tours provided by an English-speaking licensed Egyptologist
ADMISSIONS
Entrance fees to all sights, including the Tombs of Nefertari and King Tut, and the Sound and Light Show at Abu Simbel
GROUND
TRANSPORATION
All transportation, in modern air conditioned vehicles, with free beverages and Wi-Fi on board
AIRPORT
TRANSFERS
We'll pick you up at the Cairo airport when you arrive, and bring you to your hotel. When it's time for you to leave, we'll bring you from your hotel back to the airport
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Domestic flights in Egypt to/from Nile cruise; including airport transfers
