CENTRAL HOLIDAYS - EGYPT

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17 For more information, call: 800-935-5000 or visit:
Sonesta Dahabeya
INCLUDED FEATURES
•Hotel accommodation for 4 nights
•7 nights on board a Nile River Dahabeya
•27 included meals consisting of:
- 11 buffet breakfasts
- 9 lunches
- 7 dinners
•Sightseeing, including licensed Egyptologist and all entrance fees,
as follows:
- Cairo tour including: Pyramids, Sphinx, Solar Boat
Museum, Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo, and
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
- Nile Cruise sightseeing including: Aswan, Kom Ombo,
Edfu, Esna and Luxor
•All transfers and luggage handling within Egypt
•All hotel taxes and service charges
•Document holder and luggage tags
DAY 1 I THU I CAIRO Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met by our
representative at the airport after clearing customs. They will escort you from
the airport to your hotel to check-in. The afternoon and evening is at leisure
or enjoy an optional Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids.
DAY 2 I FRI ICAIRO After breakfast, visit the Pyramids of Giza, the main part
of a complex setting of buildings that included twomortuary temples in honor
of Khufu, three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite"
pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small Mastaba
tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles. One of the small pyramids
contains the tomb of queen Hetepheres, sister and wife of Snefru and the
mother of Khufu. Visit the Solar Boat Museum at the base of the Pyramid of
Cheops. See the Sphinx, with the head of a man and the body of a lion. Enjoy
lunch at Mena House then continue to Sakkara, where you will see the
famous Step Pyramid. At the site of Memphis, you will see the ancient capital
that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs.
(B,L)
DAY 3 I SATI CAIRO I LUXOR This morning, transfer to Cairo Airport following
breakfast at your hotel. Depart for Luxor where you will board a Dahabeya for
a relaxing week of sailing the Nile River. These sailboats were common in the
days of the monarchy (1920s-40s) when aristocrats and sophisticated
travelers enjoyed cruising along the Nile in style. The boats were rented for
weeks at a time, andmade their way from temple to temple enjoying the river
breeze. These vessels featured four to ten cabins, bathrooms, and a host of
servants. Today they have been renewed with modern comforts and
conveniences. Enjoy lunch on the boat before an excursion to visit the
magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak. Next, explore the
hypostyle hall of 137 columns and the imposing Dynasty Luxor Temple. This
evening we stay moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 I SUN ILUXOR I ESNA After breakfast, head out to visit the West Bank,
home to the burial places of the Pharoahs – the Valley of the Kings – where
Howard Carter discovered the famed tomb of King Tutankhamen in 1922. In
the adjacent valley – the Valley of the Queens – explore the Mortuary Temple
of Ramses III at Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon consisting of two
massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Your guide will explain the
symbols and their meanings throughout the hieroglyphs scrawled across
these temples. Learn how the ancient Egyptians thrived and built these
massive structures. In the afternoon, sail to the city of Esna (also referred to
as Letopolis or Lato) known for its vast shopping markets and excavated
temples. We moor here for the evening. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 I MONI ESNAI EDFU This glorious day will be enjoyed sailing fromEsna
to Edfu. Take advantage of the wonderful Egyptian vistas as we glide along
the Nile. Sunbathe on the top deck or sit in a comfortable rattan chair as you
experience the Nile’s beauty in an intimate and privileged setting. Cocktails
and meals will be served as we sail. This evening we will moor alongside a
Nile island before porting in Edfu. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 I TUEI EDFU Enjoy breakfast on board before departing to explore the
city of Edfu and its famed temple on the Nile’s west bank. The Temple of
Horus at Edfu was built between 237 and 57 BC under the reign of Cleopatra
VII. Built of sandstone blocks, it faces the river with the remains of the ancient
settlement of Edfu located just to the west. A guide will take you on a full day
tour sharing the history of the temple and surrounding area. This evening we
moor beside a Nile island. (B,L,D)
DAY 7 I WED I EDFU I KOM OMBO Today is another captivating day to enjoy
the breeze as you continue your adventure on the Nile, sailing from Edfu to
KomOmbo, an agricultural town famous for its temple. Enjoy meals on board
as we use the wind to sail to our destination. The Dahabeya uses engines as
needed when the wind is not sufficient, and a generator provides power.
Soak in the Egyptian sun and take beautiful photos as we pass monuments,
cities and other beautiful sights. (B,L,D)
DAY 8 I THUI KOMOMBO IASWAN KomOmbo beckons today! This site was
originally an Egyptian city called Nubt (meaning City of Gold). During the
Greco-Roman period it became a Greek settlement and had control over
trade routes. The city is most popular for its Temple of KomOmbo built during
the Ptolemaic dynasty of 180-47 BC. It is especially unique because it is
actually a double temple, meaning there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and
rooms built for two sets of gods in one location. The southern half of the
temple is dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek, god of fertility and creator of
the world with Hathor and Khonsu. The northern half of the temple is
dedicated to the falcon god, Horus the Elder, Tasenetnofret and Panebtawy.
Tour the temple and its surroundings before boarding the river vessel towards
Aswan. (B L D)
DAY 9 I FRI I ASWAN This morning get ready for a day of exploration with
breakfast on board before disembarking for a tour of Aswan, a city in the
south of Egypt on the east bank of the Nile. Visit the Aswan High Dam,
completed in 1971 and the Old Dam, completed in 1902. The dams are
important for controlling floods, providing water for irrigation, and generating
hydroelectricity. Before the dams, the Nile would flood in the late summer
every year and would sometimes wipe out entire crops. We will also visit the
PREFERRED HOTELS (or similar)
City Nts. Hotel
Cairo 2 Four Seasons Plaza
Nile Cruise 7 Sonesta Dahabeya
Cairo 2 Four Seasons Plaza
2019 DATES & PRICING
THURSDAY ARRIVALS
Dates From Prices
January 1 to April 30 $4,399
May 1 to August 31 $3,399
September 1 to December 31 $4,599
Christmas Week $5,699
From prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Extra nights and single
occupancy are available upon request. Rates are not valid during certain holidays
and blackout periods.
island of Philae, located in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam, and its
temple of Isis which is part of a UNESCO Nubia Heritage Campaign
project to preserve and protect it. (B,L,D)
DAY 10 I SAT I ASWAN I CAIRO After breakfast on board, our
representatives will escort you to Aswan Airport for a departure flight to
Cairo. You will be met at Cairo Airport and escorted to your hotel. (B)
DAY 11 ISUN I CAIRO Today we will step out into the cosmopolitan city of
Cairo for more exploring. Shop Egypt’s largest bazaar, Khan El Khalili,
where you can haggle for Egyptian treasures to take home. Visit the
Citadel of Salah El Din and the Mohamed Ali Mosque. You will also get a
special tour of the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities where you can see
replicas of Pharaonic Era treasures and items from King Tutankhamen’s
tomb. We will visit many of the city’s major highlights today and enjoy your
final day of the Egyptian experience. (B,L)
DAY 12 I MON I CAIRO TO USA (OR EXTEND YOUR STAY) Our
representatives will escort you to Cairo International Airport today
for your return flight home. (B)
(B) Breakfast - (L) Lunch - (D) Dinner