NILE CRUISE, THE SIWA OASIS& ANCIENT EGYPT 2009
NILE CRUISE, THE SIWA OASIS
Sat.
Nov. 21:
Welcome to Cairo, Egypt! Our
historic hotel is on the Corniche el-Nil which follows the East bank of the
Nile, and is mentioned in the opening pages of Anne Rice’s The Mummy.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Sun.
Nov. 22:
Today we can relax and perhaps spend the afternoon at the Egyptian
Museum; a short walk from our hotel, it houses some of the most famous
antiquities of ancient Egypt, including treasures from the tomb of the boy king
Tutankhamun. This evening you will
want to visit Kahn el Khalili, the largest bazaar in the Middle East; a vast
labyrinth of shops filled with exotic treasures beyond your imagination. Have dinner at the gourmet restaurant at its very center.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Mon.
Nov. 23:
DEPART CAIRO, FLIGHT TO LUXOR.
Transport to the Nile. Board
our floating palace; rated 5-star Deluxe, it is one of the most luxurious boats
that ply the Nile. It is fully
air-conditioned. Each one has a
private bathroom, shower, TV, large picture window, mini-bar, and telephone.
Facilities include: laundry, boutique, sundeck, bar, lounge, large dining
room, and swimming pool. All
meals and afternoon tea will be provided.
Abundant international cuisine will be served. All along the way we will explore archeological sites;
Transport, entrance fees and the services of an English-speaking professional
guide will be provided for all such excursions.
There will be shows and entertainment aboard.
Today, we will visit the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor: Vast
and magnificent, they are two of the most important antiquities in Egypt. This
evening you should see the impressive sound & light show at the Temple of
Karnak.
PORT: (LUXOR)
Tues.
Nov. 24:
Cross to the West Bank; visit the Valley of the Kings (the discovery of
even more levels of tombs has been made in recent years): the Valley of the
Queens; el Deir; el Bahari; and the Memnon Collosei.
Sail to Esna.
PORT: (ESNA)
Wed.
Nov. 25:
Sail to Edfu, going through the lock on the way.
Visit the Temple of Edfu. Sail
to Kom Ombu. Tonight, there will
be a wonderful party on board: a belly dancer, live music and surprise
festivities; with all passengers dressed in an array of galabeyas and harem
costumes!
PORT: (KOM OMBU)
Thurs.
Nov. 26: (Thanksgiving Day, USA) This morning we will visit Kom Ombu Temple, and early treasure filled
with
a wealth of sophisticated archaeological detail, remarkably well preserved.
Sail to Aswan. In the
afternoon, we will visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisque and the Philae
Temple. You will want to visit
“The Cataracts”, the wonderful Victorian hotel made famous by Agatha
Christie’s Death on the Nile.
We will have a festive Thanksgiving dinner on board.
PORT: (ASWAN)
Fri.
Nov. 27:
This morning we will sail the beautiful surrounding islands in fellucas
(native sailboats). There
will be an opportunity to ride camels out into the desert, quite an experience!
DEPART ASWAN, FLIGHT TO CAIRO.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Sat.
Nov. 28:
Private transport and the services of a professional, English-speaking
guide will be provided to visit the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx; then on to
see Saqqara and the step pyramid of Zoser.
There are numerous tombs and mastabas in this area, including the obscure
Serapeum where the Sacred Bulls of Apis were mummified and buried.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Sun.
Nov. 29:
This morning we will board our private air-conditioned bus with
driver which will, for the next 4 days, take us on a trip back in time, to a
culture that has hardly been touched by outside influences.
We will travel up the Nile Delta to Alexandria, then follow the
Mediterranean coast past El Alamein; then deep into the desert to the Siwa
Oasis. This lush island of green
(80 miles wide and 250 miles long) is so solitary that its Berber-speaking
inhabitants have preserved their ancient traditions and customs. Although few travelers venture there, we will be staying at a
beautiful, small hotel that is charming. All
breakfasts and dinners will be included at our hotel.
HOTEL: (SIWA OASIS)
Mon.
Nov. 30:
In 331 BC, Alexander the Great led a trek to Siwa for the Oracle of the
Temple of Amun to confirm him as the son of Zeus.
Apart from another Greek visitor in 160 AD, the people of this oasis did
not see another European for over 1,600 years!
It is truly a paradise for us to explore; with more than 200,000 palm
trees, 50,000 olive trees and more than 300 freshwater springs and streams.
There is an amazing variety of bird life.
A thrilling Jeep safari, far out onto the desert; forging up and
plunging down huge dunes, will be provided.
You will be able to barter directly with the people for Bedouin
carpets, jewelry, camel blankets, knives and other handmade crafts that cannot
be found elsewhere.
HOTEL: (SIWA OASIS)
Tues.
Dec. 1:
Today we can explore the ruins of the Temple Amun, built between 663 and
525 BC; the Hill of the Dead with its many tombs, many of which have not been
excavated (“…there seem to be pieces of mummies and mummy cloth all over the
place.”); and cross a narrow causeway to an island surrounded by a salt lake.
HOTEL: (SIWA OASIS)
Wed.
Dec. 2:
We will drive to Alexandria where we will visit its famous, recently
completed library. It is the largest in the world; equipped with
state-of-the-art technology that is astounding.
HOTEL: (ALEXANDRIA)
Thurs.
Dec. 3:
We will depart Alexandria for a leisurely drive back to Cairo. you will want to explore Cairo, in particular the old
Islamic area, the Citadel of Mohamed Ali and The City of the Dead. Have dinner
at the Marriott Zamalek, the palatial favorite of the ruling elite of the Arab
world.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Fri.
Dec. 4:
Relax and do that last-day shopping; return to the bazaar to buy more
of those inexpensive ornate glass perfume bottles that cost a fortune at the Bal
Harbor; and that handmade six-string oud for him.
Have a sunset dinner overlooking the Nile.
HOTEL: (CAIRO)
Total cost of $2,940.00 per person, double occupancy, INCLUDES CAIRO – LUXOR AND ASWAN – CAIRO FLIGHTS; all hotel stays; transfers, cruise accommodations aboard a 5-star Deluxe boat (including all meals, surface transportation and entrance fees to the archaeological sites; and the services of an English speaking professional guide); private guided tour of the pyramids at Giza, the Sphinx, Saquara and Zoser; all breakfasts and dinners at Siwa; desert Jeep safari; and private transport each day during the trip to the Siwa Oasis and Alexandria.
A non-refundable payment of $1,470.00, payable to W.S. DONAHOO and received at:
is required for a reservation.
AVAILABLE SPACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED TO 14 PARTICIPANTS ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS, UPON RECEIPT OF INITIAL PAYMENTS.
ALL PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE; Payments are not transferable to other passengers nor other trips. Credit cards are not accepted.
Final payments will be due in August 2009. Failure to pay on time will result in the cancellation of your reservation and forfeiture of your initial payment.
Items in italics are not included, but are suggestions based on location and time available. International flights, visa fees and related costs, taxes at foreign airports, porterage, and gratuities are not included.
Passports, valid for 6 months after the end of this trip, will be required.
Buz Donahoo, Condor
Adventures
Post Office Box 3415
Winter Park, FL 32790, USA
Tel/Fax (407) 645-0490
buz@condoradventures.com