Soul Of Egypt Presents

Transcription

1 Soul Of Egypt Presents Egypt Treasures Days - 18 Nights Led By: Mr. Gamal Darwish

2 Day 1: 01 st October 19 -Arrival Cairo, "Ahlan Wa Sahlan"! Arrival at Cairo International airport; our friendly rep. will be waiting for you! Claim your luggage and he will escort you while your included transfer to your luxury hotel. Meals: NA / Overnight: Marriott Mena House Hotel or similar Day 2: 02 nd of October - Visit Sakkara Overnight Cairo Enjoy your luxury breakfast, meet up with your passionate Egyptologist-tour guide; who will start briefing you about your included activities during the coming days. Today we will take you for an incredible visit to Sakkara; located south of modern Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile River, and covers an area over 6 km long and more than 1.5 km wide. It was once part of a larger system of cemeteries that spanned the modern sites of Giza, Abusir, and Dahshur. The area was first used as a necropolis during the 1st Dynasty, and continued to be used for burials for the next 3,000 years. This site also became a center for animal cults from the Late Period (ca BC) onward, and ibises, falcons, baboons, cats, dogs, and bulls were interred here in special cemeteries. Stopover for lunch, perfect timing to try Egyptian food. Meals: Breakfast at hotel / Overnight: Marriott Mena House Hotel.

3 Day 3: 03 rd Of October - Private Visit Giza Great Pyramids Fly to Luxor Today we will have a special experience during the private visit to the Great Pyramid. Meet up with your Egyptologist-tour guide; located on the West bank of the Nile; Giza Plateau is home to the Three Great Pyramids and their Guardian Sphinx. Considered to be the only remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramid complex stands on the Giza plateau and rises from the desert as a bonfire of strength, inspiration, history & loads of mystery. The Sphinx stands there guarding the Plateau with a body of a lion and head of a human being that comes from a great wisdom that the protectors of the Land should enjoy the wisdom of men and physical power of the lion king! Afternoon transfer to Cairo airport for the flight to Luxor, it takes almost one hour, upon arrival you will get a smooth check-in at your hotel. Meals: Breakfast at hotel / Overnight: Sonesta ST. George or similar in Luxor

4 Day 4: 04 th of October - "Visit Karnak & Luxor Temples" Board Dahabya for 5 nights After breakfast; we will take you for a tour to Ipt-Rsyt as known in the new kingdom, "Luxor Temple"! Al Aksur in Arabic; which means the Palaces! Temple has located anciently in the Capital of Egypt Thebes situated on the Eastern Bank of the Nile & dedicated to the king Amon-Ra. It has always been a sacred sight, majestically standing as a remembrance to the ancient Egyptian civilization. It has an amazing entrance Pylon built by king Ramses II; anciently; the entrance of that complex was exclusively for the Pharaohs, priests and some of the official s ones. Now it is one of the top visited sights in Egypt. On the same bank of the Nile "East Bank"; we will visit "Karnak Temples" This gigantic temple complex & the largest ancient religious site in the world. A large religious center consisting of temples, chapels, obelisks, sanctuaries, the sacred lake and the impressive Hypostyle Hall of 134 enormous column. Meals: Breakfast at hotel / Overnight: On board Dahabya

5 Day 5: 05 th of October - West Bank in Luxor Overnight on board Breakfast on board, followed by a Guided tour at the West Bank of The Nile River "Deir El Bahari funerary temple Hatshepsut Temple" one of the greatest Egyptian architectural achievements. Designed by Senenmut (Hatshepsut s steward and architect), this mortuary temple closely resembles the classical Greek architecture of 1,000 years later. Located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), Hatshepsut s temple is part of the Theban Necropolis. Built in a half circle of cliffs, this memorial temple marks the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. Djeser Djeseru (holy of holiest) is the name of the main building of the temple of Hatshepsut. Visit "The Valley of The Kings", considered as the royal cemetery with 64 tomb, and is located on the west bank at Luxor. The only entrance to this place was a long narrow winding path. This was a secret place, where sentries were placed at the entrance of the Valley, as well as along the top of the hills, in the hopes of discouraging tomb robbers, who had in the past plundered all royal tombs, including the treasures of the Pyramids. Finally, we will visit "The Valley of the Queens" A rare location, which has been carefully chosen as to protect the tombs from over pouring of the water from the rock cleft. The Valley holds like 80 of the tombs for the Princesses, Queens and higher category of officials in the New Kingdom. Many of the tombs, sadly have been a robbery victim. Sail to Edfu via Esna. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner / Overnight: On board Dahabya

6 Day 6: 06 th of October - Edfu Temple - Overnight on board Visit to "Horus Temple" or Edfu Temple consists of traditional elements of Egyptian Temples of the New Kingdom, together with a few Greek elements, such as the Mamisi, which is situated to the west of the main entrance of the Temple (Mamisi means "house of the divine birth"). It consists of an entrance, a court and chapel. The walls of the mamisi are decorated with scenes showing the story of the divine birth of Horus the child, in the presence of the Goddess Hathor, the God Khenoum and other deities who were concerned with pregnancy and birthday is leisurely free, enjoy the spectacular views, and relax on the sundeck to soak up the golden rays of the Sun shining all over. Sail to Kom Ombo. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board - Overnight on board. Day 7: 07 th of October - Visit Kom Ombo Temple Overnight on board Today will head to "Kom Ombo Temple or Sobek Temple" which is well known for its perfect symmetry, Temple of Kom Ombo nestles on a jutting headland overlooking the Nile. Commissioned by Ptolemy VI in the 1st century BCE, the structure was later expanded by other rulers, then largely fell into decay before French archaeologists restored it in the late 19th century. Inspect the detailed friezes and hieroglyphs on the walls of the temple, dedicated to gods Horus and Sobek, or view the hundreds of preserved crocodile mummies displayed at the onsite museum. After this magnificent trip; will head back to board the cruise for overnight. Sail to Aswan. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board - Overnight on board.

7 Day 8: 08th of October - High Dam, Philae Temple & Felucca ride Overnight on board Enjoy breakfast on board & a guided day trip in Aswan, visit the "The High Dam" one of the greatest Egyptian modern projects, started in 1960 and was completed in 1968 & officially inaugurated in The dam was constructed to regulate the flow of the river, which serves the whole of Egypt. Visit "Philae Temple" or as known "The Temple of Goddess Isis, it was mainly built to honor the goddess Isis, this was the last temple built in the classical Egyptian style. Construction began around 690 BC, and it was one of the last outposts where the goddess was worshipped. Afternoon Felucca ride & overnight on board in Aswan. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board - Overnight on board.

8 Day 9: 09 th of October -"The massive cut Temples of Abu Simbel" Overnight at hotel in "Abu Simbel" Enjoy breakfast on board, disembarkation & a new adventure is just about to start! Will take you for a 3 hours trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel to visit the "The massive cut Temples of Abu Simbel", complex, originally cut into a solid rock cliff, in southern Egypt and located at the second cataract of the Nile River. The two temples which comprise the site (The Great Temple and The Small Temple) were created during the reign of Ramesses II (c c BCE) either between BCE or BCE. The discrepancy in the dates is due to differing interpretations of the life of Ramesses II by modern day scholars. It is certain, based upon the extensive art work throughout the interior of the Great Temple, that the structures were created, at least in part, to celebrate Ramesses' victory over the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BCE. Meals: Breakfast on board - Overnight at hotel in Abu Simbel.

9 Day 10: 10 th of October - Fly back to Cairo Day free at leisure - Overnight at hotel in Cairo Transfer Abu Simbel / Aswan we will have an afternoon flight back to Cairo. Arrival and transfer to your chosen hotel for overnight. Day free at your disposal. Meals: Breakfast - Overnight at hotel in Cairo, "Four Seasons or similar" Day 11: 11 th of October - The Egyptian Museum - Overnight at hotel in Cairo Breakfast & visit "The Egyptian Museum" holding the world's most extensive collection of Pharaonic antiquities; no visit to Egypt is complete without a trip through its galleries. The original collection was established in the late 19th century under Auguste Mariette and housed in Boulaq. The objects were moved in 1891 to the palace of Ismail Pasha in Giza before being transferred in 1902 to the current building at Tahrir Square, which is the first purpose-built museum edifice in the world. Designed in the Neoclassical style by Marcel Dourgnon, the Egyptian Museum boasts 107 halls filled with artifacts dating from the prehistoric through the Roman periods, with the majority of the collection focused on the Pharaonic era. The museum houses approximately 160,000 objects covering 5,000 years of Egypt's past, transfer back to your hotel in Cairo for overnight Meals: Breakfast at hotel - Overnight hotel in Cairo

10 Day 12:12 th of October - Islamic & Coptic Cairo - Overnight at hotel in Cairo After breakfast we will head to an enjoyable part of Egypt; an old one yet the most breathtaking portion, we will start our tour with a visit to Sultan Hassan Mosque its actual name is Madrasa and Mosque of Sultan Hassan madarsa is the Egyptian equivalent word to School, dated back to 1362 AD during the Mamlouk Dynasty, build by the Architect Muhammad ibn Bailick al-muhseini, the chief architectural designer of his day, supervised construction of the building. He placed his name after that of the sultan on the inscription band inside the Hanafi Madrasa. This building combines strength and splendor, elegance and beauty, as well as a multiplicity of decoration, will take you to visit Refaii Mosque, represents a turning point in the cultural and political history of Egypt. It looks onto straight boulevards and open squares, two aspects of European city planning introduced during the reign of Muhammad 'Ali. That is not all for today, we will head to the Coptic Portion of Cairo to visit St. Sergius & Bacchus Church" the oldest church in Egypt dating back to the 5th century A.D. The church owes its fame to having been constructed upon the crypt of the Holy Family where they stayed for three weeks during their sojourn in Egypt. Followed by a visit to "The Hanging Church" A unique church and has a wooden roof in the shape of Noah s ark. From the 7 th century to the 13th century, the Hanging Church served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch. Al-Moallaqa has witnessed important elections and religious ceremonies. Then will head to "Ben Ezra Synagogue" The synagogue was a place of pilgrimage for North African Jews and the site of major festival celebrations. The famous medieval rabbi Moses Maimonides worshipped at Ben Ezra synagogue when he lived in Cairo. Numerous restorations and renovations were made over the centuries, and the present building dates from It is a faithful reconstruction of the original, which had collapsed. Stopover for lunch, which will be perfect timing to experience "Typical Egyptian Food", will take you then for a unique walking tour at "Moez Street" deep into the heart of Cairo, considered to be an open museum, you will feel like walking through history, passing by lots of mosques, old schools, gates, this street is having a great story to tell reveal its secrets! Meals: Breakfast at hotel - Overnight hotel in Cairo

11 Day 13: 13 th of October Cairo / Alexandria - Overnight at hotel in Alex. Transfer by one of our air-conditioned vehicles to Alex. (Almost 3 hours' drive), arrival and check in at your hotel. Visit "Qaitbay fortress", laying by the Mediterranean, with an exceptional view, imagine a fortress facing the sea! One of the most amazing spots that you will visit. Rest of the day free at your disposal. Meals: Breakfast, lunch en route - Overnight at hotel in Alex. Helnan Palestine or similar. Day 14: 14 th of October -The Royal Jewelry Museum - Bibliotheca Alexandria - Overnight at hotel in Alex. Breakfast at hotel, visit of "The Royal Jewelry Museum" Housed in a villa that belonged to Queen Farida (married to King Farouk, r ), the Royal Jewelry Museum has a collection of royal jewelry and medals. In addition, it illustrates the excess of the royal lifestyle, with lavish décor, jewel-encrusted garden tools, and a gold chess set. Bibliotheca Alexandria: One of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. It was dedicated to the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts it flourished under the patronage of the Ptolemaic dynasty and functioned as a major center of scholarship from its construction in the 3rd century BC until the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC, with collections of works, lecture halls, meeting rooms, and gardens. The library was part of a larger research institution called the Museum of Alexandria, where many of the most famous thinkers of the ancient world studied. Stopover for lunch & transfer back to hotel for overnight. Meals: Breakfast - Overnight at hotel in Alex.

12 Day 15: 15 th of October - Alex. / Alamien City / Siwa Overnight Siwa Breakfast, followed by a transfer with an AC vehicle to the Western side of Egypt "Siwa", en route we will head to "Alamein City" where you will visit the "World II War Museum" & The War memorial. Will stop over for lunch en route & head to Siwa. Arrival, enjoy the most mysterious of all Egypt's oases, is also the most fascinating. Its history has not only been shaped by all major civilizations, but also by the contrast of the surrounding desert with the lush soil of the oasis setting. The "Siwan" people have their own culture and customs and, as well as speaking Arabic, they speak their own Berber (Amazigh) language. Women still wear traditional costumes and silver jewelers. Siwa remains one of the best places to buy traditional local handicrafts! It is a unique experience that you won't like to miss! Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner - Overnight: Ghaliet Eco lodge Siwa or similar Day 16: 16 th of October - Siwa Visits - Overnight Siwa After breakfast we will visit Alexander the Great Temple (Temple of the Oracle) & the Old City of Shali. Transfer back to the hotel for overnight. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner - Overnight: Hotel in Siwa. Day 17: 17 th of October - Siwa Safari Trip - Overnight Siwa Breakfast, sunrise safari, return back to hotel for lunch. In the afternoon we will start another adventure, driving through the great Sand Sea, and we will explore the different colors and shapes of sand dunes, enjoy the sunset & then enjoy a Bedouin dinner. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner - Overnight: Hotel in Siwa. Day 18: 18 th of October - Siwa / Cairo: After an amazing experience in Siwa Oasis we will have a transfer to Cairo where you can relax, enjoy hotel facilities. Meals: Breakfast - Overnight: Hotel down town Day 19: 19 th of October - Departure Cairo: Enjoy your breakfast, followed by a transfer to Cairo International airport to catch your final flight.

13 Rate per person in double or twin share is USD5,295 (app AUD7,035) Single supplement is USD1,350 (app AUD1,797) to be added to double rate Included Items 2 Nights at hotel in Cairo / Pyramids Area 1 Night at hotel in Luxor 5 nights on board "Private" Dahabya Boat 1 night at hotel in Abu Simbel 3 nights at hotel Cairo / down town area 2 nights at hotel in Alex. 3 nights at hotel in Siwa 1 night at hotel in Cairo / down town Private visit to the Great Pyramid Khufu Pick up transfers Drop off transfers Domestic flight ticket Cairo / Luxor Aswan / Cairo All relevant transfers Entrance fees to the mentioned Sightseeing Private Egyptologist - tour guide in Egypt Unlimited bottled water supply during sightseeing Daily breakfast starting the second day to arrival Breakfast, lunch & dinner meals on board Dahabya Breakfast, lunch & dinner meals at hotel in Siwa Private arrangements throughout Exclusions International flight tickets from / to Australia Entry visa (could be obtained upon arrival against supplement) Meals other than included above. Phone calls, laundry, personnel expenses, optional tours, beverage etc. Entering the Mummies Room at The Egyptian Museum / entry to Nefertari Tomb and / or any unmentioned spot. Tips / travel Insurance / Any unmentioned item.

14 Tipping: It is recommended that the group establish a tipping kitty of AU$270 each to avoid inconvenience of tipping individually during group outing it covers (porters, bus drivers, temple guardians etc) Please Note; the Tour Guide is tipped separately (optional) Suggested Hotel (s) Dahabya Boat Our lodging plan is based on a collection of a very well selected hotel (s) / Boat (s), based on our existence for more than 20 years in tourism field, taking care & handling a variety of tailor-made / private tours. Below hotel (s) / boat rating is based on the local & not the international measurements. Cairo First Stay - 5* Marriott Mena House or similar Cairo Second stay / Third Stay 5* Four Seasons at First Residence or similar Luxor - Upper Egypt 5* Sonesta St. George - Steigenberger Nile Palace or similar Dahabeya Private boat Alexandria 5* Helnan Palestine or similar Siwa 4* Ghaliet Eco-lodge or similar "Enjoy the Adventure & Go with the flow"

15 Payment details, terms & conditions PAYMENT METHODS & PAYMENT CONDITIONS Please settle 25% as a deposit by the time of booking When we receive the deposit we proceed with bookings, another 25% to be settled one month later. 50% should be settled 60 days prior to arrival. Bank Transfer Details: Please transfer the down payment to our bank account, scan the receipt and send it to us. Bank Name: Credit Agricole Egypt Branch Name: 007 Pyramids Beneficiary: Soul Of Egypt Travel Bank account: (USD) Swift Code: AGRIEGCX

16 CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellation by your side should be forwarded to us in a written . The following charges will be applied: 45 days before your arrival, 10% of the settled deposit will be charged (bank admission fees). From 40 days to 30 days prior to arrival date, a 25% from your tour price will be charged. 29 days to 15 days prior to tour start date, a 50% of the tour rate will be charged. Two weeks to 7 days' prior arrival date a 75% cancellation will be applied. 7 days to 1 days prior to arrival ends up in 100% cancelation fees For the domestic flight tickets, sleeper train tickets; when / if you cancelled your tour, cancellation fees will apply as per the policy of the supplier. FORCE MAJEURE Soul Of Egypt Travel is not accountable; nor legally responsible, will NOT pay you any reimbursement if our obligations have been affected by any unforeseen circumstances that we are not able to avoid. Hereunder; we will list examples but not limited items of the force majeure cases: War, threat of war, terrorist activities, civil discord with its consequences or the risk of such activity, riot, Esna lock closure while boarding Nile Cruise, natural or atomic disasters, fire, chemical or biological disasters, and adversative weather, sea, ice and river conditions, and / or similar occasions. SIGNING OUT OF THE TOUR Leaving your tour: If you & on your own accord have chosen to leave the tour, you will be kindly requested to inform us in written; you will receive a "Tour Sign out form". No offered refunds from our side for the leftover portion. "Soul of Egypt Travel" will have no accountability for banishment or any other expenditures, which may occur due to such an event.

17 Important Notes Itinerary might change due to unforeseen circumstances. Pre-& Post nights are not included. If needed; it will be against extra charge. Pre-& post nights are subject to availability by the rime of booking. Please fill in our booking form & make sure that all required data is correctly inserted. Sign your booking form & send a clear scanned copy of your passport. Offered rate excludes entry visa; which could be arranged upon arrival against U$D Please check entry visa regulation as some nationalities might need pre-arrangements visa procedures. In case any of the following items rates has been raised by the concerned parties (such as entrance fees, domestic flight tickets, flight ticket, fuel, entry visa etc. ). We reserve the right to charge the difference accordingly. Package rate to be settled in U$D.