CHRISTIANITY & NILE (11 Days)
Aswan
|
|
|
Karnak Temple, Valley of Kings, Luxor.
|
Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights
Sites: Cairo, Tel Basta, Belbis, Samanoud, Sakha, Wadi Natrun Valley, Ain Shams, Old Cairo, Maadi, Dier Al-Gamous, Gabal Al-Tair, Menyia, Nile Cruise
Run: Everyday
DAY 01 – Arrive in Cairo
Upon arrival to Cairo International Airport, Veni Vidi Travel representative will be waiting for you at the airport holding a sign with your name, he will help and assist you through visa & immigration formalities, baggage claim & customs. Then transfer to your hotel with the remainder of day at leisure regarding to your arrival time. Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 02 – Tel Basta, Belbis, Samanoud, Sakha
After breakfast, Drive to Tel Basta , then, towards Mostorod. From Mostorod drive towords Belbeis (Anceint Philippos) where the holy family rested in the shade of a tree called (virgin Marry's tree). Then drive to Samanoud there is a large granite which used by the Virgin for bathing the holy child. Then drive to Sakha in the lake district to Burullus (Kafr El sheikh) where the Holy child foot print was marked in Bas-relief on a rock. After the tour, return back to Cairo with evening at leisure. Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 03 – Wadi Natrun Valley
Head towards Wadi Natrun, the next stop of the holly family after Sakha, which became the sites of anchoretic settlement during the earliest decades of Christianity and later on became the sits of many monasteries. After the tour, return back to Cairo with evening at leisure. Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 04 : Ain Shams, Old Cairo, Maadi
Drive to Ain Shams and then to Mataria where the tree still stands there ,visit Mary ‘s tree. Then drive to Old Cairo where the holy family had a short stay here in a cave named now (Church of Abu Serga). Then move to Modern Cairo Suburb Maadi where they boarded the boat to Southern Egypt. After the tour, return back to Cairo with evening at leisure. Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 05 – Dier Al-Gamous, Gabal Al-Tair, Menyia
Early morning drive to Dier Al Garnous, then went on from there to Abai Issous (the Home of Jesus) in the present day named Village of Sandafa. Then from Samalout ,to the east bank of the Nile to visit the monastery of the Virgin upon Gabal Al Tair. Menyia , visit Monastery of Muharreq. After the tour we will take the sleeper train to Aswan. Sleeping train to Aswan. Overnight in the Sleeping Train Cabin.
DAY 06 – Aswan, Philae Temple, Kom Ombo
Morning arrive to Aswan and transfer to your cruise ship where you will spend the next 3 nights / 4 days. After breakfast, take a tour of Aswan High Dam, Egypt's contemporary example of building on a monumental scale. Next, proceed to the granite quarries which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples. The quarries still hold the Unfinished Obelisk, possibly intended as a companion to the Lateran Obelisk, originally at Karnak but now in Rome. It would have weighed over 1,100 tons and would have been the world's largest piece of stone ever handled. Continue by a short motor-boat ride to the Temple of Philae on the island of Agilka. The temple was dedicated to Isis, sister/wife of Osiris and patroness of the Ptolemaic rule. Sail around Elephantine Island on a felucca, the traditional Egyptian sail boat. Elephantine Island is the largest of the Aswan area islands, and is the site of some of the most ancient remains in Egypt, with artifacts dating to pre-dynastic periods. Sailing in a felucca on the Nile to Kitchner Island (also known as Lord Kitchner's Botanical Garden, Plant Island, Gizirat al-Nabatat, Plantation Island, or Gizirat al-Bustan). Lord Kitchner moved there after being given the island for his campaigns in the Sudan. From the river you have a nice view of the Aga Khan Mausoleum, an elegant pink granite structure built in the late 1950's. After lunch sail to Kom Ombo, and visit the Temple of Sobek, the crocodile-headed god of fertility and creator of the world. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where, in ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank Sail to Edfu. Overnight on board Cruise.
DAY 07 – Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna
After Breakfast , visit Edfu temple of Horus. Set out by horse-drawn carriage to visit the Temple of Horus, the most perfectly preserved of all the Nile temples. Horus, also known as Haroeris, was the falcon-headed solar war god,back to the cruise. Sail to Esna, passing through the Esna Lock and continue sailing towards Luxor. Overnight on board Cruise.
DAY 08 – West Bank, Valley of Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple, Memnon
After breakfast, Cross to the West Bank of the Nile and visit the wondrous Valley of the Kings, a vast city of the dead, where the magnificent tombs of 62 pharaohs have been discovered. The tombs were carved deep into the desert mountains, richly decorated and filled with treasures for the afterlife of the pharaohs. Visit several of the tombs. Next, visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. This beautiful monument to the reign of the only female pharaoh rises out of the desert plain in a series of terraces and merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it. On the way back to your Nile cruise, stop at the famed Colossi of Memnon, two 66ft, 1 thousand ton statues of Amenhotep III. These colossal statues were known by the ancient Greeks to emit haunting voices at dawn. Though damaged by nature and ancient tourists, the statues are still impressive. (Evening Posibility for optional Sound & Light Show at the Karnak Temple). Overnight on board Cruise.
DAY 09 – Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Cairo
After breakfast, visit Karnak and Luxor Temples , start by visiting Karnak Temple, in the north of Luxor, called by some "the Temple of Temples" It is the largest place of worship ever built. Its ancient name Ipet-isut means "the most sacred of places." Within the complex, the great Hypostyle Hall is an incredible forest of giant pillars covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral. After lunch visit the graceful Temple of Luxor built by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II for ritual and festivals and dedicated to the god Amun and see it's gigantic statues and obelisks. Disembarkation and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo. Arrival in Cairo and transfer to hotel. (Evening, optional Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids). Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 10 – Pyramids and Sphinx, Egyptian Musuem, Khan El Khalili
After breakfast, meet with your private Egyptologist/guide and driver and begin the tour of Cairo . We drive through the scenic streets on our way to the great pyramids of Giza, where we will see the 3 gigantic pyramids, the Sphinx and the entire Giza Plateau with the royal, private tombs and the original village of the workers who built the pyramids dating back to 3000 years B.C. We will also see the valley temple and, time permitting, we can visit the amazing Solar Boat that was discovered and dug out from the side of the pyramid and was used for the burial of the King about 5000 years ago. After lunch, Drive through the streets of Cairo on your way to downtown Cairo to visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and get an amazing detailed guided tour, with its amazing collection of artifacts from Ancient Egypt dating back 5000 years before the birth of Christ. Observe the golden items of the tomb of the young king Tut-Ankh-Amen including his golden Mask and pure solid 220 Lbs golden coffin. Visit the mummies room with at least 12 mummies that are very well preserved and are more than 4 thousand years old. In the evening, visit Khan El Khalili Bazar , which is an Oriental Bazaar that go back to the 10 th Century just like the one heard of in (A thousand and one nights) and a neighborhood of the draughts men who spend their life crafting art-work on Jewelry, metals and furniture, and we stroll through the streets of the Bazaar and set at it's nice Oriental Cafés to drink exotic traditional drinks and enjoy the traditional Hookas (water-Pipe) with apple-flavored tobacco. Overnight in Cairo.
DAY 11 – Departure transfer
Decide on your activities with the assistance of your guide. Transfer to Cairo international airport for your onward flight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please take note of the following:
* Please use the ''Travel Enquiry/Reservation Form'' to receive a quote on the above travel itinerary as per your preferred travel dates/month and preferred class of hotel/cruise.
What's Included:
* Hotel accommodations in choice of preferred class
* Nile Cruise in choice of preferred class on fullboard basis with belly dancing, entertainment shows, all shore excursions and horse carriage rides.
* Qualified Egyptologist tour guide licensed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism
* All noted sightseeing tours on regular group or private guided basis
* All main entrance fees to sights visited in the itinerary
* Sleeper train ticket between Menyia to Aswan
* Domestic flight ticket between Luxor to Cairo
* Required land transport with A/C minivan including roundtrip airport transfers
* Local taxes and handling services
What's NOT Included:
* International flights to/from Egypt and personal travel insurance, any other expenses not noted in the above included section or airport tax, visa for Egypt (if required), any tips to guide, driver or staff at hotels and cruise, items of a personal nature, Hotel/Cruise extras (minibar, telephone/internet usage, laundry, etc), drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast) and medical services.
|
|
