Big 5 African Safaris, accommodated, camping and fully escorted

1: Arrive Cairo

Your trip starts today in Cairo. No activities are planned so you may arrive at any time. Rooms are generally available after 1.00 pm. If you have not pre-booked an arrival transfer you will find taxis available on arrival at Cairo Airport. Make sure you agree the price before you set off into town! Your tour leader may make contact tonight, otherwise you will see him/her tomorrow morning at the tour briefing, which usually takes place after breakfast. When you arrive in Cairo you are thrown headlong into the hustle and bustle of this wonderful city. As you wander the streets your senses will be assaulted on all levels - an endless cacophony of noise with cars tooting donkeys braying and the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer; the mix of smells like the aroma from cooking pots bubbling with 'foul' (pronounced 'fool' - a local bean paste dish that we will certainly get to sample); the delicious taste of mint tea as you sit in a shaded café to relax; and the endless river of life that you can watch roll past you - women haggling in the bazaars, men talking whilst enjoying a traditional sheesha pipe, cars vying for space on the crowded roads, camels ambling serenely along and children playing in the back streets.

2: Cairo - overnight train

In the morning we enjoy a guided tour to the Egyptian Museum followed by the magnificent Great Pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza. We start by visiting the Egyptian Museum with an Egyptologist. What a museum, what a collection! This museum houses the world's greatest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts including many of the treasures discovered in the tombs of pharaohs, the amazing golden mask of Tutankhamun and a large number of mummies. To put that in perspective, if you spend just one minute at each exhibit it would take more than nine months to see everything! The Pyramids really do have to be seen to be believed! To get there we weave our way through the manic Cairo traffic, out into the suburbs and then, suddenly, there they are. Huge majestic tombs rising out the desert, towering above the modern city of Cairo, they are an incredible testament to the immense achievements of the Ancient Egyptians. Built over 5000 years ago the Pyramids are the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that is still standing. We explore the Pyramids and the Sphinx with our Egyptologist guide who can explain all the mysteries surrounding their creation - were they built by aliens or are they aligned to the stars? We also have the opportunity to climb inside the Great Pyramid (optional) and see for ourselves the burial chamber inside (not for the claustrophobic!). In the evening we catch our first-class sleeper train and travel south to Luxor. Our journey will take approximately 10 hours. Sleeping berths (beds and linen) are provided in private cabins and an airline-style dinner is served on board. It is worth bringing additional snacks on board and your tour leader can help you to arrange this. A toilet is located at the end of each carriage.
Meals Included: BD

3: Luxor - Nile Cruise Boat

On arrival in Aswan we are transferred to the 'M/S Melodie', our private Nile cruise boat, where we will be staying for the next seven nights. The 'M/S Melodie' offers comfortable river-facing cabins with en suite facilities. There is a large sundeck with a Jacuzzi, dip pool and a covered terrace where you can enjoy a drink out of the direct sunlight. Inside is a lounge bar serving a wide selection of drinks throughout the day and there is a restaurant serving up a mouth-watering selection of dishes, both Egyptian and Western. While it cannot be compared to the larger 5-star boats on the Nile, the atmosphere is informal and relaxed with an excellent level of service from the friendly on-board staff, who regularly receive rave reviews from our travellers. There cannot be anywhere else in the world that has the same number of awe-inspiring attractions as the small town of Luxor. This was the capital of Egypt in ancient times (then known as Thebes) and there are an endless number of temples, tombs and museums that could keep even the most avid sightseer busy for a week! The Movenpick Hotel, on the southern outskirts of Luxor, is famed for its ice cream and a great place to relax (while sampling the wide assortment of flavours!) after some serious sightseeing. In the afternoon we take a ride along the banks of the River Nile on horse-drawn carriages and head to Karnak Temple. Arriving at the gates there is an avenue of lion statues leading up to the magnificent gates. But this doesn't prepare us for the sheer size of the temple when we get inside. It was built by many pharaohs over a period of 2000 years with each one trying to outdo his predecessor in architectural achievement. We could lose ourselves inside but we have an Egyptologist who takes us around, pointing out all the most impressive parts of the temple and giving a full insight into the lives of the pharaohs who worshipped there. For those who wish to experience it (optional), there is a sound and light show held at Karnak every evening. The show is unlike other sound and light shows in Egypt - instead of sitting throughout the performance, you walk through the temple as the show progresses. The smaller, but equally interesting Luxor Temple is located on the southern part of town. It is missing one obelisk, which is today residing on the Place de la Concorde in Paris!
Meals Included: BLD

4: Luxor - Valley of the Kings - Nile Cruise

The Valley of the Kings is on the other side of the Nile, on the West Bank. To get there we rise at around 4:30 am (to avoid the heat) and meet up with our donkeys who will be our favoured (and most fun!) method of transport. Each member of the group will be assigned a donkey and given a quick lesson in how to control them, before we set off on the seven kilometre ride. We take quiet roads, with lovely views of the green fields leading to the edge of the Nile and the sheer cliffs of the desert beyond. We are not the only people up at this time and will pass villagers on their own donkeys on their way to the fields. Arriving at the Valley of the Kings, there is not much to see above the ground. But corridors carved deep into the valley lead to the burial chambers far underground. The walls of the tombs are covered in incredibly well preserved paintings depicting the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt and complex hieroglyphics which our guide will help us decipher. We visit three different tombs and there may also be the chance to visit the tomb of Tutankhamun, the famous boy king (additional cost), and spend some time exploring on your own. Our route back takes us past the Colossi of Memnon. We return to the East Bank, where the afternoon is free to explore the town further. We begin our cruise and sail south upriver towards Aswan. Along the way we visit two of the most interesting ancient temples located on the banks of the Nile. We spend tonight moored up near the town Edfu.
Meals Included: BLD

5: Nile Cruise - Komombo

We resume our cruise south and throughout the day we observe daily life along the Nile as local villagers go about their everyday chores. These include cultivating crops on their small parcels of land and tending to their livestock that seem to be predominantly goats. In the background the forbidding desert looms, sometime encroaching on bans of the Nile. There is nothing in life better than lying on the deck of our privately chartered Nile cruise boat, watching the last golden rays of the sun reflect on the water with a cocktail in hand and friends around sharing the same moment of magic. The banks of the Nile play host to a whole different way of life and during the day we enjoy fantastic views of the small villages along the Nile Valley with palm trees nearly touching the sky and young children playing on the banks of the river. We end up at Komombo, home to a lovely temple located right on the edge of the Nile. It is a classic Greco-Roman structure with exquisite relief carvings and is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. Look out for the mummified crocodiles that have been stored here since ancient times. After exploring the temple we spend the evening moored up at Komombo.
Meals Included: BLD

6: Nile Cruise - Aswan

Our cruise continues until Aswan - our southernmost destination. Aswan is one of our favourite places. Despite the fact that it is Egypt's third largest city, it has an easy-going, laid-back atmosphere that belies its size. There is certainly a lot to see and do. For those keen on visiting as many great sites of antiquities as possible, we highly recommend a visit to the exquisite Temple of Isis at Philae. Alternatively you can take a sailboat across to the Botanical Gardens on Lord Kitchener's Island and then continue to the other side of the river, where you can take a fun camel ride up to the Monastery of St. Simeon. Your tour leader will give you all the information you require. At any time of the day the Nubian Bazaar, which snakes through the back streets of town, is a hive of activity. After arriving, the rest of the day is free to explore this beautiful, vibrant town. Options include visiting Philae Temple, the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk (US$24), seeing the Sound and Light Show at Philae (US$24), taking a camel ride to St Simeon's Monastery (US$15) or enjoying a felucca cruise in the waters around Aswan (US$5).
Meals Included: BLD

7: Aswan

Today we have a free morning, so there is an opportunity to take an optional, but highly recommended excursion to visit the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel. The options include going by bus (US$50) or by air (US$215). Travelling by bus will involve an early rise and a pre-dawn start. Abu Simbel is one of the highlights of any visit to Egypt and considered 'not-to-be-missed' by many travellers. Deep in the heart of the desert, miles from the nearest habitation is a gigantic monolith out of which are carved four colossal statues - each one the seated figure of Ramses II, one of Ancient Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Built in the 13th century BC, the temples remained totally hidden by sand until 1813, and were almost destined to be submerged again, 150 years later, by the rising waters of Lake Nasser - a man-made lake formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam. Remarkably, a massive UNESCO project dismantled the entire temple and the cliff out of which it is carved, and reassembled it on higher ground redirecting the magnificent stare of Ramses II across Lake Nasser's blue waters. It is still possible to see just how close they came to being submerged by the watermarks around the base of the statues.
Meals Included: BLD

8: Nile Cruise

A day of cruising takes us back to the town of Edfu, where we overnight. On our journey we continue to gaze out on the Nile River and absorb the timeless pastoral scenes along the way.
Meals Included: BLD

9: Edfu - Nile Cruise - Luxor

In the morning we take time to visit the temple at Edfu. This is a magnificent temple dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, and is also home of many ancient Egyptian legends. For centuries Edfu was almost completely covered with sand, which has protected the building from the elements. This means that Edfu is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. Reliefs carved into the temple walls depicting Horus and other gods on a grand scale, black granite falcon statues standing over two metres tall and a myriad of secret passageways and hidden rooms make Edfu a temple not to be missed. Our cruise then takes us back to Luxor where we spend our final night on the boat. Perhaps a final shopping expedition at the local bazaars?
Meals Included: BLD

10: Red Sea - Hurghada

We gather our luggage and are then transferred to Hurghada. Our drive from Luxor takes approximately five hours. Our resort is located on the edge of the Red Sea, which is renowned as one of the world's great diving locations with spectacular coral gardens and marine life. It is a great place to kick back, relax and enjoy life on the beach. You can chose to just relax on the beach or take a boat ride and enjoy some snorkelling (optional - cost US$20) in the crystal-clear waters amidst some of the world's best coral reefs. If you are a certified diver, why not take the opportunity to scuba dive (US$50) in one of the world's most beautiful underwater sites? Many of our travellers like to at least take a boat cruise out on the Red Sea. The boat stops at a number of different coral reefs and you can jump off with snorkel and mask and marvel at the amazing colours of the fish that will be all around you. There are also some excellent beaches to be found along the coast and the water temperature is always ideal for swimming, even in winter months.
Meals Included: B

11: Hurghada - St Catherine's

We rise early this morning to take the hydrofoil to the Sinai Peninsula. Imagine massive reddish brown granite mountains, coral gardens and coloured reefs, blue skies, crystal water, wide amazing valleys, coloured canyons, Bedouin tribes, nomad footsteps, big camels and tiny goats and you'll have a good idea of how beautiful the Sinai is. Though small in size, the Sinai Peninsula is a region of great contrasts, from the arid peaks of the Sinai High Range to the teeming marine life of its Red Sea. On arrival we are transferred to St Catherine's, where we spend the night near the foot of Mount Sinai next to the famous St Catherine's Monastery. St Catherine's is surrounded by spiky granite mountains, and located between two of the highest and most religious mountains in the Sinai - Mount Sinai and Mount St Catherine. Take a walk around the village and we are sure to come across Bedouins, camels, trekkers and pilgrims, united by the spirit of adventure found so close to Mount Sinai. (Approx 1 hr driving)
Meals Included: BD

12: Mount Sinai - Cairo

We rise early to climb Mount Sinai for sunrise. This mountain is believed to be where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. Following in Moses' footsteps we have the opportunity to ascend to the summit in time for sunrise. This means a very early start (between 1-3am depending on the time of year) and involves a strenuous uphill walk along a camel path and finally up 750 stone steps accompanied by our tour leader. The climb takes about three hours although it is possible to take a camel up as far as the steps or hire one halfway up if necessary! There are teahouses dotted along the way and one at the top, so not only can we follow the glow of their lights, but we can also stop for a hot drink and a breather. The view from the top as the day breaks is worth every step of the climb. There are two routes down the mountain. From the top we must follow the 750 stone steps back down and then can either return along the camel path or follow a winding route down the 'Steps of Repentance'. Neither route is difficult (particularly as we will no longer need our torches!), however the 3000 or so 'Steps of Repentance' do have some steep sections and can take around two hours to descend. After breakfast continue to Cairo via the Suez Canal. On arrival we are taken to our hotel and then we are free to explore. (Approx 7 hrs driving)
Meals Included: B

13: Alexandria

After breakfast we are driven to Alexandria - Egypt's second largest city. Our journey will take about three hours. As we walk along the clean wide corniche during sunset or sample a delicious seafood meal in a local backstreet restaurant, we'll soon understand why Alexandria has been called 'the Pearl of the Mediterranean'. It certainly is a cosmopolitan city with a striking Mediterranean influence. We can swim at one of the amazing beaches. Our tour includes a visit to the National Museum. Though much smaller than the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, this museum contains many fine examples of craftsmanship from Egypt's Greco-Roman Period and the best of Alexandria's treasures. As we walk around the museum it is easy to feel like we have stepped back into old Roman times. There are also varieties of Islamic and Pharaonic collections. The Roman Catacombs of Kom el Shuqafa (meaning the 'hill of pot shards') are beyond anything we will imagine. These catacombs, the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt, were discovered accidentally in 1900 when a donkey disappeared through the ground. They consist of three tiers of tombs and chambers cut out of the rock to a depth of 35 metres. Although the bottom level is flooded and inaccessible the areas above are very impressive. Pompey's Pillar is a massive pink granite pillar, 30 metres high pillar, mistakenly credited to Pompey by the Crusaders although it was erected in 293 AD as part of a larger temple complex. The pillar is the only ancient monument remaining whole and standing in Alexandria. After our sightseeing we can sip mint tea in a café on the corniche overlooking the site of the lighthouse of Pharos, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Meals Included: B

14: Alexandria - Cairo

We travel back to Cairo and the rest of the day is free to explore. In the older part of the city there is a lot to see, including some beautiful old mosques and, of course, the fantastic Khan El Khalili bazaar - an amazing mix of shops and stalls that have traded goods and gossip since the Middle Ages. There's time for everything and our tour leader can help organise taxis: but be prepared to bargain! This evening we can enjoy a final night out together. (Approx 3 hrs driving)
Meals Included: B

15: Cairo

Our trip ends today after breakfast. Check-out time is usually around 12 noon.
Meals Included: B

Trip Start	Trip Finish	Twin Share Price	Local Pymt Currency	Single Supp	Trip Notes
04 Sep 2010	18 Sep 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
11 Sep 2010	25 Sep 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
18 Sep 2010	02 Oct 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
25 Sep 2010	09 Oct 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
02 Oct 2010	16 Oct 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
09 Oct 2010	23 Oct 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
16 Oct 2010	30 Oct 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
23 Oct 2010	06 Nov 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
30 Oct 2010	13 Nov 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
06 Nov 2010	20 Nov 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
13 Nov 2010	27 Nov 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
20 Nov 2010	04 Dec 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
27 Nov 2010	11 Dec 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
04 Dec 2010	18 Dec 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
11 Dec 2010	25 Dec 2010	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
18 Dec 2010	01 Jan 2011	$1990	$	$570	View Notes
25 Dec 2010	08 Jan 2011	$1990	$	$570	View Notes