Big 5 African Safaris, accommodated, camping and fully escorted
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An experienced English-speaking local tour leader, local guides at some sites, all transportation, accommodation, meals and sightseeing as indicated.
2 nights sleeper train, 4 nights cruise boat, 2 nights budget/tourist class hotels.
Transport: boat, donkey, horse-drawn carriages, private aircon bus, sleeper train.
International flights, arrival and departure transfers, visas, airport taxes, additional meals, drinks, optional sightseeing tours, insurance, tips and items of a personal nature.
Cairo,
The Pyramids
Sphinx
Egyptian Museum
Luxor
Karnak Temple
Valley of the Kings
Donkey Ride
Nile Riverboat Cruise
Edfu Temple
Komombo Temple
Aswan
Egypt
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.
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
On arrival in Luxor we are transferred to the 'M/S Melodie', our private Nile cruise boat, where we will be staying for the next four 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
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 and to the Melodie to begin our cruise 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
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
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
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. In the evening we board our sleeper train for our return overnight journey to Cairo, which takes about 13 hours. A simple dinner is served on the train.
Meals Included: BD
Arriving back in Cairo we are transferred to our hotel 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.
Meals Included: B
Our trip ends today, after breakfast. Check-out time is usually around 12.00 noon and you are free to leave at any time.
Meals Included: B
| Trip Start |
Trip Finish |
Twin Share Price |
Local Pymt Currency |
Single Supp |
Trip Notes |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Jan 2010 | 17 Sep 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes |  |
| 16 Jan 2010 | 24 Jan 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 23 Jan 2010 | 31 Jan 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 30 Jan 2010 | 07 Feb 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 06 Feb 2010 | 14 Feb 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 13 Feb 2010 | 21 Feb 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 20 Feb 2010 | 28 Feb 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | Closed |
| 27 Feb 2010 | 07 Mar 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 06 Mar 2010 | 14 Mar 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 13 Mar 2010 | 21 Mar 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 20 Mar 2010 | 28 Mar 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 27 Mar 2010 | 04 Apr 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 03 Apr 2010 | 11 Apr 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 10 Apr 2010 | 18 Apr 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 17 Apr 2010 | 25 Apr 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 24 Apr 2010 | 02 May 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 01 May 2010 | 09 May 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 08 May 2010 | 16 May 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 15 May 2010 | 23 May 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 22 May 2010 | 30 May 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | Guaranteed departureView Notes | |
| 29 May 2010 | 06 Jun 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 05 Jun 2010 | 13 Jun 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 12 Jun 2010 | 20 Jun 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 19 Jun 2010 | 27 Jun 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 27 Jun 2010 | 05 Jul 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 04 Jul 2010 | 12 Jul 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 11 Jul 2010 | 19 Jul 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 18 Jul 2010 | 26 Jul 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 25 Jul 2010 | 07 Aug 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 01 Aug 2010 | 09 Aug 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 08 Aug 2010 | 16 Aug 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 15 Aug 2010 | 23 Aug 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 22 Aug 2010 | 30 Aug 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 29 Aug 2010 | 06 Sep 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 04 Sep 2010 | 12 Sep 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 11 Sep 2010 | 19 Sep 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 18 Sep 2010 | 26 Sep 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 25 Sep 2010 | 03 Oct 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 02 Oct 2010 | 10 Oct 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 09 Oct 2010 | 17 Oct 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 16 Oct 2010 | 24 Oct 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 23 Oct 2010 | 31 Oct 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 06 Nov 2010 | 14 Nov 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 13 Nov 2010 | 21 Nov 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 20 Nov 2010 | 28 Nov 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 27 Nov 2010 | 05 Dec 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 04 Dec 2010 | 12 Dec 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 11 Dec 2010 | 19 Dec 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 18 Dec 2010 | 26 Dec 2010 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
| 25 Dec 2010 | 02 Jan 2011 | $1295 | $ | $385 | View Notes | |
