Egypt Revealed
Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Nile Cruise Aboard the  M/S Salacia
Featuring Four Exclusive Events
 Private dinner at an Egyptian home
 Private dinner in Cairo aboard yachts
Private Light & Sound Show at the Pyramids Area – exclusive for group
 Private BBQ dinner in Aswan on the privately owned Basma Island

March 20-30, 2010 - 10 nights

Specially Arranged by Ker & Downey for Brown and Keene Travel
Escorted by Ken Hutyra and Ngaire Keene

 

Your tour at a glance:
 

LINK HERE FOR REGISTRATION FORMS

Egypt Revealed 10 Night Tour  
Per person - double occupancy: $7,832.00         Single supplement: $4255

Upgrade to Nile River View at the Movenpick Elephantine Hotel in Aswan for two nights priced per room
Double occupancy $75 per person x 2 = $150 per room   Single occupancy  $150 per room                 
 
Additional nights available at the Four Seasons Residence
Per person double occupancy $280                    Single occupancy: $489

Post tour of Petra available - link here for details
 Per person double occupancy $2345               Single supplement $725

Link here for Details on the M/S Salacia

Link here for Deck Plans and Ship Details for the M/S Salacia

Tour includes:

• Egyptian Visa

• Meet and greet and private ground transportation throughout entire tour

• VIP Services; Lounge on arrival, Customs, Visa and Baggage Fast Track

• Accommodations as per itinerary

• Meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) excluding beverages

• Services of a Private English Speaking Egyptologist / Guide throughout the entire trip (Cairo / Cairo).

• Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence - three nights - Superior Rooms, including breakfast

• Special Event: Private Light & Sound Show at the Pyramids Area – exclusive for group

• Special Event: Private dinner at an Egyptian home

• Special Event: Private dinner in Cairo aboard yachts

• Tours in Cairo on private basis with lunch

• Egyptian Museum Visit

• Entrance fees for scheduled sightseeing

• Abu Simbel Excursion with air

• Movenpick Elephantine Island, two nights, standard room, including breakfast - upgrade available to Nile View Room

• Special Event: Private BBQ dinner on the privately owned Basma Island

• Domestic Flights (Cairo/Aswan and Luxor/Cairo) Coach Class

• M.S. Salacia, four nights, Royal Suites, all meals inclusive of soft drinks, local wines and spirits

• Fairmont Heliopolis, one night, standard room, including breakfast

• One small bottle of mineral water per person - per tour & transfer

• Service charges, taxes, and tips

• Porterage at airports & hotels

• Pre-departure reading list and country information

• Ker & Downey travel duffel for light aircraft flights, document wallet and bag tags

Tour does not include:

·         International airfare – quote available on request

·         All items of a personal nature (i.e. telephone calls, internet, beverages, laundry etc.) unless specifically listed above

·         Meals not mentioned above, or beverages during meals except onboard M.S. Triton

·         Passport fees or personal travel insurance

·         Airport departure taxes and excess baggage fees

·         Anything not specifically listed in the “Tour includes” section

 

      Ker & Downey and Brown and Keene
Egypt Revealed Itinerary

 

 

March 20, 2010

Arrive Cairo

Four Seasons First Residence

 

            Welcome to Egypt!  On arrival you are met with VIP Services. Lounge on arrival and fast track through the immigration and visa process. Transfer to the Four Seasons First Residence Hotel.

 

            Cairo: Cairo has at various times been called Memphis, Babylon-in-Egypt, Heliopolis, El-Fustat and most recently, Al-Qahira (the Conqueror). With a population of 16 million, Cairo is the largest city in the Middle East and Africa, and is the center of all routes leading to and from three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. Here, past and present meet in a glorious diversity of cultures.

               

            Modern Cairo is an architectural fusion of old and new, where skyscrapers and ancient monuments stand side by side. The Pyramids of the Pharaohs, early Christian monasteries and churches, Salah El-Din's Citadel and mosques of the Mamluke and Ottoman sultans form a historical mosaic. Greater Cairo encompasses both historic towns and modern districts, resulting in one of the world's largest metropolises. To the north is Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC as a gateway to Greece; to the northeast, on the Mediterranean Sea, lie Port Said and the Suez Canal.

 

            Four Seasons First Residence: A gracious sanctuary of Four Seasons hospitality and service, with impressive views of the Great Pyramids over the old-growth canopy of Cairo’s ancient Zoological and Botanical Gardens. The Hotel is at the center of the First Residence apartments and shops on the west bank of the Nile.

            Accommodations at Four Seasons First Residence – Superior Room

 

 March 21, 2010

Cairo

Four Seasons First Residence

            After breakfast embark on a full day of touring.

 

            Little remains of Memphis, the first capital of the united Lower & Upper Egypt, as the stones were plundered to build Cairo.  On the plateau above lies Sakkara, a cemetery for Memphis used continuously for 3,000 years. 

 

            The Pyramids of Giza are dominated by the Great Pyramid, constructed for King Cheops around 2650 B.C. Close to the eastern flank of the Pyramid of Cheops are three small pyramids dedicated to either his wives or family members. The second pyramid, built for Kephren, son of Cheops, southwest of his father's pyramid, has a simple interior with two entrances on the north side. The third one was built for Mycerinus (Menkaure), Cheops' grandson, lies southwest of the others and is the smallest of the three.

 

            Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

 

            On the way to the pyramid of Kephren sits the statue of the Great Sphinx of Giza, one of the most famous monuments in the world, a legendary figure with the body of a lion and the face of a man.

 

            A special event dinner this evening in a private home.

            Accommodations at Four Seasons First Residence – Superior Room – Breakfast- Lunch

 

March 22, 2010

Cairo

Four Seasons First Residence

            After breakfast embark on a full day of touring.

 

            A full day of sightseeing begins with a visit to the Citadel, a medieval fortress in the time of Saladin built with blocks from the Queens Pyramids at Giza. Visit the Alabaster Mosque built for Mohammed Ali, modeled after the one in Istanbul.

 

            Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is considered one of the most prominent museums in the world. It was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened on November 15, 1902. It has 107 halls divided into seven sections, each section devoted to one era in Egypt's history. The museum's most significant showpiece is the Tutankhamun collection. View the images of Akhenaten (the heretic king), Queen Hetepheres jewelry and solid silver coffins of the 21^st dynasty kings.

 

            Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

 

            Khan El Khalili Bazaar is a highlight for local shopping and cultural flavor! Dating back to the 14th century, this market is renowned for its magnificent examples of fine gold and silver work, embroidered clothing, leather goods and hand-carved woodwork.

 

            A special event dinner is included aboard private yachts this evening.

            Accommodations at Four Seasons First Residence – Superior Room – Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

 

March 23, 2010

Cairo/Aswan 

Fly to Aswan.  On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel.

 

Movenpick Resort - Elephantine Island

            
The Movenpick Resort – Elephantine Island is the perfect place to relax in some of the most beautiful, natural surroundings in Egypt –The Resort is set on an island in the middle of the River Nile in one of the most enchanting natural locations.
 

            Visit the Nubian Village this afternoon. 

            Accommodations at Movenpick Resort – Standard Room  - (Upgrade available to Nile River view room)
Breakfast - Dinner
 

 

March 24, 2010

Aswan

The Movenpick Resort – Elephantine Island

            

            After breakfast fly to Abu Simbel.

 

            The magnificent rock-hewn temples at Abu Simbel feature Ramesses II and that of his Queen, Nefertari. They were moved about 40 years ago, 200 feet above their original site now inundated by Lake Nasser and re-housed in an artificial mountain which successfully recreates their original setting.

            
Fly back to Aswan and return to the hotel for lunch. This afternoon visit the San Simeon Monastery and the Nubian Museum.

     

            Enjoy a  special event BBQ dinner this evening on Basma Island.

            Accommodations at Movenpick Resort – Standard Room - (Upgrade available to Nile River view room)
Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner
 

 

March 25, 2010

Aswan

            Enjoy the morning at leisure

 

            Board the M.S. Salacia.  Lunch is served onboard.

               

            Visit the High Dam, Temple of Philae, and the ancient granite quarries, in use since the first Dynasty to see the unfinished obelisk – Egypt’s tallest had it ever been disengaged – which clearly demonstrates how stone was extracted in ancient times.                           

            Accommodations M.S. Salacia – ROYAL SUITES Full Board - all meals inclusive of soft drinks, local wines and spirits

 

 

March 26, 2010

Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu / Esna

M.S. Salacia

            Cruise downstream to Kom Ombo to visit the twin sanctuaries of crocodile-headed Sobek and hawk-headed Haroeris, uniquely set, side-by-side in a single picturesque Ptolemaic temple on a hill overlooking the Nile.  Of special interest here, are the surgical instruments depicted in the reliefs on the temple walls.  Continue sailing to Edfu arriving after lunch.   Visit the almost perfectly preserved Ptolemaic temple of Horus, protector of the sun god, whose exploits and cult are detailed on the corridor walls surrounding the building.  The ever-dark rooms, their walls crowded with dumpy figures and clumsy late hieroglyphs, are unchanged since ancient times.  Interestingly, some of the cartouches for the royal name are empty; indicating how swiftly the throne could change hands.        

             Accommodations M.S. Salacia – Full Board - all meals inclusive of soft drinks, local wines and spirits

 

 

March 27, 2010

Esna / Luxor

M.S. Salacia

            A short distance away from the Nile in Esna is the Ptolemaic Temple of Khnum in a pit excavated in the middle of town.  Only the vestibule now remains but there are interesting reliefs of the emperor Domitian slaying enemies and Commodus netting fish and waterfowl. 

 

            Arrive at Luxor after lunch.  Visit the Temple of Luxor built by Amenophis III for his wife and son.  This is a well-preserved non-funerary cult temple from 1400 b.c. In the evening visit the Karnak temple for the Sound and Light Show.

            Accommodations M.S. Salacia – Full Board - all meals inclusive of soft drinks, local wines and spirits

 

March 28,2010

Luxor

M.S. Salacia

            Cross the Nile to the West Bank visiting the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Tombs of the Nobles, and the Valley of the Queens before returning to the ship via the Colossi of Memnon. 

                               

            In the afternoon visit the Temple of Karnak where a massive mud brick wall encloses a sacred lake and temples of Ptah, Osiris, Opet and Khonsu. Visit the new Luxor Museum which presents its artifacts in a modern environment.

            Accommodations M.S. Salacia – Full Board

 

March 29, 2010

Luxor/Cairo

Fairmont Heliopolis

            Disembark after breakfast and fly to Cairo.

 

            The Fairmont Heliopolis hotel offers a convenient location just 3 miles from Cairo International Airport. Heliopolis is a tree lined suburb of Cairo that is home to Egypt’s Diplomatic and Presidential offices.

 

            Indulge in authentic Lebanese cuisine and belly dancing at the Lebanese restaurant, Al Dabke or crafted pasta at Leonardo’s. Live music will keep you entertained until the closing bell at Dart’s English Pub. From spring through early winter, you can spend the evening under the stars and around the pool area while enjoying local entertainment. The hotel features a wide range of facilities and personalized service for business and leisure travelers. The warm, inviting lobby provides a preview of the well-designed touches included throughout the property, from a variety of full-service restaurants and bars to 588 comfortable guest rooms with high speed internet access.

            Accommodations at Fairmont Heliopolis – Standard Room – Breakfast

 

March 30, 2010

Cairo/Depart

In transit

            Transfer to the airport for departure.

            End of Ker & Downey Services