Egypt Tour & Nile River Cruise

March 21 - 31, 2011

Fully Escorted 
In association with English-speaking Egyptologists

Day 1: Monday, March 21 – Depart the USA for Cairo, Egypt
Join your Tour Director and your fellow travelers at New York / JFK for your transatlantic flight to Cairo .  (In-flight meal service)

Day 2: Tuesday, March 22 – Cairo
We arrive in Cairo, the capital and largest city of Egypt. After completing customs we transfer to our newly renovated five-star hotel.  This afternoon we begin to learn about Egypt's fascinating history from our English-speaking Egyptologist. Enjoy a tour of Old Cairo featuring the famous Hanging Church, Al-Muallaqah (The Suspended in the Arabic language), built in the 7th century on the remains of a Roman fortress called the Fortress of Babylon. The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and therefore known as Sitt Mariam or St. Mary's Church. By the 11th century the Hanging Church became the official residence of the Coptic patriarchs of Alexandria. This spot is said to be one of the sites the Holy Family stopped at during their flight into Egypt. Our sightseeing tour concludes with dinner in one of Cairo's oldest and best restaurants, Christos Restaurant, with a full view of the Pyramids. (In-flight meal service, D)

Day 3: Wednesday, March 23 – Cairo / Mt. Sinai
Depart Cairo by motorcoach via the southward route of the Exodus through the Wilderness of Suhr to Mt. Sinai. We follow the tunnel passing under the Suez Canal, include a photo stop at the canal, and then continue on to Marah (Springs of Moses), the Wilderness of Sin, and the Oasis of Feiran. We walk up a small hill overlooking the palm tree valley where Israel battled with the people of Amalek. Have your picture taken where Moses stood with his arms raised high during the battle. We overnight and dine in a moderate hotel at the foot of Mt. Sinai. (B, D)

Day 4: Thursday, March 24 – Mt. Sinai / St. Catherine / Cairo
Early in the morning, camels take us partway up Mt. Sinai. Enjoy a memorable sunrise and the stunning scenery as you climb up to the summit - or as far as your stamina allows! Descend Mt. Sinai and visit St. Catherine's Monastery, claimed to be built at the site of the Burning Bush. The Burning Bush is still growing at the Monastery and it is believed that this bush is, in fact, the original bush seen by Moses. It is said that people have tried to transplant cuttings from the bush in other areas but the bush will only grow at the Monastery. Driving back to Cairo there are many opportunities for photos of the Red Sea where you can try to imagine the miracle of Moses parting the waters. The Red Sea is so much larger than one would think. Across the Gulf of Aqaba you can see the distant shores of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel to the north. We return to Cairo and stay overnight in a five-star hotel. (B, L)

Day 5: Friday, March 25 – Cairo
Today we visit the place that you've been waiting for - the Three Pyramids of Giza! The Pyramids, three limestone structures of various heights, built by the pharoahs around 2600 BC, are located about 6 miles southwest of Cairo in the Libyan Desert. The tallest structure is about 150 feet high and its lateral length is 247 feet. We also visit The Great Sphinx of Giza. This colassal sculpture, with a lion's body, the head of a king wearing his headdress, and the wings of a bird, is the national symbol of Egypt, and was named sphinx which means strangler. After a short camel ride we adjourn our morning tour with a visit to the Papyrus Institute, a government approved shop which makes and sells authentic papyrus. This afternoon we visit The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, commonly referred to as the Egyptian Museum, which is home to the world's greatest treasures of ancient Egypt. Be amazed by the museum's mighty collection, including artifacts of King Tut. (B, L)

Day 6: Saturday, March 26 – Cairo / Luxor / Nile River Cruise
This morning we depart Cairo by air to Luxor where our amazing four-day Nile River Cruise begins. We board our delux Nile cruise vessel, the M/S Jasmin. Following embarkation, we visit the East Bank, including the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, which are standing in the midst of the modern city. Luxor is frequently characterized as the "world's greatest open-air museum." (B, L, D)

Day 7: Sunday, March 27 – Nile River Cruise / Esna
Today we visit the Theban Necropolis, an area on the west bank of the Nile River , including the Colossseum of Memnon, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut beneath the cliffs at Deir El-Bahri, and the Valley of the Kings .  After lunch on board we set sail to lively Esna, where our ship will anchor for the night.  (B, L, D)

Day 8: Monday, March 28 – Nile River Cruise/ Edfu
We continue to cruise to Edfu, the site of the major Ptolemaic Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the god of Horus.  Enjoy lunch while sailing to Kom Ombo where we visit the Temple Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple.  One side of the temple is dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world, and the other side is dedicated to the falcon god, Haroeris.  Enjoy dinner and the ship’s amenities while we anchor in Kom Ombo for the night.  (B, L, D)

Day 9: Tuesday, March 29 – Nile River Cruise / Aswan
Aswan is our last port of call.  Enjoy lunch onboard the cruise ship and in the afternoon we tour via a felucca, a traditional wooden sailing boat, around Elephantine Island, and then visit the Botanical Garden and the Mausoleum of the Agha Khan.  We stay overnight onboard ship in Aswan.  (B, L, D)

Day 10: Wednesday, March 30 – Aswan / Cairo
After breakfast we disembark and continue our tour of Aswan, i ncluding the Aswan High Dam.  The dam was built to prevent the annual flooding of the surrounding farmland and cotton fields.  Before the dam was built, the river’s flood waters deposited essential nutrients and minerals in the soil and made the area around the Nile fertile and therefore ideal for farming.  We also visit the Unfinished Obelisk in an ancient quarry high above Aswan and the Temple of Philae. Late afternoon we board our flight to Cairo. Toinight we enjoy a farewell dinner and show. (B, D)

Day 11: Thursday, March 31 – Return to the USA
We transfer to the airport for our flight back to the US. Arrive in New York / JFK on the same day. (B, In-flight meal service)

Tour Price includes:
International round-trip airfare from New York / JFK
Two domestic flights in Egypt: Cairo/Luxor and Aswan/Cairo
Four-day/four-night deluxe Nile River Cruise on M/S Jasmin
Transfers • Airline taxes • Port charges
5-star hotel accommodation in Cairo
Two day Cairo excursion with English speaking Egyptologist
Roundtrip motorcoach transfer from Cairo to Mt. Sinai
Overnight stay in moderate hotel including dinner at the base of Mt. Sinai
Guided camel ride/hiking tour up Mt. Sinai
St. Catherine's Monastery and a stop at the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea)
Admissions for tours listed
English speaking tour director & guides

Ports of call:
Cairo • Luxor • Esna • Edfu • Aswan

Not included in price:
Roundtrip airfare from your home gateway to New York/JFK
Airline Surcharges • Entry Visa to Egypt ($28)

Rupiper Travel reserves the righ to make minor adjustments to the itinerary if necessary

CALL 1-888-414-4177 For PRICING 

Some photos courtesy of Kriss Szkurlatowski

| index | pictures | testimonials | about us | travel tips | contact us |

All Content © 2002 ~ 2010 by Rupiper Travel & Tours