FROM CAPE TOWN TO CAIRO
A Cultural tour of South Africa & Egypt

Our journey of South Africa covers the most important cultural and historical sites, the majestic cities – urban and rural, and game attractions one would want on any tour of this august land. We travel from Johannesburg to beautiful Cape Town, trough such friendly cities as Port Elizabeth and the vibrant city Durban. On this tour, we enjoy a rich variety of culture, flora, fauna and the spectacular game.

The world is indeed indebted to the people of ancient Egypt for achieving the longest living civilization of the ancient world - 3300 BC to 30 BC. Many of the Egyptians achievements in construction and lifestyle are still available to us over 5000 years later and are a must see for people of all ages. Our journey through this ancient land not only offers visits to the pyramids, sphinx and the world famous Egyptian Museum, but also a look at the achievements of the medieval Islamic period such as the majestic Al Azhar Mosque, Salahuddi's citadel, the city of Cairo and the famous Khan-el-Khalil bazaar. These World Heritage Sites are visited in a combination of land, train and a four-day Nile cruise. Few will fail to see the charm of this spectacular and ancient country; the land where it all began.

Day 01 Sunday: Arrive Johannesburg
Upon arrival you are warmly welcomed at the airport in Johannesburg and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight: Garden Court, Sandton (1 night)

Day 02 Monday: Johannesburg / Mpumalanga (drive 300 Kms)
The excitement of our South African Explorer journey starts immediately as we depart Johannesburg for the first of the many highlights. The route to Mpumalanga province is a sea of spectacular scenery traveling alongside the Blyde River Canyon and God’s Window.
Overnight: Sabi River Sun (1 night) (B)

Day 03 Tuesday: Mpumalanga / Kruger National Park / Mpumalanga or Sabi Sand*
The day starts early with packed breakfasts as we head into the world famous Kruger National Park. Searching for the “Big Five”, we have ample opportunity to enjoy prolific bird life and numerous other game. Later we spend the afternoon relaxing at our hotel, located just outside the park. Evening, we may take an optional open-vehicle game drive to the Kruger National Park.
Overnight: Prestana Kruger (2 nights) (B)

Day 04 Wednesday: Mpumalanga
After an early morning coffee/tea, we depart with our pre-packed breakfast on an open vehicle game drive to revisit Kruger National Park. A whole different experience as we make a Community Visit to the Amazing Grace Children’s Home catering to AIDS orphans, abused children and human trafficking victim. The Centre has also foreign student who volunteer their time and knowledge in exchange for practical experience. Afternoon is free to relax or take another optional open-vehicle game drive. (B)

Day 05 Thursday: Mpumalanga / Swaziland (drive 400 Kms)
After an early breakfast we take a spectacular journey through beautiful countryside and enter the Kingdom of Swaziland. Here we visit the Ngwenya glass factory before reaching the hotel. Spend the late afternoon relaxing, or visit a nearby craft market.
Overnight: Royal Swazi/Ezulwini Sun (1 night) (B)

Day 06 Friday: Swaziland / Zululand (drive 277 Kms)
This morning we continue south, visiting a well-known Swazi candle factory before re-entering South Africa. Travel to Hluhluwe for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Ithala Game Reserve / Hilltops Rest Camp (1 night) (B)

Day 07 Saturday: Zululand / Durban (drive 275 Kms)
Before we proceed to Durban, we take another early morning game drive. En route we visit a traditional Zulu village in time for lunch and a show displaying the local culture. We arrive in Durban in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Garden Court Northbeach (2 nights) (B, L)

Day 08 Sunday: Durban
Today is a day to relax in this beautiful city of Durban. Optional tour of Durban. (B)

Day 09 Monday: Durban / Port Elizabeth (flight)
We are transferred to Durban airport for our flight to Port Elizabeth. Upon arrival at Port Elizabeth, we are transferred to our hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure.
Overnight: Garden Court, Kingsbeach (1 night) (B, D)

Day 10 Tuesday: Port Elizabeth / Knysna (drive 270 Kms)
We depart Port Elizabeth and head westwards, soon reaching the Tsitsikamma Mountains and the indigenous forests. Arrive at our hotel. Afternoon is free to explore the area.
Overnight: Protea Hotel, Knysna Quays (2 nights) (B)

Day 11 Wednesday: Knysna
A leisurely start before our next destination. Here we enjoy the shops and atmosphere of this lovely town before taking on a lagoon cruise to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. We take a joyous trailer ride to the top of the Western Head and walk back through the milkwood trees for lunch. (B, L)

Day 12 Thursday: Knysna / Oudtshoorn (drive 90 Kms)
Another exciting day as we journey through the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. We stop to take a guided tour of an ostrich farm from where we proceed to the vast limestone caverns, known as the Cango Caves, for a guided tour.
Overnight: Queens Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 13 Friday: Oudtshoorn / Cape Town (drive 485 Kms)
Today we travel via Montagu and the "Klein Karoo" to Cape Town. Enroute we do a Community Visit to a farm school built in the 60’s for children of the laborers working there. The multi-grade government subsidized school offers education to children from Grades 1-6. We arrive the beautiful city of Cape Town late afternoon.
Overnight: Holiday Inn Waterfront (3 nights) (B)

Day 14 Saturday: Cape Town (unescorted)
Cape Town offers a lot of tour as well as is popular for personal browsing. We have this day free so you can choose which way you would like to experience this gorgeous city.
Full day at leisure. Optional tours available. (B)

Day 15 Sunday: Cape Town (unescorted)
Another free day in Cape Town

Day 16 Monday: Cape Town / Cairo
Today you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Cairo
Overnight flight to Cairo (B)

Day 17 Tuesday: Cairo/Pyramids
Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome in Arabic. We are warmly received at Cairo Airport and transferred to our hotel. This is a day to go back in time, starting with a visit to the most famous of the Egyptian sphinxes, the Great Sphinx of Giza, followed by the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Completed around 2600 BC, this pyramid was 146m (478ft) high and consisted of over 2 million limestone blocks weighing over 2 tons each. We also examine the Chephren and Mycerinus Pyramids as well as the Cheops wooden boat. At over 4500 years old, this boat is the most ancient vessel found in perfect condition anywhere in the world and is one of the most important archaeological finds in Egypt. Next we visit Memphis and the Saqqara Step Pyramid, the world's first great stone structure. Evening, an ideal opportunity to join in our optional viewing of the spectacular Sound and Light Show at the foot of the Great Pyramids.
Overnight: Shepheard Hotel (1 night) (B)

Day 18 Wednesday: Cairo/Luxor (flight)
A short flight gets us to Luxor where we are warmly received and transferred to your boat, home for the next four nights. Over the next few days we cruise the Nile and visit various off shore sites.
Overnight: Sherry Nile Cruise/Presidential Nile Cruise (4 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 19 Thursday: Nile Cruise Luxor
This afternoon we visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples. The ancient Egyptians knew the Temple of Karnak as Ipet-isut. It is a city of temples built over 2000 years and dedicated to the Theben triad of Amon, Mut and Khonsu. This derelict place continues to overshadow many of the wonders of the modern world. It is the mother of all religious buildings and a place of pilgrimage for nearly 4,000 years. Luxor Temple was connected to Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes in ancient times. Unlike Karnak, Luxor is mainly the work of one pharaoh - Amenhotep III and was added to by Tutankhamun, Horemheb, Ramses II and Alexander the Great. During Akhenaten’s all religion other than worship of Aten was rejected and development at Luxor stopped. When Akhenaten died, the old religions returned, along with the priests so the temple began to expand again. (B, L, D)

Day 20 Friday: Nile Cruise Luxor / Esna / Edfu
We begin our day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of pharaohs. Our visit will also includes Queen Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Sail to Esna, cross the lock then continue onto Edfu. (B, L, D)

Day 21 Saturday: Nile Cruise Edfu / Kom Ombo / Aswan
Morning we will be visiting the well-preserved Greek built Temple of Horus. This temple, built during the reigns of six generations of Ptolemy’s, is not only the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but also the second largest after Karnak. Afternoon sail for Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. It stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. (B, L, D)

Day 22 Sunday: Aswan / Cairo (Train) *
Disembark after breakfast. Visits in Aswan include the famous and monumental Aswan High Dam and the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. This afternoon, we take a ride on a felucca, a typical Egyptian sail-boat, around Elephantine Island. This is also a day for those who may want to take an optional flight excursion to Abu Simbel to see the temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. Evening we are transferred to the railway station at Aswan for our comfortable overnight train to Cairo.
Overnight: Sleeper Train (1 night) (B, D)

Day 23 Monday: Arrive Cairo
We arrive in the morning and are welcomed at Cairo Railways Station. Our day at Cairo starts with a fascinating tour of 7,000 years of Egyptian history with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum houses the world's greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun. Next we start with the fascinating part of Islamic Cairo, including the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress perched on a hill above the city. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums. Our last stop is at the awesome Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. PM optional visit to Al Azhar Park including dinner @ $ 50 per person (min 2 persons)
Overnight: Shepheard Hotel (1 night) (B)

Day 24 Tuesday: Depart Cairo
Today we bid farewell to Egypt, best described as a heritage site to the whole world, having gained an educational, historical an enlightening cultural experience never to be forgotten. Check out time is by 1100 hrs. (B)

Optional Excursions/Extensions: Egypt - Cradle of the Nile

1) Abu Simbel Excursion (Day 22)
This day trip is by air from Aswan and includes a guided tour of the Abu Simbel temples and all the transfers required. This temple was built in ancient Nubia by Ramses II to demonstrate his power as well as his divine nature. Four colossal (20 meters / 65 feet high) statues of him sit in pairs flanking the entrance. This excursion is taken immediately after arrival in Aswan on Day 7 and the other sightseeing will be visited once you are back in Aswan.

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Departure Dates
2010 English Speaking Departures Every Sunday
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Accommodation/cruise as mentioned or similar International airfares and departure taxes Meals as mentioned (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner) Insurance and Visa fees All sightseeing and transfers Tips and gratuities Domestic air Port Elizabeth/Durban, Cairo/Luxor and train Aswan/Cairo Entrance fees into the inside chambers of the Pyramids, Solar Boat Museum, Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum, entrance into Tutankhamen’s Tomb in the Valley of Kings, entrance into Nefertari’s Tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Services of local English speaking guides   Entrance fees to museums and sites included in the itinerary
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
2010 Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement ex Johannesburg US $ 4690 US $ 1385 Note: Peak season surcharges of $ 350.00 per person for travel between Dec 20, 2009 – Jan 2010, Mar 31 - Apr 15, 2010 and any departure after Dec 01, 2010 Abu Simbel excursion $ 315.00 (includes airfare Aswan/Abu Simbel/Aswan). * Days 3 & 4 we offer an optional Luxury Private Game Lodge in Mpumalanga - Sandi Sands Reserve. This is a 2day/1night optional, on full board, and includes two game drives - on the afternoon of day 2 and another early morning of day 3. The cost of this optional is $ 495 sharing with single supplement of $ 250 * On Day 22, instead of the overnight train take a flight at $ 160.00 per person sharing includes airfare, transfers and overnight hotel. Single Supplement $ 55.00
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada - West Coast N/A USA - West Coast US $ 1600 Canada - East Coast N/A USA - East Coast US $ 1600
Participants
This tour operates on a minimum of 2 participants.
Notes
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.