 A
CULTURAL HERITAGE TOUR OF EGYPT
A cultural tour of Egypt
The
history of history, Egypt is where we witness evidence
of time before time. From 20 millions years ago to present
day, our journey will cover ruins, unprecedented architecture,
natural wild life, amazing discoveries and the physical
evidence of influential people, cultures and religion.
From the view from the bottom of the pyramids, to the
coast lines of the Nile to the top of Mount Sinai, each
city, each stop will offer a unique angle to one of
the oldest regions of the world. Enjoy this 19 day journey
into Egypt and visit countless number of historic sites
including the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Historic
Cairo, Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis, Memphis,
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae , Saint Catherine
Area and Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley).
Day
1 Arrival in Cairo
“ Salaam” and welcome to Egypt! Upon arrival
we are warmly received and taken to our hotel. Relax,
unwind and prepare for the unforgettable cultural adventure
through time. Check in time starts from 1400 hrs.
Overnight: Safir Hotel Dokki (4 nights)
 Day
2 Cairo
The capital city and the face of Egypt, Cairo is a city
of dichotomies. Sitting in the midst of the Sahara,
Cairo emerges as an unusual oasis in the desert. Offering
a substantial helping of both, the old and the new,
gives this metropolitan city an interesting skyline.
Touring through the city we come across several mosques,
madrasas and fountains, making the historic Cairo on
the among Egypt’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
(1979). Today, we will satisfy our travel desires with
a visit to the famous, ever so ancient and ever so present,
pyramids. We drive into the dessert, towards the old
town of Giza, located on the banks of the River Nile.
We approach a plateau were we immediately find the Giza
Necropolis, a complex of ancient monuments. Standing
at a height of 20 metres, our first encounter of ancient
Egypt is with a statue of a reclining lion with a human
head. The Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest monumental
sculpture and is commonly believed to have been built
in the 3rd millennium BC. We continue our exploration
of the necropolis and the many other monuments. The
Great Pyramid of Giza sits under the never ending desert
sky. It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids
in Giza and is the only remaining monument of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World. Our first day of sightseeing
also includes Egyptian Museum. Inside, we walk through
the many show rooms and view the most extensive collection
of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world including
remains of many famous Pharaohs and the tomb King Tutankhamen.
(B)
Day 3 Cairo
With a full day of exploration, we start our day early
with a short drive south of Cairo to the UNESCO World
Heritage Site of Memphis (1979). This city has seen
many great Dynasties come and gone and has served as
the capital and administration centre of Lower Egypt.
Sources say the city has existed since the unification
of Egypt some 5100 years ago. Today, we will visit the
city of Memphis and tour Sakkara the necropolis for
its Pharaohs. Excavated only in the last 100 years,
Sakkara is still a very important site for archaeologists
as many tombs have yet to be discovered. Sitting on
the west bank of the Nile is Dahshur, home to the oldest
pyramids. Here, we witness the transitions early Egyptians
made, as the oldest of the pyramids is built without
steps. At an angle of 53 degrees, it is evident why
there was a transition to building steps to the peak.
(B)
Day 4 Cairo
Today, we move through Cairo experiencing the chaos
and commotion that so rightfully describes the city.
Cairo has more to offer than the pyramids in its vicinity;
the beautiful mosques tell stories from old civilizations
and leave us in a state of awe. On the agenda today,
we visit the Sultan Hassan Mosque. An epitome of Mamluk
architecture, this 14th C mosque one of the largest
in the Islamic world. As we walk through the mosque,
we see the large domes, recessed porches, fountains
and courtyards and experience the overwhelming majestic
beauty a massive structure can offer. Set right next
to a busy bazaar is the 17thC Beit el Suhaymi. A well
preserved masterpiece, the Beit El Suhaymi is an example
of a private home of the wealthy. Designed with climatic
considerations, its shaded courtyards, balconies, thick
walls, cool marble floors, kept citizens of this 30
chamber home cool under Cairo’s scorching sun.
We continue our tour of Cairo with a visit to the Mosque
of Sultan Hassan. A strikingly beautiful structure,
with an interior that includes carefully carved marble
and wood that has been carved, gilded and painted along
with domes and arches. We also visit the Old Gates of
Cairo. One of many fortified entrances to the gated
city of Cairo, the gates not only served as a safety
precaution but also for management and administration.
We head back to the hotel and have a free evening to
enjoy our last night in Cairo. (B)
Day 5 Cairo / Abu Simbel
Sitting on a morning flight to Abu Simbel, we wave goodbye
to Cairo from our plane window. Some 850km south of
Cairo, is the archaeological site of Abu Simbel, situated
on the west bank of Lake Nasser. We break for lunch
on a cruise on the lake, admiring the view from the
water. In the afternoon, we make our way to the twin
temples, Abu Simbel’s main attractions. Carved
out of the mountainside, the imposing structures are
lasting monuments Pharaoh Ramesses II and his Queen
Nefertari from the 13th C BC. The complex was relocated
from its original site in the 1960s to avoid submerging
into the lake. The Abu Simbel temples are part of UNESCO
World Heritage Site’s (1979) series of Nubian
Monuments In the evening we enjoy a sound and light
show in Abu Simbel. Tonight, we step on the boat once
again with our hungry stomachs and bags for a delicious
dinner on the lake and good night’s rest in the
cabins!
Overnight: On Board M/S Nubian Sea (3 nights)
(B, L, D)
 Day
6 Abu Simbel / Amada / Wadi El Seboua
Waking up on Lake Nasser, we have a morning cruise to
Qasr Ibrim. This Egyptian fortress was once on a cliff
top standing at the edge of the Nile, in a region known
as Lower Nubia. Today it is a tiny unusual island on
Lake Nasser, created by the construction of the Aswan
High Sam. It is the only archaeological site that has
survived the flooded area. We hop back aboard our boat
and enjoy a delicious lunch as we sail to Amada. The
Temple of Amada is considered the oldest Egyptian temple
in Nubia. It was constructed by the 18th-dynasty Pharaoh
Thutmose III and dedicated to the god Amun. As we walk
towards the temple, its exterior does not offer too
much in detailed carvings and architectural amazement,
however, do not be fooled, the temple’s interior
makes up for it with walls and columns that are decorated
with finely cut, vibrantly colored scenes of the pharaohs
making offerings to the gods. In the evening we begin
our departure for Wadi es-Sebua. (B, L, D)
Day 7 Wadi es-Sebua / Aswan
Cruising along Lake Nasser we star our day with a morning
visit to the temples of Wadi es-Sebua and Dakka. Like
many other monuments of Lower Nubia, the temples were
both dismantled and relocated when the threat of flooding
arose during the construction of the Aswan Damn. The
temple of Wadi es-Sebua was originally built in the
14th C BC and then restored in the 13th C BC. At its
entrance, are a line of monuments, known as the Avenue
of Sphinx, that corridor the pathway to its doors. The
temple of Dakka was dedicated to Thoth, the god of wisdom,
and is considered a Greco-Roman temple. Initially, the
temple consisted of a small one-room shrine, however
over time, specifically during the Roman period, the
temple was enlarged and was transformed into a temple
fortress. Like many other monuments in that region,
both the temples of Wadi es-Sebua and Dakka were converted
into Christian Churches, resulting in covering the walls
with plastic to hide the Egyptian reliefs. At night,
we stare into the sky and enjoy our last night on the
boat. (B, L, D)
Day 8 Aswan
Surrounded by many other significant temples, today
we begin our day with a visit to the Kalabsha Temple.
Located on a granite headland that can be seen from
the top of the Aswan Damn, the Kalasha temple was originally
located some 50km south of Aswan. Historical accounts
date the temple back to 30 BC, however inscription in
the walls of its interior indicate the temple may have
built much before that. Just a few steps away, we visit
the Beit El Wali, a 13th C BC rock cut temple dedicated
to Ramesses II and the gods of Amun and Anukis. After
checking into to our hotel, we make our way to the beautiful
temple complex of Philae. This 3rd C BC temple,\ is
dedicated to the goddess Isis and is one of the last
fortresses of ancient Egyptian religion and hieroglyphic
usage. Today the complex sits some 500 metres away from
its original location. The construction of the High
Dam in 1960 resulted into the total submerge of the
island. Egypt made an international appeal through UNESCO
to salvage the monument. Finally a project was approved
to dismantle the temple and re-erect it at the near-by
island of Agilka Meanwhile the shape of the island was
re-formed by adding more stones in imitation of
the original island.
Overnight: Basma Hotel Aswan (1 night) (B)
Day 9 Aswan/Luxor
We begin our day with an early morning flight to Luxor.
The city of Luxor has been known as an open air museum.
The number and preservation of monuments in the Luxor
area are unparalleled. In fact, the city has a great
history of tourism, going as far back as to the ancient
times of the late Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods.
Once a thriving centre of religion, political supremacy
and wisdom, Luxor, originally known as Thebes and was
renowned for its high social status. It is for that
reason that many of the sites in Luxor from the period
of the Middle & New Kingdoms are among UNESCO World
Heritage Sites (1979). Today, we visit Karnack, a complex
with a vast conglomeration of ruined temples, chapels,
pylons and other buildings. The temple of Karnack is
famous for the 134 massive columns that are arranged
in 16 rows. The architraves on top of these columns
weigh an estimated 70 tons. The temples of Luxor and
Karnak are separated by three kilometres with the sacred
lake between them. Since inception, the Temple of Luxor
has been a sacred site. Founded in 1400BC, the temple
has been converted through the ages from a Christian
Church and Monastery to a Muslim Mosque in the 13th
C AD. For thousands of years, the temple was buried
beneath the streets and houses of the town. Eventually
the mosque of Sufi Shaykh Yusuf Abu al-Hajjaj was built
over it. This mosque was preserved when the temple was
uncovered and forms an integral part of the site today.
Overnight: Sofitel Karnak Hotel (2 nights) (B)
Day 10 Luxor
The West Bank at Luxor is one of the most important
archaeological sites in the world. The area is often
known as the Valley of Kings and is home to about 500
years of ancient tombs that were constructed for kings,
powerful nobles and their families. West Bank is where
archaeologists discovered King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Our tour of Luxor also includes a visit to the Temple
of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the most successful Pharaohs,
reigning longer than any other woman of an Egyptian
dynasty. Built into a cliff in the valley basin of Deir
el-Bahri, the temple sits atop of a series of colonnaded
terraces, reached by long ramps that once were graced
with gardens. Tonight, take an evening to relax and
unwind or explore Luxor on your own! (B)
 Day
11 Luxor / Sharm El Sheikh
The stories of Luxor are not done! We continue our tour
of the city with a visit to the Valley of the Queens.
The site is filled with over 70 tombs of the queens
from the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties. We continue
on to the ancient Egyptian village of Deir el-Madin.
Home to the artisans who built and decorated the tombs
of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, the craftsmen
of this region passed down their skills and trades from
father to son over many generations. The square grid
design of their village shows great skill and a modern
view on urban design. Today we also visit the Mediet
Habu, also known as the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses
III. Aside from architectural and artistic importance,
the temple is best known for the inscriptions reliefs
depicting the advent and defeat of the Sea Peoples.
Later, we take an evening flight to Sharm El Sheikh
where we are transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Sheraton Sharm Hotel (3 nights) (B)
Day 12 Sharm El Sheikh / St. Catherine
After 11 days of great site seeing, we have a full day
to relax and unwind. Take the time to enjoy the hotel,
or venture out to the sea to watch the blue water or
try some water sports. We take a night ride to St. Catherine.
(B)
Day 13 St. Catherine / Sharm El Sheikh
We arrive at St. Catherin early in the morning and immediately
begin our ascend up Mount Sinai. We reach the top of
the mountain to catch the breathtaking morning sunrise
against the multicoloured sky. Mount Sinai is the highest
point in Egypt and is known to be the place where Moses
received the Ten Commandments. With the panoramic view
in our minds, we descend down the mountain and enjoy
a breakfast at a local restaurant. Today we visit the
Monastery of St. Catherine. This UNESCO World Heritage
Site (2002) lies in the Sinai Peninsula and is one of
the oldest working Christian Monasteries in the world.
The monastery has been one of the world’s great
centres of religious pilgrimage for over fifteen centuries.
Within its imposing walls rests a citadel like no other,
incredibly rich in important religious and historical
structures. Among its treasures includes a library of
ancient manuscripts second only to the Vatican's itself,
and a 6th century church reputed to lie directly on
the site of the Burning Bush. In the afternoon, we make
our way back to Sharm El Sheikh. (B)
Day
14 Sharm El Sheikh / Cairo
After four days in the Sharm El Sheikh region, we wave
goodbye on our morning flight to back to Cairo. After
checking into our hotel, we embark on a half day tour
of the Egyptian capital. Set against Cairo’s bright
blue sky, stands a mosque built with only the finest
of well-fired red brick. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun is
one of the few mosques that have survived in almost
its original form. Its domes, archways, courtyards,
fountains, minarets and terrace overlooking the town,
offering a peaceful and serene environment for our imaginations
to travel back to the 9th C AD. Today, we also visit
the Gayer Anderson Museum. Adjacent to the Mosque of
Ibn Tulun, the museum is within the historic 17th C
home, offering one of the finest examples of domestic
architecture in Cairo. It consists of two houses built
using the outer wall of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun as support.
The unique location of the museum offers more than just
an experience of viewing historical artefacts, it allows
visitors to feel apart of the history.
Overnight: Safir Hotel Dokki (1 night) (B)
 Day
15 Cairo / Bahariya Oasis
Today we will be travelling some 300 kilometres south
of Cairo to Bahariya Oasis. Known historically as the
Northern Oasis, the town of Bahariya Oasis is rather
unique and the people of the town have clung to their
traditional beliefs and customs quite strongly. Its
inhabitants are a mixture of the original oasis dwellers,
the Bedouin tribes from Libya and the north coast, and
other people from the Nile Valley. Our drive from Cairo
will begin in the flat and dry desserts but change as
we approach the oasis where trees and greenery begin
line the roads of the town. Our tour of the area begins
in the afternoon and includes the Oasis, Hot Springs
and the English Mountain. We also visit a local museum
that houses the recently excavated Golden Mummies.
Overnight: Qasr El Bawiti Hotel (2 nights) (B,
D)
Day 16 Black & White Desert
Starting our day bright and early, we explore the surrounding
area of Bahariya Oasis. Today, we visit the Black &
White Desert and the Crystal Mountain. A region of volcano-shaped
mountains with large quantities of small black stones,
the Black Desert lies across the orange-brown ground,
giving it a spotted look. The White Desert, in contrary,
has massive formations and against the pale yellow sand,
stands out dramatically. The unusual rock formations
were the result of sandstorms and have given this area
an arctic snowy look. We also visit Crystal Mountain,
a sub-volcanic vault in between Bahariya Oasis and Farafra
Oasis. Right at the very edge of White Desert, Crystal
Mountain has a small natural arch in the rock and its
glittering calcite crystal walls make it a perfect place
to pose for pictures. (B, D)
Day
17 Bahareya / Fayoum
We start our day with a drive to, Fayome Oasis. En route,
we stop in a large depression at Wadi El Rayyan. Once
an arid dry land, the area has became a hydrological
project and as result two artifical lakes were created.
A protected area by the government Wadi El Rayyan is
now a park that sees various types of migrating aquatic
birds in the winter. We also visit the famous waterfalls
and the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s (2005) Wadi
Al-Hitan (Whale Valley). Also known as Zeuglodon Valley,
the valley produced considerable evidence of submerged
basin of water some 40-50 millions years ago. Today,
the area is occupied by a number of excavated sites,
that revealed whale fossils from the earliest types.
We continue our drive to Fayome Oasis.
Overnight: Auberge El Fayoum (1 night) (B, D)
Day 18 Fayoum / Cairo
We have an early start to our day and complete our tour
of Fayoum. Today, we visit some of the oldest archeologically
ruins in the area. Karanis, also known as “Lord’s
town”, is home to the remains from the Greco-Roman
times. The architectural, material and papyrological
records preserved by the excavators provide us with
more than a glimpse of life from 2500 years ago. Situated
on the edge of the Western Desert, above the lush green
fields at Meidum, is a tower shaped structure some sixty-five
meters high. The Pyramid at Meidum is said to have been
built with steps and then later turned into a true pyramid.
We take a break and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon we make our way back to Cairo.
Overnight: Safir Hotel Dokki (1 night) (B)
Day 19 Depart Cairo
We say ‘Ma'a Salama’ (Goodbye) and Shukrun
to Egypt (Thank you) for sharing her many stories of
civilizations past as we are transferred to the airport
for our flight home. Check out time is by 1100 hrs.
(B)
Departure
Dates |
| 2011
English Speaking Departures
Jan 17, Mar 21, May 02, Jul 18, Sep 12
& Nov 07 |
Inclusions |
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include |
| Hotel
Accommodation/Cruise as mentioned or similar,
including hotel taxes |
International
Airfare |
| Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast
L=Lunch D=Dinner) |
Insurance
/ Visas |
|
Domestic air tickets required |
Tips
/ gratuities |
| All
Sightseeing and Transfers |
Entrance fees into the
Pyramids chambers, visit to the Sun/Solar
Boat Museum, Mummies Room at the Egyptian
Museum, Tutankhamun & Ramses the 6th
Tombs in the Valley of Kings, Nefertari’s
Tomb in the Valley of the Queens & the
Outdoor Museum at Karnak Temple. |
| Entrance
Fees to Museums and Sites |
|
| Services
of Local English speaking guides |
|
|
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. |
| Departures |
Double
Occupancy |
Single
Room Supplement |
2011 |
US
$ 3695 |
US
$ 695 |
|
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
$ 1400 |
|
Participants |
| This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum
of 08 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. |
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