Egypt in Style

Itinerary

• Egypt

  Egypt is a country in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge to Western Asia. Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. The great majority of its estimated 75.4 million live near the banks of the Nile River, where the only arable agricultural land is found. The large areas of the Sahara Desert are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization and some of the world's most famous monuments, including the Giza pyramid complex and its Great Sphinx. Luxor contains numerous ancient artifacts, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Important temples are located on the Nile cities of Edfu and Aswan, with the temple of Abu Simbel on the shore of Lake Nasser in the south.

• Cairo

  Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the hub of the country. Millennia of history have made it one of the most fascinating places in the world. The Egyptian Museum whose 107 halls feature huge statues on the ground floor, and small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies on upper floors. Other downtown sights include the Saladin Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Khan Khalili bazaar. Nearby Giza is famous for the Pyramids of Egypt, among the largest constructions ever built.

• Nile

  Glide up the Nile at night and explore ancient temples during the day. Edfu (Idfu) is located on the west bank of the River Nile between Esna and Aswan. Of all the temple remains in Egypt, the Temple of Horus at Edfu is the most completely preserved. Kom Ombo was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold. The town's location on the Nile 50 km north of Aswan (Syene) gave it some control over trade routes from Nubia to the Nile Valley, but its main rise to prominence came with the erection of the temple in the 2nd century BC.

• • The Mighty Sphinx
  • Mena House Oberoi Garden

  Day 1: Cairo

  You will be met in the tunnel by an airport representative who will in turn facilitate the visa process ($15 per person - included in tour cost), escort you through customs and immigration, off to baggage claim and finally to passenger pick up. It is here that you will connect with our representative associate who will arrange airport transfer to your hotel.

  An English speaking assistant will meet and greet you at Cairo Airport, assist with the tourist visa process (included in tour price) and accompany you to your hotel.

  Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

  Accommodation: Mena House Oberoi Garden

  The Mena House Oberoi stands tall, yet guarded by the mighty heights of the Great Pyramids of Cairo. Fascinating guests since 1869, the 523 room hotel has continuously held the attention of royalty, political thinkers, and celebrities over time. A range of continental dining and Egyptian specialty restaurants and bars satisfy even the most critical of appetites. The Mena House grants guests the opportunity to relax or stay active by checking out its golf courses, horse and camel stables, and extensive fitness options. Wander a few steps outside the hotel and you may run smack into a pyramid. Forty acres of jasmine-scented gardens will leave their scent on those who depart the hotel. It’s hard to leave this embellished haven of lush furnishings, oriental prints, and hand-woven fabrics.

• • Step Pyramid of King Zoser
  • Sound & Light Show on the Great Pryamid of Giza

  Day 2: Cairo

  Morning visit to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt dating from 3,100 BC, and the legendary city of Menes, the King who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Proceed to its necropolis of Sakkara where you will see the world-famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest known of Egypt’s 107 pyramids and the world’s first freestanding stone structure. After lunch (not included in the cost), visit the 4,500 year old Pyramids built for Pharaohs Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus on the Giza Plateau, the Great Pyramid being the only survivor of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". Just to the east of the 2nd pyramid lies the legendary Sphinx, whose human face is thought to represent that of Chephren, acting as the guardian of the Pharaoh’s enormous funerary monument. Continue to the Solar Boat Museum to view the 141 foot long re-assembled funerary boat of King Cheops. Found in 1954, it has been hailed as the single most important archaeological find in Egypt since the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

  Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.

  Experience a spectacular sound and light show on the side of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

  Accommodation: Mena House Oberoi Garden
• • Nile
  • Luxor Temple II
  • M/S Nile Adventurer

  Day 3: Cairo - Luxor - Nile

  Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

  Take your flight from Cairo to Luxor. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour.

  Airport transfer with a private vehicle and English-speaking driver in Luxor.

  Enjoy a private tour with a qualified Egyptologist guide exploring the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the most impressive temples of Karnak and Luxor, while learning about ancient Egyptian history from your own personal guide. Start your day with a visit to the Temples of Karnak. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter the complex as your guide explains how the massive facade was constructed. Continue to Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometre long Avenue of Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. Your private guide will offer interpretation and guide you through the most important parts of the temples.

  Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer

  The newly renovated, elegant Sanctuary M.S. Nile Adventurer has just 32 cabins, offering an intimate and relaxed cruising experience on the epic Nile River. Decorated in a modern, comfortable lounge style and providing gourmet cuisine and superb sightseeing experiences with the country’s most experienced Egyptologists, the Adventurer is a taste of genuine 5-star luxury on this timeless and beautiful river. Spacious rooms and modern state of the art bathrooms are the hallmarks of each cabin. The public areas are fitted with luxurious furniture and oriental ornaments that beautifully reflect Egypt’s perfect mix of East and West. The sun deck, with its bamboo seats and teak floors, is the perfect place for sipping on a cocktail while floating past the beauty and serenity of Upper Egypt’s timeless landscapes. The vibrant, contrasting colours of the lounge are a great backdrop for lively evening conversation and afternoon gatherings.

• • Hatshepsut Temple
  • King Tut's Tomb

  Day 4: Luxor - Nile

  This morning you will meet up with your guide and explore some of the most incredible sites of the country. You will visit the Valley of the Kings where you will have the chance to explore three tombs. For a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the kings and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt). The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite modern Luxor. Then it's off to the nearby Valley of the Queens and also the recently renovated mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty. The tour includes a visit to the huge Colossi of Memnon which are all that remain of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.

  Done in conjunction with the West Bank private tour. Enter the famous tomb of King Tutankhamen.

  Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer
• • Temple of Horus
  • Kom Ombo Temple

  Day 5: Nile

  Visit the Nile-side Temple of Horus, the falcon god, built in 230 BC by Ptolemy III. The Temple of Horus in Edfu (also known as the Temple of Edfu) is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. This is partly because it was built later than most: in the Ptolemaic era from 237 to 57 BC. Despite its later date, it reflects traditional pharaonic architecture and so provides an excellent idea of how all the temples once looked. Edfu is also very large: the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple.

  Visit a unique Greco-Roman temple dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the sun god. The Temple in Kom Ombo (also known simply as Kom Ombo Temple) dates from about 180 BC, during a period known as the Ptolemaic era, and had some additions built on to it during Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan. The temple is unusual in that it is a double temple, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple. The right side is dedicated to Sobek-Re (the crocodile god combined with the sun god Re), along with his wife (a form of Hathor) and their son Khonsu-Hor. Sobek is associated with Seth, the enemy of Horus. In the myth of Horus and Osiris, Seth and his followers changed themselves into crocodiles to escape. The ancient Egyptians believed that by honouring the fearsome crocodile as a god, they would be safe from attacks. The left side is dedicated to Haroeris, the "Good Doctor" (a form of the falcon-headed god Horus the Elder) along with his consort Ta-Sent-Nefer, the "Good Sister" (another form of Hathor).

  Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer
• • Temple of Philae on the island of Agilika

  Day 6: Aswan - Nile

  This 1/2 day tour begins with a visit to the impressive Aswan High Dam. The water which was collected behind created Lake Nasser, the world's largest artificial lake. View the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Iris, on the island of Agilika, stopping at the “unfinished obelisk,” a practical demonstration of the methods used by ancient craftsmen to create impressive monuments.

  Enjoy a Nile adventure as you sail aboard a traditional, non-motorized felucca around Kitchener's Island, the Aga Khan Mausoleum and botanical gardens.

  Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer
• • Cairo Marriott Hotel

  Day 7: Aswan - Cairo

  Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver in Aswan.

  Take your flight from Aswan to Cairo. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and a half.

  Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

  Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

  Accommodation: Marriott

  The recently renovated Cairo Marriott Hotel, situated at the centre of the city, is surrounded by lush gardens and with a 19th century palace in its midst, on the Nile River. The grand hotel’s 1250 rooms are well appointed, with splendid views of the city and the Nile. One may take meals in any of the restaurants or cafes, which are reasonably priced and enjoyable, and feature especially hospitable staff. The city of Cairo is in itself a bustling source of amusement and history, including the Pyramids, though some guests prefer to stay on the hotel grounds and make use of the fitness centre or swimming pools.

• • Interior of Saladin citadel

  Day 8: Cairo

  This full day tour includes a private tour with your trained Egyptologist guide through the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and its Mummy Room, which houses priceless archaeological finds including the treasures of Tutankhamun and the Greco/Roman period. In the afternoon visit Saladin Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress built by the renowned leader himself and dating back from the 12th century. Here you will explore the mosque and tomb of the Ottoman ruler Mohamed Ali, whom laid the foundation for the modern nation of Egypt. Later, on a walking tour, you will get to stroll through the fabled Khan Khalili bazaar, absorbing the sights, scents, exotic treats and energy of this ancient yet vibrant meeting place.

  Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.

  Accommodation: Marriott

• Day 9: Cairo

  Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

  Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport)

Accommodation

• Fun Facts

  Hieroglyphic was the earliest script form of the Ancient Egyptian. Each hieroglyph represents a common object in ancient Egypt including a person, an object or an idea. The decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs was made possible by discovery of the Rosetta Stone, found in 1799 by Napoleonic troops fighting in Egypt. The famous stone currently resides in the British Museum.

• Collectibles

  The cosmetics and perfume industry had its genesis in Ancient Egypt. Perfumes were thought to have some power of purification from death or disease and to cleanse the impure. Perfumes were so essential to the lives of the ancients that they were buried with the dead for use in the afterlife. Some of these vials were true works of art such as the ones found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. The Egyptians kept their perfumes in vessels made of rich materials including gold, hard stones, coloured glasses or alabaster. These perfume vials remain the ultimate Egyptian souvenir to this day.

• Wildlife Encounters

  Camels are well suited to desert life and the conditions of Upper Egypt because of a number of the animal's adaptations. They have broad, flat, thick-soled cloven hoofs that do not sink into the sand, they have the ability to go without drinking for several days—or longer if juicy plants are available, and they have valvular nostrils lined with hairs for protection against flying sand.

• • Pyramids View Room
  • Mena House Oberoi Garden

  Mena House Oberoi Garden

  The Mena House Oberoi stands tall, yet guarded by the mighty heights of the Great Pyramids of Cairo. Fascinating guests since 1869, the 523 room hotel has continuously held the attention of royalty, political thinkers, and celebrities over time. A range of continental dining and Egyptian specialty restaurants and bars satisfy even the most critical of appetites. The Mena House grants guests the opportunity to relax or stay active by checking out its golf courses, horse and camel stables, and extensive fitness options. Wander a few steps outside the hotel and you may run smack into a pyramid. Forty acres of jasmine-scented gardens will leave their scent on those who depart the hotel. It’s hard to leave this embellished haven of lush furnishings, oriental prints, and hand-woven fabrics.

  • More information
• • M/S Nile Adventurer
  • M/S Nile Adventurer Cabin Room

  M/S Nile Adventurer

  The newly renovated, elegant Sanctuary M.S. Nile Adventurer has just 32 cabins, offering an intimate and relaxed cruising experience on the epic Nile River. Decorated in a modern, comfortable lounge style and providing gourmet cuisine and superb sightseeing experiences with the country’s most experienced Egyptologists, the Adventurer is a taste of genuine 5-star luxury on this timeless and beautiful river. Spacious rooms and modern state of the art bathrooms are the hallmarks of each cabin. The public areas are fitted with luxurious furniture and oriental ornaments that beautifully reflect Egypt’s perfect mix of East and West. The sun deck, with its bamboo seats and teak floors, is the perfect place for sipping on a cocktail while floating past the beauty and serenity of Upper Egypt’s timeless landscapes. The vibrant, contrasting colours of the lounge are a great backdrop for lively evening conversation and afternoon gatherings.

  • More information
• • Cairo Marriott Hotel

  Marriott

  The recently renovated Cairo Marriott Hotel, situated at the centre of the city, is surrounded by lush gardens and with a 19th century palace in its midst, on the Nile River. The grand hotel’s 1250 rooms are well appointed, with splendid views of the city and the Nile. One may take meals in any of the restaurants or cafes, which are reasonably priced and enjoyable, and feature especially hospitable staff. The city of Cairo is in itself a bustling source of amusement and history, including the Pyramids, though some guests prefer to stay on the hotel grounds and make use of the fitness centre or swimming pools.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

• What's Included:

  • Guaranteed departure - Tours, Transfers, Flights, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

• What's not Included:

  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

• Trip Terms & Conditions

  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
  • Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
  • Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
  • Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
  • Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of deposit. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to 100% of program price.
  • Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.horizon-co.com/terms-and-conditions
  • Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

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