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Nile Odyssey

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8 days from £1095

excluding international flights

EGYPT HOLIDAYS FACTFILE

DAY 1 – Arrival in Cairo.

On arrival in Cairo you will be met by a representative of World Discovery who will organise your Egyptian visa and assist you through immigration and customs. You will then be taken by private car direct to your hotel. Recommended flight from London: bmi from London Heathrow (see below). If you are travelling from a country other than the UK we would be happy to give you guidance on your flight options.

GUARANTEED PYRAMIDS VIEW AT THE MENA HOUSE OBEROI
Your rooms are in the newer Garden Wing of the hotel. You may request a guaranteed Pyramid View Room for a special supplement of £54 per person for the 3 night stay. These rooms are in high demand so early booking is essential. Upgrades are also possible for a supplement to the historic Palace Wing of the hotel - details on request.

DAY 2 – Pyramids, Sphinx and Solar Boat Museum.

Your World Discovery Egypt holiday begins after breakfast when your private guide will collect you from your hotel and take you to the Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still intact today.  Beside the Pyramids stands the legendary Sphinx, one of the best known yet least understood monuments of ancient history.  An added bonus with World Discovery this morning is the included entrance to theSolar Boat Museum, located at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Cheops.  The afternoon is free, with the option of visiting ancient Memphis and Saqqara, the latter famous for its unique Step Pyramid, constructed in the 27th century BC.  In the evening there is the option of returning to the Pyramids to watch the spectacular Sound and Light Performance.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 3 – The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.

This morning journey with your private driver and guide into the centre of Cairo to visit the world-famous Museum of Egyptian Antiquities on Tahrir Square.  Return to your hotel in Giza for lunch, or you may choose to stay on in the city with your driver and guide and enjoy one of 3 optional excursions in the Old City of Cairo:

The Citadel of Saladin, Mosque of Mohamed Ali and the Khanal-Khalili bazaar

Islamic Cairo, including Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Gayer-Anderson House

The Coptic Museum and the Gayer-Anderson House

The above optional excursions may be booked in advance if required and can be prepaid in the UK with your final invoice.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

STAY ON IN CAIRO
Cairo has so many sights worth seeing, particularly in the Old City, that you may wish to consider staying an extra day (or two!) in order to be able to fit in all the places that interest you.  We can also offer a full day excursion from the capital to the Mediterranean port of Alexandria.  

DAY 4 – Fly to Luxor to join your Nile Cruise. Temples of Karnak and Luxor.

After breakfast you will be taken by private car to Cairo Airport for the short flight to Luxor. On arrival you will be met and transferred direct to the M.S. Darakum at its mooring on the eastern banks of the Nile. This excellent ship will be your home for the next 4 nights during your luxury Nile cruise.  In the morning there are included visits to the two great Pharaonic temples of the East Bank; the breathtaking Temple of Karnak, with its great Hypostyle Hall and Sacred Lake, and the smaller but arguably more elegant Temple of Luxor in the centre of town. Enjoy an extensive buffet lunch, followed by an afternoon at leisure.  Overnight in Luxor.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner.

DAY 5 – Valley of the Kings and Western Thebes. Sail to Edfu.

Your luxury Nile cruise continues with an early morning visit to the magnificent archaeological remains of Western Thebes, beginning with the world-famous Valley of the Kings, burial place of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom.  You will also visit the Valley of the Queens and the monumental Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. The afternoon is spent cruising on the Nile, passing through the Esna, to reach Edfu where the ship will moor for the night.  There will be a cocktail party on board this evening.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner.

Pictured: tomb detail from the Valley of the Queens.

DAY 6 – Temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo.  Continue to Aswan.

Step ashore at Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus. Return to the M.S. Darakum and sail to Kom Ombo to visit the temple before sailing on to Aswan for overnight.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner.

DAY 7 - Aswan sightseeing including the Temple of Philae.

Aswan, gateway to Nubia, is situated downriver from the First Cataract on the Nile. It was here that the British built a dam between 1898 and 1902, but this was superseded by the Aswan High Dam, constructed by President Nasser in the 1960s, resulting in the creation of Lake Nasser, the largest artificial lake in the world. Enjoy a morning's sightseeing, beginning with the High Dam itself.  Continue to the Northern Quarries to view the Unfinished Obelisk, and then take a motor boat to visit the superb Temple of Philae on its island in the Nile.  In the afternoon enjoy a felucca sail on the Nile.  Overnight in Aswan.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner.

DAY 8 – Fly back to Cairo to connect with your homeward flight.

Your luxury Nile cruise on the M.S. Darakum ends this morning. An optional excursion by air may be taken to visit the incredible temples at Abu Simbel on the shores of Lake Nasser. In the early afternoon fly back to Cairo to connect with your homeward flight.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

EXTEND YOUR STAY IN EGYPT

We offer a choice of extensions according to the direction of your cruise.  After the Luxor/Aswan cruise (as shown above), why not spend a few days in Aswan?

ASWAN, GATEWAY TO NUBIA

Aswan is the ideal place for a few days of relaxation at the end of your holiday, giving you time to reflect on the many wonders you have seen in your journey along the Nile. We recommend the excellent Movenpick Resort, located on Elephantine Island and offering a regular shuttle boat service to the Aswan corniche.

If your cruise is in the reverse direction (see note below the price grid), you have a choice of extension options.  You may wish to stay longer in Luxor:

LUXOR, AN 'OPEN-AIR MUSEUM'

Unwind in your hotel, go shopping in the souk, or perhaps take a felucca ride on the Nile.  Our favourite hotel is the Moorish-style Hotel Al Moudira,which enjoys a peaceful location on the West Bank near the Valley of the Kings.  If you prefer to stay in Luxor town itself on the East Bank, we have a selection of excellent hotels for you to choose from.

Alternatively, why not spend some relaxing days beside the warm waters of the Red Sea?

THE OBEROI SAHL HASHEESH

A 3 hour road journey from Luxor will take you through the eastern desert to the Red Sea coast to reach the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh, a secluded haven boasting white sands, aquamarine waters and vibrantly-hued marine life.  This is in our opinion simply Egypt's top resort hotel.

International Flights

We recommend the services of bmi from London Heathrow. Flights are non-stop and have a choice of classes. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows:
Heathrow/Cairo. Depart at 09.15; arrive Cairo at 16.20
Cairo/Heathrow. Depart at 17.25; arrive Heathrow at 20.50

Egypt Holidays: Nile Odyssey (Tour Reference: WDEG003)
2012 Departures
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

The price includes:

• Scheduled domestic flights on EgyptAir from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo (or v,v.), including local airport taxes.
• Hotel accommodation as listed above in twin-bedded or double rooms/cabins with private facilities.
• 7 full breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners as shown in the itinerary. During the M.S. Darakum cruise, a light afternoon tea will also be served.
• Private transfers at each location.
• All sightseeing as shown (unless indicated as ‘optional’), including entrance fees.
• The services of a private guide for the included sightseeing in Cairo. During the cruise you will join other passengers and have the services of the boat’s English-speaking guide.
• Your Egyptian visa.  Our agents will organise this on your arrival at Cairo Airport (no forms or photos required).
  

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance.
• Optional sightseeing. It is recommended that the optional excursion by air to Abu Simbel is booked prior to your departure from the UK (current price £170 per person).
• International airport taxes.
• Tipping. We will be pleased to give guidance in this often sensitive matter.

A deposit of £250 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your Egypt holiday must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure date.