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11-Day Program
B Itinerary
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Inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu
Join our private group and enter the Great Pyramid
of
Khufu, the oldest pyramid at Giza and the largest in Egypt, while it
is closed to other visitors. The experience of climbing inside such
an ancient structure is unforgettable! Reaching the Grand Gallery
requires going through a dark passage 4 feet high and 3 feet wide, so this special tour is not
appropriate for those who need walking assistance or are
claustrophobic. Group size is strictly limited - first come, first
served. Reserve your space today!
Cost: $65 per person.
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Day 1
Tue, March 21, 2006
No meals
Arrive
Cairo, Egypt |
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Arrive at Cairo International Airport (CAI) according to your own
air schedule, or use TravelQuest’s special group air program, flying
nonstop from New York on EgyptAir. You might wish to arrive a day or two
early to recover from the long flight and explore Cairo on your own.
Upon arrival, you’ll be met
by our representative, who will assist you through baggage claim,
immigration, customs, and then transfer you to our hotel in Giza, which
is just a 15-minute walk from the Great Pyramids — the last survivors of
the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World." The rest of the day is yours
to relax at the hotel, have a rejuvenating massage, enjoy dinner at
one |
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of the hotel’s restaurants, or experience a
sunset visit to the pyramids and the Sphinx! |
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Overnight: Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel, Giza (2 nights) |
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Day 2
Wed, March 22
B
Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and Sakkara's Step
Pyramid |
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Our entire morning will be devoted to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the
Sphinx. The Great Pyramid of Khufu, built around 2575 BC, stands a
monumental 449 feet high. Travelers participating in our private group
tour of the Great Pyramid of Khufu will enter between the hours of 11:00
a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
The Sphinx was carved from an
outcrop of limestone as a recumbent lion with the face of the pharaoh
Khafre. Despite erosion and abuse, the Sphinx is still an inspirational
sight to behold. We’ll also pay a visit to the recently discovered and
reassembled Solar Boat, which the ancients believed would carry them to
the afterlife.
After a lunch stop back at
our hotel, we’ll journey to the ancient city of Memphis, the capital of
Egypt in 3100 BC. We’ll then travel atop the desert plateau of Sakkara and
marvel at the earliest stone monument in
Egypt, a step pyramid built for |
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King Djoser in 2650 BC. After visiting the Djoser funerary complex, we’ll
return to the hotel. |
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Day 3
Thu, March 23
B/L/D
Old Cairo / Luxor Temple / Embark MS Salacia |
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After breakfast we’ll drive to the heart of Old
Cairo and the ancient Roman fortress of Babylon. Here we will explore
the Coptic Museum and the beautiful "Hanging Church" that is still in
use today. We’ll also see Cairo’s oldest synagogue, Ben
Ezra, which dates back to at least the 9th
century.
Next, we’ll drive up to the
Citadel, a medieval fortress built by Saladin in AD 1176 using blocks
from the Queens’ Pyramids at Giza. Its main court contains the Alabaster
Mosque, built for the 19th-century ruler Mohammed Ali and modeled after
the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. From there we’ll enjoy spectacular views of
Cairo.
From the Citadel we’ll
transfer to Cairo Airport for our afternoon flight to Luxor to visit the
magnificent Temple of Luxor. Much smaller than Karnak Temple, Luxor is
nevertheless well preserved, built by Amenhotep
III for Amun, his wife
Mut and their son Khonsu. There’s a magical atmosphere that provides a
perfect introduction the temples of Upper Egypt. After Luxor, we’ll board
the elegant MS “Salacia,” one of the few vessels cruising the Nile that
meet US safety and health standards. After settling into our staterooms,
we’ll gather for dinner aboard ship. |
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Overnight: MS
Salacia
(4 nights) |
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Day 4
Fri,
March 24
B/L/D
Valley of the Kings / Karnak
Temple / Nile Cruise |
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Early this morning we will board our
motorcoach and cross the Nile to the West Bank. Passing by the Colossi of
Memnon - a pair of 75-foot-tall statues towering over the plain - we will
visit the Valley of the Kings, site of some 62 excavated tombs, including
the famous Tomb of Tutankhamen. We’ll also stop at the Temple of Hatshepsut, a monument partially cut from the hillside, which contains
some renowned reliefs depicting important events of Queen Hatshepsut’s
life. Nearby, the
Valley of the Queens contains at least 75
tombs, including one of the |
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finest in Egypt - the
tomb of Queen Nefertari. Pending permission (the government rotates
availability of tombs), we’ll plan an optional visit into this exquisite
site.
We’ll conclude our morning
with a visit to the magnificent Temple of Karnak.
Built by 12th-dynasty kings at the beginning of the second millennium BC,
this massive complex was added to, rebuilt, and enlarged for almost 1,500
years to honor the gods and the pharaohs.
We will return to the MS
Salacia at midday for lunch and to begin our Nile cruise. We’ll pass
through the lock at Esna Barrage and continue south to Edfu. |
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Copyright 2005 TravelQuest
International. All rights
reserved. 800-830-1998
Revised: December 30, 2005.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies or trademark holders. |
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