Family Tour

"Wonders of Egypt - Family Tour" November 21-28, 2010 Land Only Prices* Adults & children ages 12+: $2,995* USD per person in double occupancy. Single Supplement: $400 USD Children (ages 7-11 years old at time of tour): $2,195* USD sharing a room with an adult. * Prices above are for those sharing a hotel room & include: Flights from Cairo-Luxor and Luxor-Cairo, two 5-star hotels, 2 meals per day (a large buffet breakfast & lunch), bottled water at all times, sightseeing with entrance fees as described below. Additional fees may be required for activities listed as Optional. Complete list of what is included. *Early Bird Special: Deduct $200 USD per traveler when you pay in full by July 17, 2010.
Saturday, Nov 20, 2009	Departures from home for people coming from North America or Australia: For those departing from USA, Canada or Australia, you will take overnight flights that arrive in Egypt the following day. Contact Us for help with finding the best flight options for you.
Day 1 Sunday Nov 21, 2010	Plan to arrive in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010. An English-speaking representative will meet you at Cairo airport and bring you to our hotel near the pyramids. Overnight: 5-star hotel near the pyramids. Le Meridien Pyramids or similar.
Saqqara ---- Imhotep Museum ---- Blue Lotus & Local Farmers ---- Memphis	Day 2 - Monday, Nov 22, 2010 Here in the Cairo area we begin with a visit to the oldest pyramid of all, King Djoser's Step Pyramid. It was built more than 4,500 years ago! This was the beginning, and it is the beginning of our tour, too. It is here at the Saqqara complex that we get to see the early versions of the *Book of the Dead* (Teti Pyramid) and some tombs with scenes of the daily life in the Old Kingdom. See what life on the Nile looked like more than 4,000 years ago - people, animals, food, farming, making glass & jewelry, kids playing games and lots more. Here at Saqqara we also have the pleasure of seeing the newly opened Imhotep Museum - a beautifully laid out modern museum with a number of wooden statues from the Old Kingdom that are particularly memorable. It is a small museum, so will be a short visit. All the items on exhibit were found here at Saqqara and have not been on public display before. Ruth has some friends in the Saqqara area who have a guesthouse in the Black Land, the farming area. Hopefully they will be home and able to welcome us for lunch. It's also a chance to see some the nearby farmers and their animals up close. See Blue Lotus of Saqqara Guesthouse. On our way back to Giza we stop at what was once the capital city of Ancient Egypt, Memphis. See the huge statue of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Optional: - Sound & Light Show at the Giza pyramids in the evening. Cost: $25 pp. Overnight: 5-star hotel near the pyramids. Le Meridien Pyramids or similar.
Giza Plateau Solar Boat ---- Camel Rides	Day 3 - Tuesday, Nov 23, 2010 Today is Giza Pyramids day! The most famous pyramids of all. We visit and go inside whichever pyramid is open. Of the three pyramids, two will be open and one closed for renovations - dates are not announced in advance. There is an additional ticket of 100 LE (about $17 USD) for the Great Pyramid. On that day, you will decide if you want to take this option and go inside. The ticket for the other pyramid that will be open is included in your tour price. In the Solar Boat Museum we see a boat that is almost 5,000 years old and was found 50 years ago, here beside the pyramid. The trees that were used to build it most have been huge, because the boards run the whole length of the boat! We will also see the Great Sphinx & Valley Temple. The stones that make up the walls of the Valley Temple are HUGE, too large for us to move and place so precisely today. How did they do it? What do you think? Camel rides for the adventurous. Here's your chance to ride across the desert with the pyramids there nearby (and, of course, have your picture taken as well). Back at our hotel it is time to pack your bags to get ready for leaving Cairo tomorrow. Optional: - Go inside the Great Pyramid. Cost: 100 LE (about $18 USD). Optional: - Gold Shop (jewelry). Overnight: 5-star hotel near the pyramids. Le Meridien Pyramids or similar.
Papyrus Institute Cairo Museum	Day 4 - Wednesday, Nov 24, 2010 In the morning we drive into Cairo, the biggest center of culture and learning in the Middle East, and one of the largest, most crowded cities in the entire world. On our way we visit a papyrus institute and see how the ancient papyrus was made. Includes a shop where you can buy your own as well. Right in the center of the city is the famous Cairo Egyptian Museum. Your guides point out the most famous pieces and then there is free time to look at whatever interests you the most. The treasures of King Tut, the Mummy Room, statues from all time periods. Afternoon flight to Luxor where our hotel is right on the Nile. Or if you would like the adventure of taking an overnight train from Cairo to Luxor you can substitute that flight and take the train. Overnight: Luxor 5- star Hotel - Sofitel Karnak Resort , Sonesta St George or similar, or the overnight train (your choice).
Hatshepsut's Temple ---- Valley of the Kings ---- "Colossi of Memnon" ---- Villager --- Felucca Sailboat --- Shopping at Luxor Street Bazaar	Day 5 - Thursday, Nov 25, 2010 Early morning is the perfect time to visit the West Bank, one the most famous archeological sites in the world. The first site that we visit is also one of the earliest New Kingdom temples. Called "The Most Splendid of All" by the ancient Egyptians, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, the famous Deir El Bahari has inspired many, including the founders of modern architecture. One of the outstanding features is the picturesque Hathor columns in the Hathor Chapel on the second Level. We are also privileged to be admitted to the third level which was only recently opened to the public. More photos of Hatshepsut's Temple. In the late morning we visit the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut's tomb was found. There are many tombs here, and excavations are still going on, as well as renovations to tombs that have been uncovered a long time. One never knows which tombs will be open that day, but there will be a variety to choose from. Recent highlights are the openings of the Ramesses I tomb & Ramesses VI tomb, both restored with modern techniques pioneered during the restoration of the tomb of Nefertari (Nefertari's tomb is no longer open to the public). See optional extra tickets listed below. Just nearby are some villagers that are long-time friends of Ruth. One of the highlights for many of our travelers is to meet some of the local people and see their lifestyle. Hopefully we will be invited to their house for lunch. The food is delicious! We will also see the "Colossi of Memnon," the two large statues of Amenhotep III that still stand, even though their temple is long ago destroyed. The Greeks believed they were statues of Memnon, the son of Eros. To get back across the river from the West Bank to the East Bank we can take a Felucca Sailboat ride. Pretend you are one of the Ancient Egyptians traveling from one side of the river to the other the way they would have. In the later afternoon we visit the many shops that form the Luxor street bazaar. It's time to see what your bargaining skills are and have fun looking at all the souvenirs they offer. Optionals: - Extra tickets for: 1) King Tut's tomb (about $15 USD) if it is still open. It is scheduled to close to the public shortly (for renovations). 2) The newly opened and renovated tomb of Ramses VI (about $13 USD). Overnight: Luxor 5- star Hotel - Sofitel Karnak Resort , Sonesta St George or similar.
Goddess Hathor at Dendera --- 1-day Nile Cruise	Day 6 - Friday, Nov 26, 2010 Today we take a 1-day Nile Cruise! We sail DOWN the Nile (which is north, so looks like UP on the map) to see the Temple for the Goddess Hathor at Dendera. The Goddess Hathor was worshipped throughout all of Ancient Egypt. Her temple at Dendera has lots of astronomical imagery. There are the signs of the Zodiac on the ceiling, and representations of constellations and stars. During the cruising time, see the country life on the banks of the Nile -- farmers in the fields with their kids helping them and their animals, too. Lunch and afternoon tea served on board. Overnight: Luxor 5- star Hotel - Sofitel Karnak Resort , Sonesta St George or similar.
Balloon Ride ---- Karnak ---- Open Air Museum	Day 7 - Saturday, Nov 27, 2010 Morning option: Early morning Balloon Ride over the West Bank of Luxor. See the temples from a very different perspective! Today we visit the largest temple in Ancient Egypt, Karnak. Karnak was the center of government during the New Kingdom and each Pharaoh wanted to leave something impressive at Karnak. The largest temple complex in Egypt, we see multiple temples, obelisks, great gates and the famous hypostyle hall - unequalled to this day. We also see the Sacred Lake, the Festival Hall and Botanical Garden of Tutmosis III (a precursor of Napoleon's later record of the fauna and flora found in Egypt). Also at Karnak, we visit the fascinating Open Air Museum where we view the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut and Tutmosis III (Karnak's original Holy of Holies) and Senwosret's White Chapel with its finely-carved Middle Kingdom hieroglyphs. These are in raised relief - some of the best to be found anywhere. There is something new each time we visit, as reconstruction of new pieces is ongoing. Return flight from Luxor to Cairo in the late afternoon. Or you might want to begin a Nile Cruise, a Petra & Jordan trip or one of our other Extensions. Optionals: - Sunrise Balloon Ride, cost: about $140 USD pp. Overnight: 4 or 5-star hotel near the Cairo Airport, Sonesta Heliopolis, Novotel Cairo Airport or similar.
Day 8 Sunday Nov 28, 2010 Your Egypt Tour is finished.	Return flights home. For those leaving for the USA, your flight leaves at 10 AM and arrives in New York at 3:15 PM - the same day but with an increase of 7 hours for the time difference between Cairo and New York. For those traveling to the UK the time difference is 2 hours. Or you can extend your stay in Egypt with extra tours or hotel nights. Contact Us for rates. There may be changes to this itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. Register for this tour --- Top of the Page

Photo credits this page: all photos by Ruth Shilling. Please contact us to use them in your project.