Cairo & Nile River Cruise

Cairo & Nile River Cruise

Dominican University of California

05 January 2010 - 14 January 2010

GROUP NAME:         Dominican University of California - 109281B

TOUR AIRPORT:      San Francisco

DAY     1          DEPARTURE FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Cairo.

DAY     2          ARRIVE CAIRO (3 NIGHTS)

We will arrive this evening at Cairo International Airport, where we will be met at the airport by our tour manager/guide.  We will then transfer by private coach to our Cairo hotel.

DAY     3          SAQQARA, MEMPHIS & GIZA

Today we will begin our exploration of the treasures left by the Ancient Egyptian civilizations.  Our day begins in the necropolis of Saqqara.  We will enjoy a guided tour of the site including the impressive Step Pyramid of Zoser, which dates to the 27^th century BC and was the world’s first free-standing stone structure.  We will also see some tombs belonging to nobles of the past.  Our day continues to the remains of Memphis, the world’s first imperial city; founded in about 3100 BC by King Menes.  As the first capital of a united Egypt, Memphis was symbolically built at the place where the delta met the southern valley.  After lunch, we will spend the afternoon viewing the Pyramids of Giza; sole survivors of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  During our tour we will view the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the oldest and largest of the three pyramids; Chephren’s Pyramid; Mycerinus’ Pyramid and the legendary and mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure with the head of a human and the body of a lion.  During our tour at Giza we will enjoy a Camel Ride, a wonderful way to view this spectacular sight.  After dinner in a local restaurant, we will enjoy a Sound and Light Show at the Great Pyramid (subject to season and schedule).  The show will lead us on a fascinating tour through the history of the Pyramids, complete with lasers that will outline the cartouches of the pharaohs and show the secret hidden chambers within; it is an unforgettable experience.

DAY     4          CAIRO

Our morning commences with a guided tour of the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, featuring the world’s most exquisite and extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.  Highlights of our visit include Tutankhamun’s Treasure, discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by Howard Carter and the Mummy Room, featuring 11 of Egypt’s most illustrious pharaohs.  Next we will visit Islamic Cairo.  We start at the Citadel of Salah al-Din, the largest fortification in the Middle East, which dominates Cairo’s skyline. The Citadel was built in 1176 by Salah al-Din and was the royal residence for over 700 years.  Today many of the buildings have been torn down, but the impressive walls still remain.  After lunch in a local restaurant, we continue our sightseeing with a visit to the Sultan Hasan Mosque, one of the finest Islamic monuments in Egypt.  Built between 1356 and 1363, it was the first mosque to have a cruciform plan; today it houses religious schools for each of the four main Sunni Moslem sects. Our day concludes as we wander through and shop in a traditional Egyptian Bazaar.  We will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY     5          CAIRO - FLY TO LUXOR - NILE RIVER CRUISE (3 NIGHTS)

This morning we will transfer to the Cairo airport for our flight to Luxor; where a tour representative will greet us and transfer us to our Five-Star Nile Cruise Boat for check in and lunch.  This afternoon we will explore Luxor, known as Thebes in ancient times; which is home to one third of the world's antiquities.  We will begin with a visit to the Temple of Luxor, which was dedicated to the Theban triad of Amun, Mut and Khonsu.  Built by Amenophis III, the walls are decorated with some of the finest carvings in Egypt.  Our visit will also include a walk along the Avenue of the Sphinxes to the First Pylon, built by Ramses II; the Mosque of Abu al Haggag; the Processional Colonade and the impressive Great Sun Court, with fine decorations developed between the reigns of Amenophis and Alexander the Great.  Our afternoon concludes with a visit to the Karnak Temple, which for 1,500 years was the most important place of worship in the country, dedicated to the god Amun.  More than just a temple, it was an intellectual center, and every pharaoh of note contributed to the massive complex.  Highlights of our visit will include the Precinct of Amun, Seti II’s Shrine, the Temple of Ramses II, the Great Hypostyle Hall and the Sanctuary of Amun.  After our tour, we will return to the ship for the night, including dinner.

DAY     6          NILE CRUISE - EXCURSIONS TO VALLEY OF THE KINGS & QUEENS

This morning we will enjoy an excursion to the Valley of the Kings, a vast city of the dead, where elaborate tombs of the pharaohs were carved into the mountain.  It was here that Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s Tomb in 1922.  The tombs were intended to be secure places where the mummies could rest, ensuring the deceased pharaohs a happy afterlife.  Our visit will include the tombs that are open on the day we visit (schedule rotates).  After lunch (included), we will enjoy an afternoon visit to the Valley of the Queens; it features 80 tombs of queens, princes and princesses.  Only four are open to the public, including the Tomb of Nefertari.  Late this afternoon we return to the ship for dinner and our overnight sail. 

DAY     7          NILE CRUISE - EXCURSIONS TO EDFU & KOM OMBO

Today’s first excursion will be a visit to the Temple of Horus, a Ptolemaic temple at Edfu built from 257 – 237 BC. This is one of the finest and best-preserved temples in Egypt and is built in classic pharonic style.  This temple offers a clear idea of the purpose of an Egyptian temple through the inscriptions on the walls and columns.  We will enjoy lunch on board the ship, before taking an afternoon excursion to Kom Ombo; where we will visit the Temple of Sobek and Haroeris.  The remains of this Graeco-Roman temple, unusually dedicated to two deities, feature a truly imposing look.  The temple has two identical halves; the eastern part dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the western part to Haroeris or Horus the Elder, who attracted thousands of sick pilgrims hoping to find a cure for their illness.  We return to our ship for our final sail and dinner. 

DAY     8          ARRIVE ASWAN (1 NIGHT)

After breakfast, our Nile Cruise comes to an end.  We will disembark and enjoy a day of sightseeing around Aswan. Our tour will include the Old Dam, the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, before visiting the Temple of Isis at Philae.  Set on an island, surrounded by the blue waters of Lake Nasser, this is one of Egypt’s most romantic sights.   For more than 8,000 years, until 550 AD, this temple to Isis and Osiris was one of the most important Egyptian cult centers.  After lunch, our sightseeing continues with a visit to Elephantine Island, the main town and temple area of Aswan in ancient times; it got its name from its elephantine shaped boulders and rocks.  Our afternoon will also include a ride around the islands in a picturesque Felucca Sailboat.  During our ride we will view the Mausoleum of Aga Khan and visit the sweet-smelling Botanical Garden on Kitchener Island.  We return to Aswan to check into our hotel for the night.  We will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY     9          ASWAN - FLIGHT TO CAIRO (1 NIGHT)

This morning we will take a flight back to Cairo.  Upon our arrival, time permitting, we will take a brief Guided Tour of Coptic Cairo, one of the oldest-inhabited parts of the city.  The Coptic neighborhood provides a fascinating link between Egypt’s pharaonic and Islamic civilizations.  During our walk we will visit the Al Muallaqa Church, or “Hanging Church,” built over one of the Roman bastions.  The church dates from the 7^th century and the dark interior is magnificent, with cedar paneling, a wooden ark-like ceiling and a fine marble pulpit.  We will also view the Abu Sarga Church and the Church of St. Barbara, before visiting the Synagogue of Ben Ezra.  According to Jewish tradition, this is where the prophet Jeremiah preached in the 6^th century BC, while the Copts believe it marks the site where baby Moses was found in a basket.  We will enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY     10         DEPARTURE FROM CAIRO

Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end, as a local representative will accompany us to the airport for the return flight home.

Cancel for Any Reason Insurance from Travel Guard

Casterbridge Tours is pleased to inform you that we have secured a “Cancel for any Reason” travel insurance policy with Travel Guard for trips to Egypt. 

Terms & Conditions:

1. The “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage allows a participant to recover a maximum of 75% of trip cost, or a maximum total amount of $2,250.
2. A participant may submit a claim at any time up until 48 hours prior to the group’s departure time.  Once inside the 48-hour period, no claim can be submitted.
3. In order to secure the “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage, the premium (see rates below) must be paid at the time of the initial deposit.  Casterbridge will then inform Travel Guard and the participant will be covered from the date on which Casterbridge officially informs the insurance carrier.  The “Cancel For Any Reason” policy cannot be purchased after time of the initial deposit, and only our standard Travel Guard policy would be available.