Day 1 - Sat, Nov 20th: Depart USA
Depart the US. Book your own air or travel on air miles; just give us a call if you need help booking your flight! (please note: airport transfer of $35 will apply if you do not arrive with your host, Joshua)
Day 2 - Sun, Nov 21st: Arrival in Cairo - Rest Day (D)
Arrive at Cairo International Airport where you'll be met by your Spirit Quest representatives who will assist you through immigrations and customs. Depart by bus to the Mena House Oberoi hotel, one of the most spectacular hotels of the world. The former hunting palace of the Khedive Ismael (the last King of Egypt), the Mena House boasts 140 years of history. Join the ranks of former guests such as Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Princess Grace, and royalty from all over the world.
Take the afternoon off, relax by the pool, or visit one of the local souvenir shops.
Enjoy your Welcome Dinner at Felfella Restaurant, a wonderful local spot featuring traditional Egyptian mezzes and fresh grilled food – be sure and try some "Om Ali," a delicious traditional Egyptian dessert.
Day 3 - Mon, Nov 22nd: Old Cairo/Egyptian museum (B,L)
Our full day tour starts in “Old Cairo;” including the oldest synagogue in Egypt, the famed St. Sergio Church and the beautifully peaceful Ar Rafaii Mosque. Fabulous picture opportunies abound the entire day.
Next we will take in the world-famous Khan El Khalili Bazaar for an afternoon of shopping and bargaining with the street vendors in this thousand year-old market.
Enjoy a set lunch at the Najib Mafouz restaurant, named after Egypt's greatest writer, who sat there each day while writing his Nobel Prize-winning novel.
Then as a special treat, we'll visit the "Alley of the Tentmakers" to truly see an authentic face of Egypt. You can photograph and buy incredible handmade quilts, pillows, and wall hangings here, each design unique and beautiful.
Some of the remarkable hand-sewn quilts found in the Alley of the Tent-Makers
In the evening we will experience the famous Egyptian Museum, with its staggering collection of relics dating back to 4,000+ BC. Here we will enjoy first-hand the different periods of ancient Egypt and the individual artistic and architectural styles of each period. The highlight of this museum is the visit to the priceless treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. You will marvel at the intricate workmanship and the tiniest details of the contents of the luggage packed for this King to accompany him to the next world.
Day 4 - Tues, Nov. 23rd: City of the Dead/Cairo Orphanage/Overnight Train to Aswan. (B/D)
Today we start in the City of the Dead, which, though a working cemetery, is home to thousands of Egyptians, who survive and thrive without basics like electricity or running water. Our Egyptologist's expertise will come in handy as we are given a tour like the locals see it. Then it's on to a Cairo orphanage, where we will make a donation in the name of Prince Tom, one of our most special guests.
Late afternoon departure for Cairo's train station, where we will take an overnight sleeper train to Aswan! Watch the countryside roll by as you experience the unique adventures of traveling by rail. Enjoy dinner in the dining car, or privately in your own cabin. In the evening, your chairs will be made over into twin beds where you can stretch out and enjoy a full night's rest. The next morning, have breakfast on our way from Luxor to Aswan.
Day 5, Wed, Nov.24th: Aswan, Elephantine Island (B/L/D)
Arrive mid-morning in Aswan, disembark the train, and board our PRIVATE cruise ship, the luxurious dahabeya Afandina. This gorgeous ship, with almost a 1:1 ratio of crew to guests, will be our home for the next week. The Afandina, boasting incredible materials, workmanship and design, is a truly world-class experience that harkens back to an earlier era of travel. Nothing can prepare you for the magic of sailing the Nile on the Afandina.
After lunch, enjoy a felluca ride (a small delightful sailboat – peaceful and serene) around the Islands on our way to visit Elephantine Island. We will enjoy dinner on the boat in the evening, prepared by our private chef!
Day 6, Thurs, Nov 25th: Abu Simbel/Aswan (B/L/D)
Happy Thanksgiving! We know you'll have something to be thankful for as we take a ride on the wild side out into the desert of Egypt on our way to Abu Simbel, home to some of the largest Colossi in the land. We will visit this unique place and experience for ourselves these giants of civilization.
In the evening, we visit the Nubian Market of Aswan, “ The Pearl of Egypt”. With its colorful Nubian bazaar, laid-back atmosphere, warm and wonderful people and a lovely promenade along the Nile, Aswan is a favorite city in Egypt for many visitors.
Day 7, Fri, Nov 26th: Aswan/Temple of Philae/Kom Ombo (B/L/D)
This morning, we have a PRIVATE VISIT to one of the most amazing sites in Egypt, the Temple of Philae: the delicate, elegant, quintessentially feminine temple of Isis.
The graceful temple and surrounding buildings of Philae were meticulously moved stone by stone from its ancient site (now submerged) to its new, higher, island home in the middle of the lake. Today it gives us – modern men and women with modern machines and incredible technical knowledge – great insight into what the ancient and intelligent peoples of the world could do with only simple technology and the will to create. Our dawn visit gives us private access to the whole island, the best light, and a fabulous water taxi ride to and from our destination.
Breakfast aboard our ship as we start to sail! We are off to Kom Ombo, a famous healing temple in ancient days and is now both a gloriously picturesque edifice and an energy-filled ruin overlooking a bend in the Nile. After our ceremony here, we continue sailing through the countryside of Egypt on our way to the city of Edfu. You're free this evening to experience the lounge or enjoy the solitude of sailing from the ship’s upper deck.
Day 8, Sat, Nov 27th: Temple of Horus/Edfu (B/L/D)
We sail all day along the Nile, enjoying life as it has been for over a thousand years. Then we experience an evening visit to the best-preserved temple in Egypt, the fabulous Temple of Horus the Avenger – the falcon god. Consecrated to Horus and to Set, it features glorious art and artifacts, ready to come under the lens of your camera.
Day 9, Sun. Nov 28th: Nile Cruise/Esna (B, L, D)
Enjoy a relaxing day off as we sail the Nile. Take in the views from one of our private decks, enjoy afternoon tea in the bar, take some time to journal or take more photos of the Nile farming life, or even watch a movie in our private living room.
We spend the afternoon and evening sailing on the Nile, waving at the villagers, farmers and fishermen as we slowly glide through the peaceful waters as we pass through the Esna Locks. Overnight in Esna.
Day 10, Mon. Nov 29th: Luxor (B, L, D)
Our final day of sailing brings us to Luxor, home to the greatest concentration of antiquities on the planet. Known as Thebes in the ancient world, Luxor is a friendly and fascinating mixture of the ancient and modern, the metropolitan and the rustic.
In the evening we will visit the magnificent structure of Luxor Temple. Here is where R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz developed his revolutionary Symbolist Interpretation; science, art, religion and philosophy are fused into one vast, coherent whole. Part of the largest temple complex in the world, Luxor is not to be missed. Then its on to the Night Market and the local city, where you will be treated to a very non-tourist experience!
Day 11, Tues. Nov 30th: Thebes, the Valley of the Kings (B, L, D)
OPTIONAL EXCURSION: Take a peaceful, delightful balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, and enjoy sunrise while you look at the sites we will see later today!
Today is devoted to Thebes as we cross the Nile to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings, where the great and mysterious funerary texts (“The Books of the Dead”) are exquisitely painted or carved into walls. We continue our visits to Mednat Habu, called by the Egyptians themselves “the most splendid of all”, and then on to the immense Colossi of Memnon. We will also stop at an alabaster factory in the Valley, where we can buy wonderful pieces for just a fraction of what we would pay at home. Last, our clout will gain us an unusual opportunity - this is one surprise you won't forget!
Day 12, Wed Dec. 1st: Karnak Temple (B,L)
This morning we visit the great Karnak temple at sunrise, to experience the largest spiritual site in the world. Once connected to Luxor Temple, two miles away, by a long avenue of Sphinxes (now almost fully restored), Karnak is the locale of some of the most amazing temple structures in the world, and we will be able to capture it on our private visit.
After breakfast on board our boat, we fly back to Cairo. On our way back to the Giza plateau, we visit the famous Mena Papyrus Gallery Institute, where we will see how handmade copies of old Egyptian art showing the tombs and temples are created, and how papyrus is made. Then we will check into Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel, a fabulous and luxurious hotel just a few blocks from the Pyramids. Refresh yourself with a dip in the pool, and later in the evening, treat yourself to Mediterranean or Tex-Mex at one of the great on-site restaurants.
Enjoy an evening of rest, relax by the pool, or explore local Cairo.
Day 13 - Thurs, Dec. 2nd : Alexandria / Bibliotech Alexandria / Alexandria Museum (B/L)
Today we venture further afield – exploring Alexandria, the “jewel of the Mediterranean.” Enjoy a day trip as our air-conditioned luxury coach transports us to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea! Long revered as a robust center of learning, culture and spirituality, Alex had a deep influence on the early Christian Church. We’ll also visit the breathtaking new “Bibliotech Alexandria” the stunning, ultramodern rebirth of the greatest library and center of learning in the ancient world. And we'll explore the Alexandria Museum, which features both Egyptian and Greek artifacts, presented in a lovely, intimate style.
We'll have lunch on the water at the fabulous "Fish Market" restaurant, then return to our hotel for dinner or a restful evening.
Day 14, Friday. Dec. 3rd: GIZA, PYRAMIDS, and SPHINX/Farewell Dinner (B,D)
At dawn, we experience the most remarkable Wonders of the World: The Sphinx and the Pyramids of the Giza Plateau, with private visits inside the Great Pyramid and between the paws of the Sphinx.
Rest or pack in the afternoon... Tonight you will enjoy your farewell dinner at a very special place!!!
Day 15, Sat. Dec. 4th: Final departure (B)
Breakfast followed by transfer to Cairo International airport for your flight back home, just in time for the holidays!
* Itinerary is subject to change due to reasons beyond our control.
Accommodations:
Mena House Oberoi Hotel Dec 10th — 13th (3 nights) Bed and breakfast
Overnight Train Dec 13th (1 night) Dinner & breakfast
Afandina Private Cruise Dec 14th — 21st (7 nights) Full board
Le Meridien Pyramids Dec 21st— 23rd (2 nights) Bed and breakfast
