Desert and Nile Cruise Tour
The Desert and Nile Cruise Tour is an amazing opportunity to discover Egypt in 12 days. Apart from the ancient architecture, Egypt is most famous for its vast desert and the mighty River Nile. Thus what more better to discover this country but by going into its enigmatic deserts and its enchanting river, both dotted with thousands of years of history. On this tour visit famous spots such as Cairo’s Giza Plateau, Bahariya Oasis, Crystal Mountain, Dakhla, Farafra and Kharga Oasis, Karnak and Luxor Temples and many other adventure sights across the Nile.
Day 1: Egypt Land of the Pharaohs
Start your desert and Nile cruise adventure upon arrival at Cairo International Airport a 123EgyptTours.com representative will welcome & assist you. After which you will be transferred to your hotel via an air-conditioned vehicle. Overnight accommodation is arranged for your convenience in Cairo.
Day 2: Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum the best of Cairo
Start discovering Egypt with its desert and Nile Cruise Journey with a delicious breakfast at your hotel and prepare to see the contrasting ancient civilization against the modern buildings. Explore Cairo with a visit to witness Egypt’s former capital Memphis to see the step pyramid at Sakkara including the vast necropolis in that ancient city. Proceed to see Egypt’s most famous monuments including the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus as well as the Sphinx and the Temple Valley fronting it. Before the day ends, visit the Egyptian Museum known for housing more than 120,000 collections of artifacts discovered across Egypt. When done get back to your Cairo hotel for your dinner and overnight accommodation.
Day 3: Aswan City and its Nubian bazaar
Get up early for your travel to Aswan upon arrival at Aswan; transfer our hotel where you can relax briefly just before heading out to explore the Nubian bazaar - a long and colorful street that snakes through the centre of town. Overnight accommodation is arranged in Aswan for your convenience.
Day 4: Sightseeing Tours in Aswan
Right after a hefty breakfast in our hotel we set for a transfer via a private air-conditioned vehicle to the 5 star Nile Cruise Ship for embarkation. After lunch we will be setting off with our personal tour guide to take us in a visit to the High Dam, the famous granite quarries also known to be the source of materials of ancient pharaohs and finally the Temple of Philae. Dinner and overnight accommodation is arranged in Aswan.
Day 5: The Mysteries of Kom Ombo & Edfu
After having breakfast aboard the Nile cruise we will move forward and sail to Kom Ombo. Kom Ombo is the home of the Temple that is famously shared by two gods Sobek and Haeroris. After the tour we get back on board the ship to have lunch while sailing to Edfu this time to visit the Horus Temple the best preserved temple in Egypt. After the tour we go back onboard for an afternoon tea and sail towards Esna. Dinner and overnight accommodation is arranged on board while docked in Esna.
Day 6: Luxor East Bank
Spend your breakfast aboard the Nile cruise ship while sailing to the modern Thebes - Luxor with lunch aboard the ship you will then be accompanied by the tour to visit Eastern side of the Nile in Luxor. This area is famous for the Karnak and Luxor temples. Return to the Nile cruise ship for afternoon tea and dinner aboard with overnight accommodation on the Nile cruise vessel while docked in Luxor.
Day 7: Sightseeing at Luxor
This day we will be crossing the Nile River so prepare early to get to where our donkeys are waiting to bring us into the Valley of the Kings. Just as the Egyptian Sun begins to rise in the east, we head of to our day’s journey. This experience will surely be memorable and will be a great highlight of your visit to Egypt. Return to the East bank where we will be meeting our Bedouin crew. We will then be loading our gear into our 4x4 to move to Baris and spend the night camping under the stars.
Day 8: Kharga and Dakhla Oases – Egypt’s Famous Northern Oases
After a hefty breakfast, drive to Kharga Oasis, the largest of the oasis towns and famous for its agricultural produce. Right outside the town proper are the remains of a temple built by Darius I during the Roman Rule, the Temple of Hibis. There is time to visit the temple, as well as the Christian burial ground at Al Bagawat, dating to the end of the 7th century. We move further on to Dakhla Oasis where we will be spending the night at an Oasis style hut, dinner will also be served.
Day 9: Dakhla Oasis home of Al Qasr
Continue taking your Discovery of Egypt with the Desert and Nile Cruise with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we then head off to the fabulous medieval mud-brick town of Al Qasr, we explore the timeless streets, the old school, an ancient olive press and the granary. We also visit the little Ethnological Museum, a local project which thrives on tourists visits. We return for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing while we wait for the heat of the day to pass. In the late afternoon we set off on camel ride through a desolate windswept landscape towards the base of a Great escarpment, where we will be spending the night under the stars (about 20 km).
Day 10: Roughing out in Farafra Oasis & the White Desert
Farther north of Dakhla Oasis is Farahra Oasis home of the many sulfur springs. Visit local museums at Farahra to understand more of their culture. A little further on or travel of the Desert and Nile Cruise, we enter the White Desert, a spectacular region of wind-eroded limestone formations. The continual erosion of these magnificent rocks has left a layer of fine white dust on the desert sands, hence the name ‘white desert’ and many amazing rock formations. We enjoy a sunset walk in this unbelievable landscape and spend the night camping under the stars. Note it can be very cold in the winter months (Oct-Mar) so make sure you are well rugged up if you are travelling at this time.
Day 11: Back to Cairo
Among the all of Egypt’s Western Desert Oasis towns Bahariya is the most northerly here we will stop for a break on our way back to Cairo, which we expect to reach late in afternoon. On arrival in Cairo the rest of the day will be free for us so we can have some leisure time to ourselves and prepare for a final night out.
Day 12: Going Home
After having breakfast end your Desert and Nile Cruise with a transfer to Cairo International Airport for your return flight.
Tour Inclusions
Inclusions
123EgyptTours.com will provide a personalized welcome and assistance service at Cairo International Airport upon arrival and departure.
2 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Presidents Hotel (3*) daily breakfast will be served.
1 night accommodation aboard the sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan on half board meals.
1 night accommodation in Aswan at Marhaba Hotel (3*) daily breakfast will be served.
3 nights accommodation aboard 5 star M/S Dolphin Nile Cruise on full board meals.
1 night camping accommodation in Kharga on full board meals, camping equipments such as sleeping bags, camel blankets and tents are provided.
1 night accommodation in Dakhla at an Oasis style hut (Al Dehoos Hotel) on half board meals.
1 night camping accommodation in Dakhla on full board meals, camping equipments such as sleeping bags, camel blankets and tents are provided.
1 night camping accommodation in the White Desert on full board meals, camping equipments such as sleeping bags, camel blankets and tents are provided.
Sightseeing tours on your Nile Cruise as in the itinerary.
Camel Ride in Dakhla for about 20km.
Transfers from Cairo to Dakhla and Kharga to Luxor via an air-conditioned vehicle.
Special Transfer from Kharga to Bahariya via a 4x4 car.
Entrance fees to all sites and all sightseeing tours a mention in the itinerary.
Lunch at excellent quality during all sightseeing tours.
Mineral water throughout the trip and Soft drinks during White desert Camping.
All transfers to and from airport, train station & hotels via an Air conditioned vehicle.
Professional Egyptologist tour guide during your trip.
Free Portage when needed.
Use of mobile phone for free during your stay in Egypt (Charged with 30 minutes local & 3 minutes International) to keep in touch with your family and friends back home and the tour provider.
All taxes and service fees.
Exclusions
International Airfare to and from Egypt.
Egypt entry visa, for non restricted nationalities however you can buy it upon arrival before passport control. Visa Cost $ 15 or 11 Euro per person adult or child.
Any additional or optional tours not mentioned in the itinerary.
Extra expenses in the hotels mentioned (like additional meals, drinks, laundry, among others).
Tipping for the staff (not obligatory).
General Information
Notes
Rates are quoted in US Dollars and are based on double occupancy. Rates are valid until 30/04/2012 not including holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Easter. Furthermore rates could be changed without prior notice, shall the government increase taxes.
A daily 28 USD will be charged in cases when you need to use GPS.
Hotel Accommodations are subject to availability.
To enter Egypt and join Desert and Nile Cruise Tour, you must have a valid passport (Should be at least 6 months valid beyond the scheduled return date).
