Wonders of Egypt

Travel Briskwalkers are heading for Egypt from 31 Dec 08 to 09 January 2009.

USD1,550 per person in twin Share (land Cost only). Air Fare on SQ co-ordinated by Diners: S$1230 + 21 (SIN airport tax) + 34 (Cairo tax) + 316
.

31 Dec (Wed) SQ492 ETD 02:02 ETA 07:05
09 Jan (FRI) SQ493 ETD 14:30 ETA 06:00 +1
.
Please remember to apply your own Visa to Egypt
.
9 Days ~ Wonders of Egypt
.
Tour PaceA perfect balance of touring, cruising and Cairo sightseeing. A two-night stay in Cairo at the beginning of the tour allows you time to adjust to your new surroundings. Then four fabulous nights relaxing on your Nile cruise, before disembarking for two more nights back in Cairo to complete your sightseeing.

DAY 1 ( 31 Dec) - Arrive 07:05 & rest of day at leisure. You will be met at Airport and transfered to the Marriott Cairo.

DAY 2 (01 Jan) – THU – CAIRO AT LEISURE Welcome to Egypt! When you arrive in Cairo, you enter a land of wonders and mysteries, many of which are revealed on this tour.

DAY 3 (02 Jan) – FRI – CAIRO SIGHTSEEINGAfter breakfast and a detailed pre-tour briefing with your Tour Director, commence your sightseeing in Memphis, capital of the Old Kingdom, where a colossal statue of Rameses II and a great alabaster sphinx awaits. Nearby at Sakkara, view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I; dating from 2686BC, it’s the oldest in the world. Now enjoy a guided tour of Giza where you will see the enigmatic Sphinx and the magnificent Pyramids with a highlight visit inside one of these extraordinary creations! Later return for the magical Sound & Light Show which literally illuminates the ancient history of Giza! (BB)

DAY 4 (03 Jan) – SAT – CAIRO – LUXOR – CRUISINGFly to Luxor, the former capital of the New Kingdom. In private moorings near the edge of town, your cruise boat awaits. Board in time for lunch and then enjoy a horse and carriage ride to Luxor Temple which provides an unforgettable introduction to ancient Egypt. Now tour the awe inspiring temple complex of Karnak with its vast Hypostyle Hall, and avenues of sphinxes. Ship: MS Medea/MS Sapphire. (BB,L,D)

DAY 5 (04 Jan) – SUN – CRUISING – EDFUAfter breakfast, cross to the west bank of the Nile and stop for a photo of the towering Colossi of Memnon. These two giant seated figures are all that is left of Amon-Ofis III mortuary temple. Visit the amazing Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, blending into the cliff face above. Continue to the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of many of the New Kingdom Pharaohs, before cruising south to Esna (see Esna Lock closure, below) and Edfu. (BB,L,D)

DAY 6 (05 Jan) – MON – CRUISING – KOM OMBOThis morning visit the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus, (the Falcon God) possibly the most complete in Egypt. Continue to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Sobek, the crocodile god, conveniently situated on the river bank. Celebrate in true Egyptian style at an Oriental Dinner and Galabea Party. (BB,L,HD)

DAY 7 (06 Jan) – TUE – CRUISING – ASWANCruise to exotic Aswan in the cool of early morning. Visit the Aswan High Dam and also the ancient Granite Quarries to see the enormous unfinished obelisk. Take a motorboat to the Temple of Isis, rising from the waters of the Nile on the Island of Philae. Later, return to Aswan and sail in a traditional Nile felucca around Aswan’s Botanical Gardens. (BB,L,D)

DAY 8 (07 Jan) – WED – ASWAN – CAIROThis morning, why not join an optional excursion to the temples of Abu Simbel, carved out of the rock by Rameses II and later rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser (see right). Otherwise, spend the morning in Aswan as you wish, before your transfer to the airport for your return flight to Cairo. Hotel: Marriott. (BB)

DAY 9 (08 Jan) – THU – CAIRO SIGHTSEEINGVisit the Citadel for a breathtaking view of the city of Cairo. Salah El Din started the Citadel in the 12th century, but it owes its present outline to Mohammed Ali, whose great Mosque you will visit next. Later, enjoy a highlight visit to the famous Egyptian Museum. Here, among the many thousands of artifacts on display, view Tutankhamun’s splendid treasures, including his splendid burial mask. Do you believe in the curse of the ‘boy king’? (BB)

DAY 10 (09 Jan) – FRI – CAIRO.The tour ends after breakfast with transfers to the airport. (BB)Itinerary VariationsCertain Nile cruises operate in reverse, from Aswan to Luxor. Due to the unreliability of domestic air scheduling, religious festivals and other unforeseen circumstances, the order of this itinerary may need to change at short notice. On occasions an alternative cruise boat of equal standard may be used.
NOTE:

Esna Lock ClosureThe Esna Lock will be closed from 01-30 Jun & 01-16 Dec 2008, and cruise boats will not be permitted to travel between Luxor and Esna at this time. On tours spanning these dates, Luxor sightseeing as featured in the itinerary will be operated by coach from Esna instead of by boat.

Abu Simbel Optional Tour(available with Egypt tours)
This immensely popular excursion, visiting the awe-inspiring Temples of Rameses II at Abu Simbel, should be booked at the same time as your tour to avoid disappointment.Abu Simbel is the most beautiful and imaginative construction of the greatest and most whimsical Pharaoh in Egyptian history – Rameses II. The facade consists of four colossal statues of the Pharaoh seated on his throne. Each statue is 20 metres high, measures four metres from ear to ear and one metre along the line of the lips.To the Pharaoh’s architects, the temple represented a tremendous challenge which, two thousand years later, was to be taken up again by the engineers of the world in order to save it from the waters of the Nile.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

These pictures were taken in October 2007 when I was there for our annual group meeting. Having been to Egypt 3 times, I am still looking forward to the 4th time because there are so much history and archeological myths about the country. Egypt here I come again...this time with my buddies in Insight Vacations' Wonders of Egypt Tour

Cairo Marriott

Night view from my Room overlooking the Nile

Day View from my room

My Twin bed .
The Nile Cruise Boat .
Cruise Cabin

Cruise Cabin WashroomThe Deck
The Deck The Cruise Ship Lobby .
Chef Yap @ Work
Getting off the Boat
Loads of fun @ Costume party

By the Pyramids Me @ my Camel