Sheesha & Shakshuka
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Overview
How to haggle like a pro in Cairo’s Khan al-Khalili bazaar:
· Act completely disinterested in the thing you really want.
· Walk away. Slowly. Chances are they’ll come running.
· Tell him you can ‘get it back there for half that price’. Nothing like a bit of healthy competition.
(Was Pharohs, Crusaders & Kings)
UPDATE: Please note that due to security concerns we are currently forced to avoid the area around Mount Sinai and St Katherine's Monastery until further notice. Instead the group will drive from Cairo to Dahab, where they will overnight before continuing to Nuweiba the next day to take the ferry to Aqaba.
We are monitoring the situation closely and hope to be able to return to Mount Sinai as soon as it is safe to do so.
Itinerary
Day 1-2 - Cairo
There are about 20 million people in Cairo, and chances are every single one of them will be driving on the road you need to cross. The trick is to make eye contact, walk slowly into traffic and don’t stop once you’ve started.
Day 1
- Get acquainted with Cairo, a city that has to be seen to be believed
Day 2
- Enjoy a guided visit to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza
- Perhaps seize the opportunity to climb inside the Great Pyramid and see the burial chamber
- Take a optional visit to the Egyptian Museum with an Egyptologist
- See the golden mask of Tutankhamun and a large number of mummies
- Catch an overnight train and travel south to Aswan
Breakfast | DinnerDay 3-7 - Aswan - Felucca Sail
Feluccas have no motor, so you literally go with the flow. Spend your days reading, eating (fresh cooked meals like chicken and rice) and learning new card games before we pull into the shore at night.
Day 3
- Get to know Egypt's third largest city, Aswan
- Perhaps take a trip to the Temple of Isis at Philae, take a sailboat across to the Botanical Gardens on Lord Kitchener's Island, or set off on a fun camel ride up to the Monastery of St. Simeon
- Swing by the Nubian Bazaar for a vigorous dose of local life
Day 4
- Travel to Abu Simbel, one of the most impressive temples ever built
- Follow the shores of Lake Nasser and arrive at the temple just after sunrise, a perfect time for photographs
- Enjoy a tour of the site and later return to Aswan
- Travel by boat with Nubian sailors to their village for dinner
Day 5-6
- Board feluccas and set sail down the Nile, travelling with the current towards Edfu
- Stop off at Komombo and visit the Greco-Roman Temple of Sobek
- Spend time relaxing and enjoying timeless scenes of local life, as you travel slowly down the Nile
Day 7
- Perhaps take the opportunity to explore the Temple of Horus
- Travel by bus into Luxor and maybe explore the bazaar, Luxor Museum or Luxor Temple - the choice is yours
- An optional horse-carriage ride to Karnak Temple is there for the taking
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 8-9 - Luxor
Set your alarm clock for sparrow’s fart and climb aboard your trusty donkey to watch the sunrise over the Valley of the Kings. Take the train back to Cairo.
Day 8
- Embark on a sunrise donkey ride into the Valley of the Kings
- Return to the east bank and spend a free afternoon exploring the town further
- Take the overnight recliner train back to Cairo
Day 9
- Spend free time exploring Cairo
- Perhaps visit some beautiful old mosques and the Khan al-Khalili Bazaar
Breakfast | DinnerDay 10-11 - Cairo - Dahab - Aqaba
Escaping the madness of Cairo, we’ll drive over the Suez Canal (you won't see a thing), to Dahab, to stay beside the Red Sea.
Day 10
- Drive east from Cairo, and spend the night in Dahab, the coolest town on the Red Sea coast, where the gently lapping waters will lull you to sleep
Day 11
- There's time this morning for a quick swim or snorkel; the coral reefs and tropical fish off the beach at Dahab are stunning
- Board a hydrofoil bound for Aqaba and begin the Jordanian leg of the trip
Breakfast | DinnerDay 12 - Aqaba - Wadi Rum - Petra
Ride jeeps around Wadi Rum. Beware - you’ll be tipping red sand out of your shoes for weeks.
- Set off on a jeep tour into the Wadi Rum desert before continuing on to Petra
- Spend the day exploring the many wonders of the ancient city of Petra
- Wander hrough the narrow ‘siq’ and visit the numerous tombs, temples and public buildings - as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre
- Perhaps unwind with an optional Turkish Bath at the hotel
BreakfastDay 13-14 - Petra - Amman
Bring out your inner Indiana Jones and explore Petra all day long. Guaranteed to work up an epic thirst.
Day 13
- Spend the day exploring the many wonders of the ancient city of Petra
- Wander through the narrow ‘siq’ and visit the numerous tombs, temples and public buildings - as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre
- Perhaps unwind with an optional Turkish Bath at the hotel
Day 14
- Follow the ancient Kings Highway, a road that dates back to the Old Testament
- Reach Dana and enjoy a stroll though the ancient village
- Visit the crusader castle at Shobak and the Greek Orthodox church of St. George in Madaba
- Arrive in the lively city of Amman and get prepped to head out 'on the town'
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 15-16 - Dana - Amman - Jerash
Time for a bit of trivia: did you know that bagpipes were invented in the Middle East? They quickly realised the error of their ways and banished all trace of them. Scotland is yet to catch on.
Day 15
- Enjoy a morning tour of Jerash - a grand, ancient Roman city in a fine state of preservation
- Take an optional excursion to the Dead Sea, or explore Amman further
Day 16
- Leave Amman and head for the Israeli border
- Transfer into Jerusalem and spend the rest of the day exploring this timeless city
BreakfastDay 17-18 - Amman - Jerusalem
Welcome to Israel AKA the holy land. This place is crammed with historical sites. The Mount of Olives is a great place for people watching, with views onto the Dome of the Rock and the Old City of Jerusalem. Sadly, no olives.
Day 17
- Begin a tour of Jerusalem with a panoramic view of the city
- Drive via the Garden of Gethsemane and enter the Old City
- Walk to the 'Cardo' in the recently restored Jewish Quarter and visit the Western (Wailing) Wall, Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross) and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- Continue the tour to Yad Vashem (Israel's memorial to the Holocaust)
- Carry on to Bethlehem where we visit Manger Square and Church of the Nativity - the birthplace of Jesus Christ
Day 18
- Drive to Nazareth for a visit to the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph
- Continue to the Sea of Galilee (which is actually a lake!) via the ruins at Capernaum, Tabgha and the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes
- Reach the baptismal site on the Jordan River before returning to Jerusalem
BreakfastDay 19-20 - Nazareth - Dead Sea - Jerusalem
Best bits for your last couple of days: the biblical sites of Jericho and Bethlehem, the fortress at Masada and floating in the Dead Sea.
Day 19
- Enjoy a free day to further explore the amazing city of Jerusalem
- Perhaps head out on optional visits to the Jewish fortress of Masada and/or the Dead Sea
Day 20
- The trip ends today after breakfast, but there is plenty more to see for those who wish to stay on
Breakfast -
What to Know
What's Included
An experienced English-speaking local tour guide (leader/guide in Jordan and Israel), local site guides at some Egyptian sites, all transportation, 2 nights felucca sail with amenities boat, accommodation, meals and sightseeing as indicated.
Not Included
- International flights, arrival and departure transfers, visas, airport taxes, additional meals, drinks, optional sightseeing tours, insurance, tips and items of a personal nature.
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Map
Map Itinerary
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Dates
Trip Dates and Prices
Start Date – End Date Trip Status Price 24 Jun 2013 - 13 Jul 2013 0 Request US $3,165 Contact Us 22 Jul 2013 - 10 Aug 2013 7+ Available US $3,165On Sale Sale: US $2,374 Book Now 19 Aug 2013 - 07 Sep 2013 4 Available US $3,165On Sale Sale: US $2,374 Book Now 16 Sep 2013 - 05 Oct 2013 4 Available US $3,595 Book Now 14 Oct 2013 - 02 Nov 2013 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 11 Nov 2013 - 30 Nov 2013 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 25 Nov 2013 - 14 Dec 2013 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 23 Dec 2013 - 11 Jan 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 30 Dec 2013 - 18 Jan 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 06 Jan 2014 - 25 Jan 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 03 Feb 2014 - 22 Feb 2014 7+ Available US $3,165 Book Now 03 Mar 2014 - 22 Mar 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 17 Mar 2014 - 05 Apr 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 31 Mar 2014 - 19 Apr 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 28 Apr 2014 - 17 May 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 12 May 2014 - 31 May 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 26 May 2014 - 14 Jun 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 09 Jun 2014 - 28 Jun 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now 23 Jun 2014 - 12 Jul 2014 7+ Available US $3,595 Book Now -
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