Joining Dutch Travelers
On this program you will join Dutch travelers who have booked through Djoser, Netherlands. (All North American residents must book through the Djoser, USA branch). There will be a maximum of four North American participants on this trip. A Dutch guide will accompany the group as a logistics coordinator, not a lecturer. He/She will address the group, first in Dutch, and then will repeat important information in English. Almost everyone from the Netherlands has a total command of English. At the major sites, a local Egyptologist will assist the group with historic information.
The days of the trip have been numbered to match the 21-day Dutch program. Our extra travel day from the States is designated as +1 in the itinerary below. So although the last day appears to be Day 21, you will be returning to the States on the 22nd day of the trip.
Day (+1) Depart U.S.
Day 1 In transit - Cairo
Day 2 Cairo
Sometimes, your flight from the States will correspond with the flight from Amsterdam, carrying our Dutch travelers. In that case, we will let you know in advance so you can make contact in the airport in Cairo and ride to the hotel with the group. Otherwise, you will be picked up at the Cairo airport by our representative and you will meet your fellow travelers from the Netherlands at the hotel. We will inform you about this in advance.
The metropolis of Cairo is best explored on foot. This is by far the best way to experience the city and meet its friendly inhabitants. To get an idea of the size of Egypt’s capital, walk to the Cairo tower, where an elevator takes you to the top floor for a magnificent view from where, weather permitting, you may catch your first glimpse of the impressive pyramids of Giza. On the way back to the hotel immerse yourself in Egyptian artifacts at the Egyptian museum. An official guided tour lasts two hours, although one could easily spend this in the Tutankhamen’s gallery alone. After all your museum meandering, you might like to indulge your taste buds in a sample of Egyptian specialities from one of the many vendors lining the city’s street.
You will want to wander in Coptic Cairo, the oldest part of the city. You can visit the Coptic museum, several old churches and a synagogue. Here you can take the subway to Khan el Khalili, Cairo’s buzzing bazaar, where you can find gold and silver, spices, cloth, traditional mahogany and mother-of-pearl furniture, even belly-dancing costumes! Barter to your hearts content, then enjoy a cup of coffee or smoke sheesha with the locals in Cairo’s oldest coffee shop – “Fishawy”. On Wednesday and Saturday evenings you may even catch a free show featuring the spectacular whirling dervish dancers. Be sure to arrive very early to get a seat. After all that bargaining, the square facing the Hussein mosque offers a wide variety of places to eat. Wander back to the hotel or, as you may have a lot to carry, hop in a taxi. Don't worry....if you can't fit everything into your first days in Cairo as you will return at the back end of the trip.
Day 3 Cairo, excursion Memphis, Saqqara and Giza
On your second day in Egypt you can join the excursion to Memphis, Saqqara and Giza to marvel at the oldest and only remaining wonder of the world, the pyramids. Our bus departs early in the morning for the former capital of Egypt, Memphis, which is situated just 16 miles south of Cairo. We then venture on to the Necropolis of Saqqara, the site of the Djoser pyramid and graves of other ancient nobles. We will eat lunch on route to Giza, where upon arrival we will explore the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and the pyramid of Chepren and Mycerinus. You can step inside to marvel at the architectural magnificence of these structures, or view their wonder from the desert on top of a camel.
Day 4 Cairo – Aswan
Day 5 Aswan, excursion Philae
Day 6 Aswan
Day 7 Aswan
Several days in Aswan allow us to get to know this city and its friendly atmosphere. Using Aswan as a base, we will make several excursions to interesting sites. A great way to get “the lay of the land” is to take a horse and carriage ride (caleche) through the city early on. This will give you an idea of neighborhoods you might want to visit during your stay here.
We will have a look at the High Dam, which created the Nasser Lake, six
miles south of Aswan. On the way back we will embark for a boat ride to the temples of Philae. At these Ptolemaic temples there is plenty of time to walk around. On our way back to Aswan we will stop at a quarry, where an unfinished obelisk will show you how massive blocks of granite were handled and worked in ancient Egypt.
One hundred and eighty six miles south of Aswan is Abu Simbel, where the mammoth rock temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari. This giant structure was moved by UNESCO to avoid being submerged under the Nasser Lake. The trip through the desert is long; the easier alternative is to fly. The exterior of these temples is awesome and the interior art is exquisite. The tour leader can organize an optional excursion for the group to view this magnificent monument. The bus or plane will leave very early to give us enough time to study these immense temples. In the afternoon there will probably be enough time to walk around at the market place in the center of the city or spend some time at the swimming pool. The optional tour to Abu Simbel will cost about $65 per person. In the event the road to Abu Simbel is closed for repair or for safety reasons, the monument can only be reached by plane and the cost is $125 per person for air and entry fee. In Aswan itself there is plenty to see. By felucca we will visit small islands in the Nile and Elephantine Island, which houses a small museum with its “Nilometer”. A trip to Kitchener Island is a refreshing diversion: a splendid botanical garden where colors and exotic scents abound. The garden contains rare flowers and plants from Africa and Asia including bougainvillea, poinsettias, hibiscus, clematis, mangoes and sycamores. On the other bank of the Nile on a hill is the mausoleum of Aga Khan and short walk or camel ride will take you to the Simeon cemetery. Numerous Nubian villages are spread out on this side of the Nile. During this excursion we usually visit a village and probably have lunch at the house of the felucca captain. On the way from Aswan to the place were we will board the felucca, we make stops at Kom Ombo and Edfu to admire the massive temples.
Day 8 Aswan - Sailing trip
Day 9 Sail to Kom Ombo - Luxor
From Aswan we make a two-day sailing trip on a felucca on the Nile. During this trip, all meals are included. You are responsible for purchasing your own drinks. We sleep on cushions in the open area of the sailboat (with canvas covering). The first day we sail north and spend the night close to Kom Ombo. The second day we reach Kom Ombo where we disembark and explore the temple. Via the temple of Edfu, we drive by bus to Luxor.
Day 9 Sail to Kom Ombo - Luxor
Day 10 Luxor
Day 11 Luxor, excursion Thebes
Day 12 Luxor
The great Luxor temple is situated in the center of this busy little town, and is located two minutes by foot from our hotel. From the impressive entrance gate of the temple, the alley of sphinxes leads to the Karnak temple, a few miles north of Luxor. Luxor is great place to hire a caliches (a horse driven carriage) to see the sights. Or for as little as three pounds a day you can rent a bike, which is a charming way to explore the Karnak Temple and its surroundings.
A trip in the countryside near Luxor is highly recommended. You might choose to go to the weekly camel market, it is also very easy to reach the West Bank of the Nile by bike and visit the famous temples and graves. A Djoser excursion to the Valley of the Kings is a fixed item on the itinerary during our stay in Luxor. If the relatively strenuous bike ride to the Valley of the Kings does not appeal to you, it is easy to hire a taxi or take a bus to visit the graves of Tutankhamen and other great pharaohs. On the way back you will pass the temple of Hatshepsut and Medinet Habu. You have enough time on one of the three days in Luxor to have a look in the Valley of the Queens or at the laborers village of Deir el-Medina or visit a local market.
Day 13 Luxor - Hurghada- Suez
Day 14 Suez - Wadi Feiran - St. Catharine
Day 15 St. Catharine’s - Dahab
Day 16 St. Catharine’s - Dahab
Day 17 Dahab
Day 18 Dahab
From Luxor we drive by bus to Suez. We depart early in the morning, arriving in Hurghada around noon time. This beach resort on the Red Sea has beautiful white beaches and is renowned throughout the world. Late in the afternoon we depart with the convoy to Suez, the city located on the canal by the same name. This forms the sea route to Asia. On the other side of the tunnel is the Sinai Desert. On the way to St. Catherine, we visit desolate, rocky places that are closely connected to the roots of Christianity, such as the well of Moses. Next we visit St. Catherine, the famous Greek Orthodox Cloister complex, surrounded by a wall nestled in between steep mountains. We rise early in the morning and in the footsteps of Moses we climb Mt. Sinai and enjoy the magnificent sunrise. Be sure to dress warmly for this trip. This area can be quite cold on winter mornings. This hike may be strenuous for some.
Later that day we drive to Dahab where we spend four nights in a hotel located on the beach. During the day there are ample opportunities to enjoy the bay, the sun and the sea. Or, you can visit small towns in the surroundings. You can take an optional excursion by jeep to the Colored Canyon in the Sinai mountains. We will drive back to Cairo and will arrive mid-afternoon. The following day we there is plenty of time to wander around and buy souvenirs.
Day 19 Dahab - Cairo
Day 20 Cairo
Day 21 Cairo - Depart - Arrival U.S.
