•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •
Home    About Us    Contact Us    Getting There    F.A.Q.'s    Community
The Great Pyramid of Giza/Ashley Toft
Donkey trek to Hatshepsut Temple/A. Toft

Egypt Encompassed - a Family Holiday in Egypt - 2010/11 Itinerary

16 days - from $1740

• Travel on the ultimate Egyptian adventure
• Experience the mountain, wadis & oases of the Sinai
• Enjoy a camel trek into the desert

Read more...

Magical Cairo & Mount Sinai
We start our adventures with a visit to the Pyramids and Sphinx before seeing King Tut's treasures in the famous Egyptian Museum. We then enter the desert and climb Mt. Sinai in time for a beautiful sunset. Exploring multi-coloured wadis, meeting Bedouin families and enjoying a desert camp along the way, we travel by ferry and bus to Safaga where we can catch our breath with an optional snorkelling trip over a colourful coral reef.


Ancient Sites of Luxor
The countless antiquities of ancient Thebes are to be found scattered around and even in the middle of the modern town of Luxor! We first set out to explore Karnak Temple by calesh (horse-drawn carriage) then it's to Hatshepsut Temple and the Valley of the Kings.


Exotic Aswan
Travelling south to Aswan, we pause en route at the massive Edfu Temple and again at Kom Ombo Temple, dedicated to Hathor and the crocodile-headed god, Sobek. In Aswan the Nile slips slowly and serenely by, adding to the special atmosphere of this exotic bazaar-town. We'll take camels to an abandoned desert monastery, join a Nubian family for a traditional meal and there's the opportunity to visit the stunning Abu Simbel and delightful Philae (both optional) before we take the train back to Cairo for a last free day.

close

Itinerary:

Day 1 Join Cairo. Day 2 Pyramids One of the greatest ancient monuments and boldest engineering feats ever undertaken, we visit the Pyramids and Sphinx and then on to the Egyptian Museum, home to numerous antiquities, including Tutankhamen's famous mask. Day 3 Snorkelling Fly to Sharm el Sheikh and transfer to Dahab with optional snorkelling trip. Day 4 Mt. Sinai We drive to St. Catherine's Monastery, which was founded on the site of the Burning Bush, and then climb (optional) Mt. Sinai to watch the sunset from the summit. Day 5 Sinai desert Driving into the wilderness we explore the amazing multi-coloured canyons and wadis of the Sinai before spending a night in a tented camp. Day 6 Ras Mohammed We visit the saline lake, observation point, mangrove 'forest', and earthquake 'rift'. Plus a highlight, snorkelling in the national park to discover the excellent marine life. Continuing our journey, we catch the ferry to Hurghada and drive south to Safaga. Day 7 Red Sea Another chance to snorkel in the Red Sea. Day 8 Karnak Temple Driving to Luxor we ride by horse drawn calesh to visit the impressive Karnak Temple. Day 9 Valley of the Kings Early morning donkey trek to Hatshepsut Temple and visit the Valley of the Kings, made famous by the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. Days 10/11 Free in Luxor; visit local farm. Day 12 Edfu Drive to Aswan via Edfu and the impressive Kom Ombo Temples. Day 13 Abu Simbel Optional visit to Abu Simbel and an evening visit to a Nubian family for dinner. Day 14 St Simeon's Monastery We ride camels to St Simeon's Monastery with an optional visit to Philae Temple before catching the overnight train to Cairo. Day 15 Arrive Cairo; free day for relaxation or optional sightseeing. Day 16 End Cairo.

Accommodations: 13nts hotel, 1nt desert camp, 1nt overnight train; 14 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 2 dinners included.
Transport: Bus/4WD/Ferry/Donkey/ Calesh/Overnight train/Camel/Local boat.
Comment: A busy itinerary with some early starts. The climb up Mt Sinai is challenging (not suitable for younger children - see dossier for details). Be prepared for hot weather for most of the year, however early mornings between Nov to Feb can be surprisingly cold; seas are usually choppy year-round as the region is generally windy.
Group: Approx. 16 to 20.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus drivers and local guides.
Trip Reference: FSE2010

Dates & Prices
Start End Prices in US$ Child Price in US$ Local Payment Availability
18 Dec 1002 Jan 11$1740$1740 0
09 Apr 1124 Apr 11$1800$1800 0
23 Jul 1107 Aug 11$1740$1740 0
13 Aug 1128 Aug 11$1740$1740 0

Prices and itineraries shown for tours departing from January 2011 onwards are subject to change and confirmation with the publication of our 2011/12 brochure, due to be published in October 2010.