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St Catherine's Monastery
Snorkelling in the Red Sea/Anthony Illingworth

Sinai Explorer - a Family Holiday in Egypt - 2010/11 Itinerary

10 days - from $1140

• Travel through towering mountains, desert sands & warm coral seas
• Discover some of the hidden secrets of this amazing land
• Pharaonic treasures of Cairo & Luxor

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Magical Cairo
Cairo - home to the famous Pyramids and inscrutable Sphinx and fed by the serene waters of the life-giving Nile. We start our adventures here in the capital - first at the Pyramids, probably the greatest monuments on our planet, the last surviving wonder of the ancient world and perhaps the boldest engineering feat ever undertaken. Next we head downtown to the Egyptian Museum, home to antiquities too numerous to display, and including Tutankhamen's famous gold funerary mask.


Into the Sinai
Leaving Cairo we fly to the Sinai and travelling to Dahab on the Red Sea before visiting St. Catherine's which was founded on the site of the Burning Bush. We ascend Mt. Sinai - sunset from the summit is inspiring, as we stand where Moses is said to have received the 10 Commandments.


Red Sea & Luxor
Next we head south to walk and scramble through amazing multi-coloured canyons and enjoy lunch with a local Bedouin family before spending a night in a tented camp. Then we take the ferry to Hurghada and travel south to Safaga, where we snorkel over the myriad of fantastically coloured fish. Finally we drive to Luxor, famous for its incredible antiquities. We head first to Karnak Temple, arriving by horse-drawn calesh, then our final highlight - a journey by donkey to Hatshepsut Temple before continuing to the stunning Valley of the Kings - the perfect end to an amazing trip.

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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. Day 10 End Luxor.

Accommodations: 8nts hotels, 1nt desert camp; 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 1 dinner included.
Transport: Bus/4WD/Ferry/Donkey/ Calesh/Flight.
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. Note that this trip can be combined with 'Highlights of Egypt' (p.41) to make a 16 day tour - see 'Egypt Encompassed' (right).
Group: Approx. 16 to 20.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus drivers and local guides.
Trip Reference: FSN2010

Dates & Prices
Start End Prices in US$ Child Price in US$ Local Payment Availability
18 Dec 1027 Dec 10$1140$1140 0
19 Feb 1128 Feb 11$1140$1140 0
09 Apr 1118 Apr 11$1230$1230 0
23 Jul 1101 Aug 11$1170$1170 0
13 Aug 1122 Aug 11$1230$1230 0
13 Aug 1122 Aug 11$1200$1200 0
15 Oct 1124 Oct 11$1200$1200 0
17 Dec 1126 Dec 11$1200$1200 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.