I’m excited to be the VP Summer Expedition. This year our trip will be to Egypt. It is going to be an outstanding opportunity!
Rachel

We will have several tours combined into 1 trip.

Nile River Cruise – 4 nights

Cairo and the Pyramids – 4 nights

Alexandria

Full Package, Cairo and Nile River, Price Includes:

• Round Trip Airfare on Egypt Air from Houston, Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio to    Cairo (incl. taxes subject to change).
• Air transfer Cairo to Luxor
• 4 night Nile River Cruise aboard 5 star superior vessel
• All meals during river cruise
• Tours on route from Luxor to Aswan
• Air transfer Aswan to Cairo
• 4 nights in Cairo at 5 star hotel
• Breakfast included at Cairo hotel.
• 3 full- day tours of Pyramids, Cairo, and Alexandria including lunch.
• All airport transfers.
• English speaking guides and airport greeters.
• Guide Gratuities

Optional Features:

• Tour to Abu Simbel from Aswan (Nile River Cruise)
• Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Red Sea (Hurghada Pre-Trip and Sharm-el- Sheikh post trip)
• Desert Safari (Hurghada Pre-Trip)
• Full-Day excursion to Petra, Jordan (Sharm-el-Sheikh Post-Trip)
• Full-Day excursion to Jerusalem (Sharm-el-Sheikh Post-Trip)
• Full-Day excursion to Mt. Sinai/St. Catherine’s Monastery (Sharm-el-Sheikh Post-Trip)
• Nile River Cruise

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W   We will begin our Egyptian Expedition with a four-night cruise down the Nile from Luxor to Aswan.

            4 Night Cruise Itinerary (Luxor/Aswan)

1st day
Afternoon visit to Karnak and Luxor Temples. Overnight and dinner on board in Luxor.

2nd day
Morning excursion to West Bank including Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens,Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Sailing to Edfu and overnight.

3rd day
Early morning visit to the Temple of Horus, before sailing for Kom Ombo. Afternoon visit to the Temple of Sobek at Kom Ombo. We continuing sailing to Aswan and overnight on board.

4th day
Morning visit High Dam, Old Dam in Aswan Lunch on board. In the afternoon excursion by Felucca on the Nile to the Botanical Gardens. Overnight on board in Aswan.

5th day
Check out and opportunity to take the optional excursion to Abu Simbel.  We will cruise on a 5 star superior river ship. Our ship has 72 cabins, restaurant, lounge bar, wine and cheese bar, bazaar, reading room, billiard room, fitness room, sundeck, swimming pool, and pool bar. Your cruise will include all meals. Each cabin includes telephone, satellite TV, central air conditioning with control in each cabin, private bath with shower and hairdryer, minibar, and safe deposit box.

Cairo

Our stay in Cairo, the present day capital of Egypt, will include three full days of tours. Each tour includes an English-speaking guide and lunch.

Day 1 - A visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx, stepped Pyramids of Sakkara and Memphis.

Day 2 – Cairo City tour including a visit The Egyptian museum to see the Fabulous Treasures of ancient Egypt and Citadel of Mohamed Ali Mosque and Khan El Khalili

Day 3 – Alexandria city tour

In Cairo, we will stay at the 5 star Ramses Hilton Hotel where breakfast is included. The Ramses Hilton hotel is a luxurious hotel on the banks of the Nile with spectacular views, elegant rooms and a vast range of popular leisure and dining options. The Ramses Hilton Hotel is situated directly opposite the Egyptian museum and only a few minutes from the Khan el-Khalili market and Old Cairo. The pyramids are a 35-minute drive away. The hotel has large, luxurious rooms with satellite TV, internet access and scenic city and river views. Among the many on-site restaurants and cafés are the Falafel Restaurant, the Maharaja, the Sherlock Holmes Pub, the Citadel Grill and the rooftop Windows on the World restaurant with views of the Nile and the pyramids.

Pre-Trip and Post- Trip Information

Hurghada/Red Sea Pre-Trip Extension

September 23 to 26, 2010

Price Includes:

• Three nights in 5 star Hotel Stella Makada Resort or equivalent
  (The Stella Makadi Beach is a new luxury resort hotel that opened in the fall of 2008.)

• Breakfast and Dinner daily at the hotel (all-inclusive upgrade available)

• Flight from Cairo to Hurghada on Egypt Air

• Ground transfer from Hurghada to Luxor for Nile River Cruise

Hurghada

Hurghada, at one time a small isolated fishing village has become a popular tourist resort thanks to its exceptionally blue waters, its intricate coral reef and its wide sandy beaches. Situated on the western coast of the Red Sea, and enclosed between the sea and the desert, Hurghada enjoys a wonderful climate all year round. While there are many attractions here, the main attraction is the Red Sea itself with numerous daily boat trips organized for snorkeling and diving.

Hurghada Optional Activities

• City tours

• Scuba diving and snorkeling

• Aquarium

• Desert Safari and B.B.Q.

• Jeep sunset safari

Sharm-el-Sheikh Post-Trip Extension

October 4 - 9, 2010

Price Includes:

• Round trip air from Cairo to Sharm-el-Sheikh
• 5 nights in 5 star Sea Club Resort Hotel or equivalent
• Breakfast and dinner daily
• All airport transfers

Sharm-el-Sheikh

Sharm-el-Sheikh, the most southern point of Sinai, has beautiful sandy beaches sitting at the feet of breathtaking mountain chains. With its clear waters and large coral reefs, it is the richest underwater habitat on the planet; coral, turtles, devil paradise for sea and diving enthusiasts. Naama Bay, is encircled by an attractive pedestrian seafront which is home to most of the best hotels, sports and diving centers, fashionable shops, excellent restaurants with views over the bay and discos providing night time entertainment. Ras Mohamed, is the extreme point of Sinai Peninsula from where you can see the coast of Asia on the left and the coast of Africa on the right.

Sea Club Resort

The Sea Club Resort is situated directly on the beach with spectacular views of the Red Sea. The view from the back of the hotel is also breathtaking: one can see the Sinai Mountains, with dramatic and unprecedented views during sunsets. The Sea Club Resort is located minutes away from Sharm el Sheikh International Airport and 20 km away from Naama Bay, known for its shopping and dining facilities as well as its exciting nightlife. The hotel offers a free shuttle to Sharm-el-Sheikh city center on Naama Bay.

Featured Optional Full Day Tours

• Petra, Jordan

• St. Catherine’s Monastery/Mt. Sinai

• Jerusalem, Israel

• All tours include English speaking guides, transport, and lunch

Passports and Visas

Tourists must be in possession of an international passport, which is valid for at least six months.

Visitors to Egypt require an entry visa, which may be obtained in person in 24 hours, or by post (which however make take up to two weeks) from an Egyptian Consulate. Visas are also obtainable on arrival in the country. I would suggest that you have your visa before arrival in Egypt. There is an Egyptian Consulate in Houston that serves the state of Texas.