Egypt Tours & Travel featuring Syria, Iran and Jordon

*Guaranteed Weekly Departure*
	Itinerary
Day 1	Depart USA from New York (JFK) airport on your flight to Cairo. All meals and beverages served on board flight.
Day 2	Arrive Cairo where you will be met by our representative who will help you with your immigration and customs formalities, later you will be transferred to your hotel, the luxurious Mena House Oberoi Hotel for an overnight.
Day 3	Breakfast, then drive to Memphis on the edge of the Western Desert, the Capital of the Ancient Kingdom, and one of the most important cities throughout the history of ancient Egypt. From here we drive to Sakkara, the vast Necropolis of Ancient Memphis. In the afternoon, drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheop's Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd Dynasty about 2690 BC, and is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Enjoy a camel ride by the Pyramids area if you wish. In front of the Pyramid of Chephren (Khafre), we find the Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a Pharaoh's head thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren (Khafre). Continue our tour to visit the Solar Boat Museum where a dismantled river barge of King Cheops (Khufu) was found and has been beautifully reassembled. Return to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred by our tour escort to the Giza Plateau to attend the magnificent sound and light show. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 4	Breakfast, then start your tour visiting the Gayer Anderson Museum (Bayt Al-Kiridlyyah): two houses, one of the 16th century, the other of the 17th, each comfortable by the standards of its time, have been delightfully joined together, both filled with antique furniture from all over the Middle East. Continue our tour to visit the Manyal Palace, built in 1826 and it conceals an ottoman-Baroque fantasy within: an immense marble basin with a marble island in its center. The Palace was built by Prince Mohammed Ali, the cousin of King Faruq and it includes a Museum exhibiting King Faruq's trophies and the prince's own residence with its furnishings and a large collection of the family memorabilia. From there we visit the Ibn Tulun mosque which is one of the architectural glories of the Muslim world, completed in the year 879 and covers 8.5 acres of land and is designed in the classical courtyard style. It is well known for its pointed arches, beautifully carved stucco, and Koranic inscriptions in sycamore wood. PM Continue our tour to visit the Islamic Museum that has Islamic art from Egypt, Turkey and Persia dating from the 7th to 19th centuries. Then visit the Coptic Museum which is built on the site of the Roman fortress of Babylon, constructed about 30 BC inside you will find some of the richest collections of Coptic art in the world. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 5	Early breakfast, then you will be met and transferred to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival at Luxor Airport, you will be met and transferred to your deluxe hotel, the Luxor Sheraton Hotel for check-in. Later start your tour by crossing by a ferry to the West Bank of the Nile and visit the Valley of the Queens which lies hidden in the foothills of the Mountains of Gourma. See the dramatic temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a masterpiece of graceful proportions, then visit the famous valley of the Kings where the royal tomb of Seti I, King Tut and Ramses are located. See the elaborate reliefs and wall paintings depicting events of the past, and marvel at the exquisite colors, excellently preserved for thousands of years. Return to your hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 6	Breakfast, then later you will be met by your tour guide and transferred to visit the tomb of the Nobles and the Workers' Village. Continue your tour with a visit to Medinet Habu which contains Ramses III (1194 BC - 1163 BC). This is the largest building in a complex surrounded by a massive mudbrick girdle wall. Proceed afterwards to visit the Luxor Museum. Later transfer back to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred to attend the magnificent sound and light show at the Karnak temple. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 7	Early breakfast and a visit to the newly opened tomb of "Nefertari", a fabulous tomb that consists of 25 chambers and houses the sons of King Ramses. This is a major highlight of your trip. Continue your tour to visit the temple of Karnak with their awesome and giant columns. The ruins of Greece and Rome are dwarfed beside them. Then visit the temple of Luxor which was started by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II. PM You will be met by our representative and transferred to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrive at Cairo Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel, the Ramses Hilton Hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 8	Breakfast, then start your tour visiting the Egyptian Museum famous for its antiquities from Egypt's Pharaonic period, which dates back some 50 centuries and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amon. Afternoon excursion to Old Cairo, visiting the very Old Coptic Churches and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Beni Ezra. Continue your visit to the Citadel of Salah El-Din and the Mohammed Ali Mosque and the Medieval Bazaars of Khan-El-Khalili, where you can bargain for your jewelry and hand-tooled leather items. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)
Day 9	Breakfast, then you will be met by our representative and transferred to Cairo Airport, where you will be helped with your check-in and immigration formalities for your flight back to Athens. Arrive Athens where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel Grand Bretagne. Balance of day at leisure. Overnight. (B)
Day 10	Breakfast and a half-day Athens sightseeing tour. This tour gives you the opportunity to explore the striking contracts that make Athens a fascinating city. See the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Royal Palace. Among the many points of interests are the world renowned Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum. Later transfer back to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure. Overnight. (B) A Greek boy in traditional costume
Day 11	Breakfast and a free day to explore Athens on your own or we recommend a visit to the Plaka area, with ceramic tiled roofs, whitewashed or pastel colored walls, Neoclassic buildings and ornate wrought-iron balconies. This Plaka Village has been extensively renovated over a 25-year period and is still not totally completed. There, you will find many quaint cafes, restaurants and shops. This is a pedestrian zone. Overnight. (B)
Day 12	Breakfast and you will be met and transferred to the Port of Piraeus to embark on your Blue Vessel Royal Olympic cruise. A 4-day Aegean Venture Cruise. All meals, shore excursions, port taxes and charges are included in your package and your accommodation is based on a superior outside cabin. The ship sails from Piraeus at 11:00 a.m. that morning. Arrive the island of Mykonos at 5:30 p.m. This jet-set island offers beautiful sandy beaches, winding streets and chic boutiques. Stroll at leisure through the white-washed, flower-decked alleyways to the sculpture-like church of Paraportiani. Visit the windmills for which Mykonos is famous. At the foot of the windmills is the section known as "Little Venice" which is a replica of Venice in Italy. Enjoy the sunset while sipping a cocktail at one of the cafes here. Set sail for Heraklion, Crete at 9:30 p.m. Overnight at sea. (B, L, D) The luxurious Odysseus Cruise Ship
Day 13	Arrive in Heraklion, Crete at 7:00 a.m. You may choose to visit the famous site Knossos. Knossos is the ancient city of the Minoan Civilization; visit the Labyrinth, where the legendary Minotaur was said to be kept and the Minoan relics displayed in the Heraklion Museum. Depart Crete for the island of Santorini at 11:30 a.m. Be sure to be on deck as you approach Santorini, one of the highlights of the itinerary. Arrive Santorini at 4:30 p.m. Santorini is thought by many to be the lost city of Atlantis. You may choose to reach the city of Fira by donkey or cable car. Stroll through the narrow streets of this white washed village and enjoy the breathtaking view of the caldera and the volcano while sipping a glass of the famous Santorini wine at an outdoor cafe. The island also boasts archaeological sights that are similar to that of Pompeii - Akrotiri, a lost city that was covered in pumice and ash when the volcano erupted. This city also dates back to Minoan times. Depart Santorini at 9:00 p.m. Overnight at sea. (B, L, D) Rhodes
Day 14	At 8:00 a.m. this morning you will arrive at the island of Rhodes, known as the "Island of Roses". The capital of Rhodes has modern and medieval overtones. Upon entering the yacht harbor (Mandraki), the most picturesque of the three ports of the city, one is welcomed by two bronze deer, which have become the modern emblem of the town. Visit the New Market (Nea Agora), a polygonal building with an internal courtyard, the Archbishop's Palace and the Evangelismos (Annunciation) Church. Look out for the famous Rhodian umbrellas, available in a variety of shapes and colors in most of the souvenir shops. The medieval section is fortified within the walls that once protected the city. It is fascinating to walk along the cobblestone lanes and through the arches and vaults of the 15th century buildings. Visit the Archaeological Museum, which is housed in the building of the Knight's Hospital. On display are collections of coins, pots and sculptures from the Mycenaean up to the Roman era. In addition, follow the Knight's Road, which is the official road of the old city, to the Palace of the Grand Masters (the Knights' Palace), the fortress which dominates the old town. Within the old city is a shopper's paradise where one can find leather goods, unique jewelry and a wide variety of souvenirs. Also, a variety of cafes and restaurants can be found within this town which seems lost in time. Set sail from Rhodes at 7:00 p.m. Overnight at sea. (B, L, D) The Parthenon
Day 15	Arrive Kusadasi, Turkey at 7:00 a.m. Kusadasi is the sea port for ancient Ephesus, one of the world's greatest archaeological sites, where Marc Antony and Cleopatra strolled, and view architectural masterpieces such as the great Amphitheater, the Magnesian Gate, the Library of Celsus and the Thermal Baths of Scolastika. Set sail for Patmos at Noon. Arrive Patmos at 3:30 p.m. Patmos, known as the Jerusalem of the Aegean, is a beautiful austere, rocky island. It was here in a cave that, the exiled St. John the Divine received the mystical Revelation which forms the last book of the New Testament. Visit the Monastery dedicated to the memory of St. John. View priceless religious relics, rare manuscripts, icons, jewelry and embroidery. View the murals and the wonderful temple of the church within the monastery as well as the murals in the chapel of the Madonna. Depart Patmos at 6:30 p.m. Overnight at sea. (B, L, D)
Day 16	Arrive at the Port of Piraeus at 6:00 A.M. Disembark your cruise ship and clear customs and then you will be met by our representative you will transfer you to your hotel, the Grand Bretagne, or an overnight. (B)
Day 17	Breakfast, then you will be met by our representative and transferred to Athens Airport for your flight back home. Arrive the USA the same day. (B)

Also Included: International Airfare from New York/Cairo/Athens/New York on a scheduled airliner. All taxes, service charges, port charges and entrance fees to sights mentioned included as well. All transfers, meeting and assistance and baggage handling is included.

Not included: Items of personal nature, such as phone calls, wine, tips, etc.

Departure from other gateway cities is available as follows: Departure out of Boston, please add $129. Departure out of Washington, D.C., add $149. Departure out of Chicago, please add $259. Departure out of Los Angeles, please add $369, or call for your city.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: For single occupancy in hotels and on board cruise, please add $1084.

EXTENSIONS & OPTIONAL TOURS: Extra days and optional tours to sites are available upon request.

If airfare from the U.S.A. is not required, please deduct $1030 from posted rate.

Egyptian Greek Odyssey
17 Days with a 4-Day Deluxe Aegean Cruise
Only $5745 per person

based on double occupancy

Egyptian Greek Odyssey 17 Days with a 4-Day Deluxe Aegean Cruise Only $5745 per person

based on double occupancy

Egyptian Greek Odyssey
17 Days with a 4-Day Deluxe Aegean Cruise
Only $5745 per person