Cairo
/ Fayoum / Aswan / Luxor / Sinai
Fully Escorted
15 days/ 14 nights
GUARANTEED TO OPERATE weekly from October through April
No minimum number of travelers, maximum of 16 on each tour
Egypt occupies
a significant strategic geographical position as a bridge
between continents offering migratory species the perfect
route for their annual flights from Europe and Asia.
A wide variety
of Egyptian habitats ranging from high rugged mountains
to desert and tropical style jungle along the Nile basin,
give it a unique character plus the diversity needed
to attract an extremely wide range of bird life.
There are over
430 species of birds found in Egypt with about 150 being
resident. The others are annual visitors from Europe
and Asia with the primary migrations south in the fall
and the return in the spring months. This program operates
during the anticipated peaks of these migrations to
afford birders a vacation with the maximum chance to
view and photograph the widest variety possible.
Imagine being able
to combine 5,000 years of human history with birding
and conservation. On tap are visits to important antiquity
sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt plus a
visit to the Sinai peninsula with its beautiful beaches,
incredible undersea life and bountiful collection of
bird life.
This tour is operated
in conjunction with Conservation Outdoors Inc. A not-for-profit
organization established to protect and study our fragile,
global natural environment through education, ecotourism
and scientific research aimed at shared solutions to
a peaceful sustainable future with special attention
to at-risk habitat and biota in developing countries.
The
Program:
Day
01: (Saturday) Arrive Cairo, clear immigration and customs then staff will transfer you to the historic Mena
House where you will enjoy a pyramid view garden room. Overnight Cairo
VISAS: All travelers to Egypt must have a visa. Citizens of most countries can obtain one on arrival. Please let us know what passport you are traveling with and we will confirm whether you can get your’s on arrival.
Day 02: (Sunday) After your international buffet breakfast, A full day touring the ancient capital of Memphis, Sakkarra with it's Stepped Pyramid, the earliest pyramid of all, the Seraphim (tomb of the bulls), and the Mastaba of Ti which features beautiful carvings of early Egyptian bird life, and Dahshur with it's "Bent" Pyramid, Black Pyramid and Red Pyramid plus the new Imhotep museum. Overnight Cairo (B)
Day
03: (Monday) Buffet breakfast then this morning we visit the Pyramids
at Giza and the inscrutable Sphinx.
In the afternoon we visit the Egyptian
Museum and the Khan
el Khalili bazaar. Overnight Cairo (B)
Day
04: (Tuesday) Buffet breakfast, check out. We drive to the oasis of El
Fayoum. Located about one hours drive from the hotel this is one of the greatest oasis areas in Egypt and a major winter home for migratory species. Fayoum is where the Greeks and Romans had their wineries and grew the grain for the empire. It also was an important part of Pharaonic history including a famous canal thought to have been built by the Biblical Joseph. We will overnight at King Farouks former hunting lodge, where he hosted Churchill and Roosevelt in WWII. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight Fayoum (B,D)
Day
05: (Wednesday) Buffet breakfast, check out. Continue our tour of Fayoum
then in the mid-afternoon return to Cairo and the comfort
of the Fairmont
Heliopolis hotel. Overnight Cairo (B)
Day
06: (Thursday) Staff transfers you to the airport,
assists with checking in and you fly to Aswan on a morning
flight. Arriving staff transfers you to the Iberotel Nile resort or the Movenpick
Elephantine Island resort. Elephantine
Island is the largest of the Aswan area islands,
and is one of the most ancient sites in Egypt, with
artifacts dating to pre-dynastic periods. It is also
a good place to spend leisure time, wandering among
the Nubian villages where the people are friendly and
the houses are often very colorful. We will visit the
Nubian
Museum in the afternoon (or evening depending
on the flight time) and the famous spice market. Overnight
Aswan (B)
Day
07: (Friday) After breakfast enjoy a visit to the famous High Dam, the Temple
of Philae and the Pharaoh’s granite quarries. In the afternoon sail by Felucca (native sailboat) to Kitchener's
Island, a botanical garden that naturally attracts a number of species. Overnight Aswan (B)
Day
08: (Saturday) Breakfast, free time to enjoy the area or perhaps an optional tour to Abu Simbel to see the famous temples of Ramses. Overnight Aswan (B)
Day
09: (Sunday) Breakfast, check out, drive to Luxor with stops along the way to see the Temple of Two Gods at Kom Ombo and the temple of Horus at Edfu. Arrive Luxor early evening and enjoy the comfort of the Maritim King's Island
resort. Overnight Luxor (B)
Day
10: (Monday) This morning we depart early for
the West Bank's Necropolis
of Thebes where we will visit the Valley
of the Kings, Temple
of Queen Hatshepsut, Colossi
of Memnon. Afternoon free at leisure.
Overnight Luxor (B)
Optional Tour of additional West bank sites: $95 per person (includes the Valley of the Queens, the tombs of the nobles and artisans, Medinet Habu, Ramessium, temple of Seti 1)
Day
11: (Tuesday) The temples of Luxor
and Karnak
are visited this morning plus the Karnak Museum. In
the evening we fly to Sharm
el Sheikh, located at the southern extreme
of the Sinai Peninsula, you are now in Asia. Enjoy the comfort of the Renaissance hotel or Stella di Mare resort. Overnight
Sharm (B)
Day
12: (Wednesday) Depart in the morning for the
Sinai Mountains. Drive to the important Biblical site
of Wadi
Feiran. This area is an
oasis of greenery in an otherwise hostile environment
and as such attracts a wide variety of species ranging
from songbirds to predators.
"...a
journey through Feiran is to pass through an entire
chapter of the Old Testament itself..."
Few places are as steeped in Biblical mystery as the
great Wadi Feiran-the Sinai's largest wadi and one of
it's most archeologically important stretches of terrain.
It was here, according to locals, scholars, and legend,
that Moses struck a rock with his staff, bringing forth
a spring so his people could drink. Feiran is also the
site of Rafadim, the fabled oasis where the Hebrews
camped and battled the Amelecites. You will also be
introduced to Bedouin culture, one that has not changed
for many centuries. Enjoy a BBQ lunch Bedouin style.
Ride a camel if you like. From Wadi Feiran we drive
to Mt.
Sinai where we overnight at a
small hotel, St.
Catherine's Plaza. Overnight Sinai (B,L,D)
Day
13: (Thursday) Today you can rise early, about
3AM, climb Mt. Sinai and watch the sunrise from the
crest or sleep in and the view the mountain from the
base. You will also visit St.
Catherine's Monastery.
Located at the foot of Mount Moses, St. Catherine's
was constructed between 527 and 565. It is built around
what is thought to be Moses' Burning Bush. It is a spectacular
natural setting for priceless works of art.
St.
Catherine's is also a formidable fortification, with
granite walls 40 to 200 feet tall, surrounded by gardens
and cypresses. From St. Catherine's you will visit the
Rock
of Inscriptions, where travelers
have left graffiti and directions for thousands of years
plus view Ein
Kudra Oasis, traditional hazarot of the Children
of Israel (Exodus). We continue our journey to the coast, have lunch at a wonderful restaurant right on the shore of the Gulf. On a clear day you can
see Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Then it's back
to Sharm el Sheikh and a flight to Cairo. Arriving staff
transfers you to the Fairmont
Heliopolis hotel. Overnight Cairo (B, L)
Day
14: (Friday) Visit Gabal el Asfar. This is the huge reclaiming area for the cities sanitation system. Since it's start in 1923 this area has grown into one of the richest birding sites in Egypt. Overnight Cairo (B)
Day
15: (Saturday) Staff will transfer you to the airport, assist with exit formalities and checking in for your international departure.
TOURS
INCLUDE: OPERATES WITH NO MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM OF 16 TRAVELERS. Domestic flights in Egypt in coach (economy) class. All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle relating to the tour program starting with arrival to Cairo. Baggage handling of no more than 1 piece of luggage per person however baggage and personal effects are at the owner's risk at all time during the tour (baggage handling does NOT include tips for bellmen, porters, etc.). Hotels (based on double occupancy). Meals as outlined by B for breakfast, L for lunch and D for dinner. Fees for visiting antiquity sites and museums. Services of an English speaking licensed Egyptologist. Service charges and taxes.
NOTE: During any of our small group tours people may join or leave at various times, however at no time would any group be larger than 16 travelers. We can provide private tours with an additional supplement. The cost depends on the tour chosen.
NOT
included are: INTERNATIONAL AIR, items of a personal nature such as tips (tipping guideline), entry visa (available at the airport on entry for USA citizens. Other nationalities should check with the nearest Egyptian consulate), phone calls, laundry, beverages, any items not specifically covered in the included items.
Laundry in Egypt
All hotels and the cruises have laundry/dry cleaning available.
Sample laundry prices IN EGYPTIAN POUNDS (LE) are:
Men:Shirts (collared, short or long sleeve): 9 to 17 LE
Trousers: 12 to 20 LE
Under shorts: 5 to 7 LE
T Shirts: 6 to 13 LE
Socks: 3 to 6 LE
Shorts: 7 to 13 LE
Ladies
Blouse: 10 to 17 LE
Panties: 5 to 8 LE
Bra: 5 to 8 LE
Slacks: 12 to 22 LE
Dress: 20 to 36 LE
T shirt: 6 to 13 LE
Shorts: 6 to 13 LE
Laundry in before 9AM is back at 6PM.
Laundry in after 9AM is back the following day.
Rush laundry is generally available at 50% more cost.
Dry cleaning is available with prices about the same as laundry.
Children's clothes are generally 50% of the adult cost.
Beverages
No drinks are included in tour prices. Some hotels and cruises give one bottle of water free daily others do not. As a general guide you could expect to pay:
Bottled water at hotels or on the cruise: $1 to $3 for a small bottle, $2.50-$5 for a large bottle.
NOTE: This is filtered water. If you order perrier it will cost more.
Coffee or Tea: 50 cents
Soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc): $1 each
Alcoholic drinks:
Local beer: $3 per bottle
Imported beer: $5 to $8 per bottle
Wine: local $4 to $6 per glass. imported will be more $$.
Liquor: local $5 per cocktail + cost of mixer (soft drink, juice, etc), imported $8-$15 per cocktail + cost of mixer)
ICE: In the hotels and on the cruise the ice is prepared from filtered water.
| Birding
Egypt Price |
PP/Double |
PP/Single |
| October* & April |
$3,495 |
$4,475 |
| November thru March |
$4,455 |
$5,435 |
| Holidays (Christmas, New Year, Easter) |
$5,345 |
$6,525 |
*October tours must end no later than October 30 to get this rate.
Round trip air from JFK starting at $966
Tours must be booked at least 45 days prior to arrival.
Prices
and itinerary subject to change without notice.
Single Price
is for Single occupancy hotel rooms and cruise cabins
based on a minimum of two travelers. Single travelers
(one person on the tour) would have additional cost.
FREQUENT
TRAVELERS: You are welcome to arrange your own
international air or we can assist if you are departing from the USA. Also if you are
a member of any hotel chain frequent traveler program
you are welcome to use your points for hotel rooms and
the cost of the tour will be reduced accordingly OR
if you want to accumulate points plus take advantage
of membership hotel room upgrades let us know which
program you want to use.
We
contract with most major hotel chains including:
Prices
are based on using the hotels shown. If you change hotels
the tour price may change.
Terms and Conditions
Questions?
This tour is operated in conjunction with Conservation
Outdoors Inc. A not-for-profit organization established
to protect and study our fragile, global natural environment
through education, ecotourism and scientific research
aimed at shared solutions to a peaceful sustainable
future with special attention to at-risk habitat and
biota in developing countries.
Traveler's Comments
