ITINERARY
DAY 01: Meet in San Juan or Miami to travel to Cairo capital of Egypt. DAY 02: Arrival in Cairo, free day to rest. DAY 03: CAIRO. After breakfast visit the Egyptian Museum, founded by August Meriet in 1902, and erected on the bank of the Nile. From the adjacent building, you can observe a panorama of part the city, and an infinity of monuments discovered throughout two centuries by English, French and German archaeologist, that represent the history of Egypt from the third millennium before Christ to our present time. In the evening visit of one of the seven wonders of world, the famous three pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, where you can examine the greatest and most mysterious architectural work erected by man, some of the stones weigh 20 tons. Their method of construction is still a mystery to us (pyramid of Keops, Kefren and Mikerenos and the Sphinx). DAY 04: EL CAIRO - ASWAN. Transfer to the airport to leave for Aswan on a domestic flight. On arrival, excursion in a river motorboat to Abu Simbel. In the evening, visits to see typical Egyptian falukas sailboats and the mausoleum of the Agha Khan. Egypt and Sudan cooperated to build the high dam. This region was then flooded by the lake Nasser, the water reservoir (500 Km. in length) where the crocodiles of the Nile River exist to this day. The town is Nubian and the Nubian languages is spoken here. DAY 05: ASWAN - KOM OMBO - EDFU. Visit the high dam that was built in1962. This dam saved Egypt from the annual floods of the Nile River and provides 35% of the energy of Egypt. From here visit the granite quarry where ancient Egyptians carved statues and obelisks that are seen throughout Egypt. Return to the cruise to continue navigation to Kom Ombo. Night in Edfu. DAY 06: EDFU - ESNA - LUXOR. Visit the temple of the God Horus in Edfu, constructed by the Ptolomeans. Navigation to Esna, pass the sluice and then towards Luxor, a city that has a third of all world monuments. Night on board. DAY 07: LUXOR. Visit the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, with 62 tombs belonging to the New Kingdom with relief of vivid colors belonging to an age 1340 years before Christ. Queen Valley, temple of Queen Hatchepsut (who governed for 18 years) in Deir, the Bahari, and the colossus of Memnon from the age of Amenofis the Second. In the evening visit the temple of Karnak, dedicate to the God Amon (the sun) Mut and Junsu (the moon) and the temple of Luxor an Arabic word that means singular palace,constructed by the King Amenofis the Second. Inside is a mosque that is representative of Moslem fundamentalism. Night on board in Luxor. DAY 08 LUXOR • CAIRO. Transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Cairo. DAY 09: From Cairo a visit of Memphis, the first capital of Egypt, constructed by the king Menes, to unify the two parts of Egypt and Sakkar a necropolis of old Kingdom. In the evening a visit to the city of Saladin where the Alabaster Mosque is located. A visit to the Market of Khan the Khalili (the great Bazaar). Night at hotel in Cairo. DAY 10: Cairo. In the morning travel by Pullman to Alexandria, the famous Mediterranean city, and the second capital of Egypt. DAY 11: Alexandria. Visit the Kit Bay Fortress, where the famous Light House of Alexandria was built, then visit Montazah Palace, resident of Farouk, the last king of Egypt ,and the Roman Catacombs of the Roman epoch. Return to Cairo to relax in the hotel. DAY 12: The Cairo. Free day to walk in Cairo and enjoy the people, stores and traditions. DAY 13: Cairo - Santa Catherine. Early in the morning travel from Cairo to Santa Catherine, making a stop to take photos of the Suez canal. On the route approaching the Red Sea, you can observe oil fields in the Sinai Desert. This is the Asia part of Egypt. Late arrival in Saint Catherine. Overnight. DAY 14: Santa Catherine - Ein Khudra. Early in the morning (around 2 A.M.) travel to climb Moses Mountain (Gebel Musa 2,285 m), the holy place where Moses received the Ten Commandments, to contemplate the sunrise and Mount Sinai. Then a visit to the spectacular monastery of Santa Catherine. The trip will be in a 4 x 4 vehicle on the Sinai Desert and you will visit the Nabateans (the first scribes of Christian times). Then explore the Oases of Ein Khundra and Um Oasis Amher. Dinner and later continue to Nwebaa for lodging. DAY 15: Nwebaa - Aqaba. Amman. Transfer from the port of Nwebaa to travel on the Red Sea by ferry to Aqaba (Jordan). At arrival you will be transferred to Amman and lodging. DAY 16: Amman. Visit to Jerash city, Ajlun and Um Qais. Night in Amman. Nestled in a green and fertile valley in the biblical land of Gilead, the remains of this ancient city are impressive. Stroll along Jerash’s colonnaded streets, through ancient marketplaces, and visit the imposing theater sitting beside Roman, Christian and Muslim houses of worship. In a 4x4 vehicle, visit the Nabateas, the first Christians to inhabit the Sinai Desert, visit wadi Lathi (palm tree), rock of scribes, the Oases of Ein Khudra and Um Ahmed. Later continue to Nwebaa. Overnight in Nwebaa. DAY 17: Amman – Petra. A complete day for a visit to Petra, return to Amman at night. From Amman to the capital city that the Nabataean Arabs carved and built at Petra with almost 2,500 stunning antiquities. One of the marvels of the classical world, Petra offers much more than standing walls, plastered floors and doorways of a village that was inhabited between 7000-6500 BC, at a time when humankind was first making the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to year-round settled villages. Within a 25-mile radius we will explore an exceptional array of monuments and entire settlements that span the last 9,000 years of human civilization. After lunch, continue to Bieda (or Little Petra), one of the most extraordinary ancient sites in the entire Middle East. Walk in the steps of ancient times. DAY 18: Amman – Damascus. In the morning drive into the Syrian Desert to the Euphrates River and follow an ancient caravan route to Damascus. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. DAY 19: Damascus. Our full-day tour of Syria's capital begins with the Old City. First, we will visit the Chapels of Ananias and St. Paul, built at the site where Paul was lowered from the city wall in a basket. From here we enter the Old City through the Bab Sharqi, the Roman Gate of the Sun, walk past an ancient Roman arch into the suq, or modern bazaar, the lifeblood of the city, and on through the spice market, cloth merchants' stores, and the shops of the metal workers. Near the suq is the Azem Palace, the Ottoman palace built between 1749-52 for the governor of Damascus. The Umayyad Mosque sums up in one place the diverse and complex history of Syria. This magnificent monument contains the remains of the Roman Temple to Jupiter, a Byzantine arcade, a beautiful Umayyad mosaic in the courtyard, and the spacious prayer hall where the shrine of St. John the Baptist is located, said to house his head. We continue into the Citadel, passing several modern bathhouses, coffee shops, and private homes. In the afternoon we tour the Damascus National Museum with its collection from the entire history of Syria. Saladin Castle, famed for its magnificent location perched atop a hill flanked by two spectacular ravines. Walk in the footsteps of Antony and Cleopatra along the mile-long main street lined with massive columns concealing the facades of ancient shops in the Roman city of Apamea. Visit the small museum with fine mosaics found at this site. At night a visit to Kasyuon for a panoramic view of Damascus. DAY 20: Damascus. Visit Shahba, Qanawat, Bosra, and Church of Izraa, later return to Damascus at night. Today, we drive to Dumeir, site of the intact Roman temple to Zeus Hypistos (245 AD), and on to the southern Syria to see the Roman city of Bosra, the southern capital of Roman Syria. We visit one of the best-preserved Roman theaters, converted to a fortress in Umayyad times. The castle fortifications completely encircled the original theater, and a moat was dug with a single bridge for entry. The spectacular amphitheater seats 9,000 people. At night in Damascus. DAY 21: Damascus. Half day visit Sednaya and its monastery, then continue to Maaluola (the convents of St. Sergio and St. Thecle). Visit the beautiful marble Basilica of St. Sergius, the destination of many Christian pilgrims in the Byzantine Era. Continue to Halabiye, a massive fortification designed to secure the Roman and Byzantine frontiers along the Euphrates River. In the afternoon transfer to the Damascus airport for a homeward flight. |
