DETAILS

FULL LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
PLEASE NOTE: THE OVERLAND ITINERARY AS DESCRIBED BELOW OPERATES FROM SHARM EL SHEIKH TO ALEXANDRIA. IT CAN ALSO REJOIN THE VESSEL IN OTHER PORTS DEPENDING ON THE SHIP ITINERARY AND LENGTH OF STAY IN EGYPT. SCHEDULED FLIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY AND CHARTERS MAY BE ADVISED.

Upon arrival in Sharm El Sheikh Port, you will disembark your vessel for an unforgettable experience that will cover the main highlights of Sharm El Sheikh and Cairo.

DAY 1
After checking into your room, enjoy lunch served at the hotel’s main restaurant. In the afternoon, you will have some free time to explore Sharm El Sheikh before you join a one-of-a-kind Bedouin experience. This evening you will be transferred into the dark desert night to a secluded valley surrounded by the stunning mountains of the Red Sea. You will stop a little way from the entrance to where dinner will be served, and have a camel ride along the pathway of flaming torches to reach your private dinner setting. A buffet dinner that includes some of the local and oriental dishes is prepared for you, after which a folkloric Bedouin show will start.

DAY 2
Today you take a guided tour of the renowned St. Catherine’s, a Greek Orthodox Monastery constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565. Also called Deir Sant Katerin, it is believed to be the oldest continuously-inhabited monastery in the world. The monastery's spiritual heart is the Chapel of the Burning Bush, an unassuming structure of tremendous religious significance. According to the oldest monastic tradition, this chapel sits atop the roots of the same Biblical bush that burned when God spoke to Moses for the first time. The bush itself is a rare species of the rose family called Rubus Sanctus. This species is endemic to Sinai and extremely long-lived, a fact that lends scientific credence to the site. The sprawling bush is said to have been transplanted in the 10th century when the chapel was given a roof. A set menu lunch is served inside the Monastery, and you will also have the honor of being joined by one of the fathers during lunch.

In the afternoon, transfer to the Sharm El Sheikh Airport to board your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival in Cairo, you will check in at your hotel of accommodation and spend the night in Cairo.

DAY 3
Your tour today will take you through the old Pharaonic history of Egypt. Begin your day with the Great Pyramids of Giza, which were built for the Pharaohs Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus. They were constructed about 2500 BC with blocks of limestone from the plateau and from the Turah hills on the outskirts of Cairo. The Great Pyramid of Cheops alone, the only present-day survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, required over 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each weighing about 2½ tons. At its base, it covers 13 acres of land. Millions of visitors come each year to ponder the fascinating mystery of their existence and explore the ancient burial chambers within.

Visit the mysterious Sphinx, located in what was once a quarry to the east of Chephren’s pyramid. One theory suggests this Pharaoh’s workers shaped the body into a lion and gave it their king’s face, as a guardian of the necropolis. Almost a thousand years after its construction, King Thutmose IV placed a stela between the front paws. It describes how the Sphinx had spoken to the then prince in a dream, promising him kingship if he cleared away the desert sand that was choking the Sphinx. Explore this and the many other legends surrounding this timeless regal figure.

After lunch served at one of the leading hotels in Cairo and a short stop to browse for local souvenirs, you will proceed downtown to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum exhibits over 120,000 objects in its 107 halls, comprising the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts. Two grand halls containing countless artifacts and one room reserved for the golden treasures, all from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamun, astound and delight visitors. More than 2 million people flock to this magnificent site each year.

This memorable journey concludes with the drive to meet your ship in Alexandria.
 
SHORT LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
Spend two nights exploring the desert of Sharm El Sheikh and the ancient relics of Cairo. In Sharm you will experience the Bedouin atmosphere and the legendary religious site of St. Catherine Monastery. In Cairo, you will visit the marvelous Pyramids of Giza and the archeological Egyptian Museum of Antiquities before returning to meet your ship in Alexandria.
 
TIMING BREAKDOWN
DAY 1
00:00 Drive from the Port of Sharm el-Sheikh to your hotel of accommodation
00:30 Check in and time to freshen up
01:30 Buffet lunch at the hotel main restaurant
Free time to explore the City of Sharm El Sheikh
Attend Bedouin Dinner
Return to hotel, overnight in Sharm El Sheikh

DAY 2
00:00 Buffet Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out
01:30 Transfer to St. Catherine
04:30 Visit the Monastery of St. Catherine
06:30 Set Menu lunch at the Monastery restaurant
08:00 Transfer back to Sharm el-Sheikh domestic Airport
11:30 Arrive to Sharm el-Sheikh domestic Airport
12:15 Depart on board domestic flight to Cairo
13:30 Arrive to Cairo Domestic airport, welcomed by Tour Coordinator
14:15 Hotel check-in and rest of the day at leisure
Buffet Dinner at the main restaurant of the hotel
Overnight in Cairo

DAY 3
00:00 Buffet breakfast at the main restaurant of the hotel followed by check-out
01:30 Drive to the Pyramids of Giza
02:00 Visit the Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx
03:30 Drive to the Mena House Oberoi, or simlar, for lunch
03:45 Buffet Lunch at the hotel
05:00 Drive to one of the local souvenir shops in Giza
05:15 Short Stop to browse for local souvenirs
05:45 Drive to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
06:30 Visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
08:00 Drive to Alexandria
11:00 Arrive to the Port of Alexandria and rejoin your vessel

Approximate duration: 2 nights / 3 days
 
OPERATIONAL NOTES
- Transportation in modern air-conditioned vehicles
- Roses given to all ladies upon disembarkation of the ship
- Immediate pre-clearance through all customs and immigration formalities in all ports
- Uniformed escorts available to assist the guests at all times
- Advance team to ensure smooth operations throughout
- A box of local sweets available on each coach, for guests to sample
- One postcard provided to each guest with pre-paid postage
- Mineral water on buses at all times
- Top security arrangements for groups
- 2 nights accommodation at leading 5-star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh and Cairo based on bed and breakfast
- All lunches and dinners are served with one glass of local wine or one bottle of local beer, mineral water, soft drinks, tea and coffee
- Services of professional English speaking Egyptologists

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