The antiquities of Cairo and a week on the finest boat on the Nile

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The Nile in Style
See the glories of Egypt

Egypt, the wonder of travelers for thousands of years, calls us for our annual pilgrimage to the treasures of this fascinating land. We offer an intimate experience for inquisitive travelers who wish to delve deeply into the history of civilization. From the finest accommodations in Cairo to our own luxurious ship on the Nile, every detail is designed to offer our guests the most memorable experience possible.

We invite up to twenty-five guests to join us as we sail down the Nile on the ss Karim, a traditional paddle steamer built for kings. From our comfortable home on the water, the riches of antiquity become our backdrop as we leisurely cruise through the land of the pharaohs and visit the famous sites to explore their treasures.

In Cairo we spend three nights at one of the city's finest hotels, next to the pyramids in Giza. From this elegant base we first visit the pyramids, then cross over to Cairo to tour the lauded Egyptian Museum. En route we’ll see some of the Pharaonic, Classic, Early Christian, and Arab monuments built in this ancient land over the course of five thousand years of civilization.

From Cairo we fly to Luxor where we board our ship. For one glorious week, we cruise slowly on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan in our privately chartered, historic paddle steamer, watching village life virtually unchanged for a millennium. Each day we go ashore to visit major archeological sites including: the Karnak and Luxor Temples, the Valley of the Kings in Western Thebes, and the splendid temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo. Fabulous as these sites are, our journey is made truly meaningful because we refuse to rush you. As our ship cruises along the Nile, we take plenty of time for relaxation and contemplation between our busy days of sightseeing. Previous tour members particularly enjoyed our forays into the countryside where they could establish a friendly rapport with the courteous Egyptian people who have welcomed our groups for over thirty years. Travelers joining only the main tour will disembark from the ship, fly from Luxor to Cairo, then spend their last night in Egypt at a hotel near Cairo Airport.

Travelers on the Luxor Extension will spend two nights at the historic Old Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor (subject to availability), with a full day excursion to visit the well-preserved Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor at Dendera and the Memorial Temple of Seti I at Abydos, two sites rarely visited by tourists to Egypt. After two days of exploring the Luxor region, they will return to Cairo to spend the last night of the Extension at a hotel near Cairo Airport.

Siwa and Alexandria

In the spirit of adventure, which has been a hallmark of Hanns Ebensten Travel for over thirty-five years, we offer an extension to Siwa based on an expedition by our founder Hanns Ebensten. Hanns wrote, "I went to Siwa on my own in January 2005, and although I am a devoted admirer of Easter Island, the monasteries of Mount Athos, and the Inca and pre-Inca remains in Peru, Siwa appealed to me, even far more than those magical places. It was the most moving and stimulating travel experience of my life." (And it was the last tour that he led in his 50-year career of leading memorable tours)

The beautiful, fertile oasis of Siwa is without doubt one of the world's most romantic and unusual places. It is the most remote and isolated oasis in Egypt's Western Desert and was celebrated in antiquity for the Temple of Ammon. Alexander the Great visited the oracle of the Temple in 331 BC, guided across the desert to the oasis by crows.

This special trip will begin after the Luxor Extension of our Nile in Style trip. We start the journey with a two day drive across the desert, a total of about nine driving hours, arriving into Siwa by descending from a desert pass into the lush greenery of the oasis. We then spend three nights in an authentic 8-room lodge in the main town of the oasis, and venture out each day to explore this unique environment. We will be privileged to meet some of the zagallas, or datepickers, who live among the date palms with each other until their early 40s, when they return to the town to get married.

Our return journey will include two nights in Alexandria, exploring this fascinating Mediterranean seaport with its mix of the ancient and modern. We finish our tour with one night at a Cairo Airport hotel, allowing for departures anytime that night or on the official last day of the Extension.

Highlights of this trip include:

• Stand in awe as you observe the grandeur of the three great pyramids and the Sphinx.
  
• Gaze at items from King Tut's tomb at the Egyptian Museum.
  
• Enjoy a week of luxury aboard a chartered yacht built for kings.
  
• Explore the ancient temples of Upper Egypt including those of Queen Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor.
  
• From Aswan, cross the Nile on an ancient sailboat known as a felucca to visit an abandoned monastery high up in the golden desert hills.
  
• Optional half-day excursion to see the 4 great seated figures of Abu Simbel.
  
• Hone your bargaining skills in the bazaars of Cairo, Aswan and Luxor.
  
• Optional two-day post-tour Luxor Extension, featuring a visit to the well-preserved temples of Dendera and Abydos and the Karnak Temple sound and light show.
  
• Additional one-week post-tour Extension to the unique Siwa Oasis in the Western Desert and the ancient city of Alexandria.
  

Dates:
Nov. 19 to 30, 2010: $5,600: A trip for gay men, lesbians & friends.
Nov. 18 to 29, 2011: $5,700: A trip for gay men.

Travelling Alone?
So are most of the people who travel with us. You do not need to pay extra to travel by yourself. Prices are per-person, and the single supplement applies only if you'd like a room by yourself. For selected trips, especially if the trip includes a cruise, we charge half the single supplement if you request a roommate, but we are not able to match you with someone.

Location: Starts and ends in Cairo, Egypt

Price includes: Accommodations at fine hotels for three nights in Cairo, on our chartered ship for seven nights, and for one night near Cairo Airport, in double occupancy (single supplement $1100 in 2010); All transportation by motorcoaches, cars, horse-drawn carriages, and boats when traveling as a group; Arrival and departure airport transfers in Cairo; Domestic airport departure taxes when traveling with the group; All meals during the main tour except two lunches; Wine or soft drinks at the Welcome and Farewell dinners; Services of a knowledgeable Hanns Ebensten Travel tour director and an Egyptologist; Admission fees to all locations listed in itinerary; Meal and driver gratuities; Porterage at hotels.

Not included: Airfare between home and Cairo; Airfare between Cairo and Luxor (booked as part of international ticket or as a tour option); Optional half-day excursion to Abu Simbel including 30-minute flight from Aswan and guided tour (2010 price: $250 per person); Optional 2-night extension in Luxor, including hotel, most meals, full day excursion to Dendera and Abydos, and Karnak sound & light show (2010 prices: $790 per person in double occupancy, $990 in single room); Optional 7-night extension to the Siwa Oasis and Alexandria (2010 prices: $1900 per person double occupancy, $2100 in single room); Two lunches; Tips to Egyptologist, local guides, hotel and ship staffs and gratuity for the Hanns Ebensten Travel tour director; International departure taxes; Personal items such as alcoholic beverages, telephone calls and laundry.

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