Scotch College

Egypt

15 days. 28 December 2009 – 11 January 2010

Egypt is the most extraordinary country on earth. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew it as a land with sites of “unspeakable greatness”. The Great Pyramids are well-known today, and there are a host of other fascinating sights, both ancient and modern. Egypt offers experiences that will leave you in awe of our past.

The temples at Karnak and Luxor will take your breath away, and the amazing Valley of the Kings and the Egyptian Museum will take you back in time to bring the reign of the Pharaohs to life. Modern Egypt, with its bazaars and vibrant huge cities will amaze you. Comfortable overnight train journeys and a leisurely 5 star cruise on the Nile allow you to observe and absorb the slow rhythm of rural life of the Nile Valley.

Australia’s own connection with Egypt reaches out to us as the place where our young men sailed for Gallipoli, and through the battles of World War 2 in the Western deserts, where Australians lay at rest in the cemetery at El Alamein.

This journey will take place in January when weather conditions will be mild, and utilizes quality accommodation and transport.

Day 1

Depart Melbourne. Arrangements for flights not yet in place. T.B.A.

Day 2

Cairo. On arrival in Cairo you will be met by your group leader and transferred to the group hotel.

Overnight Hotel Zoser Cairo. (Meals:D)

Day 3

Alexandria. You depart Cairo by coach, and in around 90 minutes reach Wadi Natrun, where 4 of the original 50 monasteries dating back to the 5th century remain. After visiting the fascinating Monastery of St Makar the Great, the Byzantine styled Suriani Monastery and the Monastery of Amba Bishoy, you will continue to drive across the desert to El Alamein, the site of significant battles involving Australians in World War 2. You will visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery, which incorporates an Australian war memorial, and an interesting museum that explains the relevance of the sites. In the afternoon there is a short drive along the coast to Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great, and ruled by Cleopatra, ancient Alexandria was the site of the Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria, one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Overnight Windsor Hotel, Alexandria. ( Meals: B,D)

Day 4

Alexandria. There are a number of very interesting Graeco-Roman sites to visit in Alexandria, as well as Fort Qaitbey on the former site of the Pharos. You will visit the Roman Amphitheatre, Pompey’s huge red granite pillar and the interestingly decorated Roman Catacombs, as well as the Bibliotheque of Alexandria. A stroll on the Corniche beside the Mediterranean Sea close to the hotel is a great evening activity. Overnight Windsor Hotel, Alexandria (Meals: B,D)

Day 5

Overnight train. Morning at leisure to relax or to explore the bazaar and waterfront before you are transferred to the railway station for the train to Aswan. The train has 1st class twin berth cabins. Each carriage has 10 cabins and two bathrooms. Overnight on train to Aswan. (Meals: B,D)

Day 6

Aswan. Breakfast on train. Arrive Aswan at around 09:00. Aswan is set on the Nile in a stunning location where cataracts block navigation on the river. Sightseeing includes the Aswan High Dam where you board a boat to the island of Philae to visit the Temple of Isis. You will visit the old quarry to see the Unfinished Obelisk, a site that puts the engineering skills of the Pharaonic period into perspective. An enduring memory of Egypt will be your sail on the Nile in a felucca at sunset. Overnight Basma Hotel. (Meals: B,D)

Day 7

Nile cruise boat. There is time to relax before you board your Nile cruise vessel at midday. The cruise will be a highlight of your trip, offering great views of the Nile valley from the cabins on the upper decks. In the afternoon you can explore the sights of Aswan. The Nubian market is a short walk from the berth, and it is a great place to stroll or search for “bargains”. Overnight on cruise boat. (Meals: B,L,D)

Day 8

Nile cruise boat. The boat will depart Aswan in the early hours of the morning and sail downstream to Kom Ombo where you visit Sobek Temple before breakfast. Continuing on the Nile, you pass remarkable scenery and sights little-changed for centuries, to reach Edfu, where horse-drawn carriages will take you to the temple of Horus, with its black stone statue of the Falcon God. Re-boarding the boat, you pass through locks and sail towards Luxor. Overnight on cruise boat. (Meals: B,L,D)

Day 9

Nile cruise boat. The boat will berth at Luxor during the night, and this morning you cross the Nile to the West Bank and drive past the Collosi of Memnon, and into the desert beyond, to the Valley of the Kings. This barren and inhospitable valley was the site chosen for royal burials, and so far 62 tombs have been unearthed. The most famous of these is probably that of Tut Ankh-Amon (Tutankhamun). You will enter some of the tombs, travelling deep into the rock, before driving to the impressive rock-carved temple monument of Deir El Bahari (Temple of Queen Hatshepsut). The temple seems to emerge from the limestone cliffs, and is one of the finest monuments in Egypt. Overnight on cruise boat. (Meals: B,L,D)

Day 10

Overnight train. Today we disembark and visit the stunning monuments of Luxor and Karnak, the greatest temples in Egypt. Luxor is a graceful temple beside the Nile, and Karnak is a huge complex, built to a gigantic scale. This is the site of the ancient capital of Thebes, and was an important religious, cultural and military centre in ancient times. In the evening you transfer to the railway station for the overnight train to Cairo. (Meals: B,L,D)

Day 11

Cairo. On arrival at Cairo you will be transferred to your hotel before commencing sightseeing that will include the Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. We drive to nearby Giza to see the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. The Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three great pyramids, was built in the 4th dynasty, around 2690 B.C. There will be an opportunity to enter the vaults deep beneath the pyramid. In front of the Pyramid of Chephren stands the Sphinx, a sculpture of a lion with a Pharoah’s head thought to be the Pharoah of Chephren. In the afternoon we visit the fantastic Egyptian Museum, with antiquities from the Pharaonic period, including those of King Tut Ankh-Amon, dating back 50 centuries. Overnight Hotel Zoser, Cairo. (Meals: B,D)

Day 12

Cairo. This morning you will visit the Citadel, commenced by Saladin as protection from the Crusaders, and home to Egypt’s rulers for 700 years. Dominating the rocky outcrop is the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, which is built in a Turkish style. You continue to the most famous of the many markets, the huge and fascinating Khan al-Khalili. In the afternoon you will visit Old Cairo, with its interesting Coptic Quarter and Ben Ezra Synagogue. You might consider the optional “sound and light” show at the pyramids this evening. Overnight Hotel Zoser, Cairo. (Meals: B,D)

Day 13

Depart Cairo. At leisure in Cairo until you transfer to airport. Once flight times are know specific plans will be made. (B)

Day 14

In flight. Flight schedules are not yet determined.

Day 15

Arrive Melbourne.

Includes:

• Economy airfares
• Twin share hotel accommodation with breakfast and dinner.

4/5 star in Cairo
4 star in Alexandria
4 star in Aswan

• Twin share 5 star Nile Cruise with all meals.
• Meals as indicated by B, L, D
• All entrance fees and sightseeing guides
• Tour manager escort in Egypt
• All transfers and travel by air-conditioned coaches and train.
• First class twin share compartments on overnight trains.

Not included:

• Egypt Visa USD 20
• Tips allow USD 55
• Drinks
• Some meals as indicated
• Items of a personal nature.

Price

The price per person for airfares and the tour is $ 4,700.