Depart USA from New York (JFK) airport (Add-ons available from all other major airports) for your flight to Cairo, all meals and beverages served on board flight.

Arrive Cairo where you will be met by our representative who will help you with your immigration and customs formalities, later you will be transferred to your hotel. The luxurious Mena House Oberoi Hotel for dinner and overnight. (D)

After breakfast drive to Memphis on the edge of the western desert, the capital of the ancient kingdom, and one of the most important cities throughout the history of ancient Egypt. From here we drive to Sakkara, the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. P.M. Drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheop's Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd Dynasty about 2690 BC, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In front of the Pyramid of Chephren, we find the Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a pharaoh's head thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.   (B, D)

Breakfast, the a drive to Fayoum, Egypt's largest oasis, overlooking Lake Qarun, which is a popular spot for hunting and fishing.  You will visit the remains of the Temple and Pyramid of Amenhat III and Qasr Qarun, a well-preserved temple from the Greco-Roman Era.  Lunch at the Auberge El-Fayoum Hotel, overlooking the lake.  Then continue our tour to Maidum.  The Pyramid of Maidum was orginally a seven-stepped Pyramid.  It was enlarged to an eight-stepped Pyramid.  Eventually the steps were filled in and a smooth outter facing turned it into a true Pyramid.  It is a huge structure that is surrounded by the debris from the casing that collapsed.  The Maidum Pyramid is thought to have been started by Huni, the last ruler of the 3rd Dynasty and then completed by his son, Sneferu. Sneferu was the first 4th Dynasty Pharao (2613-2494 B.C.)  A little north of the Maidum Pyramid are the remains of the Seila Step Pyramid, which is made from limestone and is thought to be from the 2nd Dynasty.  Transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,L)

The M/S Golden Sea cruise route

Breakfast, then you will be met and transferred to Cairo Airport for your flight to Sharm el-Sheikh. Arrive Sharm and transfer to the Jollie Ville Movenpick or to the Marriott Sharm Hotel. Balance of day at leisure for swimming, diving, snorkeling or relaxing by the seaside or by your hotel pool. Overnight. (B, D)

Relax by the seaside or enjoy a camel ride

Breakfast and transfer to embark your top deluxe and luxurious ship, the M/S Golden Sea Cruise Ship. Dinner and a midnight sailing to Eilat. Overnight. (B, L,  D)

Diving the Red Sea (Sharm-El-Sheikh)

Breakfast, lunch on board. Arrive Eilat in the afternoon and start your tour of Eilat visiting the Marine Museum and the Underwater Observatory. On to the Timna Valley to see the Solomon's Pillars, the ancient Egyptian Temple and the "Mushroom". Dinner and overnight on board your cruise ship. (B, L, D)

Restaurant on board the a M/S Golden Sea Cruise Ship.

Breakfast and transfer to Eilat airport for our flight to Jerusalem. Arrive Jerusalem where you will be met and transferred to the city. Start your tour by a drive to Mount Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Enter the old city for a walking tour which includes the recently restored Jewish Quarter, "Cardo" the Western Wall, and Temple Mount. Lunch, then walk along the Via Delarosa (Stations of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Spectacular view of Jerusalem from the south, from Mt. of the Evil Cousel (Jerusalem's New promenade). Continue to Mt. Zion to visit the traditional tomb of King David, the Dormition Abbey and the Room of the Last Supper. Visit Rachel's tomb, then on to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity. Later transfer back by an air conditioned by back to Eilat. Embark your cruise ship again around 9:00 p.m. Dinner and overnight on board cruise ship. (That specific Jerusalem tour will only be operated based on a minimum of 10 participants, otherwise, if tour is cancelled a refund of $240 per person will be issued upon return back home.) (B, L, D)

Breakfast and cruising to Aqaba. Arrive Aqaba where you will be transferred to Petra, start your tour in the Rose Red City of Petra, the wondrous, rock-carved Nabatean Arab Kingdom controlled one of the greatest international trade routes of the ancient world. The fabled "Spice and Incense Route", which linked China, India and Southern Arabia with rich markets of Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean world. For approximately 500 years, between the 3rd century BC and the 2nd century AD, the Nabateans carved a fabulous city out of the Rose Red Rock, of which over 800 individual monuments and tombs can still be appreciated today. Lunch. Return back to your ship around 7:30 p.m. for dinner. Mid-night sailing to Hurghada. Overnight on board cruise ship. (B, L, D)

Breakfast and lunch on board cruise. P.M. Arrive Hurghada. Dinner and overnight on board cruise ship. (B, L, D)

Casino on board the Golden Sea.

Early breakfast, then you will be transferred by bus from Hurghada to Luxor. Upon arrival at Luxor, you will be met by your tour guide to start your tour by crossing with a ferry to the west bank of the Nile and visit the Valley of the Queens which lies hidden in the foothills of the Mountains of Gourma. See the dramatic Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a masterpiece of graceful proportions, then visit the famous Valley of the Kings where the royal Tomb of Seti I, King Tut and Ramses are located. See the elaborate reliefs and wall paintings, depicting events of the past, and marvel at the exquisite colors, excellently preserved for thousands of years. P.M. Continue your tour to visit the Temple of and Karnak with their awesome and giant columns. The ruins of Greece and Rome dwarfed beside them. Then visit the Temple of Luxor which was started by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II. Lunch during the tour. P.M. Transfer back by bus to Hurghada to embark your cruise ship. Dinner and overnight on board. Cruise evening sail to Sharm-el-Sheikh. (B, L, D)

St. Catherine: The St. Catherine Monastery

Early arrival into Sharm, breakfast, the transfer by car through the Sinai Peninsula. It was in the Sinai that Moses received the Ten Commandments. Prophet Elyah sought refuge from Queen Jezebel and that the Holy Family traveled on their journey into Egypt. Lunch during tour. Visit the St. Catherine Monastery: Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th Century to shelter Christian Monks. The Monastery contains the Chapel of the Burning Bush, the Mosaic of the Transfiguration of Christ and a library containing early Christian manuscripts. You can see and climb as well the Mount Moses Mountain which is beyond the Monastery, where the Monks did build a staircase of rocks with 3,750 steps leading to the summit. Return back to your cruise ship for dinner, overnight and sailing back to Sharm-El-Sheikh. (B, L, D)

Bar on board cruise ship.

Breakfast and disembark your cruise ship in Sharm. Where you will be transferred to Sharm Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The luxurious Cairo Marriott Palace and Hotel Downtown Cairo. Balance of day at leisure to explore Cairo on your own or have a camel or a horse back ride at the Pyramid area or simply relax by your hotel pool. Dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Breakfast, then start your tour visiting the Egyptian Museum famous for its antiquities from Egypt's Pharaonic Period, which dates back some 50 centuries and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amon. Afternoon excursion to Old Cairo, visiting the very old Coptic Churches and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Beni Ezra. Continue your visit to a mosque and the Medieval bazaars of Khan-el-Khalili. Where you can bargain for your jewelry and hand-tooled leather items. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Breakfast, then you will be met by our representative and transferred to Cairo Airport, where you will be helped with your check-in and immigration formalities for your flight back home. (B)

Safe Travel in the Middle East