364 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

we know, we know, we want to go

that girl won't even take our deposit money yet

Ahhh but soon! Very very soon! You all have set the bar so high that I have to double and triple check my packages and deals for people!

But you won't have to wait much longer! Just ironing out a few more details and it will be posted soon! And yes it will include air from both NY and London!

We fully expect our UK group to be joining us!! -ww

[WreckWench]

Well those dates are a go for me. I could get a dive trip in after graduation and still make it to Germany in time for my brother's wedding.

Put me on the list and let me know the payment details!

That is great news! I have been working on these dates for awhile now! Couldn't do Mother's Day and had to be all in May. But we've gotten some great dates!

And the pkg will include air from NY or London! -ww

[ASDmike]

And the pkg will include air from NY or London! -ww

uhmm, London might work for me. I was hoping of poping down from Frankfurt.

I'll be in Nürnberg come May. ...hopefully, depends on my job situation here in the states

[WreckWench]

Ok here is what we have in mind. NOTE: This trip has a lot of extras that you don't really realize until you've done it and then realized how cool it would have been to do it right. Also we have a rare opportunity to have part of our tour done by part of the educational society in Egypt and this is truly unique...making this a one of kind tour.

And finally...we are going a very long way to DIVE in the Red Sea BUT we are also going to have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the tombs, the pyramids and the 'must see' elements of the region as well as dive on the best liveabaord while there!

Here is the schedule as we've planned it so far. (We can shorten this but it would entail cutting some of the sightseeing down and those who've been there say we need more days as it.) To keep the price as reasonable as possible and to keep the number of days as reasonble...I think this is a good compromise.

Let me know what you think? I'd like to finalize this trip this week!

A note on the pricing: Pricing is not finalized as it will include NY to Egypt, London to Egypt with liveabaord and land pkg and London to Eqypt with just the liveabaord. However it is looking like it will be about $3850 to $3900 for the NY to Egypt and back including all the tours, transfers, liveaboard, food and educational component.



ANCIENT EGYPT & THE RED SEA
14 days/12 nights


Day 1 – Thursday – May 17 – Departure
Depart New York this evening for Cairo, Egypt.

Day 2 – Friday – May 18 - Cairo
Welcome to Egypt, Land of the Pharaohs! On arrival at Cairo International, you will be met and assisted with visa formalities and escorted to your hotel. After check-in and sometime, to freshen up meet with Afifi to discuss the exciting days ahead. A welcome dinner will introduce you to Egyptian cuisine.
ACCOMMODATIONS: CAIRO SHERATON OR MARRIOTT PALACE HOTEL

Day 3 – Saturday – May 19 - Cairo
This morning you will be introduced to the masterpieces of ancient art in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, including the Mummies Room. The museum is home to the vast findings of King Tutankahmun's tomb and other important pieces of Egypt's history. Continue with your visits including the Ben Ezra Synagogue, St. Serguis Church, the citadel of Salah El Din built by the famous Arab Sultan, Salah El Din (Saladin), in the 12th century and the Mohammed Ali Mosque situated inside the citadel known for its alabaster wall. You will have sometime to shop at the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, known for its narrow alleys and hundreds of shops selling all types of Egyptian handicrafts, silver and gold jewelry, cottons, copperware and perfumes.
ACCOMMODATIONS: CAIRO SHERATON OR MARRIOTT PALACE HOTEL

Day 4 – Sunday – May 20 - Cairo
After breakfast meet with a member of the Egyptian Antiquities Department to hear about the newest discoveries in Egypt. Then it is off to visit the Giza Plateau where stands three Pyramids, the greatest being that of Cheops. It took 100,000 workers more than 20 years to construct. Entrance into one of the pyramids will be included. Southeast of the Great Pyramids is the Sphinx, carved out of solid natural rock in about 2650 BC, a magnificent monument with the head of the Pharaoh and the body of a lion. Continue to visit the first Pyramid ever built, the Step Pyramid of Zoser, in the Sakkara Complex. When Memphis was the capital of Egypt, during the Old Kingdom period, Sakkara was its necropolis. Spread over seven kilometers of desert, Sakkara is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Before returning to the hotel a stop will be made at the remains in Memphis, the first capital of united Upper and Lower Egypt.
ACCOMMODATIONS: CAIRO SHERATON OR MARRIOTT PALACE HOTEL

Day 5 – Monday – May 21 – Cairo/Luxor
Early this morning you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Luxor. Welcome to Luxor, Ancient Thebes. This afternoon you will explore the East Bank of the Nile including the Temple of Luxor. Here, the Avenue of Sphinxes, famous for its artistic degree of uniformity, leads to the entrance of the temple where a seated colossus of Ramses II and a towering Obelisk sit. Continue to the Karnak Temple, one of the most impressive monuments of ancient art and architecture in the world. The carvings, which adorn all of the walls, depict the history and conquests of many of Egypt's Pharaohs. This evening you may join an optional excursion to the Karnak Temple for a spectacular Sound and Light Show.
ACCOMMODATIONS: ST. GEORGE SONESTA HOTEL

Day 6 – Tuesday – May 22 - Luxor
This morning cross the West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings houses 62 tombs belonging to the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including the famous tomb of King Tutankhamen. Found intact and excavated in 1922 many of the tombs, carved out of the bedrock, still retain their original bright colors and fine relief’s and scenes, thought to guarantee the safe passage of the Ka to the after life. Next, it is on to Deir El Bahri to visit the mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, considered being one of the finest buildings in Egypt. This afternoon visit the Luxor Museum and enjoy sometime exploring the Luxor Bazaar.
ACCOMMODATIONS: ST. GEORGE SONESTA HOTEL

Day 7 – 13 - Wednesday - Tuesday – May 23 – 29 - Luxor/Hurghada
Today you will leave Luxor and drive to Marsa Alam where you will board your live aboard, your home for the next week. Dives this next week includes the best 3 sites in the area: Big and Little Brothers, Daedalus Reef and Elephantone. The Brother Islands are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss and are located about 60 miles offshore. Part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving, with the walls being covered in soft corals and forest of gorgonians, creating a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colors. They attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagic. Large tuna, Jacks and Snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional Hammerheads, Silvertips, Silky, and Oceanic White tip Sharks and Mantas; even the rare Thresher Shark can be found here. Sightings of the Grey Reef Shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateau of Small Brother. For the wreck diver, the wrecks of the Aida ll, an Egyptian supply vessel, and the Numidia, a cargo ship, lie on the walls of the Big Brother. Both are covered in a rich growth of soft and hard corals. Marine life includes a family of Napoleon Wrasse and Grey Reef Sharks. Daedalus Reef, also part of the Marine Park, is a large, oval reef with a lighthouse and is the furthest offshore reef in the Egyptian Red Sea. Its deep walls and drop-offs offer some of the most spectacular diving to be found. Daedalus has mountainous, pristine, hard coral formations. There is also a strong chance of spotting schooling Hammerheads, and Grey reef sharks. Elphinstone, with its shear walls covered in soft corals, offers a likely encounter with Oceanic White Tip Sharks.
ACCOMMODATIONS: EMPEROR BOAT LIVE ABOARD

Day 14 – Wednesday – May 30 - Hurghada/Cairo
Today you will leave Hurghada for Cairo. Arrive in Cairo this afternoon where you will have the day at leisure or we can arrange to take you to the Khan El Khalili Bazaar for some last minute souvenir shopping. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner and show.
ACCOMMODATIONS: CITY STARS INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL

Day 15 – Thursday – May 31 - Departure
Farewell to Egypt as you transfer to the airport for your return flight to New York.


TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• International Air New York/Cairo/New York
• Egypt Domestic Air Cairo/Luxor - Hurghada/Cairo
• 3 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Cairo Sheraton or Marriott Palace Hotel
• 1 night accommodation in Cairo at the City Stars Intercontinental Hotel
• 2 nights accommodation in Luxor at the St. George Sonesta Hotel or similar
• 7 nights live aboard on board an Emperor Dive Boat including National Park Entrance fees & Nitrox
• Full day tour: Pyramids/Sphinx-Memphis/Sakkara
• Full day tour: Egyptian Museum of Antiquities/Old Cairo-Citadel/Mosque & Bazaar
• Half day visit to the East Bank of Luxor including the Karnak & Luxor Temples
• Half day visit to the West Bank including entrance into the Tomb of Tutankhamun
• 13 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 11 dinners
• All dive excursions and National Park entrance fees
• All transfers: Cairo/Luxor/Hurghada
• Egyptologist-guide in Cairo & Luxor
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Porterage

NOT INCLUDED

• U.S. Departure Taxes & Airport Security
• Egypt Visa
• Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, inter-net services, dive services not included, soft drinks, coffee, tea (except at breakfast), mineral water, alcoholic beverages, passport fees, tips to drivers, guides, transfer people, travel insurance, etc……

[cmt489]

Some tips:

Note that your Egyptian Visa can be purchased at the airport but that it is not obvious where to buy them. If you are not greeted by your guide group the currency exchange booths sell them.

Another tip is that the best currency exchange if you are bringing cash is at the airport. There are also plenty of bank machines that work with North American bank cards across Egypt (I have not been to Hurghada so cannot say they are there for sure but they were definitely everywhere else!)

Finally, remember that it will be VERY hot in May, especially in Luxor. Remember to bring a hat and lots of sun protections. Carry water at all times and, if possible, you may want to consider bringing a camel pack.

Whoever goes on this trip will not regret it! It WILL be a trip of a lifetime!

[ASDmike]

Very nice Kamala The itinerary looks great! This "Cairo/Luxor/Hurghada" route was what I was looking at this past labor day, but I could not put it together. Making the diving "work" on the front or backend of a air/land tour package was just too hard. But this is perfect, you are really good...

And even better than knowing the diving will be very much worth dragging my gear around the world, this Egypt tour will be with the cool SD folks!

[WreckWench]

Very nice Kamala The itinerary looks great! This "Cairo/Luxor/Hurghada" route was what I was looking at this past labor day, but I could not put it together. Making the diving "work" on the front or backend of a air/land tour package was just too hard. But this is perfect, you are really good...

And even better than knowing the diving will be very much worth dragging my gear around the world, this Egypt tour will be with the cool SD folks!

Awww Mike!

Its been very hard to research this and put this together. But I think this will be a top notch trip for a very reasonable price! The bar is pretty high at SD.com...we have to produce fabulous trips for great pricing and then please some pretty savvy travelers like yourself!

If this looks good then I will confirm the pricing and get this posted! That way if anyone wants to buy themself a trip for the Holidays...or encourage someone else to buy them a trip for the Holidays...they will have another option available to them! -ww

p.s. I am especially pleased that we will have several extras that are usually not included in the package including the lecture by a member of the Antiquities Department and the Mummy's Room at the Egyptian Museum as well as the entrance to King Tut's tomb in Luxor.

[Basslet]

If my kid would stop wrecking up cars (and my darn cats would stay healthy) maybe I'd have some damn money to spend on a cool trip like this. (oh, and college looms looms looms )

[fala]

This trip sounds amazing, and how convenient is it when you live in NY!!!!!! When will this be finalized and posted, I would be very interested...

fala

[WreckWench]

This trip sounds amazing, and how convenient is it when you live in NY!!!!!! When will this be finalized and posted, I would be very interested...

fala

Today! I just got the final pricing and details! I'm posting it as we speak! -ww

[WreckWench]

Trip Update:

We rec'd the final pricing for the trip including 3 options. I am verifying the UK Liveaboard pricing and will have that confirmed tomorrow. The trip is now accepting deposits and bookings and we only have 10 spots for this amazing trip!

[rkymtwy]

I so wish I had enough vacation time to pull this trip off. Hopefully this will be something you will repeat some day.

[ASDmike]

So for '07 I want to go to Egypt, Grenada, Munich for Oktoberfest, Phillipines, NC Seafood Fest and the Aussie Dream... And oh yeah something on the Thanksgiving and Xmas holidays...

I don't have enough vacation time but I'm starting with Egypt

Kamala, please get me an add-on price for the Europe package from Frankfurt. I wonder if they can get me on the FRA-CAI direct.



That reminds me, I need to go play powerball....

[WreckWench]

So for '07 I want to go to Egypt, Grenada, Munich for Oktoberfest, Phillipines, NC Seafood Fest and the Aussie Dream... And oh yeah something on the Thanksgiving and Xmas holidays...

I don't have enough vacation time but I'm starting with Egypt

Kamala, please get me an add-on price for the Europe package from Frankfurt. I wonder if they can get me on the FRA-CAI direct.



That reminds me, I need to go play powerball....

Gotcha covered! I'll have the air pricing for you Tuesday! Got a quick note from our consolidator that said they would have the reply by Tuesday! -ww