POSTPONED -
Watch this space for future opportunities!
Dear Travelers/Friends of Egypt,
Here is an invitation for you…but before we begin, we need the right mood.
For just a moment, close your eyes and imagine the rhythmic tones of a simple flute or perhaps the sound of an ancient anoon. You are at the foot of the Sphinx. The sun is setting. The shadows of the pyramids move across and darken the desert sands of Giza-Cairo.
Later on, you may gather with others for a Sound and Light Show which will take you back through the centuries to discover so much of this ancient culture which you have come to explore…a culture which began centuries before the time of Christ.
We are also including unique cultural experiences and opportunities to give back to the community: visits to Taha Hussein’s Library for the Blind at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the new museum of Nobel Prize winning author Naguib Mahfouz, Azza Fahmy’s jewelry factory near Cairo and Dr. Magdy Yacoub’s Heart Institute for children in Aswan - PLUS volunteer opportunities with Caritas.org and the Alexandria Wildlife and Turtle Rescue Team. All caped with a Farewell Celebration with Arabian horse dancing at the private Royal Club of Mohammed Ali on the Nile.
I am planning this tour to be one of your most memorable travel experiences. An Egyptian-born/American travel management professional, I am determined that you should see the best of my homeland. In fact, with my company, Abouraya Consulting, we have already succeeded with many travelers, conducting previous expeditions which have translated to hassle-free vacations for all involved.
Email me at info@baltimoreegypt.org to ask questions or reserve your space on this unique tour.
The air should not fade another inch of King Tut’s Tomb before you have seen for yourself these historical places in an adventure of discovery.
Join us and share our enthusiasm for a unique experience!
Tharwat Abouraya
President Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc.
Chair, Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee
Maryland Governor’s Commissioner –
Middle Eastern American Affair
YOUR ITINERARY
November 8 - 21, 2020
November 7 – travel independently to Cairo (recommended: EgyptAir direct to Cairo from Washington, D.C., Dulles Airport)
Day 1 - November 8 - Overnight Cairo
Meet your fellow travelers in Cairo - known to Egyptians as Umm al Dunyah, “Mother of the World” – or at the Sofitel Cairo Nile el Gezirah (or similar). Begin soaking up all that makes modern Egypt tick from the moment we start weaving our way through the bustling Cairo airport, mingling with bureaucrats and diplomats, Egyptian students in western dress and laborers in their long cotton galabeyas, home from jobs along the Arabian gulf.
Day 2 - November 9 Cairo – Overnight Cairo
Spend the day at the Pyramids in Giza. Each one of the 2,300,000 stone blocks in the Khofu or Cheops pyramid glistens in the desert sun. There is no elevator to the observation deck. Instead we will climb to the very center of Pharaoh Khofu’s pyramid, just as the ancient artisans did. Our guide may be a local turgeman, a villager who first heard the stories of the Pyramids from his mother’s knee. He would appreciate a tip and the children you may see around the pyramids and in Cairo would also appreciate pencils or other useful little items you can tuck into your suitcase. We will tour the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Pyramids or the famed Museum of Egyptian Antiquities next to Tahrir Square in Cairo.
In the evening, you may choose an optional Nile dinner cruise or the Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids.
Spend the day at the Pyramids in Giza. Each one of the 2,300,000 stone blocks in the Khofu or Cheops pyramid glistens in the desert sun. There is no elevator to the observation deck. Instead we will climb to the very center of Pharaoh Khofu’s pyramid, just as the ancient artisans did. Our guide may be a local turgeman, a villager who first heard the stories of the Pyramids from his mother’s knee. He would appreciate a tip and the children you may see around the pyramids and in Cairo would also appreciate pencils or other useful little items you can tuck into your suitcase. We will tour the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Pyramids or the famed Museum of Egyptian Antiquities next to Tahrir Square in Cairo.
In the evening, you may choose an optional Nile dinner cruise or the Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids.
Day 3 - November 10 CAIRO/ASWAN – Overnight in Aswan at the Old Cataract Hotel or similar
Early morning flight aboard Egyptair to Aswan, Egypt, your winter resort! Here we will see the world's largest dam and the world's longest artificial water course - the Aswan High Dam is a modern engineering marvel built with Soviet assistance. Late in the day, when it’s not quite so hot, amble down to the town's main street, into the midst of the local, not the tourist, marketplace: giant shops selling dates of all kinds and colors and tiny shops measuring out powdery spices for the black-clad women in traditional dress.
Early morning flight aboard Egyptair to Aswan, Egypt, your winter resort! Here we will see the world's largest dam and the world's longest artificial water course - the Aswan High Dam is a modern engineering marvel built with Soviet assistance. Late in the day, when it’s not quite so hot, amble down to the town's main street, into the midst of the local, not the tourist, marketplace: giant shops selling dates of all kinds and colors and tiny shops measuring out powdery spices for the black-clad women in traditional dress.
Day 4 - November 11 ASWAN- Overnight in Aswan
Partial day of leisure to sightsee and learn in Aswan, including a visit to Dr. Magdi Yacoub’s Aswan Heart Center for children.
Partial day of leisure to sightsee and learn in Aswan, including a visit to Dr. Magdi Yacoub’s Aswan Heart Center for children.
Day 5 - November 12 ASWAN/Kom Ombo-Nile Cruise – Overnight aboard Nile Cruise
We set sail for Kom Ombo, where 100,000 Nubians moved when their native villages were forced to make way for the great Aswan Dam. Be sure not to miss the incomparable view of the Nile from the terrace of the temple of Kom Ombo.
Day 6 - November 13 - Esna/Edfu/Luxor - Overnight aboard Nile Cruise
If you enjoy awakening with the fishermen, watch us depart for Esna, passing through the lock along the way. A temple watching over the ram god Khnun now watches over Esna, a farming and textile center. This is a great place to pick up some lovely and cool Egyptian cotton, ready-made into a galabeya, or to bring home for your own creations. Then on to Edfu, the sight of the most complete Egyptian temple in existence. By nightfall, we will be ready to sleep with the spirit of King Tut in Luxor!
Day 7 - November 14 - Overnight aboard Nile Cruise
A short boat ride across the Nile and we will follow the footsteps of ancient funeral processions to the Valley of the Kings. The plain sandy entrance to the tom of King Tutankhamen will give way to exquisitely decorated and colored walls (all the original colors, by the way) and the room that prompted Howard Carter to proclaim, "I see wonderful things." The actual mummy mask and final burial shrine of the young Tut remain right here. We will also see the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Queens.
Three nights aboard your Nile River cruise, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served on board each day.
Day 8 - November 14 - Overnight in Luxor - Winter Palace Hotel or similar
This morning recreate for yourself the exciting chase from "Death on the River Nile," as we visit the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Temples. Have fun with your camera - the giant obelisks and columns are ripe for illusions. These temples were designed not for congregational workshop, but to remind people of their own insignificance before the gods.
Day 9 - November 15 - Overnight in Luxor - Winter Palace Hotel or similar
Visit the Caritas Center, supporting vulnerable people and fragile communities. Explore Luxor on your own.
Visit the Caritas Center, supporting vulnerable people and fragile communities. Explore Luxor on your own.
Day 10 - November 16 - Overnight Alexandria Cecil Hotel or similar
Following breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Luxor Airport for a flight to Cairo. Then travel by air-conditioned motor coach to the city of Alexandria, Egypt’s vacation playground on the Mediterranean, with colorful fishing boats bringing their catch to local restaurants and turquoise waves lapping the Corniche.
Alexandria is a teeming metropolis of about 5 million people. It feels spirited, young, and progressive. In fact, Alexandria helped spearhead the revolution of 2011. A long and skinny port town, Alexandria is just two miles wide but stretching 12 miles along the seaside Corniche. The wistful Cecil Hotel, built in 1930 and overlooking the harbor, gives the visitor a comforting home base with a nostalgic touch of belle époque elegance.
The western end of the bay in Alexandria sweeps around to a headland where the Pharos Lighthouse once stood, now occupied by the 15th century Fort Qaytbay. The Fort commands great views of the city, the Eastern Harbor and the small fishing harbor. To the west is the Palace of Ras el-Tin, built for Muhammad Ali in 1834. It was here that King Faruq abdicated in 1952 before setting sail for exile in Italy.
Day 11 - November 17 – Overnight Alexandria
Your tour of Alexandria will include Montaza Palace Gardens, built by the Khedive Abbas Hilmy in the early 20th century as his summer palace, a refuge from the Cairo heat. Designed in a pseudo-Moorish style, it has been given a Florentine twist with the addition of a bridge tower modeled on one at Florence's Palazzo Vecchio
Following breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Luxor Airport for a flight to Cairo. Then travel by air-conditioned motor coach to the city of Alexandria, Egypt’s vacation playground on the Mediterranean, with colorful fishing boats bringing their catch to local restaurants and turquoise waves lapping the Corniche.
Alexandria is a teeming metropolis of about 5 million people. It feels spirited, young, and progressive. In fact, Alexandria helped spearhead the revolution of 2011. A long and skinny port town, Alexandria is just two miles wide but stretching 12 miles along the seaside Corniche. The wistful Cecil Hotel, built in 1930 and overlooking the harbor, gives the visitor a comforting home base with a nostalgic touch of belle époque elegance.
The western end of the bay in Alexandria sweeps around to a headland where the Pharos Lighthouse once stood, now occupied by the 15th century Fort Qaytbay. The Fort commands great views of the city, the Eastern Harbor and the small fishing harbor. To the west is the Palace of Ras el-Tin, built for Muhammad Ali in 1834. It was here that King Faruq abdicated in 1952 before setting sail for exile in Italy.
Day 11 - November 17 – Overnight Alexandria
Your tour of Alexandria will include Montaza Palace Gardens, built by the Khedive Abbas Hilmy in the early 20th century as his summer palace, a refuge from the Cairo heat. Designed in a pseudo-Moorish style, it has been given a Florentine twist with the addition of a bridge tower modeled on one at Florence's Palazzo Vecchio
You will meet Alexandria’s Turtle and Wildlife Rescue Team as it works with school children and volunteers to save giant sea turtles and your tour leader Aida Mady is planning a special Egyptian cooking demonstration at VTEC, the Vocational Training and Employment Center in Alexandria.
Day 12 - November 19 CAIRO – Overnight Cairo
One of Alexandria’s top attractions is its futuristic library – the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Norwegian-designed and built in 2002 with a dazzling reading room accommodating 2,500 readers, it stands near the site of the fabled ancient library. Be sure you notice the upper level room shaped like a boat – a common theme for both its Norwegian architects and the shipping culture of Alexandria, which handles 60% of Egypt’s foreign trade.
In the afternoon, return to Cairo by air-conditioned motorcoach.
By night you may choose to tour the legendary Khan-el-khalili bazaar, where gold and silver shops are squeezed in with pastries, leather and spices. You will have a night on your own in Cairo at the end and also at the beginning of your journey to let Cairo touch all of your senses!
Day 13 - November 20 FAREWELL NIGHT
Visit the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish neighborhoods of Cairo in the morning - the Citadel was one of the strongest fortresses of the Islamic world when it was built by Saladin in the 12th century. Muezzin at the mosque still call Muslims to prayer here five times a day: feel free to enter the mosque, but please take your shoes off first. Men and women should dress modestly.
Also visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Hanging Church. In the afternoon, watch craftsmen at Azza Fahmy’s jewelry factor create the unusual Islamic-themed jewelry she designs and visit the new museum for Naguib Mahfouz, the first Egyptian writer and only Arabic-language author to win the Nobel Prize.
By night, we you will be treated to a farewell dinner with Arabian horse dancing and views of Cairo by night at the private Royal Mohamed Aly Club along the Nile.
One of Alexandria’s top attractions is its futuristic library – the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Norwegian-designed and built in 2002 with a dazzling reading room accommodating 2,500 readers, it stands near the site of the fabled ancient library. Be sure you notice the upper level room shaped like a boat – a common theme for both its Norwegian architects and the shipping culture of Alexandria, which handles 60% of Egypt’s foreign trade.
In the afternoon, return to Cairo by air-conditioned motorcoach.
By night you may choose to tour the legendary Khan-el-khalili bazaar, where gold and silver shops are squeezed in with pastries, leather and spices. You will have a night on your own in Cairo at the end and also at the beginning of your journey to let Cairo touch all of your senses!
Day 13 - November 20 FAREWELL NIGHT
Visit the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish neighborhoods of Cairo in the morning - the Citadel was one of the strongest fortresses of the Islamic world when it was built by Saladin in the 12th century. Muezzin at the mosque still call Muslims to prayer here five times a day: feel free to enter the mosque, but please take your shoes off first. Men and women should dress modestly.
Also visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Hanging Church. In the afternoon, watch craftsmen at Azza Fahmy’s jewelry factor create the unusual Islamic-themed jewelry she designs and visit the new museum for Naguib Mahfouz, the first Egyptian writer and only Arabic-language author to win the Nobel Prize.
By night, we you will be treated to a farewell dinner with Arabian horse dancing and views of Cairo by night at the private Royal Mohamed Aly Club along the Nile.
DAY 14 - November 21 CAIRO – independent international Flights home
Our great adventure comes too close as we fly home rich with memories and experiences to last a lifetime! This might be the perfect time to pull out your Arabic phrase book and learn to say “men-Fahd-Lik” and thank you “Shuk-ran.”
TOUR Package in Egypt - excluding International Air
Per person, double/twin occupancy $3,600
Single Supplement/Additional Charge $1,500
Important Note: A minimum of 14 passengers is required to operate this tour.
WHAT is included
- Airfare in Egypt airfare Cairo to Aswan-Luxor to Cairo
- 10 nights at 5-star hotel accommodation including breakfast
- 3 Nights at 5-Star Nile Cruise including full board dining and shore excursions
- Meals during specified tours per itinerary
- All admission fees for sightseeing tours specified in itinerary
- Roundtrip transfers between airports and hotels including porterage
- Services of a professional tour conductor and Egyptologist
- Comprehensive, carefully planned itinerary
- All gratuities including porters, waiters and hotel taxes
- Donation of $300 per person to Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee
- Deductible to the full extent of the law as a donation to Baltimore Sister Cities, a 501c3 organization
- 2020-2021 membership in Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee/Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc.
What is not included
- International airfare to and from Cairo, Egypt (Egyptair has a non-stop flights to Cairo from Dulles International Airport with best available fare as of the time of publication approximately $900; book with our Egyptian Tour Operator via ……
- Items of personal nature such as: additional food or beverage orders, room service, laundry service, optional tour activities, meals not listed as included, tipping for personal services not a part of the tour’s included features and any other items not specifically mentioned as being included.
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APPLICATION/RESERVATION
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Important Note: Only the airfare portion of this tour may be charged by credit card. If you book Egyptair's November 7 flight from Washington, D.C. (Dulles Airport), the tour conductor will meet you at the airport. If you choose another airline or arrival date, you will be met at Cairo International Airport or Sofitel Hotel in Cairo.
Please make check payable to Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc., noting “BLASCC” or “Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee.” Mail to 5809 Nicholson Lane, Unit 811, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Tharwat Abouraya. For further information contact: tharwat@baltimoreegypt.org.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
RESERVATIONS/DEPOSITS
A deposit of $360 per person is required at the time of booking.
FINAL/FULL PAYMENTS
Final or full payment for your tour is due by August 8, 2020
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
There is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $100 per person.
Bookings cancelled between August 8 and September 8, 2020, are subject to a cancellation fee of $200 per person.
Bookings cancelled after September 8, 2020, are subject to $200 cancellation fee plus any other non-refundable expenses incurred for hotels, river cruise line, Egyptair or ground contractors.
No refunds are possible for unused portions of a tour unless arrangements are made before departure. If you must return home, refunds will be whatever net refunds Baltimore Sister Cities recovers from tour operators/travel suppliers/vendors. If any tour service must be withdrawn, Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. liability is limited to refunds of monies received. We strongly advise you to insure against late cancellation due to illness or other personal reasons.
Tour rates
Rules, regulations, fares, prices and USA dollar exchange rates are those in effect on February 8, 2020 and are subject to increase if such rates or cost increase.
Travel documents
United States citizens must be in possession of a United States passport valid for at least six months after the end of your tour. An Egyptian tourist visa is required for travel to Egypt. Details and application here.
Limited capacity
The membership for this tour is limited to 19 passengers for better service. We therefore recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.
Exclusive conducted arrangements
Arrangements for this tour and other services have been made by Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City committee exclusively for you.
RESPONSIBILITY
ITINERARY VARIATIONS
This tour is planned months in advance. Between planning time and the actual operation Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc./Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee consistently strives to improve each itinerary and all its features to your advantage, convenience and enjoyment. If improvements can be made or if unforeseen conditions beyond our control deem changes necessary, we reserve the right to vary itineraries and substitute facilities of equivalent or better value. If substitutions are at a lower cost, a refund will be made when your return home.
RESPONSIBILITY OF BALTIMORE SISTER CITIES, INC./BALTIMORE LUXOR ALEXANDRIA SISTER CITY COMMITTEE
The responsibility of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc./Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee and/or its agents or representatives is limited. They act only in the capacity as a coordinator of the tour arrangements for the passengers with hotel, sightseeing tours and other travel services providers, whether by domestic air within Egypt, motor coach or by any other means. As a coordinator we hold ourselves free of responsibility for any damage, injury or loss or losses resulting from any damage, expenses or inconvenience caused by delayed or cancelled transportations services, change of schedule, strikes or other conditions beyond our control. All travel suppliers/tour operators of services are independent of us; we are neither responsible nor liable for actions or defaults of those not directly under our control.
Please make check payable to Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc., noting “BLASCC” or “Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee.” Mail to 5809 Nicholson Lane, Unit 811, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Tharwat Abouraya. For further information contact: tharwat@baltimoreegypt.org.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
RESERVATIONS/DEPOSITS
A deposit of $360 per person is required at the time of booking.
FINAL/FULL PAYMENTS
Final or full payment for your tour is due by August 8, 2020
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
There is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $100 per person.
Bookings cancelled between August 8 and September 8, 2020, are subject to a cancellation fee of $200 per person.
Bookings cancelled after September 8, 2020, are subject to $200 cancellation fee plus any other non-refundable expenses incurred for hotels, river cruise line, Egyptair or ground contractors.
No refunds are possible for unused portions of a tour unless arrangements are made before departure. If you must return home, refunds will be whatever net refunds Baltimore Sister Cities recovers from tour operators/travel suppliers/vendors. If any tour service must be withdrawn, Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. liability is limited to refunds of monies received. We strongly advise you to insure against late cancellation due to illness or other personal reasons.
Tour rates
Rules, regulations, fares, prices and USA dollar exchange rates are those in effect on February 8, 2020 and are subject to increase if such rates or cost increase.
Travel documents
United States citizens must be in possession of a United States passport valid for at least six months after the end of your tour. An Egyptian tourist visa is required for travel to Egypt. Details and application here.
Limited capacity
The membership for this tour is limited to 19 passengers for better service. We therefore recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.
Exclusive conducted arrangements
Arrangements for this tour and other services have been made by Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City committee exclusively for you.
RESPONSIBILITY
ITINERARY VARIATIONS
This tour is planned months in advance. Between planning time and the actual operation Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc./Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee consistently strives to improve each itinerary and all its features to your advantage, convenience and enjoyment. If improvements can be made or if unforeseen conditions beyond our control deem changes necessary, we reserve the right to vary itineraries and substitute facilities of equivalent or better value. If substitutions are at a lower cost, a refund will be made when your return home.
RESPONSIBILITY OF BALTIMORE SISTER CITIES, INC./BALTIMORE LUXOR ALEXANDRIA SISTER CITY COMMITTEE
The responsibility of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc./Baltimore Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee and/or its agents or representatives is limited. They act only in the capacity as a coordinator of the tour arrangements for the passengers with hotel, sightseeing tours and other travel services providers, whether by domestic air within Egypt, motor coach or by any other means. As a coordinator we hold ourselves free of responsibility for any damage, injury or loss or losses resulting from any damage, expenses or inconvenience caused by delayed or cancelled transportations services, change of schedule, strikes or other conditions beyond our control. All travel suppliers/tour operators of services are independent of us; we are neither responsible nor liable for actions or defaults of those not directly under our control.