Egyptian Nubian Adventure 2016

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1 All information is subject to change without prior notice, changes would always be in consideration of your safety first and a better quality experience. This would be where we are able to make improvements, sometimes last-minute decisions due to the nature of the tour/event. Please ensure that you have received the latest version of this dossier, which can be downloaded from our website as Nomad is continually striving to improve the standards and quality of our tours and itineraries are subject to change. Travel times and accommodation can change depending on road or weather conditions, or any unforeseen circumstances. These are used as a guideline only. Minimum number of 2 participants Please ensure that you download the most up to date version of this tour dossier one week prior to your tour departure date, you can find the dossier on this link: Some roads you travel on will be smooth and easy while others could take up to an hour to cover 1 kilometre. There is just no telling what could happen with road, weather, traffic and other conditions that may exist that will either increase or decrease the amount of time you spend on the road so take your watch off, put your ipad away, turn off your phone and just relax. In your tour dossier you see an indication of a distance to be covered on a particular day. Please don t assume that your travel time will be equal to that which you can travel in your car on the autobahn no, it will be much, much slower! We will stop for shopping, bathroom breaks, photo stops, activities and a whole lot more. If you are looking to only experience specific destinations and are not interested in the journey, perhaps adventure touring is not for you. As circumstances change in the destinations that we visit, our tour dossiers do change from time to time as we constantly improve our offering based on feedback about these changes that we receive from our guests and guides on tour. Did you receive your Pre Departure Information Booklet? If not please contact us at nomad@nomadtours.co.za and we will you the document; alternatively visit us at 39 Castle Street, (Corner Castle & Burg Streets), Cape Town, to collect one. You can also download the Pre-Departure Information from our website at ( After hours contact number: +27 (0) Activity Package There is no Activity Package on this tour. What s included All accommodation as stated in the itinerary in 4 & 5 star hotels, All transport and transfers in private AC vehicles, Overnight train in 1st class carriage with reclining seats, 24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service, Sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, Services of a local Egyptologist guide for all the sightseeing tours, as indicated in the itinerary What s excluded International Flights, Visa fees (see below), Travel Insurance (compulsory), not indicated in the itinerary, Entrance fees (allow approx. US$95), Tipping kitty (allow US$30), Drinks, snacks, guide tips and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry), Hotel Gala Dinners*, Sleeper Train Upgrade (allow US$ ), Any other items not mentioned above Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

2 *Many of Egypt s hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special Gala Dinner in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year s Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but compulsory on New Year s Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. Gala Dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, and will be added to your booking if required. More information is available on request. Vehicle Private AC Vehicles / minivan, overnight train, felucca sailboat Climate The African sun is very strong. Please use a factor 30 sunscreen and wear a hat. You should drink at least 3 litres of water per day to avoid dehydration. It can also get very cold during winter months on this route. Please see Pre Departure Booklet for detailed information. Pre and Post Tour If you require accommodation before or after your tour we can arrange this for you. We can also arrange airport transfers contact your travel agent or Nomad to make these bookings. Arrival / Departure Departure Point Please ensure you arrive at the departure point at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Oasis Hotel Alexandria Desert Road Cairo/Egypt Tel / 7666/ End Point Oasis Hotel Alexandria Desert Road Cairo/Egypt Tel / 7666/ Countries Visited Egypt Insurance (Compulsory) All clients require adequate Medical Travel Insurance. Activity providers can refuse participation of activities, if the correct valid Medical Insurance is not provided. Travel insurance can be purchased via the Nomad website. (World Nomads travel insurance is in no way affiliated with Nomad Tours). Currency and Banking As your tour may pass through multiple countries, we have prepared information on the use of local and foreign Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

3 currencies, ATMs and Credit Cards for each country. This information is available on our website by visiting this page: Health Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have. Vaccinations Please be aware that its suggested to get vaccinated against Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A for Egypt. Malaria is not too much of a concern, so you don t need to take malaria prophylactics. We also recommend not partaking in any henna tattooing while in Egypt. It has come to our attention that some places in Egypt are using black henna instead of pure brown henna. Black henna may cause severe allergic reactions and resultant scarring as it contains a chemical dye PPD (paraphenylenediamine). Visas As visa requirements vary considerably from country to country and nationality to nationality, please contact the various embassies or a visa service agent in your home country to re-check your visa requirements at least 4 weeks prior to travelling. Please note that visas are the responsibility of the traveller and that Nomad Adventure Tours will not be held responsible for guests being denied entry should they not be in the possession of the relevant visas. All travellers must be in possession of a valid onward/return air ticket or proof of other means of transport enabling the traveller to leave the country in which your adventure tour passes or terminates. You should also have proof of sufficient funds (e.g. credit card) to see you through your time in the country. Should the adventure tour you are joining be re-entering a country, be sure to have a multiple entry visa that enables you to re-enter the country. In some cases visas are available on entry into a country and may be cheaper to do so, however for peace of mind and to speed up the border crossing process, Nomad will always advise you to get your visas prior to your trip if possible. Malaria Malaria prophylactics are not required. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES ON THIS ROUTE There are more optional activities being created every day we have listed only the most popular. If there is something specific you would like to do then speak to your guide as they will be able to assist you if possible. Activity Country Price Nile Evening Dinner Cruise Egypt From ZAR660 to ZAR860 All (per meal) Egypt From $2 to $20 Internal flights upgrade one way or return Egypt From $120 to $300 Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

4 5-star Nile Cruise (3 nights) Egypt From $200 to $400 Abu Simbel Tour Egypt From ZAR1110 to ZAR1310 Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight From ZAR1380 to ZAR1580 Sleeper Train Upgrade Egypt From $200 to $300 Wadi Rayan & Valley of the Whales day trip Egypt From ZAR1470 to ZAR1670 Alexandria Day Trip Egypt From ZAR1470 to ZAR1670 Cairo City Tour Egypt From ZAR480 to ZAR680 ENTRANCE FEES The tour price does not include entrance fees to the tourist sites mentioned in the itinerary. Please check the section below for a guide to the amount you should allow for this tour.your guide will be happy to collect payment for all the entrance fees at the start of the tour, and pay them for you as you go along if you wish. Entrance Area Price Entrance to Giza Plateau (not inside the Pyramids) Cairo From ZAR90 Egyptian Museum (not including Mummy Room) Cairo From ZAR150 Aswan High Dam Aswan From ZAR30 Temple complex of Philae Aswan From ZAR75 Aswan Elephantine and Kitchener Islands Aswan From ZAR75 Edfu Temple Luxor From ZAR75 Komombo Temple Aswan From ZAR45 Valley of Kings (3 Tombs only not including King Tut) Luxor From ZAR120 Queen Hatchepsut Temple Luxor From ZAR45 Medinat Habu Temple Luxor From ZAR45 Colossi of Memnon Luxor Free Entranc Karnak Temple (not including the open air museum) Luxor From ZAR98 Luxor Temple Luxor From ZAR75 Itinerary Day 1 - Cairo Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

5 You will be met at the airport by our friendly staff who will escort you to your accommodation close to the Pyramids for the start of your trip. They are very knowledgeable and will help you settle in and answer any questions you may have. Facilities No meals included Two Per Room: Oasis Hotel Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered. Nile Evening Dinner Cruise, All (per meal) Day 2 - Cairo We start our tour with a trip to the main Egyptian Museum which is located in central Cairo. No visit to Egypt is complete without a visit to this Museum. It boasts a fantastic Tutankhamun exhibit and extensive collection of pharaonic antiquities. Thereafter we head to another Egyptian highlight Giza on the outskirts of Cairo to visit the Sphinx and the three great pyramids of Egypt. After a full day of experiencing the hustle and bustle of Cairo, we transfer to the station to catch an overnight train to Aswan. Breakfast : Overnight on Board Sitting/sleeper Train no website available On Board train Cairo to Aswan Internal flights upgrade one way or return (1st class, reclining seats). On the Cairo-Aswan kindly note the Sleeper train upgrade is compulsory should the sitting train not be available, (Dinner included on Sleeper train upgrade). Please make sure to check with your booking agent if the train will operate for your specific tour. If the sitting or Sleeper train is not available, you may be required to upgrade to a flight. This flight will be charged for as a supplement to your tour price. Day 3 - Aswan We arrive in Aswan in the morning and after transferring to the hotel that overlooks the Nile, we visit the Temple of Philae by means of a scenic boat ride. The temple was primarily dedicated to deified rulers and is a beautiful island complex. We will also make time to stop and visit the huge Aswan Dam. Facilities No meals included Two Per Room: Isis Corniche Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered. Aswan to Philae Temple 5-star Nile Cruise (3 nights) Nile cruise 3 nights (in place of felucca): USD pp sharing (excluding Easter & Xmas/New Year) & USD p Last single Updated: (excluding Jul 29, Easter & Downloaded: Xmas/New Year) Aug 12,

6 Day 4 - Felucca Cruise The day will start with the option of rising early to drive to the UNESCO world heritage site at Abu Simbel. The two temples situated at this site were created during the reign of the mighty Ramesses II. In the afternoon we embark on a leisurely cruise on the Nile towards the temple at Kom Ombo. The cruise will be done on a traditional felucca boat, but our separate facilities boat will join with us from time to time during the day and moor up with us at night. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Two Per Room: Overnight on board a felucca no website available Philae Temple to Komombo Abu Simbel Tour *The facilities boat has a welcome toilet and showers on board, as well as a hygienic kitchen for delicious evening meals as prepared by the crew. This evening you will sleep on the deck of the boat (mattresses, blankets and mosquito nets provided). Those not visiting Abu Simbel can explore Aswan s markets this morning, or visit the Nubian Museum which has a fascinating collection covering the development of the Nubian people in the region. In the afternoon we then board a traditional felucca boat and start our leisurely cruise along the Nile towards the temple at Kom Ombo. In the evening our facilities boat will join us with its welcome toilet and showers, and our Nubian crew will prepare a delicious evening meal. Mattress beds, camp cooking Feluccas are very basic traditional Nile sailboats and make for an extremely relaxing and enjoyable way to travel down the river. Day 5 - Luxor After breakfast on-board we bid farewell to our felucca crew and visit the nearby temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu before continuing on north to Luxor. The town of Luxor is built on and around the ancient site of Thebes, and boasts the largest concentration of ancient ruins in the Nile Valley, if not the world. Later this evening we will take a walking tour of the smaller Luxor Temple which is right in the middle of town and beautifully lit up at night. Facilities Breakfast Two Per Room: Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered. Komombo to Luxor Day 6 - Luxor We cross the Nile early this morning to begin our tour of Luxor s West Bank. Home to the Valley of the Kings, the dusty tombs in this ancient burial site are still revealing their secrets today and so it remains one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Our tour includes several of these Pharaonic tombs, as well as the temples of Queen Hatchepsut and Medinat Habu, and the huge Colossi of Memnon. Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

7 A spectacular hot air balloon flight over the west bank of the Nile is available this morning (expect an early start to catch sunrise as the balloon rises). Your afternoon is then free to relax and enjoy the facilities of your 5-star hotel on the banks of the Nile. You can also explore Luxor further, do some souvenir shopping or browsing in the market, visit the mummification museum or enjoy a felucca trip to nearby Banana Island. Additional sightseeing is also available if you d like an even more in depth exploration of Egyptian history. Breakfast Two Per Room: Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel Facilities Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered. Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight An extra cost will apply to cover transport, entrances and the guide's services if you would like to explorer more of the Egyptian history. Day 7 - Luxor Your morning is free today and you can enjoy a welcome lie in after several early starts. After lunch we ll tour the huge temple complex at Karnak, once the religious centre of Thebes and Upper Egypt. It was linked to Luxor by an extensive avenue, lined with sphinxes, and the whole complex was in turn linked to the Nile via a canal through which moved the sacred boats of the god Amun. Entering through a smaller sphinx-lined avenue, built by Ramesses II, you come to the immense pylon entrance. Inside the huge Courtyard are three chapels dedicated to the gods Amun, Khous and Mut. The remarkable Hypostyle Hall has 134 towering columns, each carved with scenes of gods and pharaohs, and hieroglyphic inscriptions adorn the walls. Later this evening we transfer to the station for the overnight train back to Cairo Breakfast Two Per Room: On board Sitting or Sleeper train train back to Cairo no website available Sleeper Train Upgrade Kindly note the Sleeper train upgrade is compulsory should the sitting train not be available Day 8 - Cairo Your Tour arrives back into Cairo this morning and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore Cairo as you choose or you may take an optional day trip. These can include a city tour in Cairo which visits the Coptic Cairo, the Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque as well as the bustling market streets of Khan El Khalili bazaar, or a half day tour to Saqqara, Dashour and Memphis to learn more about the history and evolution of pyramid building. No meals included Two Per Room: Oasis Hotel Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

8 Facilities Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered. Luxor to Cairo Wadi Rayan & Valley of the Whales day trip, Alexandria Day Trip, Cairo City Tour Breakfast is only included on the Sleeper train upgrade Day 9 - Cairo departure to the airport Your time is free today for some last minute sightseeing or shopping until we transfer you to the airport for your departure flight. Breakfast Own Arrangements / Post tour accommodation can be booked through Nomad. Cairo to Airport Country Visited Egypt Encompassing some of the world s most famous monuments, Egypt is rich in ancient treasures and civilisations. Colossal pyramids, temples and mythical creatures cut from stone have been placed across the vast desert landscape. Egyptians celebrated and worshipped ancient deities representing natural forces and phenomena, and appeased them by offering sacrifices and partaking in rituals, controlled by the pharaoh. What we are left with today is a huge variety of artworks and communications depicting the life and times of this great nation. Their history is tangible at the ancient sites as you can enter their tombs, touch their clothes, read their stories etched into stone walls and marvel at the forces that would have been required to erect the massive structures. Snaking through the middle of the country is the lifeblood of Egypt, the Nile River. No trip to Egypt is complete without a relaxing sunset cruise on a Felucca on the Nile. MEALS ON TOUR on tour include buffet styled meals at the various hotels or meals prepared by the boat crew on board the felucca. TIPPING ON TOUR Tipping is very much a cultural norm in Egypt. On tour we ve organised a Tipping Kitty which makes our prices more transparent and limits the hassle of tipping for you while on tour. This will be a local payment around US$25-45 depending on the length of your trip. This Tipping Kitty enables us to tip a wide range of people that we ll be interacting with while you re on tour. This includes individuals such as porters, drivers, site guards, train and station staff, local reps etc. Please consult the Included/Excluded notes that are listed below the tour itinerary for more information on how much to budget for this Tipping Kitty. Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

9 Please be aware that your Egyptologist guide (and Bedouin guides in the desert) is not included in this kitty and you may feel inclined to tip them at the end of your tour. But essentially, it all depends on your budget and satisfaction of their service, so there is no pressure to tip. If you would like am estimate for tipping, we can suggest that approx. USD 3-8 per person per day would be appropriate. THE NOMAD AFRICAN TRUST At Nomad we are passionate about the people, places and wildlife of Africa that make our tours so special. In order to give back, we have set up the Nomad African Trust. If you would like to find out more about the Trust, our beneficiary projects and how you can help, visit the website (above) or contact us on Thank you for your interest and please feel free to contact us should you wish to receive our newsletter with updates on our beneficiary projects, fundraiser events and much more. Green Seats Travel responsibly in Africa Nomad gives you the opportunity to offset your carbon footprint by purchasing a Green Seat. If you would like to help Nomad making Africa Greener, simply choose the tick box on your booking form and we will take care of the rest. The Nomad African Trust, with partner projects will plant Spekboom, which are ecologically viable and that have a very high carbon absorption rate. You will receive a certificate of your contribution towards offsetting your carbon footprint while on tour with Nomad. Green Seats can be purchased at departure or on tour with your guide. For more information on our Green Seats, please visit SOCIAL PAGES AND MEDIA Please feel free to follow, poke, share and like our social spaces below. It would be great if you could load your pictures, videos and memories to the pages too so that you can share them with your friends and ours. Facebook ( Youtube ( Flickr ( Twitter (twitter.com/nomadtours) LinkedIn ( We would like to offer you the opportunity to share your experiences on tour with your friends and family at home. We have setup a blogging environment for you, free of charge! All you have to do is sign in and then upload your stories and pictures and get sharing. Log on to: to start your journey and please feel free to contact me on handrick@nomadtours.co.za if you have any questions. THANK YOU FOR TRAVELLING WITH NOMAD At the end of your tour you will be provided with feedback forms. These forms are confidential and should be given to your crew in a sealed envelope. If you are not sure of the confidentiality of the feedback form please feel free to us as well on ops@nomadtours.co.za. Please make sure to also complete the feedback form as we use the answers on these forms to improve and maintain our service levels. Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,

10 providers are subject to change without notice, the accommodation listed in this dossier is our preferred supplier, but sometimes due to availability, we are unable to make use of the property listed in this dossier. If we cannot use the accommodation provider as listed we will substitute another property of similar standards, however, en-suite facilities are not always guaranteed. Last Updated: Jul 29, Downloaded: Aug 12,