Sailtrek & Sinai
| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Sinai Desert, Nile Cruises, Pyramids |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | Departs 1 - 3 Saturdays per month, throughout the year |
| price: | From £399 (16 days) excluding flights, plus local payment US $150. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 7 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Imagine combining the best of the Nile Valley and the beauty of the Sinai's land and sea with all the culture, activity and relaxation you could ask for from a two week holiday!
This trip covers all the highlights of ancient Egypt, the chance to climb Mt Sinai at sunrise, a camel trek into the desert with local Bedouins, a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings, three days of blissful relaxation on a traditional felucca and two days on the Red Sea coast
This trip covers all the highlights of ancient Egypt, the chance to climb Mt Sinai at sunrise, a camel trek into the desert with local Bedouins, a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings, three days of blissful relaxation on a traditional felucca and two days on the Red Sea coast
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Cairo. Arrive and check into your hotel |
| Day 2: | Cairo. A guided visit to the great Pyramids & Sphinx. Overnight train to Aswan. (B) |
| Day 3: | Aswan. Arrive in Aswan and check into the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to get to know this exciting Nubian city. (B) |
| Day 4: | Aswan. A free day allows time for those who wish to make an excursion to the massive temple at Abu Simbel. (B) |
| Day 5-6: | Felucca Cruise. Board traditional feluccas for a two day cruise to Kom Ombo. All meals are provided on board. (BLD) |
| Day 7: | Kom Ombo - Edfu – Luxor. Disembark in Kom Ombo where we visit the Temple of Sobek & Haroeris . En route to Luxor, we visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu. In the afternoon we take horse drawn carriages to Karnak Temple for a guided tour around this magnificent site. (B) (BLD) |
| Day 8: | Luxor. We get up before sunrise for a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings. Our route back offers magnificent views of the Nile Valley and passes the Colossi of Memnon. This afternoon is free for you to venture into Luxor’s streets and its bustling bazaars. (B) |
| Day 9: | Luxor-Hurghada. Transfer to Hurghada . Free day to explore the Red Sea resort. (B) |
| Day 10: | Hurghada - Dahab. We rise early this morning to take the ‘Sea Cat’ hydrofoil to Sinai. Transfer to Dahab on the Red Sea coast. (B) |
| Day 11-13: | Dahab. Two days at leisure on the beach where you have the opportunity to snorkel in the Red Sea. One evening we have the chance to have a traditional Bedouin dinner. (B) |
| Day 14: | Dahab - St Catherine. Free morning in Dahab. In the afternoon, transfer to St Catherine where we spend the night near the foot of Mt Sinai. (B) |
| Day 15: | Mt Sinai - Cairo. Rise early and ascend Mt Sinai for sunrise. Later, transfer to Cairo. |
| Day 16: | Cairo. Tour ends. (B) |
travellers' tales
Excellent. So relaxing and the other people with us were great fun. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The Sinai is an area of outstanding natural beauty and delicate eco-systems. Before climbing Mt Sinai, travellers are briefed on the importance of not leaving behind litter, using long drop toilets, conserving water and dressing modestly and our tour leaders make a point of leading by example. On the Red Sea coast we work with environmentally certified Dive Schools (members of HEPCA) and have initiated a campaign to protect Red Sea coral with the construction and maintenance of awareness signs on the beach at Sharks Bay.
We explore the Nile Valley with three nights aboard a traditional felucca crewed by Nubian villagers from the West Bank of the Nile with whom we have a long standing relationship. Plus before boarding our felucca in Aswan there is an opportunity to visit a Nubian village to join a family for a traditional dinner. By working directly with the 'donkey men' and carriage drivers our horse drawn carriage ride to Karnak and donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings involve no 'middle men' ensuring all revenue goes directly to the locals (who in both cases live in smaller villages outside Luxor). We also have long term relationships with some of the best local Egyptologists whose services are included at every ancient site on all Egypt trips. This provides long term employment (even during lulls in tourism) and fair wages. Our own tour leaders are a mix of foreigners and locals - who all receive the SAME wages for the same job. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |