Egypt
| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Sinai Desert, Nile Cruises, Pyramids |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2006: 30 Sep, 14 Oct, 21 Oct, 28 Oct, 4 Nov, 18 Nov, 25 Nov, 2 Dec, 9 Dec, 23 Dec, 30 Dec 2007: 6 Jan, 13 Jan, 27 Jan, 3 Feb, 10 Feb |
| price: | £330 (15 days) excluding flights, plus US$200 local payment |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
15 days Cairo to Dahab
Cairo, pyramids and Sphinx, Aswan, Nile felucca trip, Alexandria, Mt Sinai, Red Sea
Raise the sails for adventure and take on the real Egypt. Dive into the madness and mayhem that defines Egypt. Experience the hustle of Cairo's bazaars, the ancient wonders of Luxor and Aswan, a journey down the Nile and the beauty of the Red Sea in laid-back Dahab.
All this adventure at an unbeatable price!
Cairo, pyramids and Sphinx, Aswan, Nile felucca trip, Alexandria, Mt Sinai, Red Sea
Raise the sails for adventure and take on the real Egypt. Dive into the madness and mayhem that defines Egypt. Experience the hustle of Cairo's bazaars, the ancient wonders of Luxor and Aswan, a journey down the Nile and the beauty of the Red Sea in laid-back Dahab.
All this adventure at an unbeatable price!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Cairo. A heady mix of ancient wonders and manic street life welcomes you into Cairo. Succumb to the frenetic labyrinth of bazaars, visit the breathtaking pyramids in Giza and check out the proud Sphinx. |
| Day 3-4: | Aswan. Egypt's beautiful southernmost city of Aswan is ours to explore. Get lost in the lively market, venture out by camel to St Simeon's Monastery or maybe cross the river to the old Elephantine Island. There is a chance to visit spectacular Abu Simbel and learn about the fascinating Nubian culture on our friendly family homestay. |
| Day 5-6: | Nile Cruise. Chill out with some great food on our felucca as it glides along the Nile, absorbing the spirit of traditional river life. Hop off onto the riverbank to wander among the mysterious temple ruins of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the ancient Egyptian crocodile and falcon gods. |
| Day 7-9: | Luxor. A great city to explore on foot, stroll along the Nile Corniche and unlock the secrets of the Pharaonic mummies in the world's first Mummification Museum. Marvel at the deep limestone burial chambers in the impressive Valley of the Kings and explore the enormous Karnak Temple. |
| Day 10-11: | Alexandria. The Mediterranean setting for Cleopatra and Mark Antony's stormy relationship, Alexandria also marked a great ancient centre of learning. Precious artefacts displayed in the Graeco-Roman Museum are a must-see and the engineering feat of the Kom ash-Shuqqafa catacombs is mind-boggling. |
| Day 12: | Mt Sinai. Journey on to Mt Sinai, an evocative area with unquestionable holy significance. Enter the walled monastery of St Katherine, where pilgrims have sought shelter since the 4th Century. Walk in Moses' footsteps up to the red sandstone summit for a glorious desert sunset. |
| Day 13-15: | Dahab. Named after the Arabic word for gold, Dahab has a magical underwater world in which to snorkel and dive in clear blue waters. A fitting finale to your Egyptian adventure may be a farewell feast of deliciously fresh seafood fit for a pharaoh. |
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's 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 people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) award winner
This tourism business won an award in our 2004 Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical, Magazine of the Royal Geographical Societyhow this holiday makes a difference
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Egypt is an extraordinary country . Our aim is to get you out there exploring local life while gaining knowledge and respect for local culture and the environment. In true Intrepid style we wish to support the local community in as many ways as possible. We choose to stay at locally owned and operated hotels and guest houses and use local guides and businesses. This ensures that a very high percentage of trip revenue stays within Egypt.
We inform our passengers on how to take a responsible approach to the environment. Our leaders ensure that any waste created is disposed of sensitively. We use environmentally friendly forms of transport such as wind powered feluccas, donkeys and camels and our small groups (maximum 12 people) have a minimal impact on the fragile environment. Passengers are made aware of local issues - religion, sensibilities dress code etc. which will stand you in good stead when interacting with our many local friends. We believe our method of travel allows and encourages local groups to continue their traditional lifestyle and occupations such as our Nubian felucca crew and Bedouin camel guides. There is also the chance for our travellers to visit projects receiving our support in Egypt. These include St Vincent De Paul, handicraft co-ops which benefit the disadvantaged and animal welfare organisations. |
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 led 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. |