Splendors of the Nile Oriental Institute Egypt Travel Program Tour Escorted by Dr. Nadine Moeller, Oriental Institute November 15-December 1, 2009
Itinerary
Sunday, November 15, 2009: Departure from the U.S.
Monday, November 16: MENA HOUSE, CAIRO D Upon arrival in Cairo and clearing Egyptian Immigration and Passport Control, we will be met and greeted outside of the baggage claim area. During our transfer to the Mena House, our Cairo hotel for the next two overnights, we will receive a brief orientation to our visit. Our welcome dinner with Dr. Moeller this evening will be served at the hotel.
Tuesday, November 17: MENA HOUSE, CAIRO B/L/D Following breakfast in the hotel dining room, we begin our journey into Egypt‟s glorious past in Saqqarah. There we will visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built by the architect Imhotep (who now has a new museum on the grounds in his name, which we will visit). The Step Pyramid is the first monumental construction built entirely of stone and dates from the Third Dynasty. We will also visit a variety of Old Kingdom Mastabas, or underground tombs, discovered in the early 1900‟s. After our included lunch, we will visit Dahshur to see the two Pyramids of Snefru; the Red pyramid, named so for its crimson hue from exposed granite, and the Bent Pyramid, where we can see a clear revelation in Egyptian Architecture frozen in time with the changing angle of this monumental structure. We enjoy dinner together at the hotel.
Wednesday, November 18: OVERNIGHT TRAIN B/L/D After breakfast, we check out of the hotel before our excursion to the most famous sights of Egypt - the great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. This massive necropolis is home mainly to Old Kingdom elite tombs of the royal family and courtiers being still today guarded by the Sphinx, which is believed by many to be the earliest monolithic sculpture in the world. Later, we will have lunch, and spend the rest of the afternoon in the famed Egyptian Museum. Early this evening, we will be transferred to the station and assisted in boarding our overnight train into Upper Egypt. A light supper meal will be served in our compartments.
Thursday, November 19: SONESTA ST. GEORGE B/D Upon arrival in Luxor, we will be transferred to our hotel for breakfast and check-in. Today we tour the dramatic Karnak Temple, with its glorious Hypostyle Hall, stunning statuary, and varied artistic representations of flora, fauna, Egyptian religious life, and the smiting of foreign enemies. Following our tour, lunch is on our own. After we regroup, we move on to the Temple of Luxor, beginning at the newly renovated Avenue of Sphinxes; this path originally linked the temples of Luxor and Karnak with its ram and human headed sphinxes, but was constructed by King Nectanebo I in the 4th century. This 3km path is being renovated by the Egyptian government today. In the temple, look carefully for Roman fresco paintings, newly restored by Chicago House and the American Research Center in Egypt, as well as the beginning stages of an open air museum and blockyard, a demonstration of conservation in progress, compiled by Chicago House. We will have a chance to refresh ourselves and have dinner at the hotel before being received for an exclusive evening reception at Chicago House, the home of the Oriental Institute Epigraphic Survey project.
Friday, November 20: SONESTA ST. GEORGE B/L/D The hotel‟s breakfast will fortify us for a full day on Luxor‟s West Bank - Ancient Thebes. We will visit the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Tomb visits will include the Tombs of Tutankhamen and Ramesses VI [if open]. We then visit the Temple of Hatshepsut and the mortuary complex at Deir El Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon, twin statues of Amenhotep III, named by the Greeks in honor of Memnon, the son of Eos and Ethiopian King, slain by Achilles in The Iliad. In the midst of our touring day, we will pause for a special roof-top garden lunch at the Amenophis Hotel. At the end of the day, dinner and relaxation await us at our hotel.
Saturday, November 21: SONESTA ST. GEORGE B/L Following breakfast, we our first stop will be in Medinet Habu to tour the impressive fortress-like Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III with its palace and Tomb Chapels. Perhaps we will see some of our Chicago House epigraphers at work today, copying the quickly disappearing art from the structure. We move on to Deir El Medineh, the village of the workers who built the New Kingdom tombs at the Valley of the Kings. We will also visit the village‟s Ptolemaic temple and tombs, many of which have been reused by in the later Coptic period. After a group lunch, we visit the Ramesseum; the mortuary temple of Ramses II of the 19th Dynasty is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally identified by Champollion as the mortuary temple of Ramses II, this massive temple is perhaps most famous for its huge pylons featuring images and verses concerning the Battle of Kadesh. The evening is at leisure to explore Luxor on our own, and perhaps a few of us will go together to the Luxor Museum for a self guided tour. We have dinner on our own tonite at any one of the local restaurants.
Sunday, November 22: SONESTA ST. GEORGE B/L/D A few of us begin today with an optional hot air balloon ride over the monuments of Luxor, giving a breath taking bird‟s eye view of some of the most glorious architecture in the ancient world. The rest of us gather for breakfast, and after meeting our adventurous passengers upon their landing, we will visit Denderah - the center of worship for Hathor, the goddess of love and music. In her temple, pay special attention to the astronomical and astrological features. Along the outer walls, we will see Ptolemaic history laid before us with intricate carvings of figures such as Cleopatra and Caesarian. This evening‟s dinner will be at a local Luxor restaurant.
Monday, November 23: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D After breakfast, we check out of the hotel. Our luggage will be transferred to the Nile riverboat while we visit Moalla by bus. The many reliefs depict scenes from everyday life and the people‟s plight during a great famine, and are unique artistic representations of the First Intermediate period in which they were built. We motor to our luxurious, chartered riverboat, AMARANTE Isis/Osiris, which will be our floating hotel for the next several days. With an elegant dining room, deck pool and lounge, we will enjoy lunch and dinner on board, and we relax and enjoy the passing landscape as we sail to Esna.
Tuesday, November 24: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D Most days, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served aboard our river cruiser. This morning‟s visit is to El Kab, whose necropolis houses some important rock-tombs of the provincial governors of El-Kab in the New Kingdom, and shows the early history of the 18th Dynasty and the reunification of Egypt. This complex is home to the tombs of Ahmose, son of Ibana, an admiral in the wars of liberation against the Hyksos, and Sobeknakht II, who saved the Theban 16th or 17th Dynasty from destruction by Kushite forces. On our drive in, we will pass the great enclosure wall, one of the few remains of the ancient city of El-Kab, and perhaps stop at the Temple of Amenhotep III on the outskirts of the complex. In the evening, we set sail for Edfu.
Wednesday, November 25: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D Today we enjoy the day touring Edfu, one of the most important sites in the study of Egyptian urban development. One of the few Egyptian archaeological sites to contain both monumental architecture in the massive pylons of the Edfu Temple of Horus, as well as an ancient tell (artificial mound crated by superimposed settlement layers). Edfu used to be the capital of the 2nd Upper Egypt province and now captures more than 3000 years of ancient Egyptian history. The current excavations at Tell Edfu are led by Dr. Nadine Moeller, who will give us an in depth exploration of this site and the season‟s most recent accomplishments. We will pause from touring the site to have lunch on shore. That evening, we sail to Kom Ombo.
Thursday, November 26: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D As we disembark, the sandstone hills of Gebel El Silsila greet us. The quarries from these sandstone heights produced many of the building stones for the ancient temples and monuments across Egypt. Featuring smaller shrines and rock inscriptions, the quarries hold a shrine of Ramses II where depictions show him and Queen Nefertari performing religious rites in front of the deities. We will tour the Temple of Kom Ombo, which, having been dedicated to two deities, has parallel architectural features honoring both gods - the falcon-headed Horwer (Haroeris) or „Horus the Elder,‟ and Sobek, the crocodile god. This evening while sailing to Aswan, we will enjoy a festive Thanksgiving Dinner.
Friday, November 27: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D Our morning visits in Aswan are on Elephantine Island - to its ancient town and temples which provide an exceptional insight into latest archaeological work by the German mission. We will also see the Nilometer, an ancient measuring scale of the water height of the Nile River that once belonged to the Temple of Satis. Its ninety steps helped the ancient Egyptians monitor and predict the annual inundation. Later we will continue to visit Qubbet El Hawa, or “Dome of the Wind,” with magnificent rock–cut tombs where the governors of Elephantine were buried from the late Old Kingdom to the Middle Kingdom including the tomb of Hekaib, a deified 6th Dynasty nomarch. In the evening, we take a leisurely visit to the Museum of Nubian Civilization.
Saturday, November 28: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D We begin our morning with a visit to the enormous Aswan Dam which controls the mighty Nile River and ended the Nile‟s cycle of annual inundation that drove much of ancient Egypt‟s world. Our next stop is the granite quarries where we find the Unfinished Obelisk; possibly intended as a companion to the Lateran Obelisk, originally at Karnak but now in Rome, it would have weighed over 2.3 million pounds and would have been the worlds largest piece of stone ever handled. Its carving, begun in the 15th century BC, would have made it the tallest monolith in all of Egypt. That evening we sail back North to Esna.
Sunday, November 29: AMARANTE SHIP B/L/D We enjoy leisurely cruising back down the Nile from Esna to Luxor where we will have some free time to return to a favorite site, the Luxor Museum, Mummification Museum, or finish last minute shopping at the suq. We spend our final overnight on the Nile docked at Luxor.
Monday, November 30: FAIRMONT HELIOPOLIS HOTEL B/L/D Following breakfast on board, we will be assisted with debarkation and be transferred to airport for our flight to Cairo, where we will have the day to explore the city one last time. We will enjoy lunch together during our tour of Islamic Cairo [with a brief walking tour, if time permits], and visit Suq Khan al-Khalili, Cairo's renowned shopping bazaar, and if time allows, a visit Al-Azhar Mosque, a palimpsest of all styles and influences that have passed through Egypt. A special dinner will be the setting for reminiscing and bidding farewell to our travelling companions. Our final overnight in Cairo is at the Fairmont Heliopolis Hotel.
Tuesday, Dec. 1: Today we check out of the hotel and will be assisted with airport transfers for our return flights home. For those of us who are not on an early morning flight, breakfast will be available at the hotel.
Cost of Tour: $6,075.00 double occupancy (includes internal Egypt Air flight) *Does not include round trip airfare to Cairo*
Single Supplement: $1,360.00 (includes single accommodations in hotels and on-board Nile cruise) ***We encourage passengers to register early: group size will be limited*** Our travel operator partner for the Splendors of the Nile Tour will be TransWorldTravel, Inc. 734 Central Avenue Highland Park, IL 60035 Phone: 1-800-323-8158 Fax: 847-432-8675
PLEASE READ AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING This tour should be considered a slightly strenuous program, requiring a great deal of standing and walking, sometimes over sandy or rocky terrain, and some long periods of time seated in a motor coach, all in a hot and dry climate. Certain site visits will be more physically strenuous than others, and we encourage passengers to trust their own instincts if they need to “opt out” of a site visit by remaining on the motor coach, Nile cruise ship, in the hotel, or in a safe part of the site. Passengers, particularly those who have never traveled to Egypt or a similar region, should be aware that accessibility to sites can be extremely varied. All participants are expected to be physically active, able to walk independently throughout our full touring days, enjoy traveling as part of a group, and be ready to experience cultural differences. Only those willing to accept these conditions should consider taking this tour. If you have any questions about your ability to participate, we suggest that you visit your personal physician and discuss whether or not this program is appropriate for you. If you have questions about the nature of travel in Egypt, site accessibility, etc, please contact the Oriental Institute at 773-834-9777. Travel operators and tour leaders/staff reserve the right to deny access to sites and excursions if there are concerns about passenger safety.
Splendors of the Nile Escorted by Dr. Nadine Moeller, Oriental Institute November 15-December 1, 2009 GENERAL CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION BY TOUR MEMBER CANCELLATIONS per person: All cancellations must be in writing and acknowledged by TransWorldTravel, Inc (TWT). A $100.00 administrative fee will be assessed for any cancellation plus all costs in cancelling a passenger and all other penalties assessed by airlines, hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, attractions, motor coach companies, etc. PLUS the following: 1) Cancellations postmarked within 180 days of departure, penalty up to 10% of tour cost per person.† 2) Cancellations postmarked within 120 days of departure, penalty up to 20% of tour cost per person.† 3) Cancellations postmarked within 60 days of departure, penalty up to 50% of tour cost per person.† 4) Cancellations postmarked within 45 days of departure, penalty 100% of tour cost per person.† †Additionally, unless a replacement is found, a cancelling tour member will also be charged for the single supplement fee of one's non-cancelling roommate.
PARTIAL OR COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL AFTER TOUR BEGINS Once the tour is in progress, no refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour.
DEPOSITS TWT and the Oriental Institute shall hold all deposits in escrow for the benefit of TWT and the traveler and, subject to the General Conditions set forth in this agreement, shall not be an asset of TWT or the Oriental Institute until so earned, or as set forth herein.
CANCELLATION BY T.W.T. or the Oriental Institute TWT and the Oriental Institute reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure for any reason, including insufficient number of participants, in which case a full refund will be given. TWT and the Oriental Institute also have the right to withdraw your membership at any time if your actions impose upon or disturb the other members of the tour. All additional costs to send a tour member home will be borne by the tour member.
INSURANCE An optional insurance plan is available. Also, medical insurance is urged since some insurance companies do not cover an individual while abroad; please verify your medical insurance information with your health plan. TWT and the Oriental Institute strongly urge passengers to have international health care coverage during their travels. Please note that most travel related insurances will not cover pre-existing conditions unless enrollment for the insurance is done within a specified number of days of TWT or the Oriental Institute registering you for the tour. If you lose or don't receive this insurance information, immediately contact the Trans World Travel office: (847) 432-2400. Additionally, TWT and the Oriental Institute strongly recommend travel insurance for your protection in the event of an unforeseen cancellation. Such insurance can be purchased from most companies; please contact TransWorldTravel if you need assistance with obtaining travel insurance.
WHAT'S INCLUDED Only items listed in the enclosed itinerary documents are included. The only meals included are indicated in this itinerary. A $400 tax-deductible contribution is included in the cost of your travel program; this donation enables the Oriental Institute Membership Office to build original itineraries and one of a kind programs, and entitles you to the benefits of membership for one year upon your return from the travel program.
HOTEL CLASSIFICATIONS We use 3, 4, and 5-star hotels that are chosen on the basis of location, cleanliness and services and, when possible, are typical of the local area, or the best accommodations available in a particular city. All rooms have private bath and toilet facilities.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED Excluded is any item or service not specifically indicated as included - such as cost of passports, visas where required, porterage at airports and/or ship docks, gratuities on all cruises ships, tips to tour manager, motor coach driver, or guides, optional tours, and any other items of a personal nature including beverages with included meals. No responsibility is incurred by TWT or the Oriental Institute for loss of or damage to baggage or any of the passenger's belongings. Baggage, health and trip cancellation insurance is recommended.
DEVIATIONS Deviations from the group itinerary will be quoted separately and require completion of a "Request for Deviation" Form. Changes are subject to a TWT deviation fee of $100 per person plus any other travel related fees from airlines, hotels, etc.
TOUR DOCUMENTS Final tour documents will be mailed approximately two weeks prior to departure. Documents delayed because of late payment may require express shipment billed to recipient or C.O.D. Passengers may receive a variety of supplemental reading materials and/or other documents after their registration but before their departure.
ITINERARY CHANGES Occasionally, a change in a portion of your tour, accommodations, services, etc. may be necessitated due to: altered transportation schedules/equipment, weather conditions, labor strikes, road construction, or for other unforeseen reasons outside the control of TWT and the Oriental Institute. TWT and the Oriental Institute, along with its local Egyptian operators attempt to satisfy the presented itinerary without any additional cost; any resultant expenses shall be borne by the passengers.
RATES All rates in this brochure are based on applicable tariffs in effect at the time of printing. Tour price can be increased due to the occurrence of currency fluctuations, the increase in fuel, increase in air tickets, various taxes, or any other increase connected with the tour package. Any cancellation due to any of the above changes is subject to the cancellation policy stated above.
LEGAL / HEALTH DOCUMENTS For international travel, all U.S. citizens must have a current passport with 6 months validity remaining from your return date. For certain countries you will also need a properly dated visa. These documents are your responsibility and we urge you to apply for these documents as soon as possible.
Smoking is prohibited aboard the motor coach.
RESPONSIBILITY
Trans World Travel, Inc. The Oriental Institute 734 Central Avenue University of Chicago Highland Park, IL 60035 1155 E. 58th Street Phone (847) 432-2400 Chicago, IL 60637
The responsibility of Trans World Travel, Inc. is strictly limited. As a tour operator, TWT organizes, promotes and sells tour programs consisting of certain travel services, including, but not limited to, surface transportation, sightseeing excursions and hotel accommodations which TWT purchases or reserves from various suppliers. The suppliers providing travel services for TWT's tour programs are independent contractors and are not agents or employees of TWT or any subsidiary company, including the Oriental Institute or the University of Chicago. To the extent that TWT is involved in the sale of air transportation to you, TWT acts as an agent of the air carrier. For all other purposes, TWT does not act as agent for any party. TWT, the Oriental Institute, or the University of Chicago is not responsible for the willful or negligent acts and /or omissions of such suppliers or any carrier or their respective employees, agents, servants or representatives including, without limitation, their failure to deliver or their partial or inadequate delivery of services. All coupons, receipts and tickets are issued subject to the terms and conditions specified by the suppliers and/or carriers. By utilizing the travel service of the suppliers, you agree that neither TWT, the Oriental Institute, nor the University of Chicago, nor any subsidiary company or representative shall be liable for any accident, injury, property damage or personal loss to you or to those traveling with you in connection with any accommodations, transportation or other travel services or resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrences or conditions beyond its control, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, defects in vehicles, breakdown in equipment, strikes, theft, delay or cancellation of or changes in itinerary or schedules. These tour programs are planned in advance. If, between planning time and the actual tour operation, circumstances beyond TWT, the Oriental Institute or the University of Chicago's control require changes, the stated companies/institutions reserve the right to vary itineraries and substitute components of tour programs. Remember that all travel documents, as well as compliance with customs regulations, are the tour member's responsibility. The payment of the required deposit or any other partial payment for a reservation on a tour constitutes consent to all provisions of the conditions and general information contained in this brochure. The terms under which you agree to take these tours cannot be changed or amended except in writing signed by an authorized officer of TWT. TWT, the Oriental Institute, and the University of Chicago are not responsible for typographical errors or errors of omission. 01/09