River of the Pharaohs
Classic Egypt
March 29 - April 8, 2011

LIVING HISTORY

No country in the world has so many impressive antiquities as does Egypt. Few civilizations can compete with Egypt’s magnificent buildings, its legendary wealth, or its long centuries of peace. To a large extent this is because other civilizations did not have Egypt’s main advantage—a great river. For tens of thousands of years the River Nile has been the focal point of life, and ancient Egyptians believed the river’s waters came from a “mysterious heaven of plenty.”
     All of Egypt depended on the Nile for water, food, and transportation. The need to maintain irrigation channels as well as the convenient transportation that the river provided were some of the reasons Egypt was the first country in the world to have a national government. The availability of this unlimited supply of water allowed the creation of a society which produced the wonders of ancient Egypt.
     Throughout history people have tried to understand the pyramids. Early Christians thought they were places where priests watched the stars. In the late 18th century some people believed that the Great Pyramids’ measurements were devised by God, and that from them they could predict the future. In time, however, with the excavation of whole towns, temples and tombs, scholars finally came to understand that these were the final resting places of Egypt’s great kings—the Pharaohs.
     The title of Pharaoh certainly sounds impressive, but it simply means “the one who lives in the palace.” The Egyptians believed, however, that no single name could express adequately the greatness of their ruler. They felt that the king, by serving the gods, helped the sun to rise every morning and helped the Nile to flood at the end of each summer, and that in return for the offerings of food and water that only the Pharaoh could make, the gods would feed their souls after death. The Pharaoh’s power was supreme and unquestioned. The Pharaoh’s chief duty was to build and maintain temples to the gods.
     The ancient Greeks saw Egypt as a source of all wisdom. Roman emperors traveled here to marvel at the pyramids. They packed up Egyptian statues and obelisks and sent them home to decorate Rome. The worship of deities like Isis and Osiris spread through the Roman Empire as far as Britain. As a result, Egypt is probably one of the world’s oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind’s earliest triumphs.
     For thousands of years Egypt has been the playground of emperors and kings, but it is much more than just its pyramids and monuments. It is also Red Sea tranquility, hot nightclubs, luxury hotels and world-class restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on deluxe ships, and adventurous excursions into the vastness of the Sahara Desert. Toto Tours invites you on a cultural odyssey to Egypt, the like of which you have never experienced before. Take a journey with us to a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement. It is, without a doubt, the one place you simply must experience in your lifetime.

ITINERARY

Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Depart U.S. / Travel Day

You will need to depart your home city today on an international flight to Cairo, Egypt, flying overnight and landing tomorrow morning. Please be sure to schedule plenty of time for connecting flights from your home city through gateway stops.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Arrive in Cairo

Your international flight should arrive at the Cairo International Airport this morning. You will be met by our local host who will assist with our transfer to the Shepheard Hotel. The afternoon is free to rest up from jet lag and enjoy the amenities of our wonderful property. This evening Toto Tours hosts a Welcome Dinner at a fine local restaurant.     (Welcome Dinner)

Thursday, March 31, 2011
Old Cairo / Citadel

After a sumptuous buffet breakfast at our hotel we are off to the Egyptian National Museum for a guided tour of the most famous museum of ancient Egyptology, featuring the amazing treasures of King Tut. (Even though some pieces are currently out for a traveling exhibition, the vast majority of the treasures can only be seen at this museum.) You have the option to see the special room containing a collection of ancient mummies (admission fee not included).
     Tour Old Cairo and view the Coptic Church known as The Hanging Church, then plunge into the excitement of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. Our guide will take you through its bustling lanes, where you can see typical day-to-day life in Old Cairo and shop for unique souvenirs. We enjoy lunch at Naguib Mafouz, an historic and lovely Oberoi café within the Bazaar. The tour concludes with a visit to the Citadel of Salah el Den, built in 1183 AD, and featuring the Mosque of Mohammed Ali (also known as the Alabaster Mosque).
     This evening thrill to your first glimpse of the pyramids in a most spectacular way, attending the Sound & Laser Light Show at the Great Pyramids of Giza. This enchanting production with music, historical narration and special effects created with laser lights will be an unforgettable first encounter with the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx!     (Breakfast / Lunch)

Friday, April 1, 2011
Memphis / Sakkara / Giza

Our day of touring begins in Memphis, the site of Egypt’s ancient capital, where we see the remains of two temples and a huge alabaster statue of Ramses II. Continue on to Sakkara and Egypt’s oldest standing stone structure, the Step Pyramid of King Zoser.
     Next stop is Giza, where we enjoy lunch at the luxury Mena House, overlooking the Great Pyramids. Then, at last, enjoy one of the true highlights of the tour—getting up close and personal with the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Our guide will lead a tour of the area, including the Sphinx, the Solar Boat, and a ride on a camel.
      Enjoy some free time to soak up everlasting impressions of these world wonders.You might use your time to wander the site and poke your head into ongoing excavations, or climb into the burial chamber of one of the Great Pyramids if it is open (these activities optional). We return to our hotel in Cairo and the remainder of the day is free.     (Breakfast / Lunch)

Saturday, April 2, 2011
Tour Luxor & Karnak

Depart our hotel very early this morning bound for the airport and our flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, we head to the pier and board our cruise ship, taking lunch on board. In the afternoon, we tour the great temples of Luxor and Karnak, dating back thousands of years. We return to the ship for dinner before heading to the Temple of Karnak as night begins to fall to attend a spectacular Sound and Light Show. Overnight aboard ship.     (All Meals)

Sunday, April 3, 2011
Valley of Kings & Queens

After breakfast aboard our ship, travel to the West Bank to tour the Valley of Kings and Valley of Queens, where many of Egypt’s rulers were buried in ornate tombs. Tour the Deir El Bahari funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, then visit the Colossi of Memnon, huge twin statues each 75 feet high and hewn from a single piece of rock.
     Return to our cruise ship in the afternoon to begin cruising down the Nile. We pass through a lock at Esna, and as we wait our turn to enter the lock local merchants throng the sides of our ship on small boats selling their wares. Relax and enjoy the passing scene and all the amenities of our luxurious ship as we cruise along the Nile to Edfu. Lounge on the upper deck, splash in the pool, or enjoy an excellent massage or facial.     (All Meals)

NOTE:  The proposed itinerary, schedule and activities aboard our Nile cruise ship are subject to revision at the discretion of the Captain.

Monday, April 4, 2011
Edfu / Kom Ombo / Aswan

In Edfu, visit the Temple of Horus, built between 237BC and 57BC. It is the best-preserved temple complex in Egypt. The Court of Offerings has a colonnade of 32 pillars covered with bas-reliefs. Magnificent black falcons guard the entrance to the steps of the complex.
     Continue our cruise along the Nile to Kom Ombo where we visit the Sobek Temple, a unique temple from the Ptolemic period. Divided between two separate Egyptian deities, it honors the local crocodile god Sobeck and the falcon-headed sky god Horus. Continue cruising south along the Nile to Aswan.     (All Meals)

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Aswan

Visit the awesome High Aswan Dam, an ancient granite quarry with a huge, unfinished obelisk, and the Philae Temple. After lunch enjoy a view of Kitchener’s Island, the Botanical Gardens and the Agha Ghan Mausoleum aboard a romantic felucca boat.     (All Meals)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Aswan to Abu Simbel

After breakfast, disembark from the ship and transfer to the Aswan airport for our flight to Abu Simbel, 175 miles into the desert near the border with Sudan. Here we stand and marvel at one of the greatest feats of archeological preservation ever accomplished. When the lake created by the Aswan Dam threatened to submerge the Great Temples of Ramses and Nefertari, the Egyptians undertook a herculean project to move the temples, stone by stone, to higher ground.
     After relaxing at our hotel, we return to the Temples as the sun sets to marvel at Egypt’s most spectacular sound and light show. Very few tour groups actually spend the night in Abu Simbel, and this event is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your tour!     (All Meals)

Thursday, April 7, 2011
Return to Cairo

This morning our group travels to the Abu Simbel airport for our return flight to Cairo via Aswan (there are no non-stops available). The afternoon is at leisure to relax by the pool, do last-minute souvenir shopping, or visit some additional historic sites on your own.
     This evening Toto Tours hosts a very special Farewell Dinner aboard the elegant Nile Maxim Dinner Cruise and Show. We cruise around Cairo at night, enjoying the lights of this grand city sparkling in the reflections of the Nile while savoring wonderful food and watching Egyptian and International entertainment. The acts include professional belly dancers, whirling dervishes and more—all blending into a most festive conclusion to our exploration of “The River of the Pharaohs.”     (Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)

Friday, April 8, 2011
Departure

The tour ends officially after breakfast this morning. We provide a transfer to the airport for your return flight. You may schedule your flight to depart anytime today, returning you home by this evening.     (Breakfast)

OPTIONAL TOUR EXTENSION TO ALEXANDRIA

Click on the link above to read about an option to extend your trip to visit Alexandria.