Egypt: Valley of the Nile
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RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 8+
NUMBER OF DAYS 10

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Make lifelong memories as you and your family step back in time and discover the amazing wonders of ancient Egypt. From mysterious mummies and majestic pyramids to secret-chambered tombs and splendid temples, this chapter of history holds an unparalleled fascination for kids and adults alike.  

A Thomson family favorite, our Egypt tour encompasses a wide variety of sights and activities balanced with three relaxing days at the beachfront resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. In bustling Cairo, among the vast collections of the Egyptian Museum, visit the Royal Mummy Room and behold the golden treasures of King Tutankhamen. Wander the jumbled maze of the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar and bargain for a keepsake treasure of your own. Ride a camel in the shadow of the Pyramids of Giza—and ponder how these timeless monuments were built. Swim and snorkel in the warm waters of the Red Sea, and join intrepid hikers for a daybreak climb to the top of Mt. Sinai.

On foot and by horse-drawn carriage you’ll explore Luxor and the fabled Valley of the Kings, sail the Nile aboard a traditional felucca, and enjoy a home-cooked dinner in the warm company of an Egyptian family. Kids will love the chance to meet and play with fellow school children, exchange letters, and perhaps make a pen pal for life.

2013 Dates
Dates 4 to 6
travelers 		2 or 3
travelers 		Internal Air
11/22 - 12/01 $4,890 $4,890 $400
12/21 - 12/30 $4,790 $4,990 $400
12/26 - 01/04 $4,790 $4,990 $400
2014 Dates
Dates 4 to 6
travelers 		2 or 3
travelers 		Internal Air Special Features
03/22 - 03/30 $4,290 $4,590 $400
04/12 - 04/20 $4,890 $5,190 $400 Easter week
06/21 - 06/29 $4,190 $4,490 $400
12/27 - 01/04 $4,890 $5,190 $400

Child Discount:$200 per child under 12

Teen Discount: $100 per child 12 - 17

Triple Discount: $500 for children under 12 sharing with 2 adults

Alumni Discount: if you are a returning Thomson guest, please subtract $500 per family from these prices

Please note: you will be charged based on the number of travelers booked at the time of your reservation. We will adjust your price based on the number of travelers booked on the trip at approximately 90 days prior to departure.

Price includes: All entrance fees, accommodations based on two to a room, land transportation, private bi-lingual guide throughout, area specialists, all meals except 3 dinners & 1 lunch, bottled water & snacks, Comprehensive Travel Insurance.

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Days 1-2 – Depart home / Arrive Cairo

Welcome to Egypt and 7,000 years of history! Ancient archaeological sites and breathtaking temples and monuments bring this fascinating civilization to life, while the traditional hospitality of its people will make you and your family feel warmly welcomed.

Days 3-4 – Cairo

Bustling Cairo is both Egypt’s capital city and its cultural heart. Back-dropped by the ancient Pyramids of Giza, this progressive city comfortably rubs shoulders with its past civilizations. As we explore multi-faceted Cairo, you’ll have the chance to experience the best of both worlds.

 

  • Explore ancient Memphis and Sakkhara
  • Enjoy dinner with a local family
  • Experience the Pyramids of Giza
  • Ride a camel
  • Visit a carpet school
  • Friends Across Borders Meeting (pen pals) 
  • Solar Boat Museum
  • Sphinx
  • Explore the Egyptian Museum
  • Fly to Sharm el-Sheikh
Days 5-6 – Sharm el-Sheikh

Situated at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and bordered both by desert and white sand beaches, Sharm el-Sheikh offers a relaxing (this is after all a vacation!), family-friendly atmosphere with activities sure to please everyone.

 

  • Snorkel, swim, relax
  • Day at leisure
  • Climb Mount Sinai for sunrise
  • Visit St. Catherine’s Monastery
Days 7-8 – Luxor

The former great city of Thebes, Luxor is home to Egypt’s best-preserved and largest temple complexes.

 

  • Fly to Luxor
  • Explore the Valley of the Kings
  • The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
  • Visit Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon
  • Discover the Temple of Luxor
  • The Temple of Karnak
  • Sail by felucca along the Nile
Day 9 – Cairo

We return to Cairo for our last full day in Egypt, taking a look at another side of this exciting, multi-faceted city.

 

  • The Citadel and Mosque of Muhammad Ali
  • Treasure-hunting at the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
  • Farewell lunch
  • A relaxing afternoon
Day 10 – Depart Cairo / Arrive home
Mena House

Mena House Hotel can be found on 40 acres of lush gardens. It is conveniently located within walking distance of both the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx, and is only about 20 minutes from Cairo's city center. The hotel, built in 1869, offers over 500 comfortable, air conditioned rooms, each featuring a stunning view of the pyramids. Other highlights include an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a jogging track, a fitness center, horseback or camel rides, and excellent restaurants.

Marriott Hotel Sharm el-Sheikh

The Marriott Sharm el-Sheik has a private beach on the Sinai Peninsula, along the shore of the Red Sea. The hotel offers 520 large, comfortable, air conditioned rooms, each featuring either a sea-front or mountain-side view. Other highlights include both a beach-side and a mountain-side pool, a diving center, a fitness center, water sports, a book store and a gift shop, great restaurants, and high-speed internet access.

Sheraton Luxor Resort

Located just two miles from Luxor’s city center and the Mummification Museum, and within five miles of the Luxor Museum and the Temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Sheraton Luxor Resort lies on along the majestic Nile amid eight acres of tropical gardens. The property, only eight miles from the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, features 281 comfortable rooms, outdoor heated pools, Jacuzzi, a sun deck, jogging track, and a marina available for sailing and felucca rides.

Conrad Cairo
Located in downtown Cairo, the Conrad Cairo offers over 600 spacious, comfortable rooms, each with a private balcony and an amazing view of the Nile. The hotel is conveniently close to the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and more. Guest rooms offer satellite TV, telephone, high-speed internet, mini bar, coffee maker and air conditioning. Other highlights of the hotel include heated outdoor swimming pools overlooking the Nile, health and fitness centers, sauna, business center, and several restaurants.

Please Note:Thomson Family Adventures will attempt to adhere to this itinerary and its hotels  as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or availability) may necessitate changes in the accommodations.

Why Egypt?

7,000 years of incredible history
Kids and adults alike are fascinated by Egypt, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Its rich 7,000 year history comes alive with museums, ancient historical sites, breathtaking temples, and monuments, and its warm and welcoming people.
See the sites of Cairo
The largest city in all of Africa, Cairo is home to the Pyramids of Giza and the mysterious Sphinx. At the Solar Boat Museum, view a royal barge built to carry the pharaoh's soul on its afterlife journey. And, at the world-renowned Egyptian Museum, wander in amazement through the Royal Mummy Room, home to the golden treasures of King Tutankhamen.
The Sphinx, Giza, Memphis and Sakkara
See for yourself one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—did you know it’s the only wonder still standing? As you ride a camel past the Great Pyramid, you’ll ponder how this enormous structure made of 2.5 million limestone blocks, each weighing 2.6 tons, could have been built 4,000 years ago! Nearby the Great Pyramid is the Sphinx, keeping quiet watch over the desert for almost 4,500 years. Memphis is the old capital of Egypt, and Sakkara is the ornate burial site for this 5,000-year-old city. You’ll see the oldest pyramid ever built, the step pyramid, at Sakkara.
Valley of the Kings & Valley of the Queens
More than 63 royal tombs—including King Tut’s—have been excavated in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. While many have been plundered through the ages, some still retain their exquisitely painted hieroglyphics.  At the nearby Valley of the Queens, witness the newly-discovered mummy of Egypt’s most-renowned female pharaoh, Queen Hatshepsut, as well as her remarkable mortuary temple.
Temples of Luxor and Karnak
Luxor, or Thebes as it was known in antiquity, is home to some of Egypt’s best-preserved temples—the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak. You’ll make a grand entrance as you ride into Luxor in a horse-drawn carriage! Karnak is the largest temple complex in all of Egypt—the 247-acre complex was built by generations of ancient builders over a 1300-year period. Imagine walking among towering carved columns in the Great Hall—a forest of stone.

Why Egypt with Thomson?

A charming change of pace in Sharm el-Sheikh
In-between visiting Cairo and Luxor, your family will take a break from the mummies and museums to spend two wonderful nights in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. Enjoy world-class snorkeling, beautiful white-sand beaches, and the unforgettable chance to climb to the top of Mount Sinai during your stay.
Climb Mt. Sinai; Visit St. Catherine’s Monastery
Talk about reliving history! The summit of this three-hour trip—by camel and on foot— up Mount Sinai takes you to the place where it is said Moses received the Ten Commandments. At the foot of Mount Sinai, you and your children will visit the lovely Byzantine St. Catherine’s Monastery, one of the oldest active monasteries in the world—pilgrims come from all over the world to see the still-thriving Burning Bush of Moses’ time.
Thomson’s Egypt—Not your Typical Nile cruise
Most tours include Nile cruises with highly regimented itineraries. We believe staying at hotels “on location” allows us to get off the beaten path, and gives your family the personal chance to experience the real Egypt. And while history is great (and we showcase the very best of it here), we know that kids need variety, so our family adventure offers more than mummies and museums! In between visits to see the pyramids and temples, you’ll fly to the Sinai Peninsula and spend two wonderful nights in Sharm el Sheik. Enjoy snorkeling, dinner with a Bedouin family or simply some relaxing “down time” at this gorgeous seaside resort town.
Friends Across Borders, in Cairo
As part of our Friends Across Borders program —a Thomson family favorite—we’ve arranged for a pen pal meeting this afternoon for the children who exchanged letters with a local student before leaving on their adventure. Through playing a game, or sharing in a mutual activity, the kids all enjoy the eye-opening, and truly rewarding, experience of making a new friend from a culture very different from their own.
Slideshow
Whirling Dervish
What Egypt travelers have to say
Camels
Sightsee on the Nile from a felucca