WHY IT RATES: The Egyptian Odyssey itinerary is a great way to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamen's burial chamber.-Mia Taylor, TravelPulse Senior Writer.
February 16 marks the 95th anniversary since British archaeologist Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Egyptian King Tutankhamen in Thebes.
This year, Classic Escapes, a family-owned boutique travel company specializing in nature and cultural journeys, is offering four exclusive departures to Egypt through their Great Escapes program.
This competitively priced, 10-Day Egyptian Odyssey Through the Sands of Time, begins at $2,695* per person, double, and includes internal flights through Egypt, superior five-star accommodations; a four-night Nile cruise aboard a deluxe cruise ship with all meals included aboard; additional meals as specified on the itinerary; sightseeing in Egypt by deluxe, air-conditioned vehicles; all entrance fees and English-speaking Egyptologist guides. International airfare is not included.
The itinerary, which visits Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan, has four guaranteed departure dates: March 4-13, May 20-29, October 7-16 and November 4-13, 2018. Additional departure dates can be added upon request. Optional excursions and an extension into Jordan may be added for an additional fee.
Highlights of the Egyptian Odyssey include:
-Discover the world's richest collection of pharaonic treasure, including King Tutankhamen's at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo
-Visit the Sphinx and the ancient Pyramids of Giza
-Meander through Khan El Khalili Bazaar, with narrow alleys and hundreds of shops selling Egyptian handicrafts
-Tour the extraordinary Luxor Temple (site of many ancient festivals) and the Karnak Temple, the largest religious structure in the world once connected to Luxor Temple by a two-mile path lined with sphinxes
-Explore the ancient city of Thebes on Luxor's West Bank and the Valley of the Kings, where a 20th century Italian expedition uncovered about 80 tombs, many of which belonged to royalty, including King Tutankhamen
-Visit the Valley of the Queens and Nobles, including the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut
-Take a carriage ride to visit one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, the Horus Temple which honors the falcon-headed god
-Sail to Kom Ombo, home to an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods and dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder)
-Take a small boat to the island of Aglikia, where the complex at Philae is dedicated to the goddess Isis
-Tour the Aswan High Dam, one of Egypt's modern wonders, built to regulate the flood of the Nile and create a water reservoir (Lake Nasser) to prevent famine during severe droughts
-Sail by felucca (traditional sailboat) to Kitchener's Island with its beautiful gardens and mausoleum of the Agha Khan
For more information and to view the full itinerary, please visit: http://www.classicescapes.com/content/classic-escapes-presents-great-escape-egypt
*Price increases with optional add-ons, which can range from a half-day detour to Abu Simbel to visit the temple of Ramses II and his legendary wife Nefertari, to a five-day post-extension to Jordan.
For an example of pricing with some optional excursions and the Jordan extension included, please see Classic Escapes' Journey to Antiquity itinerary, which begins at $3,995 per person, double.
SOURCE: Classic Escapes press release
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