Day	Itinerary	Night stop
1	Arrive in Cairo, visit Islamic Cairo and Khan al-Khalili bazaar.	Cairo
	You can arrive at any time in the morning of day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 1:00pm. If your flight arrives too late we recommend that you consider booking a night's accommodation prior to the trip so you can ensure you are able to attend this meeting. We will be collecting your local payment, insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting so please ensure you have all details on hand to provide to your leader. Your group leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information. If you are going to be late please inform the hotel reception. Your leader will leave details for you on your arrival on where and when to meet. Check-in time at our joining point hotel is after 2:00pm. Early check-in is not guaranteed, however if you arrive early, luggage storage is available. Speak to the hotel reception on arrival. Your leader will collect your local payment at the group meeting. Please bring USD notes/bills in large denominations. Torn or marked USD are not able to be exchanged in Egypt and therefore can not be accepted as part of the Local Payment. Please only bring new and clean bills. If you arrive early in Cairo, check the noticeboard for plenty of ideas on how to spend your time. Maybe take a walk along the Corniche, as most of Cairo's residents seem to do in the evening or take a sunset felucca ride for some very different views of the city. If the crowds and the noise of the city are too much, you can catch the metro and head out to the peace and quiet of the oldest part of Cairo, the Coptic Christian sector, to explore the narrow cobbled streets, churches and synagogues (all with free entry). The station you need to get to is Mar Girgis. The Direction the train is heading is Helwan. You are best to get on the metro at either Mubarak, Orabi, Nasser or Sadat to avoid having to change trains. For the return the direction is El Marg. The cost of the metro is minimal and the front carriages are reserved for women only. Following the meeting, we head out with your group leader on an orientation walk and a trip to Islamic Cairo. We immerse ourselves in the madness of this chaotic city, traversing busy streets before catching taxi's to check out the Khan al-Khalili bazaar, After our bazaar visit we will watch a traditional dance program by the famous Sufi dancers.
	Accommodation: Hotel/Guesthouse
	Included Meals: Please see summary
2	Full day in Cairo to visit the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum. Overnight train to Aswan.	Overnight train
	On day 2 we travel to Giza to visit the unsurpassed Pyramids and Sphinx. We will try and get away reasonably early for the experience, which is an obvious highlight of any trip to Egypt. The pyramids are on the outskirts of Cairo with the city on one side and the desert on the other. We will have a guide (many of our leaders are actually trained Egyptologists) to take us through the amazing history of the area as well as lots of time for photos and taking it all in. Our ticket also allows us to visit the Sphinx complex.  After the pyramids there will be a break for lunch and a chance to try some of the local specialities for those who are hungry. We then head back to the city centre to visit the Egyptian Museum. With thousands of exhibits, it's easy to lose yourself in the many corridors - but don't miss the Tutankhamun rooms, where the famous golden death mask of King Tut and his gilded sarcophagi are displayed. The afternoon is free to continue exploring the city. This evening, we catch a comfortable overnight sleeper train to Aswan. Please ensure you return to the hotel with plenty of time to spare. Your leader will designate a meeting time and we will travel out to Giza station by taxi or mini van to catch our overnight train. For your comfort the second night we stay on board the overnight sleeper train (approx. 13 hours) to Aswan. This is a very comfortable air conditioned, 2 berth cabin. All bedding is provided on board by the porter. The western style toilets are located down the corridor. In rare circumstances you may be paired with a group member of the opposite sex in your cabin dependant on the group configuration. On other occasions you might have the opportunity to share with a local person of the same sex, again determinant on the group configuration. This is a real opportunity to get to know a local person on a one to one basis and is often a highlight. Included dinner and breakfast are served on board. If you are a vegetarian you may want to purchase something extra beforehand to supplement your meal as only a single type of meal is served for dinner which includes meat.
	Accommodation: Overnight train
	Included Meals: Please see summary
3	Arrive in Aswan, lunch at a Nubian home and a camel ride to St Simeon's Monastery.	Aswan
	Superbly located on the banks of the Nile, the Nubian city of Aswan is Egypt's southern gateway to the rest of Africa.  We visit a village for a traditional Nubian lunch at a family home after which our host takes us on a boat tour of the local surrounds - which includes a fantastic camel ride over dramatic dune scenery to view the abandoned monastery of St Simeon.
	Accommodation: Hotel/Guesthouse
	Included Meals: Please see summary
4	Full day in Aswan or optional trip to Abu Simbel.	Aswan
	Abu Simbel is an optional activity because we know all our customers are different, with differing budgets and expectations as far as expense versus comfort. Please note this road to Abu Simbel can be dangerous due to the high speeds of other traffic and therefore Intrepid recommends flying to Abu Simbel. You can buy a seat on a shared bus to Abu Simbel or the majority of our groups with numbers sufficient to make it worthwhile will hire a whole bus for themselves. A 16 seater late model Toyota Hi Ace (or similar) costs 1200EGP for the whole van. With a full group of 12 this is an economical option. You can arrange this with the hotel on arrival in Aswan. The buses depart extremely early in the morning (approx. 3:00am) and travel in convoy to Abu Simbel.
	Accommodation: Hotel/Guesthouse
	Included Meals: Please see summary
5	Full day Felucca trip on the Nile, overnight on Felucca boat.	Felucca boat
	On day 5 we board feluccas to spend the day out on the river and then a night under the stars. Our Nubian sailing crew provides all the meals, which are hearty and delicious.  A felucca is a traditional wooden sail boat with broad canvas sails. The boat has a canopy that offers shade and protection from the elements, however there is no cabin or enclosed section. Please note that conditions are very basic during our felucca trip but if you are prepared to rough it a bit you are sure to have the adventure of a lifetime. We sleep outside, on the deck of the felucca on comfortable mattresses. While blankets are provided, you will need to bring a sleeping sheet, and a sleeping bag is necessary during the colder months (October to April) where it can get as cold as 3 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately there is no sleeping bag hire available. There are no toilets on our Nile felucca. While sailing, every so often our felucca will stop on the riverbank for a toilet stop. After the days sailing we set up a toilet tent on the riverbank close to where our felucca moors. Our felucca trip takes us from Aswan and stops at points of interest en-route and watching the sun setting across the Nile in the evening is a sight you will remember. This is the absolute highlight of the trip for many travellers. Please note that we may need to make slight alterations to our Nile itinerary throughout the year, depending on winds and currents.
	Accommodation: Felucca boat
	Included Meals: Please see summary
6	Travel to Luxor, visit to Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings.	Luxor
	Heading north we travel to the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes, now known as Luxor. From the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the extraordinary paintings and hieroglyphs in the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, this open-air museum is full of wonderfully preserved reminders of the pharaohs of Egypt. We take donkeys over to the west bank to visit some of the tombs. We also explore the magnificent Karnak Temple, perhaps the most impressive of all the ancient Pharaohs' monumental works.
	Accommodation: Hotel/Guesthouse
	Included Meals: Please see summary
7	Full day in Luxor, overnight train to Cairo.	Overnight train
	Further options in Luxor include visiting the Luxor Museum, the Luxor Temple or the Mummification Museum. You can hire a bicycle in the afternoon to ride out into the surrounding countryside or perhaps check out the Winter Palace, a lovely 5-star historical building with wonderful views over the Nile - a great place for a refreshing cocktail. In the evening of day 7, we catch an overnight seater train back to Cairo (approx. 8.5 hours). The seater train has a large, padded reclining chair for your comfort and a toilet down the corridor (Please note this is not a sleeper train and you will be sitting up all night. Remember to pack what ever items you might need for your comfort such as a blow up pillow). Bring some food that you can easily share as a sure fire way to make some great local friends on the journey.
	Accommodation: Overnight train
	Included Meals: Please see summary
8	Arrive in Cairo, tour ends today.	None
	Returning to Cairo early in the morning on our overnight train (at approx. 6:30am), there is time for a farewell breakfast and a chance to reflect on the wonders we have seen.  You are free to depart at any time on day 8, but please arrange for departing flights after midday in case of any travel delays on the overnight train. If you plan to linger a little longer in Cairo, baggage storage and transfers can be arranged through our hotel.
	Accommodation: None
	Included Meals: Please see summary

Accommodation

Guesthouses/hotels (4 nights), overnight sleeper train (1 night), overnight seated train (1night), felucca (1 night).

Transport

Overnight train, public and private bus, taxi, motor boat, felucca, camel, metro, donkey (seasonal).

Meals

3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinner.

Staff

Group leader, local guides.

Age Restriction

Minimum of 18 years unless accompanied by a legal guardian.

Optional Activities

All optional activities are entirely your choice and are not included in price of this trip. The following is not an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only.
Agricultural Museum (Cairo) - EGP20
Citadel (Cairo) - EGP40
Coptic Museum (Cairo) - EGP40
Dr. Ragab's Papyrus Institute (Cairo) - EGP4
Dr. Ragab's Pharaonic Village (Cairo) - EGP50
Egyptian Antiquities Museum (Cairo) - EGP50
Antiquities Museum Mummies Hall (Cairo) - EGP100
Gayer Anderson House (Cairo) - EGP30
Islamic Art Museum (Cairo) - EGP30
Mahmoud Khalil Museum (Cairo) - EGP25
National Museum of Egyptian Modern Art (Cairo) - EGP20
October War Panorama (Cairo) - EGP20
Sultan Hassan Mosque (Cairo) - EGP20
al-Refai Mosque (Cairo) - EGP20
Cairo Tower (Cairo) - EGP60
Manial Palace (Cairo) - EGP25
Bayt il-Suhaymy (Cairo) - EGP25
Hosh il-Basha (Cairo) - EGP15
Horse riding at the Pyramids(Cairo) - EGP60
Camel riding at the Pyramids (Cairo) - EGP90
Entering Pyramid of Khufu (Cairo) - EGP100
Entering Pyramid of Khafre (Cairo) - EGP25
Entering Pyramid of Menkaure (Cairo) - EGP40
Solar Boat Museum (Cairo) - EGP40
Sound and Light Show (Cairo) - EGP60
Abu Simbel bus transport (Aswan) - EGP85
Abu Simbel flight (Aswan) USD150
Abu Simbel Temple (Aswan)- EGP70
Philae Temple (Aswan) - EGP40 - not including boat
Philae Temple transport - EGP20
Boat to Philae - EGP10
Monastery of St. Simeon (Aswan) - EGP25
Nubian Museum (Aswan) - EGP40
Botanical Gardens (Aswan) - EGP5
High Dam (Aswan) - EGP10
Aswan Museum (Aswan) - EGP25
Philae Temple Sound and Light Show (Aswan) - EGP33
Tombs of Nobles (Aswan) - EGP20
Unfinished Obelisk (Aswan) - EGP25
Kalabsha Temple (Aswan) - EGP25
Temples of Karnak (Luxor) - EGP50
Karnak Open Air Museum (Luxor) - EGP40
Karnak Temple sound and light show (Luxor)- EGP55
Luxor Temple (Luxor)- EGP40
Luxor Museum (Luxor) - EGP55
Valley of the Kings tour - including donkey ride (Luxor) - EGP120-150
Valley of the Kings 3 Temple Entry inc:
*Ramses I (KV16)
*Ramses III (KV11)
*Ramses VII (KV1)
*Ramses IX (KV6)
*Seti II (KV15)
*Amenhotep II (KV35)
*Tausert/Sethnakhte (KV14)
*Merneptah (KV8)
*Tuthmosis III (KV34)
*Saptah (KV47) - EGP70
Hatshepsut Temple (Luxor) -EGP25
Medinat Habu (Luxor) - EGP20
Mummification Museum (Luxor) - EGP40
Hot Air Balloon (Luxor) - USD80
Bicycle hire (Luxor) - EGP10
Colossi of Memnon (Luxor) - Free
Ramessum (Luxor) - EGP25
Medinat Habu (Luxor) - EGP25/15 students
Deir el-Medina (Sennedjem, Inherkau, Temple) (Luxor) - EGP25/15 students
Deir el-Median Pashedu (Luxor) - EGP20
Temple of Seti I (Luxor) - EGP25
Merenptah Temple (Luxor) - EGP20
Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV54) (Luxor) - EGP80
Valley of the Queens- Titi, Amenherkhopshef, Kahemwaset (Luxor) - EGP25
Tombs of the Nobles (Luxor) - EGP12-25 each

What To Bring

Suitcases are not recommended. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags with wheels are acceptable, although we recommend your bag has carry straps as well, as you may be required to negotiate bus and railway station steps. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day walks and day trips.

You will be on the move a good deal, so pack as lightly as possible (try to stay under 10 kg /22lb). As you are expected to carry your own luggage this is in your interest, though distances are never great. It is also important that your bags can be locked as on trains and boats it may be necessary to store your luggage separately from the group. The smaller your bag the better as it's usually only the smaller bags that will fit into the storage areas. If your bag does not fit in these areas, then often the only place to put it is on your seat. So to get maximum comfort, pack small and light. Temperatures in Egypt are generally hot with little rain. This can become extreme towards and during the summer months of May to August. In the months of November to March it can be very cool at night, particularly next to the river or the ocean and out in the desert where night temperatures can drop to 5 degree Celsius or less. Even in the hot months, it can get cold in the desert at night. Egypt is an Islamic nation and is very conservative so you should dress accordingly. As a general guideline, shoulders and knees should be covered at all times. The wearing of shorts is not allowed away from the beach as it will restrict your entry into buildings of a religious nature and family homes. A light water and windproof jacket is useful and a hat essential. From mid November to late February a sleeping bag is essential for your night on the felucca. At other times a sleeping sheet will suffice.

Although bottled water is available, the sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments. Please avoid the purchase of bottled water by bringing a water purification method. Some of the options are:

Water purification tablets available from camping stores or pharmacies.

2% tincture of iodine available from pharmacies - used at 4 drops per litre of water and left for at least 20 minutes. Longer in very cold weather.

Personal water filters available from camping stores. (Bottles with filters built into the cap are lightweight and easy to use. Water is forced through the filter by squeezing the bottle as you drink.)

The following checklist is to be used as a guide only and is not intended to be a complete packing list. Any other items that you wish to pack are at your own discretion however you should attempt to comply with the suggested luggage weight limit.

Travel documents: passport, visa, travel insurance, air tickets and vouchers
Health requirements arranged.
Money: travellers cheques/cash/credit card and money pouch
First aid kit
Day pack to carry your personal needs during the day
Alarm clock
Torch/flashlight
Mosquito repellent
Warm clothes for the cooler nights
Ear plugs and eye covers can be useful for overnight sleeper trains and felucca
Tampons can be difficult to buy
Lock for your bag
Sleeping bag or sleeping sheet depending on season.
Small travel towel - for use on felucca, at Mt Sinai and for swimming
Refillable water bottle and water purification method.
Small pillow (inflatable type) for felucca and train and bus trips
Eye shades

Group Size

Min 1, Max 12

Other Information

While travelling with us you will experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Generally, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your group leader will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip.

Allow USD $120 for meals not included.

With the exception of our Comfort trips, our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers share with people of the same sex for the duration of the trip, in accommodation ranging from twin to multi-share. Please note some of our itineraries have accommodation booked on a mixed gender share basis - where applicable this will be specified in our Trip Notes. On our Comfort trips you have the choice of sharing or paying a single supplement. Please note that this only applies to accommodation during the tour. Pre- and post-trip accommodation will be booked on a single room basis. 

Travelling in Egypt:
Egypt is a country which may be very different to anything you have experienced before. Heat, pollution, poverty and the crowds can result in initial culture shock but should be seen as an exciting new challenge. During our time here we have come to love this wonderfully different country but we know that we should always expect to encounter some difficulties along the way. In Egypt there are very different attitudes to time keeping, public cleanliness, privacy and service. If you are able to travel with a lot of patience and a sense of humour, then we know that you - like all of us - will be captivated by Egypt.

Additional Accommodation:
If you have purchased pre or post trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

Arrival Transfers:
If you have pre-booked an arrival transfer you will be met on arrival at Cairo airport and transferred to our starting point hotel. Please advise flight arrival details (flight number and time) at least 14 days prior to departure.

Summer temperatures in Egypt:
In Egypt summer temperatures can reach approximately 50 degrees Celsius, which means that it can be quite uncomfortable for those not used to extreme heat.

Ramadan:
The important month long Ramadan festival will be in progress from 2 September to 28 September 2008. This is a festival of sacrifice where the devout refrain from eating or drinking during daylight hours. During Ramadan business hours are shortened, including opening hours at all popular tourist attractions. Alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours and many restaurants will be closed. While you definitely need to expect some delays and inconveniences during this period, the month of Ramadan is a fantastic month to travel in Muslim countries as it offers a chance to witness the nightly celebrations when the sun sets and the fast is broken.

Early check-in throughout the trip:
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, however this is not always possible which means we will not be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

Alterations to Itinerary:
Please note that while we operate successful trips in Egypt throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables. During the summer months (approximately June to August) transport to the Pyramids & Valley of the Kings will be by air-conditioned van rather than metro & donkeys respectively.

Accommodation:
The style of accommodation described in the day to day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions alternative arrangements may need to be arranged due to availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. 
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.