| On the Nile River of Egypt you
can undergo a kind of mystical transformation. This is the
land of Pharaonic dynasties, entombed for thousands of years in the
sands of the Sahara and in the stone of great temples. And as you
cruise the Nile your personal journey somehow entwines the journey of
the Nile itself. For 4,000 miles this most magnetic of all rivers travels northward to the sea from the heart of Africa. Depending on where and how you witness the Nile, it is commanding, tumultuous and glorious. From Lake Victoria in Uganda, nearly a half mile wide at its source, it pours almost immediately into wild cascades called the Bujagali and then later at Murchison Falls. From there in full strength it flows through jungle, plains, mountains and desert. For thousands of years it has nourished civilizations and sculpted the land. And at night, the river mirrors the infinity of the desert sky. In those unforgettable hours the Nile can seem almost incendiary, propelled by starlight. To the inquiring spirit, it seems to carry secrets that reach back more than 5,000 years. In central Africa it opens its banks to the, wildlife of hippos, crocs, herons and storks. And finally it culminates in Egypt, where two odysseys join, the river’s and the inquiring spirit of the traveler. If you harbor a spirit of that description, you have an invitation. Travel with us on the Nile in Egypt Nov.3-15. If you’ve been drawn to Egypt for much of your life but haven’t made the connection, this is the connection. Egypt is too grand to consign to coffee table books and the television documentaries. The place to experience the marvel of Egypt is Egypt: the Nile and the Sahara and in Cairo, at the Temple of Karnak, in the Valley of the Kings, the great market of Khan el Khalili, the Egyptian Museum, Luxor, Aswan and the Sphynx and pyramids of Giza. Since they first opened a geography book, most Americans have been curious about ancient Egypt. The pyramids, the desert, the tombs of the Pharaohs and, above all, the mystery of it. How with their bare hands could the Egyptians, so long ago, have built those massive temples, the intricately colored corridors to the crypts of their rulers? And when you’re there, it never disappoints. You are now peering into a time and civilization that has confounded humanity for centuries, and still does. One of the added inducements of this tour is Egypt in the fall, when airline rates fall to their off-season level and when the crowds have thinned. This means that Jim Klobuchar’s Adventures can offer Egypt from Nov. 3 to Nov.15 for the moderate price of $3,555 and these services:
The daily itinerary elsewhere in this newsletter will provide details of the trip, the sixth to Egypt organized by Jim Klobuchar’s Adventures since the 1990s. Travelers concerned about safety should know that two of the tours have been undertaken since 9/11. No incidents have occurred have during those or the previous trips. Relationships between our travelers and Egyptian citizens as well as marketers—who obviously welcome the business—have been always been amiable. An additional benefit for tour members from Minnesota and nearby is the availability of sizeable Word Perks mileage through Northwest-KLM Airlines, the Minnesota-based carrier which handles our flights to Cairo via Amsterdam. It should be noted that tour members who wish to fly independently using Northwest World Perks, or who wish to make extensions to the trip, can do so by contacting Suzanne Zapolski at Travel Beyond in Wayzata, MN., the agency that handles our bookings. The use of World Perks mileage bonuses substantially reduces the cost, although the price for those flying under the basic package is a modest one by international standards considering the quality of the accommodations, service and spectacle that are provided. A deposit of $500, payable by April 30, insures your registration. Please note the deposit deadline. The total price of $3,555 assumes double occupancy. For those preferring a partner but traveling singly, accommodations can be made. For those preferring to room singly, the supplement is $675. The timetable for additional payments will be provided by Travel Beyond, which will furnish periodic advisories to the registrants along with the standard terms and conditions, liability waivers and insurance options. Payment can be made either by check or credit card. The costs are based on 10 participants or more. The services include an English-speaking Egyptologist-guide, accommodations and meals per itinerary, tours and entrance fees per itinerary. They do not include visa, tips, meals not in the itinerary and beverages. If you have questions connected with travel details such as clothing to wear, money matters, daily routine and others, please feel free to contact the tour leader, Jim Klobuchar at 763-258-1371 or jim@jimklobuchar.com or Suzanne Zapolski of Travel Beyond at 952-475-2565 or 1-800-823-6063 or Suzanne@travelbeyond.com. Mail your checks with deposit form (or arrange for credit card payment) to Travel Beyond, 214 South Minnetonka Ave., Wayzata, Mn., 55391, Attn: Suzanne Zapolski. Checks should be made out to Travel Beyond. ------------------
Here is my (our) deposit of $500 per
person for the “Exploring the Nile’s Secrets”
with Jim Klobuchar’s Adventures Nov. 3-14. Name(s)___________________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________City__________________Zip____________________ Phones________________________________________Email_______________________________________ Egypt
Day by Day
Nov. 3-4. Depart USA on Northwest Flight 56. Arrive morning of Nov.4 Amsterdam. Transfer to NW8583 Amsterdam-Cairo. Nov. 5. Arrive early morning Cairo check into Oberoi Mena House. – Remainder of day free in Giza and surroundings. B. Nov.6. After breakfast, you’ll meet your tour host and guide before boarding a motor coach for the famed pyramids of Cheops, Cheohren, and Mycerinus, the Sphinx, Valley Temple and other monuments. You’ll also visit the step pyramids at Memphis.The tour is completed with a light-hearted camel ride into the Sahara near the pyramids. Overnight Oberoi Mena House Hotel. B,L Nov.7. Aswan (Option Abu Simbel). Transfer to the airport for your flight to Aswan in Upper (southern) Egypt. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel on Elephantine Island, a few minutes by ferry from the city of Aswan. Those who wish may take an optional trip to Abu Simbel. Or you can visit the new Nubian Museum and and ride a carriage along the Nile and through the spice and arts and crafts markets of Aswan. Overnight The Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie wrote “Death on the Nile.” B. Nov. 8. Nile Cruise--Aswan. Transfer to the pier to embark on a four-day Nile Cruise. After lunch on board you can cruise on a felucca, the traditional sailing craft of the Nile, for a voyage along the shores of lush Elephantine and Kitcheners Islands. Enjoy dinner and Nubian Folkloric show aboard the ship. Overnight Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser. B,L,D. Nov. 9. Nile Cruise. Aswan and Edfu.Your guide will take you on a tour of Aswan and environs that will include the Unfinished Obelisk, High Dam, the Temples of Philae, and the graceful Temple of Isis. The ship then sails north to Kom Ombo. After lunch, go ashore and stroll to the Kom Ombo Temple, dedicated to the mythical gods—Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. In the afternoon, the ship sails to Edfu. Captain’s welcome cocktail party. Dinner and Disco. Overnight Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser. B,L,D Nov.10. Nile Cruise. Edfu and Luxor.After breakfast, visit the temple at Edfu, the best preserved monument from Egypt’s ancient past. The ship then continues north to Luxor, passing through the Esna locks. Dinner and Galabeya party. Overnight cruise ship. B,L,D. Nov. 11. Nile Cruise-Luxor. Cross to the west bank of the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings with its magnificent tombs, some of which will be available for our viewing in all their decorative splendor. We’ll also visit the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Queens and Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Dinner and dance show on the cruise ship. B,L,D. Nov. 12. Luxor-Karnak. Your guide will take you to Karnak, a vast complex of temples, sanctuaries, shrines and the celebrated Sacred Lake. You will walk through mazes of pylons and obelisks, including the 134 columns of the Hypostyle Hall, once called the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World. At midday you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Luxor, the center of the Dynasties of the Upper Nile and a fascinating montage of tree-lined boulevards, lively shopping streets and open air marketing, the essence today’s Egypt in sound and sights You can visit the Luxor museum in the afternoon. Luxor Sheraton Hotel. B. Nov. 13. Luxor to Cairo. From Luxor you’ll fly to Cairo, an astonishing city of nearly 20 million people. After transferring to the Nile Hilton, you’ll lunch at the hotel and then drive to “The Citadel,” built by Saladin to protect Cairo from the Mongol invasion. You can also visit the Alabaster Mosque styled after the historical Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. You’ll have time to walk through parts of the immense shopping quarter of the Khan el Khalili and bargain with the shopkeepers. Overnight Nile Hilton. B. Nov. 14. Cairo. This is the day of the Cairo Egyptian Museum, which contains the most significant collection of Egyptian art in the world. Among the attractions are the burial furnishings from the tomb of King Tutankhamun and vast arrays of royal carriages, jewelry, armaments and statuary. Rest of the day free. Overnight Nile Hilton. B. Nov. 15. Depart Egypt./Arrive U.S.A. You’ll rise early for your predawn flight to Amsterdam on NW 8584 and from there back to the USA. It’s faster than camels, but you’re likely to remember the camels, the pyramids, Cairo, Karnak and above all the Nile for the rest of your life. |