This is our first trip to Egypt, and we welcome any comments on this particular tour by those who have taken it.
After this tour we will be connecting with the Jordan Connection tour. Again, comments are welcome.
How can we find out how many are booked for these tours?
Thanks
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
Dear IM Traveller,
My sister and I did the Nile Safari and Jordan Connection in June 07-- you see a lot more on your Treasures of the Nile and if you have the 08/09 brochure on page 58 you will see the tour guide we had for our time on the Nile cruise.
Egypt's ancient sites are larger than life and very impressive. You and your fellow travellers will have to make sure that you take hand disinfectant as the money is very smelly and dirty -- almost everyone on our trip was sick through some stage in Egypt so just be cautious.
Take a camel ride in Aswan if you have the chance - well worth it as they actually let you ride rather than lead the camel -- goes out into the desert where you see a Nubian village, monastery and tomb of Aga Khan before dismounting and taking a boat to see the Tomb of the Kings across from where the M/V Melodie is moored and back to the boat.
The drive to Abu Simbel starts early and is long but the two temples there are impressive, however, if you saw Edfu, it is just as impressive. (drive in a caravan for safety -- tend to go as fast as the car, truck or bus will go and apparently with armed guards front and back although we really didn't see them).
Cruising on the Nile on the M/V Melodie is a great way to travel -- the staff is friendly and fun and the boat is just the right size to get to know your fellow travellers. The food is also very good. They have a dress up night of fun and frolicky if you like dress up.
You will thoroughly enjoy all that Egypt has to offer - pyramids, sphinx, temples, perhaps a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings, etc.
Jordan is right out of the Bible and full of religious sites, Christian, Jewish and Muslim -- you will notice it is a lot cleaner and wealthier than Eygpt -- just compare the taxi cabs and cars -- what a difference.
There are several highlights in Jordan (1) Wadi Rum having tea with the Bedouins; Petra -- the UNESCO sight is very large and after 1/2 day we hadn't seen only but half (the heat got to us so we had to return to the hotel; Jerash is a large well preserved Roman town that Jordanians are very proud off. In Jordan you also get some time at the Dead Sea to play in the water and mud. Take advantage and perhaps get some Dead Sea products (smell and work great but heavy to carry)
I would go back to Jordan again as I felt that portion of the trip wasn't quite long enough!
Found the whole trip a "wonder" not only with all the sites you see but animals are everywhere - donkeys, camels, goats - in the cities, towns and villages. Some good photos of a Mercedes car with a donkey cart going by on the street as well.
Enjoy your trip. There is a website that shows if the trip you want is full -- [url=http://www.nilemonitor.com]www.nilemonitor.com[/url] and fill in the number of people travelling, the date the tour commences and it will show if there is room for the number of people. Your travel agent maybe able to contact the IT Agent in your country to find out the number travelling.
Our trip varied from 12 to 10 people that were on the first lag of our trip and we then picked up another 2 people that were in Amman to join our trip starting in Aqaba.
No matter what the size of the group, with the IT maximum group size of 15 in most cases, you feel that you get individual attention of the tour guides and the tour director to answer any and all questions you may have. In both countries you are blessed with a local guide and your tour director.
Have a great trip!
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
Hi Traveller,
Thanks for taking the time to pass on such helpful information and comments about travelling in Egypt and Jordan. Sounds like your trip to these countries was delightful in many ways. Hope you have a chance to return to Jordan sometime in the future.
I checked out the availability webpage. Both of our tours are full. We think this is good and look forward to meeting new people on our travels.
Again...many thanks!!
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
Hi amwalker
My friend and I are on the Treasures of the Nile Valley tour as well and can't believe it is less than two months away!
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
Keri
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
[quote]Originally posted by amwalker:
[b] This is our first trip to Egypt, and we welcome any comments on this particular tour by those who have taken it.
After this tour we will be connecting with the Jordan Connection tour. Again, comments are welcome.
How can we find out how many are booked for these tours?
Thanks [/b][/quote]
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
Hi
My mother and I are also booked on this tour.
In 2006 my husband (and children) went on another Imaginative Traveller Tour. We had an absolutely fantastic time.
We loved it all. I wouldn't know where to start. It was all so good. I reinforce everything said previously, especially about having antiseptic gel hand wash. Most of our tour group was ill last time too. My doctor has prescribed me with antibiotic medicine for Travelers Stomach problems as a precaution.
Be prepared for the requests for Tips from arrival. Even in the Cairo airport toilets, you are given toilet paper and hand towel and are expected to tip for it.
La Shoukran (No Thankyou) are two very handy words to know. You'll use them alot!
Perhaps also look at some of the Travel Blogs on [url=http://www.travelpod.com]www.travelpod.com[/url] for more information.
On our prior tour, we found that we didn't have enough time at the Pyramids or Museum so this time I have booked a private tour of both with an Egyptologist so we can have a better look around.
The Imaginative Traveller website indicates that the max tour size is 15 and there are still 5 places vacant.
I look forward to meeting you (soon)
Sharon
Re: Treasures of the Nile Valley (March 9, 2008)
Hi,
There are 13 people booked on your tour and 2 spaces left available.
and there are 11 people booked on the Jordan Connection tour.
Hope this helps