TRIP DETAILS   9 days   Dates: February 27-March 6, 2011 Arrival: Cairo, Egypt by 4:00 pm on February 27   Airport Code: CAI/SSH   Departure: Sharm el Sheikh, anytime after 6pm on March 6, 2011   Price: $1950   Single: $475   Extras: $115 single/$130 double per room in Cairo; $90 single/$110 double per room for extra nights in Dahab.   Fitness Level:  moderate   Accommodations: Sleeper Train Sheherazade Hotel Nesima Resort Al Karm Ecolodge Talisman Hotel Meals: 6 breakfast, 5 lunches, 6 dinners   Includes: 7 nights accommodations All ground transportation including airport transfers Internal flight within Egypt Entrance fees to sites and museums Gratuities for day guides and drivers 2-4 hours of biking English speaking guide throughout tour An afternoon sail on the Nile on a traditional felucca Not included: international airfare, travel insurance, trip leader gratuities, personal expenses, alcoholic beverages, laundry, items of a personal nature

Egypt - The Adventure Tour February 27-March 6, 2011 On OutWest Global Adventures’ “Egypt Adventure Tour,” you’ll discover both the classic sites and lesser- known Egyptian spots. In Cairo, you’ll hike around pyramids and marvel at these amazing structures built by an ancient civilization. You’ll overnight on the train to Luxor. Near the Valley of the Kings, you’ll bike through traditional villages. On the Nile relax on a felucca - the traditional lateen-rigged sailboat. Then it’s on to the Sinai Peninsula where you’ll climb Mount Sinai and chill out at a seaside resort. This trip is perfect for those who want an active vacation and desire true adventure off-the-beaten-path.   Highlights: Marvel at the famous Pyramids Overnight train to Luxor Ride a balloon over Luxor at sunrise Recreate at the seaside resort of Dahab Climb Mount Sinai   Eric Monkaba Born and raised in the United States, Eric always knew that there was something missing, so he began traveling. And, he hasn't stopped exploring North Africa and the Middle East since.

FULL ITINERARY:

Cairo doesn’t just appear on the map as the meeting point of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East; it truly is a sprawling metropolis where cultures come together. On the streets you’ll experience huge contrasts, as the mega-rich walk next to the extremely poor and ancient archeology melds into modern architecture.
Accommodations: Talisman Hotel

DAY TWO.   FULL DAY TOUR OF PYRAMIDS, SPHINX, AND THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM.  No trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the Pyramids at Giza – the last surviving ancient wonder of the world. This morning, our Egyptologist will guide us through the Pyramid and Sphinx complexes, expounding on the significance of these monuments, then and now. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, we will visit the Egyptian Museum, home of King Tutankhamun’s treasures.

This evening, we will board an overnight Sleeper Train to the ancient city of Thebes, now known as Luxor.
Accommodations: Sleeper Train

DAY THREE.   LUXOR.  Upon arrival in Luxor, you will be transferred to Karnak Temple, the largest ancient religious site in the world. The precinct of Amun-Re is the only area open to visitors, but features the outstanding majority of ancient relics. This complex was built upon by over thirty different pharaohs, starting from 1600BC, making it one of the most special sites in Egypt. After, we will visit the carefully curated Luxor Museum, featuring only the best of Luxor’s antiquities.We will enjoy lunch near the museum, before being transferred to the laid-back West Bank and checking into our hotel for a relaxing afternoon.

DAY FOUR.   BALLOON OVER LUXOR, HIKE FROM THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS, BIKE RIDE, AND FLY TO THE SINAI.  We will start the morning with an optional sunrise balloon excursion over Luxor, followed by a guided visit of the Valley of the Kings, home of 63 magnificent tombs of the pharaohs. We’ll be able to go inside several of them.

From the Valley of the Kings, we will hike over the mountain that separates the canyon from the more fertile banks of the Nile. This 60-90 minute hike affords us a birds-eye view of the Nile Valley and a glimpse into Hatchepsut’s Temple from above. We will end at Deir al Medina, the Worker’s Tombs, featuring the colorful burial places of those who built the Valley of the Kings. Our bicycles will be waiting for us at Deir al Medina and we will ride for 30-60 minutes through the countryside back to our hotel.

This evening, we will board our flight to Sharm el Sheikh. An hour’s drive from the airport brings us to the burgeoning backpacker’s haven of Dahab on the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
Accommodations: Nesima Resort

DAY FIVE.   THE LAID-BACK SEASIDE RESORT OF DAHAB.  Today is a free day in Dahab, a coastal village surrounded by rugged mountains. The boardwalk along the ocean is lined with bars, restaurants, and shops. The vibe is relaxed with travelers from around the world who come to Dahab to relax, swim in the sea, scuba dive, enjoy nightlife, and recreate. Optional activities include snorkeling, sunbathing, kite surfing, windsurfing, horseback riding, 4X4 expeditions, camel treks, or diving.
Accommodations: Nesima Resort

DAY SIX.   CLIMBING MOUNT SINAI.  In the morning we will set out on a two-hour drive to the St. Katherine Protectorate, a delicate, high-altitude desert ecosystem. Upon arrival, we will visit St. Katherine’s Monastery, a beautiful medieval fortified monastery and allegedly the site of the ‘burning bush’. We will then be taken through the Visitor’s center, which will give us a background on the history, ecology, and significance of the region. Following that, we will be treated to a local lunch before beginning our afternoon ascent of Mt. Sinai. The summit is famous for being the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments. After enjoying sunset at the mountains summit, we will descend about 30 minutes to Farsh Elias, a rustic camping area managed by the local Bedouins. We will dine on a traditional meal prepared over the campfire and sleep in classic goat hair tents.

DAY SEVEN.   HIKE OR JEEP TO THE ECOLODGE.  This morning, you have the opportunity to climb the stairs to Mt. Sinai’s peak again to admire the sunrise. After breakfast, we will descend the mountain via the 3,000 “steps of repentance.” We then return to St. Katherine town for an early lunch. From there, you have the option of embarking on a 3-4 hour trek through the stunning valleys to the Al Karm Ecolodge, our accommodation for the evening. For those not up for more hiking, you can take a one hour jeep ride to the lodge in late afternoon.

The Al Karm Ecolodge is situated in the beautiful surroundings of Wadi Gharaba near Sheikh Awaad, the traditional route to the Monastery of St. Katherine. The ecolodge focuses on the principles of simplicity and minimal environmental impact, as there is no electricity, but it has solar-heated showers, sanitary compost toilets, and a modest kitchen with dining facilities. As Sinai usually benefits from clear skies, you may be treated to an astronomy lesson. With a high-powered telescope, you may be taken on a tour of the sky!
Accommodations: Al Karm Ecolodge

DAY EIGHT.   FAREWELL.  We will depart the ecolodge after breakfast and take vehicles back to Dahab. You can add-on extra nights in Dahab or fly out that afternoon. We will arrange transfers to teh Sharm el Sheikh airport. Farewell!
Accommodations: Nesima Resort