EGYPT: ALONG ANCIENT PATHWAYS
16 FEB-1 MAR, 2022
with Jeremy Woodhouse
(14 days/13 nights), maximum group size 8
Exploring Egypt is like visiting an open-air museum, alive and vibrant! Every day ancient treasures and new adventures unfold before your eyes! Our itinerary tours pyramids, tombs, sunrises and sunsets…from Cairo to Abu Simbel. You’ll experience the depths of the immortal Pharaonic, Muslim, Coptic, Christian, & Judean cultures that have influenced this eternal civilization along the Nile. Plus, you’ll meet and photograph the Egyptian people around the sights!
Itinerary
Day 1: Wed, 16 Feb, 2022 Thur—Cairo (3 Nights)
Arrive Cairo International Airport by 7pm Wed, 16 Feb. Group Transfer to hotel (for those arriving at appx same times). Check in hotel, Overnight Cairo (no meals)
O/N Hotel Sheraton (Cairo) Club rooms/Nile view
Day 2: Thu, 17 Feb, 2022—Cairo
Sunrise near the Pyramids You ride camels or walk to spot overlooking Pyramids. Sturdy shoes recommended. Photograph camels, handlers at sunrise. Return to hotel for breakfast. Sphinx and Giza Plateau –sightseeing/photographing. Late afternoon sunset.
O/N Hotel Sheraton (Cairo) Club rooms/Nile view view (B, D)
Day 3: Fri, 18 Feb, 2022—Cairo
Early Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Birqash Camel Market is Egypt's largest camel market, NW of Cairo, on the edge of the Western Desert. Souq al-Gamaal, has camels that have been driven across the shifting sands from Sudan, Somalia and Aswan. People from every social standard and also traders go there to make their purchases. A single Camel can be bought from $350-$500 (or more) at Birqash market. Camel market happens on Fridays before 12 noon prayer.
Return to Cairo, several hours break (relax)
Afternoon photography: areas like El-Moez Street (location starts from Bab Al-Futuh in the north to Bab Zuweila in the south. Its northern part extends from Al-Hakim mosque to the spice market in Al-Azhar Street whereas its southern part extends from the Ghuriya complex to the Bab Zuweila. Ghoreyia (Old Islamic Cairo) or Babs/Khan el-Khalili a famous bazaar and souk.
O/N Hotel Sheraton (Cairo) Club rooms/Nile view view (B, D)
Day 4 - Sat, 19 Feb, 2022—Bahariya Oasis (2 nights) (approx. 280 miles/4 hrs+)
Following breakfast pack/depart on private coach/bus for Bahariya Oasis and White Desert. Any un-needed items/suitcases can be stored at Cairo hotel until return.
Late Afternoon Check-in, free time until dinner.
O/N Bahariya (B, D)
Day 5: Sun, 20 Feb, 2022—Bahariya
Sunrise and other photographic opportunities. Explore the black desert, the sand dunes, the crystal mountain, and the white desert. The white rock formations that have been eroded by years of wind and sand, and make interesting subjects to photograph.
Overnight Bahariya (B, D)
Day 6 – Mon, 21 Feb, 2022—Cairo (1 Night)
Following early breakfast, 9 am return to Cairo, arriving approx. 1 pm. Arrive Cairo Check-in. Late afternoon visits: Muqattam, Coptic Rock Cut Church and Muqattam Zabbaleen Community Improvement Project/Garbage City. See the 2009 documentary film: Garbage Dreams https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1049415/
O/N Hotel Sheraton (Cairo) Club rooms/Nile view view (B, D)
Day 7, 8 & 9: Tue, Wed & Thu, 22, 23 & 24 Feb—Luxor (3 nights)
Following breakfast, we fly to Luxor.
While in Luxor: Photographing Valley of the Kings, Queens. Potential access to photograph special tombs (optional/add’l fee). Karnak/Luxor complexes, Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, West Bank/East Bank, Luxor markets, or around the town. (Early AM Hot Air Balloon ride over Luxor optional @ private basket, extra chg, approx. $250-300/pp.)
O/N Steigenberger Nile Palace or Sonesta Hotel, Luxor (B, D) (3 nights)
Day 10 & 11: Fri & Sat, 25 & 26 Feb, 2022—Aswan (2 nights)
Depart/drive to Aswan, with photographic stops (The Mirage) camels, scenery along the way.
While in Aswan, we’ll photograph: Nile Felucca, Temple of Philae, Street Market/Spice Market
O/N Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan (or similar), Aswan (2 nights)
Day 12: Sun, 27 Feb, 2022—Abu Simbel (1 night)
Travel to Abu Simbel by bus. Evening Sound and light show
Overnight Hotel Abu Seti, Abu Simbel (B, D)
Day 13: Mon, 28 Feb—Cairo (1 night)
Sunrise photo shoot at the Abu Simbel temples. After breakfast we will fly from Abu Simbel/to Cairo and transfer to hotel near Cairo international airport.
Departure Dinner
O/N LeMeridien, Cairo Airport
Day 14: Tue, 1 Mar—Transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight back home
NOTE: Early AM departure. Reserve your flight for 2:00 AM on or after 1 Mar, 2022
END OF TOUR
Average Weather in Egypt in February
In February, weather conditions in Egypt make it a good trip destination. The average temperatures you'll face in February would be between 12.4°C and 23.0°C, with exceptional possible peaks as low as 2°C and high as 37°C as observed in previous years.
FULL
$6,500
DEPOSIT: $1,000
SINGLE: $1,090
GROUP SIZE: 5-8
Please note
Tour specifics, such as sequence of itinerary, daily events, range of places we visit are approximate and always subject to change. These may be changed at any point in the itinerary as local schedules change, or the local guide or photo instructor and or escort deem(s) necessary.
Other information you should know about: This a highly active tour. Participants are expected to be able to walk, stand, stroll, and climb stairs over a variety of uneven surfaces for up to 4 hours or more at a time, often twice a day. As in most photography tours there will be early am shoots and late evening shoots. 2 meals a day will be provided. Breakfast and either lunch or dinner, depending on the itinerary of the day. Meals are not always at the usual times. Egyptians usually eat dinner after 9 pm. You may want to bring along snacks.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance (It is highly recommended that you purchase travel/tour cancellation insurance!) You must advise us of any special electronic medical equipment you are bringing, (i.e. Cpap/Sleep Apnea electronics). Certain medical devices may result in the necessity of a single room or special electrical supplements and services.
Tour Price Includes
- All taxes.
- English speaking Egyptian tour manager from day 1 to 14
- Accommodations in double room
- Meals during the trip as noted in the itinerary
- Ground transportation as needed from day 1 to day 14
- Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
- Mineral water will be served in the car
- Local guides as needed
- Services and assistance of local travel agency.
Tour Price Excludes
- Entry visa to Egypt which is approx $25US p/p (purchase at Cairo airport, before immigration).
- International airfares
- Optional tours: Private Group, Sphinx, hot air balloon ride in Luxor approx $650 p/p
- Tips for driver, assistant, country guide (suggestions will be provided)
- Any Alcoholic Beverages, sodas or drinks (and tips for such) not included in meals.
- Meals not covered and Extras not mentioned.
Paying by check
If you would like to pay your deposit and/or balance with a check, please make the check payable to: Pixelchrome, Inc and mail it to:
Paying by Wire Transfer
If you would like to pay by Wire Transfer please contact nicole@pixelchrome.com for bank account details.
Equipment Checklist
- Bring you own laptop computer and storage media
- Camera body(s)
- Lenses, 16-35mm, 24-70mm zoom and 70-200mm zoom or similar lenses are very good
- Light bag for easy hiking with camera bodies and accessories
- Cleaning kit for cameras and lenses
- Rain/dust covers for cameras and lenses
- Charger for batteries
- Spare batteries
- Spare Memory cards
- Memory card reader
- USB key to exchange images
Also good to have
- Tripod
- Good quality polarizing filter
Covid 19 Information
For the latest updates of the regulations for Entry into and Exit from Egypt, please go to the US Embassy in Egypt's website.
If you have had Covid 19
If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).