Cairo Stopover - 4 days

Enjoy a citystay with a difference in Cairo - Africa's largest capital city. A pulsating and lively metropolis, Cairo sits on the mighty River Nile and is also home to the oldest man-made tourist attractions, the pyramids and the lion-headed Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Explore Cairo's best loved sights, relax and unwind with our great 4 day break away.

Day 1: Cairo

Welcome to Egypt and the start of your citystay! Arrive Cairo, included transfer to your hotel and overnight. Overnight - Cairo

Day 2: Pyramids & the Egyptian Museum

Hello Cairo! Today, enjoy a guided visit to the famous pyramids and lion-headed Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction! Gaze in awe at Cheops (Khufu) - the largest of the three great pyramids. Constructed from over 2.5 million limestone blocks it is thought to have taken more than 20 years to construct. Whilst here, you can opt to enter inside one of the pyramids, subject to opening. Not built for the purpose of accommodating curious travellers, a visit inside one of the pyramids is hot, humid and not recommended for the claustrophobic! For a real Arabian experience, perhaps opt to hire a camel for a trot across the sands of Giza.

We later enjoy a guided visit at the Egyptian Museum. Prize exhibit has to be the priceless funerary treasures of King Tutankhamen, including his legendary solid gold death mask. Also during the visit you can choose to visit the Royal Mummy Room, where 9 royal mummies from the New Kingdom is displayed. Overnight - Cairo (B)

Day 3: Explore or relax

Free day to enjoy Cairo your way. Perhaps enjoy an optional Cairo city tour or a visit to the first pyramid ever built - Zhoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara. There are also plenty of cabs available from you hotel to take you into central Cairo. Perhaps check out the bargains at Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Overnight - Cairo (B)

Day 4: Cairo

Hotel check out and included onward transfer to airport. (B)

Upgrade your stay!

With our 5 star Pyramid City tour. Enjoy a luxury city stay in a city that never ceases to amaze. Sleeping by the foot of the Giza Pyramids in the deluxe 5 star Le Meridien Pyramids or Mena House Oberoi Hotel. A fabulous long weekend with a little sightseeing and a lot of relaxing.

FROM USD $499

Prices & Departure Dates

Prices shown are ‘per person’, based on a travelling party of 2 adults. The single supplement price needs to be added to the twin/double price if single rooms are required. If travelling solo, an additional ‘1-person’ supplement will apply

Prices are valid for stays in a standard double room year round (excluding 24 Dec - 02 Jan where a small supplement applies).

Price reductions are available when there are 4 or more persons travelling in your tour party, since fixed costs like transportation and guiding are shared across the group. Please enquire for more details.



Date	Price/Person	Single Supp.
Cairo Stopover - 4 days	USD $499	USD $199

Bolt-ons

Make the most of your time away! Listed below are the optional activities that are available on this trip. Please note that you will need to book these prior to travel as we cannot always guarantee availability of these activities once you are on holiday.

Tour Bolt-Ons - Alexandria Day Trip

USD $119

Quat Bay Fort in Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast

Carry on your Egyptian affair before or after your tour, with a day tour (with lunch) to amazing Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast. Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria boasts wonderful beaches and an impressive seafront corniche, along which are dotted cafes and restaurants, as well as catacombs, souks and relics from a bygone age.

Tour Bolt-Ons - El Alamein Day Trip

USD $119

The World War II cemeteries of El Alamein. In 1942 the Allies under Britain’s field Marshal Montgomery halted the German- Italian advance towards the River Nile. Marked as a major victory for the Allies, though not without loss of life, with some 11,000 killed and 60,000 wounded. We visit the Commonwealth cemetery and recently erected memorials funded by the Australian and New Zealand governments. Through the arches and beyond the gardens, 7,000 white headstones commemorate the Australian, New Zealand and British soldiers who fought and died here.

Experiences

If you are interesting in trips with similar experiences to this one, then check out some of the ones we've listed below.

Wonders of the World

Pyramids of Giza

Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the amazing pyramids at Giza are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction! Known as Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, the pyramids were already more than 2,000 years old when Herodotus the Greek historian visited them (5th century BC).

Highlights & Inclusions

Below is a list of key highlights and what is included on this tour. Further, where appropriate, we have listed the items that are not included in the tour price.

Trip Highlights

Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza Plateau, Necropolis of Saqqara
Egyptian Museum & King Tut's 9kg solid Golden Mask

Dahab - Red Sea coast and top Dahab dive sites

What's Included

Breakfast daily
Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 4
Guided sightseeing on day 2 conducted by an English speaking Egyptian tour guide, qualified in Egyptology

3 nights - 3 star hotel (based on twin/double basis)
Guided sightseeing of the Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza and the Egyptian Museum
All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles

What's Not Included

Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
Entrance Fees: $20-30 USD

Laundry, drinks, items of a personal nature

Postcards

Here's what some of our past travellers have written in to us and said about their experiences on this trip.

Hi Mark

James and I returned home on Sunday from our trip to Egypt.
Although I have been to Cairo and the Mena House 3 times before, I was still fairly nervous about taking my 7 year old son there on my own.

I needn't have worried. Big Mina met us at the airport, and took us to the hotel - he even checked us in.
Our guide, Ahmed, was fantastic. He managed to pitch the tour at James level perfectly.

For 1.5 days James was enthralled. So much so, at some point on the holiday I promised him we would go to the Valley of the Kings. He has not let me forget that!

I didn't get a chance to fill in Big Minas customer satisfaction survey at the airport - so can you please pass on my thanks, and let him know the whole trip was excellent.... thank you.

If you could also let me know if you do a trip for 3 or 4 days in Luxor followed by 7 days in the Red Sea.

We would need a guide for the Luxor sites, it would be for 2 adults and 2 children - a 5 and an 8 year old.

Thank you again Mark, we both had a wonderful trip

Clair

Clair Clarke, Mar 2010