A Journey to the Land of the Pharaohs

13 days, $4200*
from Minneapolis

13 days, $3850*
from New York

Includes airfare, fuel surcharges, great hotels, transfers, meals, touring & more!

Hosted by Dr. Steven Derfler
January 6 - 18, 2009

Dr. Steven Derfler & group at the Temple of Ramses II

To travel to the land of Egypt is to feel profoundly touched by history. The glory and greatness, mystery and mystique that was once Egypt, beckons alluringly. Come and explore an ancient land of temples, tombs, and hieroglyphs as we visit a civilization shaped by the mighty Nile River.

Our Touring Program

Tuesday, January 6: USA/Egypt. Depart from Minneapolis or New York on the first leg of our overnight flight to Egypt via Egypt Air jet service.

Wednesday, January 7: Cairo. Arrival in Cairo, where we are warmly greeted by our guide, assisted through customs formalities, then escorted to our private touring coach and transferred to our Cairo hotel. Sofitel El Gezirah (D)

Thursday, January 8: Memphis, Sakkara, Giza. We drive along the Nile this morning to the ancient capital of Memphis. Though most of the city has been destroyed by time, the magnificent Alabaster Sphinx and the mammoth statue of Ramses II remain. We continue to the Necropolis of Sakkara, City of the Dead, where we view the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, Pyramid of Teti, Mastaba of Mereruka and the Wall of Cobras.

The Sphinx at Giza

We continue to Giza where we see the Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, the Solar Boat, and the mysterious Sphinx and Valley Temple. Continue to the railroad station in Cairo to board our overnight train to Aswan. Our accommodations are in private sleeping compartments, and dinner will be served on board. (B,L,D)

Friday, January 9: Aswan. After breakfast aboard the train, we'll begin our touring in Aswan. Our visits include the High Dam and the lotus-shaped monument to Soviet-Egyptian cooperation, where it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view of Lake Nasser. We continue to the unfinished obelisk. Fractured during cutting and abandoned, this work of art shows how these magnificent monuments were painstakingly hewn by hand and polished to a glassy smoothness. On to Philae Island, one of Egypt's most impressive sights before being flooded after the first Aswan Dam was built. The new site represents a complete restoration of the original. Take advantage of an optional camel ride to San Simeon Monastery and Qubbet el-Hawa Tombs, then transfer to our cruise ship for embarkation and dinner. MS Tulip (B,L,D)

Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel

Saturday, January 10: Abu Simbel/Edfu. Early morning flight to Abu Simbel of Ramses II, one of the most moving and thrilling sites in all of Egypt. Here at the limits of Upper Egypt, Ramses II built his temple in honor of Harmakhis, guardian of the Gates to the Nether World, Amon-Ra, Solar God, Ptah, God of Creativity, and Ramses II himself. After our tour, we'll fly back to Aswan and board our cruise ship and continue sailing to Edfu. (B,L,D)

Temple of Edfu

Sunday, January 11: Edfu/Luxor. After breakfast, we visit the Temple of Edfu, a Greek-built monument to Horus, the falcon-headed son of Osiris. It took about 200 years to complete this temple, which has helped fill in many gaps of knowledge about Pharaonic architecture that it imitates. Return to the ship for lunch aboard as we sail to Esna. Cross Esna Lock and sail to Luxor. (B,L,D)

Tomb of Tutankhamen

Monday, January 12: Luxor. This morning we explore the West Bank of the Nile including the Valley of Kings, where some 64 of Egypt's Pharaohs have their royal tombs hewn into the sheer rock, the Valley of the Queens, the impressive Deir El Bahari mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, an architectural wonder built against the backdrop of a looming cliff face, the Tombs of the Nobles, Medinet Habu, the great Funerary Temple of Ramses III, and the Colossi of Memnon, two huge seated statues of Amenhotep III. (B,L,D)

Sound & Light Show, Karnak

Tuesday, January 13: Luxor/Esna. This morning we visit the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Karnak is possibly one of the most overwhelming monuments of the Pharaonic legacy, with work carried out on the temples over a period of 1500 years. The Luxor Temple is strikingly graceful and was added to over the centuries by Tutankhamun, Ramses II and others. This afternoon we'll enjoy a change of pace as we take a carriage ride into the countryside and visit the Coptic Christian village of Ngaa el Syagh. We'll return to our ship to continue sailing to Esna. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, January 14: Edfu/Kom Ombo. This morning we'll sail to Edfu. After lunch, we'll visit Kom Ombo, where we'll explore the Tombs of El Kab and the Temple of Kom Ombo, unique in all of Egypt and shared by the two gods, Sobek and Haroeris. (B,L,D)

Elephantine Island, Aswan

Thursday, January 15: Aswan. Sail to Aswan this morning. Visits this afternoon by felucca include Elephantine Island, where we find the ruined Temple of Khnum, the work of many pharaohs down to the Ptolemies and even the Romans. We'll also view the Agha Khan Mausoleum and the botanical gardens of Kitchener Island. Enjoy our final night aboard our Nile cruise. (B, L, D)

Friday, January 16: Aswan/Cairo/Roda & Gezira Island. This morning, disembark from our cruise and transfer to the airport for the short flight to Cairo. Our touring in Cairo begins with a visit to Roda Island, which contains on its northern reaches the Manial Palace. On to Gezira Island with its parks and El-Borg, a 600-foot tower offering a marvelous view of Cairo and the Nile from its observation deck. Later we'll visit Sadat's Tomb. Overnight at our Cairo hotel. Sofitel El Gezirah. (B,L,D)

Saturday, January 17: Cairo. Today's visits include the Cairo Museum, regarded as one of the most prominent in the world, where we can view remarkable treasures dating back 5,000 years. Here we'll visit the priceless antiquities of King Tutankhamen's tomb and the intriguing Mummy Room.

Cairo Citadel

Our tour continues to the Coptic Quarter, centerpiece of Old Cairo, where we visit the Christian and Jewish Quarters of the Old City, the Abu Serqa Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Citadel of Mohamed Ali, built on the remains of a Crusader-style fortress dating from the time of Saladin, Sultan Hassan Mosque which was built from the alabaster cover stones of the Pyramids of Giza in 1369, and the fascinating Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. (B,L,D)

Sunday, January 18: Cairo/USA. Say a reluctant goodbye to Egypt as we transfer to the airport early this morning to board our return flight to the USA, arriving in Minneapolis or New York later this afternoon.

Destination FAQs

For quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about travel to Egypt, click here.

Journey to the Land of the Pharaohs Tour Prices

From Minneapolis:	$4200 (includes Tips, Visa Fees & Travel Insurance)
From New York:	$3850 (includes Tips, Visa Fees & Travel Insurance)
Single Occupancy:	add $760

Reservations

Please download the reservation application and fax or mail it to us, together with your $300 per person deposit. Fax to: 215-572-9803. Mail to P.O. Box 505, Jenkintown, PA 19046.

Reservation application PDF (requires free Acrobat Reader)

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Steven Derfler
Educational Resources
1691 Highland Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116
Tel: 651-592-3688
Fax: 651-690-2188

About your tour host, Dr. Steven L. Derfler

Dr. Steven Derfler

An international educational consultant, public speaker, archaeologist, historian, researcher, teacher and writer, Dr. Derfler has been uncovering the histories of ancient civilizations for over 30 years. Tracing the development of western religions from their roots in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean countries, Dr. Derfler brings insight to current political and social events, bridging the past with the future to promote greater understanding between people from different faiths and walks of life.

Dr. Derfler has been associated with institutions both in the Midwest and Israel. International institutions include Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology, the Israeli Antiquities Authority, and The Negev Museum of Beersheva. In addition, he has served as a scholar-in-residence at Oxford University, England.

In the Upper Midwest, he teaches as a professor at the University of Wisconsin River Falls. Other venues include The Dawn Schuman Institute of Jewish Learning in Chicago.

The educational tools created include both videos and CD ROMs, and are widely used throughout North America and the Middle East.

His commentaries can be found in such publications as the St. Paul Pioneer Press and The American Jewish World. His research has been published by the Israel Exploration Journal, Tel Aviv Journal of Archaeology, Hadashot Archaologiot, Atiqot, Middle East Review, The ARAM Journal of Oxford University, The University of Minnesota Press and the Edwin Mellen Press.

Dr. Derfler directs study tours to Egypt, Morocco, Greece and Turkey, and Israel/Jordan.