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Behind the Veil - Experiencing Egypt
October 17-28, 2013  With tour leaders Wilmer Martin & George Saliib Egypt is home to Pharaohs and the pyramids. Life still ebbs and flows along the Nile–green fields dwarfed by the desert beyond. Alongside the ancient tombs is today’s Egypt, with its teeming markets, schools, workshops and farms. In sight of the ancient temples are both mosques and churches. Egypt is home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East. Come and experience the ancient sites of Egypt. Come and take a glimpse behind the tourist veil of Egypt and experience the marketplace–where Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is partnering with Egyptian development agencies in making a difference in people’s lives. Come and walk behind the tourist veil in Egypt and interact with Egyptian Christians–working to make a difference in their country. Wilmer Martin, president of TourMagination, who has previously led tours to Egypt, invites you to join him and see an Egypt that other tourists do not get to see. Click here to read past blogs about this tour.  The Nile River flowing through Cairo The tour departs on Thursday evening on an overnight departure from Philadelphia to Frankfurt. It will be early Friday morning when we arrive in Frankfurt, connecting on to Cairo, where we will arrive late Friday afternoon. We will lodge in Cairo for three nights.  Coptic cave church To begin our experience in Egypt, we will immediately go behind the tourist veil. This morning we will learn about the challenges of poverty in Cairo as we visit Garbage City with George Saliib and see a spectacular Coptic church in a cave. In the afternoon, we will visit St. Mark’s Church, the first Christian church in Egypt and Africa. We will also visit the Egyptian Museum, which houses a magnificent collection of pharaonic antiquities, especially the golden treasures of Tut Ankh Amun, and Coptic Cairo. Sunday, October 20 Sunday’s activities include visiting the great Pyramids of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world. Nearby is the Sphinx, a colossal lion with a pharaoh’s head. There will be much to see in this land of antiquity.
This morning, we will depart Cairo by air for Luxor, where we will begin our cruise on the Nile River. Today we will also see the great Luxor Temple and the magnificent Karnak Temple of Amun with its famous Hypostyle Hall and the 134 hugh columns, the Statue of Ramses II, the Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut and the Sacred Lake. We will sleep aboard the M/S Royal Lily Nile Cruise ship for four nights. Tuesday, October 22 Tuesday morning, we will visit West Bank (Thebes), where we will see some of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Nobles, Hatsheput’s Temple at Dier El Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. This evening, we will sail through the locks of Esna to Edfu. Wednesday, October 23 Today we will visit the Horus Temple of Edfu, one of the three beautiful temples of the Ptolemaic Period, and sail on to Kom Ombo, where we will visit the Sobek Temple, dedicated to two gods, which has beautiful murals and reliefs. Tonight we sail to Aswan.  Traveling to Elephantine Island Today’s schedule includes a visit to the High Dam, the Granite Quarries and the Philae Temple. In the afternoon, we will take an Egyptian felucca (small sailing vessel) to view Elephantine Island and the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener Island and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Overnight in Aswan. Friday, October 25 This morning we will disembark our cruise in Aswan. We will fly from Aswan to Cairo, where George Saliib will meet our group. Together, we will travel by coach to Alexandria. Saturday, October 26 This morning we will go "behind the veil" around Alexandria, where we will see MEDA's work. We will visit MEDA's working partner there who is helping young Egyptians through MEDA's YouthInvest program. You will hear more details on how the program works and you will meet clients who operate micro-businesses. We will travel by coach back to Cairo this afternoon.  Tour members in Egyptian clothing Today we will take time to relax, shop, visit a museum, walk, or golf before you head back home. We will gather this evening for our Farewell Dinner and to reflect on our time together in Egypt. You will also be interested in George Saliib's testimony as he shares with the group. Monday, October 28 It is time to say our goodbyes and return to our homes in North America. You will return with many memories, new understandings and new friendships. Hopefully, you will have gotten a glimpse behind the tourist veil in Egypt into the lives and work of the people who live there. For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We would be happy to be of assistance. |
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Phone: (519) 885-2522 Fax: (519) 885-0941 |
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Toll Free: 1-800-565-0451 Email: office@tourmagination.com |
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Toll Free: 1-800-565-0451 Fax: (519) 885-0941 |
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