Egypt Birding Tour combines 5,000 years of human history with birding and conservation. On tap are visits to important antiquity sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt plus a visit to the Sinai peninsula with its beautiful beaches, incredible undersea life and bountiful collection of bird life.

Cairo / Fayoum / Aswan / Luxor / Sinai
Fully Escorted
15 days/ 14 nights

GUARANTEED TO OPERATE weekly from October through April
No minimum number of travelers, maximum of 16 on each tour

Egypt occupies a significant strategic geographical position as a bridge between continents offering migratory species the perfect route for their annual flights from Europe and Asia.

A wide variety of Egyptian habitats ranging from high rugged mountains to desert and tropical style jungle along the Nile basin, give it a unique character plus the diversity needed to attract an extremely wide range of bird life.

There are over 430 species of birds found in Egypt with about 150 being resident. The others are annual visitors from Europe and Asia with the primary migrations south in the fall and the return in the spring months. This program operates during the anticipated peaks of these migrations to afford birders a vacation with the maximum chance to view and photograph the widest variety possible.

Imagine being able to combine 5,000 years of human history with birding and conservation. On tap are visits to important antiquity sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt plus a visit to the Sinai peninsula with its beautiful beaches, incredible undersea life and bountiful collection of bird life.

This tour is operated in conjunction with Conservation Outdoors Inc. A not-for-profit organization established to protect and study our fragile, global natural environment through education, ecotourism and scientific research aimed at shared solutions to a peaceful sustainable future with special attention to at-risk habitat and biota in developing countries.

The Program:

Day 01 (Saturday) Arrive Cairo, clear immigration and customs then staff will transfer you to the historic Mena House where you will enjoy a pyramid view garden room. Overnight Cairo

VISAS: All travelers to Egypt must have a visa. Citizens of most countries can obtain one on arrival. Please let us know what passport you are traveling with and we will confirm whether you can get your’s on arrival.

Day 02 (Sunday) After your international buffet breakfast, A full day touring the ancient capital of Memphis, Sakkarra with it's Stepped Pyramid, the earliest pyramid of all, the Seraphim (tomb of the bulls), and the Mastaba of Ti which features beautiful carvings of early Egyptian bird life, and Dahshur with it's "Bent" Pyramid, Black Pyramid and Red Pyramid plus the new Imhotep museum. Overnight Cairo (B)

Day 03 (Monday) Buffet breakfast then this morning we visit the Pyramids at Giza and the inscrutable Sphinx. In the afternoon it’s off to visit the Egyptian Museum and the Khan el Khalili bazaar. Overnight Cairo (B)

Day 04 (Tuesday) Buffet breakfast, check out. We drive to the oasis of El Fayoum. Located about one hours drive from the hotel this is one of the greatest oasis areas in Egypt and a major winter home for migratory species. Fayoum is where the Greeks and Romans had their wineries and grew the grain for the empire. It also was an important part of Pharaonic history including a famous canal thought to have been built by the Biblical Joseph. We will overnight at King Farouks former hunting lodge, where he hosted Churchill and Roosevelt in WWII. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight Fayoum (B,D)

Day 05 (Wednesday) Buffet breakfast, check out. Continue our tour of Fayoum then in the mid-afternoon return to Cairo and the comfort of the Fairmont Heliopolis hotel. Overnight Cairo (B)

Day 06 (Thursday) Staff transfers you to the airport, assists with checking in and you fly to Aswan on a morning flight. Arriving staff transfers you to the Iberotel Nile resort or the Movenpick Elephantine Island resort. Elephantine Island is the largest of the Aswan area islands, and is one of the most ancient sites in Egypt, with artifacts dating to pre-dynastic periods. It is also a good place to spend leisure time, wandering among the Nubian villages where the people are friendly and the houses are often very colorful. We will visit the Nubian Museum in the afternoon (or evening depending on the flight time) and the famous spice market. Overnight Aswan (B)

Day 07 (Friday) After breakfast enjoy a visit to the famous High dam, the Temple of Philae and the Pharaoh’s granite quarries. In the afternoon sail by Felucca (native sailboat) to Kitchener’s Island, a botanical garden that naturally attracts a number of species. Overnight Aswan (B)

Day 08 (Saturday) Breakfast, free time to enjoy the area or perhaps an optional tour to Abu Simbel to see the famous temples of Ramses. Overnight Aswan (B)

Day 09 (Sunday) Breakfast, check out, drive to Luxor with stops along the way to see the Temple of Two Gods at Kom Ombo and the temple of Horus at Edfu. Arrive Luxor early evening and enjoy the comfort of the Maritim King’s Island resort. Overnight Luxor (B)

Day 10 (Monday) This morning we depart early for the West Bank's Necropolis of Thebes where we will visit the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight Luxor (B)
Optional Tour of additional West bank sites: $95 per person (includes the Valley of the Queens, the tombs of the nobles and artisans, Medinet Habu, Ramessium, temple of Seti 1)

Day 11 (Tuesday) The temples of Luxor and Karnak are visited this morning plus the Karnak Museum. In the evening we fly to Sharm el Sheikh, located at the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula, you are now in Asia. Enjoy the comfort of the Renaissance hotel or Stella di Mare resort. Overnight Sharm (B)

Day 12 (Wednesday) Depart in the morning for the Sinai Mountains. Drive to the important Biblical site of Wadi Feiran. This area is an oasis of greenery in an otherwise hostile environment and as such attracts a wide variety of species ranging from songbirds to predators.

"...a journey through Feiran is to pass through an entire chapter of the Old Testament itself..."

Few places are as steeped in Biblical mystery as the great Wadi Feiran-the Sinai's largest wadi and one of it's most archeologically important stretches of terrain. It was here, according to locals, scholars, and legend, that Moses struck a rock with his staff, bringing forth a spring so his people could drink. Feiran is also the site of Rafadim, the fabled oasis where the Hebrews camped and battled the Amelecites. You will also be introduced to Bedouin culture, one that has not changed for many centuries. Enjoy a BBQ lunch Bedouin style. Ride a camel if you like. From Wadi Feiran we drive to Mt. Sinai where we overnight at a small hotel, St. Catherine's Plaza. Overnight Sinai (B,L,D)

Day 13 (Thursday) Today you can rise early, about 3AM, climb Mt. Sinai and watch the sunrise from the crest or sleep in and the view the mountain from the base. You will also visit St. Catherine's Monastery. Located at the foot of Mount Moses, St. Catherine's was constructed between 527 and 565. It is built around what is thought to be Moses' Burning Bush. It is a spectacular natural setting for priceless works of art.

St. Catherine's is also a formidable fortification, with granite walls 40 to 200 feet tall, surrounded by gardens and cypresses. From St. Catherine's you will visit the Rock of Inscriptions, where travelers have left graffiti and directions for thousands of years plus view Ein Kudra Oasis, traditional hazarot of the Children of Israel (Exodus). We continue our journey to the coast, have lunch at a wonderful restaurant right on the shore of the Gulf. On a clear day you can see Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Then it's back to Sharm el Sheikh and a flight to Cairo. Arriving staff transfers you to the Fairmont Heliopolis hotel. Overnight Cairo (B, L)

Day 14 (Friday) Visit Gabal el Asfar. This is the huge reclaiming area for the cities sanitation system. Since it's start in 1923 this area has grown into one of the richest birding sites in Egypt. Overnight Cairo (B)

Day 15 (Saturday) Staff will transfer you to the airport, assist with exit formalities and checking in for your international departure.

TOURS INCLUDE: OPERATES WITH NO MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM OF 16 TRAVELERS. Domestic flights in Egypt in coach (economy) class. All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle relating to the tour program starting with arrival to Cairo. Baggage handling of no more than 1 piece of luggage per person however baggage and personal effects are at the owner's risk at all time during the tour (baggage handling does NOT include tips for bellmen, porters, etc.). Hotels (based on double occupancy). Meals as outlined by B for breakfast, L for lunch and D for dinner. Fees for visiting antiquity sites and museums. Services of an English speaking licensed Egyptologist. Service charges and taxes.
NOTE: During any of our small group tours people may join or leave at various times, however at no time would any group be larger than 16 travelers. We can provide private tours with an additional supplement. The cost depends on the tour chosen.

NOT included are: INTERNATIONAL AIR, items of a personal nature such as tips (tipping guideline), entry visa (available at the airport on entry for USA citizens. Other nationalities should check with the nearest Egyptian consulate), phone calls, laundry, beverages, any items not specifically covered in the included items.

Birding Egypt Price	PP/Double	PP/Single
*October & April**	$3,495	$4,475
November thru March	$4,455	$5,435
Holidays (Christmas, New Year, Easter)	$5,345	$6,525

*October tours must end no later than October 30 to get this rate.

Round trip air from JFK starting at $966

Tours must be booked at least 45 days prior to arrival.
Prices and itinerary subject to change without notice.

Single Price is for Single occupancy hotel rooms and cruise cabins based on a minimum of two travelers. Single travelers (one person on the tour) would have additional cost.

FREQUENT TRAVELERS: You are welcome to arrange your own international air or we can assist if you are departing from the USA. Also if you are a member of any hotel chain frequent traveler program you are welcome to use your points for hotel rooms and the cost of the tour will be reduced accordingly OR if you want to accumulate points plus take advantage of membership hotel room upgrades let us know which program you want to use.

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