The Real Deal: Ten nights' accommodations, round-trip transfers, breakfast daily, four lunches and dinners, two nights aboard a felucca (a traditional wooden sailing boat), overnight train tickets for two journeys, the services of an Egyptologist and an English-speaking tour guide, and sightseeing tours by bus, 4x4 Jeep, and bike, for $1,650 per person — all taxes included.
When: March 28, April 4, 18, 25, May 9, 23, Sept. 12, 26, Oct. 10, 24, Nov. 7, 21, Dec. 5, 12, 2009; add $119 for June 6, 20, July 4, 18, Aug. 1, 15, 29.
The fine print: Airfare not included. Note that the tour operator suggests budgeting between $90 and $150 per person for entrance fees. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $469. Group size is usually 15 to 35 people. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: On The Go Tours, 866/377-6147, onthegotours.com.
Why it's a deal: The trip price breaks down to $118 per person per night. Consider that the Nile Valley to Siwa Oasis escorted tour takes care of numerous details for you — lodging, some meals, the services of a guide, airport transfers — all in one booking, so you can concentrate on seeing the sights.
Itinerary: Highlights With two full weeks, there's plenty to experience: the famous pyramids and Sphinx near Cairo; Aswan's Lake Nasser, the world's largest artificial lake; a boat trip to Agilika Island; a temple dedicated to a crocodile-headed god (a stop on the boat trip down the Nile River); the Valley of the Kings in 4,000-year-old Luxor; the Egyptian Museum; the Temple of the Oracle near Siwa (seen by bike); the Great Sand Sea near Siwa (by Jeep); the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, the National Museum, and the library in Alexandria; and lots of local markets and shops along the way. See On the Go's full itinerary and helpful map.
Lodging: The trip begins and ends in Cairo, where you'll stay at the Al Nabila or the Oasis. In Aswan, your base will be the Basma Hotel, and in Luxor, you'll stay at the Maritim Jolie Ville Luxor Island Resort, the Sonesta St. George, or the Steigenberger Nile Palace. In Siwa, you'll stay at the Siwa Safari Paradise, and in Alexandria, you'll stay at the Kaoud or Mecca hotels. Note that these are examples of hotels used; your hotels may be different depending on your departure dates. You'll spend two nights onboard a felucca as it sails down the Nile.
More: Add pre- or post-trip nights in Cairo for $69 per person. There are upgrades available for the overnight train rides; call for details.
Before you go: U.S. citizens will need a valid passport for travel. A visa is also required; you can get one at the Cairo airport for $15. Read more about Egypt on the U.S. State Department's travel fact sheet or Egypt's official tourism site.
