Egypt — Egypt & The Middle East — Explore Worldwide 2010/11 online holiday brochure

THE NILE BY RIVERBOAT Our Nile riverboat, M/S Doma combines the style and comfort you would normally associate with a large cruise ship, with the relaxed and intimate atmosphere of a smaller vessel. Chartered year-round for the exclusive use of Explore and with 14 fully refurbished passenger cabins, life on board M/S Doma is easy-going and informal: the perfect base from which to explore the sites of the Nile. About M/S Doma Laid out over three decks, the boat is fitted out to a high standard throughout. All cabins have recently been enlarged and are fully air-conditioned, with private en-suite showers, washbasins and WCs, plus large picture windows. On the Middle Deck are a spacious dining area, bar and lounge � also fully airconditioned � and from the Upper Deck there are fine, uninterrupted views across the Nile. All meals are included whilst aboard the riverboat, prepared by our cooks and served either in the dining room � or al fresco on deck. Typically we serve `continental' breakfasts, light lunches and Egyptian-style three-course dinners. On rare occasions, the Doma may not be available and in these circumstances Explore reserve the right to use alternative larger vessels of the same or better standard, that may not be exclusive to our group. EGYPT & MIDDLE EAST M/S Doma Ballooning over Luxor Cooling off, M/S Doma BALLOONING From Luxor you can take an extraordinary ballooning flight as an optional excursion over the ancient Theban remains on the West Bank � perhaps the richest concentration of archaeological sites anywhere. This is an experience to savour for a lifetime! The balloons are flown by fully trained and qualified pilots with much experience of the microclimate around Luxor, which is widely recognised as one of the finest ballooning sites anywhere in the world. See individual tour dossiers for further details. EGYPT Onboard M/S Doma Nile felucca at Kom Ombo THE TRADITIONAL FELUCCA There's no better way to appreciate the easy pace of life on the Nile than to join a felucca sailtrek. The felucca has been the most popular vessel on the Nile for centuries and is still widely used today. About 11m long and rigged with a tall lateen or triangular sail, it has no motor and relies only on the steady north wind. We use up to three feluccas for our leisurely sailtrek from Aswan down river towards Luxor. Relaxed Pace of Life The relaxed pace and outdoor nature of our journey mean that no fixed stops are possible � these depend largely on the elements. A canvas canopy acts as a sunshade during the day and keeps the dew off at night, when we sleep on deck on mattresses. Food is bought at village markets along the way and cooked on board by our crew, Egyptian style. Our luggage is stored below deck. A Typical Day We enjoy the easy rhythm of life on the river, occasionally stopping to walk through fields and villages, or visit one of the ancient sites. At lunchtime we may furl the sails and raft the feluccas together, to enjoy a buffet style meal while drifting down the river. Often a brisk north wind picks up in the afternoon and we make steady progress; sometimes the wind drops and we moor up for a leisurely swim stop. We aim to find an overnight mooring before dusk, usually at one of the mid-river islands, before settling down for a three course dinner. A relaxed evening around the camp fire follows, when our Nubian crew will often bring out their drums to sing and dance under a star filled sky. FOR DETAILS, PRICES & MORE, SEE Rock cut temple of Abu Simbel EXCURSIONS TO ABU SIMBEL We allow time on our trips visiting Aswan for those who wish to take an optional excursion to the rock cut temples of Abu Simbel by road or by air (subject to space). The temples were moved to their present position when the Aswan High Dam was built, to preserve these breathtaking wonders of the ancient world from being flooded. explore.co.uk 77 All aboard!/Ashley Toft

Egypt & The Middle East (25 pages)… Egypt