Travel
to North Africa
With
Professor Robert Brier and Patricia Remler
The
Great Sand Sea of the western desert of Egypt is actually
part of the Sahara Desert. This arid expanse, running for
hundreds of miles west of the Nile to the border with Libya,
is dotted with five verdant spring-fed oases, Siwa, Dakhla,
Bahariya, Farafra, and Karga, and a sixth, the Fayoum, that
was created during the time of the pharaohs. These oases
rarely receive rain, but instead collect water from numerous
wells, some 400 feet deep, springing from the porous sandstone
lying beneath the desert sand.
Join
Professor Robert Brier and Art Historian, Patricia Remler,
on a memorable 18-day exploration of the oases of the western
desert of Egypt. Begin with a drive through unparalleled
desert beauty to the Mediterranean Sea with a stop at Deir
al-Surian Monastery, or the Monastery of the Syrians. We
then follow Alexander the Great’s path to Siwa Oasis,
where the oracles of Amon declared him the son of Zeus validating
his right to rule Egypt. Bahariya Oasis was a major trading
point on the route from Europe to Africa 2000 years ago,
and was the site where the renowned “Golden Mummies”
were found. At Kharga and Dakhla, view vibrantly colored
Roman and Christian tombs. And at Farafra, drive into the
desert to see the White Desert with its fantastic geologic
formations. We end with the Fayoum, the main place of worship
of the crocodile god, Sobek.
This
immense area of Egypt is ideally suited to those individuals
seeking both the beauty of the rugged wilderness and the
remote ruins of Egypt’s historical past.
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With
Professor Neal Sobania
Ethiopia, formerly called Abyssinia, is one of the oldest countries in the world. Perched atop Africa’s highest plateau, the country is protected by forbidding deserts and tropical lowlands. Despite its apparent mountainous isolation, Ethiopia has long been a crossroads for Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, and a site of dynamic interaction between people from throughout the world. It developed its own written language and has a sophisticated culture based upon a deep love of religion. In the highlands, Ethiopia's Orthodox Church predates the Vatican and is one of the oldest continuously Christian churches in the world. The lowlands are dominated by Islam with the very first Muslims who faced persecution in Mecca, being granted refuge in Ethiopia and establishing places of worship before Islam triumphed in its birthplace in the Arabian Peninsula. Ethiopia has a fascinating and rich history which includes legends claiming that the Axumite Kingdom dates back to when the Queen of Sheba ruled the land, and that Ethiopia’s first king, Menelik I, was the son of this queen and King Solomon of Israel.
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Forged
out of the North African coastline, Tunisia is a country
of tremendous variety. In the North are found lush
green mountains, lakes and rivers, and in the south, the
desert of the Sahara overwhelms with powerful scenery broken
only by sporadic oases. Tunisia's position beside
the narrow straits of Sicily has kept it constantly at the
center of the violent history of the Mediterranean.
For millennia, army after army has swept through this country,
always leaving fascinating evidence of their passing.
The Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Spanish, Turks,
and French have all stamped their imprint upon the country,
and we will see the visible remains of their passing.
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With
Professor Bob Brier and Patricia Remler
Herodotus
said it 2,500 years ago: "Egypt is the gift of the
Nile" - and what a gift it is - a narrow strip
of cultivatable land teased from barren expanse of desert
that is home of one of the greatest civilizations the world
has ever known. The Nile, from the Sudan to the Mediterranean,
was the life-blood of this remarkable culture that flourished
for over 3,000 years.
Egypt,
the oldest tourist destination in the world, attracted visitors
from much of the ancient world to view fabulous monuments
built to last for eternity. Travel with Far Horizons on
a 17-day journey to explore the mysteries of this ancient
land with one of the world's leading Egyptologists, Professor
Bob Brier. We start at the Giza Plateau, just outside of
Cairo, the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World, the Great Pyramid. When we walk this ancient site,
we investigate the secrets of the pyramids and how they
were built. As we pause to marvel at the Great Sphinx, we
learn of the ancient funerary practices of the Egyptians
and the importance of the Valley Temple. And in the important
city of Cairo, the monuments of the old Islamic part of
the city are the finest in the world - a maze of medieval
mosques and exotic bazaars. Old Cairo was a city of diversity
in culture and religion that we will experience when visiting
Jewish and Christian sites.
Thebes,
the ancient name for Luxor, was the City of a Thousand Gates,
so named for the monumental entrances to its temples. Karnak
Temple and Luxor Temple were connected in ancient times
by an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes and it was between these
two famed holy places that the festivals honoring Egypt's
many gods unfolded. While the temples on the east bank of
the Nile were dedicated to the gods, the west bank was reserved
for the tombs and mortuary temples of the pharaohs. Here
is where we see just how wealthy and powerful the kings
of ancient Egypt were. The mausoleums of the pharaohs, constructed
and decorated over their lifetimes, employed the finest
craftsmen then known.
Traveling
south we reach Aswan, Egypt's ancient southern border and
gateway to Nubia and Egypt's source of gold. As we cruise
picturesque Lake Nasr, created when the High Dam was built,
we step back in time, visiting Nubia's ancient temples set
in the desolate desert landscape. These remote sites are
only accessible by boat. Compared
to the more than 500 cruise ships plying the Lower Nile,
the 125-mile water route from Aswan to Abu Simbel is sparsely
traveled with just five vessels, and we cruise onboard the Eugénie, a delightful craft
decorated in turn-of-the-century style. Our
four-day cruise ends at Ramses the Great's fabled temple,
Abu Simbel, fronted by four colossal statues celebrating
his colossal ego. Then completing our circle, we fly back
to Cairo for our last two days in the shadow of the Great
Pyramid at the world-renowned Mena House Hotel.
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With
Professor Bob Brier and Patricia Remler
Travel the Nile on the smallest, slowest, and oldest watercraft available! The SS Karim, built in Britain in 1917 as a gift for King Fuad, was inherited by King Farouk and subsequently by presidents Nasser and Sadat. The SS Karim is the only boat still entitled to fly the royal flag and her cabin layout and public rooms remain unchanged. This Victorian vessel is powered only by her original steam engine and stern quarter-wheel paddles. With 15 comfortably furnished, air-conditioned cabins, stained glass, oak panels, library, an abundance of wicker deck furniture, a discreet brass bell to announce mealtimes, and gracious crew, all that is missing are Agatha and Hercule to complete this idyll on the Nile. Wave and gloat as the crowded, modern cruise ships speed by and the onlookers sigh with envy as we offer the Queen's wave -- our moment of celebrity.
A leisurely but never boring pace includes several special excursions. See the recently cleaned Roman frescoes at Luxor Temple which are closed to the public. Enjoy a private viewing of the Elephantine Island Project excavations. Explore the religious center of El Kab. Enjoy a private opening of Horemoheb's Tomb in the Valley of the Kings. And finally, acamel ride through the desert will lead us to the Monastery of Saint Simeon in Aswan and a glimpse into the lives of the "desert fathers."
Depending upon which date you choose, the trip either begins or ends in London's Bloomsbury district to see the Egyptian section of the British Museum and have a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. The Petrie Museum houses an estimated 80,000 objects, making it one of the greatest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology in the world.
Though you may have traveled the Nile before and even visited the same sites, as Jan Etherington of the Daily Telegraph said, "If, like me, you thought you'd 'been there, done that' in Egypt, you haven't seen anything until you've seen it from the SS Karim."
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With
Professor Bob Brier and Patricia Remler
Travel with Far Horizons on a 10-day journey to explore the highlights of this historic land with one of the world's leading Egyptologists. We begin just south of Cairo at the pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur and stop along the way for a glance at the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis where the now toppled colossal statue of Ramesses II humbles all those who stand near. Our explorations continue as we fly south to Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes, known as the City of a Thousand Gates for the monumental entrances to its temples. Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple were connected in antiquity by an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes and it was between these two famed holy places that the festivals honoring Egypt's many gods unfolded. While the temples on the east bank of the Nile were dedicated to the gods, the west bank was reserved for the tombs and mortuary temples of the pharaohs. Here is where we see just how wealthy and powerful the kings of ancient Egypt were. The mausoleums of the pharaohs, constructed and decorated over their lifetimes by the finest craftsmen then known, are filled with magnificent frescoes and carvings. Our return to Cairo will give us time to explore monuments of the Islamic section of the city - a maze streets containing medieval mosques, exquisite wooden mansions, and exotic bazaars. We conclude our adventure at the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Great Pyramid - located just outside of Cairo. A highlight will be the private entry into this pyramid to view for ourselves the intricacy of Khufu’s tomb. Finally, we will pause to marvel at the Great Sphinx and learn of the ancient funerary practices of the Egyptians and the importance of the Valley Temple.
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