Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours has expanded its roster of cruise and land-based tours to Egypt and Jordan for the 2020-2021 season and have also added escorted tours to Israel and Oman.
Guests booking by December 31, 2019 have several options: free premium air on itineraries of 20 days and longer; free economy air for trips of 10-19 days; and $405 per person air credit for tours less than 10 days. Paying in full by Dec. 31 fares on 11 day and longer trips by $300 per person and $150 for eight-10 days.
New in 2020 is Scenic’s 12-day Wonders of the Nile itinerary, roundtrip out of Cairo. The trip begins in the historic city of Giza with a luxurious hotel stay. The Great Pyramids and the hustle and bustle of local markets, restaurants and daily life are within easy reach, and are explored during three days of land tours. Guests then board Sanctuary Sun Boat III and sail from Abu Simbel, home to the World Heritage-listed temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari, to Aswan, with highlights that include visits to temples and villages along the Nile, an optional hot air balloon flight and curated evening entertainment such as a Galabeyya party complete with Egyptian delicacies, music and dancing. Fares start at $7,995 per person, double.
Additional trips throughout Egypt include: the 12-day Treasures of the Nile and the 14-day Egypt In Depth, which also adds on a trip to the Red Sea.
For those wanting to explore both Egypt and neighboring Jordan, the 19-day Egypt and Jordan Experience combines the wonders of ancient Egypt with an in-depth exploration of Jordan, a country whose history spans more than 200,000 years. A selection of experiences include: a reenactment of the Roman chariot races; a private visit to the Royal Automobile Museum; and floating in the hypersaline waters of the Dead Sea. Fares start at $13,295 per person, double.
Guests on the river cruise portions sail on the Sanctuary Sun Boat III. Allowing up to 34 guests to enjoy an experience modeled on the era of the roaring 20s, the intimate ship offers spacious cabins with oversized picture windows and all the amenities found in high-end hotels. A swim in the Sun Deck pool can be followed by a snooze in one of the tented lounge chairs and then a dining experience in the ship’s Copper Tray restaurant.
Guests looking to book land-only escorted tours have a choice of options focusing on Israel, Oman and Jordan – or a combination of countries – with itineraries such as the eight-day Highlights of Israel; eight-day Oman Impressions or 15-day Kingdoms of Jordan and Oman. Whether it is exploring the Old City of Jerusalem including the Wailing (Western) Wall in Israel, traversing the sand dunes of Oman in a 4WD or guided tours of the World-Heritage city of Petra in Jordan, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Four-day land-extensions are also available – Israel tour takes in Jerusalem and the Blue Train tour connects guests with South Africa’s colonial past aboard this iconic train.
