Quality Holidays For Single Parent Families

Single Parent Holiday - Sample Itinerary

Please note this is only a sample itinerary. Flight numbers, stated times and other information in this itinerary are subject to change.

River Nile Cruise - Egypt

Egypt – Nile Cruise

 TRAVEL ITINERARY

Your Small Families Host for this holiday is Ricky

Your Small Families hosts, whilst not carers or childminders are friendly but unobtrusive.  They look after any travel arrangements, act as hosts at meal times and activities (where applicable), liaise with local agents/guides regarding any group excursions that may be included or requested and generally make sure that everything runs as it should. Your host will of course, also help resolve any problems you may have whilst on holiday.

 TRAVEL ADVICE

LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Your luggage allowance for this flight is 20kg per person (note: infants under 2 years do not have an allowance).  You may be charged by the airline for any excess luggage.  Please Note: A maximum weight restriction has been imposed of 32kg for any one piece of luggage; any piece of luggage in excess of 32kg will not be carried by the airline.  Excess baggage costs are high; we strongly recommend you stay within the weight limits.

HAND LUGGAGE (Important, please read)
Strict regulations were implemented regarding the size/weight of hand luggage allowed to be carried in the cabin. Only one piece of hand luggage per person allowed (excluding infants). The maximum weight is 5kg and maximum dimensions are: 22” (56cm) long, 18” (45cm) wide and 10” (25cm) deep. 

Regulations also apply on what can and cannot be carried in hand luggage and as these regulations and other security rulings can change at short notice, we recommend you visit www.baa.com prior to leaving home to obtain any updated security or baggage restrictions.

LUGGAGE LABELS
Please ensure that the enclosed Small Families luggage labels are clearly visible on each piece of luggage, especially your hand luggage, for easy recognition by Small Families staff and your fellow travellers. Remember that when you arrive at the airport, everyone displaying these labels are your companions for the week so please introduce yourselves.

AIRCRAFT SEATING
Occasionally a situation occurs where the aircraft seating process splits up family members, please inform check-in staff that you must be seated with your children and check your boarding cards at check-in to ensure that all your family members are seated together.  To avoid this risk, please try to arrive for check-in in plenty of time.

Check-In is at London Gatwick South Terminal and the airline recommend you do so no later than 3 hours before the published flight departure (allow for possible traffic delays). Please check the TV monitors to locate the check-in zone for your flight.

Your Small Families host will be travelling with you from London. In case of problems (on the day of travel only), please call the emergency mobile number _____________

MEETING POINT IN DEPARTURES
If you would like to meet up with your host and fellow travellers before boarding the aircraft, we suggest you meet in the seating area outside the Sunglass Hut approximately 1 hour before the flight departure time, (you can recognise them by looking out for the Small Families labels on hand luggage).

PASSPORTS
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid passport.  If you are travelling on a British or Irish passport they must be valid for at least 6 months after your return. Children, including babies, who are not already included on a valid 10 year passport, will need to hold their own passport to travel abroad.

VISAS FOR EGYPT
You will need a visa to enter Egypt, for which a fee of US$20 (approx. £10 / 100 Egyptian Pounds) will be charged. Requirements are one visa per passport regardless of the number of people listed on the passport.  If you wish, you can obtain your visa in advance in the UK, however, it is quick, easy (and probably cheaper) to obtain the visa at Luxor airport on arrival and our agent in Luxor will arrange this on your arrival.  

Egyptian Embassy, 21 Lowndes Street, London SW1X 9ET.   Open 9.30 – 12.30 Monday to Friday

www.visa4travel.com   Tel: 0207 336 0101

ARRIVAL IN LUXOR
On arrival into Luxor, our group will be met by our agents, ALO TRAVEL, who will escort you to the counter where you can purchase your entry visa.  After this is complete, you proceed through Immigration and then on to collect your luggage before boarding the coach for the approx. 25 mins transfer to the vessel. 

ARRIVAL AT VESSEL
The bus will take you directly to the quayside where you will board the vessel.  Once onboard, your cabin will be assigned and you will have a chance to freshen up before going straight into dinner. 

CURRENCY ONBOARD
The unit of currency is the Egyptian pound (LE) divided into 100 piasters (PT).  You can exchange money onboard; The MS Dolphin operates a cashless system, so all purchases are signed to your cabin and you then settle your account at the end of your cruise either by local, Euro, Sterling or US currencies, Visa or MasterCard credit cards.  Personal cheques are not accepted onboard.

SIGHTSEEING EXCURSIONS (Included)
A comprehensive sightseeing programme is included in your Nile cruise (excluding entry fee to Tutankhamen’s Tomb which is payable locally); There will be an English speaking guide accompanying you throughout the cruise who will give full details of the excursions. Please note: most of the tours will take place in the morning due to the rising daytime temperatures, the order in which the sightseeing programme will operate may be subject to change depending on local conditions, (brief details of the sightseeing programme is listed at the end of this itinerary).
 

ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS (bookable locally)

 

ABU SIMBEL TEMPLES
Many adventurers have been struck by the awe inspiring façade of the temples built by Rameses II around 3000 years ago with its giant colossal statues of the King sculpted from the mountain rock.

In the 1960s, to cater for modern requirements, the new High Dam was built in the Nile at Aswan which resulted in a build-up of water which threatened to engulf the monuments along its Nubian shores. In a dramatic race against time UNESCO began a US$40 million rescue operation in 1964, the like of which had never been seen before. In an incredible salvage operation these immense temples were dismantled and cut up into manageable-sized blocks, then painstakingly reconstructed 65m higher than the original site, away from the dangers of the encroaching water. Inside a specially constructed mountain, two gigantic reinforced concrete domes protect the rebuilt temples

There are two options available for the excursion to Abu Simbel. Prices per person:

a) Travel by coach (approx 2 hours each way) for morning visit of Temples - US$ 85 (approx. £43 / LE430)          

b) Travel by air for morning visit of Temples. – US$ 185 (approx. £93 / LE930)

CAIRO (Full day – by air)
Visit the famous pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, Explore the Cairo museum where the world’s most exquisite and extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts are kept including the gold laden tomb and burial mask of King Tutankhamun. – US$ 190 (approx. £95/LE950)

There are other optional excursions available that may also be booked and paid for locally, details will be available onboard.

LAST DAY
Return flights do not depart from Luxor until early evening, however, you will be able to remain onboard the ship and keep your cabin until 15.00. Lunch will also be provided.   Exact departure time for the airport today will be advised in the resort.

 GENERAL INFORMATION

SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES – Provided in each cabin

HAIR DRYERS – Provided in the cabin

TOWELS – Provided in the cabin

MINI FRIDGE (Not stocked) - Provided in cabin

POWER SUPPLY - 200v/50hz is standard.  A round two-pin adaptor will be needed.

TELEVISION – Provided in each cabin.

MASSAGE – Massage treatments are available onboard at additional cost, (full details onboard).

TELEPHONES
If you are planning on taking your mobile phone abroad to call home, call your network provider before you travel to ensure you have this facility activated.  For contract phones this tends not to be a problem but if you are on Pay As You Go, it is very common that you can’t receive or make calls and texts. Also, please note it can be very expensive to use a mobile phone from abroad because you are also charged for calls received.

SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY
Vessels usually moor quayside for two nights at Luxor and Aswan for convenience of excursions. Strict navigation controls apply to the Nile which means itineraries will vary subject to local conditions. Excursions will operate but in no specific pre-determined sequence.

SAFETY
Sensible flat soled shoes should be worn on land days as quaysides involve steep steps.  Caution must be demonstrated when boarding the vessel as gangways, although manned, need due consideration.

Young children must be supervised at all times particularly on deck and it should be noted there are no specific child facilities. Vessels often moor side-by-side which involves passing through other ships to embark and disembark.

LANGUAGE - Arabic is Egypt’s official language, but English and French are widely spoken.

RELIGION - Islam is the country's main religion. Coptic Christians (Egyptian Christians) make up most of the remaining population.

CLIMATE
Climate is determined by many factors, chief of which are location, terrain and atmospheric pressure and water surfaces. Basically, Egypt lies within the dry tropical region, except for the northern parts that lie within the warm moderate region, with a climate similar to the Mediterranean, characterised by hot dry summers and moderate winters with little rainfall.

CLOTHING (Important – please read)  Daytime temperatures can vary but in December will be around 25°C though night times can be cooler so it would be advisable to have a light cover if you fancy a stroll around the deck or just to counteract the air conditioning.  It is important to ensure you have cool and comfortable clothing and suitable headwear, a head scarf or hat (ideally with a brim) to protect from the sun.

A small telescopic brolly may also be very useful to protect against the sun, (the reflective type is even better). Sensible, cool and comfortable footwear should be worn when out and about as the sightseeing tours often involve considerable walking and sometimes over uneven terrain.

ABOUT EGYPT

Egypt enjoys a unique geographical location. It is an Arab-African country situated on the north-eastern corner of the African continent. It is also partly an Asian country, being linked to that continent by the Sinai Peninsula, which has always played a pivotal role in history as a crossing point between the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe. Due to its singular geographical situation, Egypt has always been a connecting link between the world’s continents. Although the country’s position was affected following the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope route, it later regained its vital role after the creation of the Suez Canal. Egypt lies between latitudes 22° and 32° and between longitudes 24° and 37° to the east of the Greenwich Meriden.

CAIRO
The capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt is a time-honoured city, with an outstanding position among world capitals. It has a population of approximately 17,000,000, ranking 21st among world cities in terms of population, and making it the largest in the Arab world and Africa.

LUXOR
Luxor was also called the “city of a hundred gates”. Just a little village during the Memphis era, it was the spot where the god of war Montu was worshipped. Its importance started to increase appreciably from the 10th dynasty onwards for both political and geographical reasons, until finally it became the capital of Egypt in the New kingdom. The god Amun, part of the triad, which also included Mut and Khonsu, was worshipped here with great pomp.

Every victory and triumph was celebrated by the construction of a new and grandiose temple in his honour. The Karnak Temple was extended and embellished during the reign of the most important Pharaohs over several centuries. Today, the passed wealth of the city can still be evidenced. Opposite of the temples at the east bank, which served for the reverenation of the gods, are placed the tombs of the valleys of the kings and queens, the tombs of the nobles and many mortuary temples on the west bank of the Nile.

TEMPLE OF LUXOR
The temple was dedicated to Amun-Ra, whose marriage to Mut was celebrated annually, when the sacred procession moved by boat from the temple of Karnak to the temple of Luxor, which was built by the two Pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramses II placed in the middle of the city overlooking the Nile. The temple axis was bent, in order to build a straight Sphinx-Avenue to the Karnak Temple.

TEMPLE OF KARNAK
This temple was not constructed after a single conception, but it was extended and widened over nearly two thousand years. Next to the god Amun it was also dedicated to other gods, like Ptah and Chonsu. The oldest parts of the temple are situated in the east and date from the 11th dynasty. The most truly astonishing feature is the unique

Immense hypostyle hall, 102 metres long and 53 metres wide, containing 134 sandstone columns, which are arranged into 16 rows on 5,400 square metres.

The temple enjoyed its income from a considerable number of estates all over the country. Worth seeing are also two obelisks, the sacred lake, the huge Scarabeus and the Sphinx Avenue connecting the Karnak Temple with the Luxor Temple.

TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO
In Kom Ombo, about 45 km north of Aswan on the east bank of the Nile, the impressive remains of a temple of somewhat unusual style can be found. In fact it is a double temple obtained by joining two temples along one side.

The right-hand part is the one consecrated to the god Sobek, while the left-handed part is dedicated to the god Haroeris. This temple was also built in the Graeco-Roman era.

THE TEMPLE OF EDFU
The centre of the city Edfu, 123km north of Aswan, houses one of the best preserved sandstone temples in Egypt. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, it was built during the Ptolemaic reign in 240 BC. The temple rivals those at Luxor in grandeur, containing a Nilometer, a court of offerings and a huge pylon at its entrance. On guard at the entrance to the temple, two beautiful black granite statues depicting Horus in the form of a falcon are to be admired.

HATSHEPSUT-TEMPLE (DEIR-EL-BAHARI)
Senmut, architect of Queen Hatshepsut, constructed a funerary temple, directly next to the 500 years older Temple of Montuhotep.  The great insight of her architect was the way, in which he exploited the rocks, to build a temple of

three terraces. The temple pointing out to the east consists of three ramps leading to the sanctuary. The beautiful reliefs depict expeditions into the mysterious territory of "Punt" in Africa and the birth scenes in the second terrace.

THE COLOSSIS OF MEMNON
The only remains of the temple of King Amenophis III, are the "Colossi of Memnon". These two gigantic statues, cut out of single blocks of sandstone, are 17.9 metres high and weigh over 700 tons. Originally they were placed at

the entrance of the greatest mortuary temple in Thebes, which unfortunately disappeared, since it was used as a quarry in the Ramesside period. The colossi received their name after the legend of Memnon, the son of the "dawn" in the Greek mythology.

VALLEY OF THE KINGS
The canyon was once called the "Gates of the Kings". It is a place of death, as once the great kings were buried there in great stone sarcophagi. Many well known tombs can be found in the Valley of the Kings and in the Valley of the Queens. But also tombs of the nobles and of the workers are of great importance. Note: some of the tombs could be closed at any time without prior notice for restoration work

ASWAN
Aswan is located about 850 km south of Cairo and is one of the most beautiful winter resorts in Egypt, because of its dry and mild climate. Although bustling activities dominate in the narrow alleys of Aswan, especially around the bazaar which is about 3km long, the city gleams with calmness and relaxation for visitors. Aswan with its estimated 150,000 inhabitants is also very important for the economy of the Country. The Aswan High Dam, with its length of about 4km and a height of 111 meters regulates irrigation demand and electricity for almost the whole country.

THE TEMPLE OF PHILAE
The Temple of Goddess Isis of Philae, built of sandstone, was dismantled after the construction of the Aswan High Dam between 1973-1981 and re-built on the island of Agilika. The temple is one of the best preserved Graeco-Roman temples, constructed between 250 BC and 111 AD.

THE UNFINISHED OBELISK
This huge unfinished obelisk measures 41 metres in length and would have weighed 1680 tons when finished. It is important, because it shows the techniques adopted by the ancient Egyptians in cutting out these obelisks of granite rock.
 

And finally – worth remembering…..

The Tourist Ten Commandments

 

1    Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou hast left them at home, for thou hast left home to find things different.

2    Thou shalt not take anything too seriously, for a carefree attitude is the basis for a fine holiday. 

3    Thou shalt not allow other tourists to get on thy nerves, for thou art paying good money to enjoy thyself. 

4    Remember to take only half the clothes thou thinkest thou needest and twice the money 

5    Know at all times where thy passport is, for a person without a passport is a person without a country. 

6    Remember that if we had been meant to stay in one place, we would have been created with roots. 

7    Thou shalt not worry, for he who worrieth hath no pleasure 

8    When in Egypt thou shalt be prepared to do somewhat as the locals. 

9    Thou shalt not judge the people of a country by one person who hath given thee grief. 

10   Remember, thou art a guest in other lands and he that treateth his host with respect, shall be honoured.

We would like to wish you a most enjoyable holiday on the Nile

* Note – All timings, costs, charges, exchange rates etc. were correct at the time of printing but are subject to change.