Details and prices on our optional visits to the pyramids and sphinx in Cairo, the West and East Banks of Luxor, the desserts of Wadi Rum and the stunning Petra, to name a few.
Red Sea Excursions
SuezCairo - CITADEL EXCURSION - (full day with lunch) - £65 approx
From Suez, you travel on the well-built motorway to Egypt’s capital, the largest city in Africa. You visit the famous Egyptian Museum, packed with artefacts from all dynasties, including the treasures of Tutankhamun. You also visit the Citadel, Cairo’s mighty fortress, with its alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali, as well as the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Islamic Cairo. You finish this fascinating excursion with a visit to the colourful and bustling 'Khan-el-Khalili' bazaar.
Cairo - MEMPHIS EXCURSION - (full day with lunch) - £65 approx
Travel by road to Cairo and visit Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt, with its enormous statue of Ramses II, before continuing to mankind’s oldest stone building - the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser at Sakkara. In the afternoon you visit the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza before travelling back to Suez.
Cairo - CLASSIC EXCURSION -(full day with lunch) - £65 approx
On this excursion you visit the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids and Sphinx and the 'Khan-el-Khalili' bazaar.
Snorkelling Trip (half day) - £33 approx
A visit to the Marine National Park of Ras Mohamed at the southern tip of Sinai is a must. Discover the undersea world of stunning coral reefs and amazingly colourful tropical fish. (Snorkelling equipment is included - mask and fins).
Coloured Canyon (full day with lunch) - £42 approx
You travel north along the East coast of the Sinai Peninsula. The steep, barren mountain landscape is broken here and there by small oases, where Bedouin nomads have settled. The Coloured Canyon, some 175km from Sharm el Sheikh, is a magnificent natural phenomenon in the Nuweiba Mountains. With unbelievable power, fast flowing rivers have carved a valley in the sandstone, which in colour and spectacle strongly resembles the facades of Petra.
Monastery of St Catherine (full day with lunch) - £42 approx
From Sharm-el-Sheikh you travel into the magnificent Sinai Peninsula, dominated by steep mountains which rise to 2,600m. Here, some 240km away, in the quiet mountain solitude you visit the Monastery of St Catherine, one of the oldest monasteries in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in the 6th Century by the Roman Emperor Justinian, on the 'site of the burning bush'. Here, a group of mainly Greek monks eke out their existence in complete seclusion.
Petra (full day with lunch) - £99 approx
You travel by bus to Petra, the famous 'rose-red' city, one of the most fascinating sights in the Middle East. Lying some 120km to the north of Aqaba, this city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In a wide valley, reached only through a 1km narrow gorge (or 'Siq'), the Nabataeans carved their homes, temples and tombs out of the colourful sandstone more than 2,000 years ago. Petra was lost to the world until its re-discovery by the Swiss explorer Burkhardt in 1812. This area, in which 30,000 people once lived, invites exploration. There is the Treasury, your first vision as you emerge from the Siq (featured in the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade film), the Monastery, the Great Temple and Romanstyle Theatre which could seat up to 8,000 people. Breathtaking facades and grandiose mountains make a visit to Petra a highlight of any holiday. Please note: It is approximately a 3km walk from the entrance gate to Petra’s city centre.
Wadi Rum (half day) - £62 approx
Some 60km north of Aqaba lies Wadi Rum, often called one of the most stunning desert landscapes in the world. You will see amazing canyons, rockscapes that rise from the desert floor, coloured sand dunes, and marvel at 4,000 year old rock carvings.
It also served as a backdrop for the film 'Lawrence of Arabia', among others. Several Bedouin tribes still live in the area and continue with their semi-nomadic lifestyle.
SafagaLuxor (full day with lunch) - £61 approx
Luxor is approximately 220km from Safaga and has been called the world’s greatest outdoor museum, for it is home to many of Egypt’s most well known temples and tombs. You visit the West Bank and see the fascinating Valley of the Kings, Valley of Queens and the Colossi of Memnon. On the East Bank, marvel at the impressive Karnak and Luxor Temples.
Giftun Island (full day with lunch) - £25 approx
Relax and have lunch on board as you leisurely sail to Giftun Island. Situated at the tip of a 2km long reef, with its amazing coral formations and brightly coloured fish, you have time for swimming, snorkelling or just simply relax on the beach. (Snorkelling equipment is included - mask and fins).
Sunset Safari - £28 approx
You drive in to the desert by 4x4 and view the dramatic mountain scenery en route. You stop at a Bedouin village and learn how the people live in these surroundings. You also have the chance to ride a camel. As the sun sets, enjoy a barbecue and be entertained with a Bedouin show.
Please note: Optional excursions can only be booked and paid for on board M.S. Royal Star. We try our best to keep to these published excursions and relevant itineraries and prices, but we reserve the right to vary them as may be necessary. All prices are subject to change.
