INDIAN VALLEY
T R A V E L
A deliberately different approach to adventure!
Ancient Egyptian Culture & Red Sea Adventure!
A Citizen Scientists Dream Come Through with Dr. Bill Bushing!
15 Days / 13 Nights – August 14-28, 2015
Indian Valley Travel, the Deliberately Different Adventure Travel Experts, are proud to bring you the perfect combination of excitement, education, exploration, and relaxation, above and below the sea, in the land of the Ancient Pharaohs!
Led by our own David Valaika, an experienced international tour leader with numerous Egyptian adventures under his belt, and featuring Dr. William ‘Bill’ Bushing, world-renown Harvard Educated Marine Scientist, Founder of the Star Thrower Educational System, author of “Dive Dry with Dr. Bill” newspaper column and TV show, expert in Marine Biological Research & Education, Recipient of the 2011 California SCUBA Service Award, and so much more! Dr. Bill will be studying the marine ecosystem, leading educational seminars with our participants, gathering data, photos and videos to support his research. More on Dr. Bill’s StarThrower Foundation can be found at www.StarThrower.org
This is truly the long-awaited trip of your lifetime to go where so few have traveled, and see what so few have seen or experienced, and all this under the care and guidance of an experienced, well-organized professional travel organization that understands the local cultures and traditions, and factors the comfort and safety of our guests at the top of our lists.
Here we present our itinerary on a day-by-day basis. Of course, flexibility is a given, but the itinerary includes the details of where, when and how for this two week adventure!
Day 1: Friday, 14th August
This is our departure from your selected gateway city, as the members of our group gather embark from far and wide join us on this very special adventure together. Bags, checked, hunkered down in your seats, well fed, lights dimmed, and the idea is that you’ll arrive rested and ready to go at the other end. Amazingly, it often works for some! You’ll need all that energy stored up for when our adventure begins the next day!
Day 2: Saturday, 15th August
Depending on your chosen flight, our group will arrive in Cairo sometime between 1:00 and 6:00 pm, but regardless of your flight, our professional guide will meet & greet each of us as we arrive, conveniently on the ‘Airside’ of the terminal, with our Egyptian Travel Visas in hand, before we even pass immigration. Then we’ll be VIP’d through Immigration, collect our bags, pass through Customs and load up into our dedicated shuttle bus with our escort, for the short ride the Mensa House Bed & Breakfast to check in and freshen up.
For those of us who are feeling spritely after our long flight, we are planning to start the program directly with an evening visit to one of the civilized world’s oldest market places, Kham El Khalili. From there we’ll return to the hotel to relax and enjoy dinner (not included)
Day 3: Sunday 16th August
We start the day with short trip across to the Pyramids while the sun is low and the temperature not too hot. Its then back for breakfast before leaving the hotel for a morning visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities for a thorough tour by our registered Egyptologist Guide. We’ll catch a local lunch [not included], then visit famous Mohamed Ali Mosque.
We’ll return to the hotel to check out, and our bags will be loaded to travel by truck directly to Roots Camp. Then our bus will take us directly to the domestic departure gates at Cairo Airport. Our 6pm flight to Hurghada [included] is under an hour, and we’ll again be greeted by our new guides, from Roots Camp, who will transfer us for the approx. 90 minute ride along the coast of the Red Sea to Root Luxury Camp, our base of operations for the next nine days. There we’ll enjoy a detailed orientation, served over the first of many sumptuous meals we’ll come to expect at Roots!
Day 4: Monday 17th August
After breakfast, we’ll get our Morning Check and General Dive Briefing completed at Pharaoh Dive Club. That behind us, we’ll walk the 200 yards to the shore of the Red Sea for an Orientation Dive at Abu Sauatir. With all the gear working well, our 2n d dive will be an Abu Hamra Shore Dive. Back for Lunch at Roots, and then we can enjoy an afternoon or relaxing or take advantage of the unlimited shore diving on the house reef.
Day 5: Tuesday 18th August
Breakfast, followed by two Morning Shore Dives, before we return for Lunch at 2pm
Bellies full, we’re free to enjoy Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef
That evening we have a special Night Dive, served up with a fun and delicious Beach BBQ
Day 6: Wednesday 19th August
Wake up to another wonderful breakfast, then we’re off in the Zodiaks for a 2-tank morning dive
Return for Lunch at 2pm, then we have the choice of Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef; or Quad Bike Safari with Camel Ride
Day 7: Thursday 20th August
Early morning start today at 5:00 am to go to Elphinstone for 2-tank Zodiak dives on this massive offshore pinnacle, just teeming with life. Surface interval between dives will be on the zodiacs and we’re often treated to a show by some of the pelagic creatures that pass through the area
We return for Lunch at 2pm, then again have the afternoon to relax or enjoy Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef
Day 8: Friday 21st August
Breakfast, then 2-tank Morning Shore Dives
Return for Lunch at 2pm
Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef
A special treat this evening as we visit El Quseir for Dinner at a local Fish Restaurant
Day 9: Saturday 22st August
Today we set off to Hurghada at 4:00 am to board the a large Day Boat to dive one of the signature wrecks of the Red Sea, the British war victim Thistlegorm
Our tentative schedule is as follows:
1st Dive 10am Abu Nuhas Wrecks
2nd Dive 2 pm Thistlegorm
3rd Dive 6pm Dusk Dive on Thistlegorm
We’ll overnight on board our vessel
Day 10: Sunday 23rd August
Early roll call and we set off from our anchorage for another day of diving
Today’s dive schedule is:
1st Dive 8am Rosalie Moller – Deep Dive
2nd Dive 11am Rosalie Moller – Deep Dive
3rd Dive Dolphin House with high chance of Dolphins
Return to dock for 5:00 pm and head back to Roots for Dinner
Day 11: Monday 24th August
Breakfast, followed by 2-tank Morning Shore Dives at Serib Kebir
Return for Lunch at 2pm
Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef
Day 12: Tuesday 25th August
Breakfast, followed by two Morning Shore Dives, before we return for Lunch at 2pm
Bellies full, we’re free to enjoy Unlimited Afternoon Diving on the House Reef
That evening we have a special Night Dive, served up with a fun and delicious Beach BBQ
Day 13: Wednesday 26th August
Our last breakfast at the camp, and then it’s off for a 2-tank Morning Zodiak Dive at Erg Monica & Erg Lassal
Return for Lunch at 2:00 pm, then load the van and be on the road to Luxor by 4:00 pm
Check in at the Martime Hotel on Bed & Breakfast
Sound & Light Show at Karnak Temple - Optional
Day 14: Thursday 27th August
Dawn Balloon Ride over the monuments – Optional
Full Day Tour of Luxor with our guide, including
Valley of the Kings
Queen Hatshepsup Temple
Karnak or Luxor Temple
Collossi of Memnom
Sail on the Nile in a Faluka
Lunch included
At the end of the day, we’ll collect bags from the hotel and head to the airport for our 7:20pm flight to Cairo
Check in at Concorde el Salam Hotel in Cairo
Day 15: Friday 28th August
Up early to be at airport to catch our return flights
Fly back to New York or your gateway city, exhausted, but thrilled over what you just experienced!
Package Prices
Trip Cost: $1,995 per person, dbl occ
Single Supplement: $600
Board Basis:
Cairo & Luxor (Bed & Breakfast basis)
El Qusier & Hurghada on All-Inclusive (except alcohol)
Interior Flights Included
Flights to and from Cairo excluded
Local Reef Tax extra
Tips & Gratuities
Indian Valley Travel
601 Yoder Road Harleysville, PA 19438 215-256-8600