Muscat, Oman to Alexandria, Egypt - 4/17/10Pharaohs and Prophets: 18-night itinerary, April 17 to May 5, 2010. The final voyage of Chapter 1 is filled with ancient wonders, exotic scents, and a modern-day miracle. In Oman, you’ll visit the Salalah Frankincense Museum and the tomb of Job, sacred to all three Abrahamic faiths. Stop in Eritrea, with its evocative Ottoman architecture. Visit the tombs of the pharaohs in Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. And explore the rose-hued ruins of Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, before transiting the Suez Canal. Join Smithsonian Journeys Guest Speaker Jennifer Neils and Special Guest Lecturer Richard Bangs on this voyage.
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Cruise OnlyDay
01 | Muscat, Oman April 17, 2010
Arrive in Muscat and check into your included hotel. | Day
02 | Muscat, Oman April 18, 2010
Muscat, Oman’s capital is the country’s political, economic and cultural hub. Prior to embarkation, you’ll have a unique opportunity to see this modern commercial center in perfect harmony with its traditional culture.
Visit the Grand Mosque, considered by many to be the most exquisite mosque in Oman. The Grand Mosque was built to be a major center of worship in the Sultanate. It can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers and consists of a main prayer hall, ladies prayer hall, covered passageways, a meeting hall, and a library, which will eventually contain up to 20,000 books.
Next visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum. It houses a collection that reflects Oman’s rich cultural heritage, including traditional Omani weapons such as swords and daggers, rifles and jewelry, as well as regional costumes and cosmetics. The museum also includes a typical Omani townhouse. Recently restored, the townhouse offers an insider’s perspective on Omani domestic life from the 1920s to the 1970s. Included are photographs, prints and maps of Muscat, tracing the region’s changing face.
From the Biat Al Zubai Museum, set off on a tour of the magnificent Al Alam Palace, the official residence of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, ruler of Oman. The palace is significant both for its design and location between two Portuguese forts, Mirani and Jailali. You’ll be able to photograph the museum’s exterior.
From the Museum, drive along the waterfront Corniche to the lively Muttrah Souq, one of the most popular in the Middle East. Here among its labyrinthine alleyways, you can haggle for imported fabrics, exotic spices, perfume and handcrafted treasures. | Day
03 | Sur, Oman April 19, 2010
This morning you’ll be met at your ship and driven into Sur for a lively introduction to a fascinating place. Located in the northeast province of Sharquiya, Sur is a seafaring town, a fishing village and a trading port rolled into one.
Our first stop is the town’s seaside fish market, where you can wander among the stalls teeming with the bounty of the Arabian Sea and watch as fisherman bring their morning catch into shore.
From the fish market proceed to the Sur souq, an open-air market where bargains are plentiful — if you know how to haggle. Then we’ll head to the dhow-building yard to learn how skilled craftsmen construct these traditional Arabian fishing boats. On the final stop of our tour we’ll visit the imposing Sanseela Fort. (Zodiac landing or touring) | Day
04 | At Sea April 20, 2010
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05 | Salalah, Oman April 21, 2010
Salalah is the Middle East at its most exotic, a city of lush gardens in marked contrast to the barren landscape of the surrounding desert. Begin your exploration of Salalah with a brief stop at a wadi, where you’ll witness a scraggly boswellia tree being tapped and then exuding the fragrant resin known as frankincense. Then drive on to Mughsail Beach, nearly two miles of unspoiled white sandy beaches, with high cliffs at both ends and many picnic areas. If your arrival coincides with the high tide, you’ll see the beach’s spectacular “blow holes” in action.
Our next stop is, for many, hallowed ground indeed: the tomb of Job, whose story of righteousness in the face of adversity is recounted in the Old Testament. His final resting place is a sacred pilgrimage site for Moslems, Christians and Jews. You are welcome to take photos here and admire panoramic views of the Qara Mountains and the Jubriah plain.
As we continue our travels, we’ll drive past the magnificent Al Husn Palace. The palace is the personal residence of His Majesty, the Sultan of Oman.
Our final destination is Al Husn Souq. Here you’ll stroll among the colorful stalls, heaped with mounds of frankincense and myrrh, as well as incense, bottles of fragrant perfumed oils and a variety of artifacts—a great place to bargain for a unique memento.
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06 | At Sea April 22, 2010
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07 | At Sea April 23, 2010
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08 | At Sea April 24, 2010
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09 | Massawa, Eritrea April 25, 2010
Begin your adventure here in Massawa, Eritrea’s Red Sea port, where there are many fine examples of Ottoman-style coral buildings.
Then off to Asmara,the capital city of Eritrea, the route climbing from sea level to 2,400 metres offering stunning views all the way. Eritrea's largest city, Asmara was once the seat of Italy’s African Empire, and was so changed by the Italian occupation that it earned the nickname “Piccola Roma” or “Little Rome.” Its gracious avenues are lined with structures that reflect a wide variety of early-twentieth-century European architectural styles, including the art deco Cinema Impero, Cubist Africa Pension, the futurist Fiat Tagliero Building, the neo-Romanesque Roman Catholic Cathedral and numerous Italian colonial villas and mansions.
Explore Asmara and enjoy lunch and entertainment before continuing your exploration of Asmara's highlights; Amongst other things, the Coptic Church of Saint Mary, the Catholic Cathedral, the Grand Mosque, the war and ethnographic museum, the tanks and armors graveyard, the Medeber and handicraftsmen. Later return to the ship via Filfil. 1500 meters above sea level and 75 km away from the capital Filfil is covered by indigenous forest and is green throughout the year. Enjoy the peace, fresh air and fine views of coffee plantations and wonderful landscapes.
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10 | Dahlak Archipelago April 26, 2010
Today we take out the Zodiac boats and head into the Dahlak Archipelago, encompassing two main islands and more than 200 smaller islands, most of them uninhabited. Not only are the islands themselves pristinely beautiful, they’re a birder’s paradise as they provide habitat for a large number of nesting birds. Keep on the lookout for terns, crab plovers, Eurasian spoonbill, lark, osprey and herons. Our Exploration Leaders will take us to the best viewing spots and possibly land the Zodiacs on a deserted island. (Zodiac landing or touring) | Day
11 | At Sea April 27, 2010
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12 | At Sea April 28, 2010
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13 | Safaga, Egypt April 29, 2010
Of all the amazing paces to experience, Luxor and The Valley of the Kings are among the most highly prized by world travelers. Today you’ll experience both on a comprehensive tour of Egypt’s ancient monuments. Luxor has often been called the world’s greatest open-air museum because of the large number and surprisingly good condition of the structures in the Luxor area—unparalleled anywhere in the world.
The Valley of the Kings, once called the Great Place or The Place of Truth, is the majestic domain of the pharaohs who once lay here, awaiting immortality, in great sarcophagi and surrounded by their most treasured possessions. The ancient Egyptians chose this remote ravine as the final resting place for their royalty for both practical and symbolic reasons; the setting’s isolation made it easy to guard and, when seen from the Theban plain, the ravine appears to be the site of the setting sun, which the ancients associated with the afterlife.
In all, some 62 tombs have been excavated in the valley, although not all belong to pharaohs or are open to the public. The best-known tombs are those belonging to King Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, Tutankhamun, King Ramses VI, King Mereneptah and Amonhotep II. During your tour today you will see some of the most impressive of these monuments.
Travel in a private convoy from the port of Safaga to Luxor. With your expert, English-speaking guide providing insights that bring this remarkable place to life, start with the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile where you’ll visit two tombs, including the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Stop at the Hatshepsut Temple and the two Colossi of Memnon, which you can photograph. After lunch, drive to the east side of the Nile, through Luxor City and around the Luxor Temple before stopping as the magnificent Karnak Temple, which you’ll have ample time to explore. At the end of an unforgettable day, you’ll be driven back to Safaga and your waiting ship.
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14 | Sharm El Sheikh April 30, 2010
From Sharm el Sheikh, at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, visit Ras Muhammad to don your snorkeling gear after an expert briefing from local marine guide. Declared the first and only Egyptian National Park in 1983 with an area of 97m, since then it has been extended to 480km and includes marine and terrestrial areas.
The park is surrounded by magnificent coral reefs, part of an elevated promontory that emerged after a change in the coastline some 70,000 years ago.
Since the Gulf of Aqaba is very deep, the coral reef at Ras Mohamed attracts over 1,000 species of fish, greeting underwater viewers with a blaze of color and spectacular underwater scenes in its crystal-clear waters. (Zodiac landing or touring)
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15 | Aqaba, Jordan May 1, 2010
Nestled in the mountains along the eastern flank of the Wadi Arabah is the ancient Nabatean city of Petra. This thriving capital, which was built around 100 B.C., grew out of a complex system of dams, cisterns and water conduits that enabled the Nabateans to harness the area’s flash floods and store water for the city’s inhabitants.
After a comfortable motorcoach ride, arrive on the outskirts of Petra. Your expert English-speaking guide will lead you along the curving path to the “siq,” the official entrance to the Nabataean capital. Follow a natural channel, often no more than 16 feet wide, with walls that tower over 650-feet high. This path served as a natural defense against invaders for the Nabataean and, later, the Romans. Along the way you’ll walk past the remains of 2,000-year-old terra cotta pipes, before arriving at the magnificent "Al Khazneh", or Treasury, an imposing building hewn from a rose-colored sandstone cliff. You may recall its impressive facade as the backdrop for one of the final scenes in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”
Your walking tour continues to the impressive 8,000-seat Roman Amphitheatre, built around the time of Jesus Christ. Our final stop includes a view at the Royal Tombs, which are considered to be the most impressive burial places in Petra. Carved into the face of Jebel Khubtha, the Royal Tombs consist of the vaulted Urn Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the three-story Palace Tomb, which is one of the largest in the monument.
According to Arab tradition, Petra is where Moses struck a rock with his staff and water poured forth. As you explore this amazing place, you may be tempted to believe it. At the end of your tour, enjoy lunch and, if time permits, some shopping for local handicrafts.
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16 | At Sea May 2, 2010
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17 | Port Suez / Canal Transit May 3, 2010
Transit the nearly 119-mile Suez Canal, sailing from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, the most direct water route between Asia and Europe. There are no locks; seawater flows freely through the canal.
The Suez Canal first opened in November 1869, after eleven years of construction. At the present time, more than 8% of the world’s shipping traffic passes through this “line in the sand,” which is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) of the Arab Republic of Egypt. | Day
18 | At Sea May 4, 2010
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19 | Alexandria, Egypt May 5, 2010
Disembark or continue your journey with the first voyage in Chapter 2.
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All meals are included aboard the ship. |
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