Venture Magazine Issue 4

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COAST
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AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: EXPLORING EGYPT
19
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6 LUXOR A few weeks ago I went on a tour through Egypt, and I
Set on the Nile, some 700km south of Cairo, the
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city of Luxor is the site of two astounding temples.
just want to express to you how much of a great time I
Luxor Temple is immediately impressive, with
had. I absolutely loved the experience. Our guide, Samantha,
an avenue of sphinxes giving way to an imposing
entrance and a 24m-high obelisk bearing dazzling hieroglyphics – beyond are the towering was great and very easy going – she didn’t treat us like
parallel pillars of Amenhotep’s colonnade. Karnac Temple is even more daunting in scale,
with impossibly large pillars and pylons creating a poem of geometry, particularly in the
children, rather she gave us the information and showed us
Hypostyle Hall. Some 200 years in the making, it is remarkably well preserved, with many of
the way when needed. I was amazed by the amount of her
the reliefs and friezes seemingly impervious to the ravages of time.
knowledge and was impressed how she allowed everyone on the
7 VALLEY OF THE KINGS
Across the river from Luxor, this valley, along
tour to learn more about how everyday things work, like giving
with the Valley of the Queens, conveys a
us the choice to go shopping with her etc. Christi, our driver,
sense of history, both uncovered and yet to be
discovered. This is where the famous pharaohs was just so down to earth and friendly. He was a great help and
were interred, and new tombs are still being
found and excavated (most recently in 2006).
did an amazing job navigating through rough terrain.
Many tombs are open to the public and their
I have been on many tours in the last few years and
contents vividly convey the elaborate Egyptian
ritual involved in leaving the land of the would recommend Kumuka to friends, due to their
living. Subterranean stairways lead to caverns
embellished with striking murals, depicting
itineraries and great staff.
symbols, deities, daily life and the journey
LESLEY MCLEOD, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
through the underworld. The tomb of Nefertari
is a highlight indeed.
BOOK IT!
8 ASWAN
Around 120km upriver of Luxor, Aswan is a smaller and less Warm your upcoming winter with an adventure in the land of the pharaohs.
busy centre. Temple ruins and a village ambience await on Fully-escorted tours run in length from 8 to 35 days.
Elephantine Island, while Philae Temple – painstakingly
relocated due to the building of the Aswan High Dam – is also
OASES & PHARAOHS CAIRO – CAIRO 14 DAYS
nearby. The 10-year moving project of Philae meticulously
14 DAYS FROM £400, €560, AU$1020, NZ$1180, US$800, CAD$920, ZAR6800
recreated the original’s orientation and setting. Dedicated to
PLUS US$200 LOCAL PAYMENT
the Goddess Isis, this temple has graceful ﬂ ourishes overlaying
EGYPT
the pillar-and-pylon architectural structure. Many of the deity
statues lack facial features, as they were defaced (literally) by This two-week tour will take
Christians in the 5th Century. you deep into the little-visited
Western Desert and to the
9 ABU SIMBEL coastal delights of the Red Sea.
This diminutive village holds two mighty You’ll also be mesmerised by the
RED SEA 10
temples: the Great Temple of Ramses II astounding number of tombs
and the Temple of Hathor. The latter is less and temples at
famous and was dedicated to Queen Nefertari Luxor and
by her husband Ramses II. The former, Aswan. And
S
A
V
E
also built by Ramses II, was dedicated to let’s not
the gods RaHarakhty, Amun and Ptah (and forget
himself, of course!), is breathtaking. Instantly the
5

recognisable, the great temple is fronted Sphinx
IF
%
YO
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Q
by four huge 20m-high ﬁ gures of Ramses and W
UO
H
T
E
E
N
V
B
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II. This high-proﬁ le pharaoh had dozens Pyramids
O
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E
G

LUXOR
of wives, over 100 children and no doubt of Giza!
a very big ego. Originally carved into the
VALLEY OF
mountainside adjoining the Nile, the temples
THE KINGS
were moved here during the construction
NILE CRUISE & HIGHLIGHTS CAIRO – CAIRO 8 DAYS
of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s.
£510 , €715, AU$1305, NZ$1505, US$1020, CAD$1175, ZAR8670
Amazingly, the Great Temple of Ramses II is
EGYPT
still aligned in such a way that on the 22nd of
February and the 22nd October each year, the
CARAVAN ROUTE AMMAN – CAIRO 21 DAYS
sun’s ﬁ rst rays penetrate the inner sanctum,
£620, €870, AU$1585, NZ$1830, US$1210, CAD$1305, ZAR10,540 + US$300 LOCAL PAYMENT
illuminating statues of the deities.
JORDAN, EGYPT
KINGDOMS & CRUSADES CAIRO – AMMAN 28 DAYS
10 RED SEA
£680, €955, AU$1735, NZ$2010, US$1330, CAD$1430, ZAR11,560 + US$400 LOCAL PAYMENT
This is a chance to change pace – forget
EGYPT, JORDAN, SYRIA
the dust and the heat, and tune into the
rhythms of the undersea world. Float in the
MIDDLE EAST OVERLAND
salty waters and revel in the cornucopia of
ISTANBUL – CAIRO 35 DAYS
9
colourful tropical ﬁ sh parading atop the coral
£900 / €1260 / AU$2295 / NZ$2655 / US$1755 / CAD$1890 /
ABU SIMBEL
reefs. Hurghada is great spot to organise
ZAR15,300 + US$470 LOCAL PAYMENT
diving or snorkelling trips in the Red Sea.
TURKEY, SYRIA, JORDAN, EGYPT
There are also boat excursions to island
CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE BROCHURES AT WWW.KUMUKA.COM
beaches, windsurﬁ ng and much more.
CALL US TODAY! UK 0800 092 9595 IRE 1800 946 843 USA/CAN 1800 517 0867 8

CALL OUR CONSULTANTS FOR FREE BY FOLLOWING THE CHAT LINK ON WWW.KUMUKA.COM
SUMMER / AUTUMN 2007 Venture Venture SUMMER / AUTUMN 2007
P18-19 EGYPT CRMP.indd 19 17/8/07 07:37:00
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