Horseback Riding in Egypt
PALMS AND PYRAMIDS |
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Arrive Cairo International Airport. A representative will be waiting for you inside the Arrival Hall, holding a sign with Equitours. He will instruct you through the passport control formalities, luggage identification and customs procedures. Welcome drink, then transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight. |
| Day 2: | Early buffet breakfast at the hotel, then transfer by van to the farm.
Saqqara Pyramid Ride - 3 hours
Ride out into the desert and circle to the main step Pyramid - the funeral complex of King Zoser (aka Djoser). Stop for a break and visit the 2 tombs on foot. Ride back to the farm via another route through the desert. Lunch at the farm then transfer to the hotel. Introduction to your Egyptologist guide and start our excursion to the Great Pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Sphinx. Transfer back to the hotel, dinner and overnight. |
| Day 3: | Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Wissa Wassef Ride 4-5 hours
Ride in the direction of Giza through the rural countryside passing date palm groves and a patchwork of fields irrigated by a complex network of canals from the Nile River. After about 2 hours riding we arrive at the village of Harrania. Here we stop for lunch and a visit to the Wissa Wassef Art Centre, home of a unique experiment in tapestry weaving that has produced extraordinary works admired and collected by museums and galleries around the world. In the afternoon we ride home via a different route. The canal side tracks often allow for long canters while the palm and mango groves provide shade. We arrive back at the farm late afternoon, transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight. |
| Day 4: | Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Abu Sir Pyramid Ride 3-4 hours.
Today we ride into the desert with the usual combination of walk, trot, canter and some gallops to a little visited pyramid located in splendid isolation. The Abu Sir Pyramid is the necropolis of the Vth dynasty from about 2494 BC - 2345 BC. After admiring the pyramid and taking pictures we head back via the wadis to the greenery of the Nile banks through the cooler villages. Lunch at the farm. Return to the hotel, and start your excursions with a visit to Islamic and Coptic Cairo where little has changed over the past 1000 years. We'll tour the Hanging Church, or Suspended Church; the Church of St Sergius in coptic Cairo, built over a cave where the Holy Family is supposed to have stayed; and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which dates from the 9th century. Then we'll continue with a visit to the Citadel, built by Saladin in 1176 and the Mohamed Ali Pasha Mosque. |
| Day 5: | Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Dashur ride 5 hours
Today we head south on the longest ride of the week, exploring the entire row of southern pyramids. En route in the desert we encounter amongst others the Bent Pyramid, the beautifully symmetrical and imposing Red Pyramid and the Black Pyramid. We can view the occasional sarcophagus just lying in the desert. The views are incredible with pyramids wherever you look. In the middle of the day we find a complete surprise - Dashur Lake, a winter wetland retreat for migrating waterfowl. Riding around the lake to observe the varied wildlife it attracts, we enter the welcome shade and cool, and enjoy a lunch stop in beautiful shady gardens. Here both horses and riders can cool down and relax. The return journey is undertaken in the relative cool of the farming areas parallel to the Nile River, again with opportunities for long canters and trots. |
| Day 6: | Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Countryside Ride 3 hours
Riding amongst the complex series of canls and waterways that distribute the precious Nile water around the farmlands, we learn more about the agricultural and cultural aspects of the Egyptian countryside. Some villages are devoted to aspects of date palm farming and the manufacture of products from every part of the trees while others grow clover, wheat, grass for the livestock, milk water buffalo or herd goats. Old fashioned water wheels powered by donkeys, modern irrigation pumps, dredging of canals and recycling of waster all go on here and the locals are friendly and curious; your guide can translate from Arabic. Once again there are many opportunities for trotting and cantering. At sunset 2 hours Felucca tour including dinner on board. |
| Day 7: | After breakfast, free day at leisure for any activities to be agreed by group. We suggest a visit to the Egyptian Museum with more than 100,000 relics and then to Khan el Khalili or other markets to shop, lunch will be at the Khan el Khalili and everyone will enjoy seeing the old architecture, the brasswork and handicrafts in the souq. This old market is one of those places in the world which is a must-see.
Sunset & night riding 3 hours
Arrive at the farm before sunset to ride through the countryside as the sun sets and the farmers move their buffalo and donkeys home at the end of the day. As the sun goes down over the desert, the canals change from blue to quicksilver and the birds that have been foraging in the fields come home to roost in the trees. The sounds of farmers working their fields fade as they reach their village homes where the family will sit around a low table to enjoy their evening meal. With nightfall comes the bats, owls, Senegal thick knee, and other night birds. With no moon there is enough embient light to comforably ride in the countryside and through villages. On moonlit nights barbeque dinner at the farm including drink, return to the hotel and overnight. |
| Day 8: | After breakfast, day at leisure. On time transfer to Cairo International Airport for final departure. |
| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Cairo |
| Length of Ride | 8 days, 7 nights and 6 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-4 Maximum-8 |
| Riding Per Day | 3-5 hours |
| Pace | moderate to fast |
| Tack | English |
| Horses | Arabians |
| Weight Limit | 180 lbs. |
| 2010 Dates | Dec 26-Jan 2, 2010, Jan 9-16, Jan 23-30, Feb 6-13, Feb 20-27, March 6-13, March 20-27 |
| 2010 Price | 5 Star hotel: $1,975 (recommended)
3 Star hotel: $1,425
Add $50 per night for the 5 Star rooms with views of the pyramids. |
| Single Supplement | 5 Star rooms: $625; 3 Star rooms: $125 |
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