Dear Members and Friends of Royal Oak,
No one can fail to be moved by Egypt’s pyramids or Jordan’s rose-red city of Petra, carved into sandstone
canyons and hills. We have been invited to join the Alumni of Dartmouth College and members of The Art Institute
of Chicago on a luxurious winter journey that features a four-night cruise along the Nile River, complemented by
private flights between exciting destinations.
Accompanying us will be distinguished author and Dartmouth Professor of Religion, Susan Ackerman whose
previous trips to Egypt have received rave reviews. Susan is a specialist in the religion of ancient Israel and its neighbors, including Egypt, an interest she developed as an undergraduate and continued to explore during her graduate career at Harvard. Dr. Ackerman has authored numerous articles and several books, including most recently When Heroes Love: The Ambiguity of Eros in the Stories of Gilgamesh and David. We will also be joined by Karen Manchester, Curator of Ancient Art
at The Art Institute of Chicago, for whom Egypt is a favorite destination.
Our program begins with four nights in the intriguing city of Cairo, where history will be brought to vivid life
at the remarkable Step Pyramid of King Zoser, dating from the 27th century B.C.E., the Great Pyramid complex at
Giza and the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, with fabulous relics from Tutankhamun’s tomb.
A privately chartered plane takes us to St. Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, with its
impressive art and illuminated manuscript collection. We then continue to Luxor – gateway to the magnificent temple
of Karnak, the vast necropolis of ancient Thebes and the Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of pharaohs were cut
deep into the mountainside.
In Luxor we will embark the M.S. Nile Adventurer, a deluxe river vessel offering all modern amenities,
continental cuisine, a small swimming pool and a covered sun deck. As we sail along the Nile we will stop to see the
remarkable temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo.
Our river journey ends in Aswan where we
view Philae Temple, sail across the Nile in a traditional
felucca and visit the acclaimed Nubian Museum. A
private plane then takes us to Abu Simbel, site of the
unforgettable colossal statues and rock temples
of Ramses II.
Fly to Jordan to discover ancient Petra, once
the thriving southern capital of the Nabataeans, where
we will stay for two nig hts. Visit Mount Nebo, where
Moses viewed the Promised Land, as well as Jerash, one
of the best-preserved cities of ancient Rome. A special
highlight is a stay at the Dead Sea, where we will have
an opportunity to experience its buoyant waters.
Congenial company, fine accommodations
and magnificent antiquities will combine to capture
the essence of Egypt and Jordan, both ancient and
modern. We hope you are able to join us.
Sincerely,
John J. Oddy
Executive Director
The Royal Oak Foundation
Photo: Petra © Lauree Feldman |
