This trip has been completed. View photos of the trip.

January 19 – February 1, 2009 with Joshua T. Katz, Classics. Learn to decipher hieroglyphics while cruising the River Nile. The 2009 program is sold out. Now reserving space on two new departures: January 5-18, 2010 and February 9-22, 2010 (see reservation notes below).

For all of recorded time, the mighty waters of Egypt's Nile River have been the source of life-giving sustenance, cultural riches, and mythic power. Flowing north with winds that blow south, the Nile enabled ancient trading boats to sail easily in both directions and gave birth in 3,500 B.C. to a remarkable civilization that lasted for 3,000 years. Join Princeton on an Egyptian journey, January 19 – February 1, 2009, and explore the glorious age of the Pharaohs aboard the elegant 18-cabin yacht, the Sun Boat III, reserved exclusively for a small group of Princeton travelers.

This Egypt adventure begins in Giza, outside of Cairo, at the historic 5-star Mena House Oberoi situated amidst 40 acres of fragrant gardens in the shadow of the Great Pyramids. You will visit the incomparable Museum of Antiquities, explore both Islamic and Coptic Cairo, and meander among the treasures of the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. After a flight to Luxor, board the elegant Sun Boat III, and cruise the Nile in style and comfort to legendary archeological sites at Karnak, Dendera, Esna, Edfu, and Abydos. Visit the labyrinth of ancient tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the dramatic Great Dam at Aswan, and the majestic temples honoring Ramses II at Abu Simbel to grasp the significance of the rich legacy, both ancient and modern, this region has bequeathed to future civilizations.

About the Study Leader
Joshua T. Katz, Associate Professor of Classics, will serve as study leader for this program.

A linguist by training, a Classicist by profession, and a comparative philologist at heart, Katz is widely interested and published in the languages, literatures, and cultures of the ancient world, from India via Greece and Rome to Ireland and beyond. He prefers in both his teaching and his research to prowl around topics rather than pursue one single line of inquiry. His courses on campus range from an introduction to ancient Egypt to the historical/comparative grammar of Latin. The recipient of many prestigious academic honors, he is particularly proud to have been given the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton's commencement in 2003.

During this Journey, Professor Katz, will challenge participants to learn to interpret the characters on the temples and objects encountered each day as he leads a condensed version of his Freshman Seminar course, "Ancient Hieroglyphics." Professor Katz's insights into classical Egypt will be enhanced by expert commentary by Egyptologist Tarek Swelim and Egyptian guide Fetiche Posma-Zaalouk.

Please note: Because of high interest in the 2009 trip, we have confirmed a reprise departure of this program for next year. Reserve your spot on the January 5-18, 2010 today by contacting Princeton Journeys at (609) 258-8686 or journeys@princeton.edu.

View photos of the trip.

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