Egypt Adventure

Today is an arrival day. You will be met at the airport (if arriving on Day 1 only) and transferred to the group hotel for overnight accommodation. A group briefing will be held in the afternoon. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight hotel in Cairo.

Meals: Nil

Before appreciating the best preserved pyramids at Giza, this morning we visit the Step Pyramid at Saqqara which shows the style of construction used to build them. The Step Pyramid was built by the Pharaoh’s chief architect, Imhotep, in 27BC and was at that time the largest stone construction ever built. The Great Pyramids of Egypt set on a plateau in the Arabian Desert, are one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the reason for which becomes evident as we first set our eyes on these awesome monuments. We spend the morning exploring the main sites. Time is spent appreciating the majestic Sphinx and wondering at the mystery that surrounds this enormous structure. Afterwards we return to Cairo for hotel and overnight.

Meals: B

This morning we transfer to the airport for our internal flight to Aswan (note the flight can be between 05:00 - 10.00am, subject to availability). Set primarily on the East Bank of the Nile, it is the most southern city in Egypt and is said to be the gateway to Africa. Ancient trade routes once crossed over in this town and the Sharia as-Souq today retains all of the activity and colour of the great trading days. We visit the High Dam, which at the time it was completed (1902) was the largest of its kind in the world. This afternoon we will visit the unfinished Obelisk and the Temple of Philae before setting in for an early night in preparation for our early journey to Abu Simbel tomorrow. Overnight: Hotel

Meals: B

The Great Temple of Ramses II was carved from a mountain between 1290 and 1224 BC and was dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun and Ptah. Threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser, UNESCO organised a rescue of the temple in the 1960’s. The rescue involved carving the temple into more than 2000 blocks weighing up to 40 tonnes each and transferring them 210 metres away to a man made mountain, and reconstructing the temple façade which stands 30 metres high and 35 metres wide. From the outside it is hard to imagine that the temple is not original, and only by entering the mountain constructed in steel and concrete, is it possible to appreciate the enormous feat achieved by the archaeological teams. A very early morning wake-up call as we start our overland trip at 4.00am to visit this magnificent temple. Following a tour around the temple, we return to Aswan. Then we board our felucca boat to spend the next two days sailing on the Nile, allowing us to relax and take in the view while we witness first hand the rural existence alongside this life-giving river. Our relaxation time is interspersed with visits to the temples of Kom Ombo, enjoying the fresh cooked meals prepared onboard by your crew, and swimming in the Nile River.

Meals: B,L,D

We disembark the felucca boat at Edfu to visit the temple of Horus, which is one of the largest and best preserved shrines in Egypt. Then we drive to Luxor for overnight. Overnight: Hotel.

Meals: B

Luxor is located on the banks of the Nile, and is built on the site of Thebes, the former capital of Egypt which dates back 4000 years. In the centre of the town is the Luxor Temple, and to the north Karnak and the Temple of Amun. This morning we visit these impressive temples which are well preserved and contain numerous columns, obelisks and in the temple of Karnak, an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes. The imprint of the various Pharaohs, including Tuthmosis III, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun and Ramses II is evident. We cross over to the west bank of the Nile visiting the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis for the ancient city of Thebes. The rock-hewn tombs are found in an arid valley and from the exterior it is hard to imagine the riches which once lay within. Ironically the most recent discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 by Howard Carter, the contents of which are now in the Cairo Museum, is the least decorated. The tombs of Ramses I, III, IV, IX, Seti II and Tuthmosis III and IV are all richly decorated with paintings of goddesses and the stories from the Book of Day and Night. We will have the opportunity to visit a few of these tombs depending which ones are open to the public. The tombs are reached through a series of ornately painted underground corridors and ante chambers until these open out to the burial chamber where the sarcophagus is found. Transfer to the airport for our internal flight to Cairo (note the flight can be between 14:00 - 23:00pm, subject to availability). You will be met at the airport and transferred to the group hotel for overnight accommodation.

Meals: B

Cairo is a city of more than 18 million people – a bustling, dusty and boisterous metropolis with an abundance of character and history. Our time here is limited although we have included the highlights and focused our itinerary on the archaeological importance of the city and its surrounds. This morning we have a city tour including visits to the Citadel, the Khan al-Khalili Bazaar and Al-Muizz Street. A full afternoon is spent at the Egyptian Museum, providing you with an excellent insight into Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom right through to the Roman Empire. The highlight of the museum is the Tutankhamen exhibit, which houses the treasure from the tomb discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Although he was an insignificant Pharaoh, Tutankhamen’s tomb contained a stunning array of gold, including pure gold sandals. It is astounding to imagine what treasures a significant Pharaoh may have taken into their next life, had their tombs not been ransacked. This evening, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel, where the trip concludes. NOTE - Please do not book your departure flight before 8pm. If you would like additional nights in Cairo or an airport transfer on any other day, please ask your Reservations Consultant for details. Additional costs apply.

Meals: B