Cairo Stopover 03Nights/04Days
Day 1: Arrive Cairo airport where will be met and assisted by our staff - then transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo.
Day 2: After breakfast start your day tours by visiting the Egyptian museum. Lunch then transfer to Giza pyramids to visit the three pyramids and sphinx, back to hotel. Overnight in Cairo. Optional (sound and lights show).
Day 3: After breakfast start your day town by visiting citadel of Salah Aldine, Mohamed ali pasha mosque, Hussein mosque, imam al Shafai mosque, lunch time then transfer to visit old Coptic Cairo then free time in Khalili bazaar. Back to hotel for overnight Cairo. Optional - river dinner cruise.
Day 4: After breakfast - free time until you departure flight. Time to fly back home.
Art Tour to Cairo & Alexandria 04Nights/05Days
Day 01: Arrive Egypt
You will be met and assisted in Cairo International Airport, transferring by private air conditioned vehicle to your hotel. Overnight in hotel
Day 02: Giza Pyramids / Egyptian Museum
After breakfast, visit the three Pyramids of Giza, which are one of the seven wonders of the world and the Great Sphinx; the head of a pharaoh with a lion's body, the tour includes also a visit to the Valley Temple, which belongs to the pyramid of Kephren. Proceed to visit Mahmoud Khaleel Museum, where you see the most marvelous Paintings and Sculptures of the greatest artists and sculptors in the world. Continue to visit the Egyptian Museum, which features artifacts from the pharaonic period including the celebrated Mummies of the ancient Egypt's kings and treasures of Tutankhamoun. At night in Cairo Opera House enjoying the concert (Optional). Overnight in Cairo.
Day 03: Alexandria Sightseeing
After breakfast, transfer to Alexandria to enjoy an excursion to Alexandria Library, which is one of the important centers of Research and Knowledge; continue to Qaitbey Citadel, and move around the gardens of Montazah Palace. Relish at night in Alexandria Opera House enjoying the concert (Optional). Overnight in Cairo.
Day 04: Art Museums / Salah El Din Citadel
After breakfast,Visit Egyptian Modern Art Museum, Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum, where you see the most marvelous Paintings and Sculptures of the greatest artists and sculptors in the world. Continue Salah El Din's Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali. At night go to Cairo Opera House to enjoy the concert (Optional). Overnight in Cairo.
Day 05: Final Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Cairo International Airport to fly back to home.
Pyramids & Nile Experience 08Nights/09Days
Day 01: Cairo
Arrive Cairo, Egypt. Upon arrival in Cairo, you are greeted by our local assistant and transferred to our hotel
Day 02: Cairo
Morning tour the Egyptian Museum with its world-famous displays of artifacts including Tutankhamen' s treasures. We later tour Old Cairo and see one of the old Coptic Churches: situated on a spur of the Muqattam Hills, the citadel dominates Cairo's skyline and was the nerve center of the city and Egypt for almost 700 years. Its construction was initiated in 1176 by Saladin and completed by Muhammad Ali. Mameluke Sultans and Turkish governors later on made it their residence, building palaces and mosques within the citadel walls. Facing the citadel is the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 and perhaps the most majestic monument of Arab architecture in Egypt. The tour also includes a visit to Khan El Khalili, a famous Cairo bazaar dating back to the late 14th century. This afternoon, we drive to Giza to visit the incredible Pyramids - marvels of human spirit and engineering. Five hundred feet southeast of the Great Pyramid we see the famous Sphinx, a colossal carved figure of a recumbent lion with the head of a man: The pyramids of Cheops, Chephran and Mycerinus were reckoned by the Greeks to be one of the seven wonders of the world. A single pyramid is built of 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing an average Of two and one-half tons. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help But feel the wonder and awe that so many writers & artists have sought To convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is especially interesting Since its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren(2620BC). Hewn from natural yellowish limestone & standing 65 feet high & 187 feet long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion's body. This evening enjoy free time for an optional dinner cruise or the spectacular Sound and Light show. (B)
Day 03: Cairo
This morning travel to the edge of the western desert to Memphis, the site of Egypt's ancient capital. Here we see the limestone colossus of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx before continuing to Sakkara to see Egypt's oldest standing stone structure, the Step Pyramid of King Zoser: Memphis served as the capital of Upper & Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago during the 1st Dynasty. Menes, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great white-walled palace & the Temple of Ptah here. Sakkara one of the most exciting historical & archaeological area in all of Egypt is Sakkara, situated about 12 miles South West of Cairo. The site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser. It was the first pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt, preceding those at Giza by many centuries, & is the work of the famous pharaonic architect, Imhotep. Returning to Cairo we have the afternoon and evening at leisure to explore the city. For great shopping and energetic bargaining try a visit to Khan el Khalili Bazaar - a wonderland of sights, sounds and spices. (B)
Day 04: Cairo / Aswan
After breakfast, we drive to the airport for a short flight to Aswan. (An optional air tour to the Temples of Abu Simbel is also available. Abu Simbel passengers remain on board the aircraft after landing at Aswan and then continue on a short flight to Abu Simbel. Here, ancient Egyptians carved four figures of King Ramses II 67 feet high out of solid rock. These form just the facade of a temple that cuts 195 feet into an escarpment along the Nile. When the backwaters of the Aswan Dam began to threaten the temples, the government of Egypt - rather than lose the monument to the rising waters - undertook a massive project to move the temples brick by brick to higher ground. During the salvage operation, which began in 1964 and continued until 1968, the two temples were dismantled and raised over 60 m up the sandstone cliff where they had been built more than 3,000 years before. Here they were reassembled, in the same relationship to each other, and covered with an artificial. Abu Simbel tour participants fly back to Aswan and join the ship in the late afternoon). Upon arrival, we transfer to the pier and embark or Cruise boat. This afternoon we enjoy sailing the Nile on a felucca - a traditional fisherman's craft - past Kitchner's Island, known for its lovely botanical gardens and the mausoleum of the Agha Khan. (B,L,D)
Day 05: Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu
This morning we see an achievement that belongs to modern Egypt - the remarkable High Dam at Aswan. We also see the Philae Temple (Philae Temple was also dismantled and reassembled on Agilika lsland about 500m. from its original home on Philae Island) in the wake of the High Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess lsis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site. Its various shrines and sanctuaries, which include a temple of Hathor, a Birth House and two pylons, celebrate all the deities involved in the lsis and Osiris myth) and the unfinished Obelisk near the dam. After sailing to Kom Ombo, the ancient site of Ombos, which is from the ancient Egyptian word 'nubt', which means 'City of Gold'. It has been occupied since prehistoric times. In ancient Egypt, the city was important to the caravan routes from Nubia and various gold mines. The local industry is primarily agriculture, including irrigated sugar cane and corn. Besides the native Egyptians, there is a large population of Nubians who were displaced from their land when Lake Nasser was created. The major attraction here is the Temple of Kom Ombo, located on a hill west of the village. There is a wonderful view of the countryside from the Temple, and south of here is the Roman Chapel of Hathor. It was dedicated to the wife of Horus, and is used to store mummified crocodiles from the nearby animal necropolis and a few sarcophagi. Symmetry has always been a key element of Egyptian architecture; here the temple is divided between two separate Egyptian gods - Sobek and Haruar - the local crocodile-god and the falcon-headed sky-god, respectively. Our cruise continues to Edfu for the night. (B,L,D)
Day 06: Edfu / Luxor
Edfu houses the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt which is essential viewing for archaeological enthusiasts. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, it was built during the reigns of six Ptolemies. The main building, which includes a great Hypostyle Hall, was uncovered by Mariette in the 1860s. There are numerous reliefs, including a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife Hathor, and a particularly fine ceiling relief of the goddess Nut in the New Year Chapel. The temple, which rivals those at Luxor in grandeur, also contains a Nilometer, a Court of Offering and a huge pylon at its entrance. We continue our Nile journey via Esna and cruise toward Luxor for the night. (B,L,D)
Day 07: Luxor
The glory and mysteries of ancient Egypt will speak to us as we tour the most famous archeological sites of the Valley of Kings and Queens. Sixty-four of Egypt's rulers, including Tutankhamen, were buried in ornate tombs here. We also tour the Deir El Bahari funerary temple: after visitors cross the Nile from Luxor, they visit the Valley of the Kings, which includes the tombs of the Theban rulers, Seti I & Tut Ankh Amun. Next they tour the mortuary Temple of Hatchepsut, the only woman Pharaoh to rule ancient Egypt. They then visit the Valley of the Queens & Tombs of the Nobles. This excursion includes also visits to the mortuary Temple of Medinet abu, erected by & for Ramses II. The afternoon and evening are free. Optional excursion to the Karnak Sound and Light Show. Here, the story of Thebes is brought to life as you walk from hall to hall while haunting music evokes the mysterious moodiness of the ancient city. (B,L,D)
Day 08: Luxor / Cairo
In the morning we disembark and we visit the Temple of Karnak with its beautiful Temple of Amun-Re and Hypostyle Hall, the largest hall of any temple in the world. We then continue to the Temple of Luxor, one of the ancient wonders: in an unforgettable excursion, visitors drive to the Luxor Temple, built by two kings, Amenophis III & Ramses II. After touring the temple, visitors travel along an avenue of ram headed sphinxes, extending for about 2 miles, which link the Luxor Temple with the Karnak Temple, the main center of worship in ancient Egypt. No site in the world makes a more overwhelming & lasting impression than this "Temple of Temples". Later we fly back to Cairo. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel. (B)
Day 09: Departure
This morning we bid farewell to the ancient land of Egypt and transfer to the airport for our flight home. (B)
ASWAN-LUXOR CRUISE 03NIGHTS/04DAYS
Embarkation:Wednesday,Friday & Saturday
1st Day: Aswan
a.m. Embarkation before lunch.
p.m. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight in Aswan.
2nd Day: Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu
a.m. Visit of the High Dam and the temple of Philae. Sail to Kom Ombo.
p.m. Visit the temple shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris. Sail to Edfu and overnight.
3rd Day: Edfu / Esna / Luxor
a.m. Visit the temple of Horus in Edfu.
p.m. Sail to Esna. Cross the lock. Sail to Luxor and overnight.
4th Day: Luxor
a.m. Disembarkation after breakfast. Cross to the West bank, Visit the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon.
LUXOR-ASWAN CRUISE 03NIGHTS/04DAYS
Embarkation:Wednesday & Saturday
1st Day: Luxor
a.m. Embarkation before lunch.
p.m. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight in Luxor.
2nd Day: Luxor / Esna / Edfu
a.m. Cross to the West Bank. Visit the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, the temple of Queen Hatshepust and the Colossi of Memnon.
p.m. Sail to Esna . Cross the Lock. Sail to Edfu and overnight.
3rd Day: Edfu / Kom Ombo / Aswan
a.m. Visit the temple of Horus in Edfu. Sail to Kom Ombo.
p.m. Visit the temple shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris. Sail to Aswan and overnight .
4th Day: Aswan
a.m. Disembarkation after breakfast. Visit of the High Dam and the temple of Philae.
LUXOR-ASWAN CRUISE 04NIGHTS/05DAYS
Embarkation: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday & Saturday
1st Day: Luxor
a.m. Embarkation before lunch.
p.m. Visit the temple of Karnak and the temple of Luxor. Overnight in Luxor.
2nd Day: Luxor / Esna / Edfu
a.m. Cross to the West Bank. Visit the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, the temple of Queen Hatshepust, and the Colossi of Memnon.
p.m. Sail to Esna. Cross the lock. Sail to Edfu and overnight.
3rd Day: Edfu /Kom Ombo / Aswan
a.m. Visit the temple of Horus in Edfu. Sail to Kom Ombo.
p.m. Visit the temple shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris. Sail to Aswan and overnight .
4th Day: Aswan
a.m. Visit of the High Dam and the temple of Philae.
p.m. View of the Elephantine Island by felucca (sailing boat) and view of the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Overnight in Aswan.
5th Day: Aswan
a.m. Disembarkation after breakfast.
ASWAN-LUXOR CRUISE 04NIGHTS/05DAYS
Embarkation: Tuesday & Friday
1st Day: Aswan
a.m. Embarkation before lunch.
p.m. View of the Elephantine Island by felucca (sailing boat) and view of the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Overnight in Aswan.
2nd Day: Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu
a.m.Visit of the High Dam and the temple of Philae. Sail to Kom ombo.
p.m. Visit the temple shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris . Sail to Edfu and overnight.
3rd Day: Edfu / Esna / Luxor
a.m. Visit the temple of Horus in Edfu.
p.m. Sail to Esna. Cross the lock. Sail to Luxor and overnight.
4th Day: Luxor
a.m. Cross to the West Bank. Visit the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, the temple of Queen. Hatshepust and the Colossi of Memnon.
p.m. Visit the temple of Karnak and the temple of Luxor. Overnight in Luxor.
5th Day: Luxor
a.m. Disembarkation after breakfast.
