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Day 1) Arrive Cairo
Arrive at Cairo International Airport. We meet you at
the airport, assist you with passport and customs
formalities, and take you to the hotel. A refreshing
Egyptian drink awaits you there. Settle in, relax, and
then start taking in the atmosphere of this exciting
city!
Day 2) Cairo - Giza
After an early breakfast, we meet our Egyptian guide for
sightseeing in and around Africa’s largest metropolis.
We drive to Memphis, capital of ancient Egypt, where we
see a huge alabaster Sphinx and a statue of Ramses II.
At Saqqara we view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, the
oldest in the world.
From Saqqara we travel to Giza for a close-up look at
the mighty Sphinx and the majestic Great Pyramids.
Cheops’ Pyramid is the most colossal pyramid ever built
– it stands 140.2 meters in height, is made from over
7.7 million tons of rock, and its base covers an area of
12 acres!
In the evening, we enjoy the spectacular Sound and Light
Show in the shadow of the Great Pyramids.
Day 3) Cairo
After breakfast, we begin today’s sightseeing by
focusing on Egypt’s Islamic period, which began in 640
A.D. We visit the Citadel of Salah Al Din and the Mosque
of Mohammed Ali. The Mosque is also known as the
“Alabaster Mosque” because of the extensive use of this
fine material. A Greek architect, commissioned by
Mohamed Ali Pasha, designed it in the Ottoman style. It
has two very slender minarets, 82 meters high.
In the afternoon, we head to the world-famous Egyptian
Museum of Antiquities, with artifacts dating back to
5000 B.C. The museum offers a vivid introduction to the
artistic and architectural styles of successive periods
in ancient Egyptian history. Highlights of our visit
include the incredible treasures of the tomb of
Tutankhamun, including the stunning Jewel Room and the
fascinating Mummy Room
Day 4) Cairo-Alexandria
Following breakfast at the hotel, we drive through
the desert road to enjoy the ancient Queen of the
Mediterranean, Alexandria. This is Egypt’s second
largest city, and its chief seaport. Together we visit
Pompeii’s Pillar, erected to honor the Emperor
Diocletian; the Roman Amphitheater, almost perfectly
preserved; the Roman catacombs dating from the 2nd
century A.D.
Day 5)
Alexandria – Sleeper Train - Aswan
After breakfast, we have a free time in Alexandria to
enjoy the city
In the evening, we board our first-class sleeper train
and travel south along the Nile while we enjoy our
dinner in our private compartments
Day 6) Aswan
We arrive at the Aswan railway station and drive to our
hotel. In the afternoon we enjoy a ride on a traditional
Egyptian felucca, and sail down the Nile to visit the
peaceful Botanical Gardens.
Day 7) Aswan
Following breakfast at the hotel, we embark on a short
motorboat ride to visit the Temple of Isis at Philae.
Then we drive to the Aswan High Dam. After we marvel at
this masterpiece of modern engineering, we stop at the
ancient quarry for a lesson in the innovative techniques
used by ancient engineers to create the monuments around
us and see the unfinished obelisk.
In the evening, we attend the breathtaking Sound and
Light Show at the beautiful Temple of Isis at Philae.
Day 8) Aswan - Luxor
We travel to Luxor. In the afternoon we arrive in Luxor
and visit the Temple of Karnak dedicated to the god
Amun. The impressive Temple of Karnak has no equal among
the national shrines of Egypt! And visit the Temple of
Luxor, built by Amenophis III, Ramses II and
Tutankhamun, during their respective reigns. Inside the
courtyard of Ramses II is an ancient mosque built over a
portion of the temple.
This evening we attend the splendid Sound and Light Show
at the Temple of Karnak, an entertaining walk through
thousands of years of Egyptian history.
Day 9) Luxor - Cairo
Today we take a thrilling journey to the west bank of
the Nile, to the Valley of the Kings, where generations
of pharaohs were buried in great splendor in crypts cut
into the cliffs. From a dramatic backdrop of sun, sand
and rugged mountain peaks, we peer into the dark, eerie
silence of some of the 64 royal tombs discovered there
to date. One of these, the tomb of Tutankhamun, was
almost completely intact when discovered in 1922. We
visit Deir el Bahari to see the monumental stone temple
dedicated to the only female pharaoh, Queen Hatshepsut.
We marvel at the two Colossi of Memnon that faithfully
guard the valleys.
Later, we drive to the Luxor train station and board our
first-class sleeper train, for our return to Cairo.
Day 10) Cairo
We arrive Cairo early morning, and transfer to your
hotel, Afternoon, you will have a free time in Cairo, to
explore the city with your own way
Day 11) Cairo - Departure
After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we accompany you
to Cairo International Airport for your flight back
home. You leave Egypt with wonderful memories and our
very best wishes. It was our pleasure to host you; we
hope that Egypt and her people always have a special
place in your heart, and that you will come back and
visit us again!
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