Day 1)          Arrive in 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!
This evening, we meet together as a group by the Egypt Travel team in Egypt.


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!


Day 3)           Cairo – Abu Simbel – Aswan
After breakfast at the hotel, we fly south along the Nile from Cairo to Abu Simbel. There we visit the two magnificent temples of Abu Simbel, located on the edge of the Nile, overlooking Lake Nasser. Ramses II built both temples for the purpose of demonstrating his power and divine nature to the ancient Nubians. The greater of the two temples is consecrated to the gods Ptah, Amun-Re, and Re-Horakhty. This temple is the most colossal of the temples still remaining in Egypt. Four imposing statues of Ramses II sit in pairs flanking the entrance, each over 19.8 meters high. The second temple was built in honor of his beloved wife, Nefertari, and was dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love.
Later, we fly to Aswan, and then drive to our luxurious Nile cruiser. In the afternoon we enjoy a ride on a traditional Egyptian felucca, and sail down the Nile to visit the peaceful Botanical Gardens.
In the evening, we attend the breathtaking Sound and Light Show at the beautiful Temple of Isis at Philae.


Day 4)           Aswan – Kom Ombo
Following breakfast on our cruiser, 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.
We begin our memorable Nile cruise in the afternoon by sailing to Kom Ombo to visit its temple. The Temple of Kom Ombo, dating back to the Ptolemies, is unique in that it is dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god of Nile fertility, and Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky, who has the sun and the moon as his eyes.


Day 5)           Edfu – Esna
This morning we sail to Edfu. We disembark our cruiser and board an awaiting horse-drawn carriage for the drive to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Built in the time of Cleopatra, about 2000 years ago, its remarkably intact interior makes it easy to imagine yourself back in ancient Egypt, amongst a congregation of worshippers in the temple.
After our visit to Edfu, we sail to Esna and sail through the Esna lock on our way to Luxor, known to the ancient Egyptians as Thebes.


Day 6)           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 7)           Luxor – Sharm El Sheikh
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 disembark our cruise ship and drive to the airport for our flight to the capital of Sinai, Sharm El Sheikh. Sinai is an amazing land of vast sandy deserts, golden beaches lined with palm trees, and below the crystal clear waters, the world’s best coral reefs. We are taken to our hotel in Sharm El Sheikh for swimming, diving, snorkeling or relaxing on the beach or by the pool.


Day 8)           Sharm El Sheikh - Sinai
Today we experience the holy atmosphere of Sinai. Many religious miracles are believed to have occurred here, and the prophets of Christianity, Islam and Judaism have all roamed its expansive deserts. We visit majestic Mount Sinai.
Those wishing to climb Mt. Sinai are awakened at 2:00AM. The ascent on foot takes about 3 hours. We are then rewarded with an unforgettable view of the sun rising over the mountain, and a look at the site where it is believed God spoke to Moses. After this incredible experience, we descend for breakfast and a visit to St. Catherine’s Monastery, set beneath the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The Monastery has been a major destination of religious pilgrimages for over fifteen centuries. Within it is a 6th century church, the Chapel of the Burning Bush, built in the area around the burning bush. The Fountain of Moses provides the main source of water for the Monastery, and is built on the site where Moses met his future wife Zipporah at the well. One of St. Catherine’s own Orthodox priests guides us through the Monastery.

Note: Due to religious customs and festivals, St. Catherine’s Monastery may be closed on very short notice.


Day 9)           Sharm El Sheikh – Cairo
After breakfast at the hotel, we return to Sharm El Sheikh Airport for a flight to Cairo
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
Later we drive to the Al-Azhar area to browse the labyrinths of the bustling Khan El-Khalili bazaar, where shopping is both an exotic and rewarding experience!


Day 10)           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 Catacombs of El Shuqafa, dating from the 2nd century A.D..


Day 11)           Alexandria – Cairo
After breakfast at the hotel, we return to Cairo
In the evening, we enjoy the magnificent Sound and Light Show in the shadow of the Great Pyramids, in Giza.


Day 12)           Cairo – Baharia
After an early breakfast we drive Baharia Oasis, Lunch before continuing towards the White Desert. We install our first camp in Aqabat, and have a jaunt to discover this astonishing geological phenomenon


Day 13)           Baharia – Cairo
We leave toward Wadi El Kebir, the north part of the White Desert, before crossing a chalky succession of various shapes. After lunch, through sand and limestone, we join Sahara el Gedida, "the new desert".
Drive back to Cairo and overnight in our hotel


Day 14)           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!