| |
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 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 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 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
Day 5)
Edfu – Esna – Luxor
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
After breakfast on board our cruiser, we 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 – 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 Luxor airport for our flight back to
Cairo.
Day 8)
Cairo
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!
|