Egypt Tours & Travel - Egypt In Depth

*Guaranteed Weekly Departure*
**Itinerary**
Day 1	Depart USA from New York (JFK) airport on your flight to Cairo, all meals and beverages served on board flight.
Day 2	Arrive Cairo where you will be met by our representative who will help you with your immigration and customs formalities. Later you will be transferred to your hotel, the luxurious Mena House Oberoi Hotel for overnight. Pyramids at Nightfall: Mena House Oberoi Hotel in the background
Day 3	Breakfast, then drive to Memphis at the edge of the western desert, the capital of the ancient kingdom, and one of the most important cities throughout the history of ancient Egypt. From here we drive to Sakkara, the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. In the afternoon, drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd Dynasty about 2690 BC, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Enjoy a camel ride by the pyramids area if you wish. In front of the Pyramids of Chephren, we find the Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a Pharaoh's head thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren. Continue your tour to the Solar Boat Museum where a dismantled river barge of King Cheops was found and has been beautifully re-assembled. Return to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred by our tour escort to the Giza Plateau to attend the magnificent Sound and Light Show. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B) Sakkara: Zoser's Step Pyramid and fluted columns
Day 4	Breakfast, then visit Fayoum, Egypt's largest oasis, overlooking Lake Qarun which is a popular spot for hunting and fishing. You can visit the remains of the Temple and Pyramid of Amenhat III and Qasr Qarun, a well-preserved temple from the Greco-Roman era. Lunch at the Oberge El-Fayoum Hotel overlooking the lake. Then continue the tour to Maidum. The Pyramid of Maidum was originally a seven-stepped pyramid. It was enlarged to an eight-stepped pyramid. Eventually the steps were filled in and a smooth outer facing turned it into a true pyramid. It is a huge structure that is surrounded by the debris from the casing that collapsed. The Maidum Pyramid is thought to have been started by Huni, the last ruler of the 3rd Dynasty and then completed by his son Sneferu. Sneferu was the first 4th Dynasty Pharaoh. (2613 - 2494 BC). A little north of the Maidum Pyramid are the remains of the Seila Step Pyramid, which is made of limestone and is thought to be from the 2nd Dynasty. Transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,L) Dahshur: The Bent Pyramid
Day 5	Breakfast, then a drive to Dahshur to visit the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid. The builder of these pyramids is thought to have been Sneferu, who is thought to have built the Pyramid of Maidum. His son was Cheops who continued his constructive tendencies. Transfer back to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred to an Egyptian home for an Egyptian dinner and for getting acquainted with the people of Egypt, their was of life, see an Egyptian home and engage in a social discussion about the two cultures and the people if you wish. Later you will be transferred back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,D)
Day 6	Breakfast, then you will be met and transferred to Cairo Airport for your flight to Abu-Simbel Airport, you will be transferred to visit the Great Temple, hewn in the rock, with the four colossal seated status of the king in front of the entrance, it was dedicated to Amun-Ra, the Horakkhti, and Ramses II. Then visit Kings Wife Temple which was threatened by the waters on the completion of the Aswan High Dam have been preserved by International Action organized by "Unesco". All of the parts of the temple (statues, inscribed slabs, etc.) have been rebuilt on a plateau above the former site. Later transfer to the Nefertari Hotel in Abu-Simbel. Balance of the day at leisure. Overnight. (B, L, D) Abu Simbel: Statues of Ramses in front of the Great Temple
Day 7	Early breakfast and a wonderful opportunity to see the sunrise at the Abu-Simbel Temples. Later transfer to Abu-Simbel Airport for your flight to Aswan. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel, the luxurious Old Cataract or the Oberoi Aswan Hotel for check-in. Later start your tour visiting the Botanical Gardens and the Agha Khan Mausoleum by felucca and the Temple of Isis on Philae Island. Continue your tour visiting the High Dam, the Granite Quarries and the Unfinished Obelisk. Overnight. (B) Aswan: A view of the Nile
Day 8	Breakfast and a rare visit to the newly opened Nubian Museum which describes the Nubian history from past to present time including some Coptic and Islamic art as well. Continue our tour visiting the Nubian Village and a special visit to a Nubian home where you will be served tea and have s short social discussion. Later transfer back to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred to Philae Temple by felucca to attend the beautiful Sound and Light Show. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,D)
Day 9	Breakfast, then you will be met and transferred by car to Luxor visiting en-route the Ptolemaic Temple of Kom-Ombo, which was dedicated to two gods: the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed god Haroeris. Continue to Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus (237 BC) the best preserved Egyptian temple in existence. From there to Esna to visit the Temple of the god Khnum. Continue to Luxor. Arrive Luxor where you will be met and transferred to the historical Old Winter Palace Hotel. Start your tour by crossing by a ferry to the west bank of the Nile and visit the Valley of the Queens which lies hidden in the foothills of the Mountains of Gourma. See the dramatic Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a masterpiece of graceful proportions, then visit the famous Valley of the Kings where the royal tomb of Seti I, King Tut and Ramses are located. See the elaborate reliefs and wall paintings depicting events of the past, and marvel at the exquisite colors, excellently preserved for thousands of years. Return to your hotel. PM You will be met and transferred to attend the magnificent Sound and Light Show in Karnak. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B)
Day 10	Breakfast, then visit the Temple of Karnak with their awesome and giant columns. The ruins of Greece and Rome are dwarfed beside them. Then visit the Temple of Luxor which was started by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II. Continue our tour to the Luxor Museum. Later transfer back to your hotel. Overnight. (B) Dendera: Osiris Shrine in Hathor Temple
Day 11	Breakfast, then visit the Temple of Dendera whose construction was initiated by the Ptolemies. Dendera is dedicated to Hathor, the cow goddess, known as "The Golden One". Continue your tour visiting the Tomb of the Nobles, many of which are vividly painted with naturalistic scenes of agriculture, fishing, fowling, feasting and junketing. Continue to the famous King Tut Tomb and visit the very large Temple of Ramses III known as Medinet Habu which depicts the battle reliefs on the exterior of the temple. (B)
Day 12	Breakfast, then drive to Abidos, to visit the Temple of Abidos which is a Greco-Roman Temple that lies about 60 miles north of Luxor. The temple was first initiated by Ptolemy III with numerous additions by subsequent Roman Ptolemaic rulers. It houses a famous painting of Queen Cleopatra, and Caesaron, her son from Julius Caesar. The temple is renowned for its horoscope inscriptions. Return to Luxor. Embark on a 2-hour felucca (sail boat) ride, exploring the east and the west bank of the Nile riding in a sail boat exactly the same way as the ancient Egyptians used to do it thousands of years ago. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
Day 13	Breakfast, then start our tour by a very special visit to the newly opened Tomb of "Nefertari" which is the tomb that houses the sons of King Ramses II and consists of 25 chambers. It's magnificent and truly a highlight of your trip. Continue your our tour to visit the newly opened Tomb of Queen "Tausert", the wife of King Seth II. That tomb was usurped by King Set Nakht who changed some of its inscriptions and added to its original construction. Transfer back to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure. Overnight. (B,L)
Day 14	Breakfast and transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight to Sharm-el-Sheikh. Arrive Sharm and transfer by car to Saint Catherine. Arrive St. Catherine and transfer to the Saint Catherine Village and Resort for check-in. Balance of day at leisure. A choice of a 3 hour climb to the top of Mount Sinai is there, if you wish to see a spectacular sunrise as well as a view of the Red Sea and the Saudi Arabian border. A popular time to start the climb of 3,750 steps is at 2:00 am in order to arrive at the summit for sunrise around 5:00 am. (B) Sharm-El-Sheikh: The Marriott Sharm hotel swimming pool and lobby
Day 15	Breakfast and visit the Sinai Peninsula. Not much has changed in the area since Moses fled the Pharaoh of Egypt and made his way to this craggy moonscape, where he beheld the miracle of a burning bush and heard God tell him to lead the Israelites out of bondage. Today you will enjoy that same journey through the same stark granite mountains, to the site of the burning bush, where Emperor Justinian built the Monastery of St. Catherine during the sixth century. The site sits at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments. While visiting the 6th century old monastery compound, you will see the enclosing churches, gardens and the living quarters of the monks who operate it. Some of your highlights will be the actual bush, a shrub that grows nowhere else in the world; the Chapel of the Burning Bush; and the well where Moses is said to have seen the daughters of Jethro tending sheep. The monastery owns more than 2,000 Byzantine icons, the world's largest and finest collection of these paintings, many of which are displayed in the main Church of the Transfiguration. The monastery also has a priceless collection of more than 4,500 manuscripts, including the world's second oldest Bible. (B) St. Catherine: St. Catherine Monastery
Day 16	Breakfast and drive from Saint Catherine to Sharm-el-Sheikh. Upon arrival at Sharm-el-Sheikh, transfer to the Marriott Sharm Hotel. Balance of day at leisure for swimming, snorkeling, diving or relaxing by your hotel pool or on the hotel private beach. Overnight. (B)
Day 17	Breakfast and a day at leisure for swimming, diving and snorkeling. PM You will be met and transferred by car to the Sinai Desert. From the desert road we will take camels to meet the Bedouins. Experience the Bedouin hospitality, a dinner will be barbecued and served in front of you at a canyon in a Bedouin tent surrounded by the stars. Traveling and dining in the desert with the Bedouins will make you relive the adventure of Lawrence of Arabia. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,D)
Day 18	Breakfast and transfer to Sharm Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The Cairo Marriott and Towers Hotel. Morning at leisure. PM You will be met and transferred for an oriental dinner, folkloric and belly dancing show. Later transfer back to your hotel for an overnight. (B,D)
Day 19	Breakfast, then start your tour visiting the Gayer Anderson Museum (Bayt Al-Kiridlyyah) Two houses, one of the 16th century, the other of the 17th, each comfortable by the standards of their time, have been delightfully joined together, both filled with antique furniture. Continue our tour visiting the Manyal Palace, built in 1826 and it conceals an Ottoman-Baroque fantasy within; an immense marble basin with a marble island in its center. The palace was built by Prince Muhammad Ali. From there we continue our tour to visit the Ibn Tulon Mosque which is one of the architectural glories of the Muslim world, completed in the year 879 and covers 8.5 acres of land. In the afternoon, visit the Islamic Museum that has Islamic art from Egypt, Turkey and Persia dating from 7th to 19th centuries. From there we continue our tour to visit the Coptic Museum which is built on the site of the Roman fortress of Babylon, constructed about 30 BC. Inside you will find some of the richest collections of Coptic art in the world. Later transfer back to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D) Cairo: Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Day 20	Breakfast, then start your tour visiting the Egyptian Museum famous for its antiquities from Egypt's Pharaonic period, which dates back some 50 centuries and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amon. Afternoon excursion to Old Cairo, visiting the very old Coptic Churches and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Beni Ezra. Continue your visit to a mosque and the medieval bazaars of Khan-el-Khalili, where you can bargain for your jewelry and hand-tooled leather items. Return to your hotel for an overnight. (B,L)
Day 21	Breakfast, then you will be met by our representative and transferred to Cairo Airport, where you will be helped with your check-in and immigration formalities for your flight back home. (B)

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