Egypt Cultural Safari : 8 Nights/9 Days

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Tour Type - Cultural Safaris, Destination - Egypt Tour Summary Day 1: Arrive Cairo Welcome in Arabic. We are warmly received at Cairo Airport and transferred to our hotel. Overnight: Pyramisa Hotel (2 nights) Day 2: Cairo / Pyramids This is a day to go back in time, starting with a visit to the most famous of the Egyptian sphinxes - the Great Sphinx of Giza, followed by the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Completed around 2600 BC, this pyramid was 146m (478ft) high and consisted of over 2 million limestone blocks weighing over 2 tons each. We also examine the Chephren and Mycerinus Pyramids as well as the Cheops wooden boat. At over 4500 years old, this boat is the most ancient vessel found in perfect condition anywhere in the world and is one of the most important archaeological finds in Egypt. Next we visit Memphis and the Saqqara Step Pyramid, the world's first great stone structure. Evening, an ideal opportunity to join in our optional viewing of the spectacular Sound and Light Show at the foot of the Great Pyramids. (B) Day 3: Cairo / Luxor (Flight) A short flight gets us to Luxor where we are warmly received and transferred to your boat, home for the next four nights. Over the next few days we cruise the Nile and visit various off shore sites. Overnight: Sherry Nile Cruise (4 nights) (B, L, D) Day 4: Sherry Nile Cruise Luxor This afternoon we visit to the Karnak and Luxor Temples. The ancient Egyptians knew the Temple of Karnak as Ipet-isut. It is a city of temples built over 2000 years and dedicated to the Theben triad of Amon, Mut and Khonsu. This derelict place continues to overshadow many of the wonders of the modern world. It is the mother of all religious buildings and a place of pilgrimage for nearly 4,000 years. Luxor Temple was connected to Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes in ancient times. Unlike Karnak, Luxor is mainly the work of one pharaoh - Amenhotep III and was added to by Tutankhamun, Horemheb, Ramses II and Alexander the Great. During Akhenaten’s reign, all religion other than worship of Aten was rejected and development at Luxor stopped. When Akhenaten died, the old religions returned, along with the priests so the temple began to expand again. (B, L, D) Day 5: Sherry Nile Cruise Luxor / Esna / Edfu We begin our day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of pharaohs. Our visit will also include Queen Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Sail to Esna, cross the lock then continue onto Edfu. (B, L, D) Day 6: Sherry Nile Cruise Edfu / Kom Ombo / Aswan Morning we will be visiting the well-preserved Greek built Temple of Horus. This temple, built during the reigns of six generations of Ptolemy's, is not only the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but also the second largest after Karnak. Afternoon sail for Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. It stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. (B, L, D) Day 7: Aswan / Cairo (Train) Disembark after breakfast. Visits in Aswan include the famous and monumental Aswan High Dam and the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. This afternoon, we take a ride on a felucca, a typical Egyptian sail-boat, around Elephantine Island. This is also a day for those who may want to take an optional flight excursion to Abu Simbel to see the temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. Evening we are transferred to the railway station at Aswan for our comfortable overnight train to Cairo. Overnight: Sleeper Train (1 night) (B, D) Day 8: Arrive Cairo We arrive in the morning and are welcomed at Cairo Railways Station. Our day at Cairo starts with a fascinating tour of 7,000 years of Egyptian history with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum houses the world's greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun. Next we start with the fascinating part of Islamic Cairo, including the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress perched on a hill above the city. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today it is a complex of three mosques and four museums. Our last stop is at the awesome Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. Overnight: Pyramisa Hotel (1 night) (B) Day 9: Depart Cairo Today we bid farewell to Egypt, best described as a heritage site to the whole world, having gained an educational, historical an enlightening cultural experience never to be forgotten. (B)


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