ITINERARY

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Day 1 Arrive in Cairo, transfer to hotel

Day 2 Cairo, Saqqara, Dahshur & Memphis tour

Day 3 Wadi Hitan, the Valley of the Whales & Fayoum Oasis

Day 4 Drive to Minya via Meidum Pyramids, afternoon tour

After leaving behind Fayoum Oasis we head back towards the Nile Valley to the city of Minya. Along the way we will make stops at the less visited pyramids of Hawara, Lahun and Meidum.

The Pyramid at Hawara dates from the XII dynasty. Constructed for the Pharaoh Amenemhat III, it probably once stood on the shores of Lake Qaroun. In antiquity it became known as the finishing place for the one-hundred kilometre desert endurance race, introduced by the Pharaoh Taharqa in 690BC. This event was devised in order to help train his army and in 2001 this event was revived, it is now held every November.

As with the Hawara Pyramid, the Lahun Pyramid also dates for the XII dynasty and was constructed for the Pharaoh Senusert II. The Lahun Pyramid was constructed much later their famous counterparts in Giza and employed a new and different technique. The core of the Pyramid consists of a rocky knoll onto which limestone pillars were placed. These pillars provided a framework for the mud-brick overlay, which was then covered by the outer casing. The architect was also mindful of flooding which had been seen in many of pyramids and constructed a trench which surrounded the pyramid; this was filled with flints and sand to act as a sponge. The removal of the pyramid's casing stones left the inner mud-bricks at the mercy of the elements causing the erosion which can be seen today.

After arriving into Minya you will have a little time to relax before your afternoon tours. Minya is known as the 'Bride of Upper Egypt', the name deriving from its elegant villas and its people, who are regarded as some of the warmest and honest people in the country.

Your afternoon tours will visit the Frazer Tombs and Tihna el-Jebel. The Frazer tombs, named after their excavator - Gary Frazer, consist of a number of rock-cut tombs from the V and VI dynasties. Today, generally 2 tombs are open to the public, these are tombs of dignitaries who were both named Nika-Ankh - the first of these tombs contains statues of Nika-Ankh, his wife, children and grandson, there are also a few hieroglyphs to see.

Continuing a little further north of out Minya, we visit the village of Tihna el-Jebel - home to the ruins of the Pharaonic town of Dehenet (aka. Acoris by the Greeks). Whilst here you will have time to explore the two unfinished, rock-cut temples to Amun and Sobek and also view the chapel to the Goddess Hathor which is located so high up on the cliff face that it is hard to believe that it was ever used for offerings!

After plenty of time to explore these sites, we return to Minya where we will spend the evening.

OVERNIGHT:

Minya hotel

MEALS:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

EXTRAS:

None

Day 5 Tours around Minya, afternoon drive to Asyut

Before following the Nile further south to Asyut, we have a few final tours close to Minya first, our first stop is at the tombs of Beni Hassan. The majority of the 39 tombs here are unfinished; however they demonstrate the transitional period between the traditional Mastaba type tombs of the Old Kingdom and the deep cut tombs which can be seen in the Valley of the Kings. During this Middle Kingdom period provincial dignitaries began to show their independence by commissioning grand burials in the local area, rather than at sites such as Saqqara. The tombs are decorated with Pharaonic iconography and unique murals which depict wrestling scenes.

Next we visit the once great city of Hermopolis. According to tradition, Hermopolis was the site where creation began on an ancient mound, close to the city. Two stone baboons are said to recall the now vanished Temple of Thoth. The original Temple fo Thoth was created by the Pharaoh Ramses II, who used masonry from the city of Tell el-Amarna. The Temple once stood within an enclosure wall which covered approximately 650 square metres. Today, much of the city is in ruins; however a few remaining columns and statues give you a sense of how great this city once was.

Our final stop this morning is to the village of Tuna al-Gabel, whose name comes from the nearby ancient necropolis. In Pharaonic times, this region was a cult centre for pilgrims who came to pay homage to the god Thoth. These pilgrims often brought with them Ibises and Baboons which they gave to the priests to embalm - it is thought that in excess of 2 million of these animals were sacrificed here. The mummified remains of these animals were then placed in a necropolis, which some believe stretches as far as Hermopolis. The best preserved site at Tuna al-Gabel is the tomb of Petosiris and his family. Petosiris lived in the time of Alexander the Great and the interior of the tomb demonstrates a fusion of Greek and Egyptian styles.

After breaking for lunch we will continue on to Asyut via the ancient capital of Tell el-Amarna (then known as Akhetaten). The great city of Amarna was founded by the Pharaoh Amenophis IV, who controversially expelled the much revered gods of ancient Egypt in favour of Aten (Sun) worship. Amenophis closed all of the temples dedicated to the 'Old Gods' in an act which many saw as heretical. It was during this period that Amenophis discarded his royal title in favour of his new name - Akhenaten (Servant of the Aten). He and his wife Nefertiti ruled Egypt from their new capital for around 12 years; however the later years of their reign is still shrouded in mystery. Following the death of Akhenaten his co-regent Smenkhkare ruled until he was succeeded by the famous Tutankhamun (then known as Tutankhaten). Tutankhamun heralded a return to the Old Gods and fronted the 'Theban counter-revolution'. Later, Pharaoh Seti I plundered the abandoned city of Amarna for Masonry, ordered priests to curse the site to deter reoccupation and destroyed cartouches and images of any pharaoh associated with the Amarna heresy. For this reason, Akhenaten and Nefertiti remained unknown until the 19th century.

Today, little remains of the city (or little has been discovered), however this site strikes many visitors as intensely evocative and mysterious.

OVERNIGHT:

Asyut hotel

MEALS:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

EXTRAS:

None

Day 6 Drive to Luxor via Akhmim, Abydos & Dendera

After spending the night in Assyut we continue south towards ancient Thebes – modern day Luxor. Our first stop along the way is to the rarely visited town of Akhmim. Akhmim was once referred to as being Egypt's oldest city, by the 16th century geographer - Leo Africanus. Akmimis have been building on the ground of their ancestors since pre-dynastic times. During the Pharaonic period the city was the capital of the Ninth Nome and even today the city retains its labyrinthine like streets, many of which haven't changed since medieval times. Today, not much remains of Ancient Akhmim, however whilst building a new school in 1981 a colossal statue was discovered, measuring 11 metres. The statue is of the Meryut Amun, the eldest daughter of Nefertari and is now on display. Nearby we will also visit the remains of a seated statue of Ramses II - This colossus of Ramses is believed to have once been as large as those found at Abu Simbel.

After visiting these monuments we cross the Nile to visit Abydos. In Pharaonic times, there was no better place to be buried that at Abydos. The ancient Egyptians believed that the entrance to the underworld was located close by and the site was the centre for one of the most important pilgrimages, the cult of Osiris. The Temple of Abydos was built by the Pharaoh Seti I and completed by his son - Ramses II. The main god revered in the temple was Osiris, however 5 others also have sanctuaries here. Along with the sanctuaries of the Gods, the temple was also designed to honour the deified, deceased Pharaoh - Seti I. We have an extensive tour of the temple before continuing on to Dendera where we visit the Temple of Hathor - the goddess of dance, joy and love. There have been shrines to the Goddess Hathor since pre-dynastic times; however the temple which exists today was a Greco-Roman creation, constructed between 125 and 60 AD.

OVERNIGHT:

Luxor hotel

MEALS:

Breakfast, Lunch

EXTRAS:

None

Day 7 Luxor, west bank tour

Our morning today will be spent on the West Bank of Luxor where we will see some of the less visited sites. Our first stop will be the Ramesseum, or mortuary temple of Ramses II. In its day the Ramesseum would have rivalled the Great Temple of Abu Simbel in grandeur, however, because of its location on land which floods annually, much of the temple was ruined throughout antiquity. Following the Ramesseum we visit the nearby Temple of Merneptah, one of Ramses' son's who ruled for around 10 years. The temple was constructed using much masonry from the nearby Temple of Amenophis III – you can see that some of the carvings were actually done over the top of the originals and that there are depictions of Amenophis III in the Temple of Merneptah. Unfortunately, much of the temple lies in ruins today, however some excellent carvings and statues can be viewed. Our final temple visit for today is to the memorial temple of Seti I, who also constructed the Temple at Abydos which we visited yesterday. Seti I died before this temple was completed, so his son Ramses II completed the construction. The temple was severely damaged during floods in 1994; however recent restorations have revealed the foundations of the Pharaohs palace. This is the earliest example of a Pharaonic Palace within a temple complex. The temple also contains a small chapel which is dedicated to Seti's father Ramses I, who passed away before he had chance to construct his own mortuary temple. After a break for lunch we continue our tours with visits to the Tombs of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina - the Workers Village. This evening is spent within our hotel on Luxor's East Bank.

OVERNIGHT:

Luxor hotel

MEALS:

Breakfast

EXTRAS:

Hot air balloon in Luxor

Day 8 Luxor Museum & Karnak Temple tour

Day 9 Arrive in Cairo, Tanis & Avaris tour

After arriving back into Cairo this morning, we have a full day tour around the Nile Delta area where we visit Tanis and Avaris. During Biblical times Tanis was known by the name Zoan, as referred to in the Bible. In the film the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Tanis was said to be the hiding place of the Ark of the Covenant. The city was founded late in the 20th dynasty and became the northern capital of Egypt during the 21st dynasty under the rule of Smendes. Tanis then remainder Egypt's northern capital into the 22nd dynasty. There are many ancient sites at Tanis, including temples and a royal necropolis. In 1939/1940 Pierre Montet discovered the intact burial sites of Psusennes I, Amenemope and Shoshenq II which contained a large amount of Gold, Jewellery, Lapis Lazuli and many other precious items which are now housed in the Cairo Museum. This discovery wasn't publicised as much as Tut's discovery due to the breakout of World War II, however many of the treasures discovered rival those of King Tut.

Avaris is our next stop for today, where excavations underway since the 1960’s have confirmed that this is indeed the site of Avaris, the long-vanished Hyksos capital. Much of the area is in ruins today, however one of the greatest discoveries was in 1991, when Minoan style frescoes were discovered in a Hyksos era palace, proving that strong links once existed between the Minoan on Crete, some 500 miles away.

After returning to Cairo in the afternoon the remainder of the day is free for you to catch up on some last minute shopping or relax within your hotel before your flight home tomorrow.

OVERNIGHT:

Cairo hotel

MEALS:

Breakfast, Lunch

EXTRAS:

Day 10 Cairo, tour ends with transfer to airport

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Included:

All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
All transport and transfers in private AC vehicles
Overnight sleeper train in private twin-berth cabins (flight upgrades available)
24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service
Sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary
Services of a local Egyptologist guide for all the sightseeing tours
Entrance fees to sites visited
Meals as indicated in the itinerary

Excluded:

International flights (available on request)
Visa fees (available on arrival for most nationalities)
Travel Insurance (mandatory, available on request)
Meals not indicated in the itinerary
Tipping kitty (allow US$45)
Drinks, snacks and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry)
Tour guide tips
Hotel Gala Dinners (if charged by the hotels on 24 & 31 Dec, see Tour notes)
Any other items not mentioned above

Notes:

Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. More information is available on request.

Gallery

Ram-headed sphinxes, Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt

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FROM THIS TRIP

Dates and Prices

Seasonal prices for this tour are given below. We can also customise the itinerary to fit your personal requirements. Please contact us for details and prices.

Start Date

End Date

Price (P/P)

Offer price

Note

Accommodation

The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.

Oasis Hotel

Cairo

The Oasis hotel is located just a few minutes drive from the Great Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, and is set within 9 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens.

Local rating

Our rating

Note: The following information is provided from our own visits & research, the hotel itself, and our clients' experience of using the hotel.

Introduction:

The Oasis Hotel really is, as its name suggests, an oasis in the immense city of Cairo. The hotel is located just a few minutes drive from the Great Pyramids of Giza, and is set within 9 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens. It is one of the few good 4-star rated hotels in Cairo, and we use it on many of our tours with a 'standard' comfort rating.

Location:

The Oasis hotel is located approximately 10 minutes drive from the Great Pyramids (too far to walk), 1 hour from Cairo International Airport and 30 minutes from Downtown Cairo and the Egyptian Museum. As there aren't many bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, a complementary shuttle bus service operates throughout the day - although many guests chose to stay within the hotel complex as there are plenty of facilities and different bars & dining options there.

Accommodation:

The Oasis has a total of 300 guest rooms including 6 executive Suites and 1 royal suite. Most are single storey chalet-style rooms, though there is a new 2-storey extension (no children are allowed in the new section though). Connecting rooms and extra beds are available for family parties.

All guest rooms are furnished to a high standard and overlook the perfectly maintained gardens. The rooms also all feature Satellite TV, Air-Conditioning, Direct Dial Telephone, Mini-Bar, Wireless Internet and Music Channels.

Bars & Restaurants:

The resort features several dining outlets, mainly located around the pool area, making dining at this hotel a relaxing experience.
Bedouin - This modern restaurant serves mixed international cuisine with influences from Lebanese, Syrian and Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day and provides both buffet and a la carte options.
La Terrazza - This restaurant is one of the hotel's a la carte options and offers cuisine from various parts of Italy. The restaurant is open daily for dinner.
Palmyra - This buffet style restaurant offers a large variety of international cuisines.
Palm Garden - Palm Garden is a Syrian and Lebanese restaurant and nightclub open daily from 10pm. You can enjoy a meal next to the waterfall whilst taking in one of the live shows.
The hotel also offers a section of coffee shops and bars that serve an extensive menu of western snacks in addition to ice creams & western snacks ideal for children and cocktails for the adults.

Facilities & Services:

The hotel has a large free-form swimming pool available to guests featuring both shallow and deep areas with easy access steps in the shallow end, in addition to the swimming pool, the hotel has many other services available such as a health club and spa, fully equipped gymnasium, children's playground, free shuttle bus to Downtown Cairo and 24 hour room service.

Other services include:

Basketball and Tennis Courts
Free Parking
Bank
ATM Machine
Valet and Laundry Services
Luggage Store
Gift Shop
Massage, Sauna and Jacuzzi

Helnan Auberge Hotel

Fayoum

Founded in 1937, the luxurious hotel has been the official host of celebrities & prominent figures over the years. Spread over the fabulous coast of Lake Karoun, the former hunting lodge of King Farouk offers an elegant ambience & host of activities.

Local rating

Our rating

MG Nefertiti Hotel

Minya

Offering a swimming pool and free WiFi, MG Nefertiti Hotel is located in Minya. The property features a lush landscaped garden and rooms with a scenic view of the Nile.

Local rating

Our rating

Cemex hotel

Asyut

The Cemex hotel is the best hotel to stay in Asyut. It has 38 rooms, a nice gym, an Olympic swimming pool, and probably the best restaurant in town. All the staff are friendly and speak excellent English.

Local rating

Our rating

Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel

Luxor

This hotel, formerly Le Meridien Luxor, is a modern hotel built in 2001. It is ideally situated right on the banks of the Nile and is within easy reach of all the major sites of Luxor.

Local rating

Our rating

Note: The following information is provided from our own visits & research, the hotel itself, and our clients' experience of using the hotel.