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Highlights | Itinerary
| Accomodations
Departures and Costs
Itinerary
Days 1-2
Depart New York for Cairo on a group flight. Upon arrival
the next day, transfer to the Meridian Pyramids Hotel.
Gather this evening for an introductory lecture followed by
a welcome reception and dinner. (R,D)
Day 3 — Cairo
Experience the splendors of Giza today, including the great
pyramids and the ever-mysterious Sphinx. At the Solar Boat
Museum, see the phenomenal wooden vessel found buried at the
base of the Great Pyramid, which is thought to have ferried
Cheops from Memphis 4,500 years ago. Savor an evening of
fine food, folk music, and dance. (B,D)
Day 4 — Alexandria
Travel north through the desert to the bustling city of
Alexandria. Built by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.,
Alexandria soon became the second most important city of the
Roman Empire. Traces of the city’s glorious past still
remain, from Pompey’s Pillar to the Roman amphitheater and
vestiges of the Serapeum temple. Alexandria is also a city
turned toward the future, as seen during your tour of the
impressive modern library, including the History of Science
collection. Stay at the five-star Helnan Palestine Hotel,
featuring a stunning seaside location. (B,L)
Day 5 — Memphis and Sakkara
Return to Cairo and travel to the ancient capital city of
Memphis. View the Temple of Hathor and the colossal statue
of Ramses II, just part of this former metropolis. Over 80
pyramids and hundreds of decorated tombs are scattered
across the nearby necropolis of Sakkara, but the most
significant of its treasures is the step pyramid designed by
Imhotep, reportedly the oldest stone building in the world.
(B,L)
Day 6 — Pharaonic Cairo
After checking out of your hotel, visit the Egyptian
Antiquities Museum, a renowned repository of treasured
artifacts from all over Egypt. Later, board an early
afternoon flight to the ancient city of Thebes, now known as
Luxor. Upon arrival, check into your hotel, then explore the
beautiful Luxor Museum. (B,L)
Day 7 — West Bank
The pharaohs of the 18th dynasty concealed their burial
sites in elaborate catacombs near Thebes. Spend the morning
among the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings,
including the three-tiered temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s
first female ruler. Veer off the beaten track to the Valley
of Nobles, where lively depictions of everyday life provide
an interesting contrast to the formal scenes found in the
tombs of the pharaohs. Also stop by the Colossi of Memnon.
Board the MS Tulip, your home for the next four nights, then
after sundown, visit the imposing Temple of Luxor. (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Luxor and Esna
At daybreak, enter the magnificent temple of Karnak and
imagine its massive colonnades once painted in garish colors
and its halls filled with worshippers at festival time.
Return to the Tulip and glimpse village life on the Nile as
you float south toward Esna for the lock crossing. (B,L,D)
Day 9 — Edfu and Kom Ombo
In Edfu, view the Temple of Horus, where intricate carvings
portray the legend of Horus, god of the sky, and his wife,
Hathor. Cruise to Kom Ombo to visit the twin sanctuary of
Sobek and Haroeris, located high on a dune overlooking the
river. (B,L,D)
Day 10 — Aswan
Cruise onward to Aswan, where spices, leather, ivory, and
crocodiles were traded with the ancient African kingdoms of
Kush (Nubia) and Axum. Visit a Nubian village and meet local
families who invite you for a camel ride. Then board a
felucca, a traditional sailboat, and circle Elephantine
Island. Conclude the day at the Philae Temple of Isis,
transported to its present location when the Aswan dam was
built. (B,L,D)
Day 11 — Abu Simbel and Cairo
Disembark the MS Tulip and stop at a site overlooking the
Aswan High Dam. Then fly to Abu Simbel to visit the colossal
Temples of Ramses II and his queen, Nefertari. Carved out of
a mountainside and carried uphill to save them from flooding
from the Aswan dam, the temples are also a marvel of modern
engineering. Return to Cairo by plane and dine aboard a
luxury floating restaurant on the Nile. (B,L)
Day 12 — Cairo
Today, gain insight into Cairo’s religious past and
present on a tour of the “hanging church” (possibly the
oldest Christian church in Egypt dating around the 4th
century), the Ibn Ezra synagogue, and the Alabaster Mosque
built for the 19th-century ruler Mohammed Ali Pasha. Then
participate in an engaging panel discussion about modern
Egypt with Egyptian women at the hotel. Celebrate your
journey at a festive farewell reception and dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 13
Depart Cairo for the U.S. on your group flight. (B)
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Accommodations
Cairo
Meridian Pyramids, 2 nights
Alexandria
Helnan Palestine, 1 night
Cairo
Semiramis Intercontinental, 1 night
Luxor
Sonesta St. George, 1 night
At Sea
MS Tulip, 4 nights
Cairo
Semiramis Intercontinental, 2 nights
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Tour Cost/Departure:
Departure:
September 16, 2008
Price based on double occupancy $4,995
Supplement based on single occupancy $995
Departure: October 07, 2008
Price based on double occupancy $5,995
Supplement based on single occupancy $995
Departure: October 21, 2008
Price based on double occupancy $5,995
Supplement based on single occupancy $995
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Meet Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary
General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Director
of the Giza Pyramids Excavations, and learn about Egypt’s
most precious secrets.