L'Égypte redécouverte

Following breakfast in your hotel, you will be transferred to the impressive Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo contains the world’s most extensive collection of pharaonic antiquities; no visit to Egypt is complete without a trip through its galleries. Bursting with over 170,000 artefacts covering 5000 years of Egypt’s past. Your Egyptologist will escort you through the museum explaining the most important possessions before allowing you free time to explore and discover yourselves.

Following your time at the museum, you will visit the citadel of Mohamed Aly and Salah El Din mosque followed by a visit to the old part of Cairo (hanging church and synagogue). Here you will end the day at the famous old bazaar – Khan El Khalili Markets, a charming labyrinth of narrow alleyways. You will be transported back in time to an old Arab souk. Shop owners calling you to their stalls, the scent of spices, the hustle and bustle of trade, and the many beautiful objects that can be purchased, will have you lost amongst the alleys for hours. Put your haggling skills to the test when buying statuettes, spices, souvenirs, silver jewellery, t-shirts, galabiyyas, belly dancing costumes, or anything for that matter. And just in case you didn’t eat enough at lunchtime, you will have the opportunity to taste some of Egypt’s best street food during your walk. (B,L)

Overnight – Kempinski Hotel or similar

Today you will visit Giza. Located on the outskirts of Cairo, overlooking the buzzing city, the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx date back over 3000 years. The Pyramids of Giza are the last of the original Seven Wonders of the World. Your Egyptologist guide will provide a fascinating introduction to all three pyramids here: Cheops, Khafre and Mekahaure. Whilst here, you will also visit the enigmatic symbol of Egypt, the Sphinx. With the body of a lion and the head of a king, this creature is surrounded by mystery, including the unanswered questions of who built it and why.

Your lunch stop will be in a local restaurant (either Andrea Restaurant or Saqqara Country Club) and following lunch, you will discover Memphis and Sakkara, two of Egypt’s most important archaeological treasures. Sakkara is home to the oldest pyramid in Egypt, and Memphis was the former capital founded in 3,100 BC.

Memphis is the legendary city of Menes, the King who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Early on, Memphis was more like a fortress from which Menes controlled the land and water routes between Upper Egypt and the Delta. Having probably originated in Upper Egypt, from Memphis, he could control the conquered people of Lower Egypt.

Sakkara, home of Egypt’s oldest pyramid was built by Imhotep for pharaoh Zoser in 2650 BC, the famous Step Pyramid is well preserved. Sakkara is one section of the great necropolis of Memphis, the Old Kingdom capital and the majority of the kings of the 1st Dynasty as well as those of the 2nd Dynasty are buried in this section of the Memphis necropolis. Three major discoveries have recently been made at Sakkara, including a prime minister’s tomb, a queen’s pyramid, and the tomb of the son of a dynasty founding king. Your visit will also include the amazing Serapeum of Saqqara, an ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the god Serapis where it housed sacred bulls and served as a centre of worship and learning in the Hellenistic period. (B, L)

Overnight – Kempinski Hotel or similar

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel this morning before you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Luxor (1hr). Luxor, once an Ancient Egyptian capital, is known today as the world’s ‘greatest open-air museum’. From the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings and the magnificent sunset views at the majestic temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor, this city is the perfect choice for cultural vultures. Luxor is divided by the Nile into two areas commonly called the East Bank and West Bank which were considered in Ancient Egyptian times as symbolizing respectively life and death.

While the East Bank has grown to become a modern city, it has retained its lush green setting, its traditional bazaar and stunning view of the Nile. The West Bank is known for its necropolis and mortuary temples: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Workers Village, and the Temple of Medinet Habu are the highlights of Luxor’s West Bank. In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the setting sun to the west symbolised the journey to the afterlife, so it was fitting symbolism to bury the dead west of the Nile.

This afternoon, you will visit Midnet Habu and the tombs workers village on the West Bank.  Medinet Habu is the Arabic name for the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, a huge complex second only to Karnak in size and better preserved. Medinet Habu is among the least visited of the major sights at Luxor.

The ancient village of Deir el-Medina, known as the tomb workers village, is situated in a small valley on the west bank of Luxor in Upper Egypt in a desert area, just south of Thebes in a valley behind Gurnet Murai hill. The remaining foundations of this village have been well preserved, and it has been concluded that the village was in use for about 500 years during the period of the New Kingdom (18th to 20th Dynasties).  Deir el-Medina was first thought to be started by the pharaoh Amenhotep I and his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari. They established the village in order to have sufficient housing for the tomb workers that gave their labour to the Valley of the Kings. This was its only purpose. (B)

Overnight – Sofitel Winter Palace or similar

This morning you will visit Dendera. Dendera is located about 67 kilometres (1hr, 15m) north of Luxor on the west bank of the Nile River opposite the provincial modern town of Qena.

Ancient Egyptian Lunet or Tantere, known to the Greeks as Tentyris, was the capital of the 6th nome of Upper Egypt and a town of some importance. Today, we know it as Dendera, though the population of the town has, since antiquity, moved to Qena across the Nile on the east bank. Now, the ancient temple lies isolated on the desert edge. Along with the temple itself, there is also a necropolis that includes tombs from the Early Dynastic Period, but the most important phase that has been identified was the end of the Old Kingdom and the 1st Intermediate Period. The provinces were virtually autonomous at that time and, although Dendera was not a leading political force in Upper Egypt, its notables built a number of mastabas of some size, though only one had any decoration apart from stelae and false doors. On the west end of the site are brick-vaulted catacombs of Late Period animal burials, primarily birds and dogs, while cow burials have been found at various points in the necropolis. Of course, this was a significant site for the Hathor cult, whose forms included a cow.

Continuing on, you will also visit Abydos Temples (105km,1.5hrs). Abydos was the epicentre for the pharaoh’s cult worship of Osiris and became the most important burial centre in ancient Egypt. Here, Seti I raised a glorious temple dedicated to Osiris and a pantheon of other gods that remains a beautiful and unique central point to this necropolis. For travellers interested in the artistry of the Pharaonic period, the Temple of Seti I’s colourful wall and ceiling paintings and sculpted column work are a highlight of any Nile temple itinerary and shouldn’t be missed. (B)

Overnight – Sofitel Winter Palace or similar

Enjoy breakfast and a leisurely morning before beginning your 4-night Nile River cruise — a truly memorable journey from Luxor to Aswan. You’ll board the elegant Mövenpick MS Hamees in time for lunch on board, where you can settle in and take in the views.

In the afternoon, step ashore to explore the East Bank of the Nile and uncover the wonders of Karnak and Luxor Temples, two of Egypt’s most iconic ancient sites. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter Karnak Temple as your guide explains how the massive facade was constructed. Upon entering the Temples of Karnak you will see each legacy left by the various pharaohs as the complex grew even larger. The deeper you go into the complex, the further back in time you will travel, with the oldest ruins dating back over 3,000 years. Walking through the Great Court into the Great Hypostyle Hall, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the 134 columns towering above you like an ancient forest. At the rear of the complex you will find the sacred lake where centuries ago pharaohs and their offerings to the gods were purified. After a tour of the complex, you will have additional free time to explore at leisure.

Continue to Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometre long Avenue of Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. Dominated by statues of the great warrior pharaoh Ramses II, Luxor Temple has survived Nile floods, foreign invasion and thousands of years exposed to the elements. A pure Egyptian temple, the inner walls and columns are decorated with intricate hieroglyphics which your guide will help you decipher. Find out how Alexander the Great wrote himself into Luxor Temple’s history, and see one of the original pair of obelisk, the second of which now stands on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Afternoon tea will served back on board as well as dinner. The evening is yours at leisure to relax in your cabin or explore Luxor a little more. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Aboard the Mövenpick MS Hamees

Breakfast is aboard the ship this morning followed by a visit to the West Bank. There is an optional early morning hot air balloon ride for those who are interested in the Valley of the Kings as the sun rises. It is truly spectacular as you witness the changing colours of the valley below.

Your visit to the West Bank this morning will include a visit to the Valley of Kings and Queens which is the burial site for almost all of the Kings (pharaohs) and Queens. You will also visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El Deir. Hatshepsut was a rare female pharaoh. The Temple of Deir El-Bahri is one of the most characteristic temples in the whole of Egypt, due to its design and decorations. It was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period.

It is thought that Senimut, the genius architect who built this Temple, was inspired in his design by the plan of the neighbouring mortuary Temple of the 12th Dynasty King, Neb-Hept-Re. The Temple was built for the great Queen Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty), to commemorate her achievements and to serve as a funerary Temple for her, as well as a sanctuary of the God, Amon Ra.

Later in the morning, you will visit El-Bahari and the Colossi Memnon before sailing onto Edfu via Esna Lock. Lunch and afternoon tea will be on board as you cruise down the Nile, soaking in the beautiful scenery. This evening you will enjoy a Captain’s Welcome Cocktail party, followed by dinner. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Aboard the Mövenpick MS Hamees

This morning your cruise will sail to Edfu whilst you enjoy breakfast on board. Upon docking, you will have time to visit the Horus Temple in Edfu. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, the Temple of Horus in Edfu (also known as the Temple of Edfu), is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. Partly due to the fact that it was built later than most (in the Ptolemaic era from 237 to 57 BC). It is also the second largest temple in Egypt following Karnak Temple. Despite its later construction date, it reflects the exact traditional pharaonic architecture and so provides an excellent idea of how all the temples originally looked.

Lunch is back on board the ship as you continue sailing to Kom Ombo. This afternoon you will have the opportunity to go ashore and visit the Temple shared by two Gods, Sobek and Haeroris in Kom Ombo. Afternoon tea will be served as you sail towards Aswan.

Tonight, enjoy dinner on board, followed by an Egyptian Galabia party. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Aboard the Mövenpick MS Hamees

Enjoy breakfast on board before visiting Aswan’s High Dam. Although it was constructed several millennia after the majority of Egypt’s iconic landmarks, the High Dam is equally as impressive. A marvel of modern engineering, the dam stands 110 metres high, stretches over three kilometres, and contains eighteen times the material used to construct the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Once the largest rock-filled dam in the world, it now supplies irrigation and electricity across all of Egypt.

Next visit Philae Temple , considered the most beautiful temple in Egypt. Philae Temple was carefully dismantled and reassembled on higher ground after the construction of the Aswan High Dam threatened its survival. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, the temple is beautifully situated on its own island.

After a delicious lunch onboard Mövenpick MS Hamees, you will spend the afternoon lazing on a traditional felucca around Kitchener’s Island and visiting Botanical Island. Tonight after dinner you will enjoy an Egyptian Folkloric Show, including a belly dancer. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Aboard the Mövenpick MS Hamees

This morning you will enjoy your last breakfast on board before disembarking and transferring to the airport for your flight to Abu Simbel (45min).

The Temples of Abu Simbel are among the most interesting in Egypt. Located close to the southern border with the Sudan, the temples are 280km south of Aswan and consist of two rock-cut chambers, which date back to the reign of King Ramses II (1290-1223 BC). Unfortunately, they were damaged by the rising water of Lake Nasser while the High Dam was being built. Other countries, with the help of UNESCO, assisted Egypt in saving them. After visiting these amazing temples, you will return to Aswan where the remainder of the afternoon is yours at leisure. (B)

Overnight – Anakato Hotel or similar

Today, you will travel by motorboat from your hotel to Aswan’s west bank, where you’ll enjoy a short camel ride to the St. Simon Cave Monastery.

The Zabbaleen, meaning “garbage collectors,” established their settlement at the base of the Mokattam cliffs around 1969, following a decision by Cairo’s governor to relocate all garbage collectors to a single area. The majority of the Zabbaleen were Coptic Christians, and as their community grew, so did the need for a centralised place of worship. In 1975, the first Christian church was built in the village. However, after a large fire broke out nearby, construction began on a monastery carved directly into the cliffs.

The Monastery of Saint Simon was the result of this new project. Simon the Tanner was a craftsman saint who lived during the 10th century and the cave church that was dedicated to him seems as though it might last for 10 more. Using a pre-existing cave and the slope that led into it, the current monastery seats 20,000 people around a central pulpit. Other nearby caves have also been built into separate church spaces and all of them have been linked to create a massive Christian complex in the heart of garbage city.

After your visit, camels will take you to Nobles Tomb for a short visit before returning to your hotel by motorboat. Later this afternoon, you will be transferred to Aswan airport and fly to Cairo (approx 90 min flight). Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. (B)

Overnight – Villa Belle Epoque or similar

After breakfast, you will depart for Alexandria (260km, 3.5hrs) where you will experience a trip into the catacombs (Kom el Shoqafa), where the early Christians were buried; and Pompey’s Pillar, the biggest memorial column in Egypt, made of red granite and standing about 28 metres high, with a base diameter of 2.7 metres. The Alexandria National Museum, built in a former palace and now housing almost 2000 artefacts, which tell the story of the city, including the recent finds from the sunken part of the city; the Citadel of Qaitbay, wherein about 1480 AD the Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the site that held the ruins of the Alexandria Lighthouse, and with successive improvements it now stands as a very prominent Citadel on the Mediterranean coastline. Time permitting, you may also have the chance to visit the WWII battlefield sites and Australian cemetery. (B)

Overnight – Cecil Alexandria or similar

This morning you will visit the New Alexandria Library, with shelf space for eight million books and the main reading room on 11 levels as well as the Roman Amphitheatre, which every town in the ancient Roman Empire had.

On the way back to Cairo (127km, 2hrs), you will stop at Wadi El Natroun monastery and visit Abu Makar monastery and El Baramous monastery where we will try to arrange for a light lunch with the monks – this is dependent on their study schedules. Wadi Natroun is known for its Coptic monasteries where thousands of Christians escaped from Roman persecution in the 4th century. Of the 60 or so original compounds in the valley, only four remain. These monastery buildings are impressive, as they were fortified after Arab raids in 817. The area was also important to the ancient Egyptians because the valley’s salt lakes dry up in the summer and leave natron, a substance crucial to the mummification process. (B)

Overnight – Le Passage Hotel or similar

This morning following breakfast, you will be transferred to Cairo Airport for your onward flight to your next destination. (B)