11 Days Cairo, Nile Cruise and the Red Sea

Meet your Egyptologist in the morning to have a brief about you stay in Egypt and then he will escort you to start your visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, the dream which came true for the travelers from all over the world. You will be astonished by the amount of artifacts and treasures the museum houses.

After you enjoy having lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Pyramids, start turning your lifetime dream to reality with the visit to the Giza Pyramids, the only still surviving wonder of the Old Seven Wonders of the World. Enjoy your Camel Ride in the desert to have an amazing view for the pyramids from a distance. Then, stand in front of the Sphinx, combines a body of a lion and the head of human. (B,L)

Meet your Egyptologist at your hotel to start your remarkable tour to Saqqara. It is around 30 minutes driving south of Giza Pyramids. While driving to the site, enjoy your eyes with countryside life and the green crops on both sides of the road. Saqqara is famous for the oldest pyramid ever built, the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, built 200 years earlier than the Giza Pyramids. Moreover, you will have the chance to have access to some of the non-royal tombs built for the noblemen and enjoy your eyes with the non-repeated scenes of the daily life activities, fishing, fowling, farming, market scenes. Close your eyes and these scenes will take you back to around 2300-2400 BC and imagine the life of the ancient Egyptians back then.

After lunch, pay a visit to Islamic Cairo where you will learn more about when and how Islam entered Egypt, how Muslims pray and fast, what are the Five Pillars of Islam. It will be through visiting the two mosques of Sultan Hassan and Refaei known as the Pyramids of Islamic architecture.

The mosque of Refaei is built by one of the royal family of Mohammed Ali, the founder of modern Egypt. It is marked by its very richly decorated ceiling and by housing tombs for the last King of Iran "The Shah of Iran" and some of the last Royal Family of Egypt members are buried.

Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa was built in 1356 AD and it is marked by its style as it serves as a school for teaching the Four Sects of Sunni Islam. The arched ceiling of the main prayer hall is the most beautiful ever in Islamic architecture.

We come to the end of our day by walking through the old streets of  the famous Khan El Khalili market, the main souk in the Islamic Cairo district (B,L)

Take an early flight to visit the two temples of Abu Simbel temple on the southern borders of Egypt. You will be dazzled by these rock-cut temples which were saved by the UNESCO after being under water for a long time. Both temples are dedicated to the Royal Couple, Ramses II and his wife Nefertari. After finishing your tour, return back to Aswan and check in your hotel.  Wrap your day on a felucca sailboat ride down the Nile. (B)

After breakfast, check-out and enjoy a motor boat ride to the temple of Isis, located on the island of Philae, one of the temples which were saved by the UNESCO after being under water for a long time. The temple marks both the end of the Ancient Egyptian Religion and the last Ancient Egyptian Text carved the year 394 AD. Then check-in your cruise and have lunch on-board. Later on, start exploring the Nubian village and get connected to the local culture. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, start your visit to the temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god-Sobek- and the falcon god, Her Wer. In your way out of the temple, enjoy a quick visit to the Crocodile Mummification Museum. Later on, start sailing to the temple the falcon god Horus at Edfu, the most intact temple in ancient Egypt, built between 237-157 BC. Back to the Cruise and continue sailing to Luxor.  (B, L, D)

After breakfast on board, enjoy an early visit to the West Bank of Luxor including the Valley of the Kings, including the tomb of the child king Tutankhamun where you will have the chance to stand in front of his Mummy. Also, your tour will include access to the tomb of Ramses VI and the Highlight of the day Tomb of Seti I, the most colorful tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Visit the temple of Hatshepsut, one of the most famous and powerful women kings in Egyptian history. Enjoy a quick photo stop by the colossi of Memnon. Then, back to your Nile cruise and enjoy lunch on board. After lunch, you start by visiting the Temple of Karnak, which is around 247 acres making it the largest religious complex in the world. It is dedicated to the god Amon-Re, the most famous god during the New Kingdom.

Next, proceed to visit the Luxor Temple built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II.  (B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive to the Red Sea. The drive is a journey on its own, for you will drive among local villages enjoying daily life scenery.

Lunch boxes will be provided for the drive. Upon arrival to the Red Sea, time to Check-in and Relax at your resort. (B,L)

Enjoy the best place in the world for relaxation, snorkeling and diving at Hurghada. (B)

After breakfast, have a relaxing morning. Check-out and get ready to travel back to Cairo for one more night at Le Meridien Cairo Airport before you will travel back home. (B)

After breakfast, it is a walking distance to the Cairo Airport Terminal to travel back home missing every single sightseeing in Egypt and filled with all good memories about the land of the pharaohs. (B)