This special 9-day Egypt tour takes in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, and is timed to coincide with the Sun Festival that takes place in the temples at Abu Simbel twice a year. Egypt is home to a huge variety of ancient monuments from the Pharaonic era. One of the most important, most interesting and most impressive is the temple to Ramses II at Abu Simbel. Ramses II was one of the great Pharaohs, and built temples all over Egypt. The temples in Abu Simbel are particularly interesting because they were constructed, not from blocks and columns, but by cutting and tunnelling into a rock cliff-face. The main entrance tunnel features 4 statues at its end, and incredible care was taken when the temple was built so that twice a year, on the dates of Ramses ascension to the throne, and on his birthday, the rising sun shines right in through the tunnel and lights up just 3 of the statues, leaving the fourth, dedicated to Ptah, the god of Darkness, in shadow. When the Aswan Dam was built and Lake Nasser was flooded, the temples were below the planned water line and a huge project took place to carefully dismantle the temples and rebuild them higher up, out of danger from the rising waters. The allignment of the tunnel was maintained so that to this day the rising sun shines in on the 22nd October and 22nd February each year.
Our tour starts in Cairo with a visit to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx before heading to Aswan where we visit the island temple of Philae and the Aswan Dam. The next morning our Egyptologist tour guide escorts us as we set off very early to get to Abu Simbel in plenty of time for the sunrise. It will be busy, but it is generally well organised so that everyone has the chance to go inside and see the statues in the morning sunlight. After this special experience we return to Aswan and board a traditional Nile felucca for a relaxing cruise down the river on your way towards Luxor in the Nile Valley. Support is provided en-route from our facilities boat with on board toilet, showers and massage deck. An alternative upgrade to an extra night in the hotel in Aswan is available if you prefer.
After our night on the felucca we drive on north to Luxor, stopping to see the temple at Edfu en-route. Once in Luxor you will visit the huge temple complex at Karnak, explore the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatchepsut temple, and also have some free time to walk through the markets and relax by the hotel pool before we head back to Cairo. If you'd like to add some time by the Red Sea to this trip, then please contact us for details as extensions are easily arranged from Luxor to Hurghada, and then back to Cairo from there.
Upon arrival our staff will meet you at the airport, assist you with obtaining your visa and luggage, and then transfer you to your hotel for the start of your trip. They will help you settle in, introduce you to the local area, and explain tomorrow's arrangements. The rest of the day is free. If you arrive early you may like to take an evening dinner cruise on the Nile, or enjoy a spectacular sound and light show at the pyramids (both available to book locally on arrival).
Our tour of Egypt begins with a trip to the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo. Home to the fantastic Tutankhamun exhibit the museum hosts a huge number of other ancient Egyptian artefacts. One of our local Egyptologist guides will be accompanying you on this and all of your other sightseeing tours, and you'll find them a wealth of knowledge and full of enthusiasm about Egyptian history, and their country in general. Following on from the museum we then head to Giza on the outskirts of Cairo to visit the Sphinx and the three great pyramids of Egypt. At 500 feet high and 750 feet wide at its base the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is an awesome man-made structure constructed of giant stone blocks with a hard limestone casing. The casing has, over the years, been stripped away to leave exposed the inner block structure. Together with the smaller pyramids of Khafre (Chephern) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), the majestic sight of these enormous structures rising out of the desert is a breathtaking spectacle. You will have the opportunity to climb down right inside the pyramids if you wish, though your guide cannot accompany you (a limited number of tickets are available for the Great Pyramid).
This evening we transfer to the station for the overnight sleeper train to Aswan (approx. 12 hours).
This morning we arrive in Aswan and transfer to our hotel overlooking the Nile which is at its most picturesque here, with lush green islands, and feluccas sailing to and fro. Aswan itself is a melting pot of African and Middle Eastern cultures, most easily experienced by wandering through the busy markets.
Once afternoon comes around, we’ll head via boat to the Philae Temple, a stunning island complexed built to commemorate Isis. We’ll also make our way to the massive Aswan Dam before heading back to the hotel, where you have the rest of the day to do as you please. The evening is then free to look around Aswan's spice and general markets, and to walk up and down the popular Corniche, on the banks of the Nile. An option is also available to take a camel ride through the sands on the far bank of the Nile to St. Simeon's monastery.
Aswan is part of the ancient region of Nubia, which comprised parts of present day southern Egypt and northern Sudan around the Nile rivers. Many descendants of the Nubian people still live here and we'll visit a local Nubian village to see their colourful houses, simple way of life and to enjoy a traditional lunch. We'll also visit the Nubian Museum which provides a wealth of information on the Nubian people.
Our final visit today is to the site of the Unfinished Obelisk which provides a fascinating insight into how these massive stone columns were excavated. This evening aim to head to bed early to be ready for a very early start tomorrow morning to go to Abu Simbel.
We leave Aswan in the early hours of the morning today and make the drive (approx. 3 hours) to the UNESCO world heritage site at Abu Simbel. These amazing temples built by Ramses II are one of Egypt's main highlights and attractions. We arrive at the temples in plenty of time for some historical explanations by our Egyptologist guide, before going inside the temple while the sun is rising to see how 3 out of the 4 statues at the end of the tunnel are lit up, leaving Ptah, the god of Darkness in shadow. It can be very busy at Abu Simbel on this day so be prepared for a bit of a procession straight in and out to see the statues.
After returning to Aswan we board a traditional Nile felucca at lunchtime to enjoy an afternoon sailing down the Nile. Floating down the Nile on a felucca is one of Egypt's most enjoyable activities and you'll be able to watch local rural Egyptian life pass you by on the banks of the river as you drift past. Our Nubian crew will sail the boat and entertain you on the way, as well as preparing meals for you. Our separate facilities boat will join with us from time to time during the day and moor up with us at night. This boat has a welcome toilet and showers on board as well as a hygienic kitchen where the crew will prepare a delicious evening meal. You sleep on the deck of the boat tonight (mattresses, blankets and mosquito nets provided).
You can upgrade this felucca sailboat trip to an additional night in the Aswan hotel if you prefer, and in this case you'll spend tonight in Aswan and re-join the group tomorrow morning for the journey to Luxor. All other touring remains the same.
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to the felucca and head north to possibly the best preserved temple in the whole of Egypt at Edfu before carrying on to Luxor. Located in and around the ancient site of Thebes, Luxor is home to the biggest collection of ancient ruins in the Nile Valley, possibly the world. In the west, you’ll find the City of the Dead, it's Mortuary Temples and rocky tombs and in the east you’ll find the Temples of Luxor and Karnak.
This evening we'll take a walking tour of the smaller Luxor Temple which is right in the middle of town and beautifully lit up at night.
We’ll cross the waters of the Nile River this morning as we make our way to Luxor’s West Bank towards the Valley of the Kings, an ancient burial site and one of the most important archaeological destinations on the planet. We’ll explore its pharaonic tombs as well as Queen Hatchepsut temple and Deir El-Medina, the Valley of the Artisans. As an optional extra, you can choose to experience a breathtaking sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank this morning.
This afternoon we'll explore the towering Karnak Temple complex, walking through its huge pillars, towering columns, massive avenues of sphinxes, and an obelisk that stands 97-feet tall and weighs 323-tons. Dedicated to the gods Amun, Khous and Mut, Luxor Temples huge Hypostyle Hall has 134 towering columns, adorned with scenes of gods and pharaohs, and hieroglyphic inscriptions engraved on the walls.
Later this evening we transfer to the station for the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo (approx. 9 hours).
We arrive back into Cairo this morning and transfer to our hotel. Most of the day is then free to explore Cairo as you choose or you may take an optional tour. These include a city tour in Cairo which visits Coptic Cairo, the Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque, or a half day tour to Saqqara, Dashour and Memphis to learn more about the history and evolution of pyramid building. Other full day options further afield include a visit to the colonnial city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean, or a trip into the desert outside Cairo to see the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales at Wadi Rayan.
In the late afternoon we take a guided walk through the back streets and bazaars in central Cairo. We'll walk through the huge Bab al-Futuh gateway and explore streets dedicated to metalwork, spices, pottery, fabric, jewelery and anything else you can imagine as we gradually enter the more touristy Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. We'll have time for a break to try some tea and a shisha pipe and perhaps enjoy an early dinner of Egypt's unofficial national dish, Kushari before returning to our hotel.
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