Khufu's Solar Barque in the Ship Museum, Giza

Khufu's Solar Barque in the Ship Museum, Giza

 

 

 

Statue of Ti in his mastaba at Giza

Statue of Ti in his mastaba at Giza

 

 

 

Causeway leading to the Pyramid of Wenis

Causeway leading to the Pyramid of Wenis at Saqqara

 

 

 

 

 

Morturary Temple of Sneferu. Red Pyramid

Red Pyramid. Morturary Temple of Sneferu with the Bent Pyramid in the distance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hypostyle Hall at the Karnak Temple

The Hypostyle Hall at the Karnak Temple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramesseum.Broken Statue in front of the Hypostyle Hall

Ramesseum.Broken Statue in front of the Hypostyle Hall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomb of Ramose. Funeral Scene

Tomb of Ramose. Funeral Scene

 

 

 

Luxor at Daybreak

Luxor at Daybreak

 

 

 

Dendera. Interior of the Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Hathor

Dendera. Interior of the Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Hathor

 

 

Elephantine

Elephantine with the tomb of the Agha Khan in the background

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KIsok of Qertassi on New Kalabsha

KIsok of Qertassi on New Kalabsha

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aswan. Spice Shop in the Souk

Aswan. Spice Shop in the Souk

 

 

 

Tomb of Serenpet II at Qubbet el-Hawa

Tomb of Serenpet II at Qubbet el-Hawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Egypt of the Pharaohs

 

19 Days in the Nile Valley

Land Only Price: $4625 (Cdn)

Itinerary

Day 1

 

Giza

The group will arrive at Cairo Airport where they will be ushered through customs and passport control and be conducted to our hotel on the Giza Plateau. 

Day 2

 

Giza

After breakfast we will drive to Giza to see the pyramids and visit the Khufu Ship Museum. We can enter whichever of the Great Pyramids is open. There are many wonderful mastabas at Giza, built by the great men of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, and these are well worth a visit, too. We can lunch at one of the restaurants just east of the site, which give wonderful views of the three pyramids and sphinx.  After lunch, we’ll visit the Great Sphinx and explore the mortuary temple of Khafre.

The Pyramids at Giza

The Great Pyramids at Giza

Day 3

 

Giza

We will spend the day exploring the site of Saqqara.  In the morning we will explore the Step Pyramid of Djoser designed by his vizier, Imhotep. It was the first monumental stone tomb complex to be built in Egypt and the first of the pyramids.  Later Egyptians were so impressed that Imhotep was worshipped as a god.  After lunch, we will spend most of our time on the North Side of the site, investigating the pyramid of Teti, the mastabas of the Viziers Mereruka and Kagemni, the double mastaba of Ptahhotep and Akhethotep, and walk out to the wonderful Tomb of Ti.  If permitted, we will visit the Serapaeum. 

The Agora at Amathus

The Step Pyramid at Saqqara

Day 4 

 

Giza

This will be our second day at Saqqara.  Today we’ll concentrate on the South Side.  We will walk around the pyramid of Wenis, and visit some of the mastabas of his queens and sons.  Then it’s up to the tombs of the New Kingdom, built on a slight rise to the south of the Step Pyramid.  Here we’ll find the tomb Horemheb built before he became king.  Then we’ll walk along Wenis’ causeway, visiting mastabas, including that of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum.   After lunch, we’ll try to visit South Saqqara, the site of the pyramids of Pepy I and his family. 

.The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre

The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre

Day 5 

 

Giza

We will have an early start to get to the pyramids at Dashur. Dashur was once a busy royal cemetery, but now the third and fourth biggest pyramids in Egypt, both built by Sneferu, stand silent in the desert.  We can enter the Red Pyramid, which has three beautiful corbelled chambers of red granite deep inside.  Then we’ll spend some time exploring the seldom-visited Bent pyramid.  In the afternoon, we will visit Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt.  As well as the site, we will visit the Memphis Museum.

The Bent Pyramid at Dashur

The Bent Pyramid at Dashur

Day 6 

 

Giza

The Fayuum is an ancient Oasis, and site of a beautiful salt lake.  We will drive by bus to see the first pyramid of Sneferu, at Meidum and Mastaba 17 is an enormous construction of stone and mud brick, built for one of Sneferu’s sons.  We will then spend the afternoon at Hawara and Lahun.  Hawara was the site of the famous Labyrinth, though there is little enough of it left now.  To get to Lahun, we’ll drive through modern villages and fields of amazing green.  The pyramid of Lahun is seldom visited, but quite extraordinary.  Much of the most beautiful Middle Kingdom jewellery came from this site. 

The Pyramid at Meidum

The Pyramid at Meidum

Day 7   

 

Luxor

We’ll take the early morning flight to Luxor, check into our hotel, and spend the afternoon exploring this lovely town.  We can walk along the corniche, visit the Mummification Museum, the Luxor Museum, or wander through Luxor Temple.  Many people prefer, however, to leave the temple until after dark, when it is beautifully lit, and very mysterious and romantic.

The Luxor Temple at Dusk. From a felucca on the Nile

The Luxor Temple at Dusk. From a felucca on the Nile

Day 8   

 

Luxor

We will spend the entire morning at the Temple of Karnak.  Karnak is the home temple of the god Amun-Re, and was enlarged by almost every Egyptian ruler.  There are monuments still standing from the Middle Kingdom to the Roman period.  It is the largest religious establishment ever built.  We will tour the huge complex before it gets too busy, and visit the Outdoor Museum.  The afternoon will be our first trip to the West Bank. We will spend the entire afternoon in the Valley of the Kings when the rest of the tourists have gone. We will see a number of New Kingdom royal tombs, with options to see King Tut’s Tomb and additional tombs. After dinner, those who are interested may visit the Mummification Museum or Luxor Museum.

Karnak Temple. The Avenue of Sphinxes

Karnak Temple. The Avenue of Sphinxes

Day 9 

 

Luxor

All of the day will be spent on the West Bank. We will drive to the workers’ village at Deir el-Medina and visit some of the worker’s tombs and visit the Ptolemaic temple.  Then we can walk the hill trails that the workers used and see their little shrines to the goddess Hathor. After lunch at one of the restaurants on the West Bank we will visit the very well preserved Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu.  Among the many fascinating buildings at this site are the tombs of the Divine Adoratrices, the Nubian princesses who ruled Thebes. On our way back to the East Bank, we will stop to admire the Colossi of Memnon.

The Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu

The Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu

Day 10

 

Luxor

The third day on the West Bank: In the morning, we will visit Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple at Deir el-Bahri, which is situated so dramatically below the cliffs. Then we will visit the Ramesseum, the mortuary temple of Ramesses II and admire the fallen statue of the king. After lunch at a West Bank restaurant, we will spend the afternoon touring the Mortuary Temples of Seti I and Merenptah.  We can also go to the Hill of Gurna, and explore the small but exquisite Tombs of the Nobles.  Many of the famous images of ‘daily life’ in Ancient Egypt come from the tombs of Menna, Nakht, and Sennefer.  In the tomb of Amenhotep III’s vizier Ramose, we can watch the changes in art and society as the beautiful, formal style of the Eighteenth Dynasty gave way to the Amarna Revolution.

The Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri

The Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri

Day 11

 

Luxor

We will board a bus and drive to Abydos for a full day excursion by private convoy to see the most sacred city of Ancient Egypt.  We’ll visit the temple of Seti I, which has the most beautiful reliefs in all of Egypt, the bright and cheerful temple of his son, Ramesses II, and the mysterious, watery Osireion.  We will return by way of Dendera where we will explore the Temple of Hathor, climbing to the roof and down into the crypts and strolling through the Sacred Lake.  We will return to Luxor in the late afternoon.

Abydos.The Temple of Ramesses II

Abydos.The Temple of Ramesses II

Day 12

 

Aswan

We will check out of the hotel in the morning and drive to Aswan, visiting sites along the way.  The first is Esna, a temple to the Creator Goddess Neith.  We’ll walk through the textile souk to reach the remains of the temple, which are now deep below street level.  Next along the road is the temple of Horus at Edfu, the most completely preserved temple in Egypt, built in part by Cleopatra’s father, Ptolemy XII. Further along the highway we’ll visit the ancient city of El Kab and enter the beautifully preserved and seldom-visited tomb of Ahmose son of Ibana, a hero of the Wars of Liberation against the Hyksos.  The final stop of the day is at the riverside temple of Horus and Sobek at Kom Ombo.

The Temple of Horus at Edfu

The Temple of Horus at Edfu

Day 13

 

Aswan

We’ll start the day with a felucca ride to visit Elephantine Island, once the ‘Head of the South’ where expeditions set out four thousand years ago to explore Nubia, seeking gold and trade routes.  We will visit the small site museums and then wander through the archaeological area packed with temples and stratified mud brick structures.  The two great Nilometers on Elephantine are the ones you read about in grade school.  This site also holds one of the smaller pyramids of Sneferu.  The afternoon is free to enjoy the town or visit the beautiful Nubian Museum.

Archaeological remains on the island of Elephantine

Archaeological remains on the island of Elephantine

Day 14

 

Aswan

We will drive out to the quay of Philae and take a boat out to the site situated between the Aswan Dam and the High Aswan Dam and have a long walk around the extensive ruins of the Temple of Isis.  This is one of the most beautiful places in Egypt, where legend has it that Cleopatra and Julius Caesar honeymooned.  Then we’ll cross the High Dam, stop for a look, then take a boat out onto the vast Lake behind.   On Lake Nasser, will visit the island of New Kalabsha and see the exquisite temples and rock art moved from Kalabsha, Beit al-Walid and other sites that were inundated when the High Dam was built.  The afternoon is free to visit the Unfinished Obelisk, or explore the town.

The Kiosk of Trajan at Philae

The Kiosk of Trajan at Philae

Day 15

 

Aswan

We will rise early to travel by private bus and convoy for an excursion to Abu Simbel to see the famous Temples of Ra-Horakhty and Hathor built by Ramesses II.  We will have plenty of time to explore these remarkable monuments.  On the return journey we may have the possibility of visiting the sites at Wadi es-Sebua and Amada before returning to Aswan.  This day involves a long bus ride but the journey through the Nubian desert is unforgettable!

Temple of Ra-Horakhty at Abu Simbel

Temple of Ra-Horakhty at Abu Simbel

Day 16

 

Aswan

In the morning we will take a felucca over to the west bank and spend the morning exploring either the ruins of the monastery of San Simeon, or the Tombs of the Governor Explorers at Qubbet el Hawa (Tomb of the Wind).  Choosing the San Simeon option will be your best opportunity for a camel ride in the desert. We will then sail to Kitchener’s Island for a walk though the Botanical Garden. This is a wonderful setting for a picnic lunch.  The afternoon will be free to visit the Coptic Cathedral or the Souk, or to take a motor launch down to the island of Sehel.  This island, just south of the Old Dam, was the look-out where Egyptians kept watch on Nubians entering the country.  Now, the island is home to Nubian villages.

Old & Middle Kingdom Tombs on Qubbet el-Hawa

Old & Middle Kingdom Tombs on Qubbet el-Hawa

Day 17

 

 

We’ll check out of our hotel in Aswan, and take a plane to Cairo.  We can spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening at the Cairo Museum where we will see the artefacts from the tomb of King Tutankhamun, and the Royal Mummies.

Cairo Museum

Cairo Museum

Day 18

 

 

You will have the day free to see the sights of Cairo—take a tour of the citadel, visit the Coptic Museum, take a tour of the Citadel, or wander the shops of the Khan el Khalili.

Day 19

 

 

End of Tour. Departures

 

Note:

The price of the trip includes:
  • hotel taxes
  • accommodation based on double occupancy
  • overland transportation via mini bus
  • all visits and sightseeing as per itinerary
  • the service of your tour conductor, Gayle Gibson or Margaret Morden
The price of the trip does NOT include:
  • gratuities for individual services
  • meals, apart from hotel breakfasts
  • all items and expenses of a purely personal nature
  • travel to and from Egypt

 

10.02.2012