9 Day Egypt Antiquities Tour or the Magnificent Egypt Tour
Egypt has one of the oldest and richest civilizations in the whole world. The history of the pharaohs goes back to more than 6000 years when King Menes succeeded to unite Egypt in 3200 BC and start the dynasties period of the ancient Egyptian history.
Since this era and for very long years afterwards, numerous kings and rulers have governed Egypt, with each adding his own landmark, sign, or architecture.
The most marvelous characteristic of this wonderful travel package is that it enables the guests to explore some of the most important historical highlights of Egypt in the cities of Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.
Every single item in this carefully tailored travel package is optional! The guests will have the chance to choose which historical sites he would like to visit and according to a flexible schedule of time.
The traveler will have the chance to explore monuments like the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara in Cairo, the Temple of Philae and the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, and the Temples of Karnak and Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, and the Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor.
This trip will begin with spending three nights in the Egyptian capital with all the days free for the guests to enjoy Cairo at leisure, and the chance to go on optional tours, if they prefer everyday.
The second stage of this enjoyable trip will consist of spending three nights in one of the deluxe five stars Nile cruise ship where the guest will have the chance to sail down the Nile from Aswan to Luxor and explore the monuments located at that region as part of his stay in the cruise.
Nile Cruise journeys have become very popular among tourists who visit Egypt lately. They are luxurious with all the services and facilities on board, they have a magnificent entertainment program consisting of parties and different activities that would suit all travelers from different ages, they offer the guest the chance to visit all the highlights located in Southern Egypt, and they present their guests marvelous delicious open buffet meals.
The last step of this tour is that the guest will travel to Cairo to spend one more night and visit the Pyramids of Dahshur, one of the most remarkable historical sites of the Egyptian capital.
This trip is carefully designed to suit the needs and the requirements of any traveler who loves luxury and comfort. All transportations will be made using comfortable private air-conditioned minivans and all the accommodations will be in perfectly prepared rooms faultlessly designed to fit all our guests..
Duration
7 nights 8 days
Cities Visited in this travel
package:
Luxor - Aswan
Accommodation
7 nights aboard the Deluxe Five Stars Nile Cruise (Either Movenpick Royal Lily or Sonesta St George)
Meals
All meals starting with Lunch on day one and ending with breakfast on day five
arrival in Cairo with the rest of the day free at leisure, with optional sound and light show at the pyramids of Giza in the evening, overnight in the hotel in Cairo.
Day 2
free day to spend in Cairo, with an optional half day tour to Visit the Egyptian Museum, the citadel, Coptic Cairo, and the Khan El Khalili Market, evening optional tour for a traditional dinner with an Egyptian family. Overnight in the hotel in Cairo
Day 3
free day to spend in Cairo, with an optional half day tour to Visit the Pyramids of Giza, the Saqqara pyramids and tombs, and Memphis, overnight in the hotel in Cairo.
Day 4
Take the flight from Cairo to Aswan, with an optional tour to Abu Simble, embark the Nile Cruise ship, and visit the High Dam, the Temple of Philae, and the unfinished Obelisk, overnight in the Nile Cruise
Day 5
Sail down the Nile in your Nile Cruise to Kom Ombo to visit the temple of Sobek, and then sail to Edfu to visit the temple of Horus, overnight in the Nile Cruise
Day 6
Reach Luxor, Visit the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon, and visit the Karnak and the Luxor Temples with optional sound and light show at Karnak Temple in the evening, overnight in the Nile Cruise
Day 7
transfer to the airport to travel to Cairo to spend a free day, or go on the optional tour to Dahshur, overnight in the hotel in Cairo
Day 8
transfer to the Cairo Airport for the Final departure after a wonderful trip in Egypt.
The full itinerary of the
Tour:
Day 1 :
Arrival in Cairo
-Upon arrival in Cairo, the guest will meet the Select Egypt Travel representative who will be your best friend for the coming five days. We only deal with local highly educated and experienced company representatives who have fluent English and wonderful communication skills.
-After the "meet and greet", the guest will be transferred to his hotel, his home away from home, using the best comfortable air-conditioned minivans
-The guest will check in the hotel in a few minutes to enable him/her to rest and refresh for an amazing tour of Cairo in the next day.
-The rooms in the hotel are designed to suit and the needs and requirements of all travelers having all sorts of facilities
-You will have a marvelous chance in the evening to go on an optional tour to the sound and light show in the pyramids, which will be an amazing opportunity to listen to a wonderful demonstration of the ancient Egyptian history and the story behind the pyramids building. Languages of the show may vary according to the schedule
-Overnight in the hotel
Day 2 :
Cairo
-The guest will enjoy a delicious breakfast to energize his power for his tour in Cairo
-The guest will have the chance to explore Cairo on his own style and enjoy wondering around one of the most interesting cities in the world. Or he can choose to go on our tour of Cairo which will consist of the following steps
-Your next stop of the day will be at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities hosting the largest collection of Pharaonic displays in the whole world including the startling treasures of King Tut Ankh Amun and the Royal mummies' hall. This is besides many other exhibitions form different Pharaonic periods. Your tour of the Museum will be accompanied by the perfect illustration of different stages of the Egyptian history.
-Your next visit will be to discover the Saladin Citadel, built by the great Ayoubid king and warrior, Salah El Dine Al Ayouby between 1176 and 1183 AD to protect Cairo and Egypt against the foreign attacks. This citadel became the seat of the power in Egypt for a very long period afterwards. The guest will have the chance to visit the startling Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque lactated inside the citadel. Mohamed Ali, who is considered the founder of Modern Egypt, decided to build this amazing mosque between 1830 and 1848 AD to look like the great mosques built by the Ottomans in Istanbul, like the famous Aya Sofia Mosque
-Your last visit of the day will be to explore the monuments located in Coptic Cairo where many fascinating Coptic monuments are located like the Hanging Church, one of the oldest churches ever built in Egypt, the church of Saint Barbra, The Coptic Museum, and the Ben Ezra synagogue, the most ancient Jewish Temple in Egypt
-Your last visit of the day will be to Khan El Khalili, the largest and most famous touristic market in the world. This bazaar, built in 1382 during the Mamluk reign, is the best place to shop for Egyptian gifs and souvenirs to take home from Cairo.
-In the evening, the guest will have the choice to enjoy his time on his own in Cairo or go for the Egyptian family dinner, as the guest will have the chance to eat the Egyptian food and mingle with one of the Egyptian families that would be happy to welcome the guests and introduce the Egyptian culture and customs to the travelers
-Overnight in the hotel in Cairo
Day 3 :
Cairo
-The guest will enjoy a delicious breakfast to energize his power for his tour in Cairo
-The guest will have the chance to explore Cairo on his own style and enjoy wondering around one of the most interesting cities in the world. Or he can choose to go on our tour of Cairo which will consist of the following steps
-Your first visit of the day will be to the Pyramids of Giza, the most popular monument in the whole world, built by the pharaohs from the period starting from 2590 BC to 2480 BC. You will have the chance to explore the wonders of the Great Pyramid, the largest Pyramid ever constructed in Egypt which was built by King Cheops in 2589 BC, and it is the only remaining item in the list of the Greek Old Seven wonders of the world. You will discover the beauty of the lion's body and the human headed sphinx, one of the largest monolith statues in history of mankind.
-Your next stop, while being transferred in the most comfortable air-conditioned minivan, will be in the Saqqara complex, the necropolis of the third dynasty of the Pharaonic Old Kingdom. This rich archeological site hosts a number of pyramids, with the startling step Pyramid of Djoser, which is the oldest proper pyramid ever built in Egypt and the most ancient rock structure built in the history of humankind. Saqqara also has many richly decorated tombs.
-Our last visit of the day will be to the historical city of Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt that was established originally by King Menes in the 30th century BC. The site today hosts a large number of displays including the huge statue of Ramses II and the marvelous alabaster sphinx
-At the end of the day you will be transferred to your hotel for a free evening to explore Cairo on your own style or relax for the tours in the coming day
-Overnight in the hotel
Day 4:
Cairo – Aswan
-After having tasty breakfast, the guest will check out the hotel in Cairo
-Transfer using the most comfortable air-conditioned minivan to the Cairo international airport to take the flight going to Aswan
-Arrival in Aswan with the chance to go on a marvelous optional tour to visit the Abu Simble Temple, which is a startling temple built to honor Ramses II. Abu Simble great temple and the smaller temple of Hathour were hewn out of a stone cliff. This huge breathtaking monument was built for the worship of the gods Amun, Ptah, Ra-Hakharty. The most fascinating feature of Abu Simble is the four colossi of Ramses which are 33 meters high. The whole complex was relocated by the UNESCO in 1970s after the construction of the High Dam.
-Start your visits with one of the most beautiful temples constructed in Egypt, the Temple of Philae. This fabulous temple dedicated to the goddess Isis was constructed as one of the finest examples of the combined architecture of ancient Egyptians and the Greco-Romans styles. This temple, due to the construction of the High Dam was all covered with water until it was relocated in its present day location in the Agilika Island by the UNESCO project that took 8 years from 1972 to 1980 to be completed
-Your next visit of the day will be to the High Dam, built by the former Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s to reserve the Nile Water that was lost every year in the artificial Nasser Lake. The High Dam, that was viewed as an architectural miracle at the time, also generates a lot of the electricity consumed in Egypt
-The guest afterwards will go to visit the famous unfinished obelisk, a gigantic granite obelisk dating back to the Pharaohs New Kingdom. If this huge obelisk was completed it would have weighed more than 1197 tons. This will be a marvelous chance to understand how the ancient Egyptians were capable of building such gigantic structures.
-Embark the best deluxe luxurious Nile Cruise, which will be your home for the coming four nights. You will have a nice comfortable cabin with bathroom.
-Overnight in the Nile Cruise
Day 5:
Kom Ombo – Edfu
-After breakfast, you will have the chance to visit the amazing Temple of Kom Ombo dedicated to two gods; Horus, the falcon god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. The Greco-Roman temple is famous for its matchless location overlooking the Nile. Construction work of the temple started in the 2nd century BC by Ptolemy VI and was completed during the reign of Ptolemy XII during the 1st century AD.
-Afterwards the ship will sail to the North to reach Edfu
-You will have the chance to visit to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. This temple is the largest and best preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt. The building work of the temple started during the reign of Ptolemy III in 237 BC and the construction continued until 80 BC. The temple includes wonderfully decorated walls and stone capitals.
-Enjoy the evening in the Nile Cruise
-Sail to Esna and overnight in the Nile Cruise.
Day 6:
Esna – Luxor
-The ship will continue sailing to the North to reach Luxor
-After breakfast, your first visit of the day will be the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis of the Pharaonic New Kingdom. Starting from 17th dynasty, the Pharaonic Kings tried to hide their royal tombs from robbers. This was why they began to dig their tombs deep inside a Thebian mountain that has a natural pyramid structure. These tombs have the finest colored decorations with the famous tomb of Tut Ankh Amun discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 and may other royal tombs belonging to the kings of the 18th and the 19th dynasty.
-Your next stop will be the amazing the mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. This temple was constructed by the 18th dynasty Queen Hatshepsut (1473 – 1458 BC) as a unique structure rising from the desert in the shape of imposing terraces. This temple was used as a monastery in the Christian era. This is why it is famous for the name "El Deir Al Bahry", or the Western Monastery.
-Your next stop of the day will be at the gigantic Colossi of Memnon. These two 18 meters high statues are the only remaining items of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. During the roman era, music was heard coming out of one of the statues that were attributed, by the Greeks, as the legendary figure of Memnon greeting his mother Eos in one of the Greek myths.
-You will have lunch in the Nile Cruise
-In the evening, you will start your visits by exploring the Karnak Temple, the largest religious Pharaonic structure ever built in the world. The kings of the Pharaohs staring from the 11th dynasty (2055 – 1985 BC) began adding their mark, one after the other, to this huge complex of Pharaonic temples. The Karnak temple includes the breathtaking hypostyle hall of the god Amun built by Ramses II in 1244 BC, the sacred lake of god Amun, and many more attractions.
-Your next visit this evening will be to the Luxor Temple. Dedicated to the holy Theban triad, the gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, it is one of the finest examples of the Pharaonic architecture. Although the construction work of the temple was mainly completed by Amenhotep III (1390 – 1352 BC) and Ramses II (1279 1213 BC), many kings who came afterwards have added their marks to this great complex including Alexander the Great. The Luxor temple was buried under sand and dust for years until it was discovered in 1881.
-Enjoy the evening touring Luxor on your own style or you can go to the marvelous sound and light show at the Karnak Temple, to enjoy a fascinating illustration of the history of the Temple of Karnak and the entire Egyptian history and watch the amazing light show. Languages of the show may
-Enjoy the evening in the Nile Cruise
-Overnight in the Nile Cruise
Day 7:
Luxor – Cairo
-After breakfast, you will be transferred by the comfortable minivan to the Luxor airport to take the flight back to Cairo
-The guest will have the chance to explore Cairo on his own style and enjoy wondering around one of the most interesting cities in the world. Or he can choose to go on our optional tour
-The optional tour will consist of a half day dedicated to visit the Pyramids of Dahshur, which consists of the Red Pyramid, the Bent, Pyramid, and a number of smaller structures, all of them were constructed by King Senefru, the father of Cheops , the builder of the Great Pyramid in Giza. Senefru had many attempts to construct the first real pyramid in Egypt and he succeeded after he finished the Red Pyramid in Dahshur, which is second largest pyramid in Egypt, after the one of Cheops in Giza.
-Overnight in the hotel in Cairo
Day 8:
Cairo Final departure
-After breakfast, you will be transferred by the comfortable minivan to the Cairo airport to take the flight for the final departure after an amazing trip in Egypt.
Cities Visited in this travel package :
Cairo: Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the most important city in the land of the Nile. Greater Cairo, being the largest city in Africa, hosts more than 25% of the whole population of Egypt with around 20 million inhabitants. The city was very first established by Al Mui'z Le Din Allah, the famous Fatimid ruler, in 969 AD. Cairo is located on the River Nile around 200 kilometers to the South of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is famous for hosting the richest mixture of monuments consisting of many Pharaonic, Christian, and Islamic monuments dating from ancient times and until today.
Luxor: Luxor was constructed on the ruins of the ancient city of Thebes, the capital of Egypt during the Pharaonic New Kingdom (1550 – 1069 BC). The ancient Egyptians named the East bank of Luxor as the city of the living, while the West bank was named the city of the dead, as all the mortuary temples and the necropolises were located there. Luxor is known as the city hosting the largest number of monuments and antiquities in the whole world. When the Arabs conquered Egypt in 640 AD, they found a vast number of Pharaonic religious structures and palaces, and this was why they named the city Luxor or the city of the palaces in the Arabic language. Luxor is the most famous city in Egypt concerning tourism and antiquities.
Aswan: Aswan is Egypt South most city. Located on the widest section of the river Nile, Aswan offers amazing scenes of this great river. Since the Pharaonic Old Kingdom, Aswan served as the Southern Gate of Egypt, an important base for incursions into Nubia and Sudan, and a vital transit point for the trading caravans coming from Nubia to Egypt. The most remarkable attractions located in Aswan are the tomb of Agha Khan, the High Dam and the unfinished obelisk. This is besides many Pharaonic temples like Philae, Kalabsha, and Amada. With its laid back atmosphere Aswan is considered one of the most relaxing cities in Egypt. The city is also famous for its touristic market displaying goods from all over Nubia. Aswan is the best starting point for visiting the startling temples of Abu Simble
Price
Accommodation
Number of guests
1st May - 30th
Sep
1st Oct - 30th
April
Christmas - New Year
Easter Period
3 Star
2 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
3 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
4 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
4 Star
2 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
3 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
4 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
5 Star
2 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
3 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
4 guests
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
00
Euro per person
Price includes:
•Roundtrip airfare Cairo/Aswan-Luxor/Cairo
•All airport and airline taxes
•7 nights accommodation at your choice of hotels in Cairo and Nile Cruises in Aswan
•All transfers with air-conditioned mini vans
•12 Meals: 6 breakfast, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
•Service of local English speaking tour host
•All hotel taxes
Price excludes:
•Visa upon arrival
•Tips & Personal items
•Optional tours
•Any personal expanses
Note
Sightseeing is based
on private basis and not joining other guests.
The Nile Cruise programs can be changed without prior
notice due to navigational
circumstances, Select Egypt is not liable to these changes.
Domestic flight Abu Simbel / Cairo could be via Aswan All of these monuments are included in optional tours
