Day 1
Depart from the pier and board your vehicle for Cairo. An approximately 3 hours drive until you reach the Giza Plateau, where the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World is found, the imposing Pyramids of Giza. During your visit to the Pyramids you will have time for unique photo opportunities of the three Pyramids from the Western Plateau. Free time will be allocated at the Pyramids to explore and enjoy this magnificent site. Continue down the valley where the guardian of this mortuary complex, the Mighty Sphinx, bears witness to the passage of time and man in eons of silence. Let your imagination reflect on the gloriously golden days of the Pharaohs as you gaze at this mighty monument.
Following, you will proceed to a Papyrus Institute where the procedure of manufacturing the oldest paper in the world, an art discovered by the Ancient Egyptians, will be demonstrated for you. You will also have the opportunity to shop for souvenirs before re-boarding your coaches for the Tahrir (Liberty) Square, the heart of down town, where the National Archaeological Museum is located. Here you will have the opportunity to acquaint yourself with Egypt’s ancient history spanning a period of 50 centuries. The Museum houses the richest collection of Egyptian Antiquities, including the magnificent Tut Ankh Amun collection.
Proceed to the Cairo airport to board your flight for Luxor. An hour flight away, upon arrival you will proceed to your leading hotel for overnight.
Day 2
After breakfast board the waiting motor vehicle, Sit back and enjoy the unfolding vistas of barren mountains, flat desert and fertile areas as your guide introduces you to the history of Upper Egypt. Drive across the Nile to the West Bank where the Valley of the Kings is located. Here, the Kings of the New Kingdom ordered their tombs to be carved in the rock faces of the valley to safeguard them from grave robbers. Your visit will include three of the most impressive tombs of the Valley. Before crossing back to Luxor’s East Bank you will stop for photographs at the famous statues of Amenophis III, also known as the Colossi of Memnon, standing exactly where they once flanked the entrance to the Temple 5000 ago. Let your imagination soar and with the mind’s eye witness the glorious entrance to the temple by Alexander the Great, a god paying his respects to another. Next you will visit the Luxor Temple whose graceful and well-preserved architecture is distinguished by the many different gods and cultures that have resided here. You will then proceed to a hotel for lunch.
Your last visit will be at the greatest place of worship in history, the breath-taking Karnak Temple with its unique Hypostyle Hall, sacred lake and avenue of the Sphinxes.
You will be transferred to Luxor airport for an hour and half flight back to Alexandria; upon arrival you will board the awaiting vehicle which will lead you back to Alexandria port to re-join your ship.
Important Notes: The sequence of visits may vary however all tour features and inclusions will remain unchanged. Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and hat are highly recommended. A motorized wagon train transports passengers from the parking lot to the entrance gate of the Valley of the Kings. Pay toilets are found inside the Valley of the Kings in the form of chemical toilets housed in large ship’s containers. No cameras or videos are allowed inside the Valley of the Kings site. Entry into the Valley of the Kings includes a visit to 3 tombs.
At the National Museum in Cairo, guests must go through two (2) security checks before entering. No cameras or videos are allowed in the museum. The museum is not air conditioned but natural ventilation produces cooling breezes. Only the hall of the Tutankhamun (King Tut) collection and the Royal Mummies are air conditioned. Entering the hall of Mummies not included and it is not part of the guided tour.. No tour guides are allowed inside. The mummies are viewed as you walk past them and it doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes. There is an elevator in the museum, but at times it is not in operation. However, museum personnel help carry confined and assistance requiring visitors upstairs.
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