Platinum Egypt Series ll
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Cairo where you will be met by our Egypt Tours and Travel tour manager who will help with your meet and assist. Later, transfer to your hotel, the historical and luxurious Marriott Mena House Hotel. It is located at the foot of the Giza plateau with a breathtaking view of the famous pyramids. Accommodation in a Pyramid view room, in the Palace section. Overnight.
Day 2
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide. Drive to Memphis at the edge of the Western Desert, the capital of the ancient kingdom, and one of the most important cities throughout the history of ancient Egypt. From here we drive to Sakkara, the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. Visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser (3rd Dynasty, 2668 BC - 2649 BC). Then visit the Pyramid of Unas, the last kind of the 5th Dynasty. In the afternoon, drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 4th dynasty about 2690 BC and is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In front of the Pyramid of Chephren (Khafre), there stands the Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a Pharaoh's head thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren (Kafre). Continue your tour to the Solar Boat Museum where a dismantled river barge of King Cheops (Khufu) was found and has been masterfully re-assembled. Transfer back to your hotel. Later in the evening you will be met by our Egypt Tours tour manager and transferred to attend the magnificent Sound and Light show at the Giza Plateau. Later transfer back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide. Start your tour by visiting the Egyptian Museum, famous for its antiquities from Egypt's Pharaonic period, which dates back some 50 centuries and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amon. A special visit to the Mummy Room. Afternoon excursion to Old Cairo, visiting the old Coptic Churches, and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Beni Ezra. Continue your visit to the Citadel of Salah El-Din and the Mohammed Ali, the Ibn Tulun, and the Sultan Hassan Mosques, followed by a visit to the Medieval Bazaars of Khan-El-Khalili, where you can bargain for your jewelry and hand-tooled leather items. Return to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4
You will be met by your Egypt Tours tour manager and transferred to Cairo Airport for your early flight to Abu-Simbel. Upon arrival at Abu-Simbel Airport, you will be transferred to visit the great Temple hewn in rock with the four colossal seated statues of the King in front of the entrance. It was dedicated to Amun-Ra, the Horakkhti, and Ramses II. Then visit the temple of the King's wife, which was threatened by the waters upon the completion of the Aswan High Dam and has been preserved by international action organized by UNESCO. All parts of the temple (statues, inscribed slabs, etc.) have been rebuilt on a plateau above the former site. Return to Abu-Simbel Airport for your flight back to Aswan. Upon arrival at Aswan Airport, you will be met and transferred to embark your super deluxe cruise ship. The M/S Oberoi Zahra, the most luxurious Nile cruiser as of today. (outside junior suite cabin). Later you will visit by "Felucca" the Elephantine Island, the Mausoleum of Agha Khan, the Botanical Gardens. In the afternoon you will be met by our representative in Aswan and transferred to the Nubian Villages to see the local Nubian people. You will be escorted to one of their homes for a cup of tea, get to see and experience their unique culture and their way of life. Later you will be transferred back to the ship. In the evening, you will be met and transferred to the Temple of Isis to attend the impressive Sound and Light performance. Transfer back to your cruise ship. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Visit the Unfinished Obelisk at the Ancient Granite Quarries and the High Dam. Continue visit to the temple that was built and dedicated to Isis on Philae Island. A private and special visit to the Nubian Museum that displays Nubian History from the past to the present time. Transfer back to ship. Cruise to Kom-Ombo. Visit the Ptolemaic Temple of Kom-Ombo, which was dedicated to two gods: The Crocodile god Sobek and the Falcon-Headed god Haroeris. Sail to Edfu. Dinner, then attend a Galabiya and Costume Party. Overnight onboard.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Visit the Temple of Horus in Edfu (237 BC), the best-preserved Egyptian temple in existence. Sail to Luxor via Esna. Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Cross to the West of the Nile to visit the Necropolis of Ancient Thebes. Explore the valleys of the Kings and Queens where tombs of 64 pharaohs and 57 queens have been discovered, and enter some of the most remarkable burials. Visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Visit the Temple of Karnak, which took over 1500 years to build and is considered the world's largest religious complex. Then a visit to the Temple of Luxor, started by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II. Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9
Visit the Temple of Dendera whose construction was initiated by the Ptolemies. Dendera is dedicated to Hathor, the Cow Goddess, known as the "Golden One". Later transfer back to the ship, where you will be met by your tour guide to start your tour to the Valley of the Nobles, which is vividly painted with naturalistic scenes of agriculture, fishing, fowling, feasting, and junketing. Continue your tour to the famous King Tut Tomb and visit the very large temple of Ramses III known as Medinet Habu which depicts the battle reliefs on the exterior of the temple. End the tour by visiting the Luxor Museum. Overnight onboard
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10
Disembark your cruise ship, where you will be met and transferred to the Old Winter Palace hotel in Luxor, Nile view room. Later you will be met and transferred for a special visit to the newly opened tomb of "Nefertari", the beloved Queen of King Ramses II. It is magnificent and truly a highlight of the trip. Continue your tour to visit the Tomb of Queen Tausert, the wife of King Seth II. That tomb was usurped by King Set Nakht who changed some of its inscriptions and added to its original construction. Transfer back to your hotel. In the evening you will be met by our tour escort and transferred to the Karnak Temple to attend the spectacular Sound and Light Show. Later transfer back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11
Morning at leisure. In the evening you will be met and transferred to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport, you will be met by your Egypt Tours tour manager and transferred to your hotel, the luxurious Cairo Marriott Hotel & Casino. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide, and transfer from Cairo to Alexandria (about a 3-hour ride). Upon arrival, start your sightseeing by visiting the Greco-Roman Museum, which contains statues, bas reliefs, pottery, jewelry, marble pieces, and other artifacts, all of which give you a picture of the grandeur of Alexandria in its Greek and Roman days. Then visit the Roman amphitheater which is the only known Amphitheater from the Roman Era in Egypt. Lunch at a local restaurant to experience the delicious seafood at Alexandria. Continue your tour to the Catacombs of Kom-El-Shouqafa. These tombs are remarkable for their unusual mixture of art styles, sculptures, and reliefs which are images of Egyptian gods. Continue your tour to visit Pompey's Pillar which is a column 98 feet high and 7 feet thick, made of Aswan rose granite erected in 297 AD. Transfer to the Montazah Sheraton Hotel in Alexandria. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Image Source: Asiatologist
Day 13
A free day to explore Alexandria's downtown on your own or walk the beaches or go for a swim. In the evening transfer back to Cairo to the Cairo Marriott Hotel & Casino for check-in. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide. Drive to Fayoum, Egypt's largest oasis, overlooking Lake Qarun, a popular spot for hunting and fishing. Visit the remains of the temple and pyramid of Amenhat III and Qasr Qarun, a well-preserved temple from the Greco-Roman Era. Lunch at the Auberge El-Fayoum Hotel overlooking the lake. Then continue the tour to Maidum. The Pyramid of Maidum was originally a seven-stepped pyramid, which was enlarged to an eight-stepped pyramid. Eventually, the steps were filled in and a smooth outer facing converted it into a true Pyramid. It is a huge structure surrounded by debris from the casing that collapsed. The Maidum Pyramid is thought to have been started by Huni, the last ruler of the 4th dynasty, and then completed by his son Sneferu. Sneferu was the first of the 4th Dynasty Pharaohs (2613 - 2494 BC). A little north of the Maidum Pyramid is the remains of the Seila Step Pyramid, which is made of limestone and is thought to be from the 2nd Dynasty. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Image Source: Mohamed Ouda
Day 15
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide and drive to Dahshur to visit the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid. The builder of these Pyramids is thought to have been Sneferu, who is believed to have built the Pyramid of Maidum. His son was Cheops (Khufu) who continued his construction tendencies. Continue our tour to the Pyramid of Abu Sir which was constructed during the 5th Dynasty (between 2455 and 2443 BC) by Sahu Ra as his burial tomb. A short distance southeast of Sahu Ra Pyramid, we visit the Mastaba of Ptahshepses which is another Fifth-Dynasty personage. It was built between 2416 and 2392 BC. Transfer back to your hotel. In the evening you will be met and transferred by your Egypt Tours tour manager, to an Egyptian home for a traditional dinner and get acquainted with the local people. Tour the home and engage in a friendly social discussion to get to know the Egyptian people and their way of life. Later you will be transferred back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Image Source: Roland Unger
Day 16
Meet with your Egypt Tours tour guide. Visit the beautiful Pharaonic Village. It is a complete island that was built as a replica of Ancient Egypt. It takes you back 5000 years into history where you will see about 100 actors and actresses depicting the ancient Egyptians' way of life, their art, their craft, paper and perfume making, etc. They also demonstrate how the ancient Egyptians’ used to live, work, dress, and perform all their daily chores. It also contains a complete replica of King Tut's Tomb. It is indeed a wonderful experience. Continue our tour to visit the Gayer Anderson Museum, the Manyal Palace, the Islamic Museum as well as the Coptic Museum. In the evening you will be met and transferred for a dinner cruise and show on the Nile where you will enjoy Egyptian belly dancing and a folklore show. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 17
You will be met by your Egypt Tours tour manager and transferred to Cairo Airport, where you will be helped with your check-in for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Also Included: Egypt Tours provides all transfers within Egypt. Personalized sightseeing as mentioned in the itinerary, in a private car, with a tour guide and a driver including entrance fees to sights mentioned. Included as well, airport departure tax and the service charges imposed by hotels, port charges, VAT tax, porterage, meeting and assistance at airports, hotels, and docks.
Extensions & Optional Tours: Extra days and optional tours to sites that are not included are available upon request.
Pricing
$8329
Platinum Egypt Series II
$1850
Single Supplement
**Please keep in mind that if you are travelling alone, you are single occupancy.
