Luxury Egyptian Odyssey

You'll enjoy personalized attention on your tour of these famous symbols of Egypt's ancient civilization. As this is a private tour, you can determine the amount of time you'd like to spend at each of the sites you'll visit. In the Giza plateau area, the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx date back over 4600 years. While there are actually over 100 pyramids in Egypt, the Pyramids of Giza are by far the most famous and are the last of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. Your qualified Egyptologist guide will provide a fascinating introduction to each of the three pyramids: Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinus. You will have free time to enter one of the pyramids (additional cost), although your guide is not permitted to enter with you. After visiting the pyramids, you'll then continue across the plateau for a photo opportunity of the three pyramids rising from the sands, with the Cairo skyline in the background. A short drive to the city side of the plateau finds you standing at the feet of the Sphinx, for thousands of years the enigmatic symbol of Egypt. The Sphinx has the body of a lion and the head of a king and is surrounded in mystery, including the unanswered questions: who built it and why.

Sakkara was the main necropolis of the old kingdom era. It is a great archeological site where the famous and multi-titled architect Imhotep built the oldest pyramid in Egypt. The first stone structure is 4800 years and was erected in the form of huge solid steps on top of each. (The name Step Pyramid is quite suitable). you will learn in the complex of the step pyramid the development of the royal tomb structure.

Your tour guide will accompany you inside one of the tombs of the nobles (tomb of Kagmini) and the tomb of Ti to see murals reflecting daily life activities in ancient Egypt. Moreover, you have the chance to enter the pyramid of Titi, where you can see the oldest form of the pyramid text on the chamber walls (4340 years old).

Memphis is your second destination to visit the open-air museum of the city. In Memphis, you will see the second-largest Sphinx in Egypt, known as the alabaster Sphinx, the lying colossus of Ramses II that is a masterpiece and a strong proof of how Egyptian sculpture reached the peak. You will also see many more monuments dug in this great city. Memphis was the first capital city of Egypt after the unity of the Southern and Northern kingdoms. Enjoy all the beautiful monuments on display in the open museum. After having lunch, you will head to the airport for your flight to Luxor

Today, enjoy a visit to the impressive Karnak Temple, the largest place of worship ever built. Its ancient name Ipet-isut means “the most sacred of places.” The temple, or, more correctly, the complex of temples, was built over more than 2,000 years by generation after generation of pharaohs. Within the complex, you will find the great “Hypostyle Hall,” which is an incredible forest of giant pillars. After this, You will have lunch in a local restaurant then in the evening, you will be transferred to Luxor temple, which was built by Amenhotep III, and Ramses II for ritual and festivals dedicated to god Amen

Today, cross the Nile to the West Bank, then a short drive will bring you to Deir el Medina, the ancient village of the workers who built the Pharaohs' tombs, Explore the beautifully preserved Tomb of Sennedjem. Then drive to the Valley of the Kings where you will visit as many of the open tombs as you desire, including the Tombs of Seti I, Tutankhamun, and Rameses VI. After leaving the Valley, you will return to your hotel

Today you will cross the Nile to the West Bank again to visit the Ramesseum, the mortuary temple of Rameses II, and Medinet Habu, Temple of Rameses III. Then head to the Valley of the Queens, and the Tomb of Nefertari, one of the most beautifully colored tombs in this place. Finally, you will stop for a photo opportunity at the Colossi of Memnon, statues of Amenhotep III that once stood before his temple

Visit the temple of Queen Hatshepsut on the West Bank. The Temple of Deir el-Bahari is one of the most characteristic temples in Egypt. It was built of limestone not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom. Hatshepsut was the first queen to rule over Egypt in ancient Egyptian history (ca. 1473 to 1458 BC). Although many people, including royal family members, objected to the idea of having a lady ruling over Egypt she, through her many achievements, proved them wrong. Hatchepsut became one of the most important and successful rulers of Egypt. Later, you will check in your deluxe Nile cruise

A free day to relax or go for more sightseeing in Luxor till the cruise will sail

In the morning, our cruise ship will take us to Edfu to see its marvelous temple. The Edfu Temple is the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt dedicated to the falcon god Horus. It was built in the Ptolemaic period between 240 and 57 BC. When we return to the ship, we will cruise towards Kom Ombo where we arrive in the late afternoon.

We will visit the Ptolemaic Kom Ombo Temple. It was built during the reign of King Ptolemy V (ca. 205 to 180 BC). The Ptolemies constructed the Temple of Kom Ombo to worship the two gods, Sobek – the crocodile god, and Horus – the falcon god. After visiting the site, we will return to the ship for dinner and then we will start sailing south towards

Enjoy a relaxing ride on a traditional sailboat (fellucca) while visiting the Elephantine island and the Botanical garden. Today, you will leave your Nile cruise and check-in your hotel in Aswan.

Today, you will fly to the impressive Temples of Ramses II in Abu Simbel. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Nubian Monuments,” which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan). The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt&rsquo's top tourist attractions. With your qualified Egyptologist as your guide, you will enjoy a personalized visit to the temples of Abu Simbel. With its four rock-hewn pharaohs, your guide will explain the history behind this magnificent site, including how the temples were discovered by accident in 1813. Due to the large number of visitors to Abu Simbel, guides are not permitted inside either of the two temples you will visit. Then return to Aswan,

Early morning in Aswan, you will enjoy a day’s sightseeing. Start with the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk then on to the beautiful Temple of Philae, which is devoted to the goddesses Isis. Head to Aswan airport to fly back to Cairo.

Today you will immerse yourself in Egypt's history with a visit to the famous Egyptian Museum. Following this, you will visit Cairo's most popular Islamic attractions: the Alabaster Mosque. Housing over 120,000 Egyptian artifacts, the Egyptian Museum attracts millions of visitors a year. The highlight of the Museum is the priceless treasures of King Tutankhamun. His 6-gold gilded coffins dominate the main hall while his magnificent gold mask is the star attraction! Your Egyptologist guide will introduce you to the most important pieces before allowing you to have free time to explore the museum at leisure. Here you can also visit the “Royal Mummies Room” where you will learn about the ancient art of mummification (optional, for an additional cost).

Following your visit to the Egyptian Museum, you will tour the Alabaster Mosque at the Citadel of Salah el-Din which sits on top of a limestone hill overlooking Cairo and is the most important mosque in the city. The lower part of the Mosque is clad inside and out with Alabaster while the top part is constructed from the limestone cladding removed from the Pyramids of Giza. Inside the mosque, your guide will introduce you to the basic beliefs of Islam, including a translation of the most common prayers.

Then you will discover the ancient sites and culture of Coptic Christians where you will learn about Christian life in Egypt, a country where Christianity is a minority. You will first visit the Hanging Church is built into the walls of the watergate of the Roman fortress and is possibly the oldest Christian church in Egypt. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is one of Cairo's most beautiful churches. Continue to the Monastery and Church of Saint George. It is one of the few remaining circular churches in the Middle East.

Your next stop is the Abu Serga, one of the places where the Holy Family rested after fleeing Israel from King Herod. At the turn of the century this little church, which dates from the 10th-century, was the most important pilgrimage spot in Old Cairo for visiting Christian tourists. There are 24 marble columns lining the central court and a series of 12th-century icons depicting the 12 apostles. You will then tour Ben Ezra Synagogue which is one of the oldest synagogues in Egypt. Set in a shady garden, it was built on the site of the 4th-century Christian church

Today is free. you can enjoy the amenities of your hotel or you can go back to any of your favorite places, you can ask your guide about more options and activities.

It is the last day of our tour and time to say goodbye to Egypt. After breakfast, we will transfer you to Cairo International Airport. You will leave Egypt with new experiences, memories, and beautiful photographs. Your Egypt Tours will do everything to ensure that its guests will have an experience of a lifetime.