Day 1 Arrive Cairo

If you are arriving on the group flight, you will be met and transferred to the group hotel for overnight accommodation. A group briefing will be held in the afternoon. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (D)

Day 2 In Cairo

Cairo is a city of more than 18 million people - a bustling, dusty and boisterous metropolis with loads of character and history. Our time here is limited although we have included the highlights and focused our itinerary on the archaeological importance of the city and its surrounds.

This morning we have a city tour including visits to the Coptic Quarter, the Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque.

A full afternoon is spent at the Egyptian Museum, providing you with an excellent insight into Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom right through to the Roman Empire. The highlight of the museum is the Tutankhamun exhibit which houses the treasure from the tomb discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Although he was an insignificant Pharaoh, Tutankhamun's tomb contained a stunning array of gold, including pure gold sandals. It is astounding to imagine what treasures a significant Pharaoh may have taken into their next life, had their tombs not been ransacked.

We return to the hotel in the late afternoon for a rest before dinner. (BD)

 

Day 3 In and around Cairo Before appreciating the best preserved pyramids, this morning we visit the Step Pyramid at Saqqara which shows the style of construction used to build pyramids. The Step Pyramid was built by the Pharaoh's chief architect, Imhotep, in 27BC and was at that time the largest stone construction ever built. Following our visit to Saqqara, we travel to the nearby old capital of Memphis. Little remains of the once grand and thriving metropolis, except a small museum and garden. We spend time visiting the gardens where statues of Ramses can be viewed.

The Great Pyramids of Egypt set on a plateau in the Arabian Desert, are one of the seven wonders of the world, the reason for which becomes evident as we first set our eyes on these awesome monuments. We spend the morning exploring the main sites including the great pyramid of Cheops, the highest and best preserved pyramid in Egypt. We will enter the Kings Chamber and marvel at the sophisticated construction of this ancient site. We include a visit to the Solar Barque Museum, where the remains of a wooden boat, perhaps used in the funeral procession for the Pharaoh, can be seen. Time is spent appreciating the majestic Sphinx and wondering at the mystery that surrounds this enormous monster. (BD)

Day 4 Drive to Sinai

From Cairo we travel west to the Suez Canal which marks the divide between Africa and the Sinai. We stop briefly at the town of Suez to view the large ships making use of this historic canal, before continuing on to the Sinai. Our journey will take most of the day and we expect to arrive at our hotel near to St Catherine's Monastery by mid afternoon. The rest of the day is at leisure for personal exploration. Our hotel is set at Wadi Raha ( literally means valley of the rest ). The Israelites camped here waiting for Moses whilst he remained on top of Mount Sinai to receive the ten commandments from God. (BD)

We trek into the high ranges of Sinai in the St Catherine protectorate. Our first leg of the trek will be over Abu Gifa pass. Reaching the top of this pass we catch a view of the Bedouin village directly below. We continue into Wadi Zawateen ( valley of olives ) where predictably lots of  olive trees can be seen. All the gardens and orchards are owned by the natives of the region who are more affiliated with the Romanians of Europe. Our Bedouin escorts are among these natives known presently as Gabalia trip. As locals of the St. Catherine region they are originally the defendants and servants of St. Catherine monastery and the telling of stories of their culture and history provides another highlight to our day. We stop for a picnic lunch and afterwards, there is an opportunity to trek to the ruins of Aabas Basha palace which dates back to the beginning of last century. There is an awesome view from atop the Aabas Basha Mountain which is over 2000 meters in altitude. Descend to our first night spent under the stars at Skkakria. We pitch our tents and settle around the fire while dinner is prepared - a good opportunity to look back upon our days activities and highlights. After dinner, a briefing will be held about the next days trek route before we turn in. (BLD)

Day 6 Trekking

We awake to the sun and the smell of Bedouin bread being cooked on the open fire. After breakfast we break camp and head off walking through Wadi Tinia and Wadi Abu Twaita. We have a steep descent down to the desert pools of Galt El-Azrak (which literally means "Black Pool"). Here there is a chance to swim in the cool pools and relax with lunch. In the afternoon we walk through Wadi Talaa to Farsh Romana where we set our camp. (BLD)

Day 7 Trekking

This morning we walk through Naqab Baharia and boulder hop to the fresh springs at Ain El Negila. Following this we climb to the top of Gabal Bab (2080m) to gain panoramic views of the Sinai Peninsula, including the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. We spend some time taking in the view and appreciate the deserts tranquility and magnificence. A steep descent returns us to Ain El-Negila for lunch. We have a good walk in the afternoon to Wadi Jebal where we make our camp. This camp is often visited by wild donkeys in the middle of the night - so we'll need to hide away all our foodstuffs! (BLD)

Day 9 Dawn Ascent of Mt Sinai, Drive to Sharm El Shaikh

We rise at 4:00 am to climb the final section of the mountain made of 750 steps. The steps have been carved from the mountain rocks and are known as the staircase of repentance. We arrive at the summit - 2285m above sea level - in time for a spectacular sunrise over the mountains of south Sinai. There is time for some tea before the day breaks and to take in the spectacular view of the sun coming over the hills of Sinai. Our descent is either by the camel path or the "Steps of Repentance". We have breakfast before visiting the monastery of St. Catherine. This 6th century Monastery is situated at the foot of Mount Sinai and houses one of the most important icons collection on earth. In addition to the biblical sites of the Burning Bush and Moses well, we visit the stunning basilica. Our tour concludes with a visit to the charnel house or the Ossuary where relics of monks and hermits are on display. After the monastery, we enjoy lunch in a nearby restaurant with a chance to freshen up before our 3 hour drive to Sharm El Shaikh. On arrival we check-in, and enjoy a shower before dinner. (BD)

Day 10 In Sharm El Shaikh

Today is set aside for leisure. There are numerous activities available to you including scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, swimming or just relaxing on the beach, reading a book. (BD)

Note: We may need to fly to Luxor this morning depending on flight schedules. In this case you will have the latter part of the afternoon of DAY 9 to spend in Sharm El Shaik, snorkeling or swimming. Schedule for today would be fly to Luxor early morning. Remainder of day at leisure. Overnight hotel. (BD)

Day 11 Fly to Luxor Following a short flight we arrive in Luxor in time for lunch. Luxor is located on the banks of the Nile River, and is built on the site of the former capital of Egypt, Thebes which dates back 4000 years. In the centre of the town is the Luxor Temple and to the north Karnak and the Temple of Amun. This afternoon we visit these impressive temples which are well preserved and contain numerous columns, obelisks and in the temple of Karnak, an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes. The imprint of the various Pharaohs, including Tuthmosis , Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun and Ramses is evident. During our visit we will be in the company of a local expert. Our accommodation is on the Nile cruise boat which will be our base for the next 4 nights. (BD)

Day 12 In Luxor

Today we cross over to the west bank of the Nile visiting the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis for the ancient city of Thebes. The rock hewn tombs are found in an arid valley and from the exterior it is hard to imagine the riches which once lay within. Ironically the most recent discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 by Howard Carter, the contents of which are now in the Cairo Museum, is the least decorated. The tombs of Ramses , , IV, IX, Seti and Tuthmosis & IV are all richly decorated with paintings of goddesses and the stories from the Book of Day & Night. We will have the opportunity to visit a few of these tombs according to which are currently open to the public. The tombs are reached through a series of ornately painted underground corridors and anti chambers until it opens out to the burial chamber where the sarcophagus is found. There will also be time to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, the first woman to reign as a king. In paintings and relief's she was depicted as a man.  Late in the afternoon we return to our comfortable cruise vessel. (BLD)

Day 13 Nile Cruise

The two days spent sailing on the Nile allow us to relax and take in the view, experiencing first hand rural life on this life-giving river. Our relaxation time is interspersed with visits to the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. The temple of Horus at Edfu, is one of the largest and best preserved in Egypt. (BLD)

Day 14 Arrive Aswan

The morning is for relaxation, a time to dwell on the amazing sights we have visited so far and to catch up on your journal. In the early afternoon we arrive in the bustling town of Aswan. Set primarily on the East Bank of the Nile, it is the most southern city in Egypt and is said to be the gateway to Africa. Ancient trade routes once crossed over in this town and the Sharia as-Souq today retains all of the activity and colour of the great trading days.

We visit the High Dam, which at the time it was completed (1902) was the largest of its kind in the world. This afternoon we will visit the unfinished Obelisk and the Botanical Gardens. We return to our boat in the evening for dinner and overnight accommodation. (BLD)

Day 15 Optional Side Trip to Abu Simbel The Great Temple of Ramses II was carved from a mountain between 1290 and 1224 BC and was dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun and Ptah. Threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser, UNESCO organized a rescue of the temple in the 1960's. The rescue involved carving the temple into more than 2000 blocks weighing up to 40 tons each and transferring them 210 meters away to a man made mountain, and reconstructing the temple façade which stands 30 meters high and 35 meters wide. From the outside it is hard to imagine that the temple is not original, and only by entering the man made mountain constructed in steel and concrete, is it possible to appreciate the enormous feat achieved by the archaeological teams.

This morning you have the option to visit this awesome temple, which involves flying to the airstrip near to Abu Simbel, with excellent aerial views possible just prior to landing. Refer above for the cost of this option. Following a tour around the temple, return to Aswan for lunch.

NB: for those not taking the Abu Simbel option, you will check out of the boat in the morning and transfer to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure for personal exploration.

We transfer from our boat to a hotel in Aswan for our final night in Egypt.

This afternoon gives you the opportunity to explore the souq, take a felucca ride across to Elephantine Island or just sit by the bank of the Nile and absorb its extraordinary beauty at sunset. (BD)

Day 16 Fly to Cairo, Trip Concludes

We check out of our hotel after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our flight to Cairo where the trip concludes. (B)

(B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.

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