Temples of Middle Egypt
15 days - from $1210
• An in-depth look at man's achievements over thousands of years
• Travel the Nile Valley from Cairo to Aswan
• Visit temples that are almost six thousand years old
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In the Land of the Pharaohs
From the tour's start in Cairo, the largest capital city in Africa, the history of this antique land is almost tangible. We spend time in the excellent Egyptian museum and at the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, before continuing south through the fertile Nile Valley, the bread basket of Egypt. At Saqqara we discover Egypt's oldest pyramids and, at Dashur, a lesser known but equally impressive complex of pyramids.
Beni Hassan & Tell al-Amarna
From El Minya we visit the remarkable rock-cut tombs of Beni Hassan (majestically overlooking the Nile Valley), then discover the ruins of Amarna the short-lived capital of ancient Egypt's most enigmatic figures: Akhenaton and his queen Nefertiti. Also included in our itinerary are the brilliantly coloured bas-reliefs of Abydos, burial ground of Osiris, god of the dead.
Upper Egypt & 3-day Nile Cruise
More archaeological wonders await us on our optional trip to Abu Simbel, the site of the monumental sculptures of Ramses II, the most magnificent of all pharaohs. After experiencing the rest that Aswan has to offer, including the atmospheric souks, we board the M/S Doma to cruise gently downriver back to Luxor via Kom Ombo and Edfu, temple of Hathor, goddess of love. Our stay in Luxor offers ample time to enjoy the richest concentration of historical sites in the world, including the awesome Temple of Amun at Karnak (reached by horse carriage), the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple (where we travel to by donkey!). Finally we arrive back in Cairo with time for further optional sightseeing.
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Itinerary:
Day 1 Join Cairo. 2 In Cairo; visit Pyramids, Sphinx and Museum. 3 Visit Memphis, Saqqara and Dashur en route to El Fayyum oasis. 4 Via Maidum pyramid to El Minya. 5 Visit Beni Hassan and Amarna en route to Assiut. 6 Via Abydos and Dendera temples to Luxor. 7 Free morning; optional early morning balloon ride; PM visit Karnak Temple by horse-drawn calesh. 8 AM train to Aswan; PM free with optional visit to Philae Temple. 9 Optional visit to Abu Simbel; PM free in Aswan. 10 AM optional camel trek to St Simeon's Monastery; PM board riverboat and cruise to Kom Ombo; visit temple. 11 Cruise to Edfu; visit temple; cruise to Esna. 12 Cruise to Luxor; free afternoon for optional sightseeing. 13 Early morning donkey trek to Hatshepsut Temple and visit Valley of the Kings; sleeper train to Cairo. 14 Free in Cairo for optional sightseeing. 15 Tour ends Cairo.
Accommodation: 3nts Nile riverboat in 2-berth en-suite cabins with plunge pool, lounge and bar, restaurant, 10nts hotel - staying at standard accommodation throughout, 1nt overnight train with sleeping cars; 14 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 dinners included.
Transport: Bus/Calesh/Donkey Trek to Valley of Kings/Nile Riverboat/Overnight sleeper train.
Comment: A comprehensive itinerary visiting the main archaeological sites as well as some of the more off-the-beaten track antiquities. Be prepared for some early mornings as we sometimes explore before the heat of the day. On rare occasions, the Doma may not be available and in these circumstances Explore reserve the right to use alternative larger vessels that may not be exclusive to our group.
Group: Approx. 18 to 24.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), captain and crew on Nile riverboat. Some local guides.
Trip Reference: NV
