We begin our discovery of Egypt, accompanied by an expert Egyptologist guide, with a visit to the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving intact site of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We approach these mystifying marvels of ancient Egyptian creation on camelback, the “ships of the desert”. Keeping watch over all is the legendary figure of the Sphinx, with the head of a human and the body of a lion. A terrifying figure made famous in literature by Oedipus, who answered her riddle correctly and avoided being eaten, the Sphinx of Giza is actually a royal portrait statue of the pharaoh Khafre. Ominously, Arabs call the colossal recumbent Great Sphinx at Giza by the name “Father of Terror”. In the afternoon we are treated to a close-up look at one of the world’s finest collections of historical artifacts at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Stand face-to-face with the Golden Mask of Egypt’s most famous teenage King Tutankhamun among thousands of other archaeological finds including statues, jewelry, amulets, sarcophagi, papyrus, and ancient coins, connected to myths and legends by our Egyptologist guide. This evening we reflect on what we’ve seen during a welcome dinner at a local Egyptian restaurant.

This morning’s excursion is to Saqqara, part of the necropolis of the ancient city of Memphis. The 4700-year-old Step Pyramid predates the Pyramids at Giza by about 200 years and served as a burial ground and pilgrimage site for more than 3000 years. This is Egypt’s oldest surviving pyramid and one of its richest archaeological sites where discoveries are still being made, including a treasure trove of intact wooden coffins and mummies excavated in 2020. We enter the pyramid to gaze upon its ancient hieroglyphs as well as visiting Sarapeum, which was a burial place for sacred bulls, and Mereruka, the largest and most elaborate of all the non-royal tombs in Saqqara. Part of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore Cairo on your own. We will meet up again to venture into the local souk to find ingredients for our dinner experience this evening. After purchasing what we need, we are invited into the home of a local family who will instruct us in the preparation of traditional Egyptian cuisine which we’ll then share together for an unforgettable home-cooked meal.

Today we set out to appreciate the many facets of this magnificently beautiful city, full of history and lively modern life. We begin at the grand and elegant Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 and today is the finest example of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo. A tragedy during construction presaged the murder that ended Sultan Hassan’s reign. We continue on to Al-Rifa'i Mosque, located just opposite the Mosque-Madrassa. We then travel back in time to the 6th century BCE when Cairo was home to the Persians. These ruins of the Babylon Fortress are the city’s oldest original structure, and inside we find a number of important Coptic Christian Churches from the time of the Romans in Egypt, including the Church of St. Sergius and Baccus and the beautiful Hanging Church. There was once also a thriving Jewish community in Egypt, which we will learn about when we visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue. After lunch we wander through the storied, old streets of Islamic Cairo, marveling at the medieval architectural treasures of El Muizz Street. We conclude our explorations in the winding alleyways of the famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar. The city is very much alive and vibrating with sights, sounds, and smells in the maze of souvenir and antique shops, restaurants and coffee shops, workshops, mosques, and food vendors.

We depart Cairo on an early, one-hour flight to Luxor. We spend the day with our Egyptologist guide visiting the impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the monuments of Karnak and Luxor. The Temples of Karnak, dedicated to the god Amun-Ra when the princes of Thebes ruled Egypt, are the largest religious complex that was ever built for a god. The main structure is surrounded by the houses of Amun's wife Mut and their son Khonsu, whose temple we will explore. We board our luxury riverboat to settle into our cabins and have lunch and a little relaxation time. Just before sunset, we make for the Luxor Temple, approaching along the Avenue of Sphinxes. This graceful monument dates to around 1300 BCE and was built by pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramses II. This evening we enjoy the comforts of our Nile cruise, dinner, and entertainment.

Hidden behind the mountains on the west bank of the Nile is the famed Valley of the Kings. This has been the site of royal burials since around 2100 BCE and contains 63 magnificent royal tombs. Despite attempts to erase evidence of her reign, Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s mark on history proved indelible. Even now, we revere the New Kingdom’s pharaoh queen as having been one of the best rulers not just in ancient Egypt but in the history of the world. At Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple on the Nile, a withered ancient tree stump defies the unrelenting Egyptian sun, still standing as a testimony to the female royal’s influence and political prowess. Supposedly, this myrrh tree dates back to one of the many expeditions commissioned by Hatshepsut some 3,500 years ago. Our morning’s explorations will also include entering the tomb of King Tutankhamun where we can view his mummy. The world was captivated by the discovery of his nearly intact tomb in 1922 and his reign as Pharaoh that began at the age of nine or ten. We will also see the colorful tomb of Ramses VI and the beautiful paintings in the tombs of Roy and Shuroy at Dra Abu el Naga. Before returning to our ship for lunch, we visit the Colossi of Memnon. Since 1350 BCE, these ancient statues have loomed over the Theban Necropolis. Though battered by more than 3400 years of scorching desert sun and sporadic Nile floods, they’ve captivated the imaginations of curious travelers for millennia. This afternoon we set sail up the Nile to Edfu.

We disembark after breakfast where a horse and carriage will take us to the Temple of Horus, the falcon god, in Edfu, the most completely preserved Egyptian temple. After lunch on board, we sail to the Temple of Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple that was constructed during the Ptolemaic period, which lasted from 108 to 47 BCE. The temple’s double dedication is reflected in its layout: It’s perfectly symmetrical along the main axis and has twin entrances, two connected hypostyle halls with the reliefs of two gods on either side of a column, twin chambers, and twin sanctuaries. The eastern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek (god of the Nile and creator of the world) while the western half of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Horus (god of the sky and protector of the king). The ancient Egyptian place of worship features a unique engraving that is thought to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments. The relief showing the medical tools is among the most intriguing features of the temple. It can be found in the building’s rear, in the passageway that surrounds the main area. The depicted surgical instruments include scalpels, curettes, forceps, speculators, scissors, medicine bottles, and prescriptions. The image is completed with two goddesses sitting on birthing chairs. At the time the relief was carved, Egyptian medical science was almost certainly the most advanced in the world.

Aswan is home to several ancient stone quarries, which were the source of Ancient Egypt’s finest granite. We disembark after breakfast to visit the remains of the Unfinished Obelisk. The work on the Unfinished Obelisk had been abandoned due to clearly visible cracks that appeared in the granite. The huge structure, which is partly connected to the parent rock, has been left in situ. The obelisk, together with several worker’s marks and rock carvings, provides a rare insight into the working techniques of Ancient Egypt. Virtually nothing is known about which pharaoh ordered the Obelisk and where it was supposed to be erected. We will also go in search of the Temple of Philae and the Temple of Isis, the goddess of love and passion in ancient Egypt. After the flooding of Lake Nasser, the whole complex had to be moved from Philae Island to Agilkia Island. Before returning to the ship for lunch, we sail by felucca around Elephantine Island. Later in the afternoon, we take a short guided hike to a relatively little-visited archaeological gem, the Tombs of the Nobles, also called Qubbet el-Hawa, where ancient carvings and hieroglyphics still exist alongside Christian murals and Muslim monuments. This sand-swept cliffside necropolis is located a short ferry ride across the river from Aswan and can be seen from all around the city. The site is home to hundreds of rock-cut tombs housing the remains of high-ranking and noble Egyptians from antiquity. Many tombs date back as much as 3800 years. They are decorated with paintings, hieroglyphics, and statues, and some of the larger tombs can be entered and explored. We will enjoy the sunset over the city of Aswan from here before returning to our ship for dinner.

We disembark in Aswan and catch a 45-minute flight to Abu Simbel. The great temple of Abu Simbel was completed in 1244 BCE. It is one of the crowning monuments of Rameses the Great, with a second dedicated to his wife, Nefertari. Here, four colossal statues of Rameses II, each 20 meters high, have been standing for 3200 years, looking down upon the desert. But the temple’s greatest secret lies at its heart. It was built along the axis of the sun, so that twice a year, light would flood into its innermost sanctum, illuminating three of the four statues waiting there: Ra, Amun, and Rameses himself. Only the fourth statue, of Ptah, the mysterious creator-god, is left in shadow. UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention was created, in fact, to preserve Abu Simbel. After the Nasser Dam was built, the temple was briefly submerged underwater. A large effort saw it carried out and rebuilt, piece by piece, the large mountain it was carved into included. When we have had our fill of the ancient monuments we catch a flight back to Cairo. We reflect on our incredible memories during a farewell dinner before turning in at our airport hotel.

After our unforgettable journey through some of the world’s most undiscovered lands, it’s time to say goodbye to the archaeological wonders and the friends we’ve met along the way. Head to the airport or on to your next destination. You have an easy walk from the hotel to the international terminal to catch your flight home. If your flight departs later in the morning, breakfast is included at the hotel. Until our next adventure!