Cairo and Luxor and Aswan Excursions

Arrival in Cairo, welcome, assistance with customs formalities and support, then accompaniment and installation in your hotel with swimming pool (subject to availability), 5* in the city of 6 October 5* Hilton Pyramids Golf 15 km from the Giza pyramids, or near the city center, 4* luxury Steigenebereger el Tahrir , or 4* Novetel el Borg. Night at the hotel.

Departure for the wonderful site of the Giza Plateau. Composed of the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinos as well as the mysterious Sphinx. Then, departure to join the eastern cemetery. After that, visit the tomb of the Great Dignitary of King Cheops, where you will be almost the only ones!

Then you will enter the small pyramid of the mother of King Cheops. Then, visit the temple of King Khephren whose walls and ceilings are made of granite, and the floor is covered with white alabaster. In the middle of the room is the famous “well”. It is here where the statue of Khephren was discovered more precisely. One of a kind in 1860 by Auguste Mariette. 

Barbecue lunch in a typical restaurant.

Departure off the beaten track to reach the typical village of Dahshour for the discovery of beautiful and lesser known pyramids of Dahshour, discovery of the exterior of the rhomboidal pyramid – the only one in Egypt which still retains its exterior covering, then you enter the pyramid rhomboidal open very recently for the first time to the public. Continue with the visit of the Red Pyramid, entrance into the Red Pyramid. Night at the hotel.

Departure for the discovery of the Daily life, We will visit the heart of the Old Town. You will start with a superb hike to discover the South Cairo completely unknown to mass tourism with its picturesque alleys.

Then departure for the visit of one of the most beautiful and ancient mosques in Egypt, It is a true masterpiece of world architecture. One of the most grandiose and beautiful Islamic architectures in the world, renowned for its high walls and its magnificent prayer courtyard, its Iraqi-style minaret. With its play of light and geometric shapes, the mosque inspires spirituality, respect, silence and above all peace.

Continuation with the discovery of the typical souk, It is a mandatory passage for all families of future married women for the purchase of clothes, fabrics, curtains etc. You discover local life, which allows you to approach the traditions and customs of the local population.

Lunch in a restaurant on the banks of the Nile, (grilled chicken marinated in Italian herbs served with your chosen sauce (mushrooms – lemon butter).

Departure off the beaten track, we start with a superb discovery walk of the North Cairo with its narrow and picturesque alleys, unknown to mass tourism. You will visit one of the oldest and most popular districts of Cairo.

You continue with the discovery of the exterior of the monumental entrance from the gate of victories, and the wall of the ancient city of Cairo, walking tour in the oldest street in egypt, you will experience the atmosphere of 1000 nights and night, in the middle of magnificent mosques, Turkish hammams, Cornish schools, public fountains that distributed water until the last century etc. You will also discover some disappearing trades as well as old districts of Cairo. Night at the hotel.

Departure to join the oasis / deserts of el Fayoum (280 km round trip). Discovery of a part of the immense Lake Qarun located in the middle of the desert and which is approximately 40 km2, then departure for the visit of the famous ecological village of Tunis located in the middle of a beautiful typical setting, you will relax, in peace away from the modern world, the village is renowned for its beautiful natural landscapes and the manufacture of pottery, having a beautiful view of Lake Qarun, it was built in a part in the Nubian style in the 60s, but it became famous when the Swiss artist Evelyne Porret settled in the 80s, and she created a pottery school.

Departure to the deserts for the visit of the modest ruins of the Greco-Roman city Karanis, was founded in the 3rd century BC, most likely under Ptolemy II Philadelphus. It was occupied for about seven centuries. Built near Lake Qaroun (the ancient Lake Moeris), this city was home to some 3,000 inhabitants in its most prosperous period. Continue with a visit to the small Kom Ochim Museum, a typical fish lunch on the shores of the lake, then return to Cairo. Overnight at the hotel. 

Departure for the visit if it is open of the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

 If it is not yet open During your trip, visit the current National Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, and its lesser-known rooms including, among others, the treasure of the high priests and the daily life of Ancient Egypt, the room of mummified animals without forgetting the fabulous treasure of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun as well as the last great unknown treasure of mass tourism discovered in the 90s, departure off the beaten track, continued with a visit to the hall of King Akhenaton, considered one of the great mystics in the history of humanity.

Lunch in the Coptic quarter. Visit of the Coptic Quarter inhabited by the Christians of Cairo, where there are very old and beautiful churches, you visit there, the hanging church (Mouallaqa), the church of Saint Serge, and the church of Saint George, departure off the beaten track, you are visiting the message room to the saints, Christians who come to make vows to the saint following in the same footsteps of the Egyptians at the time of the pharaohs, and who left them at the temples 'the famous Ostraqa''.  

Evening transfer at the airport of Cairo, and fly to Luxor, Welcome on arrival, then escort to your hotel (subject to availability), 5* Winter Luxor Pavilion, Where Steigenberger Resort Achti, Where Pretty City,  Where Sonesta St. George.  Night at the hotel.

Departure for the in-depth visit of temples of Karnak… The Karnak religious complex—incorrectly called the Temple of Karnak or simply Karnak—comprises a vast collection of ruins of temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings located north of Thebes, today the city of Luxor.

Departure off the beaten track for a visit to one of these little-known temples: for example the one dedicated to the goddess healer there lioness highly appreciated by the ancient Egyptians. We will first cross - an impressive spectacle - thousands of pieces of stones from the excavation fields undertaken on the site, where you will be almost the only ones.

Continuation through the discovery of the more confidential sites of Karnak, dedicated to the hidden god Amon: visit the wonderful Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut, and the magnificent alabaster chapel of King Sesostris

Free afternoon for a personal discovery of Luxor.

Departure at the end of the afternoon for the visit of the luxor temple illuminated under a very beautiful light which highlights its beauty. Night at the hotel.

We will visit part of the grandiose necropolis of Thebes where the sovereigns of the New Kingdom were buried in hypogea, dug into the mountain, possessing luxurious and abundant funerary furniture. In-depth visit to the Valley of the Kings, where we will visit three remarkable tombs which still preserve magnificent exceptional painted reliefs thanks to the freshness of the colors and the particular care taken during the creation, visit of the tomb of Rames IV, Sethi II and Taousert (if they are open during your trip).

On the way back, stop at the foot of the Colossi of Memnon, once guardian of the castle of King Amenophis III for millions of years.

 Lunch in a typical restaurant on the West Bank or in town. Night at the hotel.

Departure to go to the Valley of the Nobles; grouping together little-known tombs built for the notables of the New Kingdom. In fact, they house the highest dignitaries of the country (viziers, governors, mayors or viceroys of Nubia), and important officials (royal scribes or general inspectors).

We start with the visit of tomb of Rekhmire, the mayor of the City (Thebes) and vizier – that is, the most important personage in the State after Pharaoh – during the last nineteen years of the long reign (53 years) of Thutmose III, and again at the beginning of that of Amenhotep II.

 The main episodes of his professional life are profusely illustrated in his tombstone, as if he had wanted to leave precise testimony to all the details of his various offices and, above all, those of vizier. 

Continuation with the visit of the tomb of Sennfer'' the famous tomb of the vines''. By the originality of its decor, its freshness and the masterful orchestration of funeral rituals.

The “tomb with the vines” is one of the great masterpieces. The craftsmen exploited the irregularity of this one to decorate it with vines.

Continuation with the visit little-known tombs of El-Khokha, and which is one of the necropolises of Thebes. It is located on a small hill southeast of the site of Deir el-Bahari. I

They are tombs dug into the rock. The site includes private tombs of theOld Kingdom (2647-2150) and the First Intermediate Period (2140-2022) and several tombs of 18th dynasty (1549-1295) and 19th dynasty (1295-1186).

Lunch in a typical restaurant on the West Bank or in town. 

Early morning departure by car towards Middle Egypt, following part of the Nile and passing through small villages typical of Middle Egypt.

This allows you to discover the daily life of the natives, and the countryside for the visit of one of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egypt: the temple of Hathor of Dendera (Dendera), Visit of the Osiris. This is a sanctuary of six chapels dedicated to Osiris. In addition, we will discover the copy of the famous zodiac of Dendera. Return to join Luxor. Lunch in town. Night at the hotel.

Departure by car at 6:30 a.m. for Aswan, visit of the temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus, son of Isis. Edfu a colossal temple remarkable for its harmonious plan with perfect proportions which rises in the middle of the city, it is the second largest building after Karnak. Departure by car for the visit of the Kom Ombo Temple located on the banks of the Nile. An unusual temple, dedicated to the worship of two deities worshipped on an equal footing. The first : Haroëris, the hawk-headed god, He has the character of the Sun and the Moon, the second the god crocodile Sobek.

Arrival in Aswan, accompaniment and installation in your hotel, accompaniment to your 5* hotel (2-3 European standard) Tolip. Night at the hotel.

Departure by car then by small motor boat on the small lake to get to “Agilika Island”, in-depth visit to the Philae temple, which is undoubtedly the "Pearl of the Nile", built on an island submerged in the 1970s by the rise in the level of the reservoir of the old Aswan Dam, following the construction of the high dam.

You will visit among other things, the temple of Isis, which is obviously the main construction of Philae. It is one of the major sanctuaries of the goddess in Egypt. After that departure to visit the little-known chapel of the goddess of love Hator, and, to conclude visit the Kiosk of Trajan which is the main feature of the site. Night at the hotel.

Isis is a mythical queen. Most often, she is represented as a young woman wearing a throne or, in the likeness of Hathor, of a wig surmounted by a solar disk inserted between two horns of cow. She is the sister and wife of the king. Osiris, a generous being who placed his reign under the sign of cosmic harmony. Isis in the form of a bird of prey united with the mummy of her husband and conceived Horus. Isis makes him the eternal sovereign of the Douat, a paradise world populated by immortal spirits. To ensure his protection, she places him under the watchful eye of the canine god. Anubis, his adopted son.

Free day. Optional: driving tour of the temples of Abu Simbel with departure at 7:30 in the morning, to be seen with your guide on site.    

*If you do not visit Abu Simbel. Felucca ride near Elephantine Island. A moment of pure relaxation, lulled by the light breeze and sailing in the calm, blue waters. Lunch in town.

 Evening transfer at the airport of Aswan and flight to the Cairo, welcome on arrival, installation in your hotel, 5* Cairo Airport Passage, or 5* in the city of 6 October 15 km from the pyramids of Giza 5* Hilton Pyramids Golf, or near city center, 4* luxury Steigenebereger el Tahrir , or 4* Novetel el Borg. Night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Cairo airport, and assistance with customs formalities according to your flight schedule.