Arrival to Cairo

Guests are transferred from the airport to their hotel. We will give our guests the opportunity to rest from their long journey to Egypt and to soak up the local atmosphere.  Dinner at your hotel is  included.

Memphis, Saqqara & Dashur

We will depart the hotel at 8am for Memphis, the former capital of Egypt. Our first stop is the Memphis Museum, (where you will find the infamous colossal reclining statue of Ramses II and the alabaster sphinx). We then continue to Saqqara, the site of the Step Pyramid, the Pyramid of Titi, the Serapeum, and the Mastabas of Ti & Mereruka. After lunch we will proceed to Dashur where we will see the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.

Pyramids of the Giza Plateau, the Sphinx & the Valley Temple

We have a very early start to the day, as we depart the hotel for the Giza Plateau for a very special treat– special, off-hours access to watch the sunrise by the pyramids!  Our morning will be spent at the famous Giza Plateau, where the last of the seven wonders of the ancient world still stand. Guests will have the opportunity to take some breathtaking photos of the three Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple, while our guide explains the history of this ancient and mysterious site.

Guests will also have the opportunity to go inside the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Menkaure, as well as the Solar Boat Museum. Entrance to these three areas are at an additional cost.

After lunch we will visit a Papyrus shop where they will demonstrate how papyrus has been made for over 5000 years.

The rest of the afternoon will be free, with a range of activities available at an additional cost.

The Citadel, Sultan Hussan, Refai Mosques & the Egyptian Museum

We begin the morning by visiting the Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammed Ali. The Citadel sits high above Cairo with a beautiful view of the city. We will then continue to the Sultan Hussan and Refai Mosques, which are an architectural marvel.

After lunch we will visit The Egyptian Museum, where our guide will walk you through the halls, explaining some of the 160,000 objects that are housed there, which encompass 5,000 years of Egypt’s history.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit the mummy exhibit at their own cost. Photography within the museum is allowed, though guests will need to purchase their own tickets for photography.

Old Cairo, the Coptic Museum & Khan El Khalili

We begin our day by visiting Old Cairo, which was established in 969 C.E. We will visit the Hanging Church, the Coptic Museum (which houses the largest collection of early Christian artifacts), the Church of Abu Serga, and Amr Mosque.

After lunch we will visit Khan El Khalili Bazaar, an ancient marketplace with narrow,twisting passages lined with tiny shops, where you can witness craftspeople practicing skills that have been passed down the generations.

In the evening we will invite our guests on a Nile Cruise on a felucca to introduce you to the Egyptian culture with a traditional dinner and bellydancing/folkloric dance show.

Fayoum Oasis, Lake Karoun & the Pyramid of Hawara & Meidum

Our journey today takes us two hours out of Cairo to the picturesque Fayoum Oasis, the Valley of Whales, and Lake Karoun. We will have some time at each of our stops to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

After lunch we will visit the once-labyrinthine Hawara Pyramid, and the Meidum pyramid, a unique structure built at the end of the third dynasty. There are also some mud brick Mastabas next to the pyramid that we will have the opportunity to visit.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization & Gezira Island (Zamalek)

After breakfast, we will visit The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, which houses an impressive collection of over 50,000 artifacts.

After lunch, we will visit the Cairo Tower, offering the best panoramic view of Cairo! This example of stylish mid-century architecture is the tallest structure in Egypt, and is located in Gezira Island (an affluent area originally inhabited by British colonies). We will also get to visit the Akhenaten Gallery, dedicated to the infamous 18th-dynasty pharaoh Akhenaten.

In the evening we will invite our guests to a farewell dinner aboard a Nile cruise to close our tour, featuring a traditional Egyptian dinner, bellydancing, and folkloric dancing.