ESSENCE OF EGYPT

Tour Highlights

Visit The Great Pyramids of Giza.
Hot air ballooning (Early morning ) at Luxor.
Cruising on Nile River.
Historic site Abu Simbel Temple.

DAY WISE TOUR ITINERARY

ARRIVAL AT CAIRO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, Our representative welcomes you and assists you through the immigration process. Escorted transfer by a modern air-conditioned coach will take you to the hotel through Old Cairo to enjoy the panoramic view of the citadel with the towering mosque of Mohamed Ali pass by Sultan Hassan & El Refaie mosques. Check in the hotel upon arrival & free time to refresh. Dinner in an oriental restaurant & optional tour of the Sound & Light Show by the Pyramids. Back to the hotel & overnight in Cairo.
FULL DAY TOUR ALEXANDRIA
Breakfast at the Hotel in Cairo. Then transfer to Alexandria via the desert road –about 225 km– whereby you will start a guided tour to visit the Bombay’s’ pillars, the Catacombs & Montazah Gardens. You will also pass by Alexandrina Bibliotheca & overview Qaite Bay citadel from outside Pompeii Column and Kom el-Shuqafa Catacombs Thirty meters high and built from Aswan pink granite, the Pompeii Column is thought to have been a present from the people of Alexandria to Emperor Diocletian. The majority of the remains found around the column can be been at the Greco-Roman Museum. At the top of the hill lies the entrance to the Kom al-Shuqafa Catacombs dating from the first and second centuries. They have been discovered by chance at the beginning of 20th, century. Montazah Gardens; is about 150-hectare park surrounding the palace of Khedive Abbas with its amazing architecture worth of Walt Disney. Visitors enjoy strolling in the gardens or swimming of the nice sandy beaches. Alexandrina Bibliotheca; the New Library of Alexandria, the New Bibliotheca Alexandrina is dedicated to recapture the spirit of openness and scholarship of the original Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It is much more than a library as it contains 13 different departments Besides, the New Library also hosts a number of institutions which is growing, and it is becoming the nerve center of many international and regional networks. Qaite bay Fort has been guarding the bay for centuries; at the end of the Cornish rises the crenellated walls of the Mameluk fortress built in 1480 on the site of the Alexandria lighthouse Lunch will be served during the tour in a local restaurant Drive back to Cairo, dinner at a restaurant & overnight at the hotel
GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA - GREAT SPHINX - EGYPTIAN MUSEUM - KHAN EL KHALILI BAZAAR
Early breakfast at the hotel in Cairo then start a guided tour to visit one of the Seven Wonders the great Pyramids of Giza; (Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus) were reckoned by the Greeks to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A single pyramid is built with 2.300.000 blocks, each weighing an average of two and a half tones. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that, so many writers and artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is more interesting, because its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren (2620 BC). Hewn from natural yellowish limestone and standing 65 feet-high and 187 feet-long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion's body. A quick visit to papyrus institute or a perfume shop can be arranged after the visit. Lunch at an oriental restaurant then start afternoon visit to the Egyptian Museum for another tour Egyptian Museum; was established by the Egyptian government in 1835. The present museum building was built in 1900, in the new classical style by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon. The museum exhibited collections now exceed 120,000 objects ranges from pre-historic era to the Greco Roman period. It has 107 halls, and the ground floor houses huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamen treasures. The museum also comprises of a photography section and large library. After the visit of the museum a short drive through the downtown will take you to Khan El Khalili bazaars; which is one of the most famous worldwide with its amazing narrow alleyways. Free time at leisure till departure time to the station to board the sleeping train to Aswan. Dinner and Overnight in the sleeping train.
TRAIN - ASWAN - NILE CRUISE
Have your breakfast onboard the train and Our reprersentative assist upon arriving at Aswan Station and transfer to the Nile cruise. Our representative will ensure a smooth hotel check-in, have your lunch onboard. After that you will visit Aswan High Dam, the Temple of Philae - The Aswan Dam, or more specifically since the 1960s, the Aswan High Dam, is one of the world's largest embankment dams, which was built across the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, between 1960 and 1970. Its significance largely eclipsed the previous Aswan Low Dam initially completed in 1902 downstream. Drive to your hotel and have dinner. Stay overnight at Aswan.
ASWAN - KOM OMBO - EDFU
Have your breakfast box will be ready to start an optional excursion by coach to the great Temples of Abu Simbel flanked by four giant stone statues of Ramses II. The Temple was reclaimed from the dam to rescue from the rising water of Lake Nasser and reconstructed in its present site. Sail to Kom Embo upon returning from Abu simble. Visit the Ptolemaic Temple Shared by Two Gods, Sobek and Heroeris in Kom Embo. Sail to Edfu & overnight on board.
EDFU - LUXOR
Transfer by Kalesh or horse drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus to visit then back to the Nile Cruise and sail to Esna / Luxor. Visit Karnak temple - The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak, comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Upon arrival to Luxor and overview Luxor temple - The Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city today known as Luxor and was constructed approximately 1400 BCE. In the Egyptian language it was known as ipet resyt, "the southern sanctuary". From outside as it is like an open museum. Overnight Stay in Luxor.
WEST BANK - SLEEPING TRAIN - CAIRO
Have your breakfast And Checkout from the hotel. Visit the West Bank - The West Bank of Luxor in Egypt is also the gateway to the amazing Valley of the Kings, and a string of pharaonic mortuary temples vies with the richly-decorated Tombs of the Nobles and the workmen's village, Deir el-Medineh, for the visitors' attention. After the visit, transfer to Luxor train station to Cairo. Dinner and Overnight in the sleeping train.
DEPARTURE AT CAIRO AIRPORT
Meet & assist upon arriving at Cairo Station and transfer to Cairo airport for the final departure.

Inclusions Exclusions

Meet & assist at Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Airports/ Stations
All transfer from / to airports in a/c vehicles on private basis.
Private transfer from airports to the hotels/Nile cruises and vice versa as per above itinerary.
02 nights’ accommodation in Cairo based on BB
02 nights’ accommodation onboard the sleeping train from Cairo to Aswan on HB
03 nights’ accommodation on FB bases (food only & no beverages) onboard a 5* Nile Cruise
Private guided tours to visit all sights as per the itinerary in Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Kom Embo, Edfu & Luxor with local English-speaking guides.
I bottle of mineral water during the tours every day.
2 lunches & 2 dinners in oriental restaurants.
Current entrance fees.