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"Wonders
of Egypt - Family Tour" Begins
in Luxor, Egypt (departures one day earlier if leaving from the USA). Land
Only Prices* Including
Airfare from New York, USA: add $1,150 USD to prices above * Prices above
include: Two 5-star
hotels, 2 meals per day (a large buffet breakfast & lunch), bottled water at all times, sightseeing with
entrance fees as described below. Additional fees may be required
for activities listed as Optional. |
|
"Wonders
of Egypt - Family Tour" |
|
| With
Airfare from USA
Friday, |
Land Only with Hurghada option: With Hurghada Option
& Air from NY: Egypt tour only with
Air from NY: |
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Day 1 Monday, Feb 16 2009 |
Land Only Travelers: Plan to arrive in Luxor, Egypt, in the afternoon or evening of Monday, February 16. For those arriving from New York, you arrive about midday in Cairo (7 hours ahead of New York time, 2 hours ahead of Greenwich). Continue on to Luxor with a short one-hour flight. Evening arrival in Luxor. Overnight: Luxor 5- star Hotel - Sofitel Karnak Resort or similar. |
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Day 2
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We begin our tour today with a Welcome Meeting and lunch. Having the morning free will give everyone a chance to catch up on some sleep after all the traveling. Those who began with some days in Hurghada at the Red Sea will arrive in Luxor during the morning. Our sightseeing for today is here on the East Bank of the Luxor. The Luxor Temple is a good place to start. It has many interesting parts, but it is not too large, so you can begin to see how the temples of the New Kingdom were laid out. It was the "Bride of Karnak" during the annual Apet festival and has an impressive processional way called the "Avenue of the Sphinxes." In the late afternoon we make a visit to the Luxor Museum. This is a modern museum opened fairly recently. It is much smaller than the Cairo Museum and is well laid out, so it is easy to get around in to see everything. There is a special exhibit room for a cache of statues found in near-perfect condition. They were buried under a courtyard at the Luxor Temple and found only recently during renovations. There is also a new wing, just opened recently, with an excellent mummy exhibit and a number of splendid artifacts - a chariot, the tools the Ancient Egyptians used, bows & arrows, and the coveted gold "flies of honor." In the evening, those who would like can visit one of the gold shops.
-Gold Shop (jewelry). Get a cartouche with your name in
hieroglyphs. |
| Day
3 Wed, Feb 18
"Colossi of Memnon"
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Today we go to the West Bank, one of the most famous archeological sites in the world. The first site that we visit is also one of the earliest New Kingdom temples. Called "The Most Splendid of All" by the ancient Egyptians, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, the famous Deir El Bahari has inspired many, including the founders of modern architecture. One of the outstanding features is the picturesque Hathor columns in the Hathor Chapel on the second Level. We are also privileged to be admitted to the third level which was only recently opened to the public. More photos of Hatshepsut's Temple. The west represented the hereafter and is where the dead were buried. Today we visit perhaps the most colorful tombs presently available for viewing in Luxor. The Workman's Village, Deir El Medina, gives us a look at some of the tombs most often represented in books about Ancient Egypt. Whereas at Saqqara we will see the scenes of daily life during the Old Kingdom, today we see the daily life represented during the New Kingdom (about 1,000 years later). Just nearby are some villagers that are long-time friends of Ruth. One of the highlights for many of our travelers is to meet some of the local people and see their lifestyle. Hopefully we will be invited to their house for lunch. The food is delicious! In the afternoon we visit the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut's tomb was found. There are many tombs here, and excavations are still going on, as well as renovations to tombs that have been uncovered a long time. One never knows which tombs will be open that day, but there will be a variety to choose from. A recent highlight was the opening of the Ramesses I tomb, restored with modern techniques pioneered during the restoration of the tomb of Nefertari (Nefertari's tomb is no longer open to the public). See optional extra tickets listed below. By visiting in the afternoon we should avoid the large crowds that come with the cruise boats in the mornings. As we leave the West Bank of Luxor we see the "Colossi of Memnon," the two large statues of Amenhotep III that still stand, even though their temple is long ago destroyed. The Greeks believed they were statues of Memnon, the son of Eros. Optional Sound & Light Show at Karnak in the evening. Optionals: |
Day
4 Balloon Ride  Karnak  Open Air Museum  Felucca Sailboat |
Morning option: Early morning Balloon Ride over the West Bank of Luxor. See the temples from a very different perspective! Today we visit the largest temple in Ancient Egypt, Karnak. Karnak was the center of government during the New Kingdom and each Pharaoh wanted to leave something impressive at Karnak. The largest temple complex in Egypt, we see multiple temples, obelisks, great gates and the famous hypostyle hall - unequalled to this day. We also see the Sacred Lake, the Festival Hall and Botanical Garden of Tutmosis III (a precursor of Napoleon's later record of the fauna and flora found in Egypt). Also at Karnak, we visit the fascinating Open Air Museum where we view the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut and Tutmosis III (Karnak's original Holy of Holies) and Senwosret's White Chapel with its finely-carved Middle Kingdom hieroglyphs. These are in raised relief - some of the best to be found anywhere. There is something new each time we visit, as reconstruction of new pieces is ongoing. Visit a papyrus institute and see how the ancient papyrus was made. Includes a shop where you can buy your own as well. Sailboat ride on the Nile in the afternoon, they call them "feluccas." Have you ever had your own sleeping compartment on an overnight train? Here is your chance to have an adventure that may feel like you are in a movie. We will have sleeping compartments with 2 beds each (you can get a cabin that is connected to the one next door, if you have a family) for the overnight train from Luxor to Cairo. Optionals: |
| Day
5 Friday, Feb 19 2009
 Imhotep Museum  Local Farmers
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Here in the Cairo area we begin with a visit to the oldest pyramid of all, King Djoser's Step Pyramid. It was built more than 4,500 years ago! It is also here at the Saqqara complex that we get to see the early versions of the Book of the Dead (Teti Pyramid) and some tombs with scenes of the daily life in the Old Kingdom. See what the life on the Nile looked like more than 4,000 years ago - people, animals, food, farming, making glass & jewelry, kids playing games and lots more. Here at Saqqara we also have the pleasure of seeing the newly opened Imhotep Museum - a beautifully laid out modern museum with a number of wooden statues from the Old Kingdom that are particularly memorable. It is a small museum, so will be a short visit. All the items on exhibit were found here at Saqqara and have not been on public display before. Ruth has some friends in the Saqqara area who have a guesthouse in the Black Land, the farming area. Hopefully they will be home and able to welcome us for lunch. It's also a chance to see some the nearby farmers and their animals up close. See Blue Lotus of Saqqara Guesthouse. Next we drive to Giza, where the pyramids are. Our hotel is right near them. Some free time to take a nap or relax by the pool this afternoon. In the evening we visit the historic Kahn El Khalili bazaar. There are narrow cobble stone alleys, a profusion of colorful goods, medieval architecture and outdoor cafes. A wide variety of goods are sold and we get a flavor of the local life in downtown Cairo. Time to buy those souvenirs to take home. Overnight: 5-star hotel near the pyramids. Le Meridien Pyramids or similar. |
Day
6
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Today is pyramids day! We start with the Giza Plateau. We visit and go inside whichever pyramid is open. Of the three pyramids, two will be open and one closed for renovations - dates are not announced in advance. There is an additional ticket of 100 LE (about $17 USD) for the Great Pyramid. On that day, you will decide if you want to take this option and go inside. The ticket for the other pyramid that will be open is included in your tour price. In the Solar Boat Museum we see a boat that is almost 5,000 years old and was found 50 years ago, here beside the pyramid. The trees that were used to build it most have been huge, because the boards run the whole length of the boat! We will also see the Great Sphinx & Valley Temple. The stones that make up the walls of the Valley Temple are HUGE, too large for us to move and place so precisely today. How did they do it? What do you think? Camel rides for the adventurous. Here's your chance to ride across the desert with the pyramids there nearby (and, of course, have your picture taken as well). In the afternoon we drive into Cairo, the biggest center of culture and learning in the Middle East, and one of the largest, most crowded cities in the entire world. Right in the center of the city is the famous Cairo Egyptian Museum. Your guides point out the most famous pieces and then there is free time to look at whatever interests you the most. The treasures of King Tut, the Mummy Room, statues from all time periods. Back at our hotel it is time to pack your bags to get ready for leaving tomorrow. Optionals: Overnight: 5-star hotel near the pyramids. Le Meridien Pyramids or similar. |
| Day
7 Sunday, Feb 22 2009 Tour is finished. |
Return flights home. For those leaving for the USA, your flight leaves at 10 AM and arrives in New York at 3:15 PM - the same day but with an increase of 7 hours for the time difference between Cairo and New York. For those traveling to the UK the time difference is 2 hours. Or you can extend your stay in Egypt with extra hotel nights. Contact Us for rates. There may be changes to this itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. |
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Photo credits this page: all photos by Ruth Shilling.