Ramses Sunrise

Welcome to Egypt and the start of your holiday! Upon arrival at Cairo airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your own leisure. The rest of the day is free to relax or those arriving early can opt to pre book our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am today.

Cairo - Luxor. Today we visit the legendary pyramids and the iconic Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids are the planet's oldest tourist attraction. Leaving the pyramids behind, we visit a government supervised papyrus emporium where you can buy genuine papyrus at quite reasonable prices.

Continuing to the necropolis of Saqqara, we can explore the myriad tombs and temples at this site and see Zhoser's step pyramid - constructed by Imhotep, the pharaoh's chief architect in 2700 BC.

This evening we board an overnight sleeper cabin train, travelling south to Luxor with a light dinner included. (B)

Luxor - Nile Cruiser. Arriving into Luxor early this morning we embark on a guided tour of the West Bank, home to the legendary Valley of the Kings. The massive pair of statues known as the Colossi of Memnon are the first monuments we see here before continuing into the vast necropolis the region is famed for. We also pay a visit to the colonnaded Temple of Queen Hatshepsut before returning to Luxor for check-in on our Nile 5 star cruiser. Enjoy a leisurely lunch on board and time to relax until our early evening visit to the Temple of Luxor. Beautifully illuminated against the night sky, this after dark experience offers a different perspective of ancient Egypt's incredible temples. (B/L/D)

Nile Cruiser. Today we head to the magnificent Temple of Karnak. More than a temple, Karnak is a spectacular complex of sanctuaries, pylons, statuettes and obelisks. Built on a grand scale, Karnak is probably Egypt's finest ancient temple. Later in the afternoon we begin our cruise down the Nile to Esna for a stop at the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

The following day we visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, a unique riverside temple. What is unusual about Kom Ombo, is that everything architecturally is doubled and perfectly symmetrical along the main axis of the temple including twin halls, courts, colonnades, sanctuaries and entrances. This evening we arrive in Aswan, a prosperous town at the crossroads of the ancient caravan routes. (Bx2/Lx2/Dx2)

Today we enjoy a leisurely boat trip to picturesque Agilika Island where we have a guided tour of Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. We will also visit the Aswan High Dam and this evening is free for you to further explore Aswan indpendantly. (B/L/D)

Aswan - Abu Simbel. Disembark our cruiser and check into our hotel. Today is at leisure to independently explore Aswan, we recommend you head to the colourful local souq (market) for a little bargain hunting or enjoy a tea of coffee and watch the sellers go about the business of hocking their wares. The market offers an extensive array of cotton products, spices, wooden and copper ornaments, alabaster statues and beaded jewellery.

In the early hours of the morning we take a bus trip south to the Temples of Abu Simbel, arriving well before sunrise. Here we await the first rays of sunlight, signifying the start of the Sun Festival of the mighty King Ramses II. (B)

SUN FESTIVAL – TEMPLE OF KING RAMSES II – ABU SIMBEL Friday 22 February. Abu Simbel – Aswan - Cairo. Twice a year an incredible phenomenon occurs at the awe-inspiring temples of Abu Simbel, in an event that has become known as the Sun Festival of King Ramses II. The great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel was constructed between 1290 and 1224 BC to revere the mighty pharaoh himself. Ramses II had the entire temple complex carefully angled so that the sun's rays would align only twice a year on the date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and his birthday (21 October) to illuminate the inner sanctum of the temple. In 1972 the temple was famously re-located further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser, which had threatened to erode its foundations. Because of it being moved the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned, though the event itself is still amazing.

Crowd assemble in the temple before sunrise and watch the shafts of light slowly creep through the inner Hypostyle Hall and through to the Sanctuary. Significantly, the sun illuminate's statues of Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ramses the god, whilst the statue of Ptah - the god of darkness, remains in the shadows.

After we watch this incredible event unfold we fly to Cairo and check into our hotel. The reminder of today is at your leisure. (B)

This morning we will embark on a guided tour of the Egyptian Museum. A mind-boggling array of relics and antiquities from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history are housed in the museum, making it one of the foremost in the world. Arguably the most famous exhibit is the solid gold funerary mask of King Tutankhamun. Opt to see also the Royal Mummies, if you wish.

The remainder of today is free for you to enjoy the hotel facilities or explore Cairo independently. Perhaps head to Khan el-Khalili bazaar and pick up a few souvenirs or join our optional Cairo city tour which is available to book locally. (B)

Today our holiday concludes. Hotel check out and included transfer to the airport. (B)