Sunchaser

Tuesday 18 February 2020. Welcome to Egypt and the start of your holiday! Arrive Cairo, included transfer to hotel. 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.

For those who wish to extend their stay, we also offer a pre or post tour Alexandria Day Trip.

Visit to the famous pyramids and monolithic 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! Gaze in awe at Cheops (Khufu), the largest of the three great pyramids. Constructed from over 2.5 million limestone blocks it is thought to have taken more than 20 years to construct. Continuing to 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! (B)

Cairo – Aswan. The morning is at leisure so why not go out and visit the Khan el-Khalili bazaar - This is a great place to pick up a few bargains or just sip some tea and people watch! Following hotel check out, this afternoon we embark on a guided tour of the enlightening Egyptian Museum, where you can opt to see the famed solid gold death mask of King Tutankhamen, or the Royal Mummy room.

There is time for dinner before our overnight sleeper train to Aswan. (B)

Aswan - Abu Simbel. Arrive Aswan, today we enjoy a short boat trip to Agilika Island for Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Upon returning to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium. The use of essential and perfumed oils in Egypt dates back to 2700BC. There is then time to rest before departing in the early hours of the morning on our coach journey toward the Grand Temples of Abu Simbel. In readiness we await for the first rays of golden sunlight to touch the temple gate signifying the start of the Sun Festival of the mighty King Ramses II. (B)

22 February. Abu Simbel – Aswan - Nile Felucca Cruise. Possibly the most awe-inspiring temple of all ancient Egypt, with its gargantuan rock-cut façade, the great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel was created to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II. Guarding the entrance to the temple (built between 1290 and 1224 BC) shewn into the side of a mountain are four famous colossal statues of the pharaoh himself, which sit majestically staring out across the desert. Over the centuries, the desert sands imperceptibly shifted until the temple was all but lost to humanity. It was rediscovered by chance in 1813 by a Swiss explorer called John Lewis Burkhardt. Only one of the heads of the pharaohs was showing and only a small part of the rest of the colossal temple peeked above the desert sands. It wasn't until the British happened upon Abu Simbel and starting excavating, that the full glory of the temple of Abu Simbel was revealed to the modern world.

In a fit of precision and architectural egotism, Ramses II had the entire temple carefully angled and oriented in order that the sun's rays would align twice a year on his date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) and illuminate the inner sanctum of the temple. This incredible natural phenomenon provides for a most spectacular sight, which has come to be referred to as the Sun Festival of King Ramses II. Crowds pack in to the temple before sunrise and watch the shafts of light slowly creeping through the rock hewn inner Hypostyle Hall (replete with further statues of the king) and through to the Sanctuary. As we are lead through the temple there will be time to pause for a moment to watch the sun illuminating the statues of Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ramses the god, whilst the statute of Ptah - the god of darkness - remains in the shadows.

Famously, the temple was re-located in a multi-million dollar operation in 1972, further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser, which had threatened to erode the foundations of this monolithic temple complex. For this reason, the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned, though the event this morning itself is no less stunning. After the event, there will also be plenty of time to explore the Sun Temple of King Ramses II and also the Temple of Hathor and take plenty of pictures.

After watching the incredible event unfold, we return to Aswan, to board our Nile felucca for a 2 night voyage downstream on the River Nile.

If sailing by felucca is not your style, consider upgrading to a 5 star luxury Nile Cruise, please see the tab above for prices. For more information about Nile Cruising please click here. Our Nile cruise upgrade is offered from day 5 (prior to travelling to Abu Simbel) and ends on day 8. (B/L/D)

Nile Felucca Sailing - Kom Ombo. Relax, go for a swim or just chill out in the sun on deck. Let your troubles melt away, as the felucca plies its route. In the afternoon we dock near Kom Ombo and take a motorboat to visit the temple, which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god Sobek, before returning to the felucca for the night. (B/L/D)

Kom Ombo - Luxor. This morning we disembark and drive to Luxor. Home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year old Luxor is ancient Egypt at it's best. Enjoy some rest and relaxation. Tonight, an optional excursion to visit the Temple of Luxor - wonderfully illuminated at night is available for those interested. (B)

Luxor. This morning we cross to the west side of the Nile and commencing our tour of the Valley of the Kings. One of the first sights you'll see is the Colossi of Memnon, this huge pair of enthroned statues is all that remains of the temple of Amenophis III. Explore the highly decorated tombs at the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. After a little R&R, we visit Karnak Temple, the rest of the day is at your leisure. (B)

Luxor - Hurghada. Mid morning we depart Luxor heading east to Hurghada part of the beautiful Red Sea Riviera for 3 days on the beach. The reminder of today, day 10 and day 11 can be spent exploring Hurghada or simply relaxing. There is the option to go snorkelling on day 10 but the rest of the time it's up to you!

Hurghada is one of the Red Sea's most popular resorts and it is easy to see why. Hotels and expanded infrastructure provide holidaymakers with excellent aquatic facilities for sail boarding, yachting, deep-sea fishing, SCUBA diving and snorkeling. Hurghada's central location provides a gateway to prime offshore reefs, which are some of the finest in the world. Hurghada also has a healthy after dark scene. For retail therapy, the town has plenty of shops selling knock-off bags and tees, snorkeling gear and suchlike. Just outside Hurghada is an ancient Roman quarry called Mons Porphyritis and Port Safarga – a famously windy place and King Kong of windsurfer paradises. (Bx3)

Hurghada - Cairo. Morning at leisure before hotel check out and then our transfer back to Cairo departing approx 12 noon. Upon arrival and after check in, this evening remains yours to further explore this amazing city, perhaps head to Khan el-Khalili bazaar and pick up a few souvenirs. (B)

Sunday 01 March 2020. Hotel check out and included transfer to airport. (B)