Egyptian Family Adventure

The group flight usually arrives in Cairo this evening. The welcome briefing will either take place this evening or tomorrow morning. Our family friendly hotel is close to the pyramids, meaning that there is less distance to cover for the sightseeing the next day. Stay: Hilton Heliopolis or similar.

Today you'll enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of two of the city's most celebrated sights. At Giza, to the west of the city, the enigmatic Sphinx and Great Pyramids stand on the edge of the empty desert overlooking the city, providing a great contrast between the ancient and the modern faces of Egypt. More than 4000 years old, the pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that remain intact - a testimony to the ingenuity and skill of their builders. The afternoon is free to relax at our hotel, explore Cairo, join an optional excursion to Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur or visit the famed Egyptian Museum – home to the world's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts including the incredible golden riches of Tutankhamun's tomb. Stay: Hilton Heliopolis or similar.

After a leisurely start to the day we will transfer to Al Azhar mosque which dates back to AD970 and is Cairo's oldest. The mosque is still frequently visited by locals to this day and we will need to cover up (long sleeves and trousers) to enter - as when entering all mosques. Women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf. We then have time for lunch and an explore of Al Azhar Park before moving on to the historic centre of Islamic Cairo for a walk around the bazaars of Khan el-Khalili. This evening we transfer to the railway station and board our sleeper train to Aswan (which takes approximately 12 hours). Sleeper train.

We arrive in Aswan during the morning. To travellers in ancient times, the town was legendary as the entrance to the kingdom of Nubia. Today it's still something of a frontier town. With its mixed population of Egyptians and Nubians, Aswan is quite unlike any other town in the country, and a fascinating place to visit. By virtue of its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading centre and we thoroughly recommend a visit to the packed bazaar today where merchants display a wealth of exotic spices, carpets, leather goods and countless other wares. There will be time to relax after the train journey or to take an optional visit to a nearby Nubian village before we board a traditional felucca in the afternoon and explore the Nile. Along the way we will have a glimpse of rural life along this fertile valley and the golden dunes beyond. Stay: Tolip Aswan Hotel or similar.

We begin today with a visit to the Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam. In the 1970s the temple was relocated by UNESCO to Aglika Island after it became evident that the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the dam. This morning represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering. After lunch we drive north, following the path of the Nile to Luxor (approx. 4 hours). Known in ancient times as Thebes, Luxor was the capital of Egypt's New Kingdom for some 500 years. Upon arrival there may be some time to see some of the town before dinner. Stay: Steigenberger Nile Palace or similar.

Rising early, we cross the Nile and drive to the secluded valley where 63 Pharaohs were buried as part of their journey to the afterlife. We have time to explore some of the exquisitely decorated tombs of these ancient rulers. It is here that the burial site of the boy-king, Tutankhamun, discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, can be found. Afterwards we visit the massive stone statues of the Colossi of Memnon and stop by the A.C. E animal hospital to learn about the efforts taken to improve animal welfare in Egypt. Later this evening we visit Karnak Temple for a sound and light show which recounts the dramatic history of ancient Thebes in an extravagant and fun way. Stay: Steigenberger Nile Palace or similar.

This morning we leave behind the green Nile valley and drive through the barren Eastern Desert to the Red Sea (approx. 4 hours). Our destination is Hurghada, a vibrant beach resort ideally located for activities out at sea and in the nearby desert. After lunch we board a semi-submersible vessel in the style of a yellow submarine and explore the coral wonderland beneath the surface of the Red Sea. There will also be time for some snorkelling before returning to dry land. Stay: Continental Hotel Hurghada or similar.

Today is free to relax or enjoy the many optional activities in the area (see the Optional Activities section of the trip notes for details of what is available). Stay: Continental Hotel Hurghada or similar.

Our trip ends today. Those on the group flights will be taken to airport for the flight to London.