Egypt Family Journey: Ancient Pyramids and the Mighty Nile

Welcome to Cairo–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the journey ahead.

Included Experiences

• Arrival Transfer: Sit back and scan the scenery from the comfort of your private vehicle during your included arrival transport from the airport to your start hotel in Cairo.
• Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group: Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Yalla! Set off for a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Prepare for excitement and awe as you first glimpse these marvels of the ancient world. Share in the joy with your children as you yourself feel like a young adventurer at heart. As a qualified Egyptologist certified by the Ministry of Antiquities, your Expedition Leader will share their knowledge about these massive structures while you get the chance to wander around them. From here, travel to a nearby local farm supported by Nawaya, a community-led project which helps small-scale farming families generate new income streams in the tourism industry. Together as a family, you will learn how to prepare culturally important dishes that can be made back home, and experience firsthand the sustainable cultivation practices and traditional food-cultural preservation work being carried out on nearby farms. Lunch will be shared in the female-led community kitchen. Arrive back to the hotel in Cairo for an evening at leisure.

Included Experiences

• Great Pyramid of Giza and Sphinx Tour: Enjoy a tour of the magnificent great pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx. No matter how many photos or documentaries you have seen, the first glimpse of these marvels of the ancient world will take your breath away. As a qualified Egyptologist, your Expedition Leader has all the facts about these massive structures.
• Nawaya Project Family Visit: Nawaya is a community project dedicated to empowering females and preserving the deep heritage of small-scale farming families across Egypt, while fostering sustainable development, cultivation, and cooking practices. The project works with women, providing a safe space to gain independence while working to sustain the community. The project also works closely with local farmers and village youths, teaching them how to encourage the exchange of knowledge between those who visit Cairo and those who have always called this place home. Upon arrival, meet with an environmentally responsible farmer who will take the group around his land while he teaches everyone about the various crops and animals his family cares for. The experience will end with an authentic community kitchen visit. Here, the group will meet with the local women who run and manage this integral part of the project, and enjoy a hands-on demonstration of how to prepare traditional Egyptian cuisine. After the prep work, the cooking part will take place outside. Afterwards, sit down for a true farm-to-table meal amid the friendly hospitality of these local women as you swap stories and share laughter together as one big blended family.
• Free Time: Enjoy a free evening as a family in the historic city of Cairo.

Travel by plane this morning from Cairo to Aswan. Grab those archaeologist hats and begin your time here with a visit to High Dam, which has a significant role in controlling the Nile’s annual floods, providing water for irrigation, and generating hydroelectric power. Then, continue onwards to visit Philae Temple, built as a dedication to the Goddess Isis with temple walls adorned with scenes from Egyptian mythology. Try your hand at spotting representations of dogs in the temple complex. According to an article by National Geographic, “Ancient Egyptians of all social statuses kept dogs as family pets. Whenever a dog died, the family would mummify their pet and bury it in family tombs, so they could meet again in the afterlife.” These mighty canines held as much importance to families then as they do today in modern times. After, board the ship on the Nile for your 3-night cruise and have an included lunch. Following lunch, enjoy some free time at the pool with your family. This evening, embark on a sunset felucca ride on the Nile to a Nubian Village. Walk through the village, learning about local customs while listening to the Nubian People's own distinct language, which does not have an alphabet and was thus never written down. Enjoy tea and return to the ship for dinner together on board.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Aswan High Dam Visit: Visit the High Dam of Aswan, built in the 1960s and considered an engineering miracle at the time. Learn about the history of the dam and its construction and enjoy views across Lake Nasser.
• Philae Temple Visit: Sail across the Nile to the beautiful island of Agilkia and explore the Greco Roman history of the Temple of Philae, built as a dedication to the Goddess Isis. This temple complex was moved from its original location on the Island of Philae after the flooding of Lake Nasser, the word "philae" meaning "the end" in reference to this island's placement on what was once the southernmost border of Egypt.
• Nubian Village Felucca Ride Visit & Tea: Board a felucca and float along the magnificent Nile, with views of the Aga Khan Mausoleum and Kitchener Island. Stop on one of the inhabited Nile islands in this area, to tour a local Nubian village, where you will learn about Nubian people, their culture, and their own distinct language. A language that actually can not be learned as it does not have an alphabet. Visit a local family for mint tea and a chat about their lives and history.
• Family Nile Cruise Experience: Create unforgettable memories as a family during your Nile cruise experience over the next three nights. Sail along the magical Nile and witness life along the shore up close. From Aswan to Luxor, you'll see a lot of history and culture along the way.

Choose between a free morning aboard the ship or opt to pre-book a visit to the two rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel. This optional excursion does include flights. After lunch, the whole group will sail to Kom Ombo, passing local villages and farmland to the top of the Temple. Built along the riverbank, the temple is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. Enjoy an immersive visit with your family and channel your inner archeologist while exploring this ancient place. Return to the ship and sail to Edfu where you will dock for the night. Dinner will be served onboard this evening.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy a free morning aboard the ship in Aswan. Relax, soak in the views, and spend some time as a family.
• Kom Ombo Temple Visit: Enjoy a visit to this temple located in a scenic spot, right on the banks of the Nile. It was dedicated to the crocodile god, and you can still see the remains of an ancient mummified crocodile that was worshipped here thousands of years ago.
• Family Nile Cruise Experience: Create unforgettable memories as a family during your Nile cruise experience over the next three nights. Sail along the magical Nile and witness life along the shore up close. From Aswan to Luxor, you'll see a lot of history and culture along the way.

Optional Experiences

• Temple of Abu Simbel Visit With Flights: Part historic monument and part modern marvel, Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s grandest temples. Built during the rule of Ramses II between 1274-1244 BC, this structure was almost swallowed by the Nile, but now stands safe and sound thanks to some crafty archaeologists and UNESCO. Fly to Abu Simbel and travel through Egypt’s rugged landscapes, where the towering figures of Ramses himself, Ra-Horakhty, Amun, and Ptah will all be waiting to welcome you. Please note, there is an additional 300 EGP fee to take photos in the temple.

Witness the excitement on your kids’ faces as you enjoy a morning visit to Edfu Temple. It took nearly 200 years to build and was dedicated to the God of War and Sky, Horus. Only recently discovered, “it wore a shroud of sand that had accumulated for centuries”. According to an in-depth article by National Geographic, the structure of Edfu was never intended for a tomb. Instead, the pyramid and its six counterparts are suspected to have been symbols of power held by royals. The king ruled from farther north and it was important then to show that Egypt was unified under one political state. Return to the ship and sail to Luxor where you will dock for the evening. Enjoy lunch and dinner onboard and perhaps take time to enjoy some fun family games as you pass by the scenery along the banks of the Nile.

Included Experiences

• Edfu Temple Visit: Enjoy a visit to the Edfu Temple, which is located in the middle of a bustling village. It is the most completely preserved temple in Egypt.
• Family Nile Cruise Experience: Create unforgettable memories as a family during your Nile cruise experience over the next three nights. Sail along the magical Nile and witness life along the shore up close. From Aswan to Luxor, you'll see a lot of history and culture along the way.
• Free Time: Take advantage of free time aboard the ship between Edfu and Luxor to enjoy the views and amenities.

The morning begins with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor where the group will enjoy a short bike ride led by a student guide to visit Funtasia, a G Adventures-supported project. Stop for tea in the village and learn more about the project and community through a group discussion. Then proceed to the temple of Hatshepsut, dedicated to the powerful queen that ruled for 21 years. She is one of only a few female pharaohs to rule in thousands of years of Egypt’s ancient history and stands as a true hero for young travelers. See how her temple has been restored before visiting the Colossi of Memnon, which guarded the entrance to King Amenhotep III’s massive temple on Luxor’s West Bank. Enjoy a late lunch in the home of a local family that has been hosting G Adventures' travelers for 15 years. Experience delicious, traditional dishes, featuring homemade staples and authentic flavors of Egypt. From here, travel to explore the famed Valley of the Kings—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and active archaeological site of over 63 tombs–many still in excavation. Descend inside a few tombs with the option to visit Tutankhamen’s resting site.

Included Experiences

• Funtasia Project Visit: After breakfast the group will travel to the West Bank to meet our student-guide. Together we will bike through the village and visit the Funtasia Project Center where the group will learn about the Planeterra project at this location over tea with our guide. Funtasia is a local nonprofit that works with young people in the West Bank of Luxor to develop life skills and social consciousness. They work with youth in after school programs that teach art, communication, and social skills.
• Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon Visits: Visit the impressive Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which seems to rise out of the surrounding limestone outcrops - a reminder of the power women held in the Ancient Kingdom. Hatshepsut was the powerful queen who ruled the kingdom of Egypt for 21 years, from 1479 to 1458 BC. Her temple is unique in style and was found in a bad condition but has now been restored. Then, enjoy a quick stop at the two mammoth statues of Amenophis II at the Colossi of Memnon. Which actually belong to king Amentotep III from the new kingdom. They once guarded the entrance to his massive temple on Luxor's West Bank.
• Local Family Home Hosted Lunch: Enjoy a fabulous community connection moment during a delicious home-cooked lunch hosted by a local family outside of the Valley of the Kings. In a village where most of the tourist buses speed by heading to the sites Egypt is known for, we will stop and visit a family's home and witness true hospitality from locals. Learn about the family who live here, hear about the importance of their garden, and about how they cook the food the group is about to eat. For 15 years this family has been hosting groups of G Adventures travellers and the support they have received has helped four generations (close to 50 people) thrive, as well as provided education opportunities for the family's children, nieces, and nephews. Sit down, smell the delicious flavours of the special dishes prepared, and relax in the home and hospitality of a truly local Egyptian family.
• Valley of the Kings Visit: Cross the Nile to the west bank, passing through farmers fields on your way to the Valley of the Kings. Descend the narrow, rock-hewn corridors and take in the magnificent decoration and designs of the tombs of the pharaohs. While the treasure has now all gone, the tombs contain the incredible paintings of the life of their incumbent and stories from the Book of the Dead.
• Free Time: Spend a free evening as a family in Luxor. Find a cozy spot to enjoy dinner together after an incredible day.

Amon Ra is known as the King of the Gods and the kids will no doubt be enamoured with a visit this morning to Karnak Temple and its Great Hypostyle Hall which includes 134 massive columns and is still considered the largest religious room in the world. Lunch will be on your own back in Luxor before boarding the flight to Cairo. Get settled at the hotel here before joining the group and a local expert for an Egyptian foodie experience. Visit urban local food counters and small specialty restaurants while you learn about traditional dishes and their connection to Egyptian culture. Food, after all, is something that can connect families and cultures from around the world.

Included Experiences

• Karnak Temple Visit: Enjoy a visit to the Karnak Temple, which was once the centre of all religious life in ancient Egypt. Built and extended by successive generations of rulers, admire the amazing architecture, massive columns, and painted hieroglyphs.
• Free Time: Enjoy a few hours at your leisure in Luxor to rest or explore before your flight to Cairo.
• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Cairo Food Tour: Visit the famous Tahrir square in the heart of Cairo where the 2011 revolution was centred. The square became very important after the revolution as a symbol of freedom; it was recently renovated and an Obelisk surrounded by Sphinx has been installed in the middle of the square. Here we start our walking tour along some of Cairo's busiest streets while enjoying the taste of popular Egyptian food and exposing yourself to new flavours. Enjoy Koshari which is Egypt's national dish, consisting of rice, lentils, macaroni, tomato sauce, onions, hummus and garlic. Take the opportunity to try an Egyptian falafel sandwich as well as sugar cane juice.

It’s time to bring everything you saw together and into context with a family-focused visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum this morning. Enjoy a short scavenger hunt here for an interactive experience of over 100,000 of Egypt’s historical artifacts. In the afternoon, visit Islamic Cairo and walk the back roads to the oldest market in the city, Khan el-Khalili. Take time to explore the lively atmosphere here before enjoying a farewell dinner near the hotel. Gather together and share stories of what will certainly be a memorable family vacation.

Included Experiences

• Khan el-Khalili Bazaar Orientation Walk: Head to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar in downtown Cairo for an orientation walk with the Expedition Leader. Learn the best places to buy various things, and opt to enjoy a hookah and a cup of tea in a cafe. Enjoy free time to stroll and shop the narrow pathways.
• Grand Egyptian Museum Visit: The Grand Egyptian Museum is the world’s largest archaeological museum dedicated to the single civilization of ancient Egypt. Here you will find vast collections of over 100,000 artifacts, many of which have never been displayed before. Enjoy a guided tour here in which your family will embark on a scavenger hunt through the museum for a more interactive experience. Bring history to life and learn even more about the place and time period you have been seeing in books and movies since you were a kid.

Depart at any time.