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King Ramses (Sun Festival)

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 Trip Length
14 Days
 Trip Starts
Cairo
 Trip Finishes
Cairo
14 Day King Ramses (Sun Festival) Itinerary (On The Go Tours)
Countries Explored: Egypt
Accommodation
3 - 4 Star
Max. Group Size
24
Guide Level
Fully Guided, Locally Guided
Trip Code
SNCH

Overview

Book online and enjoy exclusive savings on On The Go Tours 14 Day King Ramses (Sun Festival). Head to the spectacular temple of Abu Simbel for the Sun Festival and take in the best of Egypt including the legendary Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Sail the Nile on board a traditional felucca and spend three days relaxing by the Red Sea. All this and more on an unforgettable 14 day tour of Egypt.

Itinerary

Welcome to Cairo! You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or those arriving early can opt to join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am. Tonight your Welcome Meeting will be held at 7pm.

Our Egyptian adventure begins with a tour of the legendary pyramids and the 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. Travelling on to Saqqara we explore the many 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. Today we tour the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses a giant exhibition containing the treasures of King Tutankhamun. In this incredible 490,000 sq.m complex many of the exhibits are being displayed for the first time and artefacts have been brought together from across Egypt and the world. Then we head over to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to visit the fascinating Royal Mummies' Hall, where the mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and queens are on display. This incredible hall contains 20 mummies in total and some are so well preserved that they still have thick locks of hair, visible finger nails and smooth blackened skin.

Returning to the hotel, there's time to relax by the pool before we board the overnight train to Aswan this evening. (B)

Aswan - Abu Simbel. Arriving into Aswan this morning we enjoy a short boat trip to Agilika Island for a guided tour of the beautiful Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. After the temple we visit a perfume oil emporium before spending the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 5 is free for you to shop in the colourful souqs, stroll around the town or simply kick back and relax by the hotel pool. At around midnight we depart for our coach journey to the Temples of Abu Simbel. (Bx2)

Abu Simbel - Aswan - Nile Felucca Cruise. Arriving at Abu Simbel we await the first rays of sunlight to touch the temple gate signifying the start of the Sun Festival of the mighty King Ramses II. With its gargantuan rock-cut façade, the great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel is simply spectacular. The temple was built to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II and guarding the entrance to the temple (built between 1290 and 1224 BC) hewn into the side of a mountain are four famous colossal statues of the pharaoh himself.

Ramses II had the entire temple precisely positioned in order for the sun's rays to align just twice a year, on the date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) to 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. The temple was re-located further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser in 1972 in order to avoid erosion and due to the move the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned..

We gather in the temple before sunrise 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. After the event, there will be plenty of time to explore the Sun Temple of King Ramses II, the Temple of Hathor and take plenty of pictures.

Returning to Aswan around noon we board a traditional Nile felucca for our 2 night voyage downstream on the River Nile. (B/L/D)

Nile Felucca Sailing. 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 and Egyptian life carries on all around you. In the afternoon, we dock near Kom Ombo and take a motorboat to visit the temple before returning to the felucca for the night. (B/L/D)

We disembark this morning and drive a few hours north too Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best. Enjoy some rest and relaxation. Tonight, an optional visit to the Temple of Luxor beautifully illuminated at night, alternatively enjoy the facilities of our hotel. (B)

Luxor - Cairo. This morning we travel over to the West Bank of the Nile to explore the famous Valley of the Kings. Marvel at Colossi of Memnon, the massive stone remains of the Temple of Amenophis III, and explore the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and surrounding tombs. After lunch, we visit the Temple of Karnak, a spectacular religious complex built on a gigantic scale, where you get lost wandering around the stone papyrus columns. (B)

Luxor - Hurghada. On the morning of day 10 we drive to the popular coastal city of Hurghada for three days which are free for you to enjoy some rest and relaxation by the Red Sea.

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 snorkelling. Hurghada's central location provides a gateway to prime offshore reefs, some of which are of the finest in the world. For retail therapy, the town has lots of shops selling knock-off bags and tees, snorkelling gear and suchlike. Hurghada also offers plenty of good nightlife options to choose from. Just outside Hurghada is an ancient Roman quarry called Mons Porphyritis and Port Safarga – a famously windy place and windsurfer's paradise. (Bx3)

This morning we drive back to Cairo, upon arrival we check into our hotel. The reminder of today is at your leisure, or you can opt to join our optional visit to the exotic Khan el Khalili Bazaar. It's a top spot to browse and bargain for Egyptian souvenirs to take home. (B)

Thursday 2nd March. Our tour of Egypt comes to an end today. Included transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Pyramids of Giza – Marvel at this legendary Ancient Wonder of the World and see the iconic Sphinx
  • Abu Simbel Sun Festival – Watch in awe as the rising sun illuminates the inner sanctum of this spectacular temple
  • Felucca sailing – Sail the River Nile and relax onboard a traditional Egyptian felucca as we travel to Kom Ombo
  • Cairo – Admire the treasures of Tutankhamun at the vast Grand Egyptian Museum
  • Aswan – Visit beautiful Philae Temple which sits on an island in the middle of the Nile
  • Hurghada – Swim in the tranquil Red Sea, relax on the beach or explore the shops as we spend three days at this coastal resort
  • Karnak Temple – Marvel at the towering columns of Hypostyle Hall and see the famous Avenue of Sphinxes
  • Luxor – Explore the tombs of pharaohs at the Valley of the Kings, see the Temple of Hatshepsut and marvel at the Colossi of Memnon

  • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 2 dinners
  • Guided visit to Abu Simbel at sunrise for the Sun Festival of King Ramses II including Abu Simbel and Sun Festival entrance fee
  • Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 13
  • Touring - Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Luxor and Hurghada
  • 3 days in Hurghada by the Red Sea - Swim, snorkel and relax
  • Escorted by an Egyptian tour guide degree qualified in Egyptology
  • All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

  • 10 nights 4-5 star hotels, 2 nights aboard felucca (open deck)
  • 1 overnight train from Cairo to Aswan (Private 2 berth sleeper cabin)
  • Overnight bus journey (3.5hrs) departing at around midnight to Abu Simbel and use of hotel room prior to the festival
  • Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi (Cairo)
  • Sleeper Train (Cairo)
  • Tolip Hotel (Aswan)
  • Felucca Sailboat (Felucca Cruise)
  • Sonesta St. George Hotel (Luxor)
  • Marriott Beach Resort (Hurghada)
  • Sonesta Hotel Cairo (Cairo)

  • Excludes International flights and visa
  • Excludes Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$5-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture
  • Excludes Entrance Fees: USD$100-120pp, paid in local currency
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Prices & Dates

There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.

Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by On The Go Tours. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from On The Go Tours. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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