Egypt is rich with history almost as old as man itself. Take a chance to explore the wonderful artifacts and marvels of architecture when you choose this vacation package! A cruise down the Luxor River will take you to the mysterious temples located on it's banks. You'll discover monastery customs and sample fantastic regional meals and snacks. Tour all of Egypt's great cities and prepare for the time of your life!
Day 1 • Departure
An overnight flight to Cairo from North American will be taken.
Day 2 • Cairo
Arriving in the morning in Cairo, you'll meet your tour manager. Your first stop of the day is the Virgin Mary Church where you'll be told stories about the Holy Family. You'll then have lunch, check into your hotel, and take a sailboat ride down the Nile.
Day 3 • Cairo
Leaving Cairo, you'll start making your way towards Alexandria. A stop to visit Wadi Natrun, a place used for the process of mummification in ancient times, you'll learn more about the history of this area. A tour of the Monastery of St. Makarios will be taken and you'll never forget the beauty of the chapels and icons. You'll then arrive in Alexandria, have lunch, and take a tour of the Palace of King Farouk and Montazah Gardens. Enjoy strolling through the gardens as you watch the sun set.
Day 4 • Alexandria
Following breakfast, you'll be visiting the Roman Catacombs of Kom el Shukafa. Then you'll take an excursion to the Fortress of Sultan Qaitbay located on the Mediterranean. The Light House of Pharos once stood in it's place. Next you'll visit the the New Library of Alexandria, a library constructed in remembrance of an ancient building known for having held over 700,000 manuscripts. You'll have free time in downtown Alexandria in an area known as El Raml Station after lunch. Go shopping or just watch people as they go about their day in the bustling city. In the evening, you'll board an overnight train heading to Aswan.
Day 5 • Sleeper Train to Aswan
You'll arrive at Aswan Station in the morning and wind your way past notable sites such as the High Dam of Aswan and the Philae Temple. Check into your hotel in the afternoon and have lunch. Afterwards, you'll take a tour of the National Park Islands and the Nubian Village. You'll be having dinner and spending the night at the hotel.
Day 6 • Aswan
You'll check out of your hotel after breakfast and join a convoy journeying to Luxor. Arriving, you'll check into a hotel and then take a tour of the Luxor and Karnak Temples. You'll have dinner at the hotel where you'll be staying overnight.
Day 7 • Luxor
Wake up this morning and take an optional hot-air balloon ride overlooking the banks of Luxor. You'll then take a tour of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings where you can see hieroglyphs that recount bother myth and legend. Next, a visit and tour of the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is on the agenda. You'll be taken to an alabaster workshop once you're done exploring where you can learn about and purchase goods fashioned from the iridescent mineral.
Day 8 • Luxor
Today you'll view a pair of statues known as the Colossi of Memnon. Each stands more than 60 feet tall! A horse drawn carriage ride through the fields and villages of Luxor takes place later on in the day and you'll stop at a local market for exploration and lunch.
Day 9 • Sharm El Sheikh
A morning flight will transport you to Sharm el Sheikh. After checking into your hotel, you can spend the rest of the day doing as you wish. A tour of Sharm el Sheikh takes place this evening.
Day 10 • St Catherine
A boat ride to the mouth of the Aqaba Gulf will introduce you to the Tiran Islands. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkeling off shore in the Red Sea and enjoy a lunch of fresh fish in the afternoon. In the evening, you'll take a drive through the mountains of Sinai and arrive at St. Catherine Monastery. You'll check into the guest house at the monastery for an overnight stay and dinner.
Day 11 • Cairo
Rise early this morning and prepare to enjoy an (optional) ascent of Mount Sinai. By the time you reach the summit, the sun will be cresting the horizon offering a view of daybreak rarely seen by most. Return to the monastery for a delicious breakfast and to rest up for the rest of the day's adventures. You'll then take a tour of St. Catherine, including a talk with the only American ever allowed to join the monastery. He will educate you about daily life as a monk. You'll have lunch and then depart for Cairo. On your way, you'll stop at the Greek Convent where you can purchase woolen apparel, books, and other goods.
Day 12 • Cairo
Today offers sights of some of the great wonders of the world. You'll take a tour of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Marvel at the evidence of ancient Egyptian ingenuity and imagination and ponder how these giant relics have managed to survive war and the test of time for over 4,000 years! Lunch will be enjoyed before your visit to the Step Pyramid of King Zoser and the tomb of Sakkara, your last stops of the day before retiring at you hotel.
Day 13 • Cairo
Savor a late breakfast before taking a tour of Islamic Cairo. First, you'll tour the Citadel, constructed in 1176 and the the place from which rulers governed Egypt for 7 centuries. You'll then explore the Alabaster Mosque and the Sultan Hassan Mosque. The Sultan Hassan Mosque is also a law school and you'll have a talk with the imam, the leader of the mosque. A drive to the Old Market of Khan El Khalili will offer the opportunity to sample Arabic coffee as well as cultural atmosphere. Lunch will be the Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant and then a walk to the El Azahr Mosque will introduce you to the oldest university in the world. You'll then take a drive to tour the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark and attend a lecture lead by his Holiness Pope Shenouz III. Lastly, you'll see the tomb of St. Mark and St. Athenaious. Dinner will be served at the hotel in the evening.
Day 14 • Cairo
Spend the morning worshiping at St. Simon Monastery by the Mokkattam Mountain in the Garbage Collectors' Quarter and then stop by the St. Theresa Charity House. Have lunch and then you'll be taken on a tour of the Manial Palace of the Prince Mohamed Ali. Your last activity of the day will be to visit the Egyptian Museum, home to over 100,000 antiques dating from Pharonic times.
Day 15 • Cairo
Your final day in Cairo can be spent relaxing, shopping, or sailing the Nile. A farewell dinner and cruise will be enjoyed in the evening.
Day 16 • Return
You'll have breakfast before you head to Cairo International Airport to catch your fligh back to North America.
The allure and culture of an ancient civilization is waiting to be discovered by you!
