Egypt, Cairo

On Nefertiti's roads - visits included 5^*

Arrival in Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is also known as Um al-Dunya ("Mother of the World"). It is the most populous city in Africa. In spite of its somewhat traditional appearance, which makes you feel like you've travelled back in time, you quickly become attached to the charm of Cairo and its inhabitants.

The capital is the first step in your trip to Egypt, and your journey discovering its cultural treasures.

Transfer to the hotel.

Settle in for your overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast

Visit to the Giza Plateau, the symbol of Ancient Egypt, with the famous pyramids of:
Kheops (the largest built around the year 2650 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to have withstood the test of time. For more than 40 centuries, it was the highest monument built by man at 146 m high.
Khafre: the Pyramid of Khafre looks taller than Kheops, but in reality, it is slightly smaller. Because the tilt is greater and it sits on slightly higher ground, there is this impression.
Menkaure: the tomb of King Menkaure. At a height of 66 m, it is much smaller than the other two pyramids.
The Sphinx (lion with the head of Pharaoh), the enigmatic guardian of the tombs and the temple. It faces towards the east to protect the tombs from plunderers. It is 73 m long and 20 m high and was carved from a single block of stone.

Then you will visit the Papyrus Institute, where you will see a demonstration of how the substance is made. The papyrus stem is peeled and cut into strips, which are then soaked in water for six hours to soften. Then they are intertwined and pressed. The sugar and starch in the stalks solidify into a soft and resistant material, reputed to be tear-proof. Once dry, the papyrus is ready to be used as a medium for writing or painting.

Lunch during the excursion

Visit to the Egyptian Museum, where treasures dating from the prehistoric age to the Roman period can be seen.
You will come face to face with the well-known Tutankhamun, among other amazing exhibits. The museum houses over 250,000 items and is one of the largest in the world. It allows visitors to discover the history of Ancient Egypt through five millennia.

Transfer to Cairo station, board the train in a first-class sleeper cabin (local standards).

Dinner and accommodation on the train.

Breakfast on board.

Arrival and transfer to your boat.

Set off for the Nile cruise and a trip to the Theban Necropolis. The incredible Valley of the Kings, where you will visit two tombs belonging to kings and one belonging to a queen. From the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards and throughout the New Kingdom, the pharaohs were no longer buried in temples or monuments devoted to their final journey.
Thutmose I and all the pharaohs who followed him decided to be buried on the other side of the Nile, on the west bank: the land of the afterlife. Colossal monuments, such as the pyramids, and even the mastabas used during the Old Kingdom ceased to be used. Instead, vaults were dug into the rock and access to them was strictly closed off and hidden. Perhaps the main reason was to avoid grave robbers.

Stop at the Colossi of Memnon, the only funerary monuments of Amenophis III. Known for their imposing architecture, these vestiges of an ancient civilisation were visited by emperors and travellers from all ages. 18 m high and weighing 1300 tons, they were named Colossi of Memnon by the Greeks after the legend of the Oracle of Memnon.

Lunch on board.

Optional activity to be booked and paid for on-site with our local representative:
Medinet Habu Temple: Medinet Habu is the Arabic name of the site that the Egyptians called Djémé. The Mortuary Temple of Rameses III is the most accomplished example of monumental art under the Ramessides. The last great builder of Ancient Egypt, the pharaoh reopened the great construction sites, which had been abandoned since Ramses II, and built the vast royal temple of Medinet Habu south of the Theban Necropolis. Ramses III was to build his Ramesseum, the most important collection of Ancient Egyptian remains after Karnak, on the site of one of the primitive sites of the Theban religion, closely associated with the cult of Amun.

Breakfast

Free time on the boat during your journey to Edfu.

Lunch on board.

Trip to the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus. One of the largest and best-preserved temples in Ancient Egypt. Erected in 237 BC by Ptolemy III and completed 180 years later in 57 BC under the reign of Ptolemy XII on the site of a temple dedicated to Thutmose III (Eighteenth Dynasty). It is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, son of Isis and Osiris. You enter the temple through the great column decorated with large raised images of the king and the gods and walk towards the courtyard with walls showing the various rituals performed by the king. There are two large black granite falcons representing the god Horus at the entrance of the temple.

Sail to Kom Ombo.

Dinner and overnight stay on the boat.

Breakfast on board

Visit to the Ptolemaic Temple of Kom Ombo. Two temples constructed within the same temple, which is unique for Ancient Egypt. Construction took place during the Ptolemaic period (dynasty of the Ptolemies, Greco-Roman period) on the site of a temple from the New Kingdom (dedicated to Thutmose III, Eighteenth Dynasty). It is located on the top of a hill, 15 metres above the Nile. The most surprising feature is that it is consecrated to two different gods: the falcon god Haroeris, "Great Horus", sometimes called "Horus the Elder", and Sobek, the crocodile god. Duality is everywhere in this temple: it has two entrances, two parallel corridors, and symmetrically arranged rooms on either side of these corridors, which all lead to the double sanctuary. Sculpted columns display shimmering colours in the esplanade in front of the entrance. The small building to the right of the entrance is the Hathor Chapel; it is home to several crocodile mummies.

Lunch on board.

Sail to Aswan.

Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board.

Free morning on the boat

Lunch on board

Optional activity to be booked and paid for on-site with our local representative:

- Abu Simbel, an exceptional site located 160 miles south of Aswan with a great temple that was saved by UNESCO in 1969. The Colossi of Ramesses, the largest in Egypt, are carved out of the cliff. They are devoted to the most famous gods of pharaonic Egypt: Amun-Ra, Ramesses and Ptah.
The Great Temple dedicated to the god Amun-Ra, the Temple of Hathor.

- Mini-cruise in a felucca and Kitchener's Garden. A felucca is the only way to reach the left bank and Kitchener's and Elephantine Islands, which are real gems on the river. Enjoy the breeze while you sail along the calm blue waters of the ancient Nile. Stop on Kitchener's Island and visit its famous botanical garden, where the most beautiful varieties of plants and trees attract many birds. You'll marvel at the royal palms, sycamores and ebony trees in this sumptuous floral park.

- Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple

Dinner and overnight stay on board

Visit the Philae Temple located on the island of Agilka, known as the "Pearl of the Nile". After the construction of the Aswan High Dam by President Nasser in the 1960s, the island of Philae upstream from the first cataract of the Nile was completely covered by water. With UNESCO's support, work was undertaken to dismantle the monuments of Philae piece by piece and to reassemble them on the neighbouring island, 400 metres downstream. Philae was entirely devoted to Isis. This temple from the Ptolemaic period (Ptolemaic dynasty, Graeco-Roman period) has kept its Naos, the stone tabernacle that housed the statue of the goddess.

Stop at a jewellery store. Gold, silver, and semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli abound in jewellery representing scarabs, ankhs, cartouches, the eye of Horus etc.

Lunch on board.

Sail to Edfu.

Free time on the boat.

Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Breakfast on board

Day of sailing and free time on the boat.

Lunch on board.

Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Breakfast on board.

You will explore ancient Thebes, the city of a hundred gates of the god Amun, capital of Upper Egypt and of the entire country during the Eighteenth Dynasty.

The day will be devoted to touring one of the two world-famous temples dedicated to the god Amun-Ra, the chief of the gods and Lord of the Theban triad: the Temple of Karnak. The most theological temple ever built here over a period of 2000 years, the faith of men has paid homage to the same god: Amun. The greatest kings (Seti I, Ramesses II, Thutmose III, Ramesses III) succeeded one another.
The name "Karnak" means a visit to an alabaster sculpture workshop. In Ancient Egypt, alabaster was highly prized and used for everyday accessories such as vases of ointments or perfume, but also for canopic jars containing the organs of the deceased, extracted during mummification. It is easy to work with and results in objects with wonderful transparency. Cut into thin sheets, alabaster is transparent enough to be used as glass for small windows.

Optional activities available which must be paid for on-site:

The Medinet Habu Temple and the Luxor Temple were built to glorify the god Amun-Ra who celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife Mut every year. The procession left the Karnak Temple and travelled along the banks of the Nile to Luxor. Construction dates back to the reign of the two pharaohs, Amenhotep III and Ramesses II. There used to be two obelisks at the entrance; they were given to France in 1831 by Mehemet Ali. One is still in situ, the other stands on Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Lunch on board.

Free afternoon.

Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Breakfast on board.

Transfer to Hurghada (4 to 5 hours) and time to settle in at the hotel.

Lunch

Afternoon relaxing on the beaches of the Red Sea.
Discover stunning sea beds, coral reefs and multicoloured fish.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast

Free day at the hotel by the Red Sea.

Optional activity to be booked and paid for on-site with our local representative:

- Snorkelling and dolphin day: Sea trip with several stops to see the coral reefs of the Red Sea. Snorkelling with flippers, mask and snorkel. Enjoy a boat cruise to areas of the sea where dolphins can be found, with the opportunity to swim with them.

- Safari and quads: Opt for a change of scenery in the calm of the desert by leaving in a 4×4, crossing the dunes and visiting the Bedouin, quad biking, trying their traditional meals, a North African-style show, dancing under the stars and making unforgettable memories (scarf and glasses not included)

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast

Free day at the hotel by the Red Sea.

Optional activity to be booked and paid for on-site with our local representative:

- Mahmya (Giftun Island): Set off by boat to spend the day on Mahmya Island at the most beautiful natural reserve in the region, where rocks, sand, blue sky, turquoise sea and snorkelling await. Lunch on the island (drinks not included).

- Diving session or beginner's lesson: Go scuba diving to create unforgettable memories; learn how to take underwater photos and videos. Two dives per day with an instructor. Last dive 24 hours before the return flight. Lunch on board (drinks included).

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Cairo (approx. 6 hours).

Lunch en route.

Stroll through the Khan el-Khalili souk, a bazaar built in the 14th century. It is highly colourful and sells traditional goods made of copper, mother-of-pearl inlaid wood and clothing embroidered with beads and gold and silver thread as well as a wide selection of North African handicrafts.

Arrive and settle into the hotel.

Breakfast

Visit to the Salahdin Citadel and the Mosque of Mehmet Ali (built between 1830 and 1849, it is so white that it is nicknamed the "alabaster mosque") with the large clock in the centre of the courtyard, a gift from French King Louis Philippe to Mehmet Ali.
Its Belvedere offers a panoramic view of the city of Cairo

Lunch on tour

Departure for a tour of the Coptic quarter of Cairo. The Christian religion was introduced by St. Mark around 45 A.D., and so a Coptic community - Coptic being a term specifically referring to Christians in Egypt - began to develop. The Coptic Quarter is best known for housing a large number of churches in a very small area.

Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church is one of the oldest Christian churches, built around the 3rd or 4th century AD. The church was named in honour of a former military leader who converted to Christianity. The Christian community constructed a place of worship on this site, based on the belief that the Holy Family sought refuge there, where a grotto was previously located.

Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church or The Hanging Church is a beautiful monument. It is accessed via a staircase preceded by a corridor featuring mosaics depicting biblical scenes. The church is nicknamed the "Hanging Church" because it is built above the trunks of palm trees that support it like stilts. The interior is richly decorated, and the main room features a Coptic icon of the Virgin Mary with Jesus in her arms. Her gaze seems to follow you as you walk around her.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Tips: 'bakchich'! A word you'll soon be familiar with! It's easy to say no to a solicitor, but it's a way of rewarding work and. service well done. Gratuities for guides are never included. It is at the discretion of each individual.

Accommodation is in accordance with local standards.

On excursions, you will be grouped with other participants.

This package includes periods of free time during which transfers are not provided and will be at your own expense.

The order of visits may be modified according to local imperatives (navigation time, passage of locks, etc.), but the visits listed will be carried out.

A paying connection accessible throughout the boat may be offered. However, we cannot guarantee the quality of the connection during your stay

Optional extras are subject to a supplement, payable on site to your guide or local representative.