BACK TO THE ROOTS | Cairo - Luxor - Aswan 10 days

BACK TO THE ROOTS | Cairo - Luxor - Aswan 10 days

DAY 01: Arrive Cairo, transfer to hotel, Check-in and overnight in Cairo.

DAY 02: After breakfast drive to Memphis at the edge of the western desert, the capital of the ancient kingdom, and one of the most important monuments throughout the history of ancient Egypt, from here we drive to Sakkara the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. Visit the Step Pyramid of Zosar (3rd dynasty, 2668 BC – 2649 BC). Drive In the afternoon to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 4th dynasty about 2690 BC, One of the seven wonders of the ancient world .In front of the pyramid of Chephren, there stands the Sphinx a lion with a Pharaoh’s head thought to be a portrait of the pharaoh Chephren. Transfer back to your hotel for dinner and overnight. In the evening, a cruise dinner on the Nile with oriental and belly dancer show.

"Memphis, was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo. According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history. It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-refer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion."

"Pyramid of Zosar, Pharaoh Zosar was the first king of the Third Dynasty. The serdab, on the northern face of the pyramid, contained his statue; this was the place of his "ka," which could see the offerings made to him. The original statue, now in the Cairo Museum, is thought to have recorded his exact features. This pyramid and the buildings comprising the funerary complex were designed by Imhotep, the first architect whose name is recorded. They were also the first major constructions in stone. Prior to this, sun-dried brick had been the usual building material. It is also the first tomb of monumental size. It was begun as a large mastaba, oriented to the points of the compass, but was enlarged twice to a final height of about 200 feet."

"Pyramids of Giza, There are no more famous ancient sites within Egypt or for that matter elsewhere in the world, than the Great Pyramids at Giza. They are, without question, the icon most associated with the Egypt. They have been both the main destination for tourists and a source of imaginative thought to the world for over three thousand years."

DAY 03: Buffet breakfast. Check out from the hotel and board the bus, heading for Minya (180kms). On the way, stop to visit the Bent Pyramid of King Senefro as one of the most unusual pyramids in Egypt, as well as one of the best preserved; and Meidum Pyramid which is situated alone on the edge of the Western Desert above the lush green fields at Meidum is a tower shaped structure some sixty-five meters high that was once a pyramid that we believe was built by the 4th Dynasty King, Snefru. Then continue on to Minya for dinner and overnight.

"Meidum Pyramid, Just across from the Fayoum in the Nile Valley, south of Cairo, situated alone on the edge of the Western Desert above the lush green fields at Meidum is a tower shaped structure some sixty-five meters high that was once a pyramid that we believe was built by the 4th Dynasty King, Snefru Egyptologists. Some believe that the early phases of construction were done by Huni, his predecessor, and that Snefru was only responsible for the completion of the Pyramid. However, Huni's name was not found at the pyramid, and various written documents suggest that it and the nearby residential city belonged to the reign of Snefru. Also, many of the nearby tombs also belong to the family of Snefru."

DAY 04: Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Drive from Minya to Beni Hassan (30kms) on the other bank of the Nile, to visit the necropolis. Proceed thence to Tuna Al-Gabal the Pharaonic town of Dehenet (the forehead) which became the Greek town of Acoris. Similar to other areas in this region, Tuna el Jebel became a mix of Pharaonic and Greek cultures The temple here were primarily dedicated to Amun and Suchos (which was the Greek name for the crocodile god Sobek), and is reached by a steeply sloping path that was probably lined with alters, statues and columns. Here we find the name of Nero and other Greek texts, written in ink. On a cliff to the right of the temple is a chapel which combines both Greek and Egyptian styles and visit the tombs there. Return to Minya for dinner and overnight.

DAY 05: Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Drive from Minya to Tell Al- Amarna to visit the palace of Akhenaton and his beautiful wife Nefertari. Drive on to Assiut for dinner and overnight.

DAY 06: Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the city of Assiut and then drive to Abydos (130 kms) to visit the Temple of Seti I. Continue on to Dendera to visit the Temple of Hathor; located about 60 kilometers north of Luxor on the west bank of the Nile River opposite the provincial modern town of Qena rebuilt by Pepi I (Old Kingdom) while other texts refer to reconditioning by Thutmose III, Amenhotep III and Ramesses II and III (of the New Kingdom), Drive to Luxor (80kms) for dinner an overnight.

DAY 07: Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Focus on west bank of the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and Deir El-Bahari, Queen Hatshepsut’s monumental rock-cut temple. Stop for pictures at the two Clossi of Memnon guarding the valley. Return back to the east bank at noon time. Visit the stunning monuments of Luxor and Karnak, the greatest cities of Ancient Egypt in the early afternoon. It is also possible to attend the Sound and Light show at the Karnak Temples in the evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Luxor.

"The Valley of the Kings, was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs and is located on the west bank at Luxor. The only entrance to this place was a long narrow winding path. This was a secret place where sentries were placed at the entrance of the Valley as well as along the top of the hills in the hopes of discouraging tomb robbers, who had in the past plundered all royal tombs, including the treasures of the Pyramids. Some thefts were probably carefully planned, but others were spurring of the moment, as when an earlier tomb was accidentally discovered while cutting a new one and workmen took advantage of the opportunity.

Hatshepsut was one of the most interesting female figures and most capable Pharohs of Egyptian history (1490-1468 BC), so our visit to her 3,500 year old mortual temple in the Valley of Kings (Thebes West) was in many respects a quite special experience."

"The Temple of Luxor, is among the most beautiful Temples in Egypt. It was known in the New Kingdom period as Ipt-Rsyt, which means the southern shrine. This was to differentiate between this Temple and Karnak Temple, which was the northern house of Amon Ra. Amenhotep III built Luxor Temple. The architect and overseer of the works of construction was the genius Amenhotep, son of Habu. The Temple run close and parallel to the river Nile from north to south. It was constructed on the site of a small Temple of Amon, built by kings of the 12th dynasty. At the time of Amenhotep III the Temple was only 190m in length and 55m in width. Basically, Luxor Temple was consecrated to Amon Ra in his fertility aspect."

"The Temple of Karnak, is the largest Temple in the World! The complex contains a group of Temples such as the Great Temple of Amon Ra, the Temple of Khonso, the Ipt Temple, the Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho and the Temple of the God Osiris. A 20m high, mud brick enclosure wall, surrounded all of these buildings.

DAY 08: Buffet breakfast at the hotel and then check-out. Drive by bus from Luxor to Aswan (210kms). Stop en route to visit the temples of Edfu temple of Horus with its menacing black stone statue of the Falcon god and Kom Ombo Sobek temple. Arrive in Aswan and check-in at the hotel. Visit Kitchener Island by felucca in the afternoon and view the Aga Khan Mausoleum. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Aswan.

DAY 09: Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and the Temple of Philae. Return to the hotel for free afternoon: optional visit to the souq. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Aswan.

"The High Dam, of Aswan is a great project. In fact it was one of the most important achievements in the last century in Egypt, even for many years it was a symbol of the New Era of the Revolution of 1952. It provided Egypt with water and electricity and secured the country of the risk of the destructive inundation. The Aswan High Dam was a great project! In fact it was one of the most important achievements of the last century in Egypt, for many years symbolizing the New Era of the Revolution of 1952. It provides Egypt with water and electricity, and secures the country from the risk of the destructive inundation of the River Nile."

"Philae Temple, Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. It was called in Hieroglyphic “Apo” which means Ivory. It was also known by the Greek “Elephantine”, most probably because it was an important centre of trade, especially for ivory The Ancient Egyptians built a beautiful and magnificent Temple on this island for the Goddess Isis, but the Temple became submerged after the first Aswan dam was built in 1906, and it was not until the seventies that many nations attempted to save the Temple."

"The Unfinished Obelisk, lies in its original location, in a granite quarry in Aswan. It is 42m in length and was most probably abandoned when some cracks appeared in the rock, during its construction had this obelisk been completed, it would have been the heaviest obelisk ever cut in Ancient Egypt, weighing nearly 1100 tons! It is believed that it was constructed and abandoned during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty). During the earliest ages, the Ancient Egyptians knew the so-called “Pn-pn”, which was a pyramidal stone with a pointed top and according to their beliefs the “Pn-pn” symbolized the primeval hill from which the world first appeared. Then, in the course of time, this Pn-pn evolved to be an obelisk usually made of granite with a pyramidal shape on top."

DAY 10: Buffet breakfast and check-out from the hotel. Transfer to Aswan Airport to fly to Cairo, or to Aswan station for overnight train to Cairo, upon arrival transfer to airport for final departure.