DAY 1: Arrive Cairo, Egypt
Upon arrival at Cairo Airport you will be met by a MyHoliday2 representative who will
assist you through airport customs & formalities. You will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is at your own leisure.
MEALS: None
OVERNIGHT: Barcelo Pyramids, Cairo
DAY 2: Visit Pyramids and Egyptian Museum
Breakfast and pick-up to explore Cairo and visit the famous Pyramids. The Great Pyramid
of Cheops which was built by manual labor, is the largest of the three main Pyramids and
is the only survivor of the Seven Great Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramid of
Chephren, which is the best preserved, and the Pyramid of Mycerinus. Nearby see the
Sphinx, a marvellous sight carved out of a natural rocky outcrop, the lion’s body
stretching 45m, with its paws 15m long. We will visit the Papyrus Institute and learn how
paper was made in ancient times followed by shopping in the Papyrus Museum,
Perfume factory and Jewellery shop.
Lunch will be in local restaurant, at your own expense. Then, visit The Egyptian Museum is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East, and
houses the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities in the world. The museum displays
an extensive collection spanning from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Era.
Transfer back to hotel and overnight.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Barcelo Pyramids, Cairo
DAY 3: Full Day Alexandria Tour
Breakfast in hotel and pick-up to explore Alexandria.
The majority of Alexandria’s surviving monuments are its necropoleis (cemeteries). The
most impressive of these is the Roman-era Kom al-Shoqafa near the Serapeum. This
contains Greek-style catacombs and triclinia burials, a chapel, and a banqueting area
that was used during funerals. Paintings and reliefs gracefully combine ancient Egyptian
and Greek beliefs and artistic traditions.
Vist Pompey’s Pillar. It stands immediately next to the site of the Serapeum, the
principal temple of Sarapis, the national god of ancient Egypt during this period. It was
unfortunately destroyed when the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius outlawed paganism in
391 AD.
We will have lunch in seafood restaurant, at your own expense.
After lunch we will visit Montazah garden before heading back to Cairo.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Barcelo Pyramids, Cairo
DAY 4: Full Day Islamic and Coptic Cairo
Today after breakfast we start exploring ancient Islamic & Coptic Cairo
Visit citadel of Salah el din , When in Cairo, it is basically impossible to miss the Salah ElDin Citadel , one of the world’s greatest monuments to medieval warfare. Resembling a
typical early medieval fortress, with large imposing gateways, towers and high defending walls, the Citadel is one of Cairo’s main attractions and probably the most popular nonpharaonic monument in the Egyptian capital. The prominent fortress houses three
mosques – of which the impressive Mohamed Ali Mosque – a carriage museum, a military
museum, and a garden museum, just to name a few, and they are all worth a visit. Enjoy lunch in Local restaurant.
Copts who form the majority of Egyptian Christians are followers of the Coptic Orthodox
Church and considered to be part of the descendants of Ancient Egyptians and one of
the first peoples to convert to Christianity. In fact, the word “Copt” derives from the
Arabic word “Qibt” – or “Gibt” – which derives from the Greek word “Egyptos” meaning
“Egypt.” The Ancient Egyptian root of the word was “Hikaptah” (Ha-Ka-Ptah), the name
Memphis was known by in 3100 BC at the time when it was the first capital of Ancient
Egypt.
The Coptic Church traces its spiritual history back to St. Mark, the traditional author of
the Gospel of Mark, and considers him to be the founding father of the Coptic Orthodox
Church.
The history of the Coptic Church is tied to the history of Christian monasticism. The
ancient tradition of monasticism continues to be practiced in Egypt and offers a great
opportunity to visit Coptic monasteries, such as the monastery of St Simeon in Aswan, St
Anthony and St Paul Monasteries in the Red Sea mountains, and Deir Al-Kashef
Monastery, an early Coptic monastery in the Western Desert. Some of Egypt’s churches
also rank among the oldest Christian landmarks in the world, such as the church of the
virgin in Asyut and the Coptic. Cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria. Return to hotel and evening free at leisure.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Barcelo Pyramids, Cairo
DAY 5: Cairo ~ Aswan by Flight ~ Start Nile Cruise [Wednesday]
After breakfast in the hotel we check-out and transfer to the airport for a short flight to Aswan.
Once arrived in Aswan, you will be met by our tour representative and transferred to your first stop: High Dam. Visit Philae temple The temple of Isis was one of the last ancient Egyptian temples to
remain active, as it continued to function until the reign of the Byzantine Emperor
Justinian I (527–565 AD), who ordered the foreclosure of all pagan temples. It is here
that a priest of Isis named Esmet-Akhom carved the very last dated hieroglyphic
inscription, which dates to the late 4th century AD (394 AD). The temple was converted
into a Christian church and many inscriptions were deliberately destroyed.
After this we transfer to the cruise ship for check in and enjoy lunch on board. In the afternoon you will be enjoy a trip on a traditional Felucca boat overlooking Aswan and watch the sunset. Perfect end to the first day of cruising. Back to the ship for dinner and overnight.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Solaris I or II Nile Cruise or similar
DAY 6: Abu Simbel Temple & Kom Ombo Temple
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, in Nubia near Egypt’s southern border, is among the
most awe-inspiring monuments of Egypt. It was cut into the living rock by King
Ramesses II (the Great) of the Nineteenth Dynasty, around 1264 BC. The temple is most
well known for the four imposing seated colossal statues that dominate its façade. One of these collapsed because of an ancient earthquake, and its fragments can still be seen
on the ground.
Travel back to Aswan and enjoy lunch on board during sailing to Kom Ombo.
The temple is unique because its ‘double’ design meant that there were courts, halls,
sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple
was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world
with Hathor and Khonsu. Meanwhile, the northern part of the temple was dedicated to
the falcon god Haroeris (“Horus the Elder”), along “with Tasenetnofret (the Good Sister,
a special form of Hathor or Tefnet/Tefnut and Panebtawy (Lord of the Two Lands). The
temple is atypical because everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis.
Return to the cruise ship for
dinner and overnight.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Solaris I or II Nile Cruise or similar
DAY 7: Edfou & Karnak Temple
Breakfast on board, them pick-up to visit It is one of the best preserved shrines in Egypt. The temple was built in
the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 237 and 57 BC. The inscriptions on its walls provide
important information on language, myth and religion during the Hellenistic period in
Egypt. In particular, the Temple’s inscribed building texts “provide details [both] of its
construction, and also preserve information about the mythical interpretation of this
and all other temples as the Island of Creation.”[2] There are also “important scenes and
inscriptions of the Sacred Drama which related the age-old conflict between Horus
and Seth.
Enjoy lunch on board during sailing to Luxor. Upon arrival we disembark to visit Luxor temple. Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it
may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or
conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at
Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).
Return to the cruise ship for
dinner and overnight.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Solaris I or II Nile Cruise or similar
DAY 8: Visit West Bank & Valley of The Kings
After our final breakfast on board we check-out and proceed to visit Valley of the Kings. The site for this royal burial ground was selected
carefully. Its location on specifically the west side of the Nile is significant as well.
Because the sun god set (died) in the western horizon in order to be reborn,
rejuvenated, in the eastern horizon, the west thus came to have funerary associations.
Ancient Egyptian cemeteries were generally situated on the west bank of the Nile for
this reason.
Visit The celebrated temple of Hatshepsut (c.1473–1458 BC), the queen who became
Pharaoh, is located here, in Deir al-Bahari, on the west bank of Luxor. Made up of three
man-made terraces that gradually rise up toward the sheer cliff face, this structure is
truly a sight to behold.
The site of Deir al-Bahari was sacred to Hathor, the goddess who nursed and reared
every king, including their mythological ancestor, the god Horus, in Egypt’s primordial past.
Today we have lunch in local restaurant at your own expense.
Aptly called Ipet-Sut “The Most Select of Places” by the ancient Egyptians, Karnak
Temple was the most important temple in Thebes (modern Luxor), in Upper Egypt. This
was where the cult of the great god Amun of Thebes was conducted. As such, it was
extremely wealthy and its priesthood held great political power.
Transfer to Hurghada, to check-in to your Red Sea resort for the next 3 nights.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Magic Beach Resort 4*
DAY 9: Free Day in Hurghada
Enjoy a full day at your own leisure in this wonderful all inclusive resort by the Red Sea. Do as much or as little as you like over the next couple of days. Some options include boat trips, fishing and diving in the house reef in the Red Sea. All can be organised through the activities desk at the hotel.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Magic Beach Resort 4*
DAY 10: Free Day in Hurghada
Another free day where you can dine and drink till your hearts content! Relax by the pool with a cocktail in hand or be more energetic with some water sports or yoga class. Or you can treat yourself to a sensual massage in the resort spa.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT: Magic Beach Resort 4*
DAY 11: End of Tour ~ Departure
Enjoy your final morning in the resort before check out at 12:00 noon. You will be transferred to Hurghada airport for your onward journey. Thank you for travelling with MyHoliday2, we hope you’ve had a fantastic time in Egypt.
MEALS: Breakfast