In the heart of the splendors of Egypt

Where the sand whispers the secrets of time

Historical Culture Cruise Beach

In the heart of the splendors of Egypt - Main photo of the trip

In the heart of the splendors of Egypt - Photo 2 of the trip

In the heart of the splendors of Egypt - Photo 3 of the trip

In the heart of the splendors of Egypt - Photo 4 of the trip

In the heart of the splendors of Egypt - Photo 5 of the trip

Visit Egypt, a land whose brilliant past will captivate you! Dive into the grand history of the era of the pharaohs and let yourself be enchanted by the majestic setting of its temples and the splendor of its mysterious pyramids.

Trip Description

As soon as you set foot on Egyptian soil, you will immediately be transported back in time. You will visit the Pyramids of Giza and the majestic Sphinx with a man’s head and a lion’s body, located near Cairo, as well as the pyramids of Dahshur and Saqqara. Your senses will then be thrown off as you wander through the historic and commercial streets of the capital, with its bazaars, cafés, mosques, and its many monuments inspired by Islamic art. Without a doubt, you will also be impressed to see up close the colossal statues of the Grand Egyptian Museum, as well as its entire collection of funerary and domestic objects dating back to Antiquity. You will then take a getaway to El Fayoum, an oasis with surprising natural beauty, where you will discover the expanse of Lake Qârun and the tall waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan, located near the desert. There, you will have the fun experience of a sandboard descent, as well as a 4X4 excursion. It is in Hurghada that you will then enjoy the finest moments of relaxation, since you will stay for a few days in a luxury hotel on the shores of the Red Sea. You will be able to enjoy the seaside atmosphere of this paradise site, slip your feet into the warm sand, and attend a baladi dance show. Then, a cruise on the legendary Nile River will take you to the heart of the country and carry you from Luxor to Aswan: a historic route punctuated by architectural wonders. You will visit the most beautiful temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses of Antiquity, and built for the great pharaohs. Finally, your journey of discovery will reach its peak at the site of the majestic temples of Abu Simbel, from where you will have a superb view of Lake Nasser. And, at the end of this trip, all these beauties and splendors will forever inhabit your thoughts and dreams! Package price per person and in double occupancy! Included in the package: - 2 domestic flights: Cairo-Hurghada and Aswan-Cairo - Airport shuttles - Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver - All accommodations (4 and 5 stars) - 2 meals per day (on average) - All activities and site entrance fees appearing in red on the program and taking place in the company of a local guide, except the entrance to the Wadi El Rayan waterfalls site, for which the cost to plan is 10$ per traveler - Certified local guide speaking French, present with the group at all times, except during the seaside stay and the Hurghada-Luxor journey - Visit to the temples of Abu Simbel - Visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), dedicated to the Antiquity period - 1 village dinner in the El Fayoum region - A sandboard descent from the El Fayoum plateau - A 4X4 ride in the desert - All taxes - 24/7 support - Organization from A to Z Not included in the package: - Visa - Certain meals - Drinks - Tips - Personal expenses - Activities offered as options

Accomodation

List of accommodations, by city (with rooms in double occupancy): ● Cairo: 5* CONCORDE EL SALAM Hotel or equivalent ● Hurghada: 4* FORT ARABESQUE Hotel or equivalent ● Nile: 5* Cruise (name of the cruise ship to be determined, as the schedule for assigning boat departures may vary)

Stay program

day 1
Flight to Cairo
Note: Arrival at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.
day 2
Cairo: departure for a day of discovery of the famous monuments of ancient Egypt, located in the region of the capital
Pyramids of Giza: vast funerary complex housing the tombs of the pharaohs and comprising three large pyramids. The Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World to have survived to this day, is among these imposing remains of Egyptian Antiquity. It seems that the pyramids were erected about 4 500 years ago and that their construction was facilitated by the existence of a branch of the Nile, now dried up, which would have enabled the transport of stones from the surrounding quarries. However, the engineering challenges that their construction entails still leave, in today’s scientific world, many questions unanswered. The Sphinx, a monument sculpted from a limestone mass, stands in front of the three famous pyramids. It is the monolithic sculpture with the most imposing volume in the world. Dahshur, another royal necropolis of the great Egyptian dynasties, notably houses 2 pyramids built at the request of King Sneferu. The first, known as the Bent Pyramid, and the second, called the Red Pyramid because of the red limestone used for its construction, had the same ambition and aimed at the same challenge. However, only the second project was crowned with success and enabled the construction of a 1st smooth-sided pyramid. The Red Pyramid therefore officially became the resting place of King Sneferu, after which his son, Khufu, had the largest pyramid in Egypt built using newly acquired new construction techniques. Saqqara, a vast necropolis of ancient Egypt where royal tombs and more modest burials stand side by side, provides us with many testimonies about the daily life of ancient Egypt.
day 3
Cairo – El Fayoum: getaway in the heart of the Oasis
● Discovery of Lake Qârun (Moeris), a very important reserve for the region, as well as a body of water very popular with fishermen and winged wildlife. ● Visit to the waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan, the highest waterfalls in the country, offering a surprisingly contrasting view with the surrounding arid landscape. ● Dinner prepared by villagers, with Egyptian specialties on the menu. ● Sandboarding on the high sandy plateau, a unique experience! ● Memorable 4X4 ride in the desert. ● Visit to pottery workshops, a specialty of the region.
day 4
Visit of the capital and its many attractions
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), of very recent construction, is the most important museum dedicated to Ancient Egyptian antiquity. Its monumental collection is the culmination of decades of archaeological research focused on the country’s history. You can see colossal statues of pharaohs there, as well as the most common domestic objects of Ancient Egypt. The Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the best-known of the markets of the Middle East, is a place teeming with activity and renowned for its many shops selling local products and souvenirs (colored lamps, fabrics, copper objects, jewelry, spices, perfumes, musical instruments, etc.). Al Mo’ez Street, a true open-air museum, is an unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in the Islamic world! It is one of the oldest streets in the city, where you can find the country’s most remarkable Islamic monuments and buildings.
day 5
Visit to the places of worship of the capital
● Mosque of Mohammed Ali: an important Islamic sanctuary in Cairo, erected in the heart of the citadel in the 19th c. Ottoman architectural style, for the viceroy Mohammed-Ali Pasha, considered the father of modern Egypt. It is to him that Egypt owes its entry into the industrial era, making the country one of the world’s leading cotton producers. He was behind the first initiatives to build railway lines and dig canals aimed at transporting materials intended for export. Egypt owes him important social reforms, notably the country’s first military, medical and pharmacy schools. ● Al-Rifa’i Mosque: built between 1869 and 1911, this neo-Mamluk style mosque also features a few borrowings from European architecture. Its construction is part of the movement to modernize the city of Cairo at the end of the 19th c. A small pedestrian street separates it from the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built five centuries earlier. ● Sultan Hassan Mosque: built in the 14th c., in a purely Mamluk style. Originally, this religious complex also housed a Sunni teaching school. ● Coptic Cairo, a district that bears witness to the city’s Christian life. The Copts are attached to the Church of Alexandria of the evangelist Mark and form one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
day 6
Cairo-Hurghada: seaside stay
● AM : Flight to Hurghada. The city and its beaches stretch for nearly 40 km along the Red Sea, making Hurghada the seaside resort par excellence of the country. World-renowned for its clear waters and coral reefs, Hurghada welcomes visitors from everywhere to go scuba diving and windsurfing. ● PM : Guided tour of the city of Hurghada. Visit of the Great Mosque of Hurghada, its port and its fish market.
from day 7 to day 8
Continuation of the beach stay
● Free time to enjoy this little paradise on the shores of the Red Sea. Beach and optional activities.
day 9
Hurghada – Luxor (309 km): cruise
Journey to Luxor, check-in on board the cruise ship, then departure to discover the majestic monuments located along the banks of this mythical river: ● Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex in the city of Thebes in Antiquity, when Thebes was the name given to Luxor. The complex, notably made up of temples, chapels, colonnades and corridors magnificently decorated and sculpted, is undoubtedly the longest construction site in history, since its construction spans more than 2000 years. ● Luxor Temple, dedicated to the worship of Amun. This temple was integrated into the religious urban planning of ancient Thebes, since the religious ceremonies practiced there echoed those of the great temple of Karnak, located less than 2 km away. The Opet festival was celebrated there, one of the most sumptuous festivals of ancient Egypt. The avenue lined with sphinxes and its great harmonious colonnades are sculptural elements highly worthy of interest.
day 10
Luxor – Edfu: continuation of the cruise (including a land tour segment)
Departure in an air-conditioned vehicle for a great discovery tour: ● The Valley of the Kings, which stretches along the west bank of the Nile, is a region known for housing the tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th c. BC), as well as those of their family. Visit of 3 richly decorated tombs. ● Temple of Hatshepsut, former funerary temple comprising a very well-preserved set of chapels, galleries, terraces and porticoes carved in limestone. It is said that the imposing construction took place over a period of only 15 years. ● Colossi of Memnon, giant stone sculptures located on the western bank of the Nile, on the road leading to Thebes, and constituting the last remains of an immense temple that has now disappeared. ● Sailing to Edfu
day 11
Edfu – Aswan: continuation of the cruise
● Temple of Edfu, devoted to the worship of Horus, god of royalty and great protector of the pharaohs. Built under King Ptolemy, in the 3rd c. BC, in the pharaonic style. This temple is the 2nd largest sanctuary in Egypt after that of Karnak. ● Temple of Kôm Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek (god of fertility) and Haroëris (benevolent god and protector of Upper Egypt in the 2nd c. BC). Arrival by boat offering a very striking view of the site.
day 12
Aswan: continuation and end of the cruise
● Temple of Philae, dedicated to the worship of Isis, the protective goddess of the home: this site was the last place where this cult was practiced. It is in fact the last stronghold of the religion of ancient Egypt, which experienced resurgences of manifestation until the beginning of the 5th c. of our era. ● Aswan High Dam, a hydroelectric dam built on the Nile in the 1960s and considered one of the most important in the world. It is a project whose aim is not only to produce electricity for the country, but also to create a water reservoir and a means of regulating floods for agriculture.
day 13
Aswan – Abu Simbel – Aswan – Cairo (280 km outbound / 280 km return) + domestic flight
● Continue by bus heading southwest to visit the temples of Abu Simbel, two jewels of architecture dating from the 13th century BC, carved directly into an ochre- and pink-hued rocky cliff, and devoted to the worship of several deities, but also to that of the pharaoh Ramses II, himself deified. The pharaoh was the initiator of this great construction project, through which he wanted to mark his power over the territory and the gold resources of Nubia. ● Return trip to Aswan Airport and domestic flight to Cairo.
day 14
Cairo - return destination
Transfer to Cairo Airport and flight to the return destination