Private Journey Details

Trip Highlights

• Explore Egypt's antiquities-from the Pyramids and the Sphinx to the Valley of the Kings-in the company of a top Egyptian guide.
• Dine with an Egyptian family and learn about life in Egypt today.
• Visit the famed "unfinished obelisk" for a demonstration of the ancient methods craftsmen used to create the monuments.
• Meet Mansour Boraik, the director of Luxor antiquities, for a briefing on the recent excavations of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Luxor.
• Sail down the Nile on board a traditional felucca (optional).

Itinerary - 10 Days

Days 1 & 2 — U.S./Cairo, Egypt

Depart on an overnight flight to London and connect to Cairo the next day. Arrive in the evening and transfer to your hotel, located on the west bank of the Nile.
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence

Day 3 — Cairo

This morning, meet your local guide for a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses relics dating back to 4000 B.C., including the treasures of Tutankhamun and a stunning collection of mummies. Then ascend to the Citadel, a medieval fortress overlooking the city. Explore its graceful mosque and the tomb of the Ottoman ruler Muhammad Ali. Later, a walking tour of Islamic Cairo takes you from one of the gates of the old city to the Khan el Khalili bazaar. Stop for a traditional lunch at the Naguib Mahfouz restaurant, named after the Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian author, before an afternoon at leisure. Tonight, you have the option to attend a sound-and-light show at the Pyramids.
(B,L)

Day 4 — Cairo

Drive to the ancient capital of Memphis to see the alabaster Sphinx and a massive statue of Ramses II. Continue to Sakkara, whose famous step pyramid-built around 2630 B.C.-is one of the world's oldest stone structures. After lunch, encounter the Pyramids and the Sphinx at Gîza on a private tour with your guide. Tonight, you have the option to dine on a private felucca (traditional sailboat) on the Nile, taking in the sights of Cairo by night.
(B,L)

Day 5 — Cairo/Luxor

Fly to Luxor and visit the awe-inspiring Temple of Amun at Karnak. In the company of your local guide, cross the Nile to explore the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. See the Colossi of Memnon; the tomb of Tutankhamun (if open); and the Temple of Hatshepsut, Egypt's first female pharaoh, whose mummy was recently identified by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. This evening, settle into your cabin aboard the superb riverboat Sun Boat IV.
Sun Boat IV (B,L,D)

Day 6 — Luxor/Qena/Luxor

Take a scenic cruise north to Qena to see the beautiful Ptolemaic Dendera Temple Complex. At the Temple of Hathor, venture into dark chambers and underground crypts. Meet Mansour Boraik, the director of Luxor antiquities, for afternoon tea and a talk on the recent excavations in Luxor. Later, visit the Luxor Temple, built by Amenhotep III, completed by Tutankhamun and Horemheb, and expanded by Ramses II. Stroll along the Avenue of Sphinxes guarding the temple.
(B,L,D)

Day 7 — Luxor/Idfu

Sail to Idfu to explore the Temple of Horus, the falcon god, considered one of the best preserved temples in Egypt.
(B,L,D)

Day 8 — Kôm Ombo/Aswân

Dock at Kôm Ombo and visit its Greco-Roman temples dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, a sky god. After lunch, take a short motorboat ride to the Philae temple on Agilika Island. This exquisite temple was painstakingly dismantled, moved, and reassembled here, out of the way of the flooding caused by the construction of the Aswân High Dam.
(B,L,D)

Day 9 — Aswân/Abu Simbel/Cairo

This morning, disembark the Sun Boat IV and fly to Abu Simbel, the site of the colossal temples of Ramses II and his queen, Nefertari. These massive monuments were moved up the hillside to protect them from the rising waters of Late Nasser. Later, fly to Cairo and, following an afternoon at leisure, enjoy legendary Egyptian hospitality at dinner with a local family.
Fairmont Heliopolis (B,L,D)

Day 10 — Cairo/U.S.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S.
(B)

Optional Extension

• Petra, Jordan - Post-Trip Extension, 5 Days

National Geographic Private Journeys are unique itineraries designed for independent travelers. You'll explore fascinating places with private guides, and wherever possible, meet National Geographic experts at work in the field.

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