Depart JFK International Airport via EgyptAir jet service to KMT (Egypt). Meals will be served on board before your arrival in Cairo the next day.
DAY 02:
INTO THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS
Upon your arrival in Cairo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
DAY 03:
MEMPHIS/SAKKARA/GIZA
The Pyramids of Giza
Morning tour to Hi-Ku-Ptah (Memphis) and Sakkara. Located twenty miles southwest of Cairo, Memphis was one of the most important cities through the history of ancient KMT and was once the ancient capital of KMT. Sakkara’s step pyramids are the oldest in existence and are the world's first stone tombs. Visit the Tomb of Ptahotep, author of the oldest surviving book in the world, circa 2350 BC. Proceed to Giza. Visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Khufu, Khafre, and Men-ka-ra Pyramids, and Hor-em-Aket (commonly called the Sphinx). See the 140 foot long ship of Pharaoh Khufu, the oldest surviving ship in the world. Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 04:
THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM/OLD CAIRO
The Mask of King Tut
Morning visit to the Egyptian Museum with its renowned collection of well-preserved Pharaonic antiquities. The museum contains the world's most important collection of Egyptian antiquities, dating from the earliest times to about 6th century AD. The collection also includes some of the artistic masterpieces of the world, including the treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. This afternoon, tour Old Cairo: coptic museums, churches, and synagogues. Continue to the Mosques of Sultan Hassan built in the 14th century, the Citadel of Salah El-Din, and the Alabaster Mosque. Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 05:
THE PYRAMIDS OF MEIDUM AND DAHSURE
Meidum Pyramid
Morning visit the remains of the pyramid at Meidum, it is believed to have been begun by Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty and completed by Sneferu founder of the 4th Dynasty and the immediate predecessor of Khufu, but probably never used as a burial place. Also, visit the Ra-Hotep and Nofret mastaba, the site of the famous statues. Continue to visit the Dahsure pyramids and the remains of subsidiary tombs and temples. Visit the Northern stone or Red pyramid, the Northern Brick or Black pyramid, the White pyramid the Southern Brick pyramid and the Bent pyramid. Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 06:
CAIRO/WASET (LUXOR OR THEBES)/IPET ISUT (KARNAK) & SOUTHERN IPET(LUXOR) TEMPLES
Luxor Temple
Photo: Lee Horrocks
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Waset (Luxor). Upon your arrival, you will be met and transfered to your hotel for a brief rest stop. Continue to visit the Avenue of the Sphinxes at Ipet Isut (Karnak). View the gorgeous Hypostyle Hall, the Tekenu (obelisks) of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Sacred Lake. Continue to the Southern Ipet (Temple of Luxor). Visit the White Chapel, Temple of Khonsu and Mout and the Temple of Amon. Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 07:
WASET (LUXOR OR THEBES) (THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS, QUEENS AND NOBLES; HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE, AND THE COLOSSI OF MEMNON)
Valley of the Kings
This morning drive to the West Bank of the Nile to visit the Necropolis of Waset (T'hebes); drive to the Valley of the Kings; visit the tombs of Tut-Ankh-Amon, Seti I, and Ramses II. Continue to the Valley of the Queens to visit the tomb of Thutmosis III, and proceed to visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the two Noble Tombs, and return to the hotel via the "Colossi of Memnon." Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 08:
TANTERA (DENDERA) (THE TEMPLE OF HT HR)/ABDU (ABYDOS)
Leave Waset early in the morning by bus to visit Tantera (the Temple of Ht Hr [Hathor]), drive to the ancient city of Abdu, and visit the Temple of Seti, the site of the grave of the head of Asar (Osiris). Return to Waset in the late afternoon. Evening lecture.
DAY 09:
WASET/EDFU (THE TEMPLE OF HERU [HORUS])/KOM OMBO (THE TEMPLE OF SOBEK)/ASWAN
Sobek Temple
Leave Waset and journey towards Edfu on the Left Bank. Visit the Temple of Heru (Horus) which was excavated by Mariette and is one of the best preserved in KMT. Resume your journey to Kom Ombo, 103 miles. On the hill, which you see long before you arrive in Kom Ombo, is the Temple, with a double dedication to the Crocodile-headed Sobek and the Sparrow-headed Haroeris. In the middle of the temple area, a sanctuary was built for each of these divinities. Double entrances lead through the pylons to the court, vestibule, pillared hall and the three antechambers to the Sanctuaries of the Gods. Continue your journey towards Aswan arriving in the afternoon. Drive alongside the Hapi to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 10:
THE HIGH DAM/PILAK (PHILAE) TEMPLE & UNFINISHED TEKENU (OBELISK) OF HATSHEPSUT/ROCK TOMBS OF THE NOBLES
Philae Temple
Morning visit to the High Dam. Some 4 ½ miles south of the earlier Dam, the High Dam rises up on a colossal scale. The Pyramid of Kufu could be lost 17 times over in this modern marvel. The inland lake created by the Dam is more than 375 miles long, penetrating some 155 miles into the Sudan. Proceed to Pilak (Philae). When the Aswan Dam was opened from July to November, the resulting drop in water level was such that the Temple of Isis on the Island of Philae rose up out of the waters. During the remaining months of the year, only pylons and the upper sections of the building could be seen. In the recent past, all monuments on the Island of Philae were transferred to the small island of Agilkia nearby and rebuilt there. Visit the Temple, the oldest parts of which date from the 4th century BC. Ptolemies and Romans added to the Temple over the years until the 2nd century AD. Other buildings are Het Heru (Hathor Temple), Hadrian's Pylon, Horendotes Temple, the remains of the Temple of Augustus, and the lovely and famous Kiosk of Trajan. Return to the hotel via the Red Granite Quarries where the ancients obtained their finereddish granite. See the unfinished tekenu (obelisk) of Queen Hatshepsut, had it been completed, it would have been the largest ever hewn. It was abandoned when a flaw as discovered in the stone. Return to your hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Rock Tombs of the Nobles which date from the Middle Kingdom. Return to your hotel. Evening lecture.
DAY 11:
ABU SIMBEL (THE TEMPLE OF RAMSES II)
Abu Simbel Temple
Morning flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel which is situated on the West bank of the Hapi, 180 miles south of Aswan and some 27 miles north of Wadi Haifa. There lies the Great Temple, hewn in the rock, with the four colossal seated statues of the King in front of the entrance. It was dedicated to Amun-Ra, the Horkhti, and Ramses II. The figures are 65 ½ feet high and wear the double crown. Nearby, to the north, is a second temple, also built by Ramses II, and dedicated to Nefertari, the King's wife. The temples, which were threatened by the waters on the completion of the Aswan High Dam have been preserved by international action organized by UNESCO. The most important parts of the temples (statues, inscribed slabs, etc) have been rebuilt on a plateau above the former site. Return to Aswan. Evening lecture.
DAY 12:
YEBU (ELEPHANTINEISLAND)/NUBIAN DAY
Panoramic View of Elaphantine Island
Board a felucca and sail past Yebu (Elephantine Island) for a full day visit to a Nubian Village and School. Some tour members may want to swim in the Hapi. Return to your hotel. This evening enjoy a special Farewell Dinner with Nubian entertainment.
DAY 13:
ASWAN/CAIRO
Summation lecture. Balance of the morning at leisure for personal relaxation or last minute shopping. Afternoon transfer to the airport to connect with your flight to Cairo.
DAY 14:
CAIRO/NEW YORK
Depart Cairo on your return flight to New York. Arrival in New York in the early morning local time.
