Coming Soon - Experience Egypt

Arrive in Egypt’s capital of Cairo, where the Nile weaves its way through an urban collage of minarets, high-rises, markets and bridges before fanning out into a broad delta emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The Sahara Desert rises on the city’s western edge, an abrupt contrast to the metropolis it borders. We’ll explore more of this dynamic city tomorrow, but this evening, it’s time to meet your Expedition Leader and fellow guests at a welcome dinner, including an overview of all the exciting experiences to come.

This morning we head to Egypt’s most famous archaeological site, the Giza necropolis complex with its famous pyramids and Great Sphinx. Atop the limestone Giza plateau, the three main pyramids, built more than 4,000 years ago, rise out of the desert on the west edge of Cairo, containing the tombs of several Fourth Dynasty kings and queens from Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Entering through a special access gate, we travel by private golf cart, moving comfortably while avoiding crowds. Our special permission allows us to approach the Sphinx more closely than the standard public viewing area permits. Standing near its massive paws, you’ll appreciate the scale of one of the world's most recognizable archaeological treasures.

After lunch, continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum where royal treasures, ceremonial objects, tools and everyday belongings offer a closer look at how ancient Egyptians lived, worked and worshipped from prehistory to the end of the Greek and Roman periods. One of the largest and most spectacular collections in the world, the Grand Museum bridges the grandeur of ancient Egyptian civilization with state-of-the-art digital interactivity.

This evening, take a walking tour through the historic heart of the Cairo, containing one of the densest and oldest concentrations of medieval Islamic architecture in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Cairo encompasses the sector of the city built after the Muslim conquest in 641 to its modern expansion in the 19^th century. Spanning a full millennium, the zone contains more than 600 classified monuments, including mosques, madrasas, fortifications, hammams and fountains. Cairo in the Middle Ages became the new center of the Islamic world, reaching its golden age in the 14th century. As the call to prayer echoes across the rooftops, our group gathers for dinner at a local restaurant overlooking Cairo's most evocative neighborhood.

Fly south this morning to Luxor, the modern name for ancient Thebes, the magnificent capital of Egypt during its Middle and New Kingdoms. The Nile bisects the city, lined on either side with temples and monuments. Highlights of Luxor include the Karnak temple complex, the Avenue of Sphinxes, and the Colossi of Memnon. Crossing the Nile by motorboat, continue to the Valley of the Kings. Concealed in a remote desert valley, this is the burial site of New Kingdom pharaohs, including Tutankhamun. Limestone corridors descend into burial chambers with walls and ceilings covered in vivid painted scenes and hieroglyphs. Visit the tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, and the remarkable tomb of Seti I, with chambers extending deep into the mountainside. Lunch is served at Howard Carter's House, the former residence of the famed archaeologist. Later, we visit Deir el-Medina, home to the artisans who built and decorated the royal tombs. Their houses, workshops and painted burial places offer a rare glimpse into the lives of the skilled craftsmen behind Egypt's most famous monuments. Late this afternoon, arrive at our hotel on Luxor's West Bank to spend two nights.

Rise very early to explore Karnak, the massive temple-city complex built over 2,000 years, starting in about 2055 BC. Sometimes referred to as "an encyclopedia of ancient Thebes," Karnak is one of the world’s greatest archaeological destinations and the second-largest religious site worldwide (only Angkor Wat in Cambodia is bigger), covering 200 acres. The Great Temple at the heart of Karnak is so big that St. Peter’s, Milan and Notre Dame cathedrals would fit within its walls. We arrive while the air is still cool and the site remains relatively quiet. Pass through monumental gateways and courtyards into the vast Hypostyle Hall within the Great Temple, where 134 towering columns covered in hieroglyphs create one of the most stunning spaces of ancient Egypt.

Return to our hotel for breakfast and time to relax, then head out this afternoon to meet a local artist whose murals draw inspiration from village life, animals and Egypt's enduring artistic traditions. This evening, cross over the Nile for a private dinner in a local home. Over a meal with our hosts, enjoy conversation about daily life in modern Luxor, family traditions and celebrations, and the impact tourism has brought to the city over the years.

After dinner, we visit Luxor Temple, illuminated after dark. Its columns, statues and bas relief carvings offer a mesmerizing encounter with the civilization that flourished here more than 3,000 years ago. The thousands of sandstone fragments scattered across the site contain hieroglyphic texts and paintings of temple rituals, offering rich insight into this major religious center that was once the capital of ancient Egypt, with Amenhotep III, Ramses II, Tutankhamun and other pharaohs adding new buildings to the sprawling complex over hundreds of years. Luxor Temple was known as “the place of the First Occasion,” where the god Amon was reborn during the pharaoh’s annual coronation reenactment. Today, remains of this vast complex include the colossal Great Colonnade Hall, nearly 200 feet long with 28 tall columns. Luxor Temple is also famous for its carvings of festival scenes, which were largely completed around 1330 BC during the reign of Tutankhamun.

Depart Luxor this morning and drive south to Esna. Visit the Qisariyya market, where merchants sell produce, textiles, and spices in narrow lanes that have served residents for generations. Then board our dahabiya, the traditional sailing vessel that will be our home for the next four nights. Reserved for just 12 guests, it offers a quieter and more personal way to experience the Nile. With its shallow draft, the dahabiya can tie up beside islands, villages and peaceful stretches of shoreline often bypassed by larger vessels. Sail to El Hegz Island, where fields and small houses sit close to the river's edge. Here, we stop to visit our friend Asma in her traditional mud-brick home. In her garden, surrounded by herbs, flowers and cultivated plants, she shares stories about family customs, village celebrations and daily life along the Nile. Then return to our dahabiya and continue sailing toward Edfu, with dinner served aboard.