Egypt Pyramids, Temples & Nile Cultural Discovery Tour

Arrive in Cairo on a late flight and meet your MT Sobek representative at the airport for the transfer to your hotel.

After a brief orientation, head out for a visit of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which includes the world-famous golden treasures from King Tutankhamun's tomb. Have lunch at a local restaurant, then set out to see the Great Pyramids of Giza. Enjoy a camel ride across the sands and visit the temple of the mysterious Sphinx. Enjoy a welcome dinner back at the hotel.

Today head out to visit the spectacular Dahshur Pyramids, an ancient royal necropolis approximately 25 miles south of Cairo. Take in the famed Bent Pyramid, unusual for its angled sides, and the Red Pyramid, the fourth highest pyramid ever built in Egypt, with almost 160 layers of stone. Drive on to the vast Saqqara complex, to see the step pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world, and tour the ancient tombs with incredible wall art.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, head out for a guided tour of the Karnak Temple, built over more than a thousand years by generations of pharaohs. Marvel at its great Hypostyle Hall, an incredible forest of giant pillars. Transfer to your hotel and set out for a guided sunset visit of the temple of Luxor, a strikingly graceful spot dedicated to the god of Amun-Ra. This evening enjoy a delicious dinner at a restaurant in town.

After breakfast, drive north of Luxor along the banks of the Nile to Abydos and Dendera. Start at the Temple of Seti I in Abydos. This center of a holy city dedicated to Osiris, King of the Underworld, has striking relief-covered walls. Enjoy lunch then move on to the Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor, goddess of pleasure and love, a wonderfully preserved complex complete with a massive stone roof, underground passages, and towering columns inscribed with hieroglyphs. Return to Luxor in the evening.

Early this morning, check out and take an (optional) balloon ride over the western bank (at additional cost) or relax over a leisurely breakfast. Together, head out to visit the Valley of the Kings, a remarkable necropolis with over 60 magnificent royal tombs carved into the desert rocks. In a restricted area not open to the public, enjoy an exclusive audience with Dr. Bahaa Gaber, Head of the West Bank Antiquities. Dr. Gaber will share his insights about the Royal Tombs, behind the scenes stories related to the latest digs and finds on the West Bank of Luxor, and exclusive updates about the most recent archaeological projects. Transfer to your dahabiya, a traditional sailing boat, for lunch and then set sail on the Nile.

After breakfast on the boat, cruise to El-Kab, one of the oldest settlements of Upper Egypt, and visit the tombs of the governors and the ruins of the temple where Hathor and Horus used to meet. Enjoy lunch on board during the cruise down the Nile. Disembark to visit the majestic Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon-headed god, Horus. This evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner.

Savor breakfast on the boat, then cruise to an island on the Nile inhabited by fishermen and farmers. Visit a charming village, walk through farm fields and orchards, and observe local fishing techniques. Enjoy lunch while cruising to the ancient site of Djebel Silsila, where you'll visit a temple from the Horemheb era and a quarry where sandstone for the temples was extracted.

Have breakfast on the boat as you cruise the Nile. Visit the temple of Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic period, from 108 to 47 BC. This stunning place of worship is dedicated to two triads of deities. One set consists of Sobek (crocodile god of the Nile), Hathor, and their child Khonsu; the other comprises Haroeris, Tasenetnofret, and their child Panebtawy. Return to the boat and enjoy lunch as you sail toward Aswan. This afternoon, visit the Philae temple complex, picturesquely situated on an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam. Later, browse the stalls of the Aswan Spice Market where vendors sell baskets filled with dried hibiscus flowers, henna powder, spices such as saffron and nutmeg, and Nubian needlework and artefacts.

Disembark after an early breakfast on the boat and transfer to the Aswan airport for your flight to Abu Simbel. Upon arrival, drive on to the Great Temple of Ramses II on the banks of Lake Nasser. This complex of two temples is carved out of sandstone cliff and fronted by colossal statues. After witnessing this monumental site, board a connecting flight from Abu Simbel to Cairo, where you'll meet your MT Sobek representative and transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast visit the Royal Mummies' Hall at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations (NMEC). Next, take a tour of Coptic Cairo, featuring the Hanging Church (supported by only one column), and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. Continue through the ancient Islamic Quarter, down its narrow streets and past bustling streetside shops trading in all manner of wares. Walk down Al-Muizz Street, now a pedestrian thoroughfare that hosts one of the greatest concentrations of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world, including Beit al-Suhaymi, a beautiful example of 17th-century Cairo's domestic architecture. Finish your tour with a walk through the labyrinthine alleys of Khan el Khalili Bazaar, then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Return to your hotel for time to relax before meeting back up for a farewell dinner.

Say goodbye to magnificent Egypt as you transfer to Cairo airport for your departing flight.