Absolute Egypt

Itinerary

B)= Breakfast, (L)= Lunch, (R)= Reception, (D)= Dinner

Tuesday, February 18, 2025: Depart home

Wednesday, February 19: Arrive Cairo, Egypt | Private transfer to hotel in Giza
You will be met upon arrival at Cairo’s airport and transferred to Giza’s historic Mena House, a palatial hotel set amid forty acres of gardens, with magnificent views of the adjacent Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Gather for dinner at the hotel. Overnight at the 5-star Marriott Mena House hotel in Pyramid View rooms for four nights. (D)

Thursday, February 20: Giza Plateau | Welcome reception and dinner
Spend the morning exploring the Giza Plateau, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu; Eastern Cemetery, with its vibrantly-decorated mastaba of Meresankh III; mortuary temple of Khufu; timeless Sphinx; and nearby Valley Temple of Khafra. After lunch at a nearby restaurant we return to our hotel. This evening we gather for a welcome reception and dinner with our three expert trip leaders: AIA lecturer/host, Egyptology guide, and tour manager. (B,L,R,D)

Friday, February 21: National Museum of Egyptian Civilization OR the Grand Egyptian Museum | Dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum
We will visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), which opened in 2017, housing materials from all periods of Egyptian archaeology, including the Gallery of Royal Mummies. Alternatively, if the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is open, we will visit it instead to see Tutankhamun’s funerary collection, colossal statues of Ramesses the Great, and more. This evening we will gather for a special dinner inside the GEM, and have access to its gardens and Grand Hall. (B,L,D)

Saturday, February 22: Saqqara | Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre
This morning we visit the Imhotep Museum on our way into the extraordinary necropolis at Saqqara, where we see the Step Pyramid of Djoser; the pyramid and causeway of Unas; the mastaba of the “two brothers,” Nyankhkhnum and Khnumhotep; and (pending permission) the closed-to-the-public, 5th-dynasty Tomb of Wah Ti. We return to the Mena House hotel for time at leisure to relax, and enjoy a lecture and dinner. (B,L,D)

Sunday, February 23: Egyptian Museum or the Grand Egyptian Museum | Fly to Luxor
We will spend a full day visiting the historic and renowned Egyptian Museum (formally known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities) to see treasures of the pharaohs, including magnificent artifacts from the royal tombs of Tanis. Alternatively, if the Grand Egyptian Museum is open, we will see more of the GEM’s collections not seen on Friday. After our museum visit, we transfer to the airport for our evening flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, we check-in and enjoy dinner at our historic, luxurious hotel located on the banks of the Nile in the city center, near Luxor Temple and the bazaar. We stay in the original and more luxurious wing that has hosted royalty and celebrities for over a century. Overnight at the 5-star Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor Hotel (Old Wing) for five nights.(B,L,D)

Monday, February 24: Karnak | Luxor Temple
A short drive through town brings us to Karnak, the world’s largest temple complex (built over the course of two thousand years), where a generous amount of time is scheduled for exploring this astounding and immense archaeological site. Our visit will include Karnak’s Open-Air Museum, which has on display many newly reconstructed buildings. We return to our hotel and enjoy lunch and some time at leisure. Before dinner we visit the adjacent Luxor Temple, which is illuminated to striking effect. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, February 25: Valley of the Kings | Deir el Bahari
In the Valley of the Kings, our morning exploration includes several royal tombs, including the legendary Tomb of Tutankhamen and the spectacular Tomb of Seti I. Continue on to the stunning mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, including the Third Terrace Sanctuary of Amun with its beautifully preserved painted decoration and two newly opened sanctuaries featuring representations of Senenmut, Hatshepsut’s architect. Return to our hotel and then gather for dinner. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, February 26: At leisure in Luxor OR Full-day trip to Abydos & Dendara
Today is a full day at leisure in Luxor or, alternatively, you may join a long day trip to see two magnificent ancient sites, Abydos and Dendara. AIA lecturer Stephen Harvey has worked since 1993 at Abydos, one of the oldest and most important ancient cities in Egypt. See one of the oldest standing massive brick structures in the world, an early Temple of Osiris with hundreds of stelae, the spectacular Temple of Seti I with seven chapels with exquisite reliefs and where was discovered the “Abydos King List”—the long, invaluable list of pharaohs. After lunch we begin our return drive to Luxor, stopping en route at the Temple of Hathor at Dendara, which has recently been extensively restored, revealing its startlingly well-preserved painted astronomical ceiling and reliefs. Dinner is at our hotel this evening. (B,L,D)

Thursday, February 27: Valley of the Queens | Deir el Medina | Tomb of Ramose | Luxor bazaar
Spend the morning in the Valley of the Queens, where we gain access to the touching Tomb of Khaemwaset, a young son of Ramesses III; and the Tomb of Nefertari, often called the most beautiful tomb in Egypt. Continue on to Deir el Medina, the ancient village of the workers who built the pharaohs’ tombs, where we visit the beautifully preserved and decorated tombs of Sennedjem and Inherkhau. Our last visit on the west bank is the Tomb of Ramose—the highest official (vizier) to serve the pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. We return to our hotel and, before dinner, those who are interested may join us to explore the bustling Luxor suq (bazaar). (B,L,D)

Friday, February 28: Luxor Museum | Esna | Embarkation
This morning we visit Luxor Museum, one of the best museums in Egypt, and then drive to Esna to visit the recently restored temple of Khnum, with its wonderful astronomical ceiling with previously unknown names of ancient Egyptian constellations. Embark our sailing vessel, a traditional Nile sail boat called a dahabiya, which will be our home-away-from-home for the next three nights. Our group will sail aboard two of these smaller-sized vessels that will travel together and avoid the crowds cruising in a convoy of large Nile riverboats. We enjoy a late lunch as we sail up the Nile. The afternoon is at leisure until we gather for dinner onboard. Overnight aboard an eight-cabin dahabiya for three nights. (B,L,D)

Saturday, March 1: El Kab | Edfu | Sailing the Nile
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast onboard before visiting El Kab, one of the oldest settlements of Upper Egypt and now a famous necropolis with remarkable tombs of nobles and army generals. Continue to the city of Edfu for a tour of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus, Egypt’s most complete and best-preserved temple. Return to our dahabiyas and relax as we sail up the Nile. This evening, enjoy an onboard dinner of Egyptian specialties presented with a performance of local music and dancing. (B,L,D)

Sunday, March 2: Gebel el-Silsila | Kom Ombo | Sailing the Nile
Set out this morning to visit Gebel el-Silsila, located at the narrowest point along the entire length of the Nile. It was the location of a major New Kingdom sandstone quarry and workshop, where artifacts and tombs have been discovered. Sail onward to the twin Temples of Sobek and Horus at Kom Ombo, including a visit to the magnificent (though small), new Crocodile Museum. Continue cruising to Aswan, and partake in a final gala dinner onboard. (B,L,D)

Monday, March 3: Aswan: Disembarkation, Philae, Nubia Museum
Disembark this morning at Aswan and visit an ancient granite quarry with an unfinished obelisk. Set out on a short boat ride to the island of Philae for a visit of its Temple of Isis, which has been called Egypt’s most beautiful temple. After lunch we check-in to our recently renovated hotel on the Nile and then visit Aswan’s elegant Nubia Museum, which exhibits many of the more than 3,000 artifacts recovered during the excavations of Nubian sites that were threatened by the construction of the High Dam. We return to the hotel and gather for dinner Overnight at the 5-star Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan hotel for three nights. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, March 4: Elephantine Island | Aswan
Embark feluccas (small, traditional sailing vessels) to visit the archaeological site on Elephantine Island. Then we take a motor boat ride through the Nile cataract for lunch at a Nubian restaurant. This afternoon, enjoy a walk through Aswan’s suq, the most charming and traditional of the markets in Egypt, where one can find interesting Nubian ethnographic items such as baskets, pottery, and scarves that are unique to the Aswan area. We return to the hotel and gather for dinner. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, March 5: At leisure in Aswan | Farewell reception and dinner
Today is at leisure, to relax at our luxurious hotel overlooking the famous cataracts of Aswan. Enjoy a final lecture with generous time for Q&A with both Stephen Harvey and our local Egyptology guide. This evening we gather for a farewell reception and dinner at our hotel hosted by our trio of leaders. (B,L,R,D)

Thursday, March 6: Fly to Abu Simbel | Fly to Cairo
Transfer to the airport early this morning for a short flight to Abu Simbel, where we visit the two world famous and fantastic rock-cut temples of Ramesses II (built to honor himself and his queen, Nefertari). Moved when the Aswan High Dam was built, they are a marvel of ancient and modern engineering. Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Aswan and our connecting flight to Cairo, where we check-in to our luxurious airport hotel featuring fully soundproofed rooms. Dinner is at our hotel. Overnight at the 5-star Le Méridien Cairo Airport hotel. (B,L,D)

Friday, March 7: Fly home
Check out this morning and enter the airport (our hotel has direct access to Terminal 3 via footbridge, as well as a free shuttle to Terminal 2) to catch flights homeward. (B)