CLASSIC EGYPT Round trip 12 DAYS Of Egypt with Luxurious Facilities

Day 1 (Sunday) Departure Los Angeles afternoon

Day 2 (Monday) Traveling day, with a time difference of 9 hours ahead. Cairo Intl. Airport late evening/midnight

Day 3 (Tuesday) Visit Egyptian Museum & Giza Pyramids

Day 4 (Wednesday) Visit Old Cairo churches (Al Moalaqqah & Abo Serga), NMEC Mummy Museum, Mohamed Aly Mosque, & Khan el Khalili Bazaars.                                                     

Day 5 (Thursday) Day free for leisure / Cairo of your choice

Day 6 (Friday) Fly to Luxor, check-in hotel Sonesta in Luxor

Day 7 (Saturday) Ceck-out hotel, check-in Nile Cruise. Visiting Kings Valley (3 tombs with general admission ticket), Hatshepsut temple.

Day 8 (Sunday)  Visit Karnak & Luxor Temples, sailing to Esna

Day 9 (Monday) Visit the Temple of Horus in Edfu, cruising the Nile, Visit the temple of Kom Ombo

Day 10 (Tuesday) Visit the temple of Philae, the High Dam & the Unfinished Obelisk

Day 11 (Wednesday) Check out Nile Cruise. (Optional visit Abu Simbel), afternoon fly Aswan-Cairo

Day 12 (Thursday) Final Depart. Flight departure  from Cairo after midnight

Day 1 (Sunday) Fly Los Angeles-Cairo
Departure from Los Angeles Intl. Airport (LAX). Departure from other main cities is available upon request.

Day 2 (Monday) Arrive in Cairo

Arrive in the Land of the Pharaohs at Cairo International airport. After luggage pick up and customs clearance, an Atlantis Tours representative will welcome and escort you to your hotel by the great pyramids.

Overnight: Hotel Sofitel Nile Cairo El Gezirah

Day 2 (Tuesday) The Great Pyramids & Sfinx of Giza and the Great Egyptian Museum
We dedicate this day to visit the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx.  The pyramids of Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure are commonly called the Giza Pyramids.  They were built approx. 2700-2400 BC.  We will enter one of the pyramids before stopping at the view plateau for photos.  The tour of the Pyramids ends with the mysterious "Sphinx", which gives a beautiful view of the three pyramids in the background.

After lunch we continue to the Egyptian Museum to explore more ancient artifacts. The oldest dates back to 3000 BC. Our tour guide will inform us about the most famous pieces.

​Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hotel Sofitel Nile Cairo El Gezirah

Day 3 (Wednesday) Old Cairo, Mummy Museum, Mohamed Aly Mosque, & Khan el Khalili bazars
Today we will visit Old Cairo, where the first capital Al Fustat was founded in 641. Here we can find the Hanging Church. The Hanging Church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and contains sanctuaries to her and Saints John the Baptist. It is also referred to as the Suspended Church or Al-Moallaqa. It is called the Hanging Church because it was built on the southern gate of the Roman Fortress. Logs of palm trees and layers of stones were constructed above the ruins of the Roman fortress to be used as a fundament. 

The Hanging Church is a unique church and has a wooden roof in the shape of Noah’s ark. From the 7th century to the 13th century, the Hanging Church served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch. Al-Moallaqa has witnessed important elections and religious ceremonies. The Church as we see it today was probably built during the patriarchate of Isaac (690–692).

In the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), we can find the cave where the Holy Family was living for three months.

Close by (1,5 mile) we find the NMEC museum. Here we will find 28 royal mummies from the necropolis of Luxor.

We will continue to the Citadel of Salah el Din from 1198, and visit the mosque of Mohamed Ali. The mosque was built on the site of old Mamluk buildings in Cairo's Citadel between 1830 and 1848, although not completed until the reign of Said Pasha in 1857. The architect was Yusuf Bushnak from Istanbul and its model was the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in that city.

We end our day visiting the famous bazaars of Khan el Khalili. This is the largest old market in the Middle East, lasting from the 1600th century. In the tiny alleyways, there are hundreds of shops and booths where you can watch blacksmiths work precious metals. Also be on the lookout for leather goods and woodwork inlaid with camel bone and mother-of-pearl. Bargaining is the norm here and a “must do”. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hotel Sofitel Nile Cairo El Gezirah

Day 4 (Thursday) Cairo of your choice
Day free at leisure or an optional tour to the pyramids from the Old Kingdom; Saqqara and Dashur.

Day 5 (Friday) Fly Cairo-Luxor, Luxor sightseeing

Transfer to Cairo Airport for flight to Luxor. Upon arrival to Luxor, transfer to the Sonesta hotel. Afternoon visit to the majestic Temple of Karnak - the largest temple complex in Egypt, built over a period of 2,000 years.  Around thirty pharaohs contributed to the buildings.  Walking through the Hypostyle Hall is breathtaking.  The 134 columns are 70 feet high and formed as papyrus stalks.

The tour continues to the much smaller Luxor Temple, built by Pharaoh Amenophis 3rd.  This beautiful temple will definitely amaze you with beautiful architecture, engineering, and masonry designs.    Pharaoh Ramses the 2nd added rooms and walls to the temple with a quite different relief carving than his ancestor.

Ancient Thebes was a center of festivals, and the Temple of Luxor was the setting for the most important festival of Opet, designed to merge the ruler's human and divine aspects. 

Day 6 (Saturday) Nile Cruise, Luxor sightseeing

Check out of hotel.

This morning we drive to the "City of the dead" - situated on the west side of the Nile and contains numerous tombs.  We will visit The Valley of the Kings, the burial ground of the pharaohs, which sure is one of the highlights of the tour.

The guide will lecture us about the history of each tomb from outside before we enter the impressive splendor of ancient architecture you can imagine.  The long corridors have impressive reliefs and beautiful natural colors that have remained for over 3,500 years. We have three tombs included in the general entrance ticket, and we have included the entrance to the tomb of Tut Ankh Amon. King Tut died at age 18, and his tomb was found in 1922 by the British Archeologist Howard Carter. It is the only tomb that was found intact.

There will be a brief stop at a local stonemason making souvenirs such as small statues, vases, and several other items that may be of interest to you.  Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is another impressive architectural carved structure.  In this temple, the world's first documentary is depicted on the walls, picturing the expedition to the other side of the Red Sea.  This is also considered the world's first foreign relationship between two countries. We will also make a stop by the Colossi of Memnon and learn about the mythology and history of these two iconic statues. 

​Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Overnight:  Nile Cruise

Day 7 (Sunday) Sailing Luxor-Edfu

Morning free for leisure. The boat will sail at lunch time. Enjoy the Nile and the breeze on sundeck. The boat will pass the Esna Lock.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Day 8 (Monday) Sailing Edfu-Kom Ombo-Aswan
Visit to the temple of Horus in Edfu.  The Edfu Temple is the best preserved of Egypt's temples and the second-largest, right after Karnak.  We have a great deal of information about its construction since Edfu is very young – "only" 2200 years!  It was believed that the temple was built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth.  Here we can see the battle between Horus and Seth on temple walls, as well as fantastic festivals.  The world's first library was found here.

After approx. three hours sailing to the town of Kom Ombo, known for sugar production.  Within a few meters walking from the docking, we find the only remaining double temple dedicated to the two gods, Sobek & Haroeries.  The temple is small but lovely and has a story to tell.  This temple served as a hospital in ancient Egypt and is famous for using medical instruments and calendars.  The actual temple was started by Ptolemy VI, Philometor, in the early second century BC, and Augustus built the outer enclosure walls sometime after 30 BC. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Day 9 (Tuesday) Abu Simbel Excursion

 Excursion to maybe the most incredible temples. Situated by Lake Nasser, the sight of the temples of Pharaoh Ramses 2nd and his wife Queen Nefertari is an unimaginable experience. The temples are carved right out of the mountains and were moved by UNESCO to save them from flooding. Inside we find colors in unimaginably good condition of Ramses showing all his achievements. Giant statues of the Pharaoh are guarding the entrance.

We will enjoy a lovely afternoon in Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Day 10 (Wednesday) Aswan Sightseeing, Fly Aswan-Cairo
Check out the cruise. Today we will see the Aswan High Dam, which produces electricity for all of Egypt as well as for export.  It opened in 1972 and held back the artificial Lake Nasser, which used to flood hundreds of temples and forced over 100,000 Nubians to move from their homes.  The unfinished obelisk shows us how the ancient Egyptians cut massive pillars out of the mountain.

A motorboat will take us on a short, but a lovely ride to the Temple of Goddess Isis. This temple is perhaps the most beautiful in Egypt because of its incredible location between two dams.  The island of Agilika is reached by motorboat, a nice experience.  The temple represents three great civilizations: Egyptian, Greek, and Roman.  When Aswan High Dam was constructed in the 1960s, the temple was dismantled and reassembled on a neighbor island. We will also visit the unfinished obelisk. This is the only place we can see how the ancient Egyptians carved the huge obelisks out of the quarry. This one was left due to a crack.
Afternoon flight to Cairo.

Meals: Breakfast 

Overnight: Hotel

Day 11 (Thursday) Final Departure

The flight will depart Cairo Intl. Airport after midnight. Arrival Los Angeles same day.
Meals: Onboard flight

Overnight: Onboard flight

Cairo of Your Choice 

Choose between two full-day excursions today. 

​

1.    Saqqara & Dashur ($100 per person Incl. Lunch)

Saqqara is located around 20 miles south of Cairo. It is the richest archaeological site in Egypt. Recently archeologist has discovered tombs and numerous coffins with mummies. In the desert of Saqqara, we find the 4,700-year-old limestone pyramid of Pharaoh Zozer. It was constructed in the 3rd dynasty – approx. 2,670 BCE and is Egypt's oldest pyramid. 

In the same area, we will visit The Serapeum. This is the mausoleum of the god Apis. The Serapeum is a labyrinth underground with more than 20 sarcophagi for bulls. 

The Mastaba of Ti is a finely and detailed decorated tomb made for Ti. He was overseer of Abu Sir Pyramids and sun temples in the 5th dynasty. The mastaba of Ti was discovered by Auguste Mariette in 1865. The decorations include daily life, harvesting, and fishing.

The largest tomb complex in Saqqara is the tomb of Mereruka who was the vizier of King Teti 1 dating back to the 6th Dynasty (2323-2150 BCE) The tomb has magnificent wall paintings, a statue of Mereruka walking through a false door, and even a place of sacrifice. 

 Dashur is located close to Saqqara. It is mostly known for the two pyramids of Pharaoh Snefru, 4th Dynasty, built from 2613 to 2589 BCE. Snefru was the father of Pharaoh Keops, who build the great pyramid of Giza.

The Bent Pyramid is a unique example of early pyramid development in Egypt, from the mastaba. The Red Pyramid was the first “true” smooth-sided pyramid ever built, and one of the best-preserved pyramids in all of Egypt. We will stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

1.    Alexandria ($160 per person Incl. Lunch)

This is a day trip from Cairo by bus. We will be heading north towards the Mediterranean Sea. Approx. 2- 2,5 h driving from Cairo. On this tour, we will visit the Roman Amphitheater, The Roman Catacombs, the Pillar of Pompeii, and the new Library of Alexandrina. We will stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

 The Roman Amphitheater Alexandria was used for several purposes. It is used as an odium where musical shows performed during the Roman period. The theater, at the time, had all the elements to host a perfect performance. It was like the dome that once stood over the stage and the section of the orchestra. In the Byzantine era, it was used as a conference hall. It was where important meetings like public assemblies and governmental summits take place.

Pompey’s Pillar Alexandria was erected in honor of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, as a sign of gratitude. 

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is built on a magnificent site alongside Alexandria's ancient harbor in the historic center of the city. The 11-story library can contain up to 4 million volumes of books and can be expanded up to 8 million by the use of compact storage. The library is designed by the Norwegian company “Snøhetta”. It opened in 2003.

Basic Program Package Includes:

• Airfare Los Angeles-Cairo-Los Angeles in Economy Class including all taxes
• All transfers airport-hotel/cruise throughout the program
• Meet and assistance at the airports from our representatives in Egypt
• 4 nights hotel Sofitel Nile Cairo El Gezirah with breakfast in Cairo
• 1 night hotel Sonesta St. George with breakfast in Luxor
• 4 nights First Class Nile Cruise with full board (Luxor-Aswan) No beverage.
• All transfers and assistance provided in Egypt
• Domestic flight Cairo-Luxor, Aswan-Cairo
• Transportation Aswan-Abu Simble-Aswan
• Full day sightseeing in Cairo to Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids, lunch included
• Full day sightseeing in Cairo to Old Cairo, NMEC, Mohamed Ali Mosque & Khan el Khalili, lunch included
• Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Temple of Edfu, Temple of Kom Ombo,
  Temple of Philae, Aswan High Dam, and Temples of Abu Simble

Price Excludes:

• Travel Insurance (Atlantis Tours is selling Allianz Travel Protection. Please contact us for an offer. Please note that it is mandatory to carry proof of medical insurance when traveling abroad.)
• Beverages with meals. All types of beverages are not included while meals are served.
• Meals not mentioned in the program
• Personal items
• Laundry, telephone, and any room service at hotels
• Gratitude for tour guides, bus drivers, and cruise, all luggage porters at hotels, cruises and airports

Price: 

From $4,995 Per Person in Double Occupancy 

Additional $1,750 in Single Occupancy

A minimum of 2 persons is required to book the same tour on the same departure date.

Departure Dates in 2023:
June 25, August 20, September 24, October 1 & 22, November 12 & 26, December 3, 10 & 17.

Departure Dates in 2024:
January 14 & 28, February 11 & 25, March 10 & 24, April 7 & 21.

Mandatory Extras:

• Visa to Egypt: $25 per person
• Travel Insurance
• Drinks to lunches in Cairo
• Drinks to lunch and dinner on Nile Cruise
• Gratitude

Optional Extras:

• Tut Ankh Amon Tomb 
• Entrance Inside the Giza Pyramids
• Cairo of your choice tour