Day 01
Giza Pyramids, Saqqara Step Pyramid, and Ancient Memphis
- Our tour representative will pick you up from your hotel in Cairo to begin one of our Cairo and Giza tours.
- Transfer to discover one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), along with the three small pyramids.
- You will continue to explore the rest of the Giza Plateau, including the sight of Khafre's (Chephren's) Pyramid, the second-largest pyramid on the Giza site.
- See the remains of the funerary temple, the Pyramid of Menkaure (Mykerinus), and three small pyramids.
- Then proceed to visit the Great Sphinx, the head of a pharaoh with a lion's body, which dates from the time of Chephren, and visit the Valley Temple, which belongs to the pyramids of Chephren.
- This temple served two functions. First, it was used to purify the mummy of the king before burial. Second, it was used for the mummification process of the king. After visiting the pyramids, you will continue across the plateau for a photo opportunity of the three pyramids rising from the sands.
- Move on to visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser, the world's oldest major stone structure. It was built in the 3rd Dynasty, around 2630 BC, for King Djoser. The famous Step Pyramid of Sakkara is considered the first large-scale carved stone structure in the world. As its name suggests, it is a series of six levels of stone that decrease in size until they reach a height of 62 meters (200 feet). This structure predates the later pyramids and is vital to archaeologists' understanding of the development of pyramid construction. You will also visit the Imhotep Museum, the tomb of a high official, the Pyramid of King Titi, the Pyramid of King Unas, and the Nobles' Tombs.
- After that, transfer to Memphis, which was founded by King Menes and was the capital of Old Egypt. It was considered a center of rule and culture for over 3,000 years and was the first capital of Egypt. The city reached a peak of prestige under the 6th Dynasty as a center for the worship of Ptah, the god of creation and artworks. The alabaster sphinx that guards the Temple of Ptah serves as a memorial to the city's former power and prestige. The Memphis triad, consisting of the creator god Ptah, his consort Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem, formed the main focus of worship in the city. Memphis declined briefly after the 18th Dynasty with the rise of Thebes and the New Kingdom. It was revived under the Persians before falling firmly into second place following the foundation of Alexandria. See the 16-meter-high Statue of Ramses II and the alabaster sphinx. You will then be transferred back to your hotel or airport.
