6-Day Heritage Tour of Cairo and Luxor with Pyramids and Karnak

• Meet your tour guide upon arrival at Luxor International Airport, where a representative will assist you with the arrival procedures and accompany you to the hotel. At the hotel, the tour manager will help with a smooth check-in and review your holiday itinerary with you to confirm the pick-up times for each tour.

Overnight in Luxor.

(Welcome drinks)

• Have breakfast and cross to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings. It was created and used from approximately 1539 BC to 1075 BC and contains around 60 tombs, beginning with Thutmose I and ending with Ramses X or XI. The site's official name was The Great and Majestic Necropolis of the Millions of Years of the Pharaoh, Life, Strength, Health in The West of Thebes, or the Great Field. Its most famous tomb is KV62, the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922, and it was the first royal tomb to be found still largely intact.
• Continue to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahary. This impressive temple was dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh. It rises from the desert in a series of terraces and blends with the sheer limestone cliffs surrounding it.
• Proceed to the two colossal statues of Amenhotep III. The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For 3,400 years, they have stood in the Theban necropolis across the River Nile from the city of Luxor. Their original function was to guard the entrance to Amenhotep's memorial, or mortuary, temple.
• You can book an evening trip to the fabulous sound and light show at El Karnak Temple (optional tour).

Overnight in Luxor.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch)

• Have breakfast and head out to explore Karnak Temple, the largest place of worship ever built. In ancient Egypt, the power of the god Amun of Thebes gradually increased during the early New Kingdom, and after the short persecution led by Akhenaten, it rose to its apex. During the reign of Ramesses III, more than two-thirds of the property owned by the temples belonged to Amun, as shown by the stupendous buildings at Karnak. Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders. The Temple of Karnak is actually made up of three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples located about three kilometres north of Luxor on 100 hectares (247 acres) of land. Karnak is the site's modern name; its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places."
• Continue to Luxor Temple. Amenhotep III built it during the 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom, and Ramesses II completed it during the 19th Dynasty. King Ramses II was the most famous king of the 19th Dynasty and ruled Egypt for about 67 years. The temple was dedicated to the great god Amun-Ra, his wife Mut, and their son Khonsu, representing the Theban triad. Enjoy visiting the Obelisk of Ramses II in front of the first pylon. It was called "Ipet resyt," the Southern Opet, or the Place of the Seclusion of Amun-Re. It was directly connected to the Temple of Karnak, the main cult center of Amun-Re or Amun-Min, the sky god or the ithyphallic fertility god. Since its inception, Luxor Temple has always been a sacred site. After Egypt's pagan period, a Christian church and monastery were located here, and later the 13th-century Mosque of Abu el-Haggag was built and continues to be used today.
• Transfer back to the hotel.

Overnight in Luxor.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch)

• Have breakfast and head to the Giza Plateau to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) - along with three small pyramids. Continue exploring the rest of the Giza Plateau, including Khafre's (Kaphren) pyramid, the pyramid of Khufu's son and the second-largest pyramid on the Giza site, the remains of the funerary temple, the pyramid of Menkaure (Mykerinus), and three small pyramids.
• Proceed to visit the Great Sphinx, the head of a pharaoh with a lion's body, dating from the time of Chephren.
• Visit the Valley Temple, which belongs to the pyramids of Chephren. This temple definitely served two functions: first, it was used for the purification of the king's mummy before burial; second, it was used for carrying out the king's mummification process. After visiting the pyramids, continue across the plateau for a photo opportunity of the three pyramids rising from the sands, with the Cairo skyline in the background. Have lunch at a local restaurant.
• See the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, commonly known as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo. It is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities dating back about 5,000 years of art and is considered the world's largest and most valuable collection of Egyptian art. More than 250,000 original artifacts are represented, with many on display and the rest in storage. The museum is filled with thousands of pharaonic artifacts, including the golden treasures of King Tutankhamun. Fascinating objects such as jewels, headdresses, alabaster vases, and toys from ancient Egypt are on display. Many priceless statues and other artifacts that were kept in his tomb for more than 3,500 years before their discovery in 1922, when the tomb was excavated, can also be seen here. It is one of the first stops on most people's itineraries when travelling to Egypt.
• Transfer to Memphis, founded by King Menes. It was the capital of Old Egypt during the Old Kingdom and was considered a center of rule and culture for over 3,000 years, as well as 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, and was revived under the Persians before falling firmly into second place after the foundation of Alexandria. Also see the 16-metre-high Statue of Ramses II.
• Transfer back to your hotel.
• You can join an evening trip to the fabulous sound and light show at the Pyramids, or go aboard a luxurious Nile cruise ship for dinner, belly dancing, and an oriental show for 2 hours (optional).

Overnight in Cairo.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch)

• Have breakfast and visit the following places:
  • The Citadel of Salah al-Din was built under the order of Saladin between 1176 and 1183 to protect the city from European attacks. Today, it is one of Cairo's main tourist attractions and offers privileged views of the city.
  • Mohamed Ali "Alabaster Mosque" is considered the largest mosque built at the beginning of the 19th century by the ruler of Egypt (1805-1849), who ruled the country for over 45 years. It was built in Turkish style.
  • Babylon Fortress, also known as the Wax Palace or Babylon Castle, is an ancient fortress located in Cairo. It is considered one of the largest fortresses of the Roman civilization in Egypt and one of the largest fortresses built by the empire. It also became the center around which the city of Fustat was built.
  • The Hanging Church was built in the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th century in Basilica style. It rises majestically above the ancient tower of the Fortress of Babylon. With an interior full of symbolism and icons, it has become one of the most visited monuments in Egypt's magnetic capital. With an essence that blends Roman, Egyptian, and Babylonian architecture, it is a place where legend and history seem to blur.
  • The Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus holds a special place among the other Coptic churches because it is linked to the path of the Holy Family during their escape from King Herod to the land of Egypt. The church is named after Saints Sergius and Bacchus, who were martyred in the region of Rusafa in Syria according to Christian belief.
  • Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, once called El-Shamieen Church, is now located behind the Hanging Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  • Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque is the very first mosque built in Egypt. See other important mosques and high places of worship for the Islamic faith in Cairo, and admire the remarkable architecture of Islamic Cairo.
  • Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, if time permits, is one of the most famous and oldest bazaars in the Middle East. The bazaar is loud, crowded, colourful, and exciting, full of all kinds of goods and shiny baubles. You can find the typical tourist trinkets here, but do not let them distract you from the genuinely fine shopping to be found here.
• Transfer to Cairo Airport to reach Luxor.

Overnight in Luxor.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch)

• Have breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your onward destination.

(Meal: breakfast)