6-Day Egypt Historical Tour from Luxor with Cairo and Giza

• Meet your tour guide after arriving at Luxor International Airport, where a representative will assist you with arrival procedures and take 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 establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour.

Enjoy welcome drinks.

Overnight in Cairo.

• Have breakfast on board 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. It contains some 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 more usually, the Great Field. The most famous tomb is KV62, the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922. Tutankhamun's tomb was the first royal tomb to be discovered that was still largely intact. Here, you will visit 3 tombs.
• Head to explore the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahary. Queen Hatshepsut was the first great woman in recorded history, the forerunner of such figures as Cleopatra, Catherine the Great, and Elizabeth I. The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is the focal point of the Deir el-Bahri complex of mortuary temples and tombs located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor. Hatshepsut was a female Pharaoh. This temple was built on three levels in the form of balconies, devoted primarily to the worship of the god Amun and to performing funeral rites for the queen known as El Deir El Bahary.
• Proceed to the two colossal statues of Amenhotep III. The Colossi of Memnon are the 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. The original function of the Colossi was to stand guard at the entrance to Amenhotep's memorial temple, or mortuary temple.
• 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. In the reign of Ramesses III, more than two-thirds of the property owned by the temples belonged to Amun, evidenced 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 three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples located about three kilometres north of Luxor, Egypt, situated on 100 ha (247 acres) of land. Karnak is actually the site's modern name. Its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning 'The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places'.
• Move to Luxor Temple. It was built by Amunhotep III in the 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom, and Ramesses II completed it during the 19th Dynasty. King Ramses II was the most famous king in the 19th Dynasty. He ruled Egypt for about 67 years. It 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 1st Pylon. It was called 'Ipet resyt', which means 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. The temple of Luxor has, since its inception, always been a sacred site. After Egypt's pagan period, a Christian church and monastery were located here, and after that, a mosque (13th-century Mosque of Abu el-Haggag) was built that continues to be used today.

Overnight in Train
(Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

• Have breakfast and head to Giza Plateau to visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), and 3 small pyramids. You will continue to explore the rest of the Giza Plateau, including the sight of Khafre's (Kaphren) pyramid, Khufu's son and the second-largest pyramid on the Giza site, the remains of the funeral temple, the pyramid of Mankawra (Mykerinus), and 3 small pyramids.
• Proceed to visit the Great Sphinx, the head of a pharaoh with a lion's body, which dates 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 mummy of the king before burial. Second, it was used for carrying out the mummification process of the king. After visiting the pyramids, you will continue across the plateau for a photo of the three pyramids rising from the sands, with the Cairo skyline in the background. Have your lunch at a local restaurant.
• Explore the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, commonly known as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt. It is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities dating back about 5,000 years of art. It is considered the world's largest and most valuable collection of Egyptian art. More than 250,000 original artifacts are presented, with a representative amount on display, while the rest are in storage. The Egyptian 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 all on display. Many priceless statues and 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 in the Egyptian Museum. It is one of the first stops on most people's itineraries when travelling to Egypt.
• Transfer to Memphis, which was founded by King Menes and was the capital of Old Egypt during the Old Kingdom. It was considered a center of rule and culture for over 3,000 years 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 memorialises 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 following the foundation of Alexandria. Also, see the Statue of Ramses II.
• Transfer back to your hotel for an overnight stay.

(Meals: breakfast, lunch)

• Optional evening activities:
  • You can book an evening trip to the fabulous sound and light show at the Pyramids.
  • Go aboard a luxurious Nile cruise ship for dinner, belly dancing, and an oriental show for 2 hours.

• Have breakfast in your hotel and explore the following places in Cairo:
• 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 the main tourist attractions of Cairo and offers privileged views of the city.
• Mohamed Ali 'Alabaster Mosque' is considered the largest mosque to be built at the beginning of the 19th century by the ruler of Egypt (1805-1849), who ruled Egypt for over 45 years. It is built in Turkish style.
• Babylon Fortress, known as the Wax Palace or Babylon Castle, is an ancient fortress located in the city of Cairo in Egypt. The fortress is considered one of the largest fortresses witnessed by the Roman civilization in Egypt and is one of the largest fortresses built by the empire, as well as the center on which the city of Fustat was built.
• Hanging Church was built in the 3rd and beginning of the 4th century in the Basilica style. The Hanging Church of Cairo rises majestically on 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 of the most magnetic city in Egypt. And no wonder, with an essence that mixes Roman, Egyptian, and Babylonian architecture, it has become a place where legend and history blur.
• The Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus has 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 name of the church is attributed to both Saints Sergius and Bacchus, who were martyred in the region of Rusafa in Syria, according to Christian belief.
• Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, called El-Shamieen Church, is now located behind the Hanging Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque was the very first mosque built in Egypt. Afterwards, transfer to important mosques and high places of worship for the Islamic faith in Cairo. With 80 percent of its population following Islam, see amazing architecture built here with the Islamic Cairo Tour. Appreciate the Islamic Cairo Tour with its artistic mosques built for worship.
• Khan ElKalili Bazar (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 the train station for your overnight sleeper train to Luxor and have dinner on the train.

Overnight on the train.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

• Have breakfast and transfer to your hotel for a free day.

Or

• Go for a Luxor day tour to visit the following places:
  • Dandara and Abydos Temples
  • Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
  • Aswan Tour
  • Luxor Museum and Mummification Museum
  • Luxor city tour by horse carriage
  • Luxor hot air balloon ride
  • Sound and light show at Karnak Temple
  • Ramesseum Temple, Habu Temple, and Nobles Valley

Overnights in Luxor.
(Meal: breakfast)

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

(Meal: breakfast)