Red Sea & Ancient Egypt Historical Tour

Arrive in Egypt. We will collect you from your plane and get you right through the airport and transported to your 5-star hotel.

Overnight Cairo

Today, we will visit the last remaining ancient wonder of the World: the Great Pyramids at Giza. Take your time to appreciate the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The northernmost and oldest pyramid of the group was built for King Khufu. Called the Great Pyramid, it is the largest of the three. The middle pyramid was built for King Khafre, and the southernmost and last pyramid to be built was that of Menkaure.

The largest of the three pyramids is truly an astonishing work of engineering. It was built over a twenty-year period. The sides are oriented to the four cardinal points of the compass, and it was built using around 2,300,000 limestone blocks, each weighing an average of 2.5 tons. For centuries, the Great Pyramid was encased in smooth limestone, but this was plundered to build Cairo.

The Great Sphinx is part of Khafre’s pyramid complex. It represents Ra-Harakhte, the sun god, as he rises in the east at dawn, but the face of the Sphinx is a portrait of Khafre himself. It was carved from an outcropping of limestone left after quarrying the stone for his father’s pyramid. Unfortunately, the great sphinx has deteriorated over the millennia and was extensively renovated in ancient times. More recently it was mutilated by the Sultan Mohammed an-Nasir in AD 1300; and lost its nose in 1798, when Napoleon’s soldiers used it for target practice.

There are several options to see the Pyramids and Sphinx in the way that suits you best–if you feel more adventurous you can try a horse or a camel, or if you prefer a more relaxed mode of transport, you can take a horse-drawn carriage.

Overnight Cairo

No visit to Egypt is complete without seeing the astonishing collections in the Egyptian Museum. Don’t miss the King Tutankhamun exhibition or the incredible artefacts of King Akhenaten — the heretic pharaoh who created his own religion.

After lunch at Studio Masr in Al Azhar Park — where you will have a fantastic view of the Mohamed Ali Mosque and the Citadel — we’ll head to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, the home of the 22 mummies moved in the Golden Parade, as well as many other wonderful artefacts from Ancient Egypt and other periods in the history of this incredible country. You will see many artefacts from Ancient Egyptian life including agriculture, writing, fashion, and makeup as well as fascinating items from Coptic and Islamic Egypt.

This morning, we leave Cairo and fly to Aswan. On arrival, we will visit these ancient sites:

The Unfinished Obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk; its creation was ordered by Hatshepsut and is nearly one–third larger than any Ancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. The obelisk’s creators began to carve it directly out of bedrock, but cracks appeared in the granite and the project was abandoned. The bottom side of the obelisk is still attached to the bedrock.

A short boat ride will take us to Philae Temple, built to honour the goddess Isis; this was the last temple built in the classical Egyptian style. Construction began around 690 BC, and it was one of the last outposts where the goddess was worshipped.

Visit Aswan High Dam — Egypt’s modern example of construction on a monumental scale. See for yourself the controversial Aswan High Dam and also Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest artificial lakes.

Board 5-star cruise ship

During our three-day cruise, we will visit Kom Ombo and Edfu. Alternatively, relax on the ship and watch the world go by…

Built to overlook the Nile, the dual design of Kom Ombo Temple is dedicated to Sobek and Horus and is perfectly symmetrical along its main axis. It is one of the more unusual temples in Egypt. Due to the conflict between Sobek and Horus, the ancient Egyptians felt it necessary to separate their temple spaces within one temple. The Kom Ombo temple has two entrances, two courts, two colonnades, two Hypostyle halls and two sanctuaries, one side for each god.

The Temple of Edfu is the second largest temple in Egypt. It is also known as the Temple of Horus (the falcon-headed God) and it is the most beautiful and well-preserved of all the Egyptian temples.

Cruise itinerary may vary due to sailing times.

Today we arrive in the ancient city of Luxor and disembark the cruise. We visit Luxor and Karnak Temples.

Karnak is an extraordinary complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons, and obelisks dedicated to the Theban triad but also to the greater glory of pharaohs. The site covers more than 2 sq km; it’s large enough to contain about 10 cathedrals. At its heart is the Temple of Amun, the earthly ‘home’ of the local god. Built, added to, dismantled, restored, enlarged, and decorated over nearly 1500 years, Karnak was the most important place of worship in Egypt during the New Kingdom.

Luxor Temple was built by Amenhotep but completed by Tutankhamun and Horemheb, and then added to by Rameses II. The temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to the present day. During the Christian era, the temple’s hypostyle hall was converted into a Christian church, and the remains of another Coptic church can be seen to the west.

Only recently opened to the public, the Avenue of Sphinxes or The King’s Festivities Road, also known as Rams Road 2.7 km long avenue which connects Karnak Temple with Luxor Temple. It was uncovered in the ancient city of Thebes (modern Luxor), with sphinxes and ram-headed statues lined up on both flanks.

Overnight Luxor

This morning, you will visit the Valley of the Kings (and Queens) and the Temple of Hatshepsut.

During Egypt’s New Kingdom, the Valley of the Kings became a royal burial ground for pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramses II, as well as queens, high priests, and other elites of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. Discovered by Howard Carter in an excavation expedition in 1922, one of the most important tombs found in the Valley of the Kings is the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun and all his treasures.

The Temple of Hatshepsut is considered to be a masterpiece of ancient architecture. Take time to wander around this most astonishing of temples and remember the enigmatic and powerful woman who built it.

You will then be driven in a luxurious, air-conditioned vehicle to El Quseir on the Red Sea.

Overnight El Quseir

Time to relax in your 5-star resort in El Quseir. Optional tours and activities are available; your host will be happy to discuss.

Overnight El Quseir

Continue relaxing in your 5-star resort in El Quseir. Optional tours and activities are available; your host will be happy to discuss.

El Quesir is a fishing town 100 km north of Marsa Alam on the Red Sea Coast of eastern Egypt. El Quesir is one of the few cities on the Red Sea with some sort of history. It was a crucial harbour for goods from the far east (silk, spices) which got transported with caravans to the Nile. On the way back the caravans brought pilgrims and wheat to ship them to the Arabian peninsula.

Today the city of around 18,000 people is surrounded by coral reefed beaches, and hotels. This is probably the early stages of this coast becoming another Sharm. It still retains its charm with the locals, and the hotels are impeccable.

Overnight El Quseir

This marks the end of our Red Sea & Ancient Egypt Historical Tour. If you are leaving Egypt, we will take you to Hurghada Airport where you can catch a flight back to Cairo, or depart internationally from Hurghada. But why not extend your holiday in this remarkable country? See our Multi-day Tours in Egypt for more options.