M8: Egypt, The Land of History & Culture! (Group) · FULL-DAY TOUR: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Egypt Museum (with lunch) After a short briefing, head off on a full day of exploring ancient

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M8: Egypt, The Land of History & Culture! (Group)

Journey through Egypt and explore an ancient world of wonders on the banks of the Nile River!

Take in the iconic sight of the Giza Pyramids - one of the greatest wonders of the world. See some of Egypt's most significant artefacts and treasures at the Egyptian Museum.

Discover the amazing cave churches near to 'Garbage City' in Cairo. Explore the magnificent twin temples of Ramses II and his queen, Nefertari, at Abu Simbel.

A cruise down the Nile on a luxury boat and experience the ancient temples and tombs of Egypt! A South African tour assistant accompanies the group.

VALID FOR TRAVEL:

17 – 25 September 2021 YOUR TOUR IN DETAIL…

DAY 0: Fri 17 Sep ‘21 Johannesburg

Check-in at the Egypt Air counter, 3 hours before the scheduled departure time for your flight to Egypt. The package includes return economy airfare with Egypt Air from Johannesburg to Cairo Airport (departing at 21h45, arriving the next morning at 05h45).

DAY 1: Sat: 18 Sep ‘21

Johannesburg / Cairo Airport / Cairo Half-Day Tour: The Cave Churches

At Cairo Airport, our representative will assist you in completing all of your passport control formalities and in collecting your luggage before your transfer to your hotel in Cairo city. On arrival at the hotel, we will enjoy breakfast with the rest of the morning at leisure. In the afternoon we will visit the Cave Churches in Mokattam. It is built in the Mokattam Mountain, and a short drive through the so-called "Garbage City' (a large population of garbage collectors live here). There are seven cave churches carved into the nearby Moqattam Mountain. Inside the spacious caverns, beautiful engravings cover the walls, each representing stories from the Bible. If you are looking for a unique experience while in Cairo, this tour is among the best we offer for those who prefer to explore hidden treasures. You are finishing your tour with a drop-off at your hotel late afternoon. Overnight at Ramses Hilton (Nile View River room) with breakfast & dinner included.




DAY 2: Sun: 19 Sep ‘21

Cairo FULL-DAY TOUR: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Egypt Museum (with lunch)

After a short briefing, head off on a full day of exploring ancient sites in Cairo. The First stop is at the Pyramids of Giza - undoubtedly one of the best highlights to visit in Cairo. Home to the Great Pyramids of Khufu, Kafre and Menkaure and the Sphinx - carved from a single block of limestone, the half-human, half-lion statue stands guard over the pyramids. Your experience will be enhanced by your guide who will provide a fascinating insight into the history of this magical site, which was erected nearly 5,000 years ago from millions of blocks of limestone. We visit the solar boat (Khufu ship) at Giza, an intact full-size vessel from Ancient Egypt. These massive ships were made out of cedarwood. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant (included) before our adventure continues to the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's most significant collections of ancient artefacts. Overnight at Ramses Hilton (Nile View River room) with breakfast & dinner included. DAY 3: Mon 20 Sep ‘21

Cairo / Aswan Flight

Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight with Egypt Air to Aswan Airport (departing at 06h35, arriving at 07h55). Meet and greet upon arrival with a transfer to your hotel in Aswan where we’ll enjoy breakfast (included). Enjoy the morning at your leisure while admiring the sweeping views over the Nile from our hotel. During the afternoon we enjoy a relaxing sailboat ride along the Nile River on a felucca (a typical Egyptian sailboat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. We end our day with a highly recommend visit to the local spice market. It is a truly local experience where you can buy aromatic spice, traditional galebeyas (robes) and fabrics, silverware and treasures of all kinds. Overnight at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan (Nile View room) with dinner & breakfast included. DAY 4: Tue 21 Sep ‘21

Aswan / Abu Simbel / Aswan Driving time: 3 hours

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart to Abu Simbel to experience one of the most magnificent monuments of Egypt. A UNESCO-designated site which was dismantled and rebuilt, saving the 3,500-year-old temples from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Once we arrive at Abu Simbel, we’ll enjoy a tour of the temples, accompanied by a local guide, telling us the fascinating history of the complex. Four colossal figures are hewn from solid rock guard the massive 31-meter-high facade of the temple. Seated on thrones, they are 20 metres high and measure more than 4 metres from ear to ear, representing Ramses II. Enjoy lunch at Abu Simbel before we return to Aswan to embark onto our cruise boat that will be our home for the next 4 nights of our journey. Overnight on board of the Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser (cabin) with lunch, dinner & breakfast included. DAY 5: Wed 22 Sep ‘21

Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu Nile Cruise

Breakfast will be served on board before exploring some of Aswan’s most prominent sites. Visit the High Dam, a dam built across the Nile River in 1970, and the Granite Quarries to see the unfinished obelisk which was supposed to be the tallest and the largest obelisk ever erected in Ancient Egypt (42m in length and weighing nearly 1100 tons). Continue the tour to Temple of Isis on Philae Island. Dedicated to Isis this temple was moved to its current location on Agilkia Island after the High Dam's completion. To reach the island, travel on small local boats to explore the various halls and temples. Philae was one of the last pagan temples to operate after the advent of Christianity in Egypt, and in some places, you can see where




crosses were etched into walls and where the gods' images were defaced. After lunch, we begin to sail along the Nile, arriving at the Kom Ombo Temple in the late afternoon. This temple, unlike many others in Egypt, was dedicated to two gods; the Southern section is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god, and the Northern part to the falcon-headed god Horus. The temple also has a nilometer, used to monitor the height of the Nile River and to bring fresh water to the temple. Next to the temple is the Crocodile Museum, where you can see the mummies of crocodiles that were discovered around the temple (it is estimated that 300 crocodile mummies were found in this area). There is a local market where you can haggle for bargains. After we visited the temple, we'll continue sailing towards Edfu, where we'll drop anchor and spend the night. Overnight on board of the Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser (cabin) with lunch, dinner & breakfast included. DAY 6: Thu: 23 Sep ‘21

Edfu / Esna Lock / Luxor Nile Cruise

We continue our journey along the Nile and visit the Temple Of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Built-in the time of Cleopatra about 2,000 years ago, it is recent by Egyptian standards and beautifully preserved. Enter through the massive gateways of the temple, guarded by colossal granite statues of Horus, and explore the halls and chambers of this colossal ode to the gods. The cruise will then continue towards Esna, where we'll cross the famous Esna Lock. The lock is designed to work at an elevation difference of 8 meters, and It takes 5 to 7 minutes to fill, empty the lock. We enjoy lunch on the boat while enjoying the unique landscape of the great Nile River as we sail to Luxor. Overnight on board of the Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser (cabin) with lunch, dinner & breakfast included.

DAY 7: Fri 24 Sep ‘21

Luxor / Nile Cruise **OPTIONAL EXCURSION – Luxor Hot Air Ballooning **OPTIONAL - Tutankhamun grave – Valley of the Kings

The town of Luxor lies on the site of Thebes, the capital of Ancient Egypt, and has the highest concentration of temples and tombs in the world. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on board before we are heading off to the West Bank of Luxor for an incredible journey back into ancient Egyptian history or kick-off your day with an early morning balloon ride (for your account). Our tour of the West Bank begins with a visit at the Valley of the Kings, where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. Also, visit the Valley of the Queens, where a large number of royal women were buried. From here, we visit the impressive Temple of Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt's only female Pharaoh) that merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it. Afterwards, there is a stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two 17-metre-high stone statues, before we return to the boat for lunch. Our first stop for the afternoon is the Temple of Luxor, one of the best-preserved temples of all of the ancient monuments with large amounts of the structure, sculptures and relief carvings still intact, making it one of the most impressive visits in the Luxor area and all of Egypt. We also visit the Temple of Karnak, a vast open-air museum which was built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great "Hypostyle Hall" is an incredible forest of giant pillars. The hall covers an area of 5,000 sq meters and filled with 134 gigantic stone columns with 12 larger columns standing 24m high, lining the central aisle. The Karnak & Luxor temples are separated from each other by the Avenue of Sphynxes, a three-kilometre long road lined with the sphynxes as mentioned above. Overnight on board of the Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruiser (cabin) with lunch, dinner & breakfast included.




DAY 8: Sat: 25 Sep ‘21

Luxor / Cairo / Johannesburg Flights **OPTIONAL CAIRO EXCURSION – Half-day Khan El-Khalili Bazaar: **OPTIONAL CAIRO EXCURSION – Half Day Coptic Cairo: **OPTIONAL CAIRO EXCURSION – Half Day Sakkara & Memphis:

After enjoying a delicious breakfast on board, disembark. Transfer to the airport for your flight with Egypt Air from Luxor to Cairo Airport (departing at 10h40, arriving at 11h50). Meet and greet upon arrival with a transfer to the Novotel Airport Hotel where we’ll use a dayroom for a few hours while waiting for our evening flight. Enjoy time at leisure or book one of our recommend tour and discover more of what Cairo offers (for your account). We end our tour with a special farewell dinner, followed by a transfer to Cairo Airport for your onward for your flight home (departing at 23h10 Egypt time, arriving at 07h10 South African time). OR extend your trip with a memorable optional extension to Alexandria, the Red Sea or Jordan (Petra). End of service. COST OVERVIEW…

Request a quote from our Safari Specialists for the most current rates and availability on our group departures. INCLUDED: EXCLUDED: • Return economy airfare with Egypt Air from

Johannesburg to Cairo Airport o Including airport taxes

• Domestic flights with Egypt Air: o Cairo to Aswan o Luxor to Cairo

§ Including airport taxes • Airport meet-and-assist services upon arrival

and departure • Private transfers throughout the tour with air-

conditioned vehicles • 2 Nights in Cairo at the Hilton Ramses

o Including: Dinner & breakfast • Cairo sightseeing:

o Half-day tour of the Cave Churches in Mokattam

o Full day tour to the Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza and the Egyptian Museum

• 1 Night in Aswan at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract

o Including: Dinner & breakfast • Sightseeing:

o Excursion to Abu Simbel with lunch • 4 Nights on the Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile

Cruiser

• Entry visa to Egypt • Travel Insurance (Highly recommended) • Meals & drinks not specified • Sightseeing not specified • Laundry services • All expenses of personal nature • Optional activities not included in the itinerary • Balloon safari in Luxor • The following tipping is not included: Room

cleaners / Bellhops taking your luggage to/from your room.




o Including: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner

o Sightseeing included during the Nile Cruise as per the itinerary

o Onboard evening entertainment • Dayroom in Cairo at the Novotel Airport Hotel

o Including lunch • Farewell dinner in Cairo last evening • ALL sightseeing tours include:

o Transfers in a vehicle with air-conditioning

o Services of a local Egyptologist guide o Entry fees to all mentioned sites o Lunch (as mentioned in itinerary) in a

good quality local restaurant o Bottle of mineral water on board the

vehicle during day tours. • All tipping and gratuities to your guides, boat

& hotel/cruise staff, drivers & luggage handlers

• Travel information pack

PLEASE NOTE: • All prices are subject to change due to the rate of exchange fluctuation or any unexpected price

increase. • Price quoted is per person. • Term & Conditions apply.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMMODATION:

Ramses Hilton Rating: 5 Star

Overlooking the Nile River and just a 5-minute walk from the Cairo Museum, the Ramses Hilton boasts an elevated pool terrace heated in the winter, an on-site casino and gym. Guest rooms feature balconies offering the Nile or panoramic city views. Total rooms: 817 rooms




Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Rating: 5 Star

Rising grandly from a pink granite shelf at the edge of the Nubian Desert with views of Elephantine Island, this stylish property blends Pharaonic treasures with French art. Travel back in time to a more elegant era, as you enter a world of Moorish domes, Byzantine arches and exquisite Persian carpets. Under crimson chandeliers, you immerse yourself in a rich mélange of French and Arabian styles. Total: 138 rooms & suites

Sonesta Moon Goddess Rating: 5 Star Deluxe

Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise Ship offers luxurious cabins with sliding glass doors opening to private balconies. The Sonesta Moon Goddess is known as one of the best Nile cruise ships, and a variety of specialised services and facilities are available onboard. Total cabins: 49 Standard Cabins – with sliding glass doors opening to private balconies 4 Presidential Suites – with private lounges

Extend Your Stay!!

The perfect extension on any Egypt tour is to visit the Red Sea. Visit Sharm El Sheikh with its pristine

beaches, clear and calm blue waters, amazing coral gardens and shipwrecks – a superb snorkelling and diving destination.

OR keep on travelling back in time and visit Jordan, a not-to-be-missed destination. Float in the salt-drenched Dead Sea and discover the world’s greatest treasures – the lost city of Petra! An awe-inspiring experience and one that has to be seen to be believed! Explore the “Valley of the Moon” – Wadu Rum

which is home to some of the most stunning desert landscapes on earth. OR visit Alexandria, also known as the ‘Pearl of the Mediterranean’ with its mix of history and modernity.




We Can Also Send You A Tailor-Made Quotation Similar To The Above Itinerary!

You can use this itinerary as it is, or you can customise it in any way you desire (based on your taste, budget, people travelling, interests and more). You can use this itinerary for inspirational ideas of what is possible on an Egypt tour, then make an enquiry allowing us to tailor-make your ultimate holiday journey.

Prices on tailor-made safaris depend on the number of people travelling, the time of travel, preferred

accommodation standards and seasonal prices.

“eXplore Africa… our playground!”

Documents

M8: Egypt, The Land of History & Culture! (Group) · FULL-DAY TOUR: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Egypt Museum (with lunch) After a short briefing, head off on a full day of exploring ancient