CHAMPION | Cairo - Luxor - Aswan - Alexandria 08 days

CHAMPION | Cairo - Luxor - Aswan - Alexandria 08 days

Location

DAY 01: Arrival at Cairo airport, meet and assist then transfer to the hotel for overnight.

DAY 02: After breakfast drive to Memphis at the edge of the western desert, the capital of the ancient kingdom, and one of the most important monuments throughout the history of ancient Egypt, from here we drive to Sakkara the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. Visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser (3rd dynasty, 2668 BC – 2649 BC). Then visit the Pyramid of Unas, in the afternoon, drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 4th dynasty about 2690 BC,.One of the seven wonders of the ancient world .In front of the pyramid of Chephren, there stands the Sphinx a lion with a Pharaoh’s head thought to be a portrait of the pharaoh Chephren. Transfer back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

"Memphis, was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo. According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history.[1][2][3] It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-refer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion."

"Pyramid of Zosar, Pharaoh Zosar was the first king of the Third Dynasty. The serdab, on the northern face of the pyramid, contained his statue; this was the place of his "ka," which could see the offerings made to him. The original statue, now in the Cairo Museum, is thought to have recorded his exact features. This pyramid and the buildings comprising the funerary complex were designed by Imhotep, the first architect whose name is recorded. They were also the first major constructions in stone. Prior to this, sun-dried brick had been the usual building material. It is also the first tomb of monumental size. It was begun as a large mastaba, oriented to the points of the compass, but was enlarged twice to a final height of about 200 feet."

"Pyramids of Giza, There are no more famous ancient sites within Egypt or for that matter elsewhere in the world, than the Great Pyramids at Giza. They are, without question, the icon most associated with the Egypt. They have been both the main destination for tourists and a source of imaginative thought to the world for over three thousand years."

DAY 03: After Breakfast, visiting the Egyptian Museum, famous for its antiquities from Egypt’s Pharaonic period, dates back some 50 centuries, and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut Ankh-Amon. Afternoon excursion to Old Cairo, the old Coptic churches, and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Ben Ezra. Continue your visit to the Citadel of Salah El-Din and Mohamed Ali alabaster Mosque, followed by a visit to the medieval bazaars of Khan El Khalili, where you can bargain for your jewelry and hand –tooled leather items. Transfer to the rail station to get the sleeping train to Luxor.

"The Egyptian Museum, owes its existence to the Egyptian Antiquities Service, established by the Egyptian government in 1835 to limit the looting of Egypt's priceless artifacts. The museum opened in 1858 with a collection assembled by Auguste Mariette, the French archaeologist retained by Ismail Pasha. It was originally housed in an annex of the palace of Ismail Pasha in Giza, the museum moved to its present location in 1900."

"The citadel, was constructed by Salah El Din on the Moqattam hills in 1183 AD overlooking the whole city to be his defensive point against the attacks of the Crusaders. Salah El Din appointed to be the governor of Egypt after the death of the Sultan of Damascus, Noor-el-Din."

"The mosque, is situated in the Citadel of Cairo in Egypt and commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848. Situated on the summit of the citadel, this Ottoman mosque, the largest to be built in the first half of the 19th century, is, with its animated silhouette and twin minarets, the most visible mosque in Cairo. The mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816.

DAY 04: Arrival at Luxor then transfer to visit the stunning monuments of Luxor and Karnak, the greatest cities of Ancient Egypt.

"The Temple of Luxor, is among the most beautiful Temples in Egypt. It was known in the New Kingdom period as Ipt-Rsyt, which means the southern shrine. This was to differentiate between this Temple and Karnak Temple, which was the northern house of Amon Ra. Amenhotep III built Luxor Temple. The architect and overseer of the works of construction was the genius Amenhotep, son of Habu. The Temple run close and parallel to the river Nile from north to south. It was constructed on the site of a small Temple of Amon, built by kings of the 12th dynasty. At the time of Amenhotep III the Temple was only 190m in length and 55m in width. Basically, Luxor Temple was consecrated to Amon Ra in his fertility aspect."

"The Temple of Karnak, is the largest Temple in the World! The complex contains a group of Temples such as the Great Temple of Amon Ra, the Temple of Khonso, the Ipt Temple, the Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho and the Temple of the God Osiris. A 20m high, mud brick enclosure wall, surrounded all of these buildings."

DAY 05: Focus on west bank of the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and Deir ElBahari, Queen Hatshepsut’s monumental rock-cut temple. Stop for pictures at the two Clossi of Memnon guarding the valley. Transfer to the Luxor rail-way station to get the sleeping train to Cairo (1st class), dinner on board.

"The Valley of the Kings, was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs and is located on the west bank at Luxor. The only entrance to this place was a long narrow winding path. This was a secret place where sentries were placed at the entrance of the Valley as well as along the top of the hills in the hopes of discouraging tomb robbers, who had in the past plundered all royal tombs, including the treasures of the Pyramids. Some thefts were probably carefully planned, but others were spur of the moment, as when an earlier tomb was accidentally discovered while cutting a new one and workmen took advantage of the opportunity."

"Hatshepsut, was one of the most interesting female figures and most capable Pharohs of Egyptian history (1490-1468 BC), so our visit to her 3,500 year old mortual temple in the Valley of Kings (Thebes West) was in many respects a quite special experience."

DAY 06: Breakfast on board, Arrive at Giza rail-way station, then transfer to Alexandria, visiting Wadi Natrun, (100 km from Cairo), where laying 50 Monasteries dating back to the 5th century, only 4 Monasteries still remain and visited on day to day basis. The Monastery of St. Makar the Great with its huge buildings, the opulent appearance of the church’s interior is due to the Majesty of its treasury. Proceed to visit the Suriani Monastery with its three churches; the one of the Byzantine style is very distinguished. The Monastery of Amba Bishoy dates back to 390 A.C, with its 6 churches situated amongst fruitful gardens. As well as the Roman Monastery of Amba Baramus this was built and dedicated to the Virgin Marie. Proceed to Alexandria, short stop en route to visit the relics of St. Krolous (Patriarch), continue to Alexandria the pearl of the Mediterranean, and arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight.

DAY 07: Visit the New Bibliotheque of Alexandria, Greco-Roman Museum. Then continue to the Pompey’s huge red granite pillar and the intriguingly decorated Catacombs. Then proceed to Montazah Palace gardens. Return back to Cairo.

"Bibliotheque of Alexandria, Library of Alexandria was the largest and most significant great library of the ancient world. It flourished under the patronage of the Ptolemaic dynasty and functioned as a major center of scholarship from its construction in the 3rd century BC until the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC."

"The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, The Catacombs (meaning underground tunnels) lie in the district of Karmouz to the east of Alexandria. The area was called Kom El-Shouqafa or a pile of shards. The cemetery dates back to the 1st century A.D and was used until the 4th century A.D. It was discovered in 1900 when by pure chance, a donkey drawn cart fell into a pit, which led to the discovery. The Catacombs in Alexandria are so called because the design was very similar to the Christian Catacombs in Rome."

"Montazah Palace, The extensive Montaza Palace grounds first had the Salamlek Palace, built in 1892 by Khedive Abbas II, the last Muhammad Ali Dynasty ruler to hold the Khedive title over the Khedivate of Egypt and Sudan. It was used as a hunting lodge and residence for his companion. The larger Al-Haramlik Palace and royal gardens were added to the Montaza Palace grounds, being built by King Fuad I in 1932, as a summer palace. It is in a mixture of Turkish and Florentine styles, with has two towers, one rising distinctively high above with elaborated Italian Renaissance design details."

DAY 08: Transfer to Cairo international airport for final departure.