Your first stop is Dahshur which has only recently been opened to the public and is not as developed commercially as Giza, still maintaining a certain peace and tranquility to the site. Continue on to the 14 pyramids of the Sakkara necropolis including one of the world’s oldest stone structures and step Pyramid of King Zoser. Lunch at the Panorama Restaurant with its amazing views over the pyramids and then see the Sphinx and the 4,500-year-old Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus. MENA HOUSE.

Begin your day at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) which displays a collection of 50,000 artifacts, presenting Egyptian Civilization from prehistoric times to the present day. Then, visit the Citadel, the nerve center of Egypt for almost 700 years, with the impressive Mosque of Sultan Hassan. Next comes Coptic Cairo, and the 4th Century Suspended Church of the Virgin Mary; see Ben Ezra, Egypt’s oldest synagogue purported site of Moses’ rescue from the bulls, Coptic monasteries and the Coptic Museum. MENA HOUSE.

Fly to Abu Simbel to discover two of the most tremendous monuments of the ancient world at over 100 feet high and guarded by colossal stone figures of Ramses II. The entire monument was cut into 2,000 pieces and moved to its present site when the Aswan High Dam was constructed, a feat almost as amazing as its original construction. Enjoy the enchanting temples at night, during the Sound & Light show. SETI I HOTEL.

Enjoy breakfast as you view the monuments at sunrise by boat, for a most amazing experience as the sun paints them in a golden-red light. Then, fly to Aswan and board your cruise in time for lunch. This afternoon, discover the traditions of the Nubian people as you visit one of their villages and interact with a Nubian family, and visit the island of Agilkia to see the complex at Philae with its third century B.C. Temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. M/S SONESTA ST. GEORGE or similar.

Arrive at the unique third-century Kom Ombo double temple, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and to Horus, which features beautiful stone reliefs, murals, and a dramatic view of the Nile, for an early morning visit. After lunch, take a horse and carriage ride to visit one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, the Horus Temple in Edfu, built by Ptolemy II, which honors the falcon-headed god. M/S SONESTA ST. GEORGE or similar.

Arrive Luxor and after breakfast, visit Luxor’s West Bank to explore the ancient city of Thebes. Stand in awe at the necropolis of pharaohs and nobility as you are greeted by the Colossi of Memnon: two giant seated statues of Amenophis III. Visit three unique tombs on your tour of the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs of the New Kingdom were interred. Continue to the Valley of the Queens and Nobles and the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, called Set Neferu, meaning “seat of beauty” by the ancients. This afternoon, explore the Luxor Temple, and the extraordinary Karnak Temple, a complex of obelisks, pylons, courts, colonnades, halls, reliefs and sanctuaries once connected to Luxor Temple by a two-mile path lined with sphinxes. M/S SONESTA ST. GEORGE or similar.

Fly back to Cairo and drive to Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great. An important center of learning in the ancient world, it was home to the Biblioteca Alexandria, the largest and most significant library in antiquity. The modern interpretation of the ancient library recalls the golden age of Alexandria. Next day, visit the National Museum with more than 1800 archaeological pieces that narrate the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and modern history of Egypt, including artefacts picked up from the seabed. See Pompey’s Pillar, erected in honor of the Emperor Diocletian, the Catacombs of Kom E-Shouqafa, tunneled into bedrock at the time of the Antonine emperors in the 2nd century AD, and the lovely El Montazah Gardens, a 114-acre complex which belonged to the family of Mohamed Ali, ruler of Egypt from the mid-19th century until 1952. Enjoy a farewell dinner. FOUR SEASONS SAN STEFANO.

Return to Cairo and visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archaeological museum complex in the world and host to more than 100,000 artifacts. For the first time ever, King Tut’s entire treasure collection of 5,000 items is on display. Wander the labyrinthine streets of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar for some fantastic bargains. Next morning, depart Cairo and bid farewell to Egypt eager to share memories and photos with family and friends. LE MERIDIEN CAIRO AIRPORT.

Experience the romance of the desert on a pre-adventure to Jordan. Traverse wildly unusual landscapes covered with pastel-hued sands, unique rock formations and the ruins of past civilizations. Explore the “White City” of Amman, imposing fortresses and castles and the pristine archaeological ruins at Jerash, the ‘Pompeii of the East’. At Petra, discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a Roman theater, burial chamber and one of the most elegant remains of antiquity, the Al Khazneh, hewn from solid rock in the 1st century B.C. Your unforgettable journey ends at a resort overlooking the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Cross the desert to the isolated Siwa Oasis, closest to Libya, stopping en route at El Alamein, the place where the Allied forces of WWII gained a decisive victory over the Axis forces. Then, via Marsa Matrouh, continue to Siwa for three nights at your charming eco hotel, made from local salt material. Your Bedouin guide will introduce you to the salt lakes, the Oracle Temple of Amun Ra visited by Alexander the Great, and the Mountain of the Dead. Swim in natural springs or in salt lakes, visit Oum el Saghear village deep in the desert whose inhabitants rarely see westerners, shop in the Siwa souq, and indulge in an exhilarating jeep safari with sunset tea on the dunes, and a sumptuous traditional meal in a Bedouin camp in the desert. An amazing adventure to a fascinating and seldom-visited part of Egypt.