Short sightseeing break to Cairo, including the Pyramids, Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), City tour & Nile dinner cruise
Highlights
Visit the Pyramids, Sphinx & Saqqara, Grand Egyptian Musuem (GEM) with the famous King Tutankhamun display, city tour including the Citadel & Khan al Khalili bazaar, Nile dinner cruise
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Egypt & transfer to hotel
You arrive at Cairo airport where we greet and transfer you to your hotel. Our local rep. welcomes you, helps you settle into the hotel, and outlines the plan for the next few days.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel (upgrades available)
| EXTRAS: Extra day in Cairo - pre-tour, Single Room Supplement
Day 2: Visit the Pyramids, Sphinx & Saqqara
After breakfast we have a brief pre-tour briefing before we take you on a tour of Gisa and Saqqara. Gisa was built around 4600 years ago as a necropolis (cemetery) for the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). The successor of Sneferu, Khufu was known as a tyrant and in his arrogance decided to have built a tomb that was bigger and better than all others. Standing 500 feet high and 750 feet at its base the Pyramid of Khufu is an awesome man-made structure constructed of giant blocks of stone covered in a hard limestone casing. The casing has, over the years, been stripped away to leave exposed the inner block structure. Together with the smaller pyramids of Khafre (Chephern) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), the majestic sight of these enormous structures rising out of the desert is a breathtaking spectacle. Here you have the chance to climb inside one of the pyramids (there are a limited number of tickets available, so we cannot guarantee this). You have another guided tour around the sphinx and some free time to walk around and take photos.
From here we take you to Saqqara, which lies 25km to the south of Cairo. Djeser's (Zoser's) Step Pyramid (built 4700 years ago) dominates the skyline and is believed to have been the ancient Egyptians' first attempt at Pyramid building. The entire 7km stretch of desert at Saqqara is a treasure trove of pyramids, temples and tombs, which we will have plenty of time to explore, while we learn about the history of pyramid building in Egypt.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel
| MEALS: Breakfast
Day 3: Cairo city tour & dinner cruise
After breakfast we begin our tour of Cairo. Founded in 969 AD by Gohar, a Fatimid army leader, El Kahera (Cairo) soon became the capital of Egypt. Subsequent additions like the El Azhar mosque, the Islamic University, and defensive walls and a citadel, built by Saladin in 1179, have helped Cairo remain Egypt's principal city. The 16-year reign of Ismail (1830-1895) ushered in a new period of expansion and modernisation in Cairo. Areas like Heliopolis, Dokki and Roda were added, while gardens, Opera houses, large hotels and wide, tree lined avenues were built. Further post revolutionary, urban expansion has left Cairo as one of the world's largest cities. Today it is a bustling metropolis of over 20 million people, a strange mix of modern and old, a unique blend of diverse cultures and a gateway to Egypt's past.
Your tour includes a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) (which houses a vast collection of artefacts from Egypt's past, including the famous King Tutunkhamun display), the Citadel (a collection of mosques and palaces, with a great view over the city), and the Khan al Khalili bazaar (a mazy market that offers a window to the past and a guaranteed souvenir).
Finally, this evening we enjoy a dinner cruise on the River Nile. During the meal, there will be a display by local Sufi and belly dancers.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel
| MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to the airport for departure
Your tour ends today and your time is free until we transfer you back to Cairo airport for your flight home. As this is a private tour, we can be as flexible with the itinerary as you wish, and extra nights in Cairo can be added as well as further day trips and tours. For example, you could visit the colonial city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast, or head into the deserts near Cairo to visit the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales.
| OVERNIGHT: N/A
| MEALS: Breakfast
| EXTRAS: Extra day in Cairo - post-tour
included with
- 3 nights accommodation in 3-star hotel (upgrades available)
- All meals indicated in the itinerary (3 breakfasts, one dinner)
- 24hr airport arrival and departure transfers at the start and end of your trip
- Professional Egyptologist tour guide for all sightseeing tours
- Services of our team of permanent representatives in Cairo
- Private AC vehicles for all road journeys indicated
excluded by
- International flights (can be arranged on request)
- Travel insurance (compulsory, available on request)
- Egyptian Tourist Visa
- Tipping kitty (allow US$30)
- Site entrance fees for all places visited in the itinerary (allow US$70)
- Tour guide tips
- Meals, drinks & snacks not mentioned in the itinerary
- Any other items not mentioned in the itinerary
Detailed Description
Day 1: Arrive in Egypt & transfer to hotel
You arrive at Cairo airport where we greet and transfer you to your hotel. Our local rep. welcomes you, helps you settle into the hotel, and outlines the plan for the next few days.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel (upgrades available)
| EXTRAS: Extra day in Cairo - pre-tour, Single Room Supplement
Day 2: Visit the Pyramids, Sphinx & Saqqara
After breakfast we have a brief pre-tour briefing before we take you on a tour of Gisa and Saqqara. Gisa was built around 4600 years ago as a necropolis (cemetery) for the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). The successor of Sneferu, Khufu was known as a tyrant and in his arrogance decided to have built a tomb that was bigger and better than all others. Standing 500 feet high and 750 feet at its base the Pyramid of Khufu is an awesome man-made structure constructed of giant blocks of stone covered in a hard limestone casing. The casing has, over the years, been stripped away to leave exposed the inner block structure. Together with the smaller pyramids of Khafre (Chephern) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), the majestic sight of these enormous structures rising out of the desert is a breathtaking spectacle. Here you have the chance to climb inside one of the pyramids (there are a limited number of tickets available, so we cannot guarantee this). You have another guided tour around the sphinx and some free time to walk around and take photos.
From here we take you to Saqqara, which lies 25km to the south of Cairo. Djeser's (Zoser's) Step Pyramid (built 4700 years ago) dominates the skyline and is believed to have been the ancient Egyptians' first attempt at Pyramid building. The entire 7km stretch of desert at Saqqara is a treasure trove of pyramids, temples and tombs, which we will have plenty of time to explore, while we learn about the history of pyramid building in Egypt.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel
| MEALS: Breakfast
Day 3: Cairo city tour & dinner cruise
After breakfast we begin our tour of Cairo. Founded in 969 AD by Gohar, a Fatimid army leader, El Kahera (Cairo) soon became the capital of Egypt. Subsequent additions like the El Azhar mosque, the Islamic University, and defensive walls and a citadel, built by Saladin in 1179, have helped Cairo remain Egypt's principal city. The 16-year reign of Ismail (1830-1895) ushered in a new period of expansion and modernisation in Cairo. Areas like Heliopolis, Dokki and Roda were added, while gardens, Opera houses, large hotels and wide, tree lined avenues were built. Further post revolutionary, urban expansion has left Cairo as one of the world's largest cities. Today it is a bustling metropolis of over 20 million people, a strange mix of modern and old, a unique blend of diverse cultures and a gateway to Egypt's past.
Your tour includes a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) (which houses a vast collection of artefacts from Egypt's past, including the famous King Tutunkhamun display), the Citadel (a collection of mosques and palaces, with a great view over the city), and the Khan al Khalili bazaar (a mazy market that offers a window to the past and a guaranteed souvenir).
Finally, this evening we enjoy a dinner cruise on the River Nile. During the meal, there will be a display by local Sufi and belly dancers.
| OVERNIGHT: Cairo hotel
| MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to the airport for departure
Your tour ends today and your time is free until we transfer you back to Cairo airport for your flight home. As this is a private tour, we can be as flexible with the itinerary as you wish, and extra nights in Cairo can be added as well as further day trips and tours. For example, you could visit the colonial city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast, or head into the deserts near Cairo to visit the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales.
| OVERNIGHT: N/A
| MEALS: Breakfast
| EXTRAS: Extra day in Cairo - post-tour
