Day 1 - Arrive in Cairo
Arrive at Cairo International Airport. Transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in your Hotel in Cairo.
Day 2 - Baharaia Oasis
Travel to Baharaia Oasis in the Western Desert. Baharaia was a major agricultural area in Pharaonic times. This first day in the Oasis you will take a tour of Bawiti Village and explore the surrounding area.
Overnight in the Camp near Bawiti Village or stay at a hotel. Experience a Bedouin party. Spend the evening being entertained by traditional Bedouin music and stories.
Day 3 - Wadi Aqabat
Visit the Black Desert formed by ancient volcanic action, the Old White Desert, Crystal Mountain, Hot and Cold springs and Wadi Aqabat. Wadi Aqabat or Valley of Obstacles dates back to the time of the pharaohs. At the time people would come to graze their sheep here and they always lost one or two sheep in the process. This problem is how the valley received its name. As you travel through the desert your Bedouin guide will tell you stories of how this part of the desert was discovered.
Overnight in the Camp in the Old White desert. Enjoy a meal cooked over an open fire and open conversation with the Bedouin.
Day 4 - New White Desert
Visit landmarks in the New White Desert, including many intriguing wind shaped formations carved into the Limestone rocks. Here you will experience the traditional desert transportation of a camel ride. The Bedouin will teach you tips on surviving in the desert and using the sun and stars for directions.
Overnight in the Camp at Camel Track near the Sand Sea. Enjoy a meal cooked over a campfire and then spend the night conversing with the Bedouin.
Day 5 - Travel to Dakhla Oasis
Arrive in Dakhla, a desert oasis surrounded by pink cliffs. Mulberries, dates, figs and other citrus fruits are grown here. Visit Al-Qasr an old city at the foot of limestone cliffs on the edge of the oasis, which was built from Roman ruins, Al-Mizawaka Tombs which date back to the Pharaonic period and Deir el Hagar (Stone Temple) a sandstone temple erected during the reign of Emperor Nero. It is dedicated to the ancient Egyptian Gods of Amun-Re, Mut and Khonsu. There are also cartouches of Roman emperors on the walls.
Overnight in the Camp at a different part of the Camel Track or stay in a hotel
Day 6 - Dakhla Oasis
Spend the day experiencing the traditional life in Dakhla Oasis. You will meet the Bedouin of Dakhla who now inhabit this area and who belong to the Raschaida Family in Saudi Arabia. About 250 years ago their great grandfather Zeydan left his country and came to Egypt. After different stays all over Egypt he finally settled in Dakhla. He had a lot of camels, goats and sheep and the inhabitants of the oasis were quite afraid of him at first. He offered the poor farmers to collect the dates and olives they grew and to take them by camel caravan to the markets in Assiut. So they shared together in business and succeeded together. Through this venture, the first routes were formed in the desert to connect Kharga, Assiut and Farafra.
First head into the rich land to pick fresh fruit with the Bedouin. Then visit Bashendi to see carpets being woven with traditional scenes. Bashendi is one of the most well kept towns in Dakhla with traditional mud brick houses and narrow lanes. It is famous for its carpets, embroideries, baskets and dresses all made in the traditional style.
Overnight in your hotel in Dakhla
Day 7 - Dakhla to Kharga Oasis
Arrive in Kharga Oasis, it was a stop along the 40 Days Road trading route between Sudan and Egypt. The traders would often stay for a week in Kharga to rest before completing the journey to Cairo. The oasis has been used as a trading route stop since the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Today, Kharga is the most modern of the all the oases.
Overnight in your hotel in Kharga Oasis.
Day 8 - Kharga Oasis
Visit historical sites in Kharga. You will see the museum, which houses artifacts recovered from prehistoric times up until Islamic times. The Necropolis of El-Bagawat, regarded as one of the oldest churches in Egypt it has tombs dating back to the 2nd century. You will also visit the Temple of Hibis, the largest of the Persian temples built in Egypt. The temple is scheduled to be moved in the future because of groundwater problems related to irrigation.
Overnight in the Camp in the desert. After dinner over the camp fire experience your final Bedouin party with traditional music.
Day 9 - Travel to Luxor
Arrive in Luxor in the evening. Luxor was built at the site of the Ancient Egypt capital city of Thebes. During the period of the New Kingdom the city was known for its wealth and as a center of education and religion. Luxor is split into two parts by the Nile river. The East bank was for the living with the famous Luxor and Karnak temples and the West bank was for the dead with the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. Luxor has been visited by tourists since the times of the Ancient Greeks.
Stay at your hotel in Luxor.
Day 10 - Luxor - East Bank
Visit the East bank, including the stunning Luxor Temple whose main purpose was to provide a setting for one of the main festivals of Pharaonic Egypt. Luxor Temple was built by Amunhotep in the 18th Dynasty and was completed by Ramses the II in the 19th Dynasty. It is well know for its 82 foot 254 ton obelisk of Ramses II. The twin obelisk was given to France in 1833. You will also see Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex ever built. Karnak Temple was built on a truly massive scale with huge columns, obelisks and statues built over an area of 2 square km. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the building of Karnak Temple.
Overnight at your hotel in Luxor.
Day 11 - Luxor - West Bank
Visit the West bank. Here you will see the vibrantly colored tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Starting in the 18th century the kings of Egypt stopped building pyramids and began to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. These tombs were easier to hide and more difficult to rob. The majestic Hatshepsut's Temple. Hatshepsut was one of the most successful pharaohs of her time, she started many construction projects and increased trade routes to other countries. Finally, you will see the Colossi of Memnon, two 1000 ton statues built to guard the Temple of Ahmenhotep III. The blocks of stone for the statue were quarried near present day Cairo and transported 420 miles overland to Thebes.
Return to Cairo on an overnight train (or fly as an option).
Day 12 - Cairo - Giza
A full day tour to Giza, Sakkara and Dashur. Travel with a private driver to visit the Giza Plateau. You will visit the nine pyramids at Giza including the three famous pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, and the Sphinx. Then you will travel to Sakkara and see the oldest pyramid in Egypt, the Step Pyramid of King Djoser. Finally, you will travel to Dashur and see the Red Pyramid, the first successful cased pyramid and the Bent Pyramid, one of the most unusual and well preserved pyramids in Egypt.
Overnight in your hotel in Cairo
Day 13 - Cairo - City Tour
A full day City tour. Travel with a private driver to visit the Islamic section of Cairo, including Salah el Din Citadel which includes The Alabaster Mosque and Mohamed Ali Pasha Palace. The Citadel provides amazing panoramic views of Cairo. Then, you will travel to Coptic Cairo, where you will visit some of the oldest churches in the world, including the Hanging Church and Mar Girgis. Next, you will visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses a magnificent collection of antiques dating from the Old Kingdom to the Greco-Roman period including the spectacular treasures of King Tutankhamon's tomb. Finally, you will have the opportunity to browse the world famous Khan el Khalily bazaar.
Overnight in your hotel in Cairo
Day 14 - Departure
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight home.
