11-Day UNESCO Tour itinerary
Day 1: Arrival + Sound & Light Show
Your 11-day Egypt UNESCO Tour begins upon arrival at Cairo Airport, where our representative will assist with paperwork and luggage. You’ll be driven to your hotel in a private A/C car. In the evening, enjoy the spectacular Sound and Light show at the Giza Pyramids Complex, bringing the history of ancient Egyptian civilization to life. Overnight stay at your Cairo hotel.
Day 2: Witness the Ancient Wonders of Giza
Start your day with breakfast, then meet your private tour guide to explore the Giza Pyramids Complex, a treasure trove from the Old Kingdom (2686–2134 BC), featuring the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple. After lunch, continue to:
- Memphis City: The first Egyptian capital, established in 2925 BC by King Menes.
- Saqqara Step Pyramid: Built for Pharaoh Djoser in the 27th century BC by the vizier Imhotep.
- Dahshur Pyramids: Notable for the Bent Pyramid with its unusual shape and the Red Pyramid’s unique color.
Return to your Cairo hotel for the night.
Day 3: Magical Temples of Dendera and Abydos
Enjoy breakfast before flying from Cairo to Luxor. Upon arrival, meet your guide and visit:
- Dendera Temple: Dedicated to the goddess Hathor, renowned for its vibrant decorations, built during the late Ptolemaic Dynasty.
After lunch, proceed to:
- Abydos Temple: Founded in 1279 BC for Osiris, featuring the famous Abydos King List.
Return to your hotel in Luxor for the night.
Day 4: Explore the Golden Wonders of Luxor’s West Bank
After breakfast, embark on a tour to:
- Luxor Temple: A center for celebrations during the reign of Amenhotep III and Ramses II, built around 1400 BC.
After lunch, continue to:
- Karnak Temple Complex: One of the largest religious complexes in the world, spanning 800 acres with over 25 temples and chapels.
Check in to a Nile Cruise for your overnight stay.
Day 5: Continue Exploring Luxor’s West Bank
Enjoy breakfast on board the cruise, then visit:
- Hatshepsut Temple: Known as Djeser-Djeseru, built in 1479 BC, showcases classical architecture.
- Valley of the Queens: A royal burial site with over 75 tombs of queens and princesses from the New Kingdom.
- Valley of the Kings: Home to more than 30 tombs, including those of Tutankhamun, Hatshepsut, and Amenhotep I.
Return to the Nile Cruise for the night while sailing to Aswan.
Day 6: Head to the Incredible City of Aswan
After breakfast on board, explore:
- Edfu Temple: Built between 237 BC and 57 BC, dedicated to the sky god Horus.
- Kom Ombo Temple: A unique double temple for the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, constructed between 205 BC and 180 BC.
Return to the Nile Cruise for an overnight stay.
Day 7: Witness the Endless Glory of Abu Simbel
With breakfast boxes in hand, travel to the Abu Simbel temples, built by Ramses the Great (1279-1213 BCE) to honor the gods and immortalize his legacy, especially his love for Queen Nefertari. Return to the Nile Cruise for an overnight stay.
Day 8: Experience the Class and Allure of Aswan
After checking out from the Nile Cruise and breakfast, explore Aswan’s attractions:
- Philae Temple: constructed between 380 BC and 362 BC to honor the goddess Isis.
- Unfinished Obelisk: Commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut, originally intended to be 42 meters long.
After lunch, visit:
- Aswan High Dam: A modern marvel built in the 1960s to control floods and generate electricity.
Fly from Aswan to Cairo, where you’ll check in to your hotel for the night.
Day 9: Open Your Eyes to the Amazing Wonders of Cairo
After breakfast, embark on a tour of Cairo with your guide, visiting:
- National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC): A modern museum opened in 2020, showcasing Egypt’s rich history, culture, and art through the ages.
- Hanging Church: A significant Coptic church dating back to the 3rd century AD, serving as a focal point for the Christian community in Cairo.
- Muizz Street: A historic street from the Fatimid dynasty (909–1171 AD), renowned for its enchanting Islamic art and architecture.
Enjoy lunch before continuing to:
- Sultan Hassan Mosque: A stunning mosque from the Mamluk period (1356–1363 AD), famous for its intricate Islamic decorations and architecture.
- Rifai Mosque: Built in 1869 AD, this modern mosque is situated next to Sultan Hassan Mosque.
- Baron Empain Palace: A remarkable Hindu temple constructed between 1907 and 1911 AD, located in New Cairo.
- Nilometer: Located on Roda Island, this ancient device was built in 861 AD to measure the Nile River’s water levels during floods.
Return to your hotel in Cairo for the night.
Day 10: Discover the Wonders of Alexandria
After breakfast, travel to Alexandria in a private A/C 4×4 vehicle with your tour guide to explore:
- Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa: A Roman burial site showcasing the fusion of Egyptian and Roman art and architecture. Descend to visit the tomb and Caracalla Hall.
- Pompey’s Pillar: An impressive 82-foot (25-meter) granite column erected to honor Emperor Diocletian, who aided the besieged city.
- Qaitbay Citadel: A 15th-century fortress on the Mediterranean coast, established in 1477 AD by Sultan Al-Ashraf Qa’it Bay, located on the site of Pharaoh’s Island.
Enjoy lunch at a seafood restaurant, then visit:
- Alexandria Library: One of the world’s great literary sites, housing a copy of every published book and various exhibitions related to Egyptian history, along with rare antique books.
Finally, transfer back to your hotel in Cairo. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included.
Day 11: Departure & Fly Home
Enjoy breakfast, then check out of your hotel. Conclude your 11-day UNESCO Tour to the Major Cities of Egypt as you catch your flight from Cairo Airport back home.
