12-Day UNESCO Tour itinerary
Day 1: Arrival—Start Your 12-Day UNESCO Tour
Arrive at Cairo Airport, where our representative will assist with paperwork and luggage before driving you to your hotel in a private A/C car. In the evening, enjoy the enchanting Sound and Light Show at the Giza Pyramids Complex, bringing the tales of ancient Egypt to life. Overnight at your Cairo hotel.
Day 2: Explore the Giza Pyramids Complex
After breakfast, tour the Great Giza Pyramids Complex, home to the Great Pyramid of King Khufu, the only surviving ancient wonder, the Great Sphinx, and the Valley Temple. After lunch, continue to:
- Memphis City: Founded by King Menes in 2925 BC, it served as one of the first capitals of ancient Egypt.
- Saqqara Step Pyramid: Built for Pharaoh Djoser by vizier Imhotep in the 27th century BC.
- Dahshur Pyramids: Includes the Bent Pyramid with its irregular top and the uniquely colored Red Pyramid.
Return to your Cairo hotel for the night.
Day 3: Fly to Luxor, the City of Divinity
Check out of your hotel and take a flight to Luxor. Your guide will take you to the Karnak Temple, one of the largest temple complexes in the world, rich in history from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period. Check in to your Luxor hotel.
Day 4: Luxor Tours
After breakfast, start your exploration of Luxor’s west bank:
- Valley of the Queens: A mortuary site with around 75 tombs of queens and royal families from the New Kingdom.
- Valley of the Kings: Home to about 30 tombs, including those of Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great.
- Colossi of Memnon: Two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, standing since 1350 BC.
Overnight at your Luxor hotel. Breakfast and lunch are included.
Day 5: Dendera & Abydos Complex
After breakfast, visit the Abydos Temple, dedicated to Osiris, featuring the famous Abydos King List. After lunch, proceed to the Hathor Temple at Dendera, built during the late Ptolemaic Dynasty and known for its stunning decorations. Return to your Luxor hotel for the night.
Day 6: Travel to Aswan
Check out of your hotel and travel to Aswan. Explore:
- Edfu Temple: Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, it is one of the best-preserved temples from the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
- Kom Ombo Temple: A unique double-temple for the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, constructed during the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
Check-in at your hotel in Aswan.
Day 7: Abu Simbel Day Trip from Aswan
After breakfast, embark on a tour to the Temples of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel. These two massive rock-cut temples were built in the 13th century BCE and dedicated to several ancient Egyptian gods. Rediscovered in the early 19th century and relocated in the 1960s to avoid flooding from Lake Nasser, they are renowned for their size and intricate design. After your visit, return to your hotel in Aswan for the night. Breakfast included.
Day 8: Aswan Tours
Start your day with breakfast before exploring Aswan’s magical attractions:
- Philae Temple: An island temple complex dedicated to the goddess Isis, relocated to Agilkia Island as part of the UNESCO Nubia Campaign.
- Unfinished Obelisk: The largest known ancient obelisk, abandoned due to cracks, dating back over 3,500 years, and possibly commissioned by Pharaoh Hatshepsut.
- Aswan High Dam: A major engineering feat completed in the 1970s, controlling Nile floods and generating hydroelectric power.
Return to your hotel for the night.
Day 9: Aswan to Cairo
After breakfast, transfer to Aswan International Airport for your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, begin your tour with:
- National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC): Showcasing artifacts from various periods of Egypt’s history.
- Hanging Church: A significant Coptic church from the 3rd century AD, central to Coptic society.
- Muizz Street: Known for its stunning Islamic art and architecture from the Fatimid period.
After lunch, continue to:
- Sultan Hassan Mosque: A Mamluk-era mosque (1356-1363 AD) known for its exquisite decorations.
- Rifai Mosque: Built in 1869 AD next to Sultan Hassan’s mosque.
- Baron Empain Palace: A unique Hindu temple built between 1907 and 1911 AD.
- Nilometer: Established in 861 AD to measure Nile water levels during floods.
Return to your Cairo hotel for the night.
Day 10: Wadi El Hitan Tour from Cairo
After breakfast, take a private 4×4 vehicle to Wadi El Hitan, a UNESCO site in Faiyum, about 150 kilometers south of Cairo, known for its fossilized remains of ancient whales. Participate in sandboarding and enjoy a camel ride across the Sahara to a Bedouin tent, where you’ll have a delicious BBQ lunch. After your safari, return to your Cairo hotel for the night.
Day 11: Alexandria Day Tour from Cairo
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before heading to Alexandria to explore:
- Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa: A Roman burial site showcasing a blend of Egyptian and Roman architecture.
- Pompey’s Pillar: An 82-foot granite column honoring Emperor Diocletian.
- Qaitbay Citadel: A 15th-century fortress located on the Mediterranean coast.
Lunch will be served at a seafood restaurant. Afterward, visit:
- Alexandria Library: A major literary site housing copies of every published book and exhibition on Egyptian history.
Finally, transfer back to your hotel in Cairo. Lunch included.
Day 12: Departure
Enjoy breakfast before checking out. Your 12-day UNESCO Tour to The Wonders of Egypt concludes with your flight from Cairo Airport back home.T his marks the end of your incredible journey through Egypt!
