Absolute Egypt

(B)= Breakfast, (L)= Lunch, (R)= Reception, (D)= Dinner

Tuesday, February 16, 2027: Depart home

Wednesday, February 17: Arrive Cairo, Egypt | Private transfer to hotel in Giza
You will be met upon arrival at Cairo International Airport (CAI) and transferred to Giza’s historic Mena House, a palatial hotel set amid 40 acres of gardens, with magnificent views of the adjacent Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Gather for dinner at the hotel. Four nights at the 5-star Marriott Mena House hotel in Pyramid View rooms. (D)

Thursday, February 18: Giza: AM Giza Plateau, PM at leisure | Welcome reception & dinner
Spend the morning exploring the Giza Plateau, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu; Eastern Cemetery, with its vibrantly decorated mastaba of Meresankh III; mortuary temple of Khufu; timeless Sphinx; and nearby Valley Temple of Khafra. After lunch at a nearby restaurant we return to our hotel. This evening, gather for a welcome reception and dinner with our three expert trip leaders: AIA lecturer/host, Egyptology guide, and tour manager. (B,L,R,D)

Friday, February 19: Giza: Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), located less than two miles from our hotel, is the world’s largest archaeological museum, spanning over 120 acres and showcasing over 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt. We will spend the morning with our expert AIA lecturer and Egyptology guide learning about stunning artifacts from various periods of ancient Egyptian history, including the complete Tutankhamen collection and the reconstructed Khufu solar boat. Exhibits are organized thematically across 12 galleries, covering society, kingship, and beliefs from 3100 B.C. to A.D. 400. The museum features a grand atrium with monumental statues such as that of Ramesses II. A staircase lined with pharaonic sculptures leads to a viewing platform offering vistas of the Giza pyramids. After lunch in the Museum, you have the option of returning to our hotel to relax and enjoy its luxurious amenities, or continue your guided visit of GEM’s spectacular galleries before returning to the Mena House for dinner. (B,L,D)

Saturday, Feburary 20: Saqqara | Giza
This morning we visit the small Imhotep Museum at the entrance to the extraordinary necropolis at Saqqara, where we see the Step Pyramid of Djoser; the pyramid and causeway of Unas; the mastaba of the “two brothers,” Nyankh Khnum and Khnumhotep; and (pending permission) the closed-to-the-public, 5^th-dynasty Tomb of Wah Ti. We return to our hotel for some time to relax, attend a lecture, and enjoy dinner. (B,L,D)

Sunday, February 21: Cairo: Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, PM at leisure OR National Museum of Egyptian Civilization | Fly to Luxor
This morning we visit the historic Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, still a major archaeological museum retaining many iconic artifacts. After lunch, you have the option of returning to our hotel to relax or, time permitting, visiting the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) that contains the Royal Mummies Hall, designed as an immersive, tomb‑like space, displaying Egypt’s most important royal mummies. Later we all transfer to the airport for our evening flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, we check-in to our luxurious hotel and enjoy spacious rooms with private balconies overlooking the Nile. Dinner is at the hotel. Two nights at the 5-star Steigenberger Nile Palace. (B,L,D)

Monday, February 22: Luxor (East Bank): AM Karnak, PM at leisure | Luxor Temple
A short drive through town brings us to Karnak, the world’s largest temple complex (built over the course of two thousand years), where a generous amount of time is scheduled for exploring this astounding and immense archaeological site. Our visit will include Karnak’s Open-Air Museum, which has many newly reconstructed buildings on display. We return to our hotel to enjoy lunch and an afternoon at leisure. Before dinner we visit the iconic and well-preserved Luxor Temple, which is illuminated to striking effect. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, February 23: Luxor (West Bank): Howard Carter House, Deir el Medina, Tomb of Ramose
We check out of our East Bank hotel and drive across the Nile where we begin with a visit to the Howard Carter House, former residence of British archaeologist Howard Carter, renowned for discovering the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen in 1922. A dozen of the home’s furnished rooms have been restored, including Carter’s study, library, and photo lab, showcasing Carter’s excavation tools, cameras, photographs, and personal belongings. We continue on to Deir el Medina, the ancient village of the workers who built the pharaohs’ tombs, where we visit the beautifully preserved and decorated tombs of Sennedjem and Inherkhau. We then visit the Valley of the Nobles with the famous Tomb of Ramose—the highest official (vizier) to serve the pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Continue on to our beautiful hotel, like a desert oasis embellished with reclaimed materials from historic buildings, surrounded by more than 24 acres of palm groves and exotic gardens. Settle in and gather for dinner. Three nights at the 5-star Al Moudira Hotel. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, February 24: Luxor (West Bank): AM Dendera, PM at leisure
This morning we drive along the Nile’s West Bank to the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. This is one of the most stunning temples in Egypt with a startlingly well-preserved painted astronomical ceiling and reliefs. We return to our hotel for lunch and a relaxing afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s property and luxurious amenities. Gather this evening for dinner. (B,L,D)

Thursday, February 25: Luxor (West Bank): Valley of the Kings, Deir el Bahari
We spend this morning in the famous Valley of the Kings, where we explore several royal tombs, including the legendary Tomb of Tutankhamen and the spectacular Tomb of Seti I. Drive to the nearby, stunning mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, including the Third Terrace Sanctuary of Amun with its beautifully preserved painted decoration and two newly opened sanctuaries featuring representations of Senen Mut, Hatshepsut’s architect. Return to our hotel for dinner. (B,L,D)

Friday, February 26: Luxor (East Bank): Luxor Museum | Esna | Embarkation
This morning we drive back across the Nile and visit Luxor Museum, one of the best museums in Egypt. Continue driving to Esna to visit the recently restored Temple of Khnum, with its wonderful astronomical ceiling with previously unknown names of ancient Egyptian constellations. At Esna we embark our sailing vessels, traditional Nile sailboats called dahabiyas, which will be our homes-away-from-home for the next four nights. Our group will sail aboard two of these smaller-sized vessels that will travel together and avoid the crowds cruising in a convoy of much larger Nile riverboats. We enjoy a late lunch as we sail up the Nile. The afternoon is at leisure, viewing timeless scenes of Egyptian life along the Nile until we gather for dinner onboard. Four nights aboard an eight-cabin dahabiya. (B,L,D)

Saturday, February 27: El Kab | Edfu | Sailing the Nile
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast onboard before visiting El Kab, one of the oldest settlements of Upper Egypt and now a famous necropolis with remarkable tombs of nobles and army generals. Continue to the city of Edfu for a tour of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus, Egypt’s most complete and best-preserved temple. Return to our dahabiyas and relax as we sail up the Nile. This evening, enjoy an onboard dinner of Egyptian specialties presented with a performance of local music and dancing. (B,L,D)

Sunday, February 28: Local farming village | Gebel el-Silsila | Sailing the Nile
In the morning, we set out to visit a beautiful farming village and experience the vibrant local culture. We return to our dahabiyas, where we will enjoy lunch while sailing. Next, we visit Gebel el-Silsila, located at the narrowest point along the entire length of the Nile. It was the location of a major New Kingdom sandstone quarry and workshop where artifacts and tombs were discovered. Spend the balance of the day sailing the Nile. (B,L,D)

Monday, March 1: Kom Ombo | Sailing the Nile
Sail onward to the twin Temples of Sobek and Horus at Kom Ombo, including a visit to the magnificent (though small) Crocodile Museum. Continue sailing toward Aswan and partake in a final gala dinner onboard. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, March 2: Aswan: Disembarkation, Philae, PM at leisure
Disembark our dahabiyas this morning at Aswan and visit an ancient granite quarry with an unfinished obelisk. Set out on a short boat ride to the island of Philae for a visit of its Temple of Isis, which has been called Egypt’s most beautiful temple. After lunch, enjoy a walk through Aswan’s souq, the most charming and traditional of the markets in Egypt, where one can find interesting Nubian ethnographic items such as baskets, pottery, and scarves that are unique to the Aswan area. We then check-in to our hotel on the Nile and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure until we gather for dinner. Two nights at the 5-star Sonesta Nouba Hotel Aswan. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, March 3: Elephantine Island | PM at leisure
Take a morning excursion aboard feluccas (small, traditional sailing vessels) to visit the archaeological site on Elephantine Island. Set out on a motorboat ride through the Nile cataract for lunch at a Nubian restaurant. Spend the afternoon at leisure. (B,L,D)

Thursday, March 4: Fly to Abu Simbel | Abu Simbel, Sound & Light Show | Farewell reception & dinner
We fly to Abu Simbel for an in-depth visit of two world-famous, rock-cut temples of Ramesses II (built to honor himself and his queen, Nefertari). This evening, we enjoy the Sound and Light Show at the Abu Simbel temples as well as our farewell reception and dinner. Overnight at the 4-star Seti Abu Simbel Lake Resort. (B,L,R,D)

Friday, March 5: Fly to Cairo | Cairo: Khan El Khalili bazaar
Transfer to the airport for our flights to Cairo via Aswan. Upon arrival we visit Islamic Cairo and the famous souq, Khan El Khalili, where we enjoy lunch. Check-in to our luxurious and convenient airport hotel, featuring fully soundproofed rooms. Dinner is at our hotel. Overnight at the 5-star Le Méridien Cairo Airport hotel. (B,L,D)

Saturday, March 6: Fly home
Check out this morning and enter the airport (our hotel has direct access to Terminal 3 via footbridge, as well as a free shuttle to Terminal 2) to catch flights homeward. (B)