Exclusive visit to a tomb in Tell El Amarna, close to Miniya.

Egypt Tour Example:
"From Alexandria to Aswan"
14 days that included Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Nile Cruise, Luxor, Dendera, Abydos & Minya

As we don't provide just a small selection of ready-made tours, you may still need examples of what we can do. This is one of our latest tours for a group of thirty people - and we hope it can give some ideas to what you can do when you are given the freedom to choose.

Be aware that some elements of this tour include certain visits important for first time visitors. If you or your group has been here before, then Egypt and MyWay Travel got nearly unlimited alternative options.

Arrival to Egypt

The international flight arrived at Cairo International Airport, entry visa and passport check was arranged with the help of our representatives. Apart from hand luggage, our guests would not have to carry their luggage. From arrival to departure, all luggages were taken care of operations.

Outside the airport they got the first feel of the Cairo air, and from here the tour went in our bus to the Nile Hilton Hotel. This hotel is located in the real downtown centre of Cairo (we often recommend Nile Hilton or Mena House in Cairo, as the first is as downtown as you can get and the last has the grand Giza pyramids as closest neighbour).

Upon arrival to the hotel it was time to get to the rooms and freshen up before we had a gathering where we shortly went through all that would happen the coming two weeks - and answer all the questions people already had. Wine, beer or soft drinks was included at this meeting.
As many was tired after a long flight, dinner was not included this evening. Those who needed sleep could enjoy this, others ordred food to their good rooms or had a dinner in a restaurant of their choice.

Day 2 & 3  -  pyramids, museum and old Cairo

Having arrived to Cairo - had an relaxing night on a good hotel with refreshing breakfast, then time was ripe to start the tour by going to Zakkara. This is where much more than just a tour started, as this is where Pharaoh Zoser (or Djoser) got his pyramid built as the world’s first large monument in stone. Not a traditional pyramid, but a step pyramid as a centre of a grand complex surrounded by walls.

Here our travellers visited a mastaba (old kingdom tomb complex) and the remains of a smaller pyramid. The mastaba gave a first glimpse into the daily life of people who lived here over four thousand years ago. This daily life of ancient Egypt we met again in the workers village in Luxor and a tomb in Hermopolis, close to Minya.

Zoser's step pyramid with entrance.

From Zakkara the tour went on to what many calls the "real pyramids", and the largest of them is located on the Giza plateau. The highest pyramid is 147 meters (482 ft.) high and the only remaining of the ancient wonders of the world. Important at this visit is as much the unfortunately less visited sun boat museum with an astonishingly beautiful ship that is the oldest remaining ship we have on this planet. 47 meters (147 ft.) and found buried by the Kufu (Cheops) pyramid. Last we visited the valley temple to the Khefren pyramid, said hello to the sphinx before we had a good lunch after a truly pyramidal day.

The Sun boat at Giza

Third day the journey went to the Egyptian Museum. The museum contains the largest collection of ancient Egyptian art and artefacts (see photos from the Egyptian Museum), and is as much a huge storeroom as museum. So the way we normally visit the museum is to give a guided tour around the museum and after that include time to go back and see parts of the collection each found extra interesting.

From the museum the tour went to Old Cairo where the visit started by walking through the old streets here to the Jewish synagogue and the Abu Sarga church which is built over a crypt where the tradition say the holy family lived a period during their journey in Egypt. From Abu Sarga to Sultan Hassan mosque, one of the largest mosques, with a grandeur which match the largest cathedrals in Christianity. The day ended with a visit to the largest bazaar area in the Middle East.

From a Jewish synagogue in old Cairo.

Day 4 to 6  -  Wadi Natron & Alexandria

The forth day the tour went towards the Mediterranean city Alexandria on the road called the "desert road". Yes, once it cut through the desert below the delta edge, but today it's irrigated and planted all around the road, so it looks more like an endless green oasis.

Half way to Alexandria we took a small road away from the desert road, leading us to Wadi Natron. This is a valley known in ancient Egypt for its natron resources that was used in the embalming process. In addition, the Holy Family came this way some two thousand years ago and the Jesus child is said to have blessed the Natron valley.

Monk at the St. Bishoy monastery

Whether it was the said blessing or not, Christian desert fathers soon came here and established several monasteries. The monasteries served as viagra to religious celibacy in this 50 km long valley, and many monasteries grew up. Today four monasteries is active and when we visited we had arranged so one of the monks meet us and took us around this ancient compound - in the country who once gave monasticism to Christianity.

Before continuing to Alexander's city we had lunch along the desert road. In Alexandria we went to the historical Metropole hotel. Italian architects designed the hotel and it opened its doors for the first time in 1902. Even the original elevator was there to take us up to our rooms.

From the Greek-Roman museum

Fifth day it was time for a walk down into the catacombs of Alexandra, a visit to the Roman theatre and the birdhouse. Last got its name from the beautiful mosaic filled with many images of birds. In the end it was time to visit the exiting Greek-Roman museum, and a lunch here by the south Mediterranean coast had of course to be at a excellent fish restaurant.

Interior from Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The sixth day in Egypt was the last day in Alexandria, and it was time to visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. This library that was the successor to the great ancient library of Alexandria, came to life through a unique cooperation between Egypt, UNESCO and the Norwegian architect firm Snøhetta. A guided tour with good extra time gave the ability to see and feel this grand library and monument.

Around six o'clock in the evening we took the sleeper train all the way from Alexandria to the southern city of Aswan. The train tour included a dinner in the evening and a breakfast before we arrived Aswan the next morning.

Go to the next page
Day 1 to 6 - Arrival, Cairo and Alexandria
Day 7 to 11 - Aswan and Nile Cruise
Day 11 to 14 - Luxor to Minia & departure
Day 1 to 14 - The Accommodation we used

Visit to an island from the felucca sail boat

Day 7 & 8 - visits in and around Aswan

The train arrived Aswan early in the morning, and we took our bus to the new section of the legendary Cataract Hotel. When we had arrived the hotel we went trough the beautiful hotel garden and down to the Nile where a traditional Nile sailboat was waiting for us.

Models of soldiers, from the Nubian Museum See larger photo

With the felucca sailboat we sailed around on the Nile in Aswan, visited the botanical island with palms, plants and different trees collected from further south in Africa. In the evening it was time for the Nubian Museum that gave a great glimpse into the Nubian culture that originally had its kingdom south of Aswan. In the evening the Nubian market was place many visited.

From land excursions to our cruise ship. See larger photo

After breakfast on the eight day we took the tour to the ancient granite quarry and the unfinished obelisk, which still can be seen as it was left there after a crack suddenly appeared during work some 3500 years ago. From there we went to the Philae temple and the grand high dam which holds the largest manmade lake in the world - Lake Nasser.

After these excursions we went directly to our Nile cruise ship where we was served lunch. As we chartered the cruise ship exclusively for ourselves on this tour, then we could tailor make all parts of the cruise. That gave us the opportunity to start sailing already the first day. We arrived to Kom Ombo in the evening when the sunset was sending its last rays over the majestic temple here.

On the Nile many still are fishing the way they did in pharaonic times. See larger photo

Day 8 to 11 - an exclusive Nile cruise

Due to the exclusive use we had over our Nile cruise ship, we could wait until the all the crowded groups had left the temple in the early morning. So after a good breakfast on the eight day, we were ready to visit this grand double temple in Kom Ombo.

A guard sitting on one of the columns in Kom Ombo See larger photo

Double temple as we said, a feature which is a one of its kind among Egyptian temples, as it has two equal sections laid out along each other - each part to one god. Along with this, the temple in Kom Ombo was a place for medicine and healing. After we had used good time to visit this temple, we went back to the Nile cruise and started on our second sailing day on this ancient flood.

In Esna you can even find the old "foot ironing" in daily use See larger photo

On the third day on the ship we started the day with a visit to the grand temple of the king-god Horus in Edfu. It's the most intact temple still standing in Egypt - from the Greek-Roman times, but as we could see, built in traditional Egyptian style.

After this visit we continued the Nile cruise with relaxation and lectures on deck until we arrived Esna in the afternoon. Here we walked into the city to see old traditions still alive here, from small tailor shops to a person who still used the old technique of foot ironing. From the outside we also saw the temple to the creator god Khnum. Late night we were able to go through the locks of Esna, and could continue our river voyage towards Luxor.

Columns and a palm in the Karnak temple See larger photo

When we arrived in Luxor, we had also ended our cruise voyage on the Nile, but before we checked in at the new hotel we headed directly towards the gigantic Karnak temple complex.

It takes time to walk through the main temple area here, and far more when we as here had one several of the best guides available (as we had throughout the tour). We visited the grand sections of the Karnak temple, but the group was as well taken to more hidden places that the standard flow of tourist did not get the chance to visit. When the visit was over, it was time for check in at the new section of the famous Winter Palace hotels.

Luxor temple and city as seen from the New Winter Palace See larger photo

Day 11 & 12  -  visits on Luxor east & west bank

Day 11 was the day to relax in the exotic garden of Winter Palace, and not at least the opportunity to enjoy life in and around the large swimmingpool in the end of this garden.

In the afternoon, just before the darkness came - then it was time to visit the Luxor temple some minutes walk from the New Winter Palace. Seeing the temple this hour had the advantage that we saw it in daylight and then a short time after could see it in spotlight, that apart from the night atmosphere gave a better light to see the wall reliefs more clearly.

Up in the mountains of the Valley of the Kings, by the entrance to the tomb of Thothmoses III See larger photo

Day 12 was the time where our guests should cross the Nile to the west bank of Luxor. Here they first visited three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the majestic terrace temple of Hatshepsut.

View over the ancient village in Deir el Medinet See larger photo

From there we went to Deir el Medinet, the Workers (or artists) village where you, apart from seeing this ancient village, could enter two of the artists tombs. Not being royal tombs, which had their own strict, thematic rules, as reliefs of the travel guide through the kingdom of death (Am Duat) and so forth.

Nobles and artist's tombs show us on the other side the daily life in Egypt for more than three thousand years ago. That reason alone makes it an important visit, add to this that these was made by some of the best artists in ancient Egypt - then each of these tombs become some of the most important treasures remaining from those who once lived here.

Relief in Medinet Habu of the Amon's ship See larger photo

Last on Luxor west bank was the visit to the temple complex at Medinet Habu with its three temples. We find here the temple of Hatshepsut and ThothMoses III, Ramses III and female rulers of Luxor.

In a local village we had prepared a luxury version of a local dish, and this time it was duck. The duck was a much-appreciated bird in ancient Egypt as well, as we can see this bird being offered in numberless tombs and temples.

Relief of priests in the temple of Dendera See larger photo

Day 13 & 14  -  Dendera, Abydos & Minya

After a last night at New Winter Palace, next morning we had to be early to join the convoy to the Dendera temple, the temple for the goddess Hathor. Not like the "real" ancient Egyptian temples in Luxor, the remains here is from the Greek-Roman times. The temple has also a large relief of Cleopatra VII and the son she got with Emperor Julius Cesar.

Entrance to the temple of Abydos See larger photo

From Dendera we had our own security escorts, as we now enter an area of Egypt very few travellers go, and absolutely no charter companies bothers to include. Good for us, as this is truly a forgotten treasure chamber of Egypt - and we had the luck to have it all for ourselves!

Of the original Egyptian temples, the temple of Abydos is the most intact temple of them all. Built during the rule of Seti I (19th dynasty), the father of Ramses II. The atmosphere here is truly unique, a high artistic level of the relief's and strong colours which unbelievable enough is the original colours. From here we started the long bus tour towards Minya and what was awaiting us there the next day.

Inside the tomb of Petosiris at Hermopolis See larger photo

Next morning was an early rise again, and our bus takes the participants to the city the Greeks called Hermopolis - as they recognized their god Hermes in the Egyptian god Thoth (god for wisdom and writing). We visit the large statue of Thoth as a baboon, and the ancient cemetery where we entered the tomb of Petosiris who lived not many years before Alexander the Great came to Egypt and was appointed pharaoh of Egypt by the legendary Amon oracle in the Siwa oasis.

Visit to Tell el Amarna with our own security arrangements See larger photo

After the visit to Hermopolis we crossed the Nile to the "heretic king" EchnAton's new capital of Egypt. At least this was the capital of Egypt for the last years of his reign. Today it's a place, or rather a monument of some few truly unique years of ancient Egypt's three thousand years history. We visited two of the tombs here, and the part of the palace that is excavated.

After a lunch at the hotel, it was time for the last of the exclusive visits here - and this was also the last visit of a fourteen days tour to Egypt filled with adventures, excursions and lectures covering all from ancient Egypt to the modern society we today had visited. This last visit was to Beni Hassan, some beautiful but hardly visited tombs (due to their remoteness from the mass tourism), truly amazing monuments from the Egypt's Middle Kingdom.

A flower bouquet from Egypt, Beni Hassan See larger photo

Dinner at the hotel in Minya, and the time had come for the drive to Cairo - directly to the airport and departure. We had behind us 14 days on the road and on the Nile, and a flower bouquet filled with unforgettable memories...

Hotels we used, and further information

1. The accommodation used:

Here is a short presentation of the accommodation used for this specific tour. For most of the hotels we have further links to better presentation in this site, still not for all as Nile Hilton and the cruise ship used. Reason for this is first of all that what is presented here of hotels and cruises is just a sample of what we have available. Secondly, that we are free from any financial bindings to any hotels or cruise, and therefore can tailor make a tour exclusively to the need of each tour.

Nile Hilton in the middle of Cairo

Nile Hilton is the original Hilton hotel in Cairo, located with the Nile on one side and the heart of downtown on the other. It's no artificial luxury here, all is real - and the nightclub on the top is one of the places where the real megastars of oriental dance ("bellydance") may perform.

From the Metropole Hotel in Alexandria See larger photo

In Alexandria we used Metropole Hotel which opened its doors for the first time in 1902. The hotel is located close to the railway station and in the heart of Alexandria's business and embassies district, directly overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The night train has arrived Aswan See larger photo

Day 12 was the time where our guests should cross the Nile to the west bank of Luxor. Here they first visited three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the majestic terrace temple of Hatshepsut.

New Cataract Hotel, as seen from the Nile See larger photo

New Cataract Hotel was the hotel we used in Aswan. It was opened in 1963 as an elegant extension to Old Cataract Hotel. Situated in the same exotic and large garden, directly by the Nile and overlooking Elephantine Island.

Our own Nile cruise ship See larger photo

We had this time chartered our own cruise ship, and selected this time one of the ships from Abercrombie & Kent. A very good Nile cruise boat with a very high standard kitchen and service.

The entrance section of New Winter Palace See larger photo

New Winter Palace was our selection for Luxor. Built in the sixties, New Winter Palace was a much needed extension to the famous Winter Palace which then became the "Old" Winter Palace. Both hotels are connected so you can walk from one of the hotels to the other from inside, plus both share same large exotic garden and swimming pool area.

Entrance to the temple of Abydos See larger photo

In Minya we stayed at Mercure Nefertiti & Aton Hotel in the middle of the city. The best place to get to Beni Hassan, Tell El Amarna and Hermopolis from.

Inside the tomb of Petosiris at Hermopolis See larger photo

One country, lot's of options

This example of a tour is nothing but a tiny example of what is possible. Some want more of the spiritual and religious part. For Christianity alone Egypt provides the history about the holy family in Egypt, the disciple St. Mark who came here around year 30 B.C., and the monasteries. The first monastery in Christianity is found in the eastern desert, south of Suez.

Culture and cultures meet in Egypt See larger photo

In Egypt it's not only grand monuments, it's the local people and the contemporary culture. In addition it's the mix of all cultures of the world meeting during their visits to Egypt.

View of Lake Nasser from the high dam See larger photo

And Egypt is more than the Nile and the Red Sea. Above is a view of the beginning of Lake Nasser, and all around the Nile is the desert full of adventures. MyWay Travel helps you to open doors not used by the masses...