Alexandria

Upon arrival to Alexandria you’re going to see it’s wonderful landmarks and to start of with:

 

Pompey's Pillar is the best-known ancient monument still standing up till now. It was originally part of a temple colonnade. Including its pedestal, it is 30 m (99 ft) high; the shaft is of polished red granite. The shaft is made out of a single piece of granite. Pompey's Pillar may have been erected using the same methods that were used to erect the ancient obelisks.

The Catacombs of Kom El Shokafa (meaning 'Mound of shards' or 'Potsherds') is a historical archaeological site located in Alexandria and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. The necropolis consists of a series of Alexandrian tombs, statues and archaeological objects of the Pharaonic funeral cult with Hellenistic and early Imperial Roman influences.

 

The Citadel of Qaitbay (or the Fort of Qaitbay) is a 15th century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast, built upon/from the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria is considered one of the most important defensive strongholds, not only in Egypt, but also along the Mediterranean Sea coast. Qaitbay was so fond of art and architecture that he created an important post among the administrative system of the state.

 

The Graeco-Roman Museum is housing a lot of pieces from the 3rd century BC, like a nice sculpture of Apis in black granite, the sacred bull of the Egyptians, mummies, sarcophagus, tapestries, and a lot of objects and sculptures that offer us a view of graeco-roman civilization in contact with Egypt.

 

The Library of Alexandria is a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a commemoration of the ancient Library of Alexandria that was lost in antiquity and an attempt to rekindle something of the brilliance that this earlier center of study and erudition represented. The dimensions of the project are vast as the library has shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room covering 70,000 m² on eleven cascading levels. The collections at the Library of Alexandria were donated from all over the world. The Spanish donated documents that detailed the ruling of the Moors. The French also donated documents dealing with the building of the Suez Canal.

Religious Sightseeing in Cairo

An Inspiring journey to some Religious Sightseeing in Cairo and to start off with:

The Hanging Church it’s also known as Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church (El Muallaqa) is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century A.D.[1] The Hanging (The Suspended) Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress. The Hanging Church is the most famous Coptic Christian church in Cairo, as well as possibly the first built in Basilican style. The Hanging Church has 110 icons, the oldest of which dates back to the 8th Century, but most of them date to the 18th Century. Some novels say that the hanging church had been built on some ruins which in it the virgin Mary and the kid Jesus and the saint Yossif El Nagar had been protected for three years which they have spent in Egypt running away from Herot who was killing every kid afraiding of the prophecy.

The Church and Monastery of Mar Girgis or Deir El Banat locates in Mar Girgis Street in the Coptic Compound in Old Cairo. During the crusades attack and the accident of Cairo fire the church has been totally ruined like many other churches in Cairo at that time. The present structure has been reconstructed in 1909 and since the 15th century the church is regarded as a Greek Orthodox Church. Among the remains of the ancient Church exists the hall that is known as the marriage hall that is admired for its width and height. Worth admiration in this hall, are the windows of ivory and ebony inlays ornamenting the central hall in addition to the ornate paintings over its ceiling. The church encloses a beautiful mosaic icon depicting St. George with two angels descending down from heaven and giving him seven crowns as a reward from god for his patience and strong faith since he has been tortured for seven years before his martyrdom. It is one of the most visited churches in Cairo due to the religious value of St.George since he is believed to have some miraculous powers and blessings.

The Ben Ezra Synagogue, sometimes referred to as the El-Geniza Synagogue, is situated in Coptic Cairo. According to local tradition, it is located on the site of where baby Moses was found. The land for the synagogue was purchased in 882 CE for 20,000 dinars by Abraham Ibn Ezra of Jerusalem. This was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of abandoned Hebrew secular and sacred manuscripts.

From Luxor to Hurghada

After having your breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to Hurghada, During the ride you will be so excited when you see so many of colored mountains like red, black & yellow amazing mountains. Also if you are lucky you will observe some dolphins while they are jumping behind each others in the rivera besides you. upon arrival to Hurghada, you will check-in at your hotel, having free time for leisure activities, Overnight in Hurghada.

Day 2:

After having your breakfast at your hotel, you will have free time for leisure activities or to catch up on some relaxation period lying on some chezlong in front of the red sea while the water vapor is refreshing the atmosphere around you ,or have a little walk on the glamorous beach, playing some of beach sports such as valley ball or even swimming for a while in the CHARMING water of the red sea or even in one of the wonderful swimming pools, or you could explore all that Hurghada has to offer, Overnight in Hurghada.

Day 3:

After having your breakfast at your hotel, you will have free time for leisure activities. Or even consider this day as a break for clarifying anything is occupying your mind except of enjoying the heavenly environment around you, overnight in Hurghada.

Full day trip snorkeling Plus Giftun Island: We pick you up from your hotel in Hurghada for a fantastic snorkeling trip with desert island relaxation on the beautiful Red Sea, where we will do our snorkeling in different spots which are full of corals and magnificent colorful fish with a chance to swim with dolphins, enjoying the water sports activities on Giftun Island and the national park with open buffet lunch aboard the cruise then return back to the jetty and then transferred to your hotel in Hurghada.

From Abu Simbel to Aswan

An Inexpressible adventure from Abu Simbel to Aswan and to start off with:

Abu Simbel is also called the temple of Ramesses II is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments", which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan). The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. Even though Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.

Then you will have your dinner on board, while your Nile Cruise is anchored in Abu Simbel, Overnight on board.

Day 2:

After having your breakfast on board, while the Nile Cruise is sailing to Kasr Ibrim, you will visit kasr Ibrim is an archeological site in Lower Nubia. It was originally a major city perched on a cliff above the Nile, but the flooding of Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam transformed it into an island and flooded its outskirts. Qasr Ibrim is the only major archaeological site in Lower Nubia to have survived the Nile floods. Both prior to and after the Nile floods, it has remained a major site for archaeological investigations.

Then your Nile Cruise will sail to Amada where you’re going to visit The Temple of Amada, the oldest Egyptian temple in Nubia, was first constructed by pharaoh Thutmose III of the 18th dynasty and dedicated to Amun and Re-Horakhty. His son and successor, Amenhotep II continued the decoration program for this structure. Amenhotep II's successor, Thutmose IV decided to place a roof over its forecourt and transform it into a pillared or hypostyle hall.

After that you will be returned back to your Nile Cruise to have your lunch on board, While your Nile Cruise is sailing towards Wadi El Soboua, Dinner, overnight on board.

Day 3 :

After having your breakfast on board, you will visit Wadi es-Sebua, or Valley of the lions, is the site of two New Kingdom Egyptian temples in Lower Nubia at the edge of Nasser lake, including one impressively large temple spéos of Ramesses II. The first temple was built by Amenhotep III and subsequently restored by Ramesses II.  In its first stage, this temple "consisted of a rock-cut sanctuary (about 3 m by 2 m) fronted by a brick-built pylon, a court and a hall, partly painted with wall paintings.” The temple was perhaps dedicated to one of the local Nubian forms of Horus, but his representations were altered to Amun at a later point in time. During the Amarna period, images of Amun were attacked and the decorations deteriorated but Ramesses II would later restored it and proceed to extend Amenhotep III's temple by building structures in front of the pylon.

Islamic Cairo

Having a spiritual tour in the Islamic Cairo and to start off with:

The Egyptian Citadel is Sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel, because it contains the mosque of Mohamed Ali , The Citadel of Cairo was built by the order of a lieutenant of the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din between 1166-1207 as a royal residence and military bastion. It is one of the world’s greatest mediaeval monuments and offers a fantastic panoramic view of Cairo in a fort setting rich in history. the castle is also the slaughter of the Mamlouk leaders by the guards of Mohamed Ali.

El Sultan Hassan Mosque is located near the Citadel of Salah Al Din in Cairo's, Al Qala'a area. It shares the same yard with Al Rifae'y Mosque which was built later but is not in as good shape as As-Sultan Hassan ,There are many interesting stories about this mosque, which is considered to be Cairo's finest example of early Mamluk architecture. In fact, many guide books refer to it as the finest ancient mosque in Cairo, and has been praised as one of the major monuments of the Islamic world. This monument is best seen in the morning, when the sun lights up the mausoleum and the western iiwan , The mosque was built on a large area, where it contains As-Sahn with a large water fountain inside for wudu. The praying area, the burial chamber where As-Sultan was buried and some paths inside the mosque show beautiful details in the ceiling and on the walls. President Obama visits this mosque in June 2009.

The Ibn Tulun Mosque is the third largest mosque in the world and it is the oldest mosque in Egypt that has survived in a fairly original form. The mosque is Located in an area of Cairo where so many tourists venture, this mosque is one of the oldest in the Arab world. Sandwiched in the heart of Islamic Cairo under the imposing Mohamed Ali mosque this really is a place where history comes alive and you can catch a true glimpse of life here centuries ago in the Arab golden age, then climb the ancient minaret and be overwhelmed by the view of hundreds of mosques and medieval dwellings.

Then you will visit the most antique place in  the old town, EL-Khan Al Khalili which is a major market in the Islamic district of Cairo. which is one of Cairo's main attractions for tourists and Egyptians alike. So El Khan is a site specializing in Gifts and souvenirs from Egypt where you request for all kinds of goods, such as handmade Egyptian Papyrus paintings, and statues of Egyptian hieroglyphic Egyptian silver and other silver jewelry, Egyptian cotton T-shirts, Governor genuine leather and other gifts from the land of the Pharaohs. In addition to shops, there are several coffeehouses, restaurants, and street food vendors distributed throughout the market. The coffee shops are generally small and quite traditional, serving Arabic coffee and usually offering shisha (The Hookah). So El Khan is a perfect place for you if you would like to buy all what you want of souvenirs and spend a while in an Egyptian café.

Aswan

visiting the lovely landmarks of Aswan and to start of with:

The High Dam actually The aim of this water project was to prevent the river's flooding, generate electricity and provide water for agriculture. Without impoundment, the River Nile would flood each year during summer, as waters from East Africa flowed down the river as they did in ancient times. These floods brought nutrients and minerals that made the soil around the Nile fertile and ideal for farming. As the population along the river grew, there came a need to control the flood waters to protect and support farmland and cotton fields. In a high-water year, the whole crop might be entirely wiped out, while in a low-water year there was widespread drought and famine.

The Unfinished Obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk, located in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan (Assuan), Egypt. It was ordered by Queen Hatshepsut conmemorating her 16th anniversary on the throne. It is nearly one third larger than any ancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. If finished it would have measured around 42 m (120 feet) and would have weighed nearly 1,200 tons. The unfinished obelisk offers unusual insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques, with marks from workers' tools still clearly visible as well as ocher-colored lines marking where they were working.

The Temple of Philae was dismantled and relocated to an nearby island when the building of the Aswan Dam threatened to flood the site, in favor of UNESCO organization the temple has been rescued. Also Philae is being accounted one of the burying-places of Osiris, so Philae was so much resorted to by pilgrims to the tomb of Osiris. Then you will have the Lunch on board, while the cruise is sailing to Kom Ombo.

On your way to Aswan

On your way to the lovely Aswan you will fascinated by visiting these sightseeing:

The Temple of Horus which is the most completely preserved ancient temple in Egypt. Built from sandstone blocks, the huge Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of a smaller New Kingdom temple, facing towards the river. The temple of Edfu is the largest temple dedicated to Horus and Hathor of Denderah. It was the center of several festivals sacred to Horus. Each year, "Hathor travelled south from her temple at Denderah to visit Horus at Edfu, and this event marking their sacred marriage was the occasion of a great festival and pilgrimage.

The Temple Of Kom Ombo, Kom Ombo is an agricultural town which was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold. In the past the city became a Greek settlement during the Greco-Roman Period. and Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty in the Egyptian town of Kom Ombo. Some additions to it were later made during the Roman period. The building is unique because its 'double' design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility, the northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris, also known as Horus.

Luxor

If you are curious enough to re-exploring Luxor go visiting the landmarks of the east bank of the Great Nile river in Luxor and to start of with:

The Karnak Temple, universally known only as Karnak located nearby the River Nile in the city  Luxor, describes a vast conglomeration of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings. It is located near Luxor in Egypt the main place of worship of the Theban  with god Amun as its head. The key difference between Karnak and most of the other temples and sites in Egypt is size of the temple and although Few of the individual features of Karnak are unique, but the size and number of features are overwhelming.

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located also nearby the River Nile in the city Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was founded in 1400 BC. the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was built during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility.

After having your breakfast at your hotel, you will continue to re-exploring Luxor, but this time by going visiting  the landmarks of the west bank of the Great Nile river in Luxor and to start of with:

The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important historical sightseeing in Egypt , The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes (modern Luxor), within the heart of the Theban . The Valley consists of two valleys, East Valley (where the majority of the royal tombs situated) and West Valley. The royal tombs are decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology and give clues to the beliefs and funerary rituals of the period. All of the tombs seem to have been opened and robbed in antiquity, but they still give an idea of the opulence and power of the rulers of this time.

The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut it is a colonnaded structure, which was designed and implemented by Senemut, royal steward and architect of Hatshepsut (and believed by some to be her lover), to serve for her posthumous worship and to honor the glory of Amun. The unusual form of Hatshepsut's temple is explained by the choice of location, in the valley basin of Deir el-Bahri, surrounded by steep cliffs. Unfortunately most of the statue ornaments are missing, but the statues of Osiris in front of the pillars of the upper colonnade, also the sphinx avenues in front of the court, and the standing, sitting, and kneeling figures of Hatshepsut are still existing.

The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as el-Colossat, or es-Salamat) are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For the past 3400 years (since 1350 BC) they have stood in the Theban necropolis, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor. The twin statues depict Amenhotep III (fl. 14th century BC) in a seated position, his hands resting on his knees and his gaze facing eastwards (actually SSE in modern bearings) towards the river. Two shorter figures are carved into the front throne alongside his legs: these are his wife Tiy and mother Mutemwiya. The side panels depict the Nile god Hapy.

Pharaonic Sightseeing in Cairo

The Great Pyramids of Giza which are the most oldest and largest three pyramids located in the Giza, and their names are Khufu (The largest), Khafre (Middle) and Menkaure (The Smallest). Most of pyramids were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods , The shape of Egyptian pyramids is thought to represent the primordial mound from which the Egyptians believed the earth was created. The shape is also thought to be representative of the descending rays of the sun, and most pyramids were faced with polished highly reflective white limestone, in order to give them a brilliant appearance when viewed from a distance. Also the the largest pyramid (Khufu) is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still remain in a good shape.

Over there you’ll have the opportunity to see The Sphinx. Which is located in the front of the Pyramid of Khafre and sphinx is a statue of a reclining lion with a human head. It is the largest monolith statue in the world , Some legends claim that the nose was broken off by a cannonball fired by Napoléon’s soldiers and that it still survives. The Great Sphinx was believed to stand as guardian of the tombs on the Giza Plateau, facing out from the world of the dead towards the rising sun.

Optional (lunch on route): in a Mediterranean fish restaurant overlooking the great pyramid in air conditioned place enjoying your delicious meal.

Afterwards you’re going to visit Sakkara where located the most famous pyramid (Step Pyramid of Djoser), the name Sakkara is possibly derived from Sokar, an ancient Egyptian funerary god. Saqqara is also famous for the hieroglyphic religious texts found inside the pyramids, which are now known as the pyramid texts, describing how the dead king would ascend to the heavens to enjoy an afterlife with the circumpolar stars. They also include a reference to how the ancient Egyptians believed the world came into being, known today as the creation Myth.

Leaving Sakkara we will head just a few miles away to Memphis the ancient capital of Lower Egypt then called Mennof-Ra. It was believed by Herodotus to be founded by Menes who united the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. Little remains of Memphis today with the exception of a few ruins. Our reason for visiting Memphis was to view two magnificent statues. One a beautiful red granite statue of Ramses II and the other a sphinx carved from a solid piece of alabaster.