tour schedule
August 2-16, 2025
Depart JFK or IAD or ORD International Airport via Lufthansa jet service to KMT (Egypt). Meals will be served on board before your arrival in Cairo the next day.
DAY 01: THE BEGINNING OF OUR (50-site) STUDY TOUR
Upon your arrival in Cairo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Dinner at your hotel. Introduction of members.
DAY 02: INTO THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS
Morning tour to Hut-ka-Ptah (Memphis) and Sakkara. Located twenty miles southwest of Cairo, Memphis was one of the most important cities through the history of ancient KMT and was once the ancient capital of KMT. Sacker’s step pyramids are the oldest in existence and are the world's first stone tombs. Visit the Tomb of Ptahotep, author of the oldest surviving book in the world, circa 2350 BC. Proceed to Giza. Visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Khufu, Khafre, and Men-ka-ra Pyramids, and Hor-em-Aket (commonly called the Sphinx). See the 140 foot long ship of Pharaoh Khufu, the oldest surviving ship in the world. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
dAY 03: MEMPHIS/ SAKKARA/ GIZA
Morning visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (if open) with its renowned collection of well-preserved Pharaonic antiquities. The museum contains the world's most important collection of Egyptian antiquities, dating from the earliest times to about 6th century AD. The collection also includes some of the artistic masterpieces of the world, including the treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. This afternoon, visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and tour Old Cairo: Coptic museums. Continue to the Mosques of Sultan Hassan built in the 14th century, the Citadel of Salah El-Din, and the Alabaster Mosque. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 04: THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM/ OLD CAIRO
DAY 05: THE PYRAMIDS OF MEIDUM AND DAHSUR/ CAIRO LUXOR
Morning visit the remains of the pyramid at Meidum, it is believed to have been begun by Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty and completed by Sneferu founder of the 4th Dynasty and the immediate predecessor of Khufu, but probably never used as a burial place. Also, visit the Ra-Hotep and Nofret mastaba, the site of the famous statues. Continue to visit the Dahsur pyramids and the remains of subsidiary tombs and temples. Visit the Northern stone or Red pyramid, the Northern Brick or Black pyramid, the White pyramid the Southern Brick pyramid and the Bent pyramid. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival in Luxor you will be met and transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 06: WASET (LUXOR OR THEBES)/ IPET ISUT (KARNAK) & SOUTHERN IPET (LUXOR) TEMPLES
Visit the Avenue of the Sphinxes at Ipet Isut (Karnak). View the gorgeous Hypostyle Hall, the Tekenu (obelisks) of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Sacred Lake. Continue to the Southern Ipet (Temple of Luxor). Visit the White Chapel, Temple of Khonsu and Mout and the Temple of Amon. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 07: WASET (THEBES)/VALLEY OF THE KINGS, QUEENS AND NOBLES/ MEDINET HABU/ COLOSSI OF MEMNON
This morning drive to the West Bank of the Nile to visit the Necropolis of Waset (T'hebes); drive to the Valley of the Kings ; visit the three tombs of your choice, Seti I (an additional cost), Ramses II etc. Continue to the Valley of the Kings to visit the tomb of Thutmosis III, and proceed to visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the two Noble Tombs, and return to the hotel via the "Colossi of Memnon." Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 08: TANTERA (DENDERA) (THE TEMPLE OF HT HR)/ ABDU (ABYDOS)
Leave Waset early in the morning by bus to visit Tantera (the Temple of Ht Hr [Hathor]), drive to the ancient city of Abdu (Abydos), and visit the Temple of Seti, the site of the grave of the head of Asar (Osiris). Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 09: WASET (LUXOR)/ EDFU (THE TEMPLE OF HERU [HORUS])/ KOM OMBO (THE TEMPLE OF SOBEK)/ ASWAN
Leave Waset Aswan and journey towards towards Edfu on the Left Bank. Visit the Temple of Heru (Horus) which was excavated by Mariette and is one of the best preserved in KMT. Continue to Kom Ombo. On the hill, which you see long before you arrive in Kom Ombo, is the Temple, with a double dedication to the Crocodile-head Sobek and the Sparrow-headed Haroeris. In the middle of the temple area, a sanctuary was built for each of these divinities. Double entrances lead through the pylons to the court, vestibule, pillared hall and the three antechambers to the Sanctuaries of the Gods. Resume your journey to Aswan to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 10: THE HIGH DAM/PILAK (PHILAE) TEMPLE & UNFINISHED TEKENU (OBELISK) OF HATSHEPSUT
Morning visit Pilak (Philae). After the completion of the lower Aswan Dam, the Temple of Aset on the Island of Philae was covered by the waters of the Nile for most of the year. When the flood gates of the dam were opened from July to November, the resulting drop in water level was such that the temple rose up out of the waters. In the recent past, all monuments on the Island of Philae were transferred to the small island of Agilkia nearby and rebuilt there. Visit the Temple, the oldest parts of which date from the 4th century BC. Ptolemies and Romans added to the Temple over the years until the 2nd century AD. Other buildings are Het Heru (Hathor Temple), Hadrian's Pylon, Horendotes Temple, the remains of the Temple of Augustus, and the lovely and famous Kiosk of Trajan. Continue to the High Dam which rises up on a colossal scale. The Pyramid of Khufu could be lost 17 times over in this modern marvel. Visit the Red Granite Quarries where the ancients obtained their fine reddish granite. See the unfinished tekenu (obelisk) of Queen Hatshepsut, had it been completed, it would have been the largest ever hewn. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 11: ABU SIMBEL (THE TEMPLE OF RAMSES II)
Morning flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel which is situated on the West bank of the Hapi, 180 miles south of Aswan and some 27 miles north of Wadi Halfa. There lies the Great Temple, hewn in the rock, with the four colossal seated statues of the King in front of the entrance. It was dedicated to Amun-Ra, the Horakheti and Ramses II. The figures are 65 ½ feet high and wear the double crown. Nearby, to the north, is a second temple, also built by Ramses II, and dedicated to Nefertari, the King's wife. The temples, which were threatened by the waters on the completion of the Aswan High Dam have been preserved by international action organized by UNESCO. The most important parts of the temples (statues, inscribed slabs, etc) have been rebuilt on a plateau above the former site. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 12: YEBU (ELEPHANTINE ISLAND)/ NUBIAN/ ROCK TOMBS OF THE NOBLES
Board a felucca and sail to Yebu (Elephantine Island) to visit the site of the Temple of Khnum , god of the Aswan Nome, founded in the Old Kingdom but entirely rebuilt during the XXX Dynasty. To the east lies a Temple of Satet built by Queen Hatshepsut around 1490 BC dedicated to the goddess who incarnated the fertile aspect of the inundation. At the Nubian Village visit a School and homes. Some tour members may want to swim in the Hapi before we return to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Rock Tombs of the Nobles which date from the Middle Kingdom. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
In the afternoon visit the Nubian Museum. Balance of the day at leisure for your personal exploration or shopping. This evening enjoy a special Farewell Dinner with Nubian entertainment.
DAY 13: ASWAN Summation
DAY 14: ASWAN/CAIRO Morning at leisure
In time transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo, upon arrival in Cairo you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 15: CAIRO/ NEW YORK or WASHINGTON or CHICAGO
Transfer to the airport for your flight departure Cairo to home. Your return flight will arrive in the afternoon local time.