Ancient World tours

Day 1 – London/Cairo   Fly London to Cairo with EgyptAir and on arrival we take our private transfer and check-in to the first-class Movenpick Hotel just a few hundred yards from the Pyramids at Giza for the first three nights of the tour on a Room and Breakfast basis.

Day 2 – Memphis

We begin with a visit to ancient Memphis to see the gigantic limestone statue of Ramesses II, then to Sakkara where we will explore the great funerary necropolis including the Step Pyramid and related tombs. By kind permission of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, we have special permission to enter the interior of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, a place that has been closed to the public for many years. This is an extraordinary opportunity to enter one of the world's oldest stone structures and an opportunity not to be missed! (B)

Day 3 – Mariette’s Museum   Today we will have a guided tour of the wonderful Cairo Museum paying special attention to the Ramesside period. There will also be plenty of free time to explore on your own. This afternoon, we drive back to Giza and spend the remainder of the day exploring the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the excellent Solar Boat museum before ending our day at the Sphinx. (B)

Day 4 – Ancient Thebes

We fly to Luxor and settle ourselves in the excellent Mecure Hotel near the centre of town, right on the corniche itself for five nights on a bed and breakfast basis. Later we will take a leisurely visit to Luxor Temple with more evidence of Ramesses II ’s passion for building. This evening, in the comfortable surroundings of the Mummification Museum lecture theatre, Dylan will give an illustrated talk. (B)

Day 5 – West Bank

Our first full day on the West Bank takes us to the superb Ramesseum, Medinet Habu and the Temple of Seti I – huge dynastic monuments to Ramesses and his family. We also explore the excellent Nobles Tombs of Userhat, Khonsu, Nefersekheru and Neferenpet. (B)

Day 6 – Abydos

Today we head north to Abydos, first to the temple of Seti I which contains arguably the finest raised relief inscriptions and religious scenes anywhere in Egypt. This temple is also significant for its ancient ‘Kings List’. A short walk to the second temple we visit – that of Ramesses II . Only the walls now remain but there are vibrant colours and excellent reliefs. (B)

Day 7 – Karnak

We will explore the magnificent Karnak temple where evidence of Ramesses is hard to miss! We start early to try to catch the sunrise at the back of the temple. This is a time of day when few visitors stir so we should have much of the temple to ourselves at the outset. Our visit will take in all the main features and many strange and interesting hidden gems too. There will be free time to wander and take your own pictures in this, the world’s largest temple complex. (B)

Day 8 – The West Bank II

On our second full day on the West Bank we visit the Valley of the Queens and the tombs of Royal Princes. To the new Merneptah Open Air Museum then Valley of the Kings where we have a special private opening of the stunning tomb of Horemheb. This replaces our original special opening, Seti I, which is now closed (even to AWT!) during excavation work by the SCA. We will then walk over the mountain of Meretsegar, to the workmen’s village at Deir el Medina and the tombs of Sennedjem and Pashedu. This walk affords unbelievable views of the whole West Bank and is not to be missed! (B)

DEPARTURE DATE 15th November 2009 TOUR CODE AWSR151109   Basic Holiday Price: £1865.00 Single Supplement: £276.00   Club Class Upgrade: £600.00 Lake Nasser Extension: £665.00 Lake Nasser Sing Supp: £176.00 Luxor Balloon: £100.00   Land Only Discount - £240.00    Book tour

Day 9 – Homeward Bound or Extension

Fly Luxor to London with EgyptAir arriving later the same day. (B)

For those wanting to head further south we are delighted to be able to offer the following Lake Nasser Cruise We drive by coach to Aswan, where we board our first-class cruiser, the MS Nubian Sea for four nights on full board. (BD)

Day 10 – Lake Nasser

We begin at Kalabsha, sited in splendid isolation near the small Ramesses temple of Beit el Wali. We cruise peacefully to Wadi el Seboua, the Wadi of the Lions, and the great temple of Nubian Horus, Amun and Ramesses the Great to explore these
romantic ruins. (BLD)

Day 11 – Island Temples

We start the day with the late period temple of Dakka, founded during the reign of Ptolemy II. Our second stop is at the New Kingdom Temple of Amada and our final visit of the day is at Derr, a rock-cut temple constructed by Ramesses II himself. (BLD)

Day 12 – Abu Simbel

We view the important site of Qasr Ibrim from the cruiser then have a lecture before sailing to Abu Simbel, the greatest of all the abiding monuments of Ramesses the Great. We enjoy a full visit of the site before sunset at this romantic location. This evening, the Sound and Light show. (BLD)

Day 13 – Abu Simbel/Aswan

We say goodbye to our cruiser this morning and head north by road to the peaceful town of Aswan - one of the true jewels of Egypt. This afternoon, we take a motor launch right up to the rocks of the first cataract and Sehel Island where many  wonderful inscriptions are to be found including a copy of the famous famine stela. This evening we explore the lovely Nubian Museum. (B)

Day 14 – Aswan

We start our day by crossing the Nile and visiting the Tombs of the Nomarchs at Kubbet el-Hawa. There are many beautiful tombs here from Egypt's Middle Kingdom and the view over the islands of Aswan is worth the trip alone. This afternoon, we see the extensive excavations which cover almost all of Egypt's entire history on the island of Elephantine.  (B)

Day 15 – Pearl of the Nile

This morning we cross the dark waters between the High and British dams and disembark on the island of Agilikia - site of Egypt's most beautiful temple - Philae. Dedicated to Isis, this was the last known place where the 'Old Religion' of ancient Egypt was practiced. On our way back to Aswan, we stop at the famous granite quarries, whence many a statue of Ramesses II began its life. After lunch, we end our holiday with a peaceful sail around the islands of Aswan in feluccas. (B)

Day 16 – Homeward Bound

Fly London with EgyptAir via Cairo, arriving later the same day. (B)

Expert: Dylan Bickerstaffe is a popular author and lecturer whose special area of research includes the Royal Mummies, the Royal Cache and the end of the New Kingdom. He has recently featured in Channel 5's "Secrets of Egypt" documentary.