Special Permit to visit Taposris Magna
Visit the Conservation Laboratories at The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation
Explore the Faiyum
Lectures from Campbell throughout, a full day at GEM, staying in the luxury Lazib Inn Faiyum Style Resort and iconic Cecil Hotel
We take our direct flight from London Heathrow to Cairo and on arrival we transfer to The Meridien Hotel close to the airport. We check in for one night on room and breakfast basis.
Our tour begins with a visit to the historic Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Tahrir. This lovely building still houses a great collection of fabulous treasures. After our visit we will begin our drive to the coastal city of Alexandria. We travel with lunch boxes today. On arrival we check in to the famous Cecil Hotel on the corniche for three nights on room and breakfast basis. (BL)
Today we begin with a visit to the Graeco-Roman catacombs at Kom el Shuqafa where there is a merging of Roman, Greek and Egyptian art and style. Next, to the the world famous theatre and lecture halls of Kom el-Dikka, the largest archaeological site in Alexandria. We have a rest and break for lunch at your own arrangements. This afternoon we visit the newly refurbished Graeco-Roman Museum with its galleries of beautifully displayed artifacts. This evening we have a lecture by Campbell on Graeco-Roman funerary art. (B)
A rare treat today as we drive along the Mediterranean coast to the ancient city of Abu Sir known by its Roman name as Taposiris Magna. We have a special AWT private permit to explore the excavations believed by some to hide the tomb of Cleopatra herself. We look at the Temple, the nearby tombs still being excavated, and hear the latest news on this fascinating site. We return to the hotel for free time over a lunch break before our afternoon excursion. Another true gem is the Royal Jewelry Museum set in the former Palace of a Princess where we find a wonderful collection of treasures but also admire the historic building. Finally, a look at Qaitbay citadel standing watch at the mouth of the harbour. This evening a lecture by Campbell on life in Egypt under the Ptolemies and Romans. (B)
This morning we set off for our home in the Faiyum travelling with lunch boxes from our hotel. We make a stop at the Graeco-Roman site of Karanis located in Kom Aushim. First excavated by Grenfell and Hunt in the 1890’s it was not until the 1920’s that extensive work was carried out and we can now view the temples, houses, pottery kilns, and granaries and walk the streets of this rural but unique town. Time to look at the small local museum before we continue to Tunis and our luxury boutique hotel, The Lazib Inn Resort and Spa. This lovely Faiyum style hotel set on a lush, green hillside, is surrounded by pristine gardens. On arrival we check in for three nights on half board basis. (BLD)
This morning we will meet our driving team in their four-wheel drive vehicles as we will be exploring some remote sites over the next three days. Today we travel through the Gebel Qatrani Formation with plenty of time to view the desert scenery as we head to Qasr el-Sagha. This incomplete temple said to date from the Middle Kingdom is built of huge blocks of sandstone and seems hidden in the desert. We have a desert picnic before returning to our hotel. Time also to visit the small Ptolemaic Temple of Qasr Qarun dedicated to Sobek. Later a lecture by Campbell on the Cult of King Amenemhat III and the transformation of the Faiyum. (BLD)
Today we drive to Wadi el Hitan, the Valley of the Whales. Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005 we can follow the trails around this fascinating paleontological site dating back some forty million years. We return to our hotel for lunch. This afternoon to the ruined city of Medinet Maadi where we find a stone temple built by Amenemhat III and IV in the Twelfth Dynasty with some Ptolemaic additions. We explore the ruined town and marvel at the views across the Faiyum basin. We say goodbye to our driving team and enjoy our last fine dinner served at the Inn. (BLD)
After breakfast we set out in our coach for the journey back to Cairo. Two outstanding pyramid sites await. First to Hawara and the pyramid of Amenemhet III. It was here that Flinders Petrie unearthed the famous Roman Period portrait mummies and excavated the ‘Labyrinth’ as described by Herodotus. Next a chance to enter the Pyramid of Sneferu at Meidum. Time also for the adventurous to venture into the burial chamber of Mastaba 17 nearby. We travel with lunch boxes today and late afternoon we check in to The Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Giza for three nights on room and breakfast basis. An exciting lecture by Campbell on highlights to look out for in the GEM. (BL)
A full day at GEM with plenty of time to search out objects from sites we have visited during the week. Campbell with be on hand to advise. This amazing museum now promises to be fully open. Lunch will be own arrangements at one of the many food outlets on the lower level. Lecture by Campbell on highlights to look out for in the NMEC. (B)
After breakfast we set off for Fustat to enter the National Museum of Civilisation. As we travel with Campbell, famous for being Curator of the wonderful Manchester Egypt and Sudan galleries, we have included a special ticket on this tour. We will visit the restoration laboratories to learn about conservation work at the museum, including some colleagues of Campbell’s. We then include lunch at a lovely restaurant with views over Old Cairo before we continue with a walk to the famous Bab Zuweila. (BL)
This morning we take our private transfer from the hotel to Cairo Airport for our homebound flight. (B)
Dr. Campbell Price is Curator of Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum, one of the UK’s largest Egyptological collections. He studied Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, where he is now an Honorary Research Fellow, and has undertaken fieldwork in Egypt at Saqqara, Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham, and the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Campbell is currently the Chair of Trustees at the Egypt Exploration Society, a UK-based charity that supports Egyptian heritage. He has published widely on ancient Egyptian material culture, including Golden Mummies of Egypt (Manchester Museum & Nomad Exhibitions, 2020) and most recently, Brief Histories of Ancient Egypt. He has lectured internationally and regularly contributes to TV and radio.
B = Breakfast BL = Breakfast and Lunch BD = Breakfast and Dinner BLD = Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
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