Early Booking Offer: No single supplement on this tour if booked prior to 1st December 2022.
Day 1
- Friday 27th October 2023
Fly London to Cairo with EgyptAir and on arrival we check in to the first-class Steigenberger Hotel at Giza for two nights on room and breakfast basis.
Day 2
- Saturday 28th October - Grand Egyptian Museum
Today we plan a full day at The Grand Egyptian Museum. Lunch will be own arrangements in the Museum. There will be an optional afternoon visit to the Giza Plateau for those who wish to see Giza Pyramids and Sphinx. (B)
Day 3
- Sunday 29th October - To Middle Egypt
Today we head south for Minya and the fabled city of Amarna. On the way we stop to enter the lovely Middle Kingdom tombs of Beni Hassan with their striking paintings and wonderful views over the Nile Valley. We travel with a lunch box from our hotel. On arrival in Minya we check in to the medium-class Nefertiti Hotel for two nights on half board basis. Tonight, ahead of our visit to Tell el-Amarna, Bill will talk about the celebrated ‘Hymn To the Aten’ and the stelae which mark the boundary of Amarna. (BLD)
Day 4
- Monday 30th October - Nefertiti at Amarna
To Tell el Amarna for an in-depth tour of the fascinating remains of an ancient city. We can start by visiting one of the famous boundary stelae. Then we will travel along the Royal Wadi to the tomb of Akhenaten, where we find extraordinary scenes of triumph and tragedy, including Nefertiti and the royal princesses in mourning. We will also enter the Southern Tombs, including the unfinished tomb of Ay with the best example of the ‘Hymn To the Aten’. Afterwards we head into the city itself, where we will explore the central area and the Temple of the Aten. We also look at the Northern Palace, residence of the queens and princesses, and the Northern Tombs cut high into the surrounding cliffs. We return to Minya for our second night. Later this evening, Bill will chat about Ptolemaic rule and about Greeks and Romans in Egypt. (BLD)
Day 5
- Tuesday 31st October - Athribis
Our day starts at Athribis where we find the remains of the last big stone temple to be built in Egypt. Built by Ptolemy XII and dedicated to the god Mi-Re, his wife Repyt and their son Kolanthes, we can now see the recent restoration work. Next, the White Monastery, close by, founded in the 4th Century AD, where we can briefly chat about its venerated early abbot, Shenoute. We continue our journey to Abydos and on arrival check in for one night at the House of Life Hotel on half board basis. (BLD)
Day 6
- Wednesday 1st November - The Wonders of Abydos
In Abydos we explore one of the glories of ancient Egypt, the Temple of Seti I. The raised relief in this temple is among the finest quality work anywhere in Egypt and many vibrant colours remain. We also discuss the famous ‘King List’, then view the mysterious, subterranean Osireion. Then we head out across the desert sands to view the Temple of Ramesses II with its striking battle reliefs. After lunch at our hotel we continue to Luxor and on arrival check in to the Old Winter Palace, Garden Pavilion Wing, for five nights on a room and breakfast basis. (BL)
Day 7
- Thursday 2nd November - The West Bank I
We take our private launch across the river to join our vehicle and head to the Valley of the Kings. Enter three tombs of your choice with time to buy any optional tickets of tombs open on the day. We also visit the West Valley to enter the tomb of Ay. We have lunch at a local restaurant before visiting Deir el Medina, where we can visit the ‘jewel box’ tombs beside the village of the workmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. We also enter the Temple of Hathor, built by Ptolemy IV and later converted to the Church of St Isidore, and take a look at the New Kingdom shrines next door. This evening Bill will talk about the early history of Thebes and its links to the tombs we are going to visit tomorrow. (BL)
Day 8
- Friday 3rd November - El Kab
Today we take an excursion south by road to the fascinating site of el-Kab, where we explore several impressive tombs, including that of the famous marine Ahmose, which overlook the remains of the ancient walled city. The wadi below is an ancient festival route for us to follow, past another temple of Ptolemy VIII to a shrine for the goddess Nekhbet, built by Amenhotep III. Next, we travel Esna to enter the newly cleaned and restored temple of Khnum, to discuss its historically fascinating decoration. Also a rare chance to enter the tomb of Ankhtyfy at Mo’alla, where Bill previously worked as part of an archaeological survey with Egyptian and British colleagues. We travel with a packed lunch from the Old Winter Palace today. This evening Bill will talk about tomb-robbery, and dramatic events which took place over 3,000 years ago in the sites we are going to visit tomorrow. (BL)
Day 9
- Saturday 4th November - The West Bank II and Nefertari
After breakfast we cross the river once again and this time we head to the Valley of The Queens and the stunning highlight of the trip. We include tickets to enter the Tomb of Nefertari, perhaps the most famous of all Egyptian Queens, principal wife of Ramesses and often shown with him in artwork and sculpture. We also have time to enter the other open tombs in the Valley of Queens and Princes. Our next stop will be at the impressive Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, where we see a royal palace along with the temple itself and colourful scenes of royal festivals as well as battles. A short walk leads us to the small temple of Ptolemy VIII, known as the Qasr el-Aguz, which is rarely visited but has some fascinating reliefs, and has undergone recent restoration. We have lunch at a local Restaurant before visiting the tomb of Ramose perhaps the most famous of the Nobles group. Then we continue to the Ramesseum, Mortuary Temple of Ramesses the Great, husband of Nefertari and inspiration for Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’. (BL)
Day 10
- Sunday 5th November - Karnak and Luxor Temples
This morning we head to Karnak, the world’s largest religious complex. We have an in depth tour of the site including the main elements but, also, more hidden gems. In the Open-Air Museum we see the magnificent White Chapel, the Alabaster Chapel and of course the reconstructed Red and White Chapels of Hatshepsut. We return to the hotel for some free time over lunch before taking a walk to Luxor Temple for a guided tour with free time for photography before returning to the hotel. (B)
Day 11
- Monday 6th November 2023
We fly Luxor to London on our direct flight with Egypt Air arriving early afternoon. (B)
Dr Bill Manley is a best-selling author, Egyptologist and Coptic scholar, who taught at the University of Glasgow for over twenty years. He is now working with the Wadi C2 Archaeological Project, based in Luxor. Bill’s book Egyptian Art (2017) is part of Thames & Hudson’s prestigious World of Art series. His latest book The Oldest Book in the World (2023) garnered a 5-star review from The Wall Street Journal.
B = Breakfast BL = Breakfast and Lunch BD = Breakfast and Dinner BLD = Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
