Day 1
- Friday 19th January 2024 - To Cairo
We fly from London Heathrow to Cairo and on arrival late evening we make the short journey to the comfortable Meridien Hotel close to the airport. We check in for one night on room and breakfast basis.
Day 2
- Saturday 20th January - The Grand Egyptian Museum
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After a leisurely breakfast we head off for a visit to The Grand Egyptian Museum where we have a full day to explore. Lunch own arrangements at the museum. We drive back to the airport and then check in for our flight to Aswan. On arrival we transfer to the Mövenpick Hotel, on the truly historic island of Elephantine, for one night on room-and-breakfast basis. (B)
Day 3
- Sunday 21st January - The Temples on the Lake
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This morning we leave Elephantine behind to begin our journey south into Ancient Nubia and the town of Abu Simbel itself – synonymous with the iconic temples of Ramesses II. Our first visit, however, is to the Wadi el-Sebua (‘Valley of the Lions’) where we explore another Ramesside temple and nearby the Temple of Dakka and the Roman-era Temple of Maharraqa. We carry on to New Amada, set in a most beautiful stretch of Lake Nasser, where we enter the New Kingdom temple of the sun-god Ra-Horakhty to view some of the finest reliefs in any of the Nubian temples. From there we travel on to the Temple of Derr, also built by Ramesses II, and finally the lovely tomb of Pennut, a high official in the reign of Ramesses VI. We travel with lunch boxes supplied by the Movenpick hotel today. By late afternoon we reach The Seti Resort Hotel, our comfortable lakeside hotel, and check in for a stay of two nights with full board. (BLD)
Day 4 & 5
- Mon 22nd & Tues 23rd January - Abu Simbel
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The Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel, we will visit on three separate occasions during the two days. One of the visits is by night to see the world-famous Son et Lumière (sound-and-light show), and we have plenty of time besides to wander through the Temples by day and take photos. We also have use of a local houseboat to take in spectacular views of the Temples while out on the Lake itself. Dinner is included on both nights at the hotel, so we can eat together at the restaurant. On Saturday afternoon, we take time to visit the Temple of Kalabsha while we are on the road back to Aswan. We travel with lunch boxes today. On arrival there, we check back into the Mövenpick Hotel for three nights on room-and-breakfast basis. (BL)
Day 6
- Wednesday 24th January - The Island of Isis
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First this morning, we take a launch to the West Bank of the Nile and then take desert path to St Simeon’s Monastery, dating from the seventh century. This vast Monastery is rarely visited and stands behind high walls surrounded by desert sands. We return to the hotel for a break at lunchtime. This afternoon we visit the quarry which supplied all the granite for the temple gateways of Ancient Egypt and the colossal statues of the pharaohs, and marvel there at the massive ‘Unfinished Obelisk’. We board a launch to the Island of Philae for a guided tour of the Temple of Isis, where we explore the elegant colonnade and well preserved sanctuary, the Kiosk of Trajan, Hadrian’s Gate, the Temple of Hathor, and more – including dramatic graffiti that talk about the twilight of Ancient Egypt and its rediscovery in modern times. We can also take refreshments at the café before our launch makes a trip to the Temple’s original site, where the remains of the coffer dam bear witness to the UNESCO Rescue Mission half a century ago. In the evening, Bill will give us an informal talk about the tombs of the Governors of Elephantine. (B)
Day 7
- Thursday 25th January - The Edge of Egypt
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Today we begin by taking a launch across the Nile to Qubbet el Hawa, to visit the celebrated tombs of the Old and Middle Kingdom Governors of Elephantine, including the extraordinarily beautiful tomb of Sarenput II. Our launch then makes the picturesque cruise to Sehel Island, whose rocks are covered with the inscriptions of Egyptian kings and officials crossing the border into Nubia for reasons of both war and peace. Here we can also view the famously enigmatic ‘Famine Stela’. After a good rest and free time at the Hotel, we set off for the picturesque ruins of Abu (‘Ivory Town’), the sprawling archaeological site at the southern end of Elephantine itself. Here we take a guided tour through the most ancient temples of Khnum and Satis, the shrine of the sainted governor Heqaib, and many other monuments covering the whole span of Ancient Egyptian history, from earliest times to the Roman Empire. Later, Bill will give us an informal talk about the ancient invasions of Nubia. (B)
Day 8
- Friday 26th January - Lord Kitchener's Island
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This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we board a traditional felucca for a sail to Kitchener Island with plenty of time to explore this exotic botanical garden. We travel with a lunch box today which you can enjoy either on board or picnic on the island itself. Later, we travel to Aswan Airport for our internal flight to Cairo. On arrival, we check in to the Meridien Hotel at the airport for one night on room and breakfast basis. (BL)
Day 9
- Saturday 27th January 2024 - Homeward Bound
This morning, we check in to our flight from Cairo to London Heathrow scheduled to arrive in the UK in the early afternoon. (B)
Biography
Dr Bill Manley is a best-selling author, an Egyptologist and a Coptic scholar. He is currently working with the Wadi C2 Archaeological Project, based in Luxor, while his own specialist research encompasses a wide range of challenging Ancient Egyptian and Coptic texts. His previous book, Egyptian Art (2017), was part of Thames & Hudson’s prestigious ‘World of Art Series’, while his latest book, due in Summer 2023, The Oldest Book In The World, is about ancient philosophy. In addition, Bill has taught Egyptology at the University of Glasgow for more than twenty years.
B = Breakfast BL = Breakfast and Lunch BD = Breakfast and Dinner BLD = Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
