Treasures of Egypt

Tour members from across Canada gather in Toronto for the overnight flight to Cairo.

Welcome to Egypt! After a warm airport welcome, we settle into our hotel and share our first dinner together. 

Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah - 4 nights

Standing in the shadow of the Giza pyramid complex, we marvel at the sheer scale of one of the world’s greatest engineering achievements. Their remarkable alignment places them within a fraction of a degree of true north. We also gaze upon the enigmatic Great Sphinx of Giza, a silent guardian watching over these monumental tombs for millennia. After an optional camel ride across the golden sands, we uncover more wonders at the Grand Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world’s largest collections of ancient Egyptian antiquities. Here, remarkable treasures bring the story of ancient Egypt vividly to life. 

We begin our morning at the 12th-century Citadel of Salah El-Din, the stronghold that served as the seat of Egypt’s rulers for centuries. Stepping within its imposing stone walls, we take in the gleaming Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali. After lunch, we travel into the heart of Old Cairo to trace the region’s rich religious heritage. We first visit the Coptic Museum to view the world’s most extensive collection of Egyptian Christian antiquities. Just steps away, we visit the Church of Abu Serga and the nearby Hanging Church, which was built above an ancient Roman fortress gatehouse.                   

Our drive takes us to the UNESCO-listed necropolis of Sakkara, where we step back to the dawn of monumental architecture. Here, the Imhotep Museum introduces us to the engineering genius behind the Step Pyramid, celebrated as Egypt’s oldest colossal stone structure. The legacy of the pharaohs continues at Memphis, the first capital of ancient Egypt, where the magnificent Colossus of Ramesses II presides over a remarkable open-air museum. On our way back to Cairo, we stop at a papyrus workshop to learn how Egyptians first transformed river reeds into writing material.

A short flight carries us south to Luxor, where we board our Nile cruise ship for lunch. Immersing ourselves in the ancient capital of Thebes, we explore the sprawling Karnak complex to marvel at the Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 colossal sandstone columns. From there, we trace the Avenue of Sphinxes, walking the 2.7-kilometre path once used during the sacred Opet festival. We continue to Luxor Temple, where we stand before the soaring pylon gateways and giant granite statues of Ramesses II. 

Royal Ruby I - 4 nights                  

After an optional hot-air balloon ride over the West Bank, we pause beside the Colossi of Memnon, twin statues of Amenhotep III that have guarded the plain for 3,400 years, before continuing on to the Valley of the Kings. Descending into the magnificent Tomb of Seti I, we encounter exceptionally well-preserved, vibrant wall reliefs detailing the afterlife. We then admire the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut, an architectural triumph carved directly into limestone cliffs for a legendary female pharaoh. Back on board, we relax on deck as our ship navigates the Esna locks toward Edfu. 

Horse-drawn carriages carry us through Edfu’s quiet streets toward the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt, shielded for centuries beneath drifting sand. After sailing towards Kom Ombo, we explore a rare double temple, its symmetrical halls honouring both the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus the Elder. Our ship then glides onward, arriving in Aswan this evening.

Taking to the waters of the Nile, we set sail aboard a traditional felucca to El Nabatat, a lush botanical island. Our journey then brings us to the graceful Temple of Philae. Sacred to Isis, the goddess of motherhood and magic, this stunning complex was carefully relocated stone by stone to Agilkia Island during a monumental UNESCO rescue project to save it from rising waters. We also discover engineering marvels from two vastly different eras. First, we visit the Aswan High Dam, a modern achievement that successfully tamed the annual flooding of the river. And finally, we view the Unfinished Obelisk still resting in its bedrock, offering a fascinating glimpse into ancient stonemasonry techniques and the sheer scale of what would have been the largest monument of its kind.

A short flight south brings us to Abu Simbel, on the shores of Lake Nasser. Here, Ramesses II comissioned two magnificent temples carved into the sandstone cliffs, honouring himself and his beloved queen Nefertari. Four seated colossi, each some 20 metres tall, guard the entrance of the Great Temple. In the 1960s, both temples were cut into blocks and reassembled on higher ground, safe above the rising lake. After dark, we return for the Sound and Light Show as the temples’ story plays across their illuminated facades.

Seti Abu Simbel Hotel - 1 night 

We fly back to Cairo via Aswan. After lunch at a local restaurant, we return to our hotel for a relaxing evening and dinner.

Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah - 2 nights

Our last day takes us along El Moaz Street in Historic Cairo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its remarkable concentration of medieval Islamic architecture. Nearby, the labyrinthine lanes of Khan El Khalili have bustled with trade since the 14th century, their air fragrant with spices and shops aglow with brass lanterns. After a leisurely afternoon, we gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate our journey.

This morning we transfer to the airport for our flights home, taking with us the memories of Egypt’s timeless treasures.