Day 1
Pick-up from Alexandria Port
Your professional and friendly tour guide will pick you up from Alexandria port where your cruise ship moored in a modern, comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.
From Alexandria port you'll travel approximately 2 hours to Cairo to begin your a day to remember.
Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus
Also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, the Great Pyramid is the oldest and largest of the Pyramids of Giza. Composed of over 2.3 million blocks of granite weighing 25-80 tonnes each, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one that still remains largely intact, the Great Pyramid never fails to astound and amaze. Built over a 20 year period, the Great Pyramid initially stood at 146 meters, making it the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.
Our highly-trained Egyptologist tour guide will be able to give you any information you need on the Pyramids including supposed construction methods (nobody really knows for sure), materials used, labour used and why the pyramids were built.
There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid, the lowest was cut into the bedrock beneath the pyramid, with the Kings chamber and Queens chamber higher up in the structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages.
The main part of the Giza complex is a set of buildign that include two mortuary temples, three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples and smaller tombs for nobles.
Visit the Sphinx on our Cairo Sightseeing Tour
Translated as "The Terrifying One" but more commonly referred to as the Sphinx, this limestone statue of a mythical creature with a lions body and human head stands on the west bank of the Nile in Giza.
Believed to have been built by the ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom during the reign of Pharaoh Khafra around 2558 BC (the Pharaoh who built the second pyramid), this amazing statue stands 20m high and 73 meters long and is the oldest known monumental sculpture in the world.
Throughout Egyptian history the Sphinx has been revered with ancient Egyptians looking up at it with "divinity", and even to today it remains shrouded in mystery, with basic information like when it was built and by whom still debated. There are even theories of Kings being buried in it!
The Sphinx is an awesome sight and rich in history, over its lifetime being buried in sand for hundreds of years and then dug back out. There are also stories of Napoleon's soldiers shooting cannonballs at the great Sphinx and breaking off it's nose.
Khafre's Temples
From the magnificent sphinx we'll make the short trip to Khafre's temple.
At the base of Khafre's pyramid, the second tallest of the Pyramids of Giza, lies Khafres temple complex. These have remained in much better condition that other temples in the area and is the best example for us to explore. Built from megalithic blocks, weighing up to 400 tonnes each, this beautiful temple houses five storage chambers, an entrance hall, a columned court and an inner sanctuary to explore.
The interior of the temple has been remarkably well preserved and the temple of Giza are an amazing sight that have to be seen.
Step Pyramids of Zoser
Sakkara is a vast ancient burial ground that once served the capital city of Ancient Egypt - Memphis. Featuring numerous pyramids, we'll explore Sakkara and it's most notable pyramid, the world famous Stepped Pyramid of Djoser.
High officials added private funeral monuments to this necropolis during the entire pharaonic period, it remained an important burial site in Egypt for over 3,000 years which was well into Roman times.
Originally standing 62 meters tall and clad in polished white limestone, the Stepped Pyramid of Djoser was built during the 27th century BC for the burial of Pharoh Djoser, it's the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant
Overnight in Cairo
After an exciting day exploring some of Cairo's most iconic and historically significant sights you'll settle down for the night in a comfortable hotel in the center of Cairo.
Day 2
Breakfast in a hotel
A busy day needs to be started on a full belly, so you'll start with a delicious breakfast at your hotel in Cairo before being met by your guide to continue your 2 day tour of Cairo from Alexandria.
Egyptian Museum Tour
Inside this massive and world-famous museum you'll find the most important pieces of Egyptian history including Pharaonic antiques and the treasure of Egypt's best known King, Tutankhamen. This massive museum in Tahir Square was established in 1902 and includes seven floors filled with fascinating artifacts such as two statues of King Tutankhamen made of cedar wood and covered in fine gold, a statue of King Akhenaton, Ushabtis statues that belonged to the Nubian kings, a mummy of a child and a small plychrome glass vase.
During the Egyptian revolution of 2011the museum was broken into and two mummies were destroyed as well as around 50 objects being lost and several damaged. Since then 25 of those objects have been successfully recovered.
The Egyptian Museum spans across 2 floors, the ground floor housing numerous objects including papyrus with written Greek, Latin, Arabic and ancient Egyptian, and coins, again not only Egyptian ones but also Greek, Roman and Islamic, highlighting Egypt's rich history. The ground floor also houses large statues, tables and coffins.
On the first floor you'll find artefacts from the final two dynasties of Egypt including items from the tombs of Pharohs Tutmosis III, Thutmosis IV, Amenophis II, Hatshepsut, and the courtier Maiherpri, as well as many artefacts from the Valley of the Kings, in particular the material from the intact tombs of Tutankhamen and Psusennes I. Two special rooms contain a number of mummies of kings and other royal family members of the New Kingdom.
The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is a fascinating place that allows you to see all the antiques that would have been buried in the ancient kings of Egypt's tombs and pyramids as well as some of the mummified kings themselves.
Saladin Citadel
Saladin Citadel is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo built on top of Mokattam hill. The Citadel was fortified in around 1176 CE to protect it from the Crusaders, with the eventual aim of creating 1 massive wall circling Cairo and Fustat. Remaining the heart of Egyptian government right up to the 19th century, the magnificent citadel is as imposing as it is beautiful. To po provide fresh water to the any animals and human occupants a 85m deep well was dug which can still be seen today on our tour.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
To finish off our tour of Old Cairo we'll visit the biggest market in the Bazaar district, one of the city's main tourist attractions. Originally the site of Saffron Tomb, a burial site of the Fatimid caliphs, the site was the centre of great economic activity in the 14th century despite being ravaged by the Black Death. By the late 15th century the site of Khan El-Khalili market had become the major centre of foreign trade, which among many other things included the sale of slaves.
During the reign of Egypt's last important sultan the complex was rebuilt with monumental gates and perpendicular streets resembling the great Ottoman cities where the most precious goods were traded at the time. The most famous sights of the beautiful market are its massive ornate gates and upper stories with iron grilled windows for the merchants rooms.
Today the market hasnt changed a great deal, except foreign merchants have been replaced by Egyptians geared towards the tourism market. This is a great place so find an authentic and original holiday present for yourself or a loved one.
You'll also come across the market's many shops, coffee houses, restaurants and street food vendors offering fantastic quality Arabic coffee and shisha.
Back to the cruise for your final departure
After your second day exploring Cairo you'll be taken back to your cruise liner docked at Alexandriao to continue your cruise.
