ANCIENT CAIRO AND THE SILENT DESERT
ANCIENT CAIRO AND THE SILENT DESERT
Your tour includes Egypt entrance visas, accommodation, admissions for sightseeing, and all meals including mineral water, English-speaking tour guides, and a private vehicle in Cairo.
Begin in Cairo at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, where the preserved pharaohs lie in state, before climbing to the medieval Citadel and losing yourself in the labyrinthine lanes of Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. The following day, stand at the foot of the 4,500-year-old Pyramids of Giza, beneath the timeless gaze of the Sphinx and feel the history surrounding you. Then step inside the spectacular new Grand Egyptian Museum - home to more than 100,000 treasures, including Tutankhamun's gold mask and the 5,000 artefacts recovered from his tomb. Then leave the city behind and drive west through the Black Desert and shimmering Crystal Mountain to the White Desert itself - a national park of chalk formations sculpted by wind into chickens, sphinxes, camels, and mushrooms. Sleep beneath a sky thick with stars at a deluxe desert camp. Wake to silence. Return to Cairo with something few travellers ever find: the memory of Egypt at its most ancient and at its most empty.
Day 1 Flight To Cairo
Overnight : Four Seasons Hotel Cairo At The First Residence
Day 2 Cairo
Visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC), tracing the country's heritage through artefacts and immersive exhibits spanning every era of its history. The highlight is the Royal Mummies Hall, where Egypt's most powerful pharaohs and royals lie in state, a rare and intimate window into ancient rituals of mummification and the lives behind Egypt's most potent historical figures.
Then climb to the Citadel, a medieval fortress crowning the hills above Cairo. Built in 1176 to defend against the Crusaders, it now houses historic mosques and museums, including the National Military Museum. No day in Cairo is complete without a visit to Khan El-Khalili, reputedly the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Founded in the 14th century as a caravanserai watering spot, it has since grown into a vast labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with workshops and stalls selling woodwork, glassware, leather, perfumes, fabrics, and Pharaonic curiosities. Remember to bargain hard! Lunch at a local restaurant in Cairo. Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch at a local restaurant in GizaOvernight : Four Seasons Hotel Cairo At The First Residence
Day 3 Cairo
Visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum.
See the 4,500 year old Pyramids on the Giza Plateau, the Grand Pyramid being the only survivor of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World", as well as the legendary Sphinx acting as the guardian of the Pharaoh's enormous funerary monument in the Valley Temple nearby. Explore the Sphinx and the many other legends surrounding this timeless regal figure. Lunch at a local restaurant in Giza. Optional Camel Ride and entry to Cheops Pyramid (extra cost) Visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) complex, a cultural hub that includes one of the largest museums in the world, displaying the diverse heritage of a single civilisation. The museum contains over 100,000 artefacts reflecting Egypt's past from prehistory up to the Greek and Roman periods. See the exhibit of the boy-King Tutankhamun which houses over 5,000 artifacts recovered from his tomb, including his gold mask. As you enter the museum, you will be amazed by the colossal statue of King Ramses II and the 87 huge royal artefacts exhibited at the grand staircase leading up to an impressive 28-meter-high glass facade overlooking the pyramids of Giza. Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch at a local restaurant in GizaOvernight : Four Seasons Hotel Cairo At The First Residence
Day 4 Transfer From Cairo To White Desert
Wake early for breakfast at your Cairo Hotel. Your driver will be picking you up at 7am to whisk you away to the White Desert.
First you will drive to El Heiz Oasis, about 350 km east of Cairo should take about 4 hours. You will stop for lunch and refreshments at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will drive to the Black Desert, where there is a layer of black powder covering the mountains, highlands, and sand. Then travel further to Crystal Mountain, known locally as Gebel al-Izzaz, a natural feature which was found by accident. It is often called the Jewel of the desert. A hill formed by quartzite crystals, it looks amazing in the sunlight. Finally, you will arrive at a deluxe camp in the While desert where you will be staying. Overnight: Shahrazad CampMeals: Breakfast at Cairo hotel, lunch at local restaurant and dinner in camp
Day 5 White Desert
Enjoy a full day in the White Desert enjoying walks through the white limestone rocks. The White Desert is actually a National Park and the most well-known desert destination in Egypt. There are hundreds of images here, each one reminiscent of an animal. Look for them all. A chicken, a sphinx, camels, tents, and mushrooms. Drive back to your camp where you will enjoy a luxurious rest.
Lunch at a local restaurant Overnight: Shahrazad CampMeals: Breakfast, lunch at local restaurant and dinner in camp
Day 6 Camp To Cairo
After breakfast at camp drive to Baharya Oasis to visit the Mummies Hall of the golden mummies, bennutti tombs and Qasr Selim.
Your trip ends when you return to Cairo and are transported to the airport to connect with your flight. Meals: Breakfast at camp, Lunchbox en route to Cairo
