Cairo, EGYPT

Cairo, Egypt's sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. Nearby, Giza is site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century B.C.E. In Gezira Island's leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views.

• Pyramid of Khafre

  The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest of the Giza Pyramids. It is estimated to have been built around 2570 BC. It was first fully explored in 1837 AD by John Perring.

• Pyramid of Khufu

  The oldest, largest, and most famous of the 3 pyramids at Giza, the Great Pyramid was built around 2560 BC in the 4th Egyptian Dynasty. For 3,800 years, it was the largest man-made structure in the world.

• The Egyptian Museum

  Containing an unparalleled collection of over 120,000 items, this museum opened in 1902 to show a detailed history of ancient Egyptian culture. Many languages can be found on the artifacts, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Arabic.

• Great Sphinx of Giza

  The Great Sphinx rises above the desert majestically as the tallest monolith statue in the world. It was built during the Old Kingdom of Egypt, usually dated between 2558-2532 BCE, under the reign of Pharaoh Khafra.

• Giza Necropolis

  The Giza Necropolis are among the most popular touristic destinations in the world. Each of these spectacular structures served as the final resting place of a king of the 4th Dynasty (c.2613–2494 BC). The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for King Khufu (c.2589–2566 BC), and the other two for Khafre and Menkaure, his son and grandson. Khufu’s pyramid is both the oldest and largest of the three, and the first building to exceed it in height would not be built for another 3,800 years!

Aswan, EGYPT

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate.Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract.

• High Dam

  This embankment dam sits on the Nile River in southern Egypt. Built between 1898 and 1902 to prevent the annual flooding of the Nile River, the dam also provides irrigation water and hydroelectric power.

• Temple of Isis on Philae

  This temple was built on the island of Philae, which sits downstream of the Aswan Dam, in the 4th century BC. The temple has been noted for its architectural prowess.

Aswan, EGYPT

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate.Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract.

• Abu Simbel Temples

  These two massive rock temples in Aswan were carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II. They were forgotten for thousands of years, buried under sand until their rediscovery in 1813.

Kom Ombo, EGYPT

It is an agricultural town in Egypt famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo.

• Temple of Kom Ombo

  The Temple of Kom Ombo is unique due to its double design. This meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris ("Horus the Elder"), along "with Tasenetnofret or Panebtawy (Lord of the Two Lands)."

Edfu, EGYPT

This city sits on the West Bank of the Nile River in Egypt, between Esna and Aswan. It is notable for the massive Temple of Horus and the remains of ancient pyramids.

• Temple of Edfu

  An ancient Egyptian temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. It's located on the west bank of the Nile in Edfu, Upper Egypt and is one of the best preserved shrines in Egypt.

Esna, EGYPT

This Egyptian city is located on the West Bank of the Nile River, 55 km south of Luxor. The modern city is built up around ancient ruins.

• Esna Lock

  Esna Lock is very narrow and can only accommodate one cruise ship at a time. Due to this factor, it usually takes several hours to pass through the sluice. While waiting to pass through the sluice, you can explore the unique scenic views of Esna’s water market.

Luxor, EGYPT

Luxor is a city on the east bank of the Nile River in Egypt. It's on the site of ancient Thebes, the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power, during the 16th-11th centuries B.C.E.

• Valley of the Kings

  This valley is named because during a period of about 500 years, several Egyptian pharaohs were buried here. It is one of the most significant Egyptian archaeological sites.

• Colossi of Memnon

  These two massive stone statues near Luxor have stood for nearly 3,400 years, marking the entrance to the ancient Theban necropolis. Both statues depict the pharaoh Amenhotep III and are made of quartzite sandstone.

• Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

  Nestled into a set of cliffs in the ancient city of Thebes, now modern day Luxor, this ancient temple is dedicated to the god Amen-Ra. It is considered the closest ancient Egyptians came to the Calssical style of architecture.

• Karnak Temple

  This vast complex of ruined temples was once the great Egyptian city of Thebes. It is a vast, open-air museum where visitors can see a cross-section into many eras of ancient Egyptian culture.

• Luxor Temple

  This large temple complex was the grand monument in ancient Thebes. Constructed around 1400 BCE, various sections were built under the rule of the famous pharaohs Tutankhamen and Ramesses II.

Hurghada, EGYPT

Hurghada is an Egyptian city that sits on the Red Sea. It is the third largest city in the country and one of its main tourist destinations. It is also fairly young, having only been founded in the 20th century.

Cairo, EGYPT

Cairo, Egypt's sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. Nearby, Giza is site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century B.C.E. In Gezira Island's leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views.

• New Cairo District

  New Cairo District is part of Egypt's "2030 Vision" plan, serving as the new administrative capital of Egypt, located on the outskirts of Cairo city and spanning 700 square kilometers. It is an ambitious large-scale infrastructure project and will feature the tallest skyscraper in Africa.

Cairo, EGYPT

Cairo, Egypt's sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. Nearby, Giza is site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century B.C.E. In Gezira Island's leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views.

• Saladin Citadel

  This medieval Islamic fortress in Cairo was built during the reign of Saladin to defend the city against the threat of invading Crusader forces. The famous Mosque of Muhammad Ali is located within the citadel.

• Mosque of Muhammad Ali

  This mosque can be found at the very summit of the citadel of Cairo. Built under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, it was the largest mosque built in the first half of the 19th century.

• The Hanging Church

  This Coptic church in Cairo is one of the oldest in Egypt, with history dating back to the 3rd century AD. It gets its named because it is positioned above the gatehouse to the Babylon Fortress.

• Khan el-Khalili

  A major souk in the Islamic district of Cairo. The bazaar district is one of Cairo's main attractions for tourists and Egyptians alike.

• The Grand Egyptian Museum

  The Grand Egyptian Museum, among the world's largest, stands beside the Giza Pyramids. It houses over 100,000 artifacts, featuring the complete collection of Tutankhamun's treasures for the first time.

  Admission (Optional): Adult $60; Child $60; guide+transfer