Ancient Egypt Explorer - Family Holiday

With a population of around 18 million people, Cairo is Africa’s largest city by far. Yet despite its size, Cairo retains a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Today you’ll enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of two of the city’s most celebrated sights. At Giza, to the west of the city, the enigmatic Sphinx and great pyramids still stand on the edge of the empty desert overlooking the city, providing a great contrast between the ancient and the modern faces of Egypt. More than 4000 years old, the pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that remain intact – a testimony to the ingenuity and skill of their builders. The famed Egyptian Museum holds many thousands of exhibits; your local guide will focus on the Tutankhamun collection – probably the world’s greatest archaeological find. You’ll see the treasure found in the tomb of the boy-king: the jewel-encrusted golden mask, the golden sarcophagus and throne, plus many everyday articles, which were entombed with him to be used in the afterlife. Although a wonderful experience for all, it will bring together all the things the kids have been learning about at school … and give you a taste for what’s to come at the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of Tutankhamun! In the evening you board the overnight train to the southern city of Luxor.

Overnight sleeper train - 1 night (BD)

This morning you visit the ancient tombs of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings. Rising early, you cross the Nile and drive to the secluded valley where 63 Pharaohs were buried as part of their journey to the after-life. In the company of a local guide, you can explore some of the exquisitely decorated tombs of these rulers of long ago. (You get to choose 3 out of 9 tombs). It is here that the burial site of the boy-king Tutankhamun, discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, can be found. (For his tomb displaying his mummie, there is an additional charge of EGP100 or approx £10). This visit to the Valley of the Kings brings to life much of what you saw in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. On your way back to the river, you can see the imposing funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler, after riding a donkey through the farmers field, a rather funny and memorable experience (please to stand behind them).

This afternoon, take a horse-drawn carriage, known locally as ‘calesh’, which will drive you to the grandest of Egypt’s historic temples – Karnak, which you explore with a local guide. Many architects and engineers contributed to its construction, a task that spanned the reign of successive Pharaohs over a period of 1400 years. The highlights of its many wonders are the great hypostyle hall, which contains 134 huge columns, and the beautifully carved obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut. The sheer scale and massive bulk of these monuments testify to the wealth and the level of organisation of early Egyptian civilisation. (B)

Today you have a full day to enjoy the beach and swimming pools at your resort. You may wish to take a boat trip to go snorkelling and explore amazing underwater world of the Red Sea with coral reefs and many brightly coloured fish. (BLD)