Desert & Coast Family Discovery Holiday In Egypt

We arrive in the Egyptian capital later this evening and transfer to our hotel.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)

It has been written that. “…all things fear time, but time fears the Pyramids”, underlining the age of these magnificent monuments. Sandwiched between the sprawling mass of Cairo and the open desert which stretches away west, eventually to the Atlantic, even today the mighty Pyramids can evoke awe and wonder in the visitor. The Great Pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the group, originally 145m high and measuring 232m at its base, dominates the plateau. It was built over a period of some 20 or so years, in about 2600 BC, using only the simplest of implements and without the aid of draught animals or even the wheel! Second in size is the Pyramid of Chephren, whilst the smallest - still sizeable - of the trio is that of Mykerinos. Braver souls can opt to venture inside one of the pyramids which are open on a rotating basis; alternatively visit the magnificent Solar Boat, designed to transport the Pharaoh’s soul to the afterlife (both these visits are optional). The complex also includes the Granite Temple and the enigmatic and mysterious Sphinx, the ‘Father of Terror’ to the Egyptians, a crouching lion with a human head, carved from a single piece of solid rock. After the Pyramids we head for the Egyptian Museum, via a papyrus institute, where you can learn something of the ancient methods of paper making in the Egypt of the pharaohs. The museum itself is a spectacular repository of some 120,000 items encompassing all aspects of the world of the ancient Egyptians, from ornate jewellery and towering granite statues, to creepy mummified remains and, of course, the remarkable golden treasures of Tutankhamun himself.You may also have an opportunity to visit the Children's Museum at the Egyptian Museum where you can try you hand a building your own Pyramid!!

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Departing the Egyptian capital this morning we fly to Sharm el Sheikh then drive to Dahab. Situated on the Sinai’s southeast coast, Dahab, the Arabic word for gold, is named for the stunning beautiful mountains that form its backdrop. The Red Sea coastline stretches north and south from here, 800 kilometres of reef teeming with fish of every shade and hue and boasting some of the world’s most impressive underwater scenery. What better place to spend a relaxing afternoon, swimming and snorkelling amongst its warm, clear waters.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Today we drive to St Catherine’s Monastery from here we begin our ascent to the summit of Mt. Sinai, to witness the magnificent sunset over the rocky desert landscapes of the Sinai, before descending down the 3,000 granite ‘steps of penitence’, to the Monastery of St. Catherine. Built in 342 A.D. to mark the place where Moses reputedly received the Ten Commandments and the location of the Burning Bush the monastery is today a repository for the priceless books and manuscripts that have been preserved within its fortress-like ramparts. It also has the distinction of being the smallest diocese in the world, as well as being the oldest working monastery anywhere. There will be time to visit the monastery and perhaps visit the impressive museum (optional) before returning to our hotel for dinner.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we explore the surrounding desert by 4WD and on foot. This is a spectacularly diverse landscape of coloured canyons and surreal rock formations home to the traditional Bedouin. We journey through an evocatively descriptive terrain: Terracotta Canyon, Wadi Gazella, Mushroom Rock and Narrow Canyon, where some scrambling may be needed to venture further (there will be alternatives for anyone who doesn’t feel able to negotiate the terrain). After stopping at a panoramic viewpoint in the shadows of Mt. Nagib and Mt. Hamidad, we continue onto the oasis of Ain Hadra, where we take lunch with a Bedouin family and relax under the cooling shade of date palms. Resuming our 4WD adventure after lunch, we visit the rock inscriptions of Wadi Gazella, before continuing towards the most southerly point of the Sinai Peninsula and our basic beach side camp in Ras Mohammed National Park. In spite of initial appearances the desert landscapes of Egypt’s first, and only, National Park abounds with a vast variety of permanent residents, with foxes and gazelles, numerous insects and small mammals, ospreys, herons, storks and, of course, a huge variety of exotic marine life. Camping in Egypt is traditional ‘Bedouin-style’, with everyone sleeping in the open under the stars and on arrival it should be possible to swim and snorkel from our camp later this afternoon, before settling down to an al fresco dinner beneath a desert sky.

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We spend much of today exploring the park in more depth, visiting the saline lake and the Observation Point visitors centre to learn more about Ras Mohammed and its fragile eco-systems. At the mangrove ‘forest’ we find the northernmost examples of these plants anywhere in the northern hemisphere, whilst the earthquake ‘rift’ introduces us to the results of the constant geological movements of this ever-changing landscape. Of course there will also be time for some well-earned snorkelling and swimming stops en route. With over 400 varieties of corals and 1500 species of fish, the Red Sea is a hard act for anywhere else to follow and deserves its reputation as one of the world’s premier snorkelling spots. There are brightly coloured shoals of spectacular reef fish of every shade and hue living amongst the corals, as well as turtles, rays and small sharks and a brilliant canvas of soft corals and anemones. Returning to camp for lunch and some more snorkelling opportunities off the beach, we then head for the resort of Sharm el-Sheik, where we take a catamaran across the Gulf of Suez to the Red Sea port of Hurghada on Egypt’s eastern coast. On arrival we board our charter bus for the journey south, towards the town of Safaga.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Time today is left free for relaxation! You may choose to lounge around the pool, or to once again join one of the boat trips to the coral reefs for another days snorkelling and fish spotting in the amazing underwater world (optional).

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving the Red Sea coast, we turn inland, travelling over barren mountains to the once ancient capital of Thebes, today modern Luxor. Situated on the east bank of the Nile, Luxor is a vibrant mix of the traditional and the modern, where the daily bustle sees caleshes (horse drawn carriages), goats and splendidly robed Egyptians sharing the streets. This afternoon we travel by calesh, to visit the stupendous Temple of Amun at Karnak, built under the watchful eyes of numerous pharaohs. Dating from around 2000 BC, the scale and grandeur of the site is amazing, covering an area the size of 10 European cathedrals. An avenue of silent sphinxes leads up to the entrance, where the Temple Precinct encloses the Festival Temple of Tuthmosis and the Hypostyle Hall, built with 134 towering pillars carved with scenes from the life of the ancient King worshipping Amun (the principle God of Egypt at the time of the Middle Kingdom). We explore a myriad of chambers and temples and gaze across the Sacred Lake. After our guided tour of the principal sites of the temple we return to our hotel.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Rising very early this morning, we cross the Nile to enjoy an adventurous donkey trek passing through an enchanting landscape of irrigated farmland and mud brick villages en route, pausing to view the famous Colossi of Memnon, the last remains of the once mighty temple of Amenhotep III then on to the extraordinary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s only female Pharaoh, who usurped the throne from her son, the future Tuthmoses III. The scale of the temple and its magnificent setting are breathtaking, but perhaps even more remarkable are the details - look out for the fine carving of the ‘Expedition to the Land of Punt’. We then take a short taxi ride to the Valley of the Kings’ to explore some of the more important sites made famous in 1922 by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (optional) by Howard Carter. We visit three tombs with a local guide. The rest of the afternoon is free.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast