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Starting in chaotic Cairo, the largest city in Africa, this journey encompasses all of the traditional and famous sights that come to mind when you think of Egypt. You'll visit amazing temples and pyramids, sail on a Felucca on the River Nile and glimpse dramatic evening sunsets beneath the pyramids. Cairo is a city that can appear daunting at first, but when you get below the surface you'll see it has many exciting and historical pockets to discover. See the best of Egypt on a holiday of a lifetime with Tucan Travel.

Day 1 to 2 - Cairo
Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. When you arrive in Cairo you are thrown headlong into the hustle and bustle of this wonderful city.

As you wander the streets your senses will be assaulted on all levels – with cars tooting, donkeys braying and the call to prayer; the mix of smells like the aroma from cooking pots and the scent of apple tobacco; the delicious taste of mint tea as you sit in a shaded café to relax; and the endless river of life that you can watch roll past you – women haggling in the bazaars, men talking whilst enjoying a traditional shisha pipe, cars vying for space on the crowded roads, camels ambling serenely along and children playing in the back streets.

There are many things to do in Cairo, from visiting the fantastic Egyptian Museum to the bazaars of Khan el Khalili. Your Tour Leader will be able to make plenty of suggestions for your free time. You have an included visit to the amazing Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, entrance fees not included. The Pyramids really do have to be seen to be believed!

To get there we weave our way through the manic Cairo traffic, out into the suburbs and then, suddenly, there they are; huge majestic tombs rising out the desert, towering above the modern city of Cairo and an incredible testament to the immense achievements of the Ancient Egyptians. Built over five thousand years ago the Pyramids are the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that is still standing.

We explore the Pyramids and the sphinx with our Egyptologist guide who can explain all the mysteries surrounding their creation – were they built by aliens or are they aligned to the stars. We take the overnight train to Aswan.

Day 3 to 4 - Aswan
Aswan is a busy Nubian town with a massive bazaar, plenty of free time for shopping and excursions. The pace of life is much slower than Cairo and the town is small enough to explore on foot. In Aswan the Nile is at its most picturesque with golden sand dunes coming right to the waters edge and scores of white sailed feluccas gliding around the islands. The bazaar runs the whole length of town and is crammed with shops and stalls selling everything imaginable - a great place to hone your haggling skills!

To relax you can sit at one of the many cafes and enjoy a cup of sweet tea and a game of backgammon. Included in your local fund is a return journey and guided tour of the UNESCO rescued site of Abu Simbel (entrance fee is not included) – it's colossal! Deep in the heart of the desert, miles from the nearest habitation is a gigantic monolith out of which are carved four colossal statues – each one the seated figure of Ramses II, one of Ancient Egypt's greatest Pharaohs.

Built in the 13th century BC, the temples remained totally hidden by sand until 1813, and were almost destined to be submerged again, 150 years later, by the rising waters of Lake Nasser – a man made lake formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam. Remarkably, a massive UNESCO project dismantled the entire temple and the cliff out of which it is carved, and reassembled it on higher ground redirecting the magnificent stare of Ramses II across Lake Nasser's blue waters. It is still possible to see just how close they came to being submerged by the watermarks around the base of the statues.

Day 5 to 6 - Felucca Sailing
Imagine spending your day lying on the deck of a traditional sailing craft, floating gently down the Nile; there is no sound but the wind in the sail, the occasional shouts of hello from children playing on the banks and the haunting call to prayer; there is nothing to do but relax and watch the life along the banks of the Nile – women washing their clothes at the waters edge, fields of corn tended by men in long white robes and the activity of occasional villages.

Along the way we visit riverside villages and sandy beaches and each evening as the sun sets over the edge of the Nile we pull over to the side of the river to settle in for the night. We spend the night under a blanket of stars and wake with the sun as the mist rises from the river.

Feluccas are traditional sailing boats that have been used on the Nile for centuries. There is no motor – if the wind is not blowing then we drift as the river takes us. There are no facilities on board; if you need the toilet then the boat will pull over to the bank and you can find a suitable bush; if it is hot we erect a simple canopy to provide shade; if it is cold then you snuggle up under your sleeping bag. Each felucca sleeps 6 -10 people and is crewed by a captain and a deck hand.

As well as being experienced Nile sailors they also make the most delicious meals out of simple local ingredients – you may sit down to a lunch of local bread, white cheese, hummus and delicious fresh juicy tomatoes or a dinner of freshly cooked chicken, pasta and mixed vegetables with delicious tomato sauce. They may also treat you to a bit of impromptu entertainment of Nubian singing or drumming.

The deck is covered with mattresses and cushions and you will sleep sardine style across the boat, however bedding is not provided so you will need to bring a sleeping bag. In the summer months (March – Oct) you may like to bring a sleeping sheet to use instead of your sleeping bag if the nights are warmer. You will also need to provide your own towel during the cruise and a torch is very useful! Before your cruise your tour leader will give you lots of information about what you can expect and will be able to answer any questions that you may have. Please see Degree of Difficulty /Fitness notes.

Day 7 to 9 - Luxor
Karnak Temple - We disembark the feluccas at Kom Ombo and transfer with our Egyptologist via Edfu temple to Luxor, on the banks of the Nile. Edfu is a magnificent Temple dedicated to Horus, the falcon headed God, and home of many ancient Egyptian legends. For centuries Edfu was almost completely covered with sand, which has protected the building from the elements. This means that Edfu is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt.

There are relief's carved into the temple walls depicting Horus and other Gods on a grand scale, black granite falcon statues standing over two meters tall and a myriad of secret passage ways and hidden rooms. There cannot be anywhere else in the world that has the same number of awe-inspiring attractions as the small town of Luxor. This was the capital of Egypt in ancient times (then known as Thebes) and there are an endless number of temples, tombs and museums that could keep even the most avid sightseer busy for a week! The two most impressive sights have to be the massive Karnak Temple complex and the Valley of the Kings; both of which are guided by an Egyptologist. The rest of the day is free!

The Valley of the Kings is on the other side of the Nile, on the West Bank. To get there we rise at around 7.00am (to avoid the heat) and meet up with our donkeys who will be our favoured (and most fun!) method of transport. Each member of the group will be assigned a donkey and given a quick lesson in how to control them, before we set off on the 1 Hour ride.

We take quiet roads, with lovely views of the green fields leading to the edge of the Nile and the sheer cliffs of the desert beyond. We are not the only people up at this time and you will pass villagers on their own donkeys on their way to the fields. We visit Hatshepsut temple, built in honour of the first Egyptian Queen. Arriving at the Valley of the Kings, there is not much to see above the ground. But corridors carved deep into the valley lead to the burial chambers far underground.

The walls of the tombs are covered in incredibly well preserved paintings depicting the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt and complex hieroglyphics which our guide will help us decipher. You will have the opportunity to visit several of the different tombs including that of Tutankhamun, the famous boy king, and spend some time exploring on your own. We return to Luxor in the afternoon. Please see Degree of Difficulty /Fitness notes.

Day 9 is another free day to explore this beautiful city. In the evening we board our overnight train back to Cairo.

Day 10 to 11 - Cairo
On arrival in Cairo, you will be met at the station by our local representative and transferred to our hotel for one final night. The rest of the day is free to re-explore, haggle in the bazaar or enjoy a traditional shisha-pipe. The tour ends after breakfast on day 11. But if you don't want to go home yet why not continue the fun and join one of our tours in Europe?