Travelmood Adventures
View my favourites
/Educational too! Red Sea The Pyramids Amazing temples Cultural discovery

Ancient Egypt Explorer

Ancient Egypt Explorer (ACFEA)

Areas: Egypt
Tour types: Cruise, Family Adventures, History & Culture, Nature & Wildlife

Description

An action-packed adventure and great introduction to discover Egypt - the Land of the Pharaohs

Land only option

Clients travelling Land Only (i.e. not on our group flights from London) should make their own way to the joining point in Cairo (day one of the itinerary). You will receive full details of exactly where to meet your Group Leader on the Joining Instructions which will be sent to you 2-3 weeks before your trip starts. For information on when the trip ends please refer to the itinerary as described below.

Tour itinerary

Hurghada: Please see full details below

Day 1-5: As per main itinerary

Day 6: Today you bid farewell to those of your group who are not doing going to Hurghada and take a charter bus to Hurghada at the Red Sea (4 1/2 hours). Once you arrive you will have the rest of the afternoon free to relax after the journey and begin to explore the city. Hotel - 2 nights (BLD)

Day 7: Today you will be completely free to do as you please. Although Hurghada is by no means a typical "adventure destination", you might like to explore on land around the city. However it's what is under the water that attracts most people here. Glorious coral reefs stretch all along the shore, and the superb snorkelling is a real highlight and a perfect way to round off your trip. Snorkels, masks and fins will be available to hire, but if you have your own it is worth bringing them with you to ensure that they fit properly. (BLD)

Day 8: This morning you transfer to Hurghada Airport (20 mins.) and fly back to Cairo. Upon arrival you head to your hotel (25km/30 mins) and have the rest of the afternoon free to relax before your flight tomorrow. Alternatively, you may be able to do some last minute sightseeing and souvenier shopping. Hotel - 1 night (B)

Day 9: The tour ends for land only passengers. Those on our group flights will be transferred to the airport (30km/45 mins) for your flight home. (B)



Day 1: Fly to Cairo

Following your flight, you transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. This family friendly hotel is close to the pyramids, so while it is a fair way from the airport, there is less distance to cover for the sightseeing the next day. The rooms are comfortable and spacious with air conditioning. The swimming pool is one of the largest in Cairo and if you fancy a stroll, why not go for a wander in the hotel's beautiful garden. Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool)

Day 2: Cairo; visit Pyramids and Egyptian Museum; sleeper train to Luxor

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. 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)



Day 3: Arrive in Luxor, free time to explore

Known in ancient times as Thebes, Luxor was the capital of Egypt’s New Kingdom for some 500 years. Depending on your arrival time in Luxor, there may be time to look around the monuments and museum, explore the town’s bazaar or visit Karnak temple to witness the memorable sound and light show (optional, at additional charge) which relates its history in dramatic fashion. Hotel – 3 nights (Swimming Pool) (B)



Day 4: Visit the Valley of the Kings

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. It is here that the burial site of the boy-king, Tutankhamun, discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, can be found (optional visit). The visit to the Valley of the Kings brings to life much of what you saw in the Egyptian Museum. On your way back to the river, you see the imposing funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler.

This afternoon, you have the opportunity (additional charge) to board a felucca and settle down to relax and watch Egypt slide by. The Nile has a fascination all of its own and remains the principal focus for most visitors to Egypt. In ancient legend it was the very giver of life, and the rich silt deposited by its annual flooding created the fertile plain. This was cultivated intensely to sustain the population that lived along the river; even in modern times it both feeds and provides a livelihood for millions of people. (B)



Day 5: Visit Karnak Temple by calesh

In the late afternoon, horse-drawn carriages 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)



Day 6: Fly to Cairo; free for personal exploration, shopping or optional trips

Today you make the short drive to Luxor’s airport and take a flight back to Cairo. There should be time for further exploration or one of several optional trips, which can be arranged to one of Cairo’s remarkable attractions. Later this evening your Group Leader will no doubt organise a traditional ‘last supper’. Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool) (B)


Day 7: Fly home

The trip ends for Land Only clients whilst those on our group flights need to take transfer to the airport and fly home. (B)

 

 



Add to my favourites
Call us now

Adventure Level

This trip is similar to our adult adventures. Although we don’t overload children with too many sites, and offer a pleasant balance between relaxation and activity, this is a full itinerary. The accommodation is modest, clean and comfortable. It can be very hot in the summer months, which children and adults alike can find tiring. Please note some road journeys in Egypt are operated by the authorities in convoys. This means that travelling times will be fixed and arrival times into destinations may vary to those described here, with sightseeing adjusted accordingly. Minimum age: 5 years.

Climate

Even in winter (Nov-Feb) it is generally warm and sunny in Egypt (average daytime temperature in Cairo 22°C), although it can be breezy and very cold at night (down to 4°C/5°C), especially on the river. In the summer (Mar-Oct), it is dry and hot during the day (average daytime temp. Cairo 30-36°C, higher in the south, and warm at night). There is hardly any rainfall at any time of year in the south, although Cairo does get some, generally short-lived, rain in winter. For worldwide climate information go to www.weatherbase.com Year round destination

Countries Visited

Egypt

Essentials

Minimum age: 5 years. A busy trip exploring the must-sees of Egypt.

Flight Information

Direct flights with Egyptair from London Heathrow. Domestic flight with Egyptair. Flight schedules and preferred airlines can change.

GroupSize Notes

3-6 families

Customer Comment

My 10-year-old son Lars and I recently returned from an action-packed week in Egypt. Our trip was very well thought out and we saw and experienced such a lot in our short time there. We're already planning our next trip with the Adventure Company! Stephanie and Lars - April 2009

Responsible Travel

Your flight will have the largest environmental impact on your holiday. Climate Care offers you the opportunity to offset your carbon dioxide emissions with set amounts from £5. If you would like to offset the carbon emissions generated by your flight, please go to www.climatecare.org

Since the increase in popularity of bottled water, many countries are experiencing a problem of litter especially where adequate recycling is not available. Please could you try, where possible, to use purification tablets or filters for water or buy bigger bottles of water between group members and decant into your individual water bottles.

The evening spent with our Nubian friends not only allows you to see something of Nubian life, but also provides a source of income directly to the family.

We have joined forces with the Sunshine International Project, Luxor, to assist in providing education and a home for children in Egypt. You will have the opportunity to visit the home during your stay in Luxor and meet the residents, where you’ll be assured of a cheery welcome!

If you would like to go, please speak to your Group Leader early on in your trip and they will give you the details so you can arrange your visit. A taxi to the home will cost approximately EGP 10 (tell the taxi driver it’s directly across from The International Hospital in Television Street, if they haven’t heard of it). Please also be aware that there maybe times that you can’t visit, for example because of itinerary timings or opening times of the Sunshine International Project.

If you would like to give a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; children’s winter clothing – for boys and girls aged between one month and 14 years, i.e. long trousers, sweatshirts, cardigans & long-sleeved dresses. They’d also like white glue, glitter, colouring books and educational or children’s film DVDs to play with! Long-sleeved pyjamas, disposable nappies, milk formula and baby shampoo are also always needed. These goods are available to buy cheaply locally (helping the local economy) and your Group Leader will be able to advise on where to buy things.

For further details please see www.sunshine-international.org.uk, where the children have placed a wish-list! Your flight will have the largest environmental impact on your holiday. Climate Care offers you the opportunity to offset your carbon dioxide emissions with set amounts from £5. If you would like to offset the carbon emissions generated by your flight, please go to www.climatecare.org

Since the increase in popularity of bottled water, many countries are experiencing a problem of litter especially where adequate recycling is not available. Please could you try, where possible, to use purification tablets or filters for water or buy bigger bottles of water between group members and decant into your individual water bottles.

The evening spent with our Nubian friends not only allows you to see something of Nubian life, but also provides a source of income directly to the family.

We have joined forces with the Sunshine International Project, Luxor, to assist in providing education and a home for children in Egypt. You will have the opportunity to visit the home during your stay in Luxor and meet the residents, where you’ll be assured of a cheery welcome!

If you would like to go, please speak to your Group Leader early on in your trip and they will give you the details so you can arrange your visit. A taxi to the home will cost approximately EGP 10 (tell the taxi driver it’s directly across from The International Hospital in Television Street, if they haven’t heard of it). Please also be aware that there maybe times that you can’t visit, for example because of itinerary timings or opening times of the Sunshine International Project.

If you would like to give a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; children’s winter clothing – for boys and girls aged between one month and 14 years, i.e. long trousers, sweatshirts, cardigans & long-sleeved dresses. They’d also like white glue, glitter, colouring books and educational or children’s film DVDs to play with! Long-sleeved pyjamas, disposable nappies, milk formula and baby shampoo are also always needed. These goods are available to buy cheaply locally (helping the local economy) and your Group Leader will be able to advise on where to buy things.

For further details please see www.sunshine-international.org.uk, where the children have placed a wish-list!
We have joined forces with the Sunshine International Project, Luxor, to assist in providing education and a home for children in Egypt. You’ll have the opportunity to visit the home.

Transport & Accommodation

Transport- Minibus, train, taxi, felucca, on foot, "calesh" (horse-drawn carriage), domestic flight. Distinctive Accommodation- Hotels (5nts), felucca (1nt), overnight train (1nt) You’ll stay in hotels with en suite facilities. On the felucca, mattresses and blankets are provided, but be prepared for very simple conditions. Swimming opportunities- At pools in all of the hotels.

Trip Comment 2

My 10-year-old son Lars and I recently returned from an action-packed week in Egypt. Our trip was very well thought out and we saw and experienced such a lot in our short time there. We're already planning our next trip with the Adventure Company! Stephanie and Lars - April 2009
© 2010 Travelmood Ltd. All rights reserved. Trademark Reg. 2353265