EGYPT SPECIAL: NAVIGATION on DAHABIYA

After breakfast at the hotel, our Egyptologist will accompany you for a day dedicated to the wonders of Giza, Sakkara and Dahshur. The day will begin with a visit to the Giza Plateau, where the iconic pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus stand, masterpieces of the architecture of the Fourth Dynasty. You will be able to explore the Valley Temple and admire the famous Sphinx, the imposing guardian of this extraordinary complex. Afterwards, lunch in a restaurant near Giza and transfer to Sakkara, located 19 km away, to visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser, the oldest in Egypt (2750 BC).

The visit will continue with the evocative Serapeum, an underground complex characterized by imposing granite and diorite sarcophagi made for sacred bulls.
Finally, you will reach Dahshur, where the pyramids of Pharaoh Snefru, father of Cheops, are located.

Here you can admire the Rhomboidal Pyramid, unique for its original coating, and the Red Pyramid, considered the first "complete" pyramid in Egypt.

After an intense day of discoveries, return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for an immersion in the vibrant atmosphere of Cairo, a metropolis of 23 million inhabitants where history and modernity intertwine. Along the way, panoramic stop at the Citadel of Saladin, built during the Crusades and for centuries a royal residence. Continue to Qarafa, the "City of the Dead", a unique place where Islamic necropolises and daily life merge. In the heart of the ancient city you will visit the famous souk of Khan el-Khalili, the most famous market in Cairo.After lunch in the city, visit the GEM – Great Egyptian Museum, the most modern museum in Egypt, which houses over 100,000 artifacts. At the entrance you will be able to admire the obelisk and the colossus of Ramses II, and during the visit the most exciting moment will be dedicated to  the treasure of Tutankhamun, the most complete ever found in Egypt.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, the tour will continue with an exciting departure by 4x4 jeep to discover the suggestive Fayum desert. The first stop will be at Lake Qarun, where you can admire the stillness of the waters contrasting with the arid landscape. Next, the route will lead you to the scenic Wadi El-Rayan waterfalls, a true natural spectacle that enchants with its beauty. The journey continues to the Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan), a Unesco site that houses extraordinary fossils of ancient cetaceans, offering a unique glimpse into the natural history of the area.

After a lunch in the desert, you will be guided to the Magic Lake, where you will have the chance to try your hand at sandboarding on the golden dunes, living an adrenaline-pumping experience in a surreal setting. The afternoon will end with the return to Cairo in the evening, followed by dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, we will depart for Minya, located about 300 km south of Cairo. On the way, we'll reach the site of Beni Hassan, a hidden gem of Ancient Egypt.

This necropolis, dating back to the Middle Kingdom (2100-1800 BC), houses the rock tombs of nobles and provincial governors, whose power and prestige came to rival that of the pharaohs themselves. We'll admire perfectly preserved frescoes, characterized by a refined style and lively scenes of daily life, which will offer us an extraordinary insight into the Egyptian civilization of the time. The tombs, dug on the top of a plateau, offer a spectacular view of the Nile valley, with its fertile cultivated fields, offering a breathtaking view.

At the end of the visit, we'll continue to Minya, poetically referred to as the "Bride of the Nile" for its beauty and deep connection with the great river.

Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel, accommodation in the reserved rooms and lunch.

Afternoon at leisure for relaxation or individual activities. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, we will depart for Minya, located about 300 km south of Cairo. On the way, we'll reach the site of Beni Hassan, a hidden gem of Ancient Egypt.

This necropolis, dating back to the Middle Kingdom (2100-1800 BC), houses the rock tombs of nobles and provincial governors, whose power and prestige came to rival that of the pharaohs themselves. We'll admire perfectly preserved frescoes, characterized by a refined style and lively scenes of daily life, which will offer us an extraordinary insight into the Egyptian civilization of the time. The tombs, dug on the top of a plateau, offer a spectacular view of the Nile valley, with its fertile cultivated fields, offering a breathtaking view.

At the end of the visit, we'll continue to Minya, poetically referred to as the "Bride of the Nile" for its beauty and deep connection with the great river.

Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel, accommodation in the reserved rooms and lunch.

Afternoon at leisure for relaxation or individual activities. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, we'll reach Akhmim, a place linked to Ramses II, where the colossus of Merit-Amun, the pharaoh's most beloved daughter, is located. This imposing statue is the largest ever found depicting a queen, a symbol of the importance and honor that was paid to her.

We'll continue to Abydos, one of the oldest sacred cities in Egypt and a spiritual center of primary importance. Here we will visit the Temple of Seti I, one of the most fascinating and best preserved in all of Egypt, famous for the quality of its decorations and the vivid colors that still cover the walls. This place is shrouded in mystery, heightened by the story of Dorothy Eady, known as Omm Sety, the English archaeologist who believed she was the reincarnation of a priestess of Abydos.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll continue the journey to Dendera, where we'll visit the majestic Temple of Hathor, the goddess of love, music, and joy. This temple, dating back to Greco-Roman times, is famous for its ornate astronomical ceiling, which depicts zodiac signs, constellations and moon phases: a fascinating interweaving of art and science.

At the end of the visit, we'll reach Luxor, the ancient capital of the New Kingdom. Check-in at the hotel, accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, we will start the day by exploring the west bank of Luxor, an area that holds some of the most fascinating wonders of the Ancient Egitto.La our first stop will be the majestic Colossi of Memnon, the imposing statues of Amenhotep III who, like two giants, watch over the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. This site, recognized by UNESCO as one of the most precious heritage sites of humanity, is part of the historic Thebes, the city that houses a third of Egypt's archaeological treasures.
We will then continue with a visit to the legendary Valley of the Kings, the largest royal cemetery in the world, where 64 tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (1500-1000 BC) have been excavated.tag. Among them, we'll have the opportunity to enter the famous tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered intact in 1922 by Howard Carter, along with three other spectacular burials that testify to the richness and mystery of the Egyptian afterlife.
Next, we'll move to the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh who ruled Egypt for over twenty years. This architectural masterpiece, belonging to the eighteenth dynasty (about 1500 BC), stands on overlapping terraces, set in the rock of the Theban mountain, creating a scenographic effect of rare beauty. After the visit, we'll have lunch in a local restaurant that will allow us to savor the authentic flavors of the area. In the afternoon, we'll head to the east bank of the Nile to explore the grandiose Karnak Temples, one of the largest religious complexes in the world, comparable only to Angkor Wat. With our Egyptologist, we will walk through the avenues of the sphinxes, admire the obelisks and the famous Forest of Columns, discover the Sacred Lake and the giant scarab, around which visitors make seven laps to propitiate good luck.
The last stop of the day will be the magnificent Luxor Temple, located along the Nile, with its imposing façade decorated with the obelisk and colossi of Ramses II. Here we will walk along the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes, which once connected the temple to Karnak, and admire the testimonies left by Alexander the Great and the Roman emperors. At the end of this busy day of sightseeing, we'll leave for Esna (about 50 km from Luxor), where we'll embark on our enchanting dahabiya, a traditional boat that will make sailing on the Nile even more impressive. After check-in and accommodation in the cabin, we'll end the day with dinner on board and an overnight stay, immersed in the magic of the sacred river.

After a relaxing breakfast on board, we'll continue our navigation on the Nile, letting ourselves be enchanted by  the breathtaking landscapes that accompany the journey. The first stop will be the archaeological site of El Kab, an ancient sacred city that houses the rock tombs of the nobles of the New Kingdom. Here we will be able to explore beautifully decorated burials with scenes of daily life, funerary rites and religious representations, testimonies to the wealth and importance of local governors. After the visit, we will pass through small rural villages, immersing ourselves in the evocative atmosphere of traditional Upper Egyptian life, among cultivated fields, mud brick houses and the genuine friendliness of the local people.
We'll return on board to continue sailing to Edfu, where we'll have lunch on board with an enchanting view of the river. In the afternoon, we'll arrive in Edfu to visit the majestic Temple of Horus, the most complete and best preserved in the whole of Egypt. Built by the Ptolemies, the temple was begun by Ptolemy III and completed by Ptolemy XII, father of the legendary Cleopatra VII. We'll walk among its imposing columns and numerous chapels, letting ourselves be carried away by the myths and rituals related to the falcon god, immersing ourselves in spirituality and ancient Egyptian beliefs. After the visit, we'll return to our elegant dahabiya, where dinner on board and an overnight stay will be waiting for us, lulled by the gentle waters of the Nile.

After an early breakfast on board, our dahabiya will continue its placid navigation until it reaches the fishing village of Basaw. Here we'll live an authentic experience, immersing ourselves in the daily life of Egyptian farmers: we'll stroll through banana and mango gardens, observe grazing cattle and walk through the narrow streets of a small village, where time seems to have stopped.
We will visit the village school, characterized by open-air docks, a symbol of the simplicity and authenticity of local life. We will be welcomed by a local family, who will show us the traditional preparation of bread, offering us the opportunity to taste it still hot and fragrant. A truly unique experience will be to hop on  the small fishing boats of the locals and participate in a net fishing session in the Nile swamps, just like they have been doing for generations. After this intense immersion in rural culture, we'll return to the dahabiya to have lunch on board, while continuing to sail to a site of fundamental importance: El Silsila. Here we will visit the sandstone quarries, from which the ancient Egyptians extracted the stone blocks to build the majestic temples of Thebes and other sacred cities. We'll admire the rock-cut temple of Horemheb, the memorial stelae,  and the tombs carved into the mountain, learning about the rudimentary yet ingenious methods used to cut hard stone. At the end of the visit, we'll return on board and continue sailing to Bashir Island, where we'll enjoy a charming barbecue dinner on the banks of the Nile, accompanied by a typical show with traditional music and dances. After dinner, overnight on board, lulled by the waters of the great river.

After breakfast on board, the day begins with arrival and excursion to Kom Ombo, where we will visit the striking Temple of Sobek and Horus the Elder, the only double temple in ancient Egypt. At this unique site, we'll admire engravings depicting an ancient calendar, surgical instruments used by the Egyptians, and the Nilometer, essential for measuring the floods of the Nile.
Afterwards, we'll be transported by local vehicle for about half an hour to Daraw Market, known for its weekly camel souk, one of the most authentic in Southern Egypt.

Here we will experience the atmosphere of a real southern market, strolling through colorful stalls and savoring the freshness of fruits and vegetables as the locals do.
At the end of the visit, return to the dahabiya for lunch on board. The navigation will continue along the Nile, allowing us to admire the enchanting landscape that flows slowly next to our boat. In the evening, we'll reach Aswan, where we'll end the day with dinner and an overnight stay on board, lulled by the nocturnal charm of the city on the Nile.

Early in the morning, with a packed breakfast, we will set off on an exciting excursion to Abu Simbel, located 280 km south of Aswan. Here we will visit the famous Temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, masterpieces carved into the rock and considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Great Synagogue of Ramses II is the astronomical phenomenon that, on two precise days of the year, causes the first ray of sunlight to illuminate the face of the pharaoh, leaving the god of the underworld in the shadows, an engineering skill that still enchants scholars today.
In the 1960s, with the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the temples were in danger of being submerged; thanks to a massive rescue operation led by UNESCO, they were dismantled block by block and rebuilt in a new safe area. After the visit, return to Aswan for lunch on board. In the afternoon, he will set off to discover the Island of Philae, where the evocative Temple of Isis, goddess of love and motherhood, stands. To reach the site, you will board a motorized boat that will take you through the waters of the Nile, revealing the charm of this magical island, a destination for travelers and scholars since ancient times. The temple, characterized by elegant columns and decorated chapels, was one of the last bastions of pagan worship, before being transformed into a Christian church in the sixth century AD. It is noteworthy that Philae was the last great temple saved from the waters, thanks to a daring relocation project promoted by UNESCO. After the visit, return on board for dinner and overnight stay, while the charm of the night envelops Aswan.

After breakfast and check-out, transfer to Aswan International Airport for the return to the Country of origin.

Thus ends an extraordinary journey, to discover an unusual and authentic Egypt, far from the beaten track, among forgotten necropolises, temples hidden in the desert and villages immersed in time.