BEYOND EGYPT: CAIRO and ALEXANDRIA

After breakfast, departure with our Egyptologist guide to one of the most iconic places of the ancient world: the Giza plateau, where the majestic Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus stand out, immortal witnesses of the greatness of the pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty. After exploring the complex and the impressive Valley Temple, we'll find ourselves in front of the legendary Sphinx, the enigmatic guardian who has been peering into the desert for millennia.

Lunch break in a panoramic restaurant overlooking the pyramids, to savor the flavors of the local cuisine.

In the afternoon, visit to the brand new and spectacular GEM – Great Egyptian Museum, at the gates of Giza. Already at the entrance, the imposing hanging obelisk of Ramses II is a prelude to an exceptional collection of more than 100,000 artifacts. The highlight will be the discovery of Tutankhamun's complete treasure, exhibited for the first time in its entirety, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the splendors of the eighteenth dynasty.

At the end of the visit, departure by bus to Alessandria (about 220 km), with a stop along the way. Arrival in the evening, check-in, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for the day dedicated to the discovery of Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great, a thousand-year-old crossroads of civilizations. Let's start with the evocative Catacombs of Kom El-Shuqafa, carved into the rock and decorated with symbols that uniquely blend Egyptian, Greek and Roman art. We continue towards the Column of Pompey, carved in a single block of pink granite and towering among the remains of the Temple of Serapis, where the Egyptian cult met Hellenistic spirituality.

Then the promontory awaits us where the mythical Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In its place stands the mighty Qaitbay Fortress, a bulwark built in the fifteenth century to defend the city from Ottoman attacks. Within its walls, the gaze is lost in the embrace between sky and sea.

After lunch in a restaurant on the seafront, last stop at the modern Library of Alexandria, spiritual heir to the legendary collection of texts of the Ptolemies. Today it is an international center of culture and innovation, which preserves the memory of the world in a futuristic building. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast and check-out, we depart for El Alamein, the scene of one of the decisive battles of the Second World War. We visit the Military Museum and the Memorial of the Italian Fallen, for a touching dive into the history of the Mediterranean of the twentieth century.

We continue the road along the coast until we reach Marsa Matrouh, famous for its golden beaches and crystal clear waters, where Alexander the Great stopped before entering the desert. After lunch, free time to stroll through markets and picturesque bays.

In the afternoon, depart for the desert hinterland until you reach the legendary Siwa Oasis, considered one of the most remote and fascinating places in Egypt. Check-in at the traditional style lodge, built with mud and salt.

At sunset, climb to the ruins of the citadel of Shali, an ancient fortified village. From its top you can enjoy a spectacular view of the entire oasis, while the sun colors the sky red and lights up the dunes gold. Dinner and overnight in Siwa, in an atmosphere suspended in time.

After a relaxing breakfast in our lodge, we climb the hill that houses the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, made famous by the visit of Alexander the Great, who was proclaimed son of the gods here.

We continue with a visit to the Temple of Om Obaida, dedicated to Amun-Ra, and then to the evocative Cleopatra's Spring, where legend has it that the queen loved to bathe.

After lunch at a local restaurant, return to the lodge for a short rest. In the afternoon, we board the 4x4 Jeeps for an exciting safari in the dunes of the Great Sand Sea. The landscape becomes lunar, the silence total. Between stops in secret oases, rides through the dunes and fiery sunsets, we will experience the most authentic Sahara. We sip a Bedouin tea by the fire, under a sky that lights up with stars. Return to the lodge, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast in our lodge, we visit Gebel el-Mauta, the "Mountain of the Dead", a little-known but fascinating site, with rock-cut tombs belonging to the Pharaonic and Greco-Roman eras. The reliefs still visible tell of ancient rites and beliefs related to the world of the afterlife.

At the end of the visit, departure for the long return to Alexandria (about 550 km), among desert landscapes and glimpses of the Mediterranean.

On the way, we'll stop for a picnic lunch and moments of relaxation.

In the late afternoon, we reach Alexandria, just in time to admire the sunset on the shores of the Mediterranean. Check-in, accommodation in reserved rooms, dinner and overnight stay in the city of Alexander the Great.

After breakfast at the hotel, we conclude our experience in Alexandria with a visit to the renovated Greco-Roman Museum, recently reopened after years of restoration. A real jewel that houses statues, mosaics, sarcophagi and objects that narrate the encounter between Egyptian and classical civilizations.

After lunch, departure for Cairo, with a stop in the spiritual Wadi Natrun, an oasis historically linked to Coptic monasticism. Here we will visit some of the oldest monasteries in Egypt, surrounded by the silence of the desert and an atmosphere of profound sacredness.

In the evening, arrival in Cairo, hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast and check-out, transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight home. Thus ends an extraordinary journey to discover the most authentic Egypt, made up of ancient memories, silent oases, and stories engraved in stone. An intense, rich and surprising experience, which will remain in the heart.