The flight to Cairo is non-stop, leaving New York (JFK) at 12:45 pm, so arrive at the airport no later than 9:45 am to check in. The 11 hour flight arrives in Cairo at 6:05 am and Guardian Travel will meet, greet and assist us through customs and baggage claim, handling all the luggage.  No wrestling with suitcases! We'll then be whisked to the fabulous Mena House Hotel in Cairo, which is right next to the Great Pyramid. Because of our early morning arrival, first night of hotel is Feb. 16 for Trip I, March 2 for Trip II. 

Mena House Hotel (2 meals on plane)

Finally, we’re here! We settle into our rooms and have the entire day to rest up. You may wish to hang out at the beautiful pool at the Mena House so you can be completely refreshed for our action packed next day. Our first group activity will be our wonderful Welcome Dinner in the evening.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch on your own, Dinner)

This will be one of the most amazing days of your life. Our journey begins with a group spiritual connection ceremony with our incredible Master Healer, Dawn Hoang. What a way to start! And then, in perfect Egyptian fashion, we'll go directly to the Pyramids - of course! Lunch will be at the beautiful 9 Pyramids, with stunning views.  Next, we'll visit the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx. Finally, for those interested in high quality Egyptian oils, we’ll have a delightful time at the perfume and Egyptian oil shop of the Fayed family, who distribute these amazing oils internationally. This evening, we are the guests of the Fayed family at their home which is literally across the street from the Sphinx. The evening culminates in the famous Sound and Light Show, which we watch from our perfect vantage point. What an action packed beginning to this incredible journey!

Mena House Hotel  (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

The new Grand Egyptian Museum!! Oh my Goddess, we've been waiting years for this to open! We'll spend the entire day at the Museum and eat lunch there. This museum has the world's oldest and largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and antiquities, and is the official repository of most of the archaeological treasures of the Egyptian government from the prehistoric era to the Greco-Roman period. There is an entire wing dedicated only to King Tut! We'll see every single artifact they found in his tomb, over 5,000 pieces! Many of these have never been seen by the public before. Up close and personal, we get to examine incredible statues, mummies, jewelry and more. 

Mena House Hotel  (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

This morning we take a beautiful and relaxing drive into the countryside south of the Giza Plateau to visit the incredible Steppe Pyramid at Saqqara. The Steppe Pyramid is considered by traditional Egyptologists to be the earliest, prototypical pyramid. It was designed for Pharaoh Djoser by the mythic figure Imhotep. Imhotep is recognized as the world’s first named architect and doctor as well as a scribe, priest, astrologer, vizier, and chief minister. Next is the incredible Serrapium. The ancient Egyptians worshiped the Apis bull, huge animals that were then mummified, and the Serapeum contains many of the enormous sarcophagi they were buried in. Then, after taking a leisurely lunch, we’re off for a visit to a carpet factory and school, seeing the incredible artistry of Egyptian hand-made carpets. Late in the afternoon, we head to the airport — we fly to Luxor, home of the Valley of the Kings, for more adventures. We’ll be staying at the beautiful Sonesta St. George, which is located directly on the Nile, and staying in their newly renovated Royal Rooms.

Sonesta St. George Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Today is one of the most spectacular days on our amazing journey. We’ll cross the Nile to the Valley of the Kings. I'm so excited that we have been able to secure the coveted ticket to the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I, which was closed for many years to the public. A very limited number of people per day are allowed into this magnificent tomb and you are one of the lucky ones! Similarly, a limited number of people are allowed into the Tombs of Ramses VI and King Tut, but you will have a special ticket for all of these.Next we’ll visit the mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (the female Pharaoh) and we’ll have a quick photo op at the Colossi of Memnon. Afterwards, we’ll visit an alabaster factory. Egyptian alabaster is known throughout the world over for its incredible beauty. We’ll see how it’s made and have the opportunity to purchase some of our own treasures. Later on in the day, we'll visit a fabulous jewelry shop where you can have your own cartouche made.

Sonesta St. George (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Today we start early, as we make our way north along the Nile to the Temple of Abydos, which many consider the most sacred temple in all of Egypt. At Abydos especially, we will delve into controversial and secret versions of history that our tours are famous for. How can there be a carving of a helicopter, a tank, a submarine and and a jet plane in a temple of ancient Egypt? Pharoah Seti I’s temple was built on top of an earlier temple of very ancient, possibly Atlantean origins, called the Osirion. Located on one of the pillars of the Osirion is the “Flower of Life”, which figures so prominently in the teachings of Drunvalo Melchizedek. We'll have lunch at one of the shops of our friends. Then it’s on to the Hathor Temple of Dendara, dedicated to one of the most beloved of the Egyptian deities, Hathor, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Here we have secured another private visit, just for our group. Just recently they have completed an ambitious project of cleaning the walls and ceilings of hundreds and hundreds of years of dirt, soot and smoke. The results are spectacular and you will not believe the original beautiful colors they have found under the grime. It’s almost as though they were covered all these years just so that we could experience these amazing colors and carvings all these thousands of years later. We'll see the famous Zodiac ceiling and the painted carvings of Nut (Goddess of the Night Sky) swallowing the solar disc at night and birthing it again each morning. Also in this temple we get a peek into esoteric Egyptian technology. We’ll be taken to see some very unusual, hidden carvings that appear to depict a kind of electrical device powering an energy tube which looks like a light bulb with serpent filaments! Our ceremonies here are always incredible memorable.

Sonesta St. George (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Today we awaken and marvel that we are eating breakfast overlooking the Nile and in high anticipation of the day. We check out of our hotel, because we board our Nile Cruise ship today! We make our way to the Temple Complex at Karnak, one of the most amazing places in all of Egypt. Although some sections have not survived the ravages of time, no temple site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built on this planet, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders over a span of 2500 (!) years. The Temple of Karnak is actually three main temples containing smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples all situated on 247 acres of land. Our guidance tells us that most if not all of the people on this trip have had many Egyptian lifetimes. If you lived in Egypt, it’s highly likely that during one or more of those lifetimes you visited or lived at Karnak. After our amazing time here, we will go to a papyrus shop where we learn ancient Egyptian paper making techniques. We’ll experience Egyptian artistry first-hand, and have a chance to purchase incredible Egyptian papyrus. Next we board our beautiful cruise ship and have lunch. After relaxing on the boat for the afternoon we go for our evening visit to the Luxor Temple, built during the reign of Amenhotep III. For many centuries it was covered with the desert sands, so it is now one of the most perfectly preserved and beautiful temples in of Egypt. That amazing beauty is highlighted and emphasized even more as we wander under the stars among the massive, dramatically lit columns, statues and obelisks. It's other-worldly!

Nile Cruise Ship (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

After the amazing time we’ve had and all we’ve seen and done, it’s time to slow down and unwind a bit as we take the day to refresh and relax as we Cruise the Nile. There are so many possibilities on board. You may want to go topside and snag some rays as you sip a drink by the pool. Maybe you’ll delight in observing the ever changing scenes drifting past along the Nile; the boats, the farms, the villages and the wildlife. Maybe it’s time for some pampering with a massage. Or possibly it’s time to just sit quietly with your journal and remember and integrate the incredible experiences we’ve had so far.

Nile Cruise Ship (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Today our ship docks at Edfu, home of a Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus. Of all the surviving temples of ancient Egypt, the Temple of Horus is the most complete and best preserved. As our ship continues on the Nile,  we reach the Temple Complex at Kom Ombo, dedicated to both Ra-Herakhty and the crocodile god Sobek. Just next to the Temple is the new Crocodile Museum containing hundreds of mummified crocodiles discovered over the years at this site. Tonight we’ll have a really fun time at the galabaya party on our cruise ship. It’s your opportunity to walk like an Egyptian!

Nile Cruise Ship (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

This will be an absolutely incredible day! We will rise early and take a small boat to the beautiful island of Philae, home of the beautiful magical temple dedicated to Isis, the Great Mother. This will be another of our private visits, just for our group inside this amazing place. The energy of the Divine Feminine is very strong here. Our ceremonies here will be extremely powerful. We'll also learn how this was a temple that was moved to save it from the floods that occurred from the building of the Aswan Dam; the engineering feat is almost unbelievable. Next, we will visit the Unfinished Obelisk and get a sense of the gargantuan engineering feats of the ancient Egyptians. We'll return to our beautiful Nile cruise and have a leisurely lunch. We'll have a few hours to rest or hang out on the sun deck. Then, we'll take a beautiful boat ride on the Nile, with the western sun dancing on the sparkling blue waters. Tonight there will be music and dancing on our cruise ship and if we're lucky, belly dancing!

Nile Cruise Ship (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Today we bid adieu to our floating home on the water, our Nile cruise ship, and the wonderful crew who have fed, feted and pampered us like Pharaonic royalty. Now on our way to Abu Simbel, we go deep into the southern desert. In the 1960′s, with the building of the Aswan High Dam, rising waters from Lake Nasser threatened to inundate archeological treasures all along the Nile in Upper Egypt. Through an unprecedented international effort, the most important temple, Abu Simbel, and some smaller sites were cut into massive blocks, moved to higher ground and reassembled. As we make our way to the temple site, we are nearly struck dumb by the mind-bending sight. Before us loom four colossal, 67-foot high statues (each the size of a 7-story building) of Ramses II seated on his throne, facing Lake Nasser, guarding the entrance to his temple. Exploring the inside of the temple is amazing. One hundred yards away, built into another hillside, is the Temple of Nefertari, Ramses II’s favorite wife. Six colossal standing figures 33 feet high, four of Ramses II and two of Nefertari, are cut from the rock face, along with smaller figures of the royal family. We spend the rest of our time exploring these astonishing temples and then fly back to Cairo for our stay at the beautiful Mena House Hotel next to the Pyramids on the Giza Plateau for the astounding conclusion to our journey.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

And now the culmination of our journey, what we have all been waiting for. Our private time in the Great Pyramid. We'll begin with a healing ceremony that has been specifically curated by Dawn Hoang and Debra for this special day. We will then start between the Paws of the Sphinx. This area is closed to the general public, but as part of our Sacred VIP Tour, we'll have our own special time there. We'll then come up to the Great Pyramid. We’ll have 2 hours all to ourselves for our ceremonies. We’ll begin by going to the Queen’s Chamber and doing a special ceremony. Then it’s onto the King’s Chamber, for our ceremony of resurrection and renewal. After that, those that wish can climb into the Pit. The ceremonies inside the Great Pyramid are life changing. This evening, we’ll have our Farewell Dinner and we realize our hearts are overflowing with both joy and a little bit of sadness. Joy for all that we have experienced, learned and become; and sadness because our adventure is drawing to a close. We contemplate all the wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime adventures we have shared in the last two weeks, the lifetime friendships we have formed, and how we have been changed forever by our Return to Egypt.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

We awaken early as we gaze at the Pyramids and as a group, make our way to the Cairo airport. After they've helped us through the checking in process, we say goodbye to our Guardian Travel friends – and by now, they really are friends. They have taken such good care of us, done such a wonderful job of organizing and orchestrating our time in Egypt, and shared so much of themselves and their culture with us! At least we have the time on our flight to reminisce, laugh and cry with our dear travel companions. As the plane takes off and we see Cairo one last time from the air, silently, secretly we vow to return again. Chasing the sun on its westward arc, we arrive back in New York at 10:15 am, tired, happy and content, knowing that our lives have been transformed forever.

Mena House Hotel (2 Meals on the plane)