Egypt

The flight to Cairo is non-stop, leaving Newark at 12:00 pm, so arrive at the airport no later than 9:00 am to check in. The 11 hour flight arrives in Cairo at 5:55 am and Guardian Travel will meet, greet and assist us through customs and baggage claim, handling all the luggage. No wrestling with suitcases! You'll then be whisked to the fabulous Four Seasons First Residence Hotel in Cairo, which is right on the Nile.

Four Seasons First Residence Hotel (2 meals on plane)

Finally, we’re here! We settle into our rooms and have the entire day to rest up. We'll have a wonderful Welcome Dinner in the evening and be completely refreshed for our action packed next day going to the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the beginning of this incredible adventure.

Four Seasons First Residence Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch on your own, Dinner)

This will be one of the most amazing days of your life.  In perfect Egyptian fashion, we'll go directly to the Pyramids and connect in the most wonderful way and have a fun camel ride. Lunch will be at the beautiful 9 Pyramids, with stunning views.  Next, we'll visit the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx - Wow! 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 our incredible journey!

Four Seasons First Residence Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

What a spectacular day this will be! We'll go to Old Cairo to visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. 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 archeological treasures of the Egyptian government from the prehistoric era to the Greco-Roman period. Up close and personal, we get to examine incredible statues, mummies, jewelry and more. We'll see the treasures of King Tut and all the other amazing artifacts which are there.

Four Seasons First Residence 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 Step 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 Serrapium contains many of the enormous sarcophogi they were buried in. Next onto our private visit (just for our group) to the Tomb of Wahte (featured in the Netflix documentary "Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb"), one of the very privileged few who have had this opportunity.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 Hotel which is located directly on the Nile and staying in their newly renovated Royal Club rooms.

Sonesta St. George Royal Club Rooms (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! For the VIP Tour only, we'll see the Tomb of King Tut and the Tomb of Ramses VI, which contains amazing hieroglyphics and scenes of the afterlife, including one of the most beautiful representations of Nut, the Goddess of the Night Sky. 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.

Sonesta St. George Royal Club Rooms (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! During our private visit, we'll do special ceremony in the chambers of this sacred place.

Sonesta St. George Royal Club Rooms (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. This will be one of the special days where we might just be able to go into a very special place, but we won’t be advertising it or posting on social media about it afterwards. After our amazing time in Karnak, 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. Watch this video to learn more about this 5-star experience!

Mayfair 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!

Mayfair Nile Cruise Ship (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Our first day in Aswan opens before us with the promise of new and exotic delights. Aswan has the welcoming, friendly feel of an oasis and indeed, the desert here is close at hand. The air here is pure and fresh and the city seems to vibrate with a clarity and intensity that reminds one of Machu Picchu or Sedona. Bright and early this morning we take a small boat to the beautiful Island of Philae, home of a beautiful, magical temple dedicated to Isis, the Great Mother. The energy of the Divine Feminine is very strong here. Plus, 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 ship and have a leisurely lunch. We’ll have a few hours to rest or hang out on the sun deck. Then, we 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!

Mayfair 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 with a special upgrade to Pyramid view rooms.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

And now the culmination of our journey, what we have all been waiting for. Our private time between the paws of the Sphinx and in the Great Pyramid.  The area between the paws of the Sphinx is closed to the general public, but as part of the 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 JFK) at 10:15 am, tired, happy and content, knowing that our lives have been transformed forever.

Mena House Hotel (2 Meals on the plane)