Do I need a passport?

You will need a passport that is valid for 6 months after the end of your trip (September 2, 2020). You will need at least 2 empty pages in your passport.

Do I need a visa?

You will need a visa to travel in Egypt, but Guardian Travel handles all that for us, if you are an American or Canadian citizen. If you have a passport from another country, please let us know as soon as possible so that necessary visa arrangements can be made. 

Day 1: Egypt Here We Come! 

We meet at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York at the Egypt Air counter for international check-in. Please arrive no later than 3:00 p.m. We have a brief orientation to meet all the members of our group, and then learn an ancient meridian energy technique that virtually eliminates jet lag. We board our evening non-stop flight to Cairo, which departs at 6:30 p.m. The flight is 11 hours and it’s wonderful to sleep through the night and almost like magic, arrive in Cairo. Meals and movies are provided on board.

Day 2: Arrive in Cairo 

Finally, we’re here! We arrive in Cairo at 12:00 noon Egypt Local Time. At the airport, representatives from our local tour partners, Guardian Travel, meet us, greet us and assist us through customs and baggage claim, handling our entire luggage. No wrestling with suitcases! Then we board our motor coach and sightsee as we make our way through the hustle and bustle of the city. The weariness of the flight is quickly forgotten as we drink in the sights of downtown Cairo and we marvel as we cross the Nile River for the first time. Almost too quickly, we make our way to the historic and fabulous Mena House Hotel. The views of the Great Pyramid are spectacular. We settle into our rooms, have a wonderful group dinner in the evening and get a good night’s rest so we’re ready for tomorrow.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: Great Pyramid, Sphinx & Valley Temple, Dinner at the Fayed Home, Sound and Light Show

This will be one of the most amazing days of your life. Right after breakfast, we take the quick jaunt from our hotel to the Giza Plateau. Prepare to be overwhelmed! Words cannot describe the wonder, grandeur and mystery of the Great Pyramid of Khufu as well as the magnificent adjoining pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Next, we take in the Solar Boat Museum, the Valley Temple and the Guardian of the Horizons, the Great Sphinx. This is also the day we take a fun camel ride around the Giza Plateau. Coming over the sand dunes and seeing the Great Pyramid in front of you is so thrilling. And we’ll do a special meditation to set our intentions for this amazing soul journey. 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. We’ll return to the luxurious Mena House tired, but smelling great! 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.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (Cairo Museum), Old Cairo

What an incredible day this will be! We will visit the renowned Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, also known as the Cairo Museum. Established in 1835, the Museum is the official repository of most of the archeological treasures of the Egyptian government from the prehistoric era to the Greco-Roman period. It is the world’s densest concentration of ancient Egyptian artifacts and antiquities. Up close and personal, we get to examine incredible statues, mummies, jewelry and other artifacts. But the most amazing is viewing the famous collection from the tomb of Tutankhamen, an experience you will remember for the rest of your life. After lunch, we’re off to Old Cairo to visit the Citadel, the scene of famous battles during the Crusades. We will then spend time at the incredible Mosque of Mohammed Ali, one of the most beautiful mosques in the Middle East. Later in the day we will wander the narrow streets and alleys of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar and we’ll eat dinner at one of the interesting restaurants in the bazaar.

Mena House Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Step Pyramid

This morning we take a beautiful and relaxing drive into the countryside south of the Giza Plateau to visit the incredible Step Pyramid at Sakkara. The Step 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. The Serrapium was closed to the public for many years but it just re-opened and the site and the energy is spectacular, so we’re so excited to be able to include this in our tour. Then, after taking a leisurely lunch and possibly a few puffs on the hookah, 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.

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

Day 6: Karnak and Luxor Temple by Night

Today we awaken and marvel that we are eating breakfast overlooking the Nile and in high anticipation of the day. 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 by man, 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. In the afternoon, 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. Tonight, we visit 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 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.

Sonesta St. George (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 7: Abydos and Dendara

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. At this place, Seti I built an unusual temple dedicated to multiple gods. In this temple we get to view some very famous carvings of helicopters, tanks and jet planes. How is that possible? How can there be carvings of helicopters, tanks and jet planes 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. After lunch, 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. In this Temple we get to examine 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! The Hathor Temple is also the first temple of ancient Egypt for which the government has begun an ambitious project of cleaning the walls and ceilings of hundreds and hundreds of years of dirt, soot and smoke. The results have been 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.

Sonesta St. George (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 8: Valley of the Kings, Tomb of King Tut, Tomb of Seti I, Temple of Hatshepsut

​Day 9: Tomb of Queen Nefertari, Nile Cruise

​Day 10: Temple Complexes at Edfu & Kom Ombo

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. It is easy to sense a deep eternal presence in the Holy of Holies, as we focus inward. As our ship continues on the Nile, steaming southward toward our next port of call, we pass another timeless scene. Watching farmers with their oxen plow the fields, and women wash their laundry at the water’s edge, we slip into the timeless rhythms of this vast river of life, and comprehend on a very deep level how abundantly the Nile has nourished her children from time out of mind. Stirring from reverie we notice, as we round the bend, the Temple Complex at Kom Ombo. Dedicated to both Ra-Herakhty and the crocodile god Sobek, this unusual double temple expresses the Egyptians’ understanding of the dual nature of reality. Here we, too, will meditate upon the light and shadow, yin and yang of our own natures. 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)

​Day 11: Aswan, the Isis Temple, Unfinished Obelisk

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. Unlike Cairo, the air 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 board a felucca, a traditional Nile sailboat. On the felucca ride, you are intensely aware of the tremendous beauty of the moment. The light from the western sun dancing on the sparkling blue waters of the Nile; the bright, clear blue sky; the warm gentle breeze filling the sails; lush, green palms against the desert sand; the rising joy in your heart. It has indeed been a delightful day, filled with promises made and promises kept. And 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)

​Day 12: Abu Simbel

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, our plane takes us 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 and back to 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)

​Day 13: Private Time in the Great Pyramid, Farewell Dinner

And now the culmination of our journey, what we have all been waiting for. Our private time in the Great Pyramid. We’ll have 2 hours all to ourselves for our ceremonies and meditations. 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, we’ll go into the Pit for an extraordinary meditation. 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 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)

​Day 14: Goodbye to Egypt

We awaken early, eat a final breakfast 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 the Pyramids and 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 3:30 p.m., tired, happy and content and knowing that our lives have been transformed forever.

The price includes:

• ​Round trip coach airfare from New York to Cairo and 3 flights within Egypt**
  
  
• ​All hotels are 5-star
  
  
• ​All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner each day)
  ​
• ​5-star cruise ship (including meals) for our 5 days/4 nights Nile cruise
  
  
• ​​All entrance fees (to Egypt, tombs, temples, museums, etc.), tips to all hotel employees & guards at sites (except for voluntary tips to our Egyptian guide at the end of our visit), bus and boat fares
  
  
• ​The cost of our private group meditation time in the Pyramid
  
  
• ​Our Egyptian guide (who reads hieroglyphics!)
  
  
• ​Your Sedona Soul Adventures guide who will be leading the meditations and ceremonies
  
  
• ​Sound and Light Show at the Pyramid and Sphinx
  
  
• Personal accident and injury insurance (not trip cancellation insurance)