From Pharaohs to Desert Stars

Your ENA representative greets you at Cairo Airport and escorts you to your hotel. The evening is yours to rest after your journey or take in the lively rhythms of the city.

The day begins on the Giza Plateau, where the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure stand as Egypt’s eternal skyline. The Great Pyramid — the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World — rises with astonishing precision, while the Great Sphinx, with its lion’s body and pharaoh’s face, keeps timeless watch. Nearby, the Valley Temple whispers of ancient rituals, where kings were prepared for eternity.

A refreshing pause for lunch at a local restaurant is included, then, your journey continues to Saqqara. Here the Step Pyramid of Djoser, designed by the genius architect Imhotep, reveals the very beginnings of pyramid building nearly 4,700 years ago. This revolutionary monument was the first of its kind, a staircase for a king to climb into the heavens.

The day closes in Memphis, Egypt’s first capital, founded around 3100 BC. Among its treasures stands a colossal statue of Ramses II, so lifelike you half expect the granite pharaoh to rise and walk the ancient city again.

The Grand Egyptian Museum holds among its wonders the dazzling treasure of Tutankhamun — gold, jewels, and ritual objects buried with the boy king. Each hall tells a chapter of Egypt’s story, from the Old Kingdom to the Greco-Roman age.

High above the city, Salah El-Din’s Citadel commands sweeping views of Cairo. Built in the 12th century, it guarded the capital for centuries. Within its walls stands the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, known as the Alabaster Mosque for its luminous stone. Modeled on Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, its soaring domes are a symbol of Ottoman grandeur in Egypt.

Finally, lose yourself in the labyrinth of Khan El Khalili Bazaar, where the scent of spices, glint of brass lamps, and chatter of shopkeepers create Cairo’s most colorful marketplace. Here, the past feels alive in every alley.

Lunch at a local restaurant is included between visits.

Depart Cairo early in the morning and travel west across Egypt’s desert landscapes toward Siwa Oasis.

Arrive in Siwa in the evening and check into your Siwa hotel.

Overnight: Siwa

Explore Siwa’s most important historical sites.

Visit the ancient Shali Fortress, wander through traditional Siwan streets, and discover the Temple of the Oracle, where Alexander the Great is believed to have visited in 331 BC.

Continue to Gebel Al Mawta (Mountain of the Dead), home to fascinating rock-cut tombs.

End the day at Fatnas Island for one of Egypt’s most spectacular sunsets.

Overnight: Siwa

Spend the day enjoying Siwa’s natural wonders.

Float in the famous salt lakes, known for their crystal-clear waters and incredible buoyancy. Visit Cleopatra’s Spring and several natural freshwater springs that have sustained life in the oasis for centuries.

Enjoy a relaxed afternoon exploring local markets and traditional crafts.

Overnight: Siwa

Travel into the Great Sand Sea for a full desert safari experience.

Cross enormous dunes by 4×4, try sandboarding, visit desert springs hidden among the dunes, and enjoy a traditional desert lunch.

As evening approaches, watch the sunset over the endless sands before returning to Siwa.

Overnight: Siwa

After breakfast, begin the journey to Luxor, arriving in the evening.

Overnight: Luxor Hotel

On the West Bank of the Nile lies the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs of the New Kingdom carved their tombs deep into desert cliffs. Painted corridors and chambers still shimmer with images of gods, stars, and the journey into the afterlife.

Nearby rises the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Hewn from the mountain itself, its terraces seem to grow out of the desert cliffs — a testament to the only woman who ruled Egypt as pharaoh.

Facing the Nile stand the Colossi of Memnon, two giant statues of Amenhotep III, their weathered faces gazing eastward at the rising sun. Once guardians of a vast mortuary temple, they remain as monumental sentinels.

A pause for lunch is included during your exploration.

Overnight: Luxor Hotel

Your final day begins at Karnak, the largest temple complex ever built by human hands. Its Hypostyle Hall, with 134 towering columns, is a forest of stone carved with hieroglyphs and crowned with papyrus-shaped capitals. Obelisks pierce the sky, and avenues of sphinxes stretch for miles. For over 1,500 years, pharaohs added their mark here, creating a living history in sandstone.

At Luxor Temple, the focus was celebration. Built by Amenhotep III and expanded by Ramses II, it was the stage for the annual Opet Festival, when statues of the gods were paraded from Karnak to renew the king’s divine right to rule. By night, its pylons and colonnades glow in golden light, carrying whispers of ancient hymns.

After your visit, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Cairo, where your ten-day journey concludes.