100% customisable travel idea
From Cairo to the Red Sea Egyptian triptych as beautiful locations
Egypt - Cairo - Luxor - El Gouna
100% customisable travel idea
Egypt - Cairo - Luxor - El Gouna
100% customisable for you
Transfer to your hotel to stay three nights on the east bank of the River Nile. Built in 1999, the hotel is a modern-day palace, rising nobly towards the sky. Inside, it is spacious, but never intimidating. The facilities are excellent, and you will also enjoy attentive, friendly service, and a personal touch that does the hotel credit. Its decor is pleasantly varied and of a high standard. The rooms are impeccably classic, with soft tones and fabrics that add to your comfort and pleasure. The amenities are superior and your bedroom overlooks the river; you can watch feluccas gliding across the water from your private balcony. Eight lounges and restaurants cater for all preferences, with Egyptian, Italian, Mediterranean and Chinese cuisine sharing the menu with a bistro and grill. There’s everything from dim sum to beef steak, fattoush salad to burgers. The spa is fully in tune with the rest of the property, with first-class facilities, amenities and qualified staff to ensure your well-being. It includes a hammam, sauna, indoor pool, jacuzzi and gym. There are two more pools outside.
Already included - the Pyramids of Giza and Egyptian Museum. What can we say that has not already been said about the Sphinx and the pyramid tombs of the 4th Dynasty pharaohs: Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) - who also commissioned the nearby therianthropic monument - and Menkaure (Mykerinos)? They have survived for more than four millennia, despite all the neglect and curiosity they have suffered! Today, they are still magnificently standing up to the merchants of the temple! Their mystery seems limitless, and the emotion they inspire is always fresh. The Egyptian Museum, founded by Auguste Mariette in 1858, holds a dizzyingly rich collection of artefacts. Here you will see the Treasures of Tanis, the remarkable Fayum mummy portraits, and thousands of objects that describe the magnitude of ancient civilisation along the Nile. Your private guide will provide an essential introduction. Although the contents of Tutankhamun’s tomb have now been transferred to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, the famous 3rd Dynasty statue of Djoser and 4th Dynasty statue of Khafre also remain at the Egyptian Museum.
The Fatimids were the architects of Islamic Cairo, but it is the citadel of the first Ayyubid sultan, Saladin (1138-1193), that watches over the city. Above it rise the dome and minarets of the great alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali, built in the Ottoman style (1857). At the foot of the citadel stands the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, dating from the Bahri Mamluk period in the 14th century. Next to it, the Al-Rifa’i Mosque was constructed from 1869 to 1911. In neo-Mamluk style, it houses the tombs of members of the Egyptian royal family, as well as Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Then there is Khan el-Khalili, Cairo’s most iconic bazaar. It has been a centre of trade, crafts and daily life since its creation in the 14th century. You can’t help but get a little lost in this maze, which holds beautiful and surprising discoveries at almost every turn. Cairo - with its many, many layers of art and history and its constant bustle - is one of those cities that seems inexhaustible.
Optional - Beautiful Mamluk and Ottoman residences.
You have a transfer to the airport and flight to Luxor. Another transfer takes you to your hotel for three nights, on the west bank of the Nile, where cultivated land meets the desert. The hotel - built with the authentic touch of local craftsmen - is a blend of Muslim architecture: a small high-ceiling palace, inspired by both Moorish and Ottoman influences. Against a background palette of blue, yellow and pink, the murals, fabrics and furniture add a hundred variations. Everywhere, there is a beautiful graphic use of the built environment. However, your stay is not just about appearances. The ambience is relaxed yet luxurious, from the beautiful garden with babbling fountains, to your beautiful, well-equipped, comfortable room with its oriental-style living area. And then there are the mashrabiya lounges with their sublime latticework and filtered light - neither indoors nor outdoors, but somewhere in between. A delicious breakfast is served in the courtyard to set you up for the day. For all other meals, the restaurant reflects the principles that govern across the whole estate. And it’s delectable! Spa services, massages and an outdoor pool offer an extra touch of bliss.
Already included - Private tour of the Karnak Temple Complex constructed over a period of nearly 2,000 years, from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period. Within the Precinct of Amun-Re there is the Temple of Amun (dedicated to the protector of Thebes); a processional avenue lined with criosphinxes (mythological creatures with a lion's body and ram's head, frequently associated with Amun-Re); the Great Hypostyle Hall with its forest of columns, and much more. The Mut Temple is dedicated to the wife of Amun-Re, the Mother Goddess who honoured maternal qualities and was symbolised by the vulture. The next site to visit is Luxor Temple. Also dedicated to Amun, its main builders were Amenhotep III and Ramses II (New Kingdom, 1500-1000 BCE). A grand processional colonnade marks the entrance to the sanctuary, then comes the pylon entrance and the six colossal statues of Ramses II. Next, there is the entire development of the sacred structure. The Obelisk on Place de la Concorde in Paris comes from here; it is one of two raised by the pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty. After the ancient religion was abandoned, other religious buildings were established within the enclosure, namely churches and a mosque. You can still see traces of the churches; the minaret of the mosque stands opposite, behind the pylon entrance, next to the remaining obelisk.
Already included - Visit the Theban Necropolis (with a private guide) on the west bank of the Nile, the “land of the dead”. The Valley of the Kings contains the hypogea (underground tombs) of almost all the pharaohs of the New Kingdom, with the notable exception of the heresiarch Akhenaten. These tombs hidden in the mountains seem the opposite of the ostentatious pyramids - but perhaps the pyramids themselves were artificial mountains? In the Valley of the Queens, several royal wives were buried, including Nefertari, wife of Ramses II, “she for whom the sun shines”. At Deir el-Bahari, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, queen and pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, stands out with its ramps and porticoes, setting it apart from the classical form of Egyptian temples. Paintings, reliefs and monumental statues are partly preserved and offer a glimpse of past splendour. Time has given this architecture a strikingly modern simplicity. These funerary temples were the accessible face of the post-mortem process.
Transfer to El Gouna, about 20 km (12 miles) north of Hurghada to stay for three nights by the lagoon in a large house, featuring eclectic seaside architecture - a typical trait of the genre. The effect is a well-balanced, harmonious blend of European and Middle Eastern charm. Could there be a form of Europeanism, as there was Orientalism? Inside, the decor is abundant and expressive, using a wide range of patterns and a broad palette. In this respect, each room is a full, unique creation in its own right, at times verging on the baroque. The bedrooms are also exceptionally well-equipped and welcoming. Some overlook the water, while others offer mountain views. The public areas are extremely comfortable and inviting, both inside and out. In the restaurant, Europe and Egypt come together again, both in flavours and colours. And in addition to the private beach and large pool (with a sophisticated bar), there are a spa, massage services, hammam and sauna, where you can reconnect body and soul.
While there is plenty to enjoy at your accommodation and you are right to make the most of it, it would be a shame if they made you forget the Red Sea. The seabeds here are rightly renowned for their rich marine life, and it’s a joy to dive among the reefs to discover it, whether snorkelling or scuba diving. On the surface, kitesurfing, windsurfing, sea kayaking and boat trips are all very tempting options. Or what about horseriding through the desert and mountainous hinterland? In the city itself, famous architects have come up with creative solutions to develop a world-class seaside resort. “Dine around” tours let you sample the specialities of many restaurants; trendy bars invite you to soak up the atmosphere with an oriental beat. In El Gouna, good times are on the agenda every day. Did we not mention the beach? It has ten kilometres (6 miles) of sand. And to get around, you can travel by tuk-tuk. The drivers of these light vehicles help maintain the relaxed, cheerful atmosphere that prevails
in the resort. Optional - City tour with a local.
Transfer to Hurghada Airport and your international return flight.
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