Egypt

Departure from Montreal Airport (P.E. Trudeau) on an international flight to Cairo.

Note: Please arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

❖ 5-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Arrival in Cairo. Meet and greet, followed by transfer to the hotel to check in.

❖ Meals included : Breakfast / Accommodation : 5* Hotel / Transport : Air-conditioned vehicle.

Departure for a day of discovery of the famous monuments of ancient Egyptin the capital region:

• The Pyramids of Giza : a vast funerary complex housing the tombs of the pharaohs and comprising three great pyramids. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to have survived to this day, is among these imposing vestiges of ancient Egypt. It appears that the pyramids were erected approximately 4,500 years ago and that their construction was facilitated by the existence of a branch of the Nile River, now dry, which would have allowed for the transport of stones from the surrounding quarries. However, the engineering challenges involved in their construction still leave many questions unanswered in the scientific world today.
• The SphinxThe Sphinx, a monument sculpted from limestone, stands in front of the three famous pyramids. It is the largest monolithic sculpture in the world.
• Mohammed Ali Mosque: a major Islamic shrine in Cairo, built in the heart of the Citadel in the^19th-century Ottoman architectural style for Viceroy Mohammed Ali Pasha, considered the father of modern Egypt. It was he who ushered Egypt into the industrial age, making the country one of the world’s leading cotton producers. He was behind the first initiatives to build railroads and dig canals for the transport of goods destined for export. Egypt owes him significant social reforms, notably the country’s first military, medical, and pharmacy schools.

❖ Meals included : Breakfast / Accommodation : 5* Hotel / Transport : Air-conditioned vehicle.

Visit the capital and its many attractions:

• The Great Museum of Egypt (GEM), recently built, is the most important museum dedicated to Egyptian antiquity. Its monumental collection is the culmination of decades of archaeological research focused on the country’s history. On display are colossal statues of pharaohs, right down to the most common domestic objects of ancient Egypt.
• Khan el Khelili Bazaarthe best-known market in the Middle East, is a bustling place renowned for its many stores selling local products and souvenirs. (Colorful lamps, fabrics, copper objects, jewelry, spices, perfumes, musical instruments, etc.).
• Al Mo’ez StreetAl Mo’ez Street is an open-air museum, a must-see opportunity to immerse yourself in the Islamic world! This is one of the city’s oldest streets, home to some of the country’s most remarkable Islamic monuments and buildings.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and plane.

• Flight to Hurghada. The city and its beaches stretch for nearly 40 km along the Red Sea, making Hurghada the country’s premier beach resort. World-renowned for its clear waters and coral reefs, Hurghada welcomes visitors from all over the world who come to dive and windsurf.
• Free time to enjoy this little slice of paradise. Beach and optional activities.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Accommodation: 4* hotel.

• Free time to enjoy this little paradise on the Red Sea. Beach and optional activities.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Accommodation: 5* cruise / Transport: air-conditioned vehicle and boat.

Drive to Luxor and board the cruise ship. Departure to discover the majestic monuments on the banks of this mythical river:

• Temple of Karnakthe largest religious complex in the city of Thebes in ancient times, when Thebes was the name given to Luxor. The complex of magnificently decorated and sculpted temples, chapels, colonnades and corridors is undoubtedly the longest construction project in history, spanning more than 2,000 years.
• Free time to relax.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Transport and accommodation: 5* cruise.

Departure in an air-conditioned vehicle for a grand tour of the Valley of the Kings , which extends along the west bank of the Nile and is a region renowned for housing the tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom ( ^16th to ^11th centuries BC) and those of their family.

• Tour of 3 temples with richly decorated tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple, an ancient mortuary temple comprising a very well-preserved complex of chapels, galleries, terraces, and porticoes carved from limestone. It is said that the construction of this imposing structure took place over a period of only 15 years.
• Colossi of Memnongiant stone sculptures on the west bank of the Nile, on the road leading to Thebes, the last remains of a huge temple that no longer exists.
• Back to Luxor.
• Night tour of the Luxor Temple, dedicated to the worship of Amun, this temple was an integral part of the religious urban landscape of ancient Thebes, as the religious ceremonies performed there mirrored those of the great Temple of Karnak, located less than 2 km away. The Opet Festival, one of the most lavish festivals of ancient Egypt, was celebrated here. The avenue lined with sphinxes and its grand, harmonious colonnades are sculptural features of great interest.

Sailing to Edfu.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Accommodation and transport: 5* cruise.

• Observing the longest total solar eclipse of the next 87 years from the Golden City of Luxor, one of the most fascinating places in the world and a prime location to witness this phenomenon, as it is the mythical site dedicated to the sun god Aten, where the sun was worshipped in ancient times, 3,000 years ago. The boat will be positioned in an optimal viewing area to witness the eclipse. Around 1:00 p.m., the moon will cover the sun for 6 minutes and 22 seconds, creating spectacular darkness, a drop in temperature, and the appearance of the solar corona. Certified eclipse viewing glasses provided. For a magical moment, history, archaeology, and the cosmos will come together to offer a truly unique and unforgettable experience!

• Sailing to Edfu via the Esna Lock.

• Sailing to Edfu.
• The Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the worship of Horus, the god of kingship and great protector of the pharaohs. Built during the reign of King Ptolemy in^{the 3rd} century B.C. in the Pharaonic style. This temple is the^{second-largest} sanctuary in Egypt after Karnak.
• The Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek (god of fertility) and Haroëris (benevolent god and protector of Upper Egypt in the^2nd century B.C.). The boat ride to the site offers a truly breathtaking view.
• Sailing to Aswan.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner / Accommodation and transport: 5* cruise.

• Aswan High Dam, a hydroelectric dam built on the Nile in the 1960s and considered one of the largest in the world. The project was designed not only to generate electricity for the country, but also to create a water reservoir and provide a means of flood control for agriculture.
• The Temple of Philae, dedicated to the worship of Isis, the goddess who protects the hearth, was the last place where this cult was practiced. It was, in fact, the last bastion of the religion of ancient Egypt, which continued to experience sporadic resurgence until the early^5th century CE.
• PM: A felucca ride around the islands of Aswan.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner / Accommodation and transport: 5* cruise.

• A visit to a Nubian village. Discovering a people who have preserved exceptional traditional skills.
• Cruise down the Nile to Luxor. Sunbathing and relaxation!

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5* hotel / Transport: air-conditioned vehicle and plane.

• Transfer to Luxor Airport and internal flights to Cairo. Arrival in Cairo, meet-and-greet, and transfer to the hotel to check in.

• National Museum of Egyptian Civilization: officially opened in 2021. It covers the entire history of Egypt, from prehistory to the modern era, and is home to the Royal Mummies Hall, among other exhibits.
• Free time in the afternoon.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and international flight.

• Transfer to Cairo airport and flight to Montreal.

• Cairo: 5* Hotel CONCORDE EL SALAM or equivalent
• Hurghada: Hotel 4* FORT ARABESQUE or equivalent
• Nile: 5* cruise (name of cruise ship to be determined, as cruise departure times vary according to the day of the week)

• International flights (including baggage allowance of 23 kg per person, maximum)
• 2 Internal flights: Cairo–Hurghada and Luxor–Cairo
• Shuttles to and from the airports
• Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver
• All accommodations (4- and 5-star)
• 2 meals a day (on average)
• All activities and site admissions listed in bold on the itinerary and conducted in the company of a local guide
• Certified French-speaking local guide present with the group at all times, except during the beach stay and the Hurghada-Louxor trip
• Visit the Pyramids of Giza
• Beach Vacation on the Red Sea
• 6-Night Cruise on the Nile
• Nubian Village
• Observing the solar eclipse from Luxor
• A Felucca Ride on the Nile
• Tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and the Museum of Civilization
• All taxes
• 24/7 Support
• Organization from A to Z

• Visa
• Some meals
• Beverages
• Tips (arranged by the agency and mandatory)
• Personal Expenses
• Optional activities