Egypt

Departure from Montreal airport (P.E. Trudeau) on a flight to Cairo.

Note: Arrival at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

❖ Accommodation: 5* Hotel / Transport: 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 discovering the famous monuments of the capital region:

• Pyramids of Giza: a vast funerary complex housing the tombs of the pharaohs and comprising three great pyramids. The Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World to have survived to the present day, is among these imposing remnants of ancient Egypt. It appears that the pyramids were built approximately 4,500 years ago and that their construction was facilitated by the existence of a branch of the Nile River—now dried up—which would have allowed for the transport of stones from nearby quarries. However, the engineering challenges involved in their construction still leave many unanswered questions in the scientific community today.
• The Sphinx, a monument carved from a single block of limestone, stands before the three famous pyramids. It is the largest monolithic sculpture in the world.
• Mohammed Ali Mosque Mohammed Ali Mosque: Cairo’s most important Islamic sanctuary, 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. He was responsible for Egypt’s entry 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 to transport materials for export. Egypt owes him a debt of gratitude for important social reforms, including the country’s first military, medical and pharmacy schools.

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

A grand tour of the El Fayoum region, a cool oasis an hour south of the capital:

• Explore Lake Qârun (Moéris), a very important nature reserve for the region, as well as a body of water that is very popular with fishermen and waterfowl.
• Visit to the Wadi El Rayan Falls, the highest waterfalls in the country, which offer a striking contrast to the arid landscape around them.
• Dinner prepared by villagers, featuring Egyptian specialties.
• Sandboarding on the sandy high plateau—a one-of-a-kind experience!
• A memorable 4×4 ride through the desert.
• Tour ofpottery workshops, a regional specialty.

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

Visit the capital :

• The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a very recently built museum, is the largest museum dedicated to ancient Egypt. Its monumental collection is the culmination of decades of archaeological research focused on the country’s history. Visitors can see everything from colossal statues of pharaohs to the most common household objects of ancient Egypt.
• Coptic Cairo, a neighborhood that reflects the city’s Christian life. The Copts belong to the Church of Alexandria of St. Mark the Evangelist and form one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
• Khan el Khelili Bazaar, the most famous market in the Middle East, is a bustling place renowned for its many shops selling local products and souvenirs (colorful lamps, fabrics, copperware, jewelry, spices, perfumes, musical instruments, etc.).
• Al Mo’ez Street , an open-air museum, is an unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in the Islamic world! It is one of the oldest streets in the city and is home to some of the most remarkable Islamic monuments and buildings in the country.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner/ 4* accommodation/ Transport: air-conditioned vehicle and internal flight.

• AM: Fly to Hurghada. The city and its beaches stretch for almost 40 km along the Red Sea, making Hurghada the country’s leading seaside resort. World-renowned for its clear waters and coral reefs, Hurghada welcomes visitors from all over for diving and windsurfing.

• PM: Guided tour of the city of Hurghada. Visitto the Grand Mosque of Hurghada, the port, and the fish market.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner / 4* accommodation

• Free time to enjoy this little paradise on the Red Sea. Beach and optional activities.
• Special New Year’s dinner.

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

• Free time to enjoy this little paradise on the shores of the Red Sea.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and 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:

• The Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex in the city of Thebes in ancient times, when Thebes was the name given to Luxor. The complex—which consists of temples, chapels, colonnades, and corridors that are magnificently decorated and carved—is undoubtedly the longest-running construction project in history, as its construction spanned more than 2,000 years.
• The Luxor Temple, dedicated to the worship of Amun, was an integral part of the religious urban landscape of ancient Thebes, as the religious ceremonies performed there mirrored those of the great Karnak Temple, 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 colonnadesare sculptural features of great interest.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner / Transportation and lodging: 5* cruise.

Departure in an air-conditioned vehicle for a grand discovery tour:

• The Valley of the Kings , which stretches along the west bank of the Nile, is a region renowned for housing the tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom ( ^16th to ^11th centuries BC) and those of their families. Visit three 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.
• The Colossi of Memnon, giant stone sculptures located on the west bank of the Nile, along the road leading to Thebes, are the last remaining vestiges of a vast temple that no longer exists.
• Sailing to Edfu.

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

• 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.

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

• 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.
• 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 generateelectricity for the country, but also to create a water reservoir and provide a means of flood control for agriculture.

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

Continue by bus in a south-westerly direction:

• The Temples of Abu Simbel, two architectural gems dating from the^13th century B. and carved directly into a rocky cliff face of ochre and pink hues, dedicated to the worship of several deities, as well as to that of Pharaoh Ramses II, who was himself deified. The pharaoh initiated this grand construction project through which he sought to assert his power over the territory and the gold resources of Nubia.
• Return to Aswan airport and internal flight to Cairo.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Transport: 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 Domestic flights: Cairo – Hurghada and Aswan – 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)
• Special New Year’s dinner
• All activities and admissions to sites shown in red on the program and accompanied by 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
• Abu Simbel temples
• 1 village dinner in the El Fayoum region
• Sandboarding down the El Fayoum plateau
• A 4X4 ride in the desert
• All taxes
• 24/7 Support
• Organization from A to Z

• Visa
• Some meals
• Beverages
• Tips
• Personal Expenses
• Optional activities

• Please note that the itinerary may change at any time for logistical reasons, but that the list of activities and visits on the program is always respected. Please also note that the version of the program appearing on our website takes precedence over any printed version.