Upon your arrival, get settled in at the metropolitan Ramses Hilton in Cairo. Or, if you're too excited to rest, take part in any number of the entertainment activities the hotel has to offer. Then, we embark on an evening exploration of the Egyptian Museum. Guided by an expert Egyptologist, you can wander among the more than 120,000 artifacts the museum holds in its collection. Gaze in wonder at the golden treasures amassed by King Tutenkhaman and marvel at the exquisit artwork that has survived the ages. While a visit to the animal mummification exhibit is included, visitors may wish to purchase an additional ticket to visit the famous Mummy Hall.  

A short drive from the hotel lies the most iconic of all Egyptian scenes - the pyramids of the Giza Plateau. With your private Beyond the Pyramids guide, you will learn about the myth, magic and history of the pyramids and royal that comprise Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis. Walk the perimeter of the Step Pyramid of Djoser and see the majesty of the three major pyramids: the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre or Chephren and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaure or Mykerinos. If your curiosity leads you, purchase an additional ticket to enter into the only remaining Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Pyramid of Giza.

And no visit to the Giza Plateau is complete without coming face to face with the Great Sphinx. With the head of a pharoah and the body of a lion, this sentry stands guard over the pharoahs as they journey into the afterlife.

A delightful way to end the day of sightseeing is with a camelback ride along the desert sands of Sakkara. Advance booking is required for this enjoyable excursion.

Our adventures on Day Three begin early, with a flight from Cairo to Luxor. A private driver and English-speaking tour guide will escort you to the West Bank of Luxor to visit the Valley of the Kings or, as Egyptologists, the Valley of Secrets. Here, you will have the opportunity to explore three tombs of the rulers of Thebes and the New Kingdom. Visitors will also have the option to visit the storied tomb of King Tutenkhaman.

Before the day ends, your tour guide will escort you to the Valley of the Queens, through the Temple of Hatshepsut and invite you to gaze in awe at the enormous Colossi of Memnon.

Our adventure continues in the East Bank of Luxor, often described as the "world's greatest open-air museum" because the ruins of the Karnak temple and Luxor temple complexes both lie within the city boundaries. The Luxor temple is unique in that it is not dedicated as a tomb to a deceased king, but rather to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the kings of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually. The Karnak temple complex is the second-largest ancient religious site in the world and was contributed to by approximately 30 pharaohs.

At the end of the day, we will return via air to Cairo.

This is your chance to explore Cairo itself, a city that mingles history with modernity and is a holy site for Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. You will have the opportunity to customize your day in Cairo, visiting the areas of most interest to you.

Coptic Cairo boasts several remarkable churches including the Hanging Church, or Suspended Church, and St. Serguis Church, which is the oldest church in Coptic Cairo. You will also explore the Jewish heritage in Cairo, including the Ben Ezra Synagogue. If you prefer, spend time at the Citadel of Salah Edin, or Saladin Castle. This medieval fortress has a rich history of battles and sieges, turning hands numerous times. Within the walls of the fortress sits the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammad Ali. Situated on the summit of the citadel.

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Finally, allow your private guide to escort you along Al Moaz Street, one of the oldest streets in Cairo. Meandering a distance of one kilometer, a United Nations study found it to have the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world.

Included in this day's tour is a delicious luncheon at Naguib Mahfouz restaurant and cafe, located in the heart of the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar. After you have refreshed yourself, your Beyond the Pyramids guide will escort you to Cairo airport, for your return journey.