Aswan
Aswan is the home of the Nubian people. The monumental Aswan High Dam is a marvel of modern engineering and created Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. Discover the beautiful Osiris temple complex of Philae which was moved to the island of Agilika to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Visit the stone quarries to see the enormous Unfinished Obelisk, commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut, which would have been the largest obelisk ever attempted if it had been completed.
Cairo
Port Said at the head of the Suez Canal is the main gateway for Cairo, a busy and chaotic city of mosques, palaces, bazaars and shops. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities has over 100,000 relics, including objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun. The market of Khan Al-Khalili, the revolving restaurant in the Cairo Tower and the Mosque of Sultan Hassan are among the city sights, the main highlight being the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx on the edge of the city.
Cairo (Egypt)
Dendera
Dendera was an ancient healing centre where pilgrims came for miraculous cures, to bathe in the sacred waters and to commune with the gods in their dreams. The Temple of Hathor is one of the most complete in all of Egypt and is dedicated to Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and healing.
Edfu
Edfu was a prosperous city in ancient Egypt. The atmospheric Temple of Horus (also known as the Temple of Edfu) is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, and is considered to be the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt, thanks to the desert sand which covered it after paganism was banned.
Edfu (Egypt)
Karnak
The magnificent Temple of Karnak is a vast complex which took 2,000 years to complete and was considered one of the most sacred sites in Egypt. Buried under sand for a thousand years, the site consists of three main temples and several outer temples. Stroll amongst the gigantic columns, vast halls and broad avenues lined with stone sphinxes to truly experience what life was like in ancient Egypt.
Karnak (Egypt)
Luxor Temple
Perhaps the most beautiful stone temple is Luxor Temple, one of the best-preserved ancient monuments. The temple was constructed by the pharaoh Amenhotep III and Tutankhamen, then developed by Ramesses II and Alexander the Great. The temple was the focus of the important religious Opet Festival, when the cult statues of Amun, Mut and Khonsu travelled from the temple complex of Karnak along the Avenue of the Sphinxes to Luxor.
Luxor Temple (Egypt)
Saqqara
Saqqara, City of the Dead, is a vast burial ground which served as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step Pyramid which, at 4,600 years old, is the oldest all-stone structure in the world and was also the world’s first pyramid. The unusual Bent Pyramid, named for its change in angle half way to its peak, was the first pyramid to be constructed with smooth sides.
Saqqara (Egypt)
Valley of the Kings
One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, the Valley of the Kings was used for royal burials for nearly 500 years and is home to the mummified remains of the boy king Tutankhamen. The elaborate tombs were well stocked with material goods a ruler might need in the afterlife, food and drink for royal feasting in the next world, and sacred objects to help achieve eternal life.