Day 8 Trekking (7 hours walking)

Today is a shorter day where we scramble up the Moserdy Valley. Whilst not as long as yesterday, the trails are sometimes steep and demanding. From Moserdy, we descend to Motahar Valley for lunch before exploring via Wadi Shag and Wadi Toboog en route to our next camp at Farsh Eleya on Mt Sinai.

Day 9 Dawn Ascent of Mt Sinai (3 hours walking), Drive to Sharm El Shaikh

We rise early to climb the magnificent peak of Mount Sinai (2285m). We ascend via part of the series of stone steps that have been carved from the mountain rocks forming the "Steps of Repentence". The final section can be busy with eager travellers and pilgrims on their way to the summit. We arrive at the summit after about 45mins, in time for a spectacular sunrise over the mountains. Weather permitting, we will witness the sun peeping over the Sinai hills. Our descent is either by the camel path or down the "Steps of Repentance". We have breakfast back at our camp before descending further down the mountain for another 1.5 hours to the village where our trek concludes. Here we will meet our camels and collect all our luggage. There is then time to visit the Monastery of St. Catherine. This 6th century monastery is situated at the foot of Mount Sinai and houses one of the most important iconic collections on earth. In addition to the biblical sites of the Burning Bush and Moses Well, it houses a stunning basilica. A visit here is not complete without seeing the charnel house, or the Ossuary, where relics of monks and hermits are on display. This afternoon we drive for about three hours to the coastal town of Sharm El Sheikh. We overnight at a hotel with a welcome shower.

Day 10 Day trip to Ras Mohamed National Marine Park

Ras Mohamed National Marine Park is Egypt's first national park, declared in 1988 to help preserve the fragile coastal environment from development. The park covers an area of 829 square kilometres of land and sea at the most southern edge of the Sinai region. Only a small percentage of this is accessible to visitors for conservation reasons. We will enjoy a day trip to this section of the park where we can snorkel, swim or just relax before returning to Sharm el Sheik for overnight.

Day 11 Fly Sharm el Sheik to Luxor

This morning (subject to flight schedules and availability) we will fly to Luxor. The city is located on the banks of the Nile, and is built on the site of Thebes, the former capital of Egypt which dates back 4000 years. In the centre of the town is the Luxor Temple and to the north Karnak and the Temple of Amun. This afternoon we visit these impressive temples which are well preserved and contain numerous columns, obelisks and in the temple of Karnak, an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes. The imprint of the various Pharaohs, including Tuthmosis III, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun and Ramses II is evident. During our visit we will be in the company of a local site guide with specific knowledge of these temples. Tonight we stay in a well-appointed hotel in this fascinating city.

Day 12 In Luxor

Today we cross over to the west bank of the Nile visiting the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis for the ancient city of Thebes. The rock-hewn tombs are found in an arid valley and from the exterior it is hard to imagine the riches which once lay within. Ironically the most recent discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 by Howard Carter, the contents of which are now in the Cairo Museum, is the least decorated. The tombs of Ramses I, III, IV, IX, Seti II and Tuthmosis III and IV are all richly decorated with paintings of goddesses and the stories from the Book of Day and Night. We will have the opportunity to visit a few of these tombs depending which ones are open to the public. The tombs are reached through a series of ornately painted underground corridors and anti chambers until these open out to the burial chamber where the sarcophagus is found. There will also be time to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, the first woman to reign as a king. In paintings and reliefs she was depicted as a man. Our accommodation is on the Nile cruise boat which will be our base for the next 4 nights. (Please note: we will be accommodated in first class cabins. The boat is not exclusive for our group and is a public cruise vessel.)

Days 13-14 Nile Cruise

The next two days are spent sailing on the Nile, allowing us to relax and take in the view while we witness first hand the rural existence alongside this life-giving river. Our relaxation time is interspersed with visits to the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. The temple of Horus at Edfu, is one of the largest and best preserved in Egypt.

Day 15 Arrive Aswan

The morning is for relaxation, a time to dwell on the amazing sights we have visited so far and to catch up on your journal. In the early afternoon we arrive in the bustling town of Aswan. Set primarily on the East Bank of the Nile, it is the most southern city in Egypt and is said to be the gateway to Africa. Ancient trade routes once crossed over in this town and the Sharia as-Souq today retains all of the activity and colour of the great trading days. We visit the High Dam, which at the time it was completed (1902) was the largest of its kind in the world. This afternoon we will visit the unfinished Obelisk and the Botanical Gardens. We return to our boat in the evening for dinner and our last night on board the boat.

Day 16 Optional trip: Abu Simbel Temple, overnight train to Cairo

The Great Temple of Ramses II was carved from a mountain between 1290 and 1224 BC and was dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun and Ptah. Threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser, UNESCO organised a rescue of the temple in the 1960’s. The rescue involved carving the temple into more than 2000 blocks weighing up to 40 tonnes each and transferring them 210 metres away to a man made mountain, and reconstructing the temple façade which stands 30 metres high and 35 metres wide. From the outside it is hard to imagine that the temple is not original, and only by entering the mountain constructed in steel and concrete, is it possible to appreciate the enormous feat achieved by the archaeological teams. This morning you have the option to visit this magnificent temple, which involves a flight landing near the temple. Following a tour around the temple, we return to Aswan. (Optional trip to Abu Simbel must be pre-booked and is not included in trip cost.) Late in the afternoon we will board the train for the overnight journey back to Cairo. Please note that no meals are included on board so you may wish to purchase food before joining the train. *NB: for those not taking the Abu Simbel option, you will disembark the boat in the morning and have the rest of the day at leisure in Aswan before boarding the train.

Day 17 Arrive in Cairo where trip concludes

Trip concludes on arrival into Cairo. If you are departing today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel. If you would like additional nights in Cairo or an airport transfer on any other day, please ask your Reservations Consultant for details. Additional costs apply.

Additional Information

Inclusions