Egypt

Sunny Egypt sits in a vast desert, with what may be the world’s most famous river, the Nile, running through its heart. Egypt’s magnificent monuments are almost without equal from the eternal pyramids and the enigmatic Sphinx, Cairo’s historic mosques, towering obelisks, gigantic colossi, monumental temples, and richly painted tombs depict life as it was some 4,000 years ago.

The Greek historian Herodotus called Egypt “The Gift of the Nile,” and it is from the Nile that Egypt travelers can best appreciate the beauty of the country and most easily explore its ancient sites, from the finest antiquities of Aswan to Luxor and beyond. Enjoy excursions to the amazing locales of Cairo, Memphis, the pyramids at Sakkara and Giza, and the rock temple of Abu Simbel. Sail aboard elegant luxury cruise ships, specially designed for voyages of discovery or let GPCT arrange a completely independent tour with your own private Egyptologist as your guide. In Egypt, history comes to life with a unique perspective found nowhere else.

 Experience the newest most luxurious ships on the Nile. Savor a private tour and reception at the temple of Hathor at Dendara. Explore Egypt’s fabled cities including old Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Abu Simbel. Take advantage of an extraordinary visual feast fit fora pharaoh as Luxor unfolds beneath you during a sunrise hot air balloon trip. Tour the Pyramids of Giza, the enigmatic Sphinx, the magnificent temples of Karnak and Luxor, Abu Simbel’s famous Temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertiti. Take an insider’s tour of the small but fascinating Luxor Museum, which prides itself on the quality of the pieces, including striking items from the tomb of Tutankhamun, and a collection of 26 exceptionally well preserved New Kingdom statues found in a cache in the Luxor Temple. Gaze upon the shattered head and shoulders of the immense colossus of Ramses, an image that inspired Percy Bysshe Shelley to write his famous poem, "Ozymandias." Visit the Colossi of Memnon, soaring 60 ft into the sky and wonder if, in the Roman period, the northenmost statute really did "sing" at sunrise. Wander the respected Egyptian Museum & its rich collection of ancient art, statuary & the famed Tutankhamen collection. Visit the fascinating City of the Dead and see how people live today in the hundred years old tombs in Cairo. Travel with an Egyptologist handpicked by GPCT, who offers you insights into the many remarkable aspects of ancient Egypt and brings it all alive as he reads the hieroglyphics written on temple walls and explains daily life in ancient Egypt. Hear about Pharaohs, gods and goddesses and learn how the natural world shaped religion and beliefs in ancient times.  Tour the Citadel, the lanes of Old Cairo, the Coptic quarter, and Khan el Khalili bazaar, a shopping adventure like no other. Travel to Alexandria, ancient capital of Greco-Roman Egypt and a beacon of culture symbolized by a legendary lighthouse. Dive into a paradise of striking coral gardens and tropical fish such as Napoleon fish, reef shark, manta ray and green turtle in the Ras Mohamed National Park and other superb snorkling and diving locations on the Red Sea. Visit St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai built on the site where Moses saw the Burning Bush. Meet the Bedouin of the Sinai and enjoy a special lunch.  Enjoy a felucca ride on a traditional Egyptian sail boat and glide among the leafy islands at Aswan. Visit el-Alamein, where the battle between Montegomery and Rommel changed the course of the North Africa Campaign in the Allie's favor in WWII. Taste the traditional flavors and dishes of Egypt.