You arise beauteous in the horizon of the heavens
Oh living Aten who creates life.
When you shine forth in the Eastern horizon
You fill every land with your beauty.
You are so beautiful: you are great;
Gleaming and high over every land.
Your rays embrace the lands and all you have created;
You are Re and reach out to all your creations,
And hold them for your beloved Son.
You are afar, but your rays touch the earth;
Men see you, but know not your ways.
When you set in the Western horizon of the sky
The earth is in darkness like the dead.
People sleep in their rooms with covered heads;
They do not see each other.
If all their possessions were stolen
They would know it not.
Every lion leaves its lair; all snakes bite;
Darkness covers all. The world is silent.
For the creator rests in his horizon.

This three-week Study Tour has an emphasis on the monuments of the Amarna Period and the 18th Dynasty. The tour starts with a visit to Memphis to see the ruined colossus of Ramesses II and the 18th Dynasty sphinx. We visit the Step Pyramid at Saqqara and the 18th Dynasty tombs of Horemhab and Maya. We then spend a day in the Grand Egyptian Museum with its newly opened Tutankhamun galleries. The following day we head north to explore the little visited ruins of Bubastis and Tanis in the Nile Delta. On our return to Cairo we explore the old Cairo Museum in Tahrir Square which contains the Tanis treasures and the objects from the 18th Dynasty tomb of Yuya and Tjuya.

In the Fayum Oasis we see the spectacular Roman ruins of Karanis, and the dramatic remains of the pyramid of King Senwosret II at Lahun. We also visit the Middle Kingdom temple of Medinet Madi, the 'Valley of the Whales' with its unique palaeontology collection, and the Ptolemaic Temple of Qasr Qarun.

We travel by bus to Minya where we spend a few days exploring the local antiquities. We start with the ruins of Hebenu, visit the superb painted tombs of the Middle Kingdom at Beni Hasan, and visit Queen Hatshepsut's desert temple at Speos Artemidos. At Amarna we explore the remains of the ruined city of the 18th Dynasty King Akhenaten including its magnificent tombs. The following day we visit the dramatic ruins of Ashmunein with its Temple of Thoth, and see the Ptolemaic painted tombs, underground galleries of the Ibis mummies and boundary stela of Akhenaton at Tuna el-Gebel.

We travel south by bus to Abydos where we explore the wonderful painted Temple of Sety I, the Osireion (a Temple to Osiris) and the little visited Temple of Ramesses II. We then continue our journey to Luxor which will be our base for the next few days. We spend a morning amongst the ruins of Luxor Temple, mainly built by 18th Dynasty king Amenhotep III. We visit the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri and see five tombs in the Valley of the Kings, including the tombs of Ay and Tutankhamun. Our final day in Luxor is dedicated to Karnak Temple, concentrating on the 18th Dynasty remains. We also enjoy the excellent Luxor Museum, with its stunning collection of New Kingdom sculpture.

The following morning, we drive south to Esna to explore the stunning painted reliefs of the recently restored Temple of Khnum. In the afternoon we see the archaeological remains at El Kab, including the 18th Dynasty temples and painted tombs of the New Kingdom. On our return to Cairo we visit some of the majestic Islamic remains in the Old City including two mosques in the Citadel.

The Hypostyle Hall of Karnak

ITINERARY*

Day 1: Arrive Cairo
You should arrive in Cairo. Check into our hotel and have dinner with the group. Overnight Cairo.

Day 2: Memphis - Saqqara Step Pyramid and tombs
This morning, we visit the ruins of Memphis where we see the colossus of Ramesses the Great in the local museum. We then see the Imhotep Museum at Saqqara with its fascinating collection of objects from the site. We see the remarkable Third Dynasty Step Pyramid of Djoser and explore the 18th Dynasty painted tombs of General Horemhab and Treasurer Maya. In the afternoon we descend into the burial chamber of the Pyramid of King Tety to see the famous Pyramid Texts and see the Serapeum. Overnight Cairo.


Day 3: The Grand Egyptian Museum
This day is set aside for the Grand Egyptian Museum with a guided tour concentrating on the 18th Dynasty remains. We see the statues and reliefs of the 18th Dynasty and the treasures of Tutankhamun. In the afternoon there is free time for exploring other parts of the museum's collection. Overnight Cairo.

Day 4: Bubastis temples - Tanis temples and tombs
In the morning, we head north to the Delta ruins of Bubastis, home to the cult of Bastet, the cat god. Here we see the ruined temple of the goddess and the statue of Merit-amun, daughter of Ramesses. Next we head to the famous Delta site of Tanis to see the ruins of the city. Numerous obelisks and statues of Ramesses II were brought here from the earlier capital of Per-Ramesses. A highlight of the site is the inscribed tombs of the Libyans Kings where the Tanis treasure was found. Overnight Ismailiyah.

Day 5: Old Cairo Museum
In the morning, we drive back to Cairo. In the afternoon we visit the old Cairo Museum in Tahrir Square. We see the New Kingdom sculpture, the famous Tanis treasure and the objects from the 18th Dynasty tomb of Yuya and Tjuya, the in-laws of Amenhotep III. Overnight Cairo.

Day 6: Fayum - Karanis - Lahun Pyramids
In the morning, we drive from Cairo to the edge of the Fayum Oasis. Here we see the extensive ruins of the Roman Period town of Karanis with two stone temples, ruined houses and baths. We also visit the museum of the Oasis with finds from the region. In the afternoon we see the pyramid of Senwosret II at Lahun. Overnight Fayum.


Day 7: Medinet Madi - the 'Valley of the Whales' - Qasr Qarun
This morning, we head to the southern part of the Fayum in 4-wheel drives to see the site of Medinet Madi. The temple was constructed in the Middle Kingdom and added to by the Ptolemies. From here we head west into the open desert to the 'Valley of the Whales' where remarkable fossils of prehistoric whales have been uncovered. After lunch we see the little visited Ptolemaic temple at Qasr Qarun. Overnight Fayum.

Day 8: Hebenu - Beni Hasan tombs - Speos Artemidos shrine
We head south and visit the ancient city and tombs of Hebenu, modern Kom el-Ahmar. A climb to the 18th Dynasty tomb of Nefer-sekheru offers a breathtaking view across the Nile Valley. We then continue on to Beni Hasan to see the painted tombs of the 11th and 12th Dynasties. We then visit the Speos Artemidos, a desert temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty. Overnight Minya.


Day 9: Amarna
Today we explore the ancient city of 18th Dynasty King Akhenaten, the city known today as Amarna. We start by looking at the marvellous painted North Tombs. We then see monumental Boundary Stelae U, carved by Akhenaten to define the limits of his new city. We see the Royal Tomb, built to house the remains of King Akhenaten and his immediate family. In the afternoon we visit the South Tombs. Overnight Minya.

Day 10: Ashmunein - Tuna el-Gebel (stela) - Ibis catacombs
In the morning, we visit the ancient site of Khmunu, modern Ashmunein. Here we see the ruins of the temple of Thoth and the Christian Cathedral of the 5th Century. We then travel to nearby Tuna el-Gebel where we see an Amarna Period Boundary stela. In the afternoon we explore the painted Ptolemaic tombs, including the famous Greek tomb of Petosiris, and the atmospheric underground galleries housing the mummified remains of the sacred ibises and baboons of Thoth. Overnight Abydos.


Day 11: Abydos
In Abydos we explore the stunning memorial temple of Sety I which preserves wonderful painted scenes. We also see the Osireion, a symbolic tomb for Osiris, and take a short walk across the desert to the Temple of Ramesses II. After lunch we head south, arriving in Luxor in the late afternoon. Overnight Luxor.

Day 12: Luxor Temple - free afternoon
In the morning, we visit Luxor Temple, located in the heart of the modern city. We take time to explore this picturesque monument concentrating on the remains of the 18th Dynasty. These include the impressive Opet Festival scenes of Tutankhamun and the religious scenes of Amenhotep III. We have lunch in a nearby café. The afternoon is free to explore the Luxor suq or have afternoon tea in the Winter Palace. Overnight Luxor.


Day 13: Deir el-Bahri - Valley of the Kings
In the morning, we visit the colossi of Memnon, the famous statues of 18th Dynasty king Amenhotep III and the original location of his mortuary temple. We then visit Deir el-Bahri, the famous mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty, including the newly reconstructed Third Terrace. We have lunch in a local café before visiting the Valley of the Kings. Here we see five royal tombs including the tomb of Tutankhamun in the main Valley and the tomb of King Ay in the West Valley. Overnight Luxor.

Day 14: Karnak Temple - Luxor Museum
This day is dedicated to exploring the extensive ruins of Karnak Temple with a special emphasis on the 18th Dynasty remains and scenes. We see the impressive Hypostyle Hall, the Third Pylon with its interesting Amarna period co-regency scene, and the 18th Dynasty Festival Hall of Tuthmosis III. Lunch takes place at a local café. The afternoon is dedicated to the Luxor Museum with its famous talatat relief scenes from Akhenaten's demolished Aten temple at Karnak. Overnight Luxor.

Day 15: Esna - El Kab
In the morning, we have a short drive to Esna where we see the recently restored Ptolemaic Temple of the Creator god Khnum. In the afternoon we see the ruins of the ancient city of el Kab including the 18th Dynasty temples and explore the superb New Kingdom painted tombs. Overnight Luxor.


Day 16: Deir el-Medina - Tombs of the Nobles - Ramesseum
In the morning we visit Deir el-Medina, the ancient village of the workmen who cut the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. We explore the village and the painted tombs of Senejdem and Inherkau. We then see a number of the painted tombs in the so-called 'Valley of the Nobles' including the 18th Dynasty tomb of Rekhmire and Sennefer. The late afternoon is spent at the mortuary temple of Ramesses II, known today as the Ramesseum. We fly to Cairo in the evening. Overnight Cairo.

Day 17: Islamic Cairo
Today we explore the monuments of Islamic Cairo. This includes the citadel in Islamic Cairo with the Mosques of Nasir Mohamed and Muhamed Ali Pasha. In the afternoon we spend some time in the Khan el-Khalili markets. This mediaeval market is a maze of shops and old mosques which is famous around the world for its jewellery and metalwork. Overnight Cairo.

Day 18: Depart Cairo
We depart Cairo for our flight to Australia.

* Please note that the Company reserves the right to make alterations to the itinerary in the period up to 60 days prior to a tour departure. The itinerary may also be subject to minor re-arrangement due to the scheduling of the operators and availability of access. If this occurs, the Company will endeavour to provide a comparable alternative.