Pyramids of Egypt
Marvel at the great pyramids of Egypt, visit ancient temples, explore beautiful venues, cultural landmarks, captivating landscape sceneries & much more as you enjoy this Egypt tour.
The Pyramids of Giza
Constructed in the 26th and 25th centuries B.C. (roughly 2600 B.C.–2400 B.C.), the Egyptian pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, built in that order, are a testament to ancient planning and engineering.
The construction process of these pyramids is a topic of discussion and conjecture. Many researchers believe that a ramp system of some form was used to move the blocks into place during construction. When the pyramids were completed, they were encased entirely or partly in white limestone, most of which is lost today.
In 2018, researchers found a 4,500-year-old contraption in a quarry in the eastern desert that may have been used to help move blocks up a ramp. The contraption has a central ramp flanked by staircases that have numerous post holes on them. A similar contraption could have been used at Giza, researchers said.
Additionally, archaeologists have found evidence that Giza had abustling port, allowing goods to be shipped to the site from across ancient Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean. Goods brought in included limestone from Tura (a town in Egypt) and cedar wood from Lebanon, researchers have found.
Despite the differences among the three pyramids (Khufu’s pyramid, the “Great Pyramid,” is several times the mass of Menkaure’s) the southeast tips of each pyramid align together almost precisely. Each pyramid had a mortuary and valley temple, with a causeway connecting them. They also had smaller pyramids referred to as satellites or queens’ pyramids.
The Sphinx, an enigmatic monument usually associated with king Khafre, stands watch near his valley temple. To the south of the Sphinx is the “Wall of the Crow,” which is 656 feet (200 meters) long and 32 feet (10 m) thick.
Khufu’s pyramid
Khufu’s pyramid held three chambers. A grand gallery leads up to the king’s chamber, a red granite room that contains a now-empty royal sarcophagus. The king’s chamber was protected by a primitive machine that dropped giant blocks in front of the chamber to protect it from grave robbers. Ultimately, at some point in antiquity, people managed to get into the chamber and rob it.
In the center of the pyramid is the so-called queen’s chamber, although it probably never held a queen. Beneath the pyramid is a subterranean chamber, its purpose, like the queen’s chamber, a mystery.
Both the king’s chamber and the queen’s chamber each contain two “air shafts” (although they may not have been used as such). The shafts from the king’s chamber now lead outside, while the two from the queen’s chamber stop after a distance. Robot exploration of the shafts reveal that they lead to doors with copper handles and hieroglyphs.
Menkaure’s pyramid
With a height of 215 feet (65 m) and a base of 335 by 343 feet (102 by 105 m), Menkaure’s is by far the smallest of the three pyramids. Lehner notes that its building mass is about one-tenth that of Khufu’s pyramid. Its complex includes three satellite pyramids on its south side.
The entrance way for Menkaure’s pyramid is located just above ground level, its passages leading to an antechamber and burial chamber. An ornate sarcophagus was found in the 19th century by Howard Vyse, but it was lost when the ship that was taking it to England, the Beatrice, sank.
It’s a mystery as to why Menkaure’s pyramid is so much smaller than the other two. It could simply be that there wasn’t room at Giza for another large pyramid or perhaps events during Menkaure’s reign prevented him from building another large structure. No future pharaoh would ever build a pyramid as large as those built by Khufu and Khafre.
The Sphinx
The Sphinx is a 241-foot (74 m) long monument carved out of the limestone bedrock of the Giza Plateau. It has the face of a man and the body of a lion. The mythical creature is seen in art throughout the ancient Middle East, as well as in India and Greece. During the spring equinox the sun sets on the shoulder of the sphinx.
The word “sphinx,” in Greek can mean “strangler” or “constricted,” writes Carolina Lopez Ruiz, a classics professor at The Ohio State University, in an essay published in the book “Text and Intertext in Greek Epic and Drama: Essays in Honor of Margalit Finkelberg” (Routledge, 2020). The face of the giant statue at Giza may have been based on that of Khafre. Efforts to conserve and restore the Sphinx go back at least 3,400 years.
Hurghada
The once-quiet fishing village of Hurghada, on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, has grown into a major resort encompassing a city and a 37 mile-long resort packed with family-friendly mega resorts — many of which have their own private beaches.
Hurghada is located across the Gulf of Suez from Sharm el-Sheikh, the most popular resort in Egypt. Like Sharm, it offers a plethora of water sports and diving opportunities, but Hurghada is also closer to the Nile delta, making it only a few hours’ drive from the Valley of the Kings, stunning temples and historic monuments.
DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Nairobi, Kenya | ||||||||
DEPARTURE TIME | Please arrive by 6:30 AM for a prompt departure at 7:00 AM. | ||||||||
RETURN TIME | Approximately 8:30 PM. | ||||||||
WEAR | Comfortable safari clothing, comfortable safari shoes , warm and light clothes | ||||||||
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NOT INCLUDED |
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Additional information
Location | Egypt, Cairo, Hurghada |
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Destination | Egypt |
Groupsize | 1 |
Month | 25th December, 2024 to 1st January, 2025 |
Day 1:25th Dec 2024: Cairo
Welcome to Egypt
Upon arrival to Cairo airport, our representative will meet and assist you through passport control formalities and baggage collection. Transfer to the hotel and proceed for the tour.
Highlights of the day
The Pyramids of Giza: The sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids of Giza are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction! Constructed from over 2.5 million limestone blocks it is thought to have taken more than 20 years to construct. They are Egypt’s most visited monuments and among the world’s greatest tourist attractions.
The Sphinx is carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with the head of a pharaoh thought to be the portrait of Chepren.
Transfer back to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Cairo
Meal Plan: Lunch at a local restaurant
Day 2:26th December 2024: CAIRO
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will enjoy the captivating city of Cairo
Highlights of the day
Church of ST. Sergius (Abu Serga): A 5th century basilica built over crypt where the Holy Family is believed to have stayed during their flight into Egypt.
Church of ST. Mercurius (Abu Sefein) boasts a unique collection of Coptic art including 175 icons that depict scenes from the old and new testaments, wall paintings, etching and stained glass.
Benezra Synagogue: Modest in appearance, delightful in interior and boasting of legends, the Ben Ezra synagogue is the supreme Jewish monument in Cairo. Legends claim that the synagogue is built on the spot where pharaohs daughter found Moses in the bulrushes and where Jeremiah spoke to survivors after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The most important recent event is the finding of medieval manuscripts in 1894. The collection, called Geniza, counted more than 250,000 pages, dating to the period between 1002 and 1266.
Al Azhar Mosque: Al-Azhar is today the most important religious university in the Muslim world, with as much as 90,000 students. It is perhaps the oldest university in the whole world. The heart of Al-Azhar is the mosque quarters. Unlike so many mosques around the Muslim world, it is fully open for visitors. The architecture is stunning; the size of the roofed hall is quite impressive.
The Khan El Khalili: The most famous of oriental bazaars it is a treasure of trove of medieval craftsmanship. Shop to your total hearts content- for the Egyptian artifacts…or order yourself a shisha, indulge and watch the world go by…both very enjoyable pass times!!
Transfer to hotel
Overnight: Cairo
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch in a local restaurant
Day 3: 27th December 2024: CAIRO-HURGHADA
After breakfast, transfer to Hurghada by road, Arrive Hurghada, meet and assist by our local representative. Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Hurghada
Meal Plan: Soft All Inclusive
Day 4: 28th December 2024: HURGHADA
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure
Overnight: Hurghada
Meal Plan: Soft All Inclusive
Day 5: 29th December 2024: HURGHADA
Breakfast in Hotel. Day at leisure
Overnight: Hurghada
Meal Plan: Soft All Inclusive
Day 6: 30th December 2024: HURGHADA
Breakfast in Hotel. Day at leisure
Overnight: Hurghada
Meal Plan: Soft All Inclusive
Day 7: 31st December 2024: HURGHADA-CAIRO
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Cairo by road. Meet and assist by our rep and check-in hotel. Rest of day at leisure.
Overnight: Cairo
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Day 8: 1st January 2025: CAIRO – DEPART
Breakfast at the hotel. Checkout of your rooms at noon. Rest of day at leisure. Transfer to airport at predetermined time.
Meal Plan: Breakfast