Egypt in a nutshell

It's about a 4.5 hour flight from northern Europe to Cairo. On your arrival at Cairo Airport you'll be greeted by our local representative. He or she will arrange a visa for your passport and will assist with customs formalities. Once your suitcase has rolled through baggage claim, you'll head towards your small, charming hotel in the heart of Cairo. If you would like some advice on where to go for great meals and which neighbourhoods you should visit to catch a glimpse of the local way of life, don't hesitate to ask our representative. If you would like him or her to guide you through the city on your first evening on your Egypt in ten days trip, just ask and he/ she will join you. It's customary to tip the representative at the end of the evening if they do show you around.

Early in the morning our driver will pick you up and drive you towards Giza. After about 20 minutes of city traffic you'll start to see two of the three pyramids appear. They're both extraordinary and impressive. This is your first encounter with the mystical history of Egypt on this ten day trip. 

Naturally you could bring along a good book on pyramids and ancient Egyptian history, however we recommend having a guide show you around the Cheops and Chefren pyramids. This way you can ask any questions that come to mind and keep your eyes on the pyramids instead of in a book. That's why we've arranged for an English-speaking guide to join you, tell you the interesting stories behind the pyramids and to take care of the entrance fees for you (all included in the price of this module). If you leave your hotel very early in the morning, you can also enter the Cheops pyramid for an additional fee (approximately £9) and experience what it feels like to be an archaeologist in Egypt. After lunch you'll continue on to Saqqara. Relatively few tourists come to this site, however to this day Saqqara is the largest archaeological site in Egypt with many undiscovered treasures still buried beneath the sand. In the evening you'll return to your hotel and you can spend the evening as you please. 

A spectacularly beautiful ride is planned for today. You'll be collected from your hotel in Cairo this morning by your driver and guide. Together you'll drive east into the Sinai desert in a minibus on a 5-hour drive to the mountain range at the southernmost part of the Sinai Peninsula. During the drive through the Sinai you'll pass by one amazing sight after another. You'll drive through an enormous canyon, drifting sand dunes and naturally you'll make a pit stop at a desert oasis, a natural source of water.

At the end of the afternoon you'll reach the valley near Saint Catherine's Monastery where camp will be set up for the night. Your guide will set up your tent, arrange your sleeping area and prepare dinner. We suggest bringing your own sleeping bag liner with you. As the day comes to an end you'll fall asleep beneath a starry heaven as you dream about the Sinai wadis beneath Mount Sinai and other rocky giants.

This morning you'll awaken at your own pace in a tent in the valley after a peaceful night of slumber. After a tasty camp breakfast you'll visit Saint Catherine's Monastery. This grand monastery was built on the same location where, according to the Bible, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God and where he spoke to him through a burning bush. To this day, this area is considered a holy place by Greek Orthodox monks and pilgrims. You'll still find a part of the holy bush within the granite walls of the monastery. During our visit we decided to also visit the church and mosque which were built during Islamic occupation.

During the afternoon you'll travel further towards the coast with your guide via the colourful wadi Gebel el Maktoub. Egypt has such a rich history and collection of cultural treasures that we felt we should include as much as possible in this Egypt in ten days itinerary. During your visit to Nawamis and Wadi El Roum you'll see remnants of the prehistoric era. The final destination for today is the small oasis at Ain Khudra where camp will be set up beneath the palm trees. After a campfire dinner you'll retreat to your tent for a good night's rest, snug and warm in your sleeping bag.