Tripoli to the Pyramids - OLD Itinerary

Day 1  Depart Australia

Day 2  Arrive Tripoli
Welcome to Libya, a country with a fascinating history. On our arrival we will be met by our friendly guide and transferred to our hotel. Today we take a walking tour of modern Tripoli including Algeria Square, September 1 Street and Green Square. This evening we enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. [D]

Day 3  Tripoli - Ghadames
We journey this morning into the Saharan desert via Qasr el Hadj to Nalut, the Ghurfa village at the southern end of the Nafusa Mountains, featuring quaint traditional buildings of clay and stone. We then continue to Ghadames, the most beautiful city of the Saharan region with an ancient medina of winding pathways, hidden mosques, high city walls and old palm trees. [B,L,D]

Day 4  Ghadames
Today we explore this intriguing desert town, which features unique architecture designed to fight the dramatic extremes of the Saharan desert. We drive to nearby sand dunes and witness spectacular sunset views while savouring local mint tea. [B,L,D]

Day 5  Ghadames - Tripoli
Our Saharan adventure continues as we travel into the highlands of Jebel Nafusa to visit the beautiful Qasr (fortified house) of Kabaw, before continuing to Gharian to visit a Berber troglodyte house and pottery shops. We then return to Tripoli. [B,L,D]

Day 6  Sabratha
This morning we travel to the World Heritage site of Sabratha, with its spectacular sandstone theatre.  We then travel back to Tripoli for a tour of the capital city. Highlights include the National Museum, the Old Town, the Old British Consulate, the Old Catholic Church, the Marcus Aurelius Arch and the souk. [B,L,D]

Day 7  Leptis Magna
A full and exciting day visiting the extensive ruins at Leptis Magna, considered one of the greatest ancient sites in the world. Explore these beautiful marble and limestone ruins of what was once a highly significant and powerful city of the Roman Empire. [B,L,D]

Day 8  Tripoli - Benghazi - Al-Bayda
This morning we board our flight to Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya. From Benghazi we visit the Greek city of Ptolemais. We then continue our journey to the Qasr Libya Mosaics Museum, the mosaics were excavated from a nearby Christian Church after they were discovered by Labourers in 1957. Afterwards we travel towards Al-Bayda, a town built in the 1950's with the intention of becoming the new capital of Libya, this will be our home for the next two nights. [B,L,D]

Day 9  Al-Bayda
We travel east this morning to the Ancient Greek city of Cyrene and see the colossal Temple of Zeus, the massive hillside Necropolis, the Forum, the monumental passageway of Hermes and Hercules, and the Sanctuary of Apollo (containing the Temple of Apollo). We then continue to Apollonia. [B,L,D]

Day 10  Al-Bayda - Tobruk
Our sightseeing today is devoted to ancient Apollonia, the port of Cyrene for a thousand years. We visit several Byzantine churches, the Roman baths, the Palace and arguably the most enchanting Greek theatre in the world, set in a picturesque cove. We then depart for Tobruk famous as the site of a lengthy siege involving Allied forces in World War II. Our sightseeing includes the Knightsbridge (Acroma) Cemetery, Fig Tree Hospital, Tobruk Harbour, the Allied Cemetery, the German Memorial, Rommel's Bunker Site and the aircraft "Lady Be Good". [B,L,D]

Day 11  Tobruk - Mersa Matruh
Today we conrinue tour around Tobruk before this afternoon we cross the border into Egypt and travel to the beautiful beach town of Mersa Matruh. [B]

Day 12  Mersa Matruh - Alexandria
We depart  Mersa Matruh this morning for the battlefields of El Alamein, where Rommel’s World War II advance on Cairo was halted by the British Field Marshal Montgomery. We then continue our eastward journey to Alexandria. [B]

Day 13  Alexandria
An exciting day of touring in Alexandria. Highlights include the National Museum, Pompey’s Pillar and the catacombs. After lunch we visit the New Bibliotheca, the Montazah Palace and enjoy spectacular views from the Citadel of Qaitbey. [B,L]
 
Day 14  Alexandria - Cairo
Our journey to Cairo begins this morning, stopping en route at Wadi El Natroun, home to some of the world’s earliest Christian monasteries. [B,L]

Day 15  Cairo
This is it! This morning you will be standing directly in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza! The Great Pyramids are the oldest structures in existence: work building them began around 4,500 years ago, and today they are the only remnants of the Seven Wonders of the World. Here we take the time to soak up the mystical power of these awe-inspiring structures before visiting the nearby Sphinx, the old capital of Memphis and the incredible step pyramid of Sakkara. [B]

Day 16  Cairo
Today we venture into the bustling heart of Cairo to visit the world-famous Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamen’s priceless treasures and many other historic artefacts.There will be time for an optional visit (entrance ticket not included) to the "Mummy Room", it has nine mummies on display including the newly discovered mummy of Queen Hatshepsut. This afternoon we visit the Citadel of Cairo and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, before trying out our bargaining skills at the 625-year-old Khan El Khalili bazaar. [B]

Day 17  Luxor
This morning we fly to Luxor where we visit the Karnak Temple which is the largest and most impressive of all temples and the scene of the most important of ancient Egypt’s many religious festivals and ceremonies. We also visit Luxor Temple which was once linked to Karnak by a 3km avenue of sphinxes and contains evidence of early Christian occupation. This afternoon we explore the Valley of the Kings where we have the opportunity to go underground and experience the tombs first-hand. We then continue on to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut; it was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period, and is therefore one of the most distinctive temples in the whole of Egypt. In the late afternoon we board our Nile cruise.   [B,L,D]

Day 18  Nile Cruise* (see notes on Nile Cruise below)
Our cruise ship today navigates towards Esna, crossing the lock before continuing to Edfu. Relax on board your cruise ship and enjoy as the beautiful sites of rural Egypt pass by. [B,L,D]

Day 19  Nile Cruise
Our day starts with a horse-drawn carriage ride to Edfu’s Temple of Horus. This is Egypt’s second- largest temple complex and one of the best-preserved. We then sail on to Kom Ombo. The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple, built between 145-180 BC. The building is unique because its 'double' design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. We then continue on to the beautiful town of Aswan where we dock overnight. [B,L,D]

Day 20  Nile Cruise - Abu Simbel
A very early start as we cross the desert to the stunning temples of Abu Simbel. The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his Queen Nefertari. In the 1960s the complex was relocated in its entirety to an artificial hill, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. This afternoon we enjoy a relaxing felucca sail boat ride on the calm waters of the Nile. [B,L,D]

Day 22  Aswan - Cairo
This morning we enjoy a tour of Aswan where highlights include the High Dam, an engineering masterpiece built in the 1960s, the picturesque Temple of Isis on Philae Island, and the Unfinished Obelisk. We then fly back to Cairo where we enjoy a farewell dinner.  [B,D]

Day 22  Depart Cairo
Today we bid farewell to Egypt as we start our journey home. [B]

Day 23  Arrive Australia

*Note on Nile Cruises:  The Nile cruises featured on all itineraries to Egypt operate between the cities of Luxor and Aswan.  These cities lie only 240km apart which means this distance could easily be covered in only 1 or 2 days without stops. Due to logistical and scheduling reasons the cruises are offered only as 3, 4 and 7 night packages.  This allows for extensive sightseeing along the way and, as such, much of the time is spent in port in Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo or Aswan.   Each cruise itinerary will, however, have an element of day-time cruising - allowing you to relax and see life along the river. 
 
Note on Esna Lock and Itinerary Schedule:  Please note that due to the high volume of river traffic all cruise itineraries are subject to change without notice.  The order and timing of sightseeing may therefore change, however all inclusions will remain the same.  Similarly, travel through the Esna Lock is subject to river traffic and local conditions which means you may pass through the lock during the night or have an extended wait prior to entering the lock.         

Tripoli to the Pyramids - OLD

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