Beyond the Pharaohs: Egypt Past and Present

14 days
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews  
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Small Group Tour
How were the pyramids built? What happened to Queen Nefertiti? And why does Tut Ankh Amon, the “boy king,” still capture the public imagination? Journeying overland and on the Nile, Egyptologists reveal the mystery behind Egypt’s storied history and the country’s place in the modern world.
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Egyptologists lead expeditions to Memphis, Sakkara, Dahshur, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Solar Boat Museum.
    • Venture to the Valley of Kings, King Tut's tomb and the famed Colossi of Memnon.
    • Delve deeper into Ancient Egypt during a four-night study cruise on the Nile.

What's this trip about?

    How were the pyramids built? What happened to Queen Nefertiti? And why does Tut Ankh Amon, the “boy king,” still capture the public imagination? Journeying overland and on the Nile, Egyptologists reveal the mystery behind Egypt’s storied history and the country’s place in the modern world.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 24 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityGiza
End CityCairo

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • Education / Learning

Destinations

  • Africa
  • Egypt

Attractions

  • Alexandria
  • Cairo
  • Luxor Temple
  • Pyramid of Giza

Activities

  • Historic sightseeing
  • Ruins & Archaeology
  • Trains & Rail

Trip includes

    • 12 nights of accommodations
    • 7 expert-led lectures
    • 18 expert-led field trips
    • 2 flights during the program
    • 1 hands-on experience
    • An experienced Group Leader
    • Customary gratuities throughout the program
    • The Road Scholar Travel Protection Plan, 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage
    • Taxes

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Itinerary

Day 1: In Transit to Program

In Flight

Evening: Depart on international flights to Cairo, Egypt.

Day 2: Arrival in Cairo and Transfer to Hotel, Giza

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Cairo-Pyramids Hotel

Afternoon: Arrival to Cairo International Airport and transfer to the hotel. We will gather in our private meeting room where the Group Leader will greet you with a warm welcome and introduce everyone. We...

Day 3: Great Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, and the Solar Boat, Giza

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Cairo-Pyramids Hotel

Activity note: Today's activities include travel by coach and walking around historic sites such as the Pyramids, the Solar Boat Museum, and the Sphinx. The terrain is uneven and roug...

Day 4: Dahshur, Pyramids of Zoser and Teti, & Islam Today, Giza

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Cairo-Pyramids Hotel

Activity note: Today's activities include travel by coach as well as walking and standing at Dahshur, at the Imhotep museum, and at the Pyramids of Zoser and Teti. The terrain is unev...

Day 5: Anba Bishoi Monastery & Alexandria Library

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hilton Alexandria Corniche

Activity note: Today's activities include travel by coach. The drive from Cairo to Alexandria will take at least five hours by air conditioned motor coach. There are basic toile...

Day 6: Discovering Alexandria, & the Underwater City of Cleopatra

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hilton Alexandria Corniche

Activity note: The drive around Alexandria will take at least three hours by air conditioned motor coach. Today's activities will involve walking and climbing steps around histo...

Day 7: Transfer to Cairo & Egyptian Museum

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Semiramis InterContinental Cairo Hotel

Activity note: The drive from Alexandria to Cairo will take at least five hours by air conditioned motor coach. There are basic toilet facilities en route. This day ...

Day 8: Discovering Historic Cairo

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Semiramis InterContinental Cairo Hotel

Activity note: The drive from the hotel will be through traffic and could take at least a few hours by air conditioned motor coach. This day will involve walking and climbin...

Day 9: Fly to Luxor & Explore Karnak and Luxor

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: M.S. Mayfair

Activity note: This day includes a flight and a very early start. The drive from the hotel to the airport will take at least one hour by air conditioned motor coach through traffic in Cairo. ...

Day 10: Exploring the Valley of the Kings & Sailing the Nile

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: M.S. Mayfair

Activity note: The drive from the East to the West Bank of the River Nile will take at least 30 minutes by air conditioned motor coach. This day involves walking two miles around historic sit...

Day 11: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: M.S. Mayfair

Activity note: Today's activities include walking around historic sites and a ride on horse drawn carriages (this could be substituted by bus ride). The terrain is uneven and there are up to ...

Day 12: Philae, The High Dam, The Unfinished Obelisk, & Felucca, M.S. Mayfair

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: M.S. Mayfair

Activity note: Today's activities include climbing approximately 40 steps and the terrain is uneven and hilly. It could take up to one hour standing at each site in hot conditions and under t...

Day 13: Abu Simbel & Fly to Cairo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: InterContinental Citystars Cairo

Activity note: Today's activities will involve some steps and the terrain is uneven and rough. It could take up to one and a half hours standing in hot conditions and unde...

Day 14: Program Concludes

Meals: Breakfast

In Flight

Breakfast: Boxed breakfast from the hotel.

Morning: Early morning transfer to the Cairo International Airport for flights home. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderf...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,895
Price per day$278
Last Updated: 11/18/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Road Scholar

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Road Scholar, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975, offers 5,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Programs For Whatever You Love to Do:

Much more than a tour, a Road Scholar program is a true learning adventure. Whether you join us in Seattle or Santiago, Beijing or Berlin, Road Scholar programs all share four unique attributes:

--Exceptional opportunities for learning and exploration through special behind-the-scenes access to the world's most fascinating treasures, led by our passionate and knowledgeable instructors.

--The shared fellowship of learning and warm camaraderie, whether a solo traveler or with a companion.

--Comfortable accommodations and appetizing meals.

--Excellent value.

Explore Your Mind and the World:

There are no grades or tests on Road Scholar programs. All that's needed is an inquiring mind, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that learning and discovery are lifelong pursuits.

Established in 1975, Road Scholar offers participants once-in-a-lifetime experiences delivered by local and world-renowned experts. Experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural excursions and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Our Most Popular Tours:

Adventures Afloat Cruises: On these educational cruises, you’ll traverse some of the world's most spectacular waterways, offering you a convenient and rewarding way to learn and explore aboard ocean liners, riverboats and small ships.

Independent City Discoveries: Combine structured learning with independent discovery — each program includes hotel accommodations and some meals, lectures, expert-led field trips and detailed outlines for four self-guided excursions.

Grandparent Travel: Discover and explore together with your grandchild through interactive learning experiences and field trips. Both you and your grandchild will share the joy of learning with other grandparents and their grandchildren, bridging generations and opening doors to discovery and friendship.

National Parks: From Denali to the Everglades and countless beautiful, historic places in between, field trips to America’s National Parks reveal what tourists can’t see on their own, with specialized experts showing you how to track wildlife or lead you to the spot with the most awe-inspiring view.

Outdoor Adventures: From hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring France by barge and bicycle, to sharpening your golf or tennis skills, these active programs exercise the body and the mind.

Service Learning: From tutoring school children or helping restore a crucial forest habitat for wildlife, to assisting with artifact restoration and museum curatorial work, Service Learning adventures are an opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Small Groups: Love to learn in a small-group setting? Check out this collection of programs that have 10-24 participants.

Why Road Scholar?

You Can't Beat Road Scholar's Remarkable Value: Our all-inclusive prices have no hidden costs. Compare the price of one of our programs to what it would cost to duplicate the experience on your own (if that's even possible) and you'll see what we mean by "remarkable value."

Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Friends: When you participate in a Road Scholar program, you will not only expand your mind, you will be in the company of other people who believe that learning is one of the best parts of life.

Instructors Who Inspire: Road Scholar instructors are both experts in their field and lifelong learners themselves who are excited to answer your questions, hear your opinions and share in your experience.

Solo Participants Love Our Programs: Road Scholar programs are renowned for being inclusive, warm and welcoming for solo participants. We can either match you with a roommate or, on most programs, you can choose to room on your own.

Think Outside the Tour: The educational focus of Road Scholar programs makes us completely different from a commercial travel tour. Road Scholar programs offer educational experiences that answer the what's, the why's and the how-to's.

You Go Where Others Can't: We've been offering educational experiences since 1975 and we've made connections with educators and other local "insiders" all around the world, creating learning opportunities that show you the world in a way that just can't be done on your own or on a "tour."

We've Covered All the Bases: From expert-led lectures and field trips to comfortable lodgings and meals, we handle all the details, including the ones you might not anticipate. We've taken the worry out of the planning, so you can focus on your learning experience.

Peace of Mind Through the Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan: The Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan, which is purchased on behalf of every participant, provides 24-hour emergency assistance in the unlikely case of a medical emergency.

Scholarships for Those in Financial Need: Each year, Road Scholar awards $250,000 in scholarships toward programs in North America for those who do not have the financial means to participate.

Our Donors: Each year, thousands of donors contribute to our Annual Fund, helping to cover the gap between the tuition we charge and the actual cost of our programs.

What they’re known for
Popular global tours with a unique focus on educational experiences for mostly senior travelers.

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Logistics

Accommodation

,Cairo-Pyramids Hotel: 3 nights  Giza Cairo-Pyramids Hotel is located on the footsteps of the Pyramids of Giza.   Hilton Alexandria Corniche: 2 nights  Alexandria The Hilton Alexandria Corniche is located a short distance from popular Alexandria attractions, shopping, and dining options. It features a private beach, which can be reached via a complimentary shuttle service.   Semiramis InterContinental Cairo Hotel: 2 nights  Cairo Located in the heart of the city centre facing the River Nile the Semiramis InterContinental is close to the Egyptian Museum, the Cairo Opera House and the Cairo Tower. The Citadel, Old Cairo, downtown shops and the commercial centre are nearby. The Giza Pyramids and Cairo International Airport 25 km (16 miles) away are easily accessed.   M.S. Mayfair: 4 nights  Cairo The M.S. Mayfair has 5 decks   InterContinental Citystars Cairo: 1 night  Cairo InterContinental Cairo Citystars offers luxury amid lush gardens in the buzzing hub of Citystars Heliopolis, next to Stars Centre Mall.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

12 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches and 11 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Travelstride Take
Egypt is one of those destinations that continues to fascinate no matter your age or travel type. This Road Scholar Egypt trip is geared toward travelers seeking to learn more about Egypt's history and archaeological sites from the expert Egyptologists.   Road Scholar itineraries are structured to be classes-like with lectures, so be prepared for a lot of guided walks. If you're looking for a trip with a bit more flexibility we recommend exploring more small group tours to Egypt tours before making your decision.   Great for:   Life long learners   Armchair archaeologists    50+   Active travelers   History lovers
Additional Information
Trip ID
roadscholar-12778RJ

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