Highlights of Egypt & Kenya

After breakfast and a briefing from our tour leader we drive out to Memphis on the edge of the Western Desert, where a small museum marks the site of the ancient city. We then continue to its necropolis, Saqqara, where our guide explains the significance of the various temples and colonnades. At the centre of the complex is the step pyramid of King Djoser, believed to be over 5000 years old and the predecessor to the great pyramids at Giza. Nearby we visit the tombs of the nobles, containing exquisite bas-reliefs of everyday life in ancient times. At the conclusion of our visit we return to Cairo, where the balance of the day is at leisure to explore this busy metropolis or just relax at our hotel.

  The Egyptian Museum is simply one of the world’s great museums, home to a stupendous collection of antiquities and the perfect introduction to our tour, exhibiting many of the region’s treasures. We head there after breakfast and our expert guide takes us through Egypt’s rich and fascinating dynastic history. You will then have some free time to explore on your own; you may wish to visit the Royal Mummy Room (optional and at extra cost). We then drive out to Giza, home to perhaps the greatest iconic structures ever created by man - the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Instantly familiar yet retaining a mystique and power, getting up close to these incredible pharaonic tombs is captivating. For an additional charge you may be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), although occasionally it may be closed to visitors. Afterwards we return to our hotel, where there is plenty of time to freshen up and pack before we are transferred to the railway station for the overnight sleeper train to Luxor. Sleeping berths (beds and linen) are provided in private cabins and an airline-style dinner is served. It is worth bringing additional snacks and your tour leader can help you to arrange this. A toilet is located at the end of each carriage.

After an early breakfast on board, the train rolls into Luxor - a buzzing place with a great bazaar and situated close to some of ancient Egypt’s most important and extraordinary sights. We transfer to our Nile cruise boat, which will be our home for the next four nights. We can relax by the pool on the boat or explore the town. Later in the day we take horse-drawn carriages to Karnak - one of the world’s most celebrated temple complexes, built over a period of some 200 years. Our guided tour of the temple reveals the complex’s finest sections. For the rest of the afternoon and evening we are free to relax, shop in the bazaar (open until quite late) or perhaps experience the atmosphere of a local tea house.

We rise early this morning (very much earlier during summer!) and head into the Valley of the Kings, where buried under the arid hills are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. It’s a compelling place, vast and spectacular, and discoveries are still being made. Tutankhamun’s final resting place is also located here, but entry to this small tomb is quite limited. It is at additional cost, but you will be given some free time when you will have the opportunity to visit it. Our guide explains the funerary rites of the ancient Egyptians and significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. We visit three royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, set in a spectacular natural amphitheatre. Our final stop is at the Colossi of Memnon - giant statues that were once part of an impressive colonnade. We return to our boat and enjoy lunch on board. There is time to relax on deck or in your cabin before we set sail for Edfu. Departure time may vary, depending on river traffic – please refer to the note regarding cruise schedules in the ‘Other Information’ section. We pass through Esna Lock, which can sometimes be a slow process depending on the number of vessels waiting to get through, and continue our journey upstream.

Morning finds us moored near Edfu, an excellently-preserved temple dedicated to Horus - the falcon-headed god. We disembark and explore the temple as well as experiencing the bustling town centre. Returning to our cruise boat we continue travelling upriver, relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights - desert hills forming a backdrop to lush riverbanks, fishermen casting their nets and farmers working their land. Arriving at Komombo, our short walk around the Temple of Sobek (the crocodile-headed god) that lies picturesquely ruined on the river’s edge provides an interesting insight into the Greco-Roman period.

  We arrive in Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city and a place with an easygoing charm that is due in no small part to its large Nubian population. Depending on our arrival time, we may visit the beautiful Temple of Isis that was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Philae Island (alternatively we will visit it tomorrow). It is an absolute gem, its decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt’s finest carvings - definitely one of the highlights of Upper Egypt. The rest of our day is free to wander – and Aswan is a great place for it. The Nubian Bazaar is a must, while the excellent Nubian Museum is recommended by many. The waterfront promenade, or Aswan’s 'corniche', runs alongside the one of Nile’s most appealing stretches and is the perfect place to stop for a mint tea. In the evening we visit a Nubian village and enjoy the hospitality of our hosts as we dine out on some delicious local cuisine. We are also treated to some Nubian dancing and may even have the chance to perform some of the moves ourselves!

We disembark our cruise boat and check into a hotel, where a few day rooms are made available for our use. The rest of the day is free for us to make our own discoveries. The visit to Abu Simbel will take place this morning for those of us who booked this option with our tour leader back in Cairo. This optional trip is well worth it. With the four gargantuan statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple, this is one of Egypt’s most memorable sights. A popular afternoon option in Aswan is a sailboat ride around the islands in a traditional felucca, stopping off at the botanical gardens on Kitchener’s Island. Alternatively, take a camel ride to the Monastery of St Simeon - an abandoned 7th century fortress monastery located in the desert on the Nile’s west bank. Our tour leader is on hand to help us arrange any excursions. Alternatively, you may just prefer to relax by the hotel pool. In the late afternoon we reconvene for our transfer to the railway station, where we board the sleeper train for the return journey to Cairo. After departure an airline-style dinner is served in our cabins.

After breakfast on the train we arrive in Cairo and are transferred to our hotel, where we have time to freshen up. Today we look into another layer of Egyptian history: medieval Cairo. We head to Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo’s oldest mosque and the Gayer-Anderson Museum. The ‘Khan’, sprawling around an old area known as Al-Azhar, is a quintessentially Cairo experience - a warren of alleys with stalls serving up a succession of intoxicating scenes and retaining a distinctly medieval and sometimes carnivalesque feel. It’s Cairo’s finest area for you to practise your bartering skills! We explore the gold market, ‘perfume street’ and the spice market, where heady aromas hang in the air like a thick blanket of Damascene cloth (which can be purchased next door in the cloth market!). The beautiful 9th century Ibn Tulun Mosque is one of the oldest, largest and arguably the most beautiful mosque in Egypt – the perfectly proportioned courtyard and distinctive minaret both help to mark it out as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, Nearby stands the Gayer-Anderson Museum, housed in two fine old villas (dating to the 16th and 17th centuries AD). Once owned by an English army officer, the two houses contain a fascinating collection of Arabic artefacts, furniture and memorabilia, giving us a great insight into Cairene life during the Ottoman period. We then continue into the Khan el Khalili bazaar, which sprawls around an old area of Cairo known as Al Azhar. The tortuous streets and alleyways - and attendant hawkers - look like a scene from 1001 Nights as our tour leader takes us into the heart of the bazaar. We explore the gold market, ‘perfume street’ and the spice market – where the scent of cumin, coriander and cardamon hangs in the air like a thick blanket of Damascene cloth (which can be purchased next door in the cloth market!). There’s time for you to do some last-minute shopping here before you are transferred from your Cairo hotel to the airport for your overnight flight to Nairobi (flight not included).

On arrival in Nairobi, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Upon arrival to our hotel our local representative will meet you to ensure that all is well. This representative will also provide details of a trip briefing to be held in the evening at the hotel, as well as any additional tours or activities that you may wish to enjoy whilst in Nairobi. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Please note this is an arrival day, so you may arrive at any time. A hotel room has been booked and will be available to you immediately upon your early arrival.

(Driving time: approx 6½ hours) Our safari departs from the hotel at 7am, so please be ready in the lobby on time where you will find our safari guide waiting for you. From Nairobi we travel north, skirting the jagged peak of Mount Kenya, en route to the dry, ochre plains of Samburuland. Green hills and fertile countryside gradually give way to more arid surroundings, as we descend into the northern frontier region. After passing Mount Kenya we veer right and continue on to Meru National Park in time for a late lunch at our lodge. A little later in the afternoon we set out on our first game drive. Located 350 kilometres from Nairobi and 80 kilometres east of the town of Meru, this interesting reserve attracts elephant, lion and a variety of antelope, whilst the trees conceal a sizeable leopard population. It was here that George and Joy Adamson raised the famous lioness, Elsa, who featured in their best-selling book 'Born Free', later made into a popular movie. We return to the lodge for dinner. Peregrine’s eco-lodge is set snug amongst the lush forest and small streams right at the edge of Meru National Park. Each of the fifteen discrete rooms is well-appointed with ensuite and modern décor, and has been designed with sustainability in mind; they are built on stilts to minimise environmental impact and are made entirely of recyclable materials. Central is a bar and restaurant, serving only fresh produce sourced from neighbouring farms. Guests can walk through these during their stay if they wish.

(Game drive times variable) Meru has one of the most varied landscapes of all the national parks in Kenya, encompassing forest, savannah and swamp. Its appearance also changes with the seasons; after the rains the grass can grow quite tall, whilst in the dryer months it can take on quite an arid appearance. The park supports an excellent variety of animals including the beautiful Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx (similar to the gemsbok) and graceful gerenuk. There is also a sizeable elephant population and it is not uncommon to see family groups down by the river, where crocodiles may also be observed lurking in the shallows. Our afternoon game drive takes us into a specially designated rhino sanctuary in the swampy north-western corner of the park. Here beneath the distinctive doum palms, both white rhinos and black rhinos can be found in an area that affords them greater protection. As evening approaches we may be lucky enough to spot cheetah or leopard, both of which are common in the reserve.

(Driving time: approx 5½ hours) Returning along the shoulder of Mount Kenya where there are often good views of the twin snow-capped peaks, we drive across the Great Rift Valley toward Nakuru. We arrive in time for a late lunch at our cosy tented camp. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to take a scenic walk in the Menengai Crater, one of the largest in the world, which affords us breathtaking views of the Great Rift Valley. We stay in a very welcoming tented lodge for the next two nights. This lodge is instrumental in empowering Kenya’s disadavantaged youth through training and hospitality initiatives and will also provide you with possibly the finest dining experiences in all of Kenya!

(Game drive times variable) A short drive takes us to Lake Nakuru National Park, the centrepiece of which is the lake itself. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake which is home to massive numbers of flamingos - up to two million on occasion - and thousands of other birds. It has been described as the world's greatest ornithological spectacle and, at times, the lake is literally a sea of pink. In addition, the park itself also boasts substantial numbers of other species, including waterbuck, reedbuck, kudu and gazelle. Leopard are also to be found here, providing good chances for sightings (although there are no guarantees!). Perhaps we may also be fortunate enough to encounter one of Africa's most endangered animals - the rhinoceros. There is quite a good chance of seeing white rhinos, whilst black rhinos may prove to be more elusive. After spending the day in the park, we return to our private camp.

After a picnic lunch we visit the East Africa Mission Orphanage, in Nakuru. The East Africa Mission Orphanage looks after more than 100 children ranging in age from just a few days old to 15 years of age. The complete needs of the children, including full school education, are provided for by the orphanage. The orphanage is registered with the Kenyan Government and was set up by an Australian couple with the purpose of caring for the thousands of homeless orphans, who would end up either dying a premature death through malnutrition, walking the streets in search of food or turning to prostitution as a means of survival. We are proud to help support the efforts of this family and their incredible orphanage, and is excited to be able to take clients right into the orphanage itself! This afternoon we will be able to meet the children and share afternoon tea with them - they love to practice their English skills and are eager to learn more about the world - so be prepared for some questions! After our visit to the orphanage, we return to our tented lodge for the night.

  (Driving time: approx 4½ hours; game drive times variable) We head south-west to our next destination, the Masai Mara - arguably one of the finest game reserves in Africa. The area is known for its rolling green plains and riverine woodlands, and amongst the many species of game, we may be lucky to observe black-maned lion, leopard and cheetah. These predators find an abundant food supply in the massive herds of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle that roam the grasslands. We arrive at the park in time to enjoy lunch and settle in. In the afternoon we embark on a game drive, pausing to enjoy sundowners prior to heading back to camp in the early evening. The usual routine involves waking up a little before dawn to start our morning game drive when the sun comes up, as this is often one of the most productive times of the day when most animals tends to be more active. After what is hopefully an exciting morning’s drive we return to camp for lunch and to relax during the heat of the day. We set off again in the afternoon and expect to return to camp around sunset. However, depending on wildlife movements, we may on occasion do a full day's game drive and in this instance we'll stop en-route for a picnic lunch. Accommodation whilst in 'the Mara' is in an intimate tented camp set-up. The camp is staffed entirely by Masai people from within the local community and our stay provides us with a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Masai customs and traditions. Reminiscent of the old safari camps of yesteryear it is very comfortable with 12 roomy tents, complete with ensuite facilities. Each tent has an enclosed bucket shower with hot and cold water, which is prepared on request by the camp staff. The tents are equipped with solar lighting and a supply of water for washing. The camp has a delightful dining tent with lounge area - a great spot for relaxing in the evening. From our base here, we conduct game drives within the Masai Mara and surrounding private reserves, and there is also an opportunity to visit a nearby Masai village.