Now Is The Ideal Time To Visit Egypt And Abercrombie & Kent Has Created The Ideal Itinerary

After several years of less than exotic trips, now is the perfect time to embark on a truly spectacular adventure. Egypt is one of those iconic destinations, filled with colossal temples, famous tombs and an incredible history. Although I have traveled to over 50 countries, I had never made the trip to Egypt until this Fall. With Covid restrictions easing and an itch to experience something completely different, I joined an A&K trip with a group of intrepid travelers. What we found was a country eager to welcome tourists and an itinerary where every day was truly magical.

All A&K trips are precisely orchestrated to ensure that you have a smooth and luxurious experience and the Egyptian trips are renowned for their guides, all of whom are well versed in history and Egyptology. Our trip started with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, where thousands of artifacts jockey for attention, including treasures from Tutankhamun and other antiquities that are over 4,000 years old. Eventually, many of these artifacts will be transferred to the newly constructed Grand Egyptian Museum, a spectacular 500,000 sq. foot modern masterpiece with a soaring atrium. The official date for the opening of the GEM (as it is fondly known) keeps getting pushed back, but A&K can arrange for a private tour that is well worth a visit. The architecture of this $1 billion structure is amazing.

After our terrific introduction to ancient Egypt in museum form, we were ready for the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Although pictures of the Great Pyramid are ubiquitous, nothing quite prepares you for the thrill of seeing the Great Pyramid up close; it is even more of a thrill to climb through the very low tunnel that leads to the King’s Chamber, the burial chamber that sits in the mathematical center of the pyramid. Next, we rode camels across the sands of Giza–with a movie-worthy backdrop of the pyramids. Our morning ended with a visit to the Sphinx. That was a truly spectacular day, but there were more to come.

Our next stop was Abu Simbel, the site of the magnificent temples of Ramses II, made up of the Great Temple of RaHorakhte and the Temple of Hathor, dedicated to Ramses’ wife, Queen Nefertari. The outside statues are about 70 feet tall and quite imposing. We then flew to Aswan, where we would begin our Nile cruise. The Sanctuary Sun Boat IV provided the perfect amount of luxury as we were welcomed back from each excursion with a cold drink and the opportunity to lounge on the upper deck by the plunge pool or schedule an on-board massage.

Each day of our cruise began and ended with another dazzling temple visit. We sailed to the Philae Temple on the island of Agilika, dedicated to the Goddess Isis and which was unbelievably dismantled and reassembled when the Aswan High Dam was constructed. We visited the granite quarries and the site of the Unfinished Obelisk and then made a stop at Kom Ombo to visit the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to the sun god, Haroeris and the crocodile god, Sobek. Viewing the crocodile mummies just as the sun setting was just another amazing moment of the trip.

Our last stops on the Nile included a visit to the Temple of Horus and Greco-Roman temple of Khnum, as well as a full day tour of Luxor, the Temple of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female pharaoh. We visited the famed Valley of the Kings, the site of numerous tombs, including that of Tutankhamun, whose mummified body is on display. We then headed to the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor. In addition to seeing all of these sights and learning a ton of history, we had lots of time for fun, including an onboard cooking class, a viewing of Death on the Nile (the original) and a costume party where we donned gallabiyahs and spent the evening dancing with our new travel buddies.

The last two days of this A&K adventure are spent in Cairo, where guests can “design their own day” and choose between a tour of Coptic Cairo, Muslim Cairo or a visit to the royal mummies.

Looking back, it is incredible just how much ground we covered. The A&K team made sure our trip ran super smoothly and provided a terrific itinerary with expert commentary and lots of laughs. We felt safe, well-taken care of and very lucky.