Egypt – Alternative Egypt Tours

Itinerary

Day 1 – Cairo

• Arrive at your convenience in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, on the crossroad of Asia and Africa.
• Or: Arrival from one of our Yemen Hadramaut Highlights Tour with airport pick-up.
• At 18:00 we have a pre-tour meeting at our hotel to go over the itinerary. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your fellow travelers and your guide.
• Embark on your culinary adventure with your first taste of local cuisine, which may include hummus, tajine and/or Fattah.
• Overnight stay at our hotel.

Day 2 – Cairo

• Today we’ll start our city tour of Cairo and its surroundings. It’s going to be a mix of the classics and the unknown parts of Cairo.
• First we’ll visit Saqqarah, here is the Pyramid of Djoser. The pyramid is considered to be the world’s oldest intact pyramid.
• Highlight: Discover the lesser-known pyramids at Dashur. The first stop is the Bent Pyramid, which nearly collapsed due to a design mistake. The second pyramid you’ll visit is the Red Pyramid, where you can expect to encounter very few tourists, a stark contrast to the more famous pyramids.
• We return to the city to witness the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the sphinx, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.
• Highlight: Continue your journey to the City of the Dead, an ancient necropolis comprising an Arabic cemetery where less fortunate Egyptians have made their homes.
• Explore the local streets and get up close with craft shops, providing insights into the way most Egyptians in Cairo live.
• Overnight stay in Cairo

Day 3 – Cairo – Bahariya – White Desert

• Highlight: Begin our desert expedition as we drive in our 4×4 vehicles towards the White Desert, half a day drive from Cairo. This hidden gem of Egypt is known for its unique scenery, characterized by white chalk rock formations emerging from the sandy landscape, shaped over time through the effects of wind and sand erosion.
• Stop on the way at the Oasis of Bahariya to stretch our legs.
• Highlight: See the Black Desert before going to the White Desert, a region featuring volcano-shaped mounds, widely spaced and rising to heights of up to 100 meters.
• We will check out Crystal Mountain, a stand-alone ridge in the heart of the desert, entirely composed of calcite crystal.
• Arrive at the White Desert for watching the stunning sunset.
• We’ll camp in the desert and our staff will set up the camp while you have time to explore the area yourself.
• Enjoy a feast under the starry Egyptian sky, followed by a Bedouin party.
• Overnight in the Bedouin camp

Day 4 – White Desert – Bahariya – Cairo

• Start your day by waking up in the heart of the desert and enjoy the breakfast.
• Highlight: Embark on an exploration of the remarkable chalk formations of the expansive White Desert. The area spans over 300 square kilometers in total.
• Return to Cairo.
• Overnight stay in Cairo.

Day 5 – Cairo

• Highlight: Visit the Egyptian Military Museum, the official museum of the Egyptian Army. Despite its palace-like façade, it houses invaluable historical artifacts and exhibits, shedding light on the nation’s significant figures and its enduring history in battle.
• We continue to the tent market, providing an excellent opportunity to sample local sweets and purchase handmade items.
• See the ancient gate of Cairo, and you can even climb the minaret for a remarkable panoramic view of the city. You’ll also spot the iconic Mohammed Ali Mosque with its grand silver domes.
• Highlight: Visit Garbage City. This unique area is home to many Coptic people who have found ways to monetize garbage. In the middle of Garbage City is also the St. Simon “The Tanner” Monastery. It’s a monastery made in rocks. 
• Time to explore Coptic Cairo. This neighborhood is not only a place of ancient and modern history, but also an area where a synagogue, mosque, and church coexist side by side.
• Overnight stay in Cairo

Day 6 – Cairo

• End of the tour, depart at your own convenience. If necessary we can make any further arrangements for you in Egypt.