Q.E.A. GUEST 3767

First Draft

As requested your proposed itinerary for the Luxor Adventure . Please take the time to read through the itinerary and make notes on any further adjustments or corrections. please click on the email link at the bottom of the page to send us a direct email concerning your proposed Adventure.

Day 1: 20th Transfer from Luxor Airport (08.45hours) (am). Transfer to the West bank of Luxor with the first stop at the Valley of the Kings. Here your group will visit three tombs of your choice (from those that are open that day). Your Egyptological guide will recommend the best ones to view, and he/she will talk & walk you through the history of the site and its many discoveries. As a guide I have always recomended the followign but you may have your own specific tombs you wish to view. ( KV14 Tausert/Setnakht-19th-20th dynasty, KV11 Ramesses III 20th dynasty, KV8 Merenptah 19th dynasty)When you have finished at the Valley of the Kings we have planned for you to take a pit-stop for some light refreshments before continuing onto the Temple Complex of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari. This temple is one of the most famous stepped Temples in all of Upper Egypt. Its terraced design can be viewed from the other side of the River Nile on the East bank as far away as the Karnak Temple Complex. At the Hatshepsut temple you will be nestling at the Theban foothills in a location that is unique both due to its surrounding landscape and due to the grandeur of the architecture. At first sight, it seems as if the temple has assimilated the Theban foothills themselves within the architecture.

Continuing after lunch, you will be guided through the various courtyards of Ramesses III at his “House of Millions of Years”, Medinat Habu. It is one of the most colourful temples in Luxor, retaining much of its original paintwork, and it was preserved by its Christian inhabitants until they were driven out by the Plague in the 8 th century. With your guide and driver you will proceed along the edge of the Western desert past the Palace of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, father to the Heretic King “Akhenaten”, and Grandfather to the famous boy-king “Tutankhamun”. Once past the Palace, you will see, on your left, the remains of the great lake of Amenhotep III. This lake was once said to house the entire Egyptian Navy, and on your right, in the distance along the dry desert floor, you will see the monastery of the Copts who deserted the Temple Complex of Medinat Habu back in the 8th century. After a short drive along the dirt track, you will come up on the deserted Ancient Station as we call “Deir el Shelwit”. It is a small but impressive shrine/temple on alignment with the trade-route out of ancient Thebes towards the Oasis of Kharga in the Western Desert. You will have time to explore these ruins before heading back towards civilisation and to your last ancient site of the day, The Colossi of Menmon. These colossi statues once stood guard at the entrance to the House of Millions of Years of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Now these gigantic statues stand only as a testament of this once great Pharaoh, as his Temple Complex has been swallowed by the sands of time and the ever increasing flood-levels of the river Nile herself until the building of the Aswan dam stopped the flood waters from reaching this far inland.

You still have time before sunset to visit two further sites, though this time a cultural visit to the famous village of Hassan Fathy, which is an array of traditional mud-brick dwellings with their unique domed roofs. Afterwards, your Felucca awaits you to take you up the Nile on a relaxing sailing trip to wind down and catch the evening breeze to cool you down. Do not forget that April is when we see the spring transforming into summer. So a gentle sail along the Nile will be a welcome change after all the dust and dryness of the sites throughout the day. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided to re-fill those empty tanks of yours. Afterwards, your aircon mini bus will be waiting to take you to your hotel for a well earned rest, ready for tomorrow's adventures.

Day 2: 21 st Hopefully a good night's sleep has refreshed you ready for today. Your day begins early with your transport waiting to take you to the West bank where you will be briefed etc on the safety precautions of hot air ballooning. This has to be the best way to view the entire area of Ancient Thebe's (as well as Modern Luxor)! Be sure to wave as you pass over head, I will be looking out for you!! After your amazing balloon ride, you will be transferred back to your hotel where your air con mini bus and Egyptological guide will be waiting for you. They will transport you and your group to the Temple Complex of Luxor. This is a temple that has stood on its site since the Old Kingdom and possibly before!! The temple has undergone many changes over its lifetime. It has witnessed many battles, not just through war, but also through religious beliefs and social attitudes towards these magnificent sites. You will have time to pause for some refreshment before heading off to Karnak. This temple is known as the world's largest open air museum, and it too covers not only a huge area of land but also spans a huge expanse of time. Be sure to dwell and explore the Hypostyle hall, (but don't get neck ache!!)

Following the many impressions of Karnak, it is time for lunch before heading for the Museum. The museum holds a beautiful collection of statues and various artefacts, including one of Tutankhamun's chariots that was discovered in his tomb at the Valley of the Kings, which you visited yesterday. After a stop for drinks etc, your driver and guide will transfer you to Luxor airport in time for your check in 1 hour before take off at 17.45 hours (pm) and your return journey back.

I have tried to fit in what I think would be appropriate given the time restrictions and time of the year (given the heat etc). However, you will still be able to see much more than the average tourist would in a day or so. Please bear in mind that our price is fully inclusive, this means Fully Inclusive ! There are no hidden costs, everything is taken care of, including your entrance fees, refreshments, lunches, etc. You do not even have to carry money on you when you're with Q.E.A as we take care of it all for you. Therefore, you will be able to concentrate on the real beauty and mysticism that surrounds this Ancient Land rather than being constantly hassled when barging for a correct price.

If there is anything or a particular site you would like to visit (or stay longer at one place and less at another), then please let us know and we will try and fit it in there somewhere for you

WE DO NOT rush around the sites like most companies and we do not use tour guides who just read from the books, we use trained Egyptologists where ever possible and those that can think for themselves and draw sensible and sometimes out of the box theories.

You will be accompanied by our Egyptological guide at every site, after short introductions to each site you will have plenty of time to explore the sites by yourselves without them looking over your shoulders if you so wish but to be on hand for any of those important questions. Mohammed Elkady, one of Q.E.A .'s directors will be with you as soon as you arrive in Egypt; he will accompany you throughout the entire journey to make sure your every wish is taken care of. He will be on hand to make sure all the transportation and hotels are in order, basically he will be your hidden shadow. Call upon him at any time; it is his job to be there as and when for you.

Please find below a selection of the sites that will be visited by yourself and your group during the Adventure, just click on the link to view a full appraisal.


The Collossi of Menmon	The Temple Complex of Luxor	The Temple of Hatshepsut	The Temple Complex of Medinat Habu

Q.E.A. prides itself on its bespoke adventures and its commitment to its clients. We endeavor to push the boundaries of our adventures at all times to give the best possible experience to our guests without ruining your experience. Our price includes everything you require to fulfil your dream. You need not take any money with you on any of our trips as they are totally fully inclusive and if there is that odd bargain to be had at some point our responsible guides will be on hand to negotiate the best possible price for you.
All your food and refreshments (this does not cover any alcoholic beverages and we would advise against drinking alcoholic beverages while in the desert for obvious safety reasons). You’re sleeping arrangements and transportation. Tipping and site entrance fees are covered within the price as well.

We hope this meets with you approval and please do not hesitate should you require any further details or if you wish to make any further arrangements of adjustments to the itinerary.

Books

Researching the background of any place or topic you intend on visiting is essential to fully appriechiate it. At Q.E.A. we have come up with a list of titles that we believe will enhance your journey, especially during those internal flights, car journeies or those lazy days by the side of the pool, we have compilled the list below that we feel will educate, inspire and aid you in your quest for adventure.


The Illustrated Guide to Luxor Tombs, Temples, and Museums by Kent Weeks	Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, A Practicle Guide by JaniceKamrin	The Complete Pyramids by Mark Lehner	Arabic for Dummies by Amine Bouchentouf	The Lost Oasis: The True Story Behind The English Patient By Saul Kelly	Herodotus: The Histories Penguin Classics	The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt Edited by Ian Shaw


The Western Desert of Egypt: An Explorers Handbook, Revised Edition Cassandra Vivian	Historical Dictionary of the Coptic Church Gawdat Gabra	Egypt Lonely Planet Country Guide by Scott Wayne	River God by Wilbur Smith	The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith	Warlock by Wilbur Smith	The Quest by Wilbur Smith