Splendours of Egypt, a Women-Only Tour

Dining Summary

• 11 Breakfast (B)
• 7 Lunch (L)
• 7 Dinner (D)
• 1 Afternoon Tea (AT)

Additional Included Highlights

• Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
• Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
• We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
• From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
• Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
• If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

• Kom Ombo: Learn about traditional Egyptian attire and immerse yourself in local culture at an Egyptian dinner and galabeya party.
• Luxor: Get to know your fellow travelers over a delightful drink followed by dinner.

Make Travel Matter

• Aswan: In Aswan, meet the women of a local women-owned co-operative whose mission is to support vulnerable women from the local villages to learn new skills and become financially independent. The organization provides a hub of support and comfort for over 300 women who may live in poverty or suffer from loneliness and want to become financially independent. Thanks to their newly learnt skills, the women are now able to provide the main source of income for their family. The co-op also strives to reduce waste with a secondary mission to ensure a garbage-free world by using waste and natural material like bamboo or palm trees to create fine handicrafts. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

Top Rated Highlights

• Dendera: At the Temple of Hathor, see a rare depiction of Cleopatra and Caesarian.
• Aswan: Visit Aswan's High Dam and Granite Quarries to ponder why the Unfinished Obelisk has been left in mid-creation for thousands of years.
• Philae Island: Travel by motorboat to Philae Island and witness the majestic Temple of Isis rising from the waters.
• Kom Ombo: Visit the unique temple as it is the only double temple in Egypt.
• Luxor: Visit Luxor Temple, constructed approximately 1400 BC. Look to the top of the remaining Pylon of Ramses II and step into the ancient monument.
• Memphis: Visit this famous capital of the ancient world to see the statue of Ramses II and the Great Alabaster Sphinx.
• Saqqara Necropolis: View the oldest pyramid in the world, the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, existing for over 4,500 years.
• Giza: With your Egyptologist, meet the enigmatic Sphinx and venture deep inside one of the pyramids, to the chambers where the pharaohs went to meet their Gods in the afterlife.
• Giza: Admire the remaining Wonders of the Ancient World as you explore through the Pyramids of Giza and the mighty Sphinx. Hear about Egyptian history as you walk through the National Archaeological Museum and learn the art of making papyrus paper out of reeds when you visit a Papyrus Institute.
• Cairo: Take a short scenic flight to Luxor where you will begin your Nile Cruise.
• Karnak: Stand amid a vast forest of columns in the largest temple complex known to man, as your Egyptologist explains the significance behind it. Walk the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, see the of Rameses II and the Hypostyle Hall.
• Luxor: Visit the Luxor Museum and discover ancient artefacts.
• Cairo: Guided by your Local Expert, gaze upon the most recognisable symbols of ancient Egypt: the full-faced funeral mask, gold coffin, gilded throne and precious jewelery - Tutankhamun's treasures. Sightseeing includes sweeping vies over the city from the Citadel and a visit to the Great Alabaster Mosque.
• Cairo: With your Egyptologist, gaze upon Tutankhamun's treasures at the Egyptian Museum, gaze upon the most recognisable symbols of ancient Egypt: the full-faced funeral mask, gold coffin, gilded throne and precious jewelery - all treasures of Tutankhamun.
• Giza: Be mesmerised by the Sound & Light Show at the Great Pyramids.
• Luxor: Enjoy your short flight returning to Cairo.

Travel Director

• "Koshari is our national dish, and it never disappoints. Believed to have originated in the 19th century, this vegetarian street food staple is made of rice, pasta, lentils, and chickpeas, topped with delicious fried onions and a spicy tomato-based garlic sauce."
• "I love to share our Ancient Egyptian civilization and history with our guests and to explain all the details and stories related to Egyptian mythology so our guests can enjoy a very special guided vacation."
• "The Abu Simbel Temples are utterly unique in scale, architecture, art and history. From one of the most prominent eras of Ancient Egyptian history, these magnificent structures emphasise how persistent and clever ancient Egyptian architects were to carve a mountain to make such incredible tributes for Egyptian deities."

Well-being

• Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
• Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Women-Only

• Aswan: Delve into the fascinating history of papyrus. Experience a fascinating demonstration on how the ancient Egyptians used papyrus leaves for writing. Learn how paper was made from the papyrus water-plant which grew abundantly in the marshy delta of the Nile. Be amazed at the history of when excavators of a tomb at Saqqara discovered the earliest known roll of papyrus, dating to around 2900 B.C. You’ll also receive a small gift to commemorate your visit.
• Aswan: Discover the ancient art of belly dancing, reported as far back as the 4th century as an identifying element of Egyptian culture.
• Aswan: Savor cocktails and canapés at the historic Old Cataract Hotel while watching the sunset over the Nile. Enjoy this blend of natural beauty and timeless elegance for an unforgettable experience.
• Aswan: On a traditional Nile felucca, meet a sailor and learn the art of sailing this ancient Nile craft. Visit the High Dam and Granite Quarries.
• Luxor: Satisfy your curiosity and your taste buds over an Egyptian cooking class with your talented onboard chef. Learn the time-honored secrets behind how to make Egyptian vegetable Moussaka, a beloved Egyptian dish made of eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.
• Luxor: Get up close and personal with ancient history at the Valley of the Queens. Located amid the hills along the western bank of the Nile River in Upper Egypt, this site was a burial ground first for officials and later for royal wives, daughters and sons from 1550 to 1080 BC. You can visit from a selection of tombs open to the public.