In 331 BC, Alexander the Great built a portal city on the Mediterranean, open to the Greek world. Legend tells it that Homer appeared to him in a dream and incited him to found a city that bore his name. An army of architects tackled this task.

It is the second largest city and principal port of Egypt, and ancient capital, destroyed by Rome. It is a mythical and captivating city, this bustling metropolis which has preserved its cosmopolitan character. Today, 5 million people live there, the majority being Egyptian. Even though Alexandria has not regained its former grandeur, it is still the principal port of Egypt, which also serves as a summer holiday resort.

The long walk along the seashore will let us admire the audacious architecture of the Great Library and will lead into the Gardens of the Montazah, particularly endeared by the population. This is where our hotel is situated, standing up against the Palace which was the summer residence of the royal family.

Modern Thebes Like a sword, the Nile cuts Luxor in two: the modern city with the village of Karnak on one side and the ancient necropolis on the other side of the bank. Tradition and serenity come together in the vitality of the metropolis. Under the peaceful roads where the children play in the dust, where the trucks advance loudly, is the site of “Thebes of 100 doors”, the famous capital of the XVIII dynasty.

Named Luxor by the Arabs (which means “the palaces” or “the fortifications”); this city is considered to be the largest open-air museum in the world. The greatness of the architectural masterpieces will leave a lasting mark on your memory.

The white-sailed feluccas navigate through the silver waters and the incessant ballet of multi-colored carriages along the seaside give it a nice atmosphere. Today, Luxor offers incomparable sites which are not to be missed: the Temples of Luxor and Karnacon on the right bank, Hapshetsut, the Valley of the Kings and Queens and the Collossus of Memnon on the left bank.

In Aswan, the Nile appears in all its splendour. There, a sweetness of life reigns, certainly brought about by the charm of the Nubians. These people, who have lost their country forever, have conserved their culture and magnificent traditions. The southern part of the city is a border between a civilized world and a mysterious one which juts down into the depths of Africa. The souks and the colourful villages are fascinating.

The fabulous monuments of the pharaohs will be there to lead you through the magic of the city. In ancient times, Aswan, known by the name Syene, was merely on the outskirts of Elephantine Island where the market took place.
In the third millennium BC, Aswan was a trade center protected by the turbulent river. Numibia provided Egypt with gold, rare wood, ivory, spices and soldiers. This city controlled the river traffic and the caravans coming from the desert until the Islamic period. It became a garrison.

The exploitation of granite and alabaster quarries added to its prosperity. A land of exile during the Roman period, it hosted troublesome generals and thus protected the interests of the Emperor. Today, it thrives on tourism and especially cruises along the Nile, which are constantly becoming more popular. This is our port of departure. Aswan is more famous for its giant dams, which have profoundly modified rural life and the cultures of the Nile’s banks, than it is for its archaeological sites. We will visit the Temples of Philae, small jewels saved from the water, and then we will settle in aboard very comfortable boats. Sailing the Nile (new) We will take a cruise in a Dahabeeyah; these large sailboats were very prized by the Egyptian aristocracy in the 1900s. Dahabeeyah means “golden boat” in Egyptian.
The cruise by Dahabeeyah is a new concept for discovering Egypt and its wonders.

It boasts very comfortable cabins, much charm and a very attentive crew. We will sail, flowing with the Nile and the wind and keeping away from large tourism boats, far from the crowds. An unforgettable experience. From Aswan to Luxor, we will sail silently with the flow of the river, experience a guaranteed change of scenery, admire the beautiful sunsets, enjoy the calm in tune with the background rhythm of the inhabitants of the riverbanks. We will stop to visit remarkable sites, such as Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god. We will spend 3 enjoyable nights aboard our floating hotels. www.worldofcreative.com

We will reach Taba, nestled at the end of the Gulf of Akaba, flying over Hurgada, Sharm El Scheik, the Red Sea and Mount Sinai. This stop serves the double purpose of bringing us closer to Akaba and Petra, which we will visit, and allowing us to spend a well-deserved day of leisure on the shores of the Red Sea, alternating between swimming, barbecue and diving. The impressive descent from the airport towards the Red Sea is noteworthy.

We will reach Taba, nestled at the end of the Gulf of Akaba, flying over Hurgada, Sharm El Scheik, the Red Sea and Mount Sinai. This stop serves the double purpose of bringing us closer to Akaba and Petra, which we will visit, and allowing us to spend a well-deserved day of leisure on the shores of the Red Sea, alternating between swimming, barbecue and diving. The impressive descent from the airport towards the Red Sea is noteworthy.

Cairo is the biggest city in Egypt as well as in Africa. Past and present mingle without shame. Modern Cairo encompasses ancient monuments: mosques, churches, palaces, and luxurious gardens. All this is surrounded by the hectic life of the city. The Nile remains peaceful and follows its course towards the sea. Not far away, the majestic Pyramids dominate the city and
know how to bewitch their admirers. The inhabitants are known for their sense of humour and their hospitality.
During the era of the Pharaonic cities, the capital of the Ancient Empire was called Memphis. With the arrival of Christianity, it became Babylon, until the VII century AD. Then it became Arab and Muslim, and it took the name Fostat, which makes up Old Cairo today.
In 642, the city was immensely rich and prospered thanks to very fertile lands. The Fatimids began the foundations of Al-Qahira, “the Victorious”, in 969. In 1173, the Citadel pulled together Fostat and Al-Qahira within the same surrounding walls. There are still numerous monuments from this era, such as the sumptuous Al-Azhar mosque, proof of the city’s religious influence.
Next, the city fell into the hands of several sadistic sultans, but it remained just as prosperous. Since then some have referred to it as the Mother of the world. It spilled over its city walls more and more. Starting from 1863, at the time of the arrival of Ismail into power, the city underwent great changes. The khedive Ismail (viceroy of Egypt) wiped the slate of the past clean and transformed Cairo into a veritable European city.
Since 1960, Egypt had seen its population grow at an unrestrained rhythm. It has at the moment the highest density in the world. The city stretches in all directions and the buildings encroach more and more on the desert. Nevertheless, this urbanization doesn’t prevent the social fabric and solidarity to continue to develop.
The Pyramids
Giza is one of the most famous sites in the world. It has been a world heritage site since 1979.
It was under the IV dynasty that this village of the west bank of the Nile became a royal necropolis of Memphis. To serve as tombs for kings, the Egyptians erected three pyramids in less than one century: the Great Pyramid of Kheops, the Pyramid of Khephren and the Pyramid of Mykerinos. These pyramids, unique in the world, are among the seven wonders of the world. The famous Sphynx and numerous other temples and small pyramids are on the same plateau.
3000 years after their construction, the pyramids are still impressive. In the middle of the desert, under a blue, cloudless sky and shining sun, their immensity and their perfection leaves one perplexed. An enigma surrounds them. Specialists estimate that hundreds of thousands of workers laboured to build these tombs. How could the Egyptians of that time have built such monuments with precision to the millimeter and with such complexity? This architectural exploit remains a mystery. Some (maybe captivated by creatures coming from elsewhere!) are persuaded that the pyramids are of supernatural origin. This perfection would be seen as the work of angels, the work of the devil or even extra-terrestrials – you choose! More seriously, it was probably the Egyptian’s belief in eternal life and their desire to become one with the cosmos that pushed them to erect such funerary monuments. They allowed the Egyptians to bring daily offerings to feed the souls of the deceased pharaohs.
The three mysterious pyramids
When he arrived at the foot of the these pyramids during his campaign in Egypt in 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte pronounced the famous quote “Soldiers, think that from the top of these pyramids, forty centuries are looking down on you”. And ever since, they still retain their mysteries. 4500 years after their construction, the graves of three great pharaohs continue to fascinate the beholder.
The Great Pyramid of Kheops
The Great Pyramid of Kheops is the oldest and the first of the seven wonders of the world. One can’t help but gape at this imposing mass. It measured 146 m high when it was completed around 2570 BC. With time, it lost 9 m. It is estimated that two million stone blocks, each weighing 2.5 tons were needed to erect it. At the base, some of these limestone blocks weighed up to 15 tons. It is thought that 100 000 men participated in its building.
On the inside, the infrastructure of the pyramid is enthralling to see. Twenty meters from the entrance, a narrow hallway leads to the Large Gallery, nearly 9 m high, which demonstrates the amplitude of the monument. A passageway then leads to the Queen’s Chamber; then you can continue on to the King’s Chamber. Pillaged 600 years after its construction, only a coverless sarcophagus remains. The perfect overlapping of the granite plates which make up the ceiling of this room is noteworthy. In the north and the south of this chamber two air wells were incorporated. According to mythology, these conduits allowed the soul of the pharaoh to rise to the heavens and achieve eternal repose.
The sun boat of the pharaoh Kheops was previously situated inside the pyramid. Recuperated in a thousand pieces from the bottom of a pit, it was reconstructed. It is currently exhibited in the Museum of the Sun Boat near the pyramid.
The pyramid of Khephren
The Pyramid of Khephren is slightly smaller than that of Kheops. It looks bigger because it stands on higher ground. It has conserved its limestone coating at the summit. The Sphynx, situated below it, guards the pyramid. Inside the very well-conserved funerary chambers, the large granite sarcophagus of Khephren can still be found.
The Pyramid of Mykerinos
It is the smallest of the three Giza pyramids. It initially measured 66 m. In 1186, the son of Saladin tried to dismantle the pyramid. Today one can see a deep cut into the northern face. On the inside, a sloping passage leads to a small mortuary chamber and several rooms covered in blocks of granite.
Sakkarah
Not far from Memphis, the necropolis of Sakkarah was occupied throughout Egyptian antiquity. It was here that the first mastabas and pyramids were built by the first royal dynasties. It holds many temples and sanctuaries.
Djeser of the III dynasty had Imhotep build the first pyramid, which was a step pyramid (see photo below). Under the 5th and 6th dynasties, other royal pyramids were built, as well as mastabas whose indoor reliefs have taught us a lot about Egyptian life.
Under the Middle Empire, this necropolis was somewhat abandoned with the move of the pharaoh and his court to Thebes. But with the renaissance of the city of Memphis under the 18th and 19th dynasties, Saqqarah was occupied once more. The nobles built themselves tombs with funerary temples placed on top.
Of particular interest are the tomb of Horemheb, the tombs of the sacred Apis bulls, the Serapeum, and sanctuaries dedicated to Anubis and to Bastet. In the catacombs with immense galleries, a multitude of mummified animals were sealed away. The Egyptian Museum of Cairo and the Treasure of Tutankhamun

In modern Cairo, along Mariette Pacha Street, in an ochre building built in 1902 in Greco-Roman style, stands the Egyptian Museum, which brings together all of the art of Pharaonic Egypt. The French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette (1821-1881), whose bronze statue (by Denys Peuch) and tomb stand in the garden to the left facing the entrance, led the first large official excavations financed by the viceroy of Egypt, Saïd Pacha. Sent to Egypt as a worker for the Louvre in 1850, Mariette excavated at Memphis and at Abydos, then founded the Service of Antiquities of Egypt and at the same time a museum consecrated to ancient Egyptian civilization. Since 1952, the museum has been run by Egyptian curators.
The museum, also called Al Mathaf, exhibits over 100,000 objects; it houses the widest, richest and most complete collection of pharaonic antiquities in the world, spanning a period of 5000 years. This collection is presented, more or less, in chronological order.
One can not expect to see the entire museum because it is practically inexhaustible; it would take entire days to study or admire each section. A visit of several two-hour sessions will give a good idea of its richness. By no means should you miss out on seeing the treasure of Tutankhamun (see photos below