A wonderful tour including all the great names you would expect to see on an introduction to the world of the Pharoahs. We also escape the tourist trail to explore the vast empty landscapes of the Middle Nile and Tell el-Amarna, city of the heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten, and we cruise in style with 4 nights on a beautiful boat on the Nile, ending with a return visit to Cairo.
£2975 (sgl supp £350) | Price without international flights: £2695
NB exchange rates allow a price reduction since Spring brochure
Sun 21st March - Mon 5th April 2010, 16 days with Dr Paul Nicholson
Tour Manager: Stasa Bailey | Availability: Singles Full| Doubles Full
Our journey takes us to the city of the heretic pharoah Akhenaten at Tell el-Amarna, one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt which is usually ignored or given scant attention by mainstream tourism. The reason for this is its remote setting in a vast landscape empty as far as the eye can see - the journey there involves taking a local ferry and smaller vehicles to drive through real Egyptian villages beside the Nile. Our guide, Paul Nicholson, has been excavating here for many years. Egypt has to be seen by everyone with an interest in the ancient world. Its monumental remains are unique, both in the huge scope of their ambitious concept, and in their preservation in the dry heat of the desert. The people whose vision produced them lived in a land strictly limited by the river valley and its floodplain, and yet their leaders grew immensely wealthy from agriculture and from resources such as Nubian gold. The figurative art and funerary architecture of the Egyptians had an influence far beyond their own country, transforming archaic Greek art, and thus the Classical world. The key to understanding how and why this happened is here, in the Nile Valley, and much will be revealed as you travel beside and on the waters of this remarkable river in the company of a very popular British Egyptologist. Day One WHAT’S INCLUDED Scheduled flights - TBA Visa and Passport Requirements (for British passport holders only) Note: Passports must be valid for 6 months on entry into Egypt. Visas will be arranged for you by Andante Travels and will be administered on arrival at Cairo airport. 3 + 2 nights in a hotel overlooking the Nile in Cairo; What Did You Enjoy Most About This Tour? Superb. From start to finish, the whole thing ran like clockwork, except for a dust storm that not even Andante could control! I'd love to go again! I had researched many tour companies tours before deciding to travel with Andante, and I found that I enjoyed every aspect of your tour. Probably the trips to Medina and Beni Hassan and our travels to them, going over on the ferry boat, and actually meeting some local people stand out in my mind. I enjoyed the Middle Egypt section, particularly the day we visited Tell El Armarna, which was memorable - the ferry, the rural settlements, the tombs and the site around the uncrowded area. Arrival in Minya was also exciting, with our escort. The company of the group was also good, with lots of interesting individuals. Days one to sixteen. The whole experience was fantastic. The tour manager and local guide made the holiday an effortless time in a country that could have produced problems. Absolutely wonderful - a holiday of a life time. My overall impression is one of pure enjoyment... My travelling companions were all delightful and helpful and the team of Lucia, Barnaby and Galal unbeatable. A very busy packed programme and some long days which I realise were necessary to manage to see all we did and it was very well managed. I enjoyed seeing so much of Egypt. This list is no more than a guide to some books that you may find useful to read in advance of the tour. Talks given on the tour will attempt to fill in the background to what we are seeing, so no prior knowledge or pre-tour cramming is expected or needed. In many cases, we expect that you will find some of these books even more interesting and useful to read once the tour is over. Pyramids, Middle Egypt (seeing how the locals lived in the countryside). The exceptional ‘big picture' overview by the lecturer with all the details fitting into place, which made every temple and tomb as interesting as the last. Luxor- Valley of the Kings -despite the crowds, Andante did very well here. Guide Lecturer's Choice: (if you only want to read one or two books) Shaw, I. (ed.) (2000) The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. Maxwell, V. et al (2006) Egypt (Lonely Planet Country Guide). Lonely Planet Publications. General Books Baines, J. and Malek, J. (1980) Atlas of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Andromeda. (Or revised as (2000) Cultural Atlas of Ancient Egypt. New York: Facts on File Inc.). Brewer, D.J. and Teeter, E. (1999) Egypt and the Egyptians. Cambridge: C.U.P. Manley, B. (1996) The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Shaw, I.M.E. and Nicholson, P.T. (1995) The British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum Guide Books Morkot, R. (2005) Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs. Hong Kong: Odyssey Books Murnane, W.J. (1983) The Penguin Guide To Ancient Egypt. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Seton-Williams, V. and Stocks, P. (1993) The Blue Guide To Egypt. London: Black. Pharaonic History Bowman, A.K. (1986) Egypt After the Pharaohs. London: British Museum. Clayton, P. A. (1994) Chronicle of the Pharaohs. London: Thames and Hudson/Rubicon Kitchen, K.A. (1982) Pharaoh Triumphant: The Life and Times of Ramesses II. Warminster: Aris & Phillips Ltd. Malek, J. (1986) In the Shadow of the Pyramids: Egypt during the Old Kingdom. London: Orbis Books. Reeves, N. (2001) Egypt's False Prophet: Akhenaten. London: Thames and Hudson. Spencer, A.J. (1993) Early Egypt. London: British Museum. Wilkinson, T.A.H. (1999) Early Dynastic Egypt. London: Routledge. Art and Architecture Lehner, M. (1997) The Complete Pyramids. London: Thames and Hudson. Robins, G. (1986) Egyptian Painting and Relief. Aylesbury: Shire Egyptology. Robins, G. (1997) Art of Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum. Robins, G. (2001) Egyptian Statues. Aylesbury: Shire Egyptology. Snape, S. (1996) Egyptian Temples. Aylesbury: Shire Egyptology. Wilkinson, R.H. (2000) The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames and Hudson. Religion And Magic Gahlin, L. (2001) Egypt: Gods, Myth and Religion Lorenz Books Pinch, G. (1994) Magic In Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum. Quirke, S. (1992) Ancient Egyptian Religion. London: British Museum. Quirke, S. (2001) The Cult of Ra. London: Thames and Hudson. Schafer, B.E. (ed.) (1991) Religion in Ancient Egypt. London: Routledge. Funerary Practices Andrews, C. (1984) Egyptian Mummies. London: British Museum. Ikram, S. and Dodson, A. (1998) The Mummy In Ancient Egypt. London: Thames and Hudson. Reeves, C.N. (1990) The Complete Tutankhamun. London: Thames and Hudson. Reeves, C.N. and Wilkinson, R.H. (1996) The Complete Valley of the Kings. London: Thames and Hudson. Taylor, J.H. (2001) Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum. We recommend to you a publishing company with a mission to keep the classic works of travel literature in print. Eland and Sickle Moon Books produce an excellent catalogue of travellers' literature, old and new. 0207 833 0762 - www.travelbooks.co.uk -
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Archaeology books Oxbow Books, based in Oxford, are suppliers of probably the biggest range of archaeology and history books. They produce a quarterly catalogue, and can be contacted on 01865 241 249 - www.oxbowbooks.com -
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Introduction
Itinerary
Arrive Cairo and transfer to hotel.
Day Two
Today we will be visiting Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, and its necropolis at Saqqara. This will provide an introduction to the monuments of the Old Kingdom, and set the scene for our visit to Giza.
Saqqara: the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which began as low bench-like tomb (mastaba) and was then enlarged and heigtened in order that it could be distinguished from other mastaba tombs on the skyline when seen from Memphis. The new Imhotep museum was named after the architect. We also see one of the later mastaba tombs and the Pyramid of Teti with its Pyramid Texts. Then onto Memphis to see the fallen colossos of Rameses II, the 'alabaster sphinx' (actually travertine) and other monuments in the Memphis Museum Garden.
Day Three
Giza and the Great Pyranid of Cheops, the best-preserved of the seven wonders of the world (if possible a visit to the inner chambers). Next to this, the Solar Boat, an original pharaonic sailing vessel, found dismantled in a pit complete with its ropes. The Sphinx, carved from a knoll of rock, its face probably representing Khafre. Egyptian Museum in Cairo to see the treasures of Tutankhamun and others.
Day Four
Pyramid at Meidum, drive south to the necropolis at Beni Hassan.
Day Five
Tell el-Amarna, the ancient capital of the so-called heretic pharaoh Akhenaten.
Day Six
The beautiful temple of Seti I at Abydos where we will see the only King List still in its original position. Drive to Luxor.
Day Seven
Visit the famous Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank at Thebes, and then on to the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri. This is followed by a visit to the Valley of the Kings including the tomb of Tutankhamun. Visit Dendera to see the temple of Hathor, with its depiction of Cleopatra VII.
Day Eight
The Ramesseum, with its fallen colossus of Rameses II and Medinet Habu, arguably the best preserved temple of the New Kingdom. Deir el-Medina, the village of the workers who constructed the tombs in Valley of the Kings.
Day Nine
The incomparable Karnak, the great temple of Amun and its associated open-air Museum, with wealth of religious and historical inscriptions. Also Luxor Museum, recently refurbished and including the famous statue of Tuthmosis III. First night on the Nile boat.
Day Ten
The magnificent Temple of Luxor with its multiple phases, including works undertaken in the time of Tutankhamun. Upstream towards Edfu.
Day Eleven
The great Ptolemaic temple at Edfu, a site which has a long history, some of which is visible in the environs of the temple. Upstream towards Kom Ombo.
Day Twelve
Visit the spectacularly located temple of Horus and Sobek at Kom Ombo. Embark, on to Aswan to sail by traditional Nile felucca to visit Elephantine Island, and also visit the new Nubian Museum.
Day Thirteen
Aswan: including a visit to the granite quarries with their unfinished obelisk, and a boat trip to the nearby temple of Isis at Philae, often said to be the most picturesque temple in Egypt, and the inspiration for many Egyptianising buildings in Europe.
Day Fourteen
Fly to the great rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari at Abu Simbel on Lake Nasser. Fly to Cairo.
Day Fifteen
Morning visiting Islamic and Coptic sites in Cairo, free afternoon.
Day Sixteen
Morning flight from Cairo to London.
Included
Flights & Visa
Hotels
1 night in a comfortable hotel in Minya (best available);
1 night in a very simple Swiss-style (!) hotel in Assuit (best available);
3 nights in a very comfortable hotel in Luxor;
4 nights on a 5* 'De Luxe' boat on the Nile;
1 night in a modern hotel in lovely gardens overlooking the Nile in Aswan.Comments
Reading List
Travel books
