Giants in The Desert | Aswan + Cairo, Bucket List of Egypt

Although “Oh my God, it's so HUGE!!" is most commonly heard by spiders, yet the statues of Abu Simbel are truly a gigantic masterpiece of ancient engineering.

From the towering pyramids of Giza to the massive statues of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, this is a land of truly gigantic masterpieces of ancient engineering, built on a scale that still surprises, even thousands of years later.

Egypt is one of the world’s great centers of civilization, with human habitation going back millennia. At the heart of it all is the Nile, the longest river in Africa and possibly the world, which did the near-impossible by turning desert into farmland and supporting an entire empire. It also doubled as ancient Egypt’s main highway, filled with wooden boats carrying everything from crops to the massive limestone blocks that eventually became the Great Pyramid of Giza.

This Trekkup dives into Egypt’s wonders, following the mighty Nile to discover the country’s most famous landmarks and the remarkable feats of engineering that have become iconic symbols of the ancient world. We begin with the essentials in Cairo and nearby Giza: marvelling at the pyramids, coming face-to-face with the Sphinx, and visiting the early sites of Saqqara and Memphis, where Egypt’s first experiments in monument-building are found.

Next we head south to Nubia, a lesser-known region of the eastern Sahara where Egypt’s sense of scale reaches new extremes. Here, at Abu Simbel, it becomes obvious that Pharaoh Ramesses II thought subtlety (and modesty) was overrated. Built in the 13th century BCE, two temples are carved directly into the mountainside, guarded by four colossal, seated statues of the ruler himself. In addition to being a jaw-dropping sight, the technical and scientific aspects are just as impressive: the temples are aligned so that sunlight penetrates the inner sanctuary twice a year, on the dates associated with Ramses’ birth and coronation.

Nearby Aswan sits at the southern frontier of the Egyptian empire, a city with a long history of stonework and engineering. It supplied the raw materials for many ancient monuments and, in modern times, became home to the Aswan High Dam, one of the great engineering projects of the 20th century. Standing 111 metres high and stretching an impressive 4 kilometres in length, an astonishing 11,000 cubic metres of water surge through it every second. Rising above Lake Nasser, the dam makes it clear that Egypt’s tradition of thinking big did not end with the pharaohs.

On this trip, you’ll tick every Egyptian bucket list box, from selfies with the Sphinx to gazing up at Ramesses II’s disapproving face. Grab your camera and get ready to stand in the shadow of Desert Giants.

Let’s go!

DAY 0 // WED // DEPARTURE

Meeting at SHJ International at 9pm for a direct flight to Cairo. Arrival in the early hours, immigration clearance, overnight in 5 star hotel.

DAY 1 // THU // CAIRO

After breakfast we hit the road to Giza. We’ll get up close with the Pyramids, move on for some riddles or selfies with Sphinx, then drive to Sakkara and further to Memphis for more temples and even older pyramids. Overnight in 5 star hotel.

DAY 2 // FRI // CAIRO - ASWAN

Today we start at recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest museum in the world, then head to the Cairo Citadel, a massive fortress with incredible panoramic views over the city, and home to the Ottoman-style Muhammad Ali Mosque (Alabaster Mosque) and historic Gawhara Palace.

In the evening we’ll catch a domestic flight to Aswan, spending the night at our hotel overlooking the Nile.

DAY 3 // SAT // ABU SIMBEL & NILE CRUISE

Early wake-up call for the drive to Abu Simbel. After an awe-inspiring exploration of the temples and surroundings, we’ll return to Aswan. In the afternoon, we’ll board a felucca boat for a relaxed sailing excursion on the Nile, passing by Elephantine Island, the Botanical Garden and the Agha Khan mausoleum.

DAY 4 // SUN // ASWAN

Today we begin with a visit to the High Dam, which offers an amazing view of the first cataract on the Nile and Lake Nasser. Next is a boat cruise to Agilkia Island to visit its temple complex dedicated to the Goddess Isis (originally it was located on the island of Philae, which was flooded during the construction of the Aswan dam). Later, we sail on down the Nile to a Nubian village, where we’ll take a short hike for some views over the area.

In the evening we say bye-bye to the Pharaohs and head back to the airport for a domestic flight to Cairo, where we’ll connect to our return flight to Sharjah.

Level of Difficulty: Easy, available to everyone.
Activities: Sightseeing, boating and lots of discoveries of ancient and modern world wonders!!
Rooms & Meals: 5 star hotel in Cairo, traditional Nubian guesthouse 4 star in Aswan - double sharing. Meals excluded.

Cost: AED 6,400 all incl. 4 flights - international and domestic, until JAN 30.

Specifically excluded:

• visa,
• meals,
• tips,
• optional entry fees, ie. inside pyramid.

Visas: Most of passports can obtain visa on arrival or online.
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Egypt

It is sole responsibility of participant to obtain entry to country of destination.

See yah in Egypt x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup