This morning after breakfast, we will transfer to Cairo Airport and take a short flight to Aswan, check in to your deluxe private Nile cruise, aboard a unique boat called a dahabeya. You’ll be in the company of some great history! Caesar and Cleopatra honeymooned on a dahabeya, and legendary archaeologist Howard Carter, fundraising for his Valley of the Kings digs, would go from boat to boat of the wealthy English families wintering on the Nile. You have plenty of free time to settle in and relax, after enjoying lunch made by our private chef.

The most authentic and intimate way to cruise the Nile is aboard a felucca, a traditional sailboat used in Egypt since ancient times. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a relaxing Felucca sail to a Nubian village, where we will see how the locals of the area live.

At the end of the day…

This evening, back on our dahabeya, we will gather around our first fabulous Guest Speaker, Cynthia Cavalli, as she prepares us for “Embodying the Goddesses of Ancient Egypt”

“On our pilgrimage to Egypt, we will travel back in time to meet the mightiest goddesses of Ancient Egypt in their home temples! Isis, Hathor, and Sekhmet will all be there to greet us. We will prepare for these encounters through sacred ritual and active dreaming while keeping an open heart (ibn). Come ready to honor, pay obeisance to, and even dance with the Goddesses who have nurtured this mysterious land with their magic for thousands of years. Together we will discover the connection to them lying within our deepest selves and tap into their sacred energies (heka) to help us face the challenges of everyday life when we return home.”

(Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Overnight at our Dahabeya

After Breakfast, we sail to Kom Ombo, the only dual temple in Egypt. The Healing Temple of Kom Ombo is a glorious, picturesque ruin along the Banks of the Nile. This dramatic temple, poised between the edge of the river and the encroaching desert sand, was dedicated to two gods – Sobek the crocodile god of strength, fortitude, fertility and rebirth, and Horus the Hawk-headed son of Isis and Osiris. The duality of the light/dark, conscious/ unconscious, yin/yang is apparent in this ancient site. One of the most powerful places in Kom Ombo is the Seat of Neutrality, which is placed on the exact centerline between the parts of the temple that are dedicated to Horus / Sobek and light /dark. Then we sail on to Edfu.

“Grab a drink and gather around John for Happy Hour this evening as he takes you on an alchemical journey from the ancient world to the modern, while deepening your awareness of the true power of Egypt.”

(Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Overnight at Dahabeya

After breakfast, Halle will offer a lesson on the power of sacred geometry, its shapes, and how it can help you align with the power of geometry found in nature.

Today we fully appreciate sailing the Nile, a laid-back day where we watch the farmers and countryside of Egypt, as we cross Esna Lock. This is one of the favorite days of most of our guests, as it is a day of idyllic sailing from a time gone by. A great day for reflection and integration; journaling and meditation. Perhaps just reading or mingling with your new friends will be the best relaxation, and of course we will enjoy tea time on the deck in the late afternoon.

Later during Happy Hour, get ready for Special Guest lecturer, Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D., who will give us a unique perspective on The Alchemical Osiris at Abydos. Thom is a Jungian psychologist and alchemical life coach who provides services throughout the world. He explains:

“If walls could talk what tales they’d tell! The myth of Osiris is one of the oldest tales in Khem, the rich black land of Egypt. Not only does it give us insight into the workings of the Egyptian mind, but it also reveals hidden secrets of Nature. Alchemy is the key to unlock these mysteries. In this talk, we will tell the tale from the bedrock in which Osiris was born – his cosmology – to his eventual place in the Egyptian pantheon. The big reveal is that Osiris isn’t some figment of imagination, but more importantly he and all the figures in the tale are archetypal functions of the psyche, the very operations of how we live our lives today. In addition to Osiris, Lord of the Underworld (the Unconscious), there is Isis, his magical wife, Horus, their son, and Seth, who murdered and dismembered Osiris. All these archetypal images are like X-Rays of the human psyche that tell us how the process of individuation works. One of the foundational recipes of alchemy is solve et coagula (dissolve and coagulate), a formula that is central to the Osiris myth. We will explore the meaning of all these characters and how this recipe sheds light on how this process facilitates the evolution of consciousness. Osiris’s tale is little known to most people, and yet, this immortal god lives within us waiting to reveal the secret of transformation – changing the unconscious lead of our shadow into the golden substance of the Philosopher’s Stone.”
(Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Overnight at Dahabeya

𓆸 Friday March 24 (Day 09): Karnak / Dendera Temple

After Breakfast, we will enjoy an early visit to the magnificent Karnak Temple. Karnak is the biggest temple complex in Egypt – and an incredibly special place. It is dedicated to the Gods Amun and Mut. As you enter, you walk between a row of ram headed sphinxes, which originally connected Karnak with Luxor Temple two miles away. Take some time to visit the sacred Lake of Karnak, ask for purification and place your intention in your mind’s eye into the Lake. Outside the main halls is a small chapel dedicated to Sekhmet, her consort Ptah, and their son Nefertum. Sekhmet is the lioness Goddess of compassion and courage. She is associated with feminine fire and healing through destruction. She is a renowned healer and known for magic and ability to hunt down an imbalance at its origin. In a potent private initiation, we will honor the Goddess and receive the gift of courage to be our authentic selves. We will have a meditation with Sekhmet and enjoy the shade under Hathor’s sycamore tree, noted to be 2000 years old.

In the afternoon we will have an exciting journey to the exquisite Temple of Dendera, dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of abundance, love, and joy. The temple is built with a zodiac ceiling that recalls the origins of Egypt. On the rooftop where Hathor priests and priestesses gathered for their celebrations thousands of years ago. After a spectacular day, we will check into the lovely House of Life Hotel in Abydos.

(Breakfast / Picnic lunch / Dinner)

Overnight at House of Life Abydos

𓆸 Saturday March 25 (Day 10): Abydos Temple / Cairo (Khan El Khalili Bazaar)

After Breakfast, we will savor the temple of Abydos, dedicated to Osiris, and housing the nine great Gods and Goddesses (the Ennead). This temple rests next to and above the most ancient Osirion, one of the premier power places on the planet, and home to the tattoo of the Flower of Life, the most primal sacred geometry. Here we will privately convene for a powerful initiation unlike any you can imagine. We will also see the more recent temple built by Seti I, which contains the most beautiful bas relief of any temple in Egypt.

When we leave Abydos, we will transfer to Luxor Airport to take a short flight back to Cairo.

In the afternoon we will experience the famous (and infamous) Khan El Khalili Bazaar. One of the oldest shopping districts in the world, the Khan is like going back to the time of Ali Baba and Aladdin. Merchants have been trading on this site since at least the 14th century. In 1384, an emir named Al Khalili built a great Khan, a three-story hostelry intended to accommodate traveling merchants and their wares. Buyers visited the Khan for the goods brought in on the merchant caravans, and the selling and bartering spread to the neighboring streets. This is the perfect opportunity to purchase any final Egyptian treasures that you wish to bring home.

After we check in to the gorgeous Four Seasons Giza Hotel, you have the rest of the day to yourself to relax and enjoy this magnificent hotel, as you recapitulate your amazing journey so far.

Dinner will be on your own tonight with many nearby, wonderful culinary options. Excellent restaurants are also right inside the Four Seasons.

Enjoy yourself and be sure to relax and continue to integrate all the energies you are experiencing in Egypt. Tomorrow is our final initiation.

(Breakfast / Lunch)

Overnight at the Four Seasons First Residence

𓆸 Sunday March 26 (Day 11) Great Pyramid/ Optional visit to the Egyptian Museum / Farewell Dinner

Early this morning, we will have a special Private Visit inside the Great Pyramid. For nearly 4000 years, the extraordinary shape, impeccable geometry, and sheer bulk of the Giza Pyramids have invited the obvious questions: How were we built, and why? Centuries of research have given us parts of the answer. Today they stand as an awe-inspiring tribute to the might, organization, and achievements of ancient Egypt. Our guide, who is an encyclopedia of Egyptology, will give you detailed examinations of various controversial theories surrounding these amazing structures.

Then we will have a culminating ceremony in the King’s Chamber. Here we unite our life story with the story of those who have come before us and those who will come after as we embrace the transformation that we have experienced.

We will go back to the Four Season for a delicious breakfast and have a personal day to integrate our energies, rest, journal – or spend the afternoon in one of the best spas in Cairo, right in the Four Seasons. If you just can’t get enough of artifacts, in the afternoon, you can join the group to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where you can see TutAnkhAmun’s famous mask, the powerful statues of Ahkenaton, and some of the many iconic paintings and statues from the Egyptology digs.

This evening we will gather in a special place for our Farewell Dinner where we can celebrate and share our Egyptian memories, recapitulating once more on our journey of a lifetime together!

(Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)

Overnight at the Four Seasons First Residence

 𓆸 Monday March 27 (Day 1): Cairo / Dahshur, Red & Bent Pyramid / Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandria/ Qaitbay Citadel)

After breakfast we will visit the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu. During the construction, the architect made a huge mistake and didn’t realize it until the pyramid reached 48 meters high, which led them to complete the pyramid with an alternate angle instead of a flat incline. The south Bent Pyramid of Dahshur was made of limestone, and has an entrance on the southern face, but in 1951, scientists discovered another entrance on the western side.

King Senefru built another pyramid located close to the first one. This time, the architect took his previous mistakes into consideration and started the pyramid 43 degrees from the beginning to avoid creating another Bent Pyramid. This pyramid is known as the Red Pyramid of Dahshur because its inner burial chamber was made of rosette limestones. Both these pyramids have been off-limits to tourists for many years and are now open once again.

Then we continue on our day trip to the beautiful city of Alexandria (210 Km from Cairo). Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre, originally built by Alexander the Great. The original Library of Alexandria was considered the greatest center of learning and the greatest storehouse of knowledge in the world.  Destroyed over about 100 years in a series of fires and invasions, it left a huge vacuum of information.  Today we will visit the New Alexandria Library (Bibliotheca Alexandrina), inaugurated on October 16, 2002, which has shelves for 8 million books, with the main reading room on 11 levels and stunning architecture. It is intended to replace the original library with its vast collection. 

Then we will visit the Citadel of Qaitbay, on the beautiful Mediterranean Coastline, where the Mameluke Sultan AL Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the site in 1489AD, and which holds the ruins of the Alexandria Lighthouse.

Later, we check in at the Sunrise Avenue Resort, considered the best hotel in Alexandria, a 5-star hotel located on the lovely seafront corniche. A private beach and many amenities, including a seaview room, a full gym and spa, await you.  Dinner is on your own at the hotel so you can relax after our exciting day. 

(Breakfast / Lunch)

Overnight at Sunrise Avenue Resort