Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology

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Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology
Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology
Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology
Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology
Plural Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo and the Wonders of Fayoum - 8 Days Between Sea and Desert, Pyramids and Palaeontology
Duration
8 Days
7 Nights
Destination
Immersion / Nature / Adventure
Group Size
2-15 People
Category
Siwa & Fayoum

The Journey

What if Egypt were not just about pharaohs and pyramids? What if it offered a vaster narrative, on the scale of geological eras and vanished civilisations?

This journey is a transversal exploration, unique of its kind, designed for those who wish to grasp Egypt in all its complexity. From Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great and a great centre of ancient knowledge, to Wadi el-Hitan, an open-air palaeontological sanctuary, via pharaonic necropolises, futuristic libraries and fossil deserts shaped by the Eocene, this itinerary weaves a unique thread: the evolution of cultures and species, from dressed stone to whale skeletons.

At each stage, archaeology, geology and living memory meet: thousand-year-old pyramids, Greco-Roman catacombs, petrified forests, ancient seabeds - accompanied by sincere human encounters and a sensitive reading of the landscapes.

A demanding and fascinating itinerary, designed for enlightened curious minds, science enthusiasts and lovers of raw nature - in search of a different perspective on Egypt, where time, matter and spirit have been in dialogue for millions of years.


Welcome to a rare, living and essential Egypt.

What Is Included in the Price

  • All private land transfers including 4x4 vehicles in the Fayoum desert
  • Private, experienced and passionate French-speaking Egyptologist guide
  • Accommodation in comfortable 3-star hotels
  • Full board
  • All site entry fees listed in the programme
  • Services of a French-speaking Egyptologist guide


What Is Not Included in the Price

  • International return flight to Cairo
  • Egypt entry visa (approximately 25 EUR on arrival)
  • Drinks and personal expenses
  • Standard tips for guides, drivers and local staff


Included

  • Itinerary between sea, desert and memory: from the Library of Alexandria to the fossil valleys of Fayoum via the pyramids and thousand-year mosques of Cairo
  • Major sites visited in depth: Pyramids of Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara
  • Ancient and Mediterranean Alexandria: library, catacombs, souks and mosques
  • Spiritual Cairo: Coptic, Islamic and Jewish quarters
  • Exceptional palaeontological and geological landscapes: fossil deserts, petrified forests, lakes and marine vestiges
  • Immersion in Egyptian rural life in the artisan village of Tunis on the shores of Lake Qarun
  • French-speaking Egyptologist guide for a rich and fluid experience
  • Full board, accommodation, private transfers and all entry tickets included

Excluded

  • International return flight to Cairo
  • Egypt entry visa approximately 25 EUR
  • Drinks and personal expenses
  • Tips for guides, drivers and local staff

Itinerary

1

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo

Dinner at own expense
Warm welcome at the airport by our representative, identifiable with a sign bearing our agency name. Private transfer and hotel check-in in the city centre. Free time to settle in and rest.
2

Day 2: Pyramids of Giza - Sphinx - Grand Egyptian Museum

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
This morning you set off to discover the mythical Giza plateau, heart of the Old Kingdom and eternal symbol of pharaonic Egypt. On foot, you approach the three great pyramids of Khufu - the only wonder of the ancient world still visible - Khafre and Menkaure. Their dimensions impress, but it is their conception that fascinates: perfect orientation according to the cardinal points, harmonious proportions, alignment with the stars of Orion. A true masterpiece of ingenuity, where science, spirituality and royal power meet. Below, the Great Sphinx stands watch, carved from rock, motionless for millennia. Its gaze crosses time; its mystery remains. King, god, guardian? No one knows. In the afternoon, you enter the much-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum, the new showcase of pharaonic heritage, designed to dialogue with the Giza plateau. You discover more than 5,000 pieces from the tomb of Tutankhamun, exhibited in their entirety for the first time, alongside iconic objects tracing the evolution of sculpture, funerary beliefs, daily life and craftsmanship from the Old Kingdom to the Greco-Roman era. At the end of the day, return to the hotel before sharing dinner in one of Cairo's lively neighbourhoods. Included visits: Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum. Accommodation: Hotel in Cairo.
3

Day 3: Departure to Alexandria - Library and Catacombs

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Early morning departure by vehicle for Alexandria, founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great. After approximately three hours of road through the fertile lands of the Nile Delta, you arrive in this legendary city, long the intellectual and spiritual capital of the ancient world. You begin the day with a visit to the Library of Alexandria, a contemporary reinterpretation of the famous ancient library. This iconic building, facing the sea and decorated with writings from around the world, today houses more than eight million books, precious manuscripts, cultural exhibitions and several research centres. A unique place dedicated to knowledge, memory and the dialogue of civilisations. In the afternoon, the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites of Roman Egypt. You explore this vast underground network from the 2nd century AD, where Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences blend: frescoes, sculpted columns, sarcophagi and a funerary banquet hall compose an enigmatic and moving atmosphere. Then a stroll to discover Alexandria from the city side: a walk along the corniche facing the Mediterranean, a wander through the lively souks and a visit to some of its historic mosques, witnesses of the city's rich Islamic heritage. Included visits: Library of Alexandria, Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa. Accommodation: Hotel in Alexandria.
4

Day 4: Return to Cairo - Coptic and Islamic Quarter

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Early morning, you leave Alexandria for Cairo, which opens the doors of its spiritual soul, where the great Abrahamic traditions cross, woven in stone, faith and silence. Your visit begins in the Coptic quarter, cradle of Egyptian Christianity, built on the vestiges of the Roman fortress of Babylon, where biblical memory, Byzantine heritage and local roots intersect. You enter the Hanging Church (El-Muallaqa), perched above the Roman towers - a masterpiece of Coptic art mentioned as early as the 3rd century. A little further, the Church of Saint Sergius houses the crypt where, according to tradition, the Holy Family found refuge during the flight into Egypt. You finish with the Ben Ezra Synagogue, where the geniza was discovered, a precious memory of the Egyptian Jewish community. After lunch, you head to the Citadel of Saladin, an imposing Ayyubid fortress of the 12th century, offering a panoramic view of the sprawling city. At its heart, the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, emblem of Ottoman architecture in Egypt. You continue with the Sultan Hassan Mosque, a true masterpiece of Mamluk art, built in the 14th century as a monumental madrasa for teaching the four Sunni legal schools. Opposite, the Al-Rifai Mosque, which houses the tombs of Egypt's last sovereigns, including King Farouk and the last Shah of Iran. Included visits: Hanging Church, Church of Saint Sergius, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Citadel of Saladin, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Rifai Mosque. Accommodation: Hotel in Cairo.
5

Day 5: Saqqara Necropolis and Departure to Fayoum

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
You set off by vehicle to explore the royal necropolis of Saqqara, one of Egypt's oldest and richest archaeological sites, used for more than three millennia. You begin with the complex of King Djoser, dominated by the famous step pyramid, the first monumental construction in dressed stone in human history. Built in the 27th century BC by Imhotep, physician, vizier and visionary architect, it marks a decisive turning point. You continue with the pyramid of King Teti, whose funerary chamber houses the Pyramid Texts: prayers and formulas carved to guide the sovereign towards eternity. Then the tomb of Kagemni, Teti's vizier, adorned with finely sculpted scenes of daily life: banquets, dances, fishing and offerings restore the Egypt of the living in the heart of the world of the dead. After lunch in a local restaurant, you take the road to Fayoum. About two hours of road bring you to the charming village of Tunis, on the shores of Lake Qarun. Check-in at the hotel, then a walk to discover the village: its decorated houses, pottery workshops and peaceful alleyways offer a first glimpse of Egyptian rural life - between creativity, simplicity and human warmth. Included visits: Saqqara complex (Djoser pyramid, Teti pyramid, Kagemni tomb). Accommodation: Hotel, Tunis village, Fayoum.
6

Day 6: Valley of the Whales

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
After breakfast at the lodge, you board a 4x4 for a timeless day. Heading south-west, where the desert becomes sovereign, where silence takes its full place. Gradually, the landscape opens up, vast, bare, sculpted by the wind. The sky widens. You enter Wadi el-Hitan, the Valley of the Whales. 40 million years ago, this region was covered by the Tethys Sea, a vast tropical ocean inhabited by strange marine creatures. Today, Wadi el-Hitan, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tells this forgotten story in the open air. This is where the first traces of walking whales were uncovered - transitional species still endowed with hind limbs, testifying to the gradual passage from terrestrial to marine life. Among them, the spectacular fossils of Basilosaurus and Dorudon, perfectly preserved, some reaching up to 18 metres in length. Walking through this silent valley, you also discover fossilised shells and the petrified roots of mangroves, vestiges of a vanished shoreline. At the heart of the site, an open-air museum in the desert, designed by an Italian team, traces the evolution of life on Earth with pedagogical clarity. In the afternoon, you reach the Magic Lake, nestled in the hollow of the dunes, its waters scintillating from emerald green to deep blue depending on the light. At the end of the afternoon, a gentle walk through olive fields in the golden evening light, along the shores of Lake Qarun. Included visits: Valley of the Whales (Wadi el-Hitan), Magic Lake. Accommodation: Hotel, Tunis village, Fayoum.
7

Day 7: Petrified Forest - Qatrani Mountain - Return to Cairo

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
This morning you set off to discover Qatrani Mountain, a true geological sanctuary where the rock strata tell more than 35 million years of natural history. Walking through ancient seabeds, fossilised lakes and forgotten volcanic reliefs, you explore a landscape shaped by the Eocene, an era of great climatic and biological upheavals. Listed as world palaeontological heritage, this exceptional site houses one of Africa's richest fossil records. Here were discovered the ancestors of elephants, monkeys, hippos and rhinoceroses: an open book on evolution, frozen in the silence of the desert. Further on, the petrified forest plunges you into a mineral world: fossilised trunks, vestiges of an ancient tropical forest, emerge from the sand like witnesses of a bygone age. After a picnic in the desert, you take the road back to Cairo. Along the way, the memories flow: unique geological richness, diversity of ecosystems, authenticity of local encounters. Fayoum reveals itself as a rare concentration of nature, science and humanity - a precious interlude that leaves a lasting mark. Included visits: Qatrani Mountain, Petrified Forest. Accommodation: Hotel in Cairo.
8

Day 8: Transfer to the Airport for the Return Flight

Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your return flight. You leave Egypt with a head full of wonders and a heart permanently enriched by a rare, living and essential Egypt.

Prices & Accommodation

Starting Price

Per Person €899.00

Optional Extras

Egypt Entry Visa €25.00 / person

Accommodation

Contact us for detailed accommodation information for this tour.