Daily Schedule

Day 1 — Tuesday 21 September 2027

Arrival in Giza

Arrive in Cairo and transfer to our hotel overlooking the Giza Plateau.

Settle in and meet your fellow travellers in the presence of the pyramids. As the sun sets over the western desert, we gather for our first supper together and mark the beginning of our journey through Egypt’s sacred landscapes.

Our pilgrimage begins where earth and sky meet most visibly—amongst the pyramids and beneath the stars, at the edge of the desert shaped by the Nile.

Overnight: Giza

Day 2 — Wednesday 22 September 2027

Saqqara & the Pyramid of Unas

Today we journey to Saqqara, one of Egypt’s most important sacred landscapes and burial grounds.

Our focus is the Pyramid of Unas, whose walls preserve the oldest known religious texts on Earth. Carved more than four thousand years ago, the Pyramid Texts contain hymns, invocations and star lore intended to guide the king’s journey beyond death and into the company of the Imperishable Stars — the circumpolar constellations that never set below the horizon. 

We also enter the mysterious subterranean galleries of the Serapeum, where immense sarcophagi, each carved from a single block of granite, rest within vaulted chambers beneath the desert.

Here we encounter some of the earliest surviving expressions of Egyptian cosmology: the celestial ascent of the soul, the resurrection of Osiris and the relationship between earth, sky and eternity that would shape Egyptian civilisation for millennia.

Returning to Giza, anticipation builds as we prepare for our Equinox gathering at the Sphinx.

Overnight: Giza

Day 3 — Thursday 23 September 2027

Autumn Equinox at the Sphinx

Before dawn, we enter the Sphinx enclosure for a private gathering as darkness gives way to the light of the Autumn Equinox.

Facing due east, the Sphinx looks towards the rising sun. As first light reaches the plateau, we witness the enduring relationship between monument, landscape and sky.

The remainder of the morning is intentionally gentle, allowing time for reflection before we check out. Guests may join Mags for an optional visit to an Oils Master and an introduction to the temple art of aromancy.

After an early supper, we board the overnight train to Luxor.

Overnight: Flamingo Hotel, Luxor

Day 4 — Friday 24 September 2027

Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut’s Temple

Arriving in ancient Thebes, we transfer to our hotel on the west bank of the Nile, beneath the cliffs of al-Qurn—the naturally pyramid-shaped mountain overlooking the Valley of the Kings. After breakfast, we begin our exploration of this vast royal necropolis.

We enter a selection of tombs chosen for their distinctive beauty and symbolism, including the magnificent tomb of Ramesses V and VI. Its richly preserved chambers carry an extraordinary constellation of funerary texts and images, culminating in an astronomical ceiling where Nut, goddess of the heavens, arches across the star-filled sky.

The centrepiece of our morning is a special-access visit to the tomb of Seti I. Extending deep into the mountain, its chambers contain some of the most complete and refined reliefs in the Valley of the Kings—a journey in image and text through the regions of the underworld.

Lunch is served at the historic Marsam Hotel, a longstanding meeting place for the archaeologists, artists and Egyptologists working on Luxor’s west bank.

In the afternoon, we visit Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, rising in terraces against the limestone cliffs of Deir el-Bahari. Its axial geometry, colonnades and relationship with the surrounding landscape make it one of ancient Egypt’s most accomplished works of sacred architecture. The temple is famed for its alignment with midwinter sunrise.

Overnight: Flamingo Hotel, Luxor

Day 5 — Saturday 25 September 2027

Karnak & Luxor Temple

The morning is devoted to Karnak, the vast temple city that evolved over almost two thousand years. Within its immense ceremonial landscape, we have private access to the Temple of Ptah and stand before Sekhmet’s powerful “living” statue.

After lunch on the east bank, there is time to explore Luxor’s souk—a maze of alleyways filled with spices, perfumes, textiles and traditional crafts.

Towards sunset, we visit Luxor Temple, when the stone takes on the warmth of the evening light. Connected to Karnak by the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes, this was one of the great ceremonial centres of Thebes. Known symbolically as the Temple of Man, its architecture has been interpreted as a reflection of the human form and the journey of consciousness.

Before supper, John introduces the celestial and astrological symbolism of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera, preparing us for Monday’s visit.

Overnight: Flamingo Hotel, Luxor

Day 6 — Sunday 26 September 2027

Abydos & the Osirion

Departing Luxor, we travel north to Abydos, one of ancient Egypt’s holiest pilgrimage centres. For thousands of years, priests, pilgrims and seekers came here to enter the mysteries of Osiris: death, regeneration and the soul’s continuing journey.

After lunch and checking into our hotel, we explore the Temple of Seti I. Its finely carved reliefs and remarkable preservation make it one of the great surviving works of Egyptian sacred art. Here, the Osirian tradition unfolds not as a mythology of death alone, but as a teaching about continuity, renewal and transformation.

There is time to wander, reflect and absorb the atmosphere of the temple before supper.

As darkness falls, we enter the Osirion for private evening access and ceremony. Built from immense stone blocks and sunk below the level of the surrounding temple, this enigmatic structure evokes a primordial realm of water, stone and silence.

Traditionally associated with Osiris, lord of the underworld and regeneration, the Osirion draws us into one of the deepest movements of the Egyptian spiritual imagination: the descent into darkness before renewal. Beneath the stars, we pause at the still point of the journey—a threshold between worlds.

Overnight: Flower of Life Hotel, Abydos

Day 7 — Monday 27 September 2027

Dendera & Return to Luxor

This morning, we journey to Dendera, home to the Temple of Hathor and some of Egypt’s richest astronomical imagery.

Dedicated to the goddess of beauty, music, joy and the celestial realms, the temple preserves extraordinary depictions of the zodiac, planetary deities and the star-filled heavens. With Ashraf’s guidance, we explore its chambers, rooftop sanctuaries and mysterious crypts, as well as the smaller Temple of Isis within the complex.

Following our evening at the Osirion, Dendera offers a natural counterpoint—a return from the depths to the light, and to the relationship between earth and sky that runs throughout our journey.

Packed lunches give us maximum flexibility at the site before we return to Luxor in the late afternoon.

This evening, we check into the Lakeside Hotel, sister property to the Flamingo, and share supper beside the water as the sun sets over the west bank of the Nile.

Overnight: Lakeside Hotel, West Bank, Luxor

Day 8 — Tuesday 28 September 2027

Check-out: Esna & Embarkation

After checking out, we travel to Esna to visit the restored Temple of Khnum and explore the market that surrounds it.

Dedicated to the ram-headed creator god, the temple reveals the close relationship between astronomy, ritual and the ordered life of ancient Egypt. Its restored astronomical ceiling and richly decorated columns retain some of the most vivid colour found in any Egyptian temple.

Later, after wandering through the market, we board our dahabiya and begin our voyage south along the Nile. Leaving the cities behind, we settle into the unhurried rhythm of the river as village life, cultivated fields and desert landscapes unfold from the water.

Night One aboard the dahabiya

Day 9 — Wednesday 29 September 2027

Edfu & the River, New Moon

Rejuvenated by our first night on the Nile, we visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, arriving by horse-drawn carriage. As the best-preserved temple in Egypt, Edfu survives almost intact after two thousand years. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god of kingship, vision, and divine order, the complex offers a clear glimpse into the ceremonial world of ancient Egypt.

The remainder of the day unfolds at river pace as we sail southward. There is time to relax on deck, watch village life drift by, and absorb the changing landscapes of the Nile. As evening falls, we gather on the dahabiya for a blue lotus ceremony beneath the stars. On the eve of the New Moon, we pause within the quieter rhythms of the journey, reflecting upon all encountered since our Equinox gathering at the Sphinx and the descent into the mysteries of Abydos.

Night Two aboard the dahabiya.

Day 10 — Thursday 30 September 2027

Gebel el-Silsila & Kom Ombo

This morning we visit Gebel el-Silsila, the great sandstone quarries that supplied the stone for Egypt’s temples, sanctuaries, and monuments. Walking among the quarry faces, abandoned blocks, and ancient inscriptions, the extraordinary scale of the undertaking becomes tangible. Vast sections of Egypt’s monumental landscape began their journey here before being transported along the Nile to Karnak, Luxor, and beyond. 

Continuing south, we arrive at Kom Ombo, dramatically positioned above the river. Unusual among Egyptian temples, Kom Ombo is a dual sanctuary dedicated to two opposing deities: Horus the Elder and Sobek, the crocodile god. Its unique symmetrical design explicitly explores themes of balance, polarity, and integration—ideas that echo many of the deeper themes encountered throughout our journey. 

Our final evening aboard the dahabiya is spent on the approach to Aswan, watching the colours fade across the Nile beneath the desert sky.

Night Three aboard the dahabiya

Day 11 — Friday 1 October 2027

Elephantine Island & Aswan

Arriving in Aswan, we turn our attention to Elephantine Island, a vital frontier between Egypt and Nubia, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country. For millennia, Elephantine marked a threshold between worlds, the precise point where the life-giving waters of the Nile were believed to emerge from the deep. 

We explore the Temple of Khnum, the ram-headed creator god who fashioned humanity on his potter’s wheel, and the adjacent Temple of Satet, guardian of the moon and inundation. Nearby, the ancient Nilometer cuts into the rock face, a physical archive used to measure the rising river and predict the coming harvest. Together, these sites reveal a landscape intimately connected to the elemental forces that sustained Egyptian civilisation. 

Later, we cross to the quiet botanical sanctuary of Kitchener Island before checking into our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free to relax, absorb the vibrant colours of the Nubian village, and settle into the slower pace of the south.

Overnight: Artika Wadi, Nubian Village, Aswan

Day 12 — Saturday 2 October 2027

Philae & Nubian Aswan

Following a relaxed breakfast, we travel by boat across the Nile to Philae, the island temple of Isis. As one of the last strongholds of ancient Egyptian religion, Philae remained an active pilgrimage centre for centuries after other temples had fallen silent, carrying the traditions of devotion and healing into the Byzantine era. 

Before exploring the complex, we pause near the remains of Philae’s original setting. Depending on water levels, traces of the true, submerged island can still be seen emerging from the river—a stark reminder of the landscape’s transformation. We then step onto Agilkia Island to explore the temple itself, which was painstakingly dismantled and reconstructed stone by stone during the UNESCO rescue project of the 1970s.

The afternoon is free for independent exploration within the Nubian village, shopping in the local markets, or resting by the river before our final evening in Upper Egypt.

Overnight: Artika Wadi, Nubian Village, Aswan

Day 13 — Sunday 3 October 2027

Grand Egyptian Museum & Khan el-Khalili

We fly north to Cairo and spend the afternoon exploring the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest archaeological complex dedicated to a single civilisation. For the first time since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the complete collection of the young pharaoh’s treasures, over five thousand artefacts, is brought together in a single, dedicated exhibition space. From his nested golden coffins to the personal objects placed beside him for eternity, the galleries offer an unparalleled window into pharaonic afterlife beliefs.

Our entry begins at the feet of the colossal, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramesses II, before we ascend the Grand Staircase lined with royal masterpieces.

Later, we cross into the historic heart of Islamic Cairo to wander the labyrinthine lanes of Khan el-Khalili. For centuries, this celebrated market has served as a global crossroads for merchants, artisans, and travellers arriving from across Africa, Arabia, and the Mediterranean. It remains one of the city’s most vibrant and texturally rich quarters.

Returning to Giza, we settle once more beneath the shadow of the pyramids as the final chapter of our journey begins.
Overnight: 7 Pyramids Hotel & neighbouring White House, Giza

Day 14 — Monday 4 October 2027

The Great Pyramid

The day is intentionally spacious, allowing time to rest, revisit favourite spaces, or absorb the atmosphere of the Giza Plateau. For a different perspective of the surrounding landscape, there is an option for a camel ride into the desert expanse. Lunch is taken at leisure, offering the freedom to move at your own pace before the final chapter of our journey unfolds. 

Group circle and briefing for our ceremony.

As darkness falls, we enter the Great Pyramid for extended private access within one of the world’s most enduring architectural mysteries. We descend into the bedrock to explore the Subterranean Chamber, before ascending into the absolute stillness of the Queen’s Chamber and the King’s Chamber. 

This is the culmination of our journey through Egypt’s monumental landscapes, alignment of earth and sky, stone and story. Having followed the river between worlds from Giza to Thebes, Abydos, and Aswan, we return to the source beneath the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World. A closing dinner follows to celebrate the experiences and memories shared along the way. 

Overnight: 7 Pyramids Hotel & neighbouring White House, Giza

Day 15 — Tuesday 5 October 2027

Closing Circle & Departures

Following a leisurely breakfast, we gather one final time to reflect upon the journey we have shared, from the Equinox dawn at the Sphinx to the temples of Thebes, Abydos, and Dendera, the timeless flow of the Nile, and our return to the Great Pyramid.

A final circle brings together the threads of the places visited, the history explored and living questions. Above all, we celebrate the friendships and connections formed along the way. 

After check-out, transfers are arranged for onward travel and departures. 

End of Journey