Medinet Habu is the site of the Mortuary Temple for Ramesses III. It was a fortified site, and its walls enclosed the older Temple to Amun (Amen) built by Hatshepsut and the Mortuary Temple of Divine Adortrices of Amun (Amen) .

"The Temple of Hatshepsut:  The Primeval Hill.....Like most remaining Egyptian temples, Medinet Habu was built upon the site of a still earlier temple. Passing through the Pavilion portal, to the north, there is a small temple begun by Amenhotep I, and completed by Hatshepsut, the oldest surviving portion of the earlier complex"...."The little temple has power and it is worth exploring"..... "An inscription marks the spot as the site of the Primeval Hill, the emergence of matter out of chaos. Thus it is here that the Eight Primordials (Ogdoad) are buried".....The Traveler's Key to Ancient Egypt, John Anthony West.

Ramesseum mortuary temple of Ramesses II: This magnificent mortuary temple was built on the site of Seti I’s ruined temple and is perhaps best known for the gigantic, seated statue of Ramesses II, it was originally 60 ft tall and weighed over 1000 tons. It's believed it toppled to the ground as a result of an earthquake in 27 BCE. One of the smaller hypostyle halls, has an astronomical ceiling. This may be the earliest known example of a 12 month calendar, and probably represents a solar year.

(B at Hotel, L - West Bank across from Habu, Dinner on own). Overnight in Luxor.

11:11  The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and Luxor Temple.

The Mortuary Temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut (MaatKaRe) of the 18th dynasty is built in the bay of cliffs known as Dier el-Bahri. The Pharaoh chose to site her landscaped temple of 'paradise' in a valley sacred to Hathor, the Theban Goddess of the West. The temple is also called Djeser djeseru, 'Holy of Holiest', which is an abbreviation. The complete old Egyptian name reads: "The great temple of millions of years, the temple of Amun (Amen) of Djeser djeseru at his outstanding place of the first time".... A reference to the 'primeval hill' which was to be manifested in this terraced structure.

Built by the 'Great Steward of Amun', Senemut, it's construction surpassed anything known before, both in its architecture and its beautiful and colorful carved reliefs. In the northern portico are scenes depicting the pharaoh's divine birth, including the divine union of Hatshepsut's mother Queen Ahmose with Amun/Amen, Khnum fashioning her ka on the potter's wheel, and Hatshepsut's birth being presided over by goddess Hekat. Afterward she is presented to Amun/Amen, then Hapi records her name and reign length. A nearby register portrays the coronation ceremonies of Hatshepsut as she is crowned King.

A Chapel Of Hathor, located at the end of the southern portico, portrays many reliefs of the goddess in the form of the cow suckling the pharaoh. In the southern colonnade are the famous scenes of Hatshepsut's trade expedition to Punt. The roots of two of the original trees from her expedition can be found by the entrance to the temple.
The southern lower portico reliefs show the transportation by ship of two obelisks from the granite quarries at Aswan to Karnak. Further along the wall Hatshepsut is depicted offering them to her beloved Amun/Amen at Karnak.

Evening: The Luxor Temple, built largely by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, with its famous red granite obelisk which is one of a pair that Ramesses erected in front of the pylon; its twin is now in the Place de la Concorde, in Paris.

The pyramidal tip of the tall shaft was covered in sheet gold which flashed in the sunlight, symbolizing the sun god Re in his brilliance.  A little known fact is that the large colonnade at this Temple was one of the few works commissioned by The Pharaoh Tutankhamen, as was common with Ramesses II, he had the boy king's name removed and replaced with his own.

The Luxor Temple is the well known research site where R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz author of "The Temple of Man" spent an exhaustive 15 years reviewing the Luxor Temple and its relationship to the body of man. Prof. Lubicz recognized the sacred science encoded within the temple and interpreted the symbolic and mathematical processes of the Egyptians through their use of sacred geometry in architecture.

(B, L, & Dinner in town).  Overnight in Luxor.

11/12  Abydos for a full day to visit the Sety I Temple and
The Osirion where Melissa Goldberg will give a special presentation about Omm Sety.

Sety I Temple: From the earliest pre dynastic times, Abydos was a cult center, first of the local god Khentiamentiu, who later became associated with Osiris. Tomb decorations throughout Egypt show journey's to and from Abydos, as an important pilgrimage.

Today, we make our pilgrimage to this ancient site to visit the Temple of Sety I. Built in the early 19th Dynasty and dedicated to Osiris. This temple is unique among others found in Egypt. There are seven chapels for the worship of the king and principal gods. Here we find one of the most complete List of Pharaohs in Egypt, known as the 'Abydos Kings List'.

This Temple was in ruins and covered by sand at the beginning of the last century. We owe a great deal of gratitude to a woman who went by the name "Omm Sety" for her work in cataloging and piecing back together thousands of fragments of text in this Temple. Omm Sety spent the last 25 years of her life devoted to preserving the temple and it's history. The story of Omm Sety's life is an amazing one and we will have a guided tour at the Temple as well as a presentation focusing on her deep connection with this site. Omm Sety not only shared this life with the King, but theirs is a Love story that spans all time, to a time when she was known as 'Bentreshyt' meaning 'Harp of Joy'.

The Osirion is located below ground level directly behind the Temple of Sety I.  Many theories have been put forth as to the age, builder, and usage of this structure. Egyptologist state that it was built by Sety I and it was his Cenotaph. Their evidence for this is based on the decoration of the walls, by Sety I and his grandson Mer en Ptah. We will explore the Osirion in depth and once on site we will point out and show you the evidence for this structure being far more ancient than the reign of Sety I as well as it's true purpose.

Papyri (Leiden T 32) found in the tomb of Horsiesis, a priest of Amun-Re and 'Conductor of the Mysteries', record the story of the Osirion initiations. Initiations which he experienced in Abydos. The description Horsiesis gives of the location of these 'mysteries' matches precisely with the description of the Osirion, given by the Greek Historian Strabo (64 BC – AD 24) in his 17-volume work Geographica. The adept was called 'ma'at kheru' or 'true of voice' . This title was given to the initiates upon completion of the Osirion mysteries.

In Greek, the word 'mustikoi' (root of "mystic, mystical, mysticism") also means 'hidden'.

Inscribed on some of the Osirion blocks and visible from the wooden staircase are a number of sacred geometry symbols of the 'Flower of Life'.

(B at Hotel, Box Lunch, Dinner on own).  Overnight in Luxor.

11/15  Philae Temple, felucca to Elephantine Island in the afternoon, back to Philae for a light and sound show in the evening.

The Philae Temple/Temple of Isis dates back as far as 370 BC and was closed by Emperor Justinian in 535 AD. It was originally located on the Island of Philae and was relocated stone by stone to the adjacent Agilka Island after it had sat partially submerged for many years due to the rising waters created by the Aswan Dam. Legend says that the Island of Philae was the site where Isis found the heart of Osiris after his murder and dismemberment at the hands of his brother Set.

The sacred temple attracted many Greek and Roman pilgrims, who came to pray for healing from the goddess and was the last stronghold of the Egyptian pagan worship in a world being converted to Christianity. In this temple, Isis made her last stand against patriarchal monotheism in the ancient world. She embodied the power of nature. Beloved by all, who truly take the time to get to know her.

About 55 yards east of the Temple of Isis is the little Temple of Hathor, built by Philometor and Euergetes II in honor of Hathor-Aphrodite.
Southeast of the Temple of Hathor on the riverbank is the beautiful Kiosk of Trajan. It was built but never finished by the Pharaoh Trajan who ruled Egypt from 98 till 117 A.D. It is where the Sacred Barque of Isis was kept when the goddess was on the island.

From the current location on the Island of Agilka, visitors can still overlook Biga Island as they did in the past, Biga Island was considered the legendary birthplace of Osiris.

In the afternoon we will sail in a felucca boat along the Nile to Elephantine Island. It is believed by some that this island is one of the ancient locations where the Ark of the Covenant was kept during the first century.

(B, L, and Dinner provided).  Overnight in Aswan.

11/16  Check out and transfer to Abu Simbel. Later, fly from Abu Simbel to Cairo.

Abu Simbel is famous for it's two massive rock temple's well publicized relocation due to flooding from the Aswan Dam. Originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II ('Ramses the Great') in the 13th century BC, it was to be a lasting monument to himself and his Queen Nefertari. Featured on the temple's facade are four colossal statues of the Pharaoh Ramesses II with the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The larger of the two temples is dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Ptah and Amun/Amen.

The Hypostyle Hall, also known as 'Pronaos', is supported by eight huge Osirid pillars depicting the deified Ramesses linked to the god Osiris, god of the Underworld. To honor the anniversary of Ramesses' birth (resurrection/rebirth) and coronation day, the sunrise is aligned to penetrate this temple twice a year, illuminating the figures of the Gods and Deified Ramesses II residing within the innermost sanctuary at the end of the hall.

The smaller of the two temples is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified by Nefertari, Ramesses' most beloved wife. The Main Hall of this temple contains six pillars bearing the head of Hathor, the goddess of beauty and love.

Fly from Abu Simbel to Cairo check into Hotel.

(B and L on own, Dinner on own in Cairo). Overnight in Cairo near the Pyramids.  

11/17  Cairo Museum, Step Pyramid at Saqqara, Imhotep Museum

Explore the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities to see the many important pieces of history, including the treasures of King Tutankhamen, The Amarna exhibit with various statues of Akhenaten, and the Hatshepsut collection featuring the cube statue of Senemut and NeferuRe.  The Royal Mummy Room, which is an additional fee to enter, is located on the upper floor.

The Pyramid Complex of Djoser at Saqqara, built by the famous Imhotep. Revered as a god, he is considered to be the first known engineer, architect, and physician in history.

The Step Pyramid described by Prussian general Johan Heinrich Frieherr..."These chambers have been often enlarged, restored, and reworked in the course of centuries, and the passages which connect them form a perfect labyrinth into which it is dangerous to venture without a guide. The columned porch, the galleries and halls, all lead to a sort of enormous shaft, at the bottom of which the architect had contrived a hiding-place, destined, no doubt, to contain the more precious objects of the funerary furniture. Until the beginning of this century, the vault had preserved its original lining of glazed pottery. Three quarters of the wall surface were covered with green tiles, oblong and slightly convex on the outer side, but flat on the inner: a square projection pierced with a hole, served to fix them at the back in a horizontal line by means of flexible wooden rods."