Day 11: Crossing the Eternal Nile, a full day of mystery and magic awaits us on the West Bank. It is the “Land of the Dead.” We start in the Valley of the Queens at the beautiful tomb of Crown Prince Amenherkhepshef, the young son of Ramesses III, and then we’ll see the beautiful artwork and delicate colors in the tomb of Queen Titi. Next is the Valley of the Kings, including the tomb Tutankhamon, and others of major importance. On to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and then the Tombs of the Nobles at Qurna. We’ll stop at the Colossi of Memnon and finish the day at Deir el-Medina, the village of the workmen who fashioned the tombs of the kings and queens. There is also a beautiful Ptolemaic temple a short walk away. *B/L

Day 12: Said to be the most romantic place in Thebes, the Ramesseum was built by Ramesses II to house his mortuary cult. Ramesses designed his works on a massive scale, even by Egyptian standards. The complex includes the massive main temple, a royal palace, a mortuary temple, and numerous mud-brick magazines where excavation still continues. Then, on to Medinet Habu built by Ramesses III. It is the farthest south of the mortuary temples and a site that has been “sacred since the beginning of time.”  Around noon we will return to our hotel to enjoy an afternoon of free time: resting, shopping, or a visit to Luxor’s new Mummification Museum. * B