Day 9: This morning we will head to the temples of Abydos and Dendera that have been little visited in recent years. The Temple of Abydos, built by Seti I and completed by his son Ramesses II, is one of exceptional beauty and interest. Here is located the mysterious Osireion, the mythical gateway to the underworld built by Seti I. The temple also houses the great King List that traces the line of Egyptian kings back to Menes of the first dynasty and the names of some seventy-six rulers up to Seti I. Today you will see strange, ancient hieroglyphs in the form of a modern automobile, a submarine and a helicopter.

The Temple of Dendera is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and shows incredible and fascinating wall scenes of priests ascending to the roof for the Festival of the New Year and to the Pure Place where the statue of the deity was exposed to the sun for regeneration and new life. Here also is the famous astronomical ceiling showing the daily course of the sun, the moon, and the hours of the day and night. Hotel Winter Palace Pavilion, Luxor * B/L

Day 10: We will visit Luxor Temple, dedicated to the triad of Amon, Mut, and Khonsu. The temple’s well-preserved artwork is some of the finest in Egypt. Then on to Karnak Temples, a massive complex of pylons, pillars, and immensity that will boggle the mind. We will stop at the Luxor Museum. Not a large museum, it displays many extremely beautiful products of the pharaoh’s workshops. The evening is free to explore the city: to visit the bazaars or perhaps return to Karnak Temples for the Sound and Light show. * B/L