Cairo – Alexandria Tours

Cairo - Alexandria. Departing at approximately 7am this morning we drive to the port side city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast. Known for its broad beaches and seafront corniche dotted with sun loungers, amusements and cafes, we embark on a guided tour of the Roman catacombs. Heading underground, we view the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt that is complete with burial chambers, labyrinth alleyways, and entertainment rooms for families who seek to visit the dead.

From the catacombs we visit Pompey's Pillar. The modest 25m tower is all that remains of an ancient column from the ruined Temple of Serapis.

Our next stop is the impressive Library of Alexandria, where free time will be offered for photos of the exterior. If we are fortunate, and it is open to the public during our stop here, those who are interested can go inside.

Afterwards, we take a leisurely stroll along the corniche to the Citadel of Qaitbey. We explore this attractive fortress, which was built on the site of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Devastatingly, the once glorious lighthouse was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1323AD.

Overnight: Alexandria

Alexandria - El Alamein  - Cairo. Today is a day at leisure, feel free to explore Alexandria at your own pace or opt to join our day trip to El Alamein.

If choosing to visit El Alamein, we will visit the Commonwealth War Graves of El Alamein. It is here where two extended battles were fought during World War II. The first began on the 1st of July 1942, lasted for 27 days and ended as a stalemate. After 3 months of holding back the enemy, the Allies launched a second attack which lasted for 13 days. This saw the Allied forces (including British, Australian and New Zealand soldiers) push back the Axis powers for ultimate defeat in Tunisia. Some 13,000 Allied soldiers were killed and 70,000 were wounded in the battle.

Later, we tour the compact El Alamein military museum that acts as a memorial for the battle and houses original war vehicles, weapons, uniforms and records. The displays in the museum detail the complete history of World War II in North Africa. It is shown from all sides and stands on the site where the actual battle took place.

This afternoon we return to Cairo, arriving back early evening.

Overnight: Cairo  |  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch