14-Day Egypt & Morocco Grand Journey

Morning light finds you at the edge of the Giza Plateau, where the last surviving wonder of the ancient world rises straight from the desert. On a private guided tour with your Egyptologist, you stand beneath the Great Pyramid of Khufu, meet the enigmatic gaze of the Great Sphinx, and step among the granite blocks of the Valley Temple. Nearby, the vast Grand Egyptian Museum unveils Tutankhamun's golden treasures and tens of thousands of artefacts beneath its soaring glass facade, the crowning showcase of Egypt's heritage. After lunch you travel south to Saqqara, where the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's oldest monumental stone building, records the very birth of pyramid design. Every stop deepens your sense of a civilisation that shaped human history. As the sun lowers over the sands, you return to Cairo for a comfortable overnight, your imagination full of pharaohs.

• Giza Pyramids Complex — The plateau of the three great pyramids on the edge of the desert.
• The Great Pyramid — Khufu's monument, the sole surviving wonder of the ancient world.
• The Great Sphinx — The colossal lion-bodied guardian carved from a single ridge of stone.
• The Valley Temple — Khafre's granite temple, once part of the pyramid's mortuary complex.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The world's largest archaeological museum, home to Tutankhamun's full collection.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid — Djoser's stepped tomb, the oldest colossal stone structure on earth.

An early flight lifts you south to Aswan, Egypt's gentlest and most beautiful city, where the Nile flows wide and blue past golden dunes and granite islands. Here you board your elegant Nile cruise ship, your floating home for the next three nights. Your private guided touring begins at the mighty Aswan High Dam, the modern engineering marvel that tamed the river's annual flood and created vast Lake Nasser. You continue to the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry, revealing the astonishing methods of the pharaohs' stonemasons. By motorboat you cross to the island Temple of Philae, a graceful sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued stone by stone from the rising waters. Back aboard, you settle into the rhythm of cruise life as the crew welcomes you with dinner and the timeless serenity of the Nile glowing at dusk.

• The High Dam — The 20th-century engineering feat that created Lake Nasser and tamed the flood.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — A colossal obelisk abandoned in its quarry, revealing ancient stone-working methods.
• Philae Temple — The island temple of Isis, relocated stone by stone to save it from the waters.

Before dawn you set out across the desert toward the Sudanese frontier for one of Egypt's most breathtaking sights: the colossal temples of Abu Simbel. Carved into a mountainside by Ramses II more than three thousand years ago, the Great Temple is guarded by four sixty-foot statues of the pharaoh himself, while the smaller temple honours his beloved queen, Nefertari. Your Egyptologist reveals how the entire complex was cut apart and lifted to higher ground in the 1960s to save it from Lake Nasser, an international rescue as remarkable as the monuments themselves. Standing before the sun-warmed sandstone and the vivid reliefs deep inside, you feel the full ambition of ancient Egypt. You return to your Nile cruise ship, where lunch, dinner and quiet hours on the sun deck await as the vessel prepares to sail gently downstream toward Kom Ombo.

• Abu Simbel Temples — The twin rock temples of Ramses II and Nefertari, relocated to escape Lake Nasser.

Today the Nile itself becomes your guide as your cruise ship glides gently downstream between palm-fringed banks and villages seemingly unchanged for centuries. You step ashore at Kom Ombo, a striking riverside temple uniquely dedicated to two gods, the crocodile deity Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, its twin sanctuaries perfectly mirrored. A small adjoining museum of mummified crocodiles adds an unforgettable touch. Sailing on, you reach Edfu and the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt, where towering pylons and shadowed halls stand almost exactly as their builders left them. Travelling between quay and temple by traditional horse-drawn carriage, you feel the unhurried rhythm of the river. Back on board, full-board dining, sun-deck lounging and the ever-changing scenery fill the hours as you cruise toward Luxor, the world's greatest open-air museum, arriving under a wide canopy of desert stars.

• Kom Ombo Temple — The unusual double temple honouring Sobek and Horus in perfect symmetry.
• Edfu Temple — The Temple of Horus, the most complete and best-preserved temple in Egypt.

Your final morning on the Nile brings you to Luxor, ancient Thebes, where the glories of the New Kingdom await. On the East Bank you explore the immense Temple of Karnak, a forest of towering columns and sacred avenues raised by pharaoh after pharaoh over two thousand years. Crossing to the West Bank, you descend into the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings, final resting place of Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great, then stand before the elegant terraces of Hatshepsut's mortuary temple, rising dramatically against the cliffs. The mighty Colossi of Memnon keep their ancient watch over the plain. With your private Egyptologist, every carving and cartouche comes alive. In the evening you transfer to Luxor airport for the short flight back to Cairo, where a comfortable hotel and a restful night close the Egyptian chapter of your grand journey.

• Karnak Temple — A vast complex of pylons, obelisks and the awe-inspiring Great Hypostyle Hall.
• Valley of the Kings — The royal necropolis of the New Kingdom, with its brilliantly painted tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple — The terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's great female pharaoh, set against the cliffs.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two towering stone statues that once guarded a vanished mortuary temple.

After breakfast you bid farewell to Egypt and fly across North Africa to Morocco, the kingdom where Arab, Berber and European worlds meet. Landing in Casablanca, the country's cosmopolitan gateway on the Atlantic coast, you are welcomed by your local guide and driver and transferred in comfort to your hotel. The pace today is gentle by design, giving you time to rest after the flight and ease into a new land of medinas, mountains and desert. You might stroll the breezy seafront, sample your first glass of sweet Moroccan mint tea, or simply relax. Your guide shares an overview of the unforgettable week ahead, from imperial cities and blue-washed streets to the golden dunes of the Sahara and the vibrant heart of Marrakech. Tonight you overnight in Casablanca, rested and ready to discover the many faces of Morocco.

Your Moroccan discoveries begin at the awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, its minaret soaring above the Atlantic and its prayer hall built partly over the sea. You follow the breezy Casablanca Corniche before travelling north to Rabat, Morocco's dignified capital. Here you admire the unfinished Hassan Tower with its field of broken columns, then pay your respects at the exquisite Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a masterpiece of traditional craftsmanship. You wander the flower-filled lanes of the Kasbah of the Udayas, a clifftop fortress of blue-and-white houses overlooking the river mouth, and pause before the ceremonial gates of the Royal Palace. With every stop your private guided tour reveals Morocco's blend of imperial grandeur and everyday charm. In the late afternoon you journey up into the Rif mountains to the enchanting blue city of Chefchaouen, where a comfortable overnight and cool mountain air await.

• Hassan II Mosque — A monumental oceanfront mosque, one of the largest on earth.
• Casablanca Corniche — The lively Atlantic seafront promenade lined with cafes and terraces.
• Hassan Tower — The unfinished minaret and columns of a 12th-century mosque in Rabat.
• Mausoleum of Mohammed V — An exquisite royal tomb showcasing traditional Moroccan craftsmanship.
• Kasbah of the Udayas — A clifftop fortress of blue-and-white lanes above the Bou Regreg river.
• Royal Palace of Rabat — The ceremonial palace and grand gates of the reigning monarch.

Your morning is yours to wander Chefchaouen, the famed blue pearl of the Rif, where every wall, stairway and doorway is washed in a hundred shades of indigo. You explore the lively Outa el Hammam Square at the heart of the old medina, its cafes and kasbah framed by mountains. Later you journey southeast to Fes, Morocco's spiritual and intellectual capital, and plunge into Fes el-Bali, the largest living medieval medina on earth. Winding through its labyrinth of alleys with your guide, you glimpse the venerable Al-Qarawiyyin, often called the world's oldest university, admire the intricate tilework of the Bou Inania Madrasa, and take in the extraordinary Chouara Tanneries, where leather is dyed as it has been for a thousand years. You pause at the carved-cedar Nejjarine Fountain and the revered mausoleum of Moulay Idriss. Tonight you overnight in captivating Fes.

• Chefchaouen City — The mountain town famous for its dreamlike blue-painted medina.
• Outa el Hammam Square — The vibrant main plaza of Chefchaouen, overlooked by its red kasbah.
• Al-Qarawiyyin University — Founded in 859, often cited as the oldest continuously operating university.
• Bou Inania Madrasa — A 14th-century Marinid school renowned for its stucco and zellij tilework.
• Chouara Tanneries — Fes's iconic medieval leather tanneries, dyed by hand for centuries.
• Nejjarine Fountain — An ornate carved-cedar and mosaic fountain in the carpenters' quarter.
• Moulay Idriss Mausoleum — The revered shrine of the founder of Fes, at the heart of the old medina.
• Fes el-Bali — The vast walled medina, a UNESCO site and the world's largest car-free urban area.

Today you cross the spine of Morocco on one of its most scenic drives, trading imperial cities for wild mountain and desert horizons. Climbing into the Middle Atlas, you pause in Ifrane, an alpine-style town of gabled roofs, then wander the cedar forests around Azrou, where troops of Barbary macaques roam. The road unrolls past Berber villages and the palm-lined oasis of the Ziz Valley, a green ribbon threading through towering ochre canyons. By late afternoon you reach Merzouga and the magnificent dunes of Erg Chebbi, rising like a golden ocean against the sky. Here you mount a camel and ride into the Sahara with a local guide, cresting the sand as the sun sinks and the dunes blaze amber and rose. A traditional dinner and the hush of a desert camp await, the night sky ablaze with more stars than you have ever seen.

• Ifrane — A tidy alpine-style town in the Middle Atlas, nicknamed Morocco's Switzerland.
• Azrou Cedar Forest — Ancient cedar woodland home to playful Barbary macaques.
• Ziz Valley — A lush palm oasis winding through dramatic desert canyons.
• Erg Chebbi Dunes — The towering golden dune sea beside Merzouga, gateway to a Sahara camel trek.

You may rise early to watch the sunrise set the Erg Chebbi dunes aglow before leaving the desert behind. A short drive brings you to Rissani, the historic caravan town that was the cradle of Morocco's ruling Alaouite dynasty, where you visit the serene Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif and, on market days, one of the country's most authentic Berber souks. From here you follow the fabled Road of a Thousand Kasbahs westward, the landscape a theatre of palm groves, mud-brick fortresses and stark desert plateaus. You pause at the dramatic Todra Gorge, where sheer rock walls soar hundreds of feet above a clear mountain stream. As the day mellows you arrive in the beautiful Dades Valley, famed for its rose fields and rippling rock formations, where a comfortable overnight and a warm dinner welcome you amid the mountains.

• Rissani — A historic desert market town, birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty.
• Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif — The shrine of the Alaouite dynasty's founder, set in a palm oasis.
• Todra Gorge — A soaring canyon of sheer rose-red cliffs above a spring-fed river.
• Dades Valley — A scenic valley of kasbahs, rose fields and undulating rock formations.

A relaxed morning drive carries you down the Dades Valley and westward toward Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sahara long known as Morocco's Hollywood. Here the famous Atlas Film Studios and the imposing Taourirt Kasbah recall the many epics filmed against these desert backdrops. A little farther lies the day's crowning jewel: the ancient fortified village of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most spectacular kasbahs in all of Morocco. With your guide you climb its earthen towers and shaded lanes, where sun-baked ramparts glow honey-gold above the river and palm groves, a setting so cinematic it has starred in countless films and series. As the light softens the ancient walls, you settle into a characterful overnight nearby, savouring the timeless silence of the pre-Sahara before tomorrow's mountain road to Marrakech.

• Ouarzazate — The desert film capital, home to famed studios and the Taourirt Kasbah.
• Aït Ben Haddou — A UNESCO-listed earthen ksar, one of Morocco's most cinematic fortified villages.

This morning you cross the High Atlas by the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass, Morocco's highest road, winding past Berber villages and lofty summits before descending to the red city of Marrakech. Your private guided tour of this imperial jewel begins at the elegant Bahia Palace, a nineteenth-century masterpiece of carved cedar, painted ceilings and tranquil courtyards. You admire the graceful Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret has crowned the skyline for over eight centuries, and stroll the serene Menara Gardens and the vivid cobalt-blue Majorelle Gardens once owned by Yves Saint Laurent. The Dar Si Said Museum reveals exquisite Moroccan craftsmanship. Then you plunge into the labyrinthine medina and its bustling souks, a feast of spices, lanterns and carpets, emerging into the legendary Jemaa el-Fna, where storytellers, musicians and sizzling food stalls fill the night with life. You overnight in the heart of Marrakech.

• Tizi n'Tichka Pass — Morocco's highest mountain road, threading over the High Atlas.
• Bahia Palace — A 19th-century palace of carved cedar, zellij and tranquil courtyards.
• Koutoubia Mosque — Marrakech's grandest mosque, its minaret a landmark for over 800 years.
• Menara Gardens — A historic olive-grove garden around a reflecting pool framed by the Atlas.
• Majorelle Gardens — The cobalt-blue botanical garden restored by Yves Saint Laurent.
• Dar Si Said Museum — A palace museum showcasing Moroccan woodwork and decorative arts.
• Medina & Souk of Marrakesh — The maze of markets brimming with spices, lanterns, leather and carpets.
• Jemaa el-Fna — The legendary main square, alive with performers and food stalls after dark.

Your unforgettable two-week odyssey across Egypt and Morocco draws to a close. After a leisurely breakfast, you savour one last Moroccan morning, perhaps a final cup of mint tea, a stroll through fragrant gardens, or some unhurried shopping for souvenirs, depending on your departure time. When the moment comes, your private driver transfers you in comfort to Marrakech Menara Airport for your onward flight home. You leave with a lifetime of memories: towering pyramids and painted tombs, gliding down the timeless Nile aboard your cruise, blue mountain villages, golden Saharan dunes and the vibrant heart of Marrakech. Travel Joy bids you farewell with warm gratitude and the sincere hope of welcoming you back one day to explore even more of North Africa's wonders. Safe travels, and until we meet again, thank you for journeying with us across two of the world's most extraordinary lands.