Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Forgotten, but not quite….it is still Egypt..

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls” – Anais Nin

Africa. There is nowhere like it on the Planet for Wildlife, wild lands & rich traditions that endure. How do you capture the essence of Africa on paper without using up every cliche in the book? No other Continent comes close to it for scale, variety & pure, raw impact.

The Middle East is a geo-political region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran & Iraq. A grand epic, a cradle of Civilisations & a beautiful, complicated land that is home to some of the Planet's most hospitable people.Here, history is not something you read about in books. It is a story written on the stones that litter the region, from the flagstones of old Roman roads to the building blocks & timeless Pyramids of ancient Egypt & the delicately carved Tombs & Temples from rose-red City of Petra to Persepolis. From the soaring iconic Skyscrapers of Dubai to the ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria, the region is a treasure trove of experiences waiting to be explored. As you step into this fascinating region of ancient Wonders & vibrant Cultures, let the words of ancient intrepid Travelers, Poets & Dreamers guide you through an inspirational journey that transcends borders & speaks to the wanderlust in the heart of modern Marco Polos or Ibn Battutas & so many others who travelled on ‘land’ (we are not referring to the Seafaring Explorers).

And then, there is Egypt - a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty & excitement. More than anything else, we want you to think of Egypt as majestic & fun. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of Emperors & Kings and we hope you will take the time to find out why. Come…experience Egypt with us & prepare to fall in love.

Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million Flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they will damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible Continent isn’t in any Desert, Mountain or Lake. It is the spirit of the people – pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing & laughing – that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they will never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason.

Debate with venerable Merchants among the cool, narrow streets of an Arabic Medina, dance to the thumping reggae beats coming from a West African market Stall, or shoot the breeze with Fishermen under Indian Ocean palm trees & you will be struck more than anything else by the honesty, warm-heartedness & vitality of the African people.

On this Continent where human beings first came into existence, customs, traditions & ancient rites tie Africans to generations & ancestors past & to the collective memory of myriad people. In many rural areas it can feel as though the modern world might never have happened & they are all the better for it & old ways of doing things - with a certain grace & civility, hospitality & a community spirit - survive. There are time-honoured ceremonies, music that dates back to the days of Africa's golden Empires & Masks that tell stories of spirit worlds never lost. Welcome to Old Africa.

The Middle East is quite simply extraordinary, one of the world's most fascinating & rewarding travel destinations. It was here that some of the most significant Civilisations of antiquity rose & fell and where the 3 great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity & Islam - were born. Left behind is an astonishing open-air Museum of ancient cities & historic buildings, the stones of which still resonate with the sounds of the Faithful. The landscapes of the region are equally spellbinding, from the unrivalled seas of Sand Dunes & Palm-fringed Lakes in Libya’s Sahara Desert to the stunning Mountains of the north & the underwater world of the Red Sea.

The Mid-east is illuminated history - home to some of the world's most epic cities of history - Jerusalem, Petra, Damascus & Palmyra, Teheran & Persepolis, Baghdad & Istanbul & Ephesus, Beirut & Baalbek and the bounty of ancient Egypt that mark the passage of centuries in a region where the ancient world lives & breathes.

This is where humankind first built Cities & learned to write & it is in these cities, that you find the stirring, aspirational Architecture that so distinguishes the 3 great Faiths. Wherever you find yourself, the past is always present because here, perhaps more than anywhere else on Earth, history is the heart & soul of the land.

Above all else, however, your most enduring memory of the Region, is likely to be its people. Their gracious welcome & boundless hospitality, speak of an altogether more “civilised” age.

At some point, you will be sitting in a Coffeehouse or looking lost in a labyrinth of narrow lanes alongside the more secular charms of Bazaars, when someone will strike up a conversation & within minutes, invite you home to meet their family & share a meal. Or someone will simply approach & say with unmistakable warmth, ‘Welcome’. These spontaneous, disarming & utterly genuine words of welcome can occur anywhere across the region. Their gracious Welcome & boundless Hospitality speak of an altogether more civilised age. And when they do, they can suddenly (& forever) change the way you see the Middle East portrayed in the West. If you believe what the Media & Politicians tells you & decide not to visit, you would be missing out on the journey of a lifetime.

From the gravitas of the Sahara to the blue tiles of Isfahan, this is a region for discerning travellers, for those looking for the story behind the headline, and where the bridges between ancient & modern Civilisations are evident everywhere.

And now, step back in time to the Cradle of Civilization & explore the Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, with its colorful Hieroglyphics & 4,500-year old Pyramids. 

Cultural Riches| Pyramids & more | spectacular Beaches & beyond

Egypt welcomes you with its mighty Nile and magnificent monuments, the beguiling Desert & lush Delta, and with its long past & welcoming, story-loving people.

Straddling Africa & Middle East, and stimulating the imagination of western tourists like few other countries, it is probably one of the most popular tourist destinations world-wide.  Is it the way the glorious past casts long shadows over the present? Is it the way the lush Nile Valley gives way, from one footstep to another, to the harshness of the Desert? Is it the light in the eye of the person telling me a story in a Cafe, who has just burst into laughter? The intensity of light, the love of life, the sense of family are just three reasons of many, many more to entice you to visit.

Even though a country, the size of Texas & New Mexico combined, in the northeastern corner of Africa, it is considered part of the Middle East. Southern Egypt's landscape contains low mountains & desert. Northern Egypt has wide valleys near the Nile & Desert to the east & west. North of Cairo, is the sprawling, triangular fertile Nile River Delta covered with Farms.

With a history that began in around 3,100 BCE, there are tons of fun facts about Egypt. Like that ancient Egyptians were one of the first Civilizations to read & write (700 hieroglyphs were included in the Egyptian Alphabet!), they loved having pets (especially Cats, which can be found mummified with their Owners) & playing Board Games (especially one called Senet) & believed in about 2,000 Deities (which you’ll learn about when visiting ancient monuments).

Perhaps best known as the home of the ancient Egyptian Civilization, with its Temples, Hieroglyphs, Mummies & - visible above all - its Pyramids. Less well-known is Egypt's medieval heritage, courtesy of Coptic Christianity & Islam - ancient Churches, Monasteries & Mosques punctuate the Egyptian landscape.

Majestic Egypt is the cradle of a deep-rooted civilization whose history goes back to more than 5 thousand years. It is the Museum of history & the melting pot of the greatest civilizations throughout the ages. On its land, the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Christian & Islamic Civilizations flourished. Every inch tells a tale or a legend & leaves a riddle that perplexes Scientists & Thinkers throughout time. In Egypt, there lie treasures which reveal everyday one letter of the alphabet of Civilization & mysteries of human miracles in fields such as Mummification & Astronomy. In its land Arts grew, Sciences flourished & holy Religions found a safe haven away from persecution and received a warm embrace of monotheism until they took root & blessed the world with the light of Faith.

Egypt once ruled an Empire from Al-Qahira (Cairo - the City Victorious). The Metropolis is packed with soaring Minarets & medieval Schools & Mosques, some of the greatest architecture of medieval Islam. At the same time, Egypt’s native Christians, the Copts, have carried on their traditions that in many respects - such as the Church’s liturgical language & the traditional calendar - link back to the time of the Pharaohs. Tap into the history in remote desert Monasteries & ancient Churches.

With sand-covered Tombs, austere Pyramids & towering Pharaonic Temples, Egypt brings out the explorer in all of us. Visit the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, where Tutankhamun’s Tomb was unearthed & see the glittering finds in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Hop off a Nile boat to visit Dendara or Edfu or one of the other waterside Temples, cross Lake Nasser to see Ramses II’s masterpiece at Abu Simbel, or trek into the Desert to find the traces of Roman Trading Outposts. You never know - your donkey might stumble across yet another find, for that is the way many previous discoveries were made.

Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans & others went there just for fun & to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. But journey to Egypt is much more than Pyramids & monuments.

The coast along the Red Sea has a rugged desert beauty above the waterline & a psychedelic vibrancy below - on an empty beach with nothing but a candlelit cabin & a teeming coral reef offshore - rewarding to explore on a multi-day outing to one of the Globe’s great dives or on an afternoon’s snorkelling jaunt along a coral wall. It is also, hot night spots, luxury Hotels & 5* Restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive River Boats, a night at the grand Opera & it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced.

No country has captivated the imagination of travelers like Egypt over history. Every inch tells a tale or a legend & leaves a riddle that perplexes Scientists & Thinkers throughout time. In the ancient lands of Kings & Queens, time seems to stop. As the legends envelop you, you will be humbled, awed & enlightened.

The old saying that Egypt is the gift of the Nile still rings true: without the River, there would be no fertile land, no food & a lot less electricity. Although people's lives are increasingly physically detached from the water, the Nile still exerts a uniquely powerful role. The River is the perfect place from which to see many of the most spectacular ancient monuments, which is one reason why a Nile cruise remains such a popular way to travel.

In Egypt, adventure is what happens on the way to having an adventure and that is just the beginning....Whether you are watching the sun rise between the beautiful shapes of the White Desert or the shimmering horizon from the comfort of a hot spring in Siwa Oasis.

Featuring thousands of years’ worth of magnificent sites & one of the Seven Wonders of the World, on this journey, you will explore a land of great beauty, mighty Cities, ancient riverside Palaces, great Temples, Tombs & some of the friendliest people on Earth who are always willing to lend a hand to visitors. You will receive far more than your money’s worth of action, antiquities & memories of Egypt that will last a lifetime & this adventure will leave you with a greater appreciation for life here & a ‘first person’ experience at some of the most significant religious & human history pivots of the world.

Perhaps best known as the home of the ancient Egyptian civilization, with its Temples, Hieroglyphs, Mummies & - visible above all - its Pyramids. Less well-known is Egypt's medieval heritage, courtesy of Coptic Christianity & Islam - ancient Churches, Monasteries & Mosques punctuate the Egyptian landscape.

If you would unfurl the story of Egypt, it would be thousands of pages populated by powerful Pharaohs & fascinating beliefs that spawned some of the world’s greatest wonders. Travelling here is like stepping into ancient history - beneath man-made Pyramids, along Africa’s longest river, across vast deserts & off a dreamy coast where secluded beaches aren’t a rarity. Live in the present & check off an adventure bound to be one for the Books, with a greater appreciation for life here & a ‘first person’ experience at some of the most significant religious & human history pivots of the world.

In Egypt, adventure is what happens on the way to having an adventure and that is just the beginning......Whether you are watching the sun rise between the beautiful shapes of the White Desert or the shimmering horizon from the comfort of a Hot Spring in Siwa Oasis, Egypt’s landscapes are endlessly fascinating. So, get your spirit in gear & prepare for an unforgettable adventure. Yep! the Pharaohs are waiting and The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 Come…be inspired & discover the World…

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Egypt. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore more options & we will be happy to customise & offer suggestions based on your personal preferences……