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Mid-Winter Solstice Celebration Holiday 2010
A fabulous week holiday in Luxor visiting many ancient sites culminating in celebrating the mid-winter solstice at the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut. We will also visit the Osirion in Abydos.
15th - 22nd December: Click here for details.
Please click the banner above to access booking for flights and hotel. |
Egypt - Solstice Trip
An 8 day trip exploring some of the most significant sacred sites of Ancient Egypt at the time of the Mid-Winter Solstice
led by David Furlong and run in conjunction with
Eagle Travel
Wednesday 15 December - Wednesday 22 December 2010
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Day 1 - 15 Dec |
Fly to Luxor, check into hotel. |
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Day 2 - 16 Dec |
Morning talk on Sacred Egypt and general introduction for the week. In the afternoon we will visit to Luxor Museum, with its many exquisite features, including the recently discovered statues known as the "cachet" of Luxor. We will then travel on for an evening visit to beautiful Luxor Temple, built by a succession of great kings from the 18th and 19th dynasties |
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Day 3 - 17 Dec |
Overland visit where we will first visit the temple of cult Seti I at Abydos, dedicated to the god Osiris. Here in this beautiful temple there are many enigmatic scenes including the famous "helicopter" hieroglyph. We will also see the strange structure at the rear of the temple known as the Osirion, which has drawn on one of its columns the "Flower of Life Symbol".
From Abydos we will travel to visit the temple of Hathor at Denderah built in Ptolemaic times. This temple has many astronomical depictions including the famous zodiac. This was one of the great healing temples of Egypt and is aligned to the stars of Ursa Major. |
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Day 4 - 18 Dec |
Overland visit to the magnificent temple of Horus at Edfu Temple, the best preserved in all of Egypt. In the myths Horus was married to Hathor and every year the priests travelled with their cult statues of the god and goddess between the two temples of Edfu and Denderah, celebrating a "divine" marriage. We too can feel into the unification of the two parts of our being, the yin and the yang, the masculine and the feminine. On the return journey we will visit the small temple Khnum at Esna, which holds many splendid astronomical scenes on its ceiling. |
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Day 5 - 19 Dec
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Early morning visit to magnificent Karnak temple dedicated to the god Amun and his consort Mut. This temple is aligned to the mid-winter sunrise and we will have the first opportunity of experiencing this phenomenon in the 'holy of holies' in the temple. We will also visit a subsidiary temple dedicated to Ptah, Sekhmet and Nefertum that houses the powerful statue of the goddess Sekhmet. Afternoon sunset Felucca sail on the Nile. |
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Day 6 - 20 Dec |
Morning sunrise visit to Deir el Bahari (Hatshepsut temple), which is one of the most magnificent temples in the whole of Egypt. It is here that we will celebrate the mid-winter solstice and experience its effect as the rising Sun penetrates into the inner sanctuary of Amun at the centre of the temple. After this experience we will then visit the famous Valley of the Kings, with its many tombs nestled under the 'Holy Mountain' of Thebes. From the Valley of Kings we will travel a short distance to visit the mortuary temple of Seti 1 at Qurna. This small peaceful temple is aligned to the southern lunar 'standstill'. Finally after lunch we will visit the great temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu. This temple has many beautiful carved scenes and also a great enigma in a number of hieroglyphs depicting the "Aten". |
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Day 7- 21 Dec |
This will be a free day for rest, relaxation and shopping. There will be an opportunity to experience a balloon ride for those that wish to see the wonderful scenery of Luxor from the air. |
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Day 8 - 22 Dec |
Return flight UK. |
Photos of Egypt
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| Luxor Temple in the evening |
Abydos Temple |
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| Hatshepsut's temple in the morning light |
Medinet Habu temple from the air |
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| Solstice sunrise at the Karnak temple |
Sphinx avenue at Karnak |
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| Sunset over the Nile |
Hieroglyps from the barque shrine of Sesostris I |
For further information please write to:
David Furlong or Frida Maria Myrtles, Como Road, Malvern Worcs WR14 2TH
Tel: +44 (0)1684-569105 or +44 (0)777-978-9047
Email: David Furlong
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Felucca on the Nile
Denderah Temple - dedicated to the goddess
Hathor
Hatshepsut's temple at Deir El Bahri
The statue of Hours from the Edfu temple
Carving of Goddess Hathor from the temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.
King Akhenaten from the Luxor museum
Hatshepsut's obelisk from the Karnak temple
King Tutmosis III from the Luxor Museum
The goddess Sekhmet from the temple of Ptah in the Karnak temple complex
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