Pharaohs & Pyramids + Petra

Known in ancient Egypt as Caene, Qena's situation on the banks of the Nile River has bolstered its prosperity over millennia. Merchants and travelers have long journeyed here from the Red Sea, through the valley, bringing goods from Persia and beyond. The Sheikh el-Qenawi Mosque on the main square serves as a monument to the city's rich and all-embracing Islamic and Sufi past. Qena is mostly known as the gateway to the magnificent ruins of Dendera, constructed by Ptolemies and Romans in classic Egyptian style. Its stone gate, towering columns and hieroglyphics are some of Egypt's best-preserved structures.Read more

Luxor lies amid what is arguably one of the world's largest archaeological sites: Thebes, once a thriving imperial capital. In antiquity, the Nile River ran through Thebes, dividing it into a "City of the Living" and a "City of the Dead." The former referred to the east bank (modern-day Luxor) as this was where the majority of the city's population-and at times, Egypt's rulers-made their home. The west bank (known today as Kurna) was designated the latter as it served as a necropolis, dotted with the lavish resting places of royalty and other nobility. New findings continue to surface here, reinforcing what we have long come to recognize: the remarkable ingenuity of ancient Egyptian civilization.Read more