Over the millennia, countless civilizations have come and gone, risen and fallen, turned from towering citadels to piles of rubble and ash. Not so Ancient Egypt. Within 24 hours of landing in the modern country we will find ourselves face to face with one of the most recognisable and iconic monuments anywhere in the world - the Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. That is just the start of our journey along the Nile, the mighty river that sustained one of the greatest civilizations ever seen, and whose legacy remains in such gloriously tangible form.

We will also see the Step Pyramid, the first of its kind, built nearly 5,000 years ago; the Temple of Luxor and Karnak Temple; the Valley of Kings, filled with the funerary temples of one Pharaoh after another, and the Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved shrines in Egypt, though a mere youngster at slightly more than 2,000 years old. A highlight in Cairo is a visit to the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum which now displays never seen before artefacts.

Other highlights include the Al-Orman Garden, the Aswan Botanical Garden and the mighty Aswan Dam itself, and the Montazah Palace Gardens in the historic and unmissable city of Alezxandria. Not to mention a river cruise that will have your reaching for a certain Agatha Christie novel, though we are confident this holiday will have a much happier ending!