Highlights and personal moments from our 2025 small group trip
By Laura Ranieri Roy
This past October November, with a group of 12 intrepid travelers, we actually did it all.
Was it life changing?
Yes, I think it was for some!
It was exhausting at times… but also exhilarating: a chance to make connections, meet archaeologists, eat extraordinary food in unforgettable settings, and experience modern and ancient Egypt from the Mediterranean coast in Alexandria. It offered moments of re-examining the world and life in a fresh light.
Here are six memorable highlights from our 2025 trip.
1. At remote sites – as history reveals itself
Before the main tour began, some adventurous guests joined me for a pre-tour of Egypt’s rarely visited delta sites. First stop: Bobastus (Fe Bast), center of the capital’s temple to the feline goddess Bastet during the 22nd Dynasty. When I last visited in 2011, it was largely a field of ruins. This time, we explored the partially reconstructed hypostyle hall and a new, beautifully presented museum.
A further 2.5 hours northeast brought us to Tens – known to many as Indiana Jones but in reality, one of Egypt’s most unusual archaeological sites. Here, in 1939, Pierre Montet uncovered intact royal tombs with gold and silver mummies to rival those of Tutankhamun. World War II overshadowed this discovery, and tennis never gained the fame it deserved.
Today, the French-Gaptain Mission is slowly piecing together its story. When we arrived, something was remarkable. While the team cannot officially reveal the details, whispers reached us from the inspector:
225 Ashbatis belonging to King Shushanq III have just been found – in an ancient context, buried under layers of Nile silt for about 3,000 years.
We met the Sorbonne’s Dr. Frédéric Periodo at the site – a real thrill – and even got a peek into the chamber of Auscon II where the discovery was made. Standing there as history was unforgettable.
- Alexandria Alive – and an amazing new museum
Another optional pre-tour took us north to Alexandria with our amazing guide, Salib. We stopped at peace Syrian Monastery of Natron Valleygot down to hunting KOM EL-SHOQAFA CATACAMBSand visited Seraphim and its mighty (and misnamed) “Pillar of Pompeii,” which actually honors Diocletian.
Salib reminded us that layers of Alexandria’s ancient past lie hidden beneath modern streets, waiting for political will and funding to uncover.
A favorite moment was stepping inside the new opening Greco-Roman Museumfilled with magnificent fragments of this later period of Egyptian civilization. And of course – on the balconies of the historic Cecil Hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea where Alexander once dreamed his new city would exist.
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Inside the Catacombs of Qom al-Shaqafa
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Greco-Roman Museum
- The Giza Plateau reimagined – and for the first time inside Menkur
I have visited Giza many times, but never liked it. The plateau has been transformed: a new visitor center, interpretive displays, a 3D map, clearly defined routes, and electric buses connecting each monument.
We entered the Great Pyramids – always a highlight. But some of us also bought a modest one USD 9 US dollars Tickets for a rare viewing The Pyramid of Menkur. Environmental, accessible, and full of unexpected features, it added a whole new dimension to Giza for many in the group.
- A riverboat to yourself – an intimate cruise on Akamar
Despite record crowds in Egypt for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, our Nile cruise was remarkably peaceful. our boat, Akamaralong with a small group, was almost entirely ours.
We enjoyed the rare sensation of a private yacht experience: sailing past palm-fringed canals and villages, visiting beautiful Ptolemaic temples with our amazing guide Nebel, and November 1stPresident El-Sisi and dignitaries gather in the lounge to inaugurate the Grand Egyptian Museum. The champagne flowed. It felt surreal to witness this historic moment with Neil’s composure.
- A western valley First – in the tomb of Amenhotep III
Through great effort – and thanks to our dedicated operators – we obtained a private permit to visit the newly restored tomb. Amenhotep IIIis located in the Western Valley (sometimes called the Valley of the Monkeys).
Closed for decades and only reopened with special permission in October 2025, it welcomed us November 2. The tomb is tall, deep and largely decorated in 18th-century colors—vibrant blues and Amarna-style yellows—and contains a reconstructed sarcophagus of one of Egypt’s greatest kings.
Standing there, surrounded by just our little group of guards and officials, was an extraordinary privilege.
- Grand Egyptian Museum – First
After years of anticipation, the grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum is finally here. I had visited four times before – seeing it prepared from empty courtyards to galleries reached by grand staircases. But this was the moment everyone had been waiting for: Tutankhamun Hall.
Four days after the official inauguration, we saw tens of thousands of Egyptians eager to honor their young king. The halls were packed, but the experience was extraordinary.
5,300 objects from Tutankhamun’s tombfound again for the first time in history, is shown in carefully designed cases – although indicators and Wi-Finding are in development and will surely improve over time.
Khufu’s boat hall, housed in a separate building, was similarly affected, even as the restoration of another boat continued behind the scenes.
To be among the first to witness these treasures in their new home was breathtaking, chaotic and completely unforgettable.
A trip to remember
All in all, it was one of my favorite trips – filled with rare access, new experiences, reliable travelers, wonderful guides and constant surprises. Even after approx 20 visitsEgypt continues to surprise and delight.
The truth is:
Every trip feels like the first time.
If this glimpse of our adventure has you dreaming of Egypt, maybe 2026 or 2027 It’s Your Year Explore our upcoming small group tours here: antiagtegyptalive.com/travel
You are always welcome to contact us directly – whether to ask questions, discuss dates, or consider a custom travel itinerary. We will be happy to travel with you.
