Egyptian treasures are the stuff of legend, and expertly guided visits to the finest collections are essential for a complete experience. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), scheduled to open in late 2023, is the new crown jewel of Egypt and one of the world's largest, most modern museums. Great masterpieces, including the treasures of Tutankhamun, the brightly painted sculptures of Prince Rahotep and Princess Nofret, and the bizarre relief of Akhenaten will be on display. Note: Before the opening of the GEM, guests will visit the Antiquities Museum, home to an expansive collection of ancient marvels, which will close when the GEM opens. After lunch, travel to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of the Pharaoh Zoser, a revolutionary design that initiated the art of pyramid-building. Here, you'll see some of Egypt's most captivating wall paintings and reliefs, showing harvesting, fishing, music-making, and dancing scenes. Discover the elaborate mastaba, a type of ancient flat-roofed rectangular Egyptian tomb of Mereruka (or Meri). He was not a royal but "Chief Justice and Vizier" to Pharaoh Teti of the Sixth Dynasty. This large and colorful tomb built for Meri's afterlife is considered the largest in Saqqara. ...
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