Schedule: Daily Departures
Duration: Approximately 6 to 7 Hours
Pickup Time: 08:00 AM (Customizable upon request)
Pickup & Drop-off: Alexandria Hotels or Alexandria Cruise Passenger Terminal (Private Round-Trip Transfer)
Tour Type: Private Chauffeured & Historian-Guided WWII Heritage Excursion
Tour Highlights
Journey westward along Egypt’s northern Mediterranean shoreline to the historic sands of El Alamein, where the Allied Eighth Army and Axis Panzer Army Africa clashed in 1942. Known as the turning point of the Western Desert Campaign, the battles waged here halted the Axis advance toward the Suez Canal. Led by a private guide specializing in military history, this day trip offers a deep exploration of the battlefield artifacts, personal wartime diaries, and coastal war cemeteries.
- El Alamein War Museum: Explore five indoor halls dedicated to the British Commonwealth, Germany, Italy, and Egypt, alongside an open-air display yard of restored tanks, anti-aircraft artillery, fighter engines, and scout vehicles.
- The Desert Fox & The Desert Rats: Gain historical insights into the strategic maneuvers of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery.
- Commonwealth War Cemetery: Walk among rows of meticulously tended headstones honoring over 7,000 fallen Commonwealth, Australian, New Zealand, South African, and Indian soldiers, as well as the Alamein Memorial commemorating missing service members.
- German War Memorial (Deutsches Kriegerdenkmal): Visit the imposing octagonal fortress-style ossuary perched atop Tel el-Eisa overlooking the sea, housing the remains of over 4,200 German soldiers.
- Italian War Memorial & Sacrario: Tour the white marble tower and chapel at Tel el-Makhkhad honoring more than 5,200 Italian servicemen.
- Shore Excursion Friendly: Coordinated specifically for cruise ship passengers docking at Alexandria Port with guaranteed on-time return to your vessel.
Detailed Tour Itinerary
08:00 AM: Alexandria Hotel or Cruise Port Pickup
- Your private Ramasside Tours guide and chauffeur meet you directly in your Alexandria hotel lobby or at the passenger terminal gate of Alexandria Port holding a personalized name sign.
- Settle into your modern, air-conditioned vehicle for a scenic 1.5-hour highway drive westward along the coastal International Coastal Road.
- En route, your guide introduces the strategic significance of North Africa in World War II, the buildup to the First and Second Battles of El Alamein, and the terrain of the Qattara Depression.
Stop 1: El Alamein War Museum
- Arrive at the El Alamein War Museum, established in 1956 to commemorate the historic 1942 desert confrontations.
- Outdoor Heavy Artillery Park: Walk through the outdoor courtyard to examine authentic relics recovered directly from the desert battlefield, including British Valentine and Sherman tanks, German 88mm anti-tank guns, carrier trucks, and field weapons.
- Indoor Exhibition Halls: Tour the museum's specialized halls featuring battlefield maps, tactical operation schematics, genuine uniforms, field gear, weapon collections, and personal photographs of Montgomery, Rommel, and frontline combatants.
Stop 2: Commonwealth War Cemetery & Memorial
- Transfer a short distance to the El Alamein Commonwealth War Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
- Walk through the stone entrance cloister of the Alamein Memorial, inscribed with the names of over 11,800 soldiers, sailors, and airmen who died in the North African campaigns and have no known grave.
- Stroll among the headstones bearing national regimental insignia and personal epitaphs, visiting the plots of soldiers from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and allied Greek forces.
Stop 3: The German War Memorial (Ossuary)
- Drive westward along the coastal ridge to Tel el-Eisa to visit the German War Memorial.
- Step inside the medieval-style octagonal fortress designed to evoke the Hohenstaufen castle of Castel del Monte.
- Enter the quiet central courtyard and central burial crypt holding the communal remains of 4,280 German soldiers of the Afrikakorps, marked with bronze plaques and regional crests.
Stop 4: The Italian War Memorial & Chapel (Sacrario Militare Italiano)
- Continue to the Italian War Memorial, situated on an elevated ridge overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
- Walk up the paved avenue of honor flanked by desert flora to the towering white marble cenotaph and commemorative chapel.
- View the individual marble loculi bearing the names of over 5,200 Italian soldiers and officers who fell in the desert campaigns, as well as the small on-site museum documenting the Italian divisions (including Folgore and Ariete).
01:30 PM: Scenic Coastal Return Drive
- Reboard your private vehicle for the smooth return drive east along the Mediterranean coast toward Alexandria.
- Enjoy optional photo stops along the shoreline before arriving back at your hotel or cruise ship dock.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions
- Private round-trip transportation from Alexandria in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional licensed English-speaking guide specializing in military and modern Egyptian history
- Entrance fees to the El Alamein War Museum and access to all memorial grounds
- Chilled bottled mineral water inside the vehicle throughout the excursion
- All coastal highway tolls, checkpoint clearance fees, parking charges, and municipal taxes
Exclusions
- Entry visa to Egypt
- Optional lunch at a coastal Mediterranean seafood restaurant (available for $15 per person)
- Professional vacation photographer add-on
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, and discretionary tipping
Tour Add-ons & Travel Notes
Executive Luxury Van Upgrade
Upgrade your coastal highway transit to an executive luxury van featuring extra legroom, plush reclining leather captain chairs, dual-zone climate control, onboard Wi-Fi, and cold beverages.
Professional Vacation Photographer
Hire a dedicated vacation photographer to accompany your journey through the outdoor military park and historic memorials for $50 per day.
Shore Excursion Assurance
For cruise ship passengers docking at Alexandria Port, this tour includes guaranteed terminal gate pickup and prompt return scheduled safely ahead of your vessel's departure time.
Attire & Footwear
Wear comfortable, flat-soled walking shoes suitable for gravel pathways and stone stairs. A sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are strongly recommended given the open desert exposure.
Child Policy
- 0 – 1.99 years: Free of charge
- 2 – 11.99 years: 50% of adult tour rate
- 12+ years: Full adult rate
Recommended Alexandria & Egypt Day Tours
- Alexandria Day Tour from Cairo: Discover the classical Mediterranean capital on a full-day private journey from Cairo covering the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Roman Amphitheatre, and Fort Qaitbay.
- Cairo to Alexandria Archaeological Day Tour: A dedicated historical expedition from Cairo covering the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar, and sunken Roman ruins.
- Alexandria City Highlights Day Tour: A classic 5–6 hour guided orientation exploring the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, historic downtown quarters, and the royal gardens of Montaza Palace.
- Alexandria Archaeological Day Tour: An in-depth Greco-Roman circuit within Alexandria covering the underground tombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Kom El Dikka, and the coastal citadel.
- Alexandria Historical Tour with the Graeco-Roman Museum: Explore over 40 renovated galleries of classical antiquity masterworks alongside major coastal landmarks.
- Alexandria Scuba Diving Adventure: Explore submerged ruins beneath the Eastern Harbor, including Cleopatra’s sunken palace and the ancient Pharos Lighthouse blocks.
- Alexandria Ghosts & Mysteries Tour: An evening storytelling walk exploring illuminated coastal citadels, royal garden lore at Montaza, and the infamous alleys of Raya and Sakina.
- Day Tour to Cairo from Alexandria: Travel from the Mediterranean coast to the Giza Plateau to marvel at the Great Pyramids, Sphinx, and the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.
- Alexandria Shopping Tour: Combine modern retail therapy at the seaside San Stefano Grand Plaza with traditional craft bargaining in historic Mansheya souks.
- Alexandria Food Tour: Taste authentic Egyptian coastal flavors, street snacks, freshly fried Ta'ameya, Kebda Iskandarani, and Mediterranean seafood.
- Alexandria Airport Layover Tour: Maximize transit waiting times at Borg El Arab Airport (HBE) with a chauffeured private city excursion.
- Alexandria by Night Tour: Experience evening coastal charm with a traditional horse carriage (Hantour) ride along the Corniche and Stanley Bridge.
- Cairo Tour from Borg El Arab Airport: A same-day private express tour from Alexandria's airport directly to Cairo's Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum.
- Overnight Cairo Tour from Alexandria: A 2-day private excursion covering Saqqara, Memphis, the Giza Plateau, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Egyptian Museum.
- Wadi El Natrun Monasteries Tour: Journey south into the sacred desert depression to explore the four active 4th-century Coptic Christian desert monasteries.
- Overnight Desert Safari to Siwa Oasis: A 2-day desert expedition from Alexandria visiting El Alamein, Marsa Matrouh, the Shali Fortress, and the Great Sand Sea.
- Rosetta (Rashid) Cultural Day Tour: Visit the Nile delta port where the Rosetta Stone was unearthed, complete with an estuary boat ride and Ottoman brick mansions.
For bookings, customized departure schedules, and private VIP upgrades, contact us at: [email protected]
