Schedule: Daily Departures
Duration: Approximately 8 to 9 Hours
Pickup Time: 08:00 AM (Customizable upon request)
Pickup & Drop-off: Alexandria Hotels or Alexandria Cruise Ship Port (Private Round-Trip Transfer)
Tour Type: Private Chauffeured & Egyptologist-Guided Heritage Excursion
Tour Highlights
Travel 60 km east of Alexandria to the tranquil port city of Rashid (Rosetta), situated where the western branch of the Nile River meets the Mediterranean Sea. Internationally renowned as the discovery site of the world-changing Rosetta Stone in 1799, this charming town preserves an open-air museum of delta life, 18th-century Ottoman red-and-black pointed brick mansions, and active wooden boat-building yards.
- Fort of Qaitbay in Rashid (Fort Julien): Stand inside the 15th-century Mamluk river fortification where French officer Pierre-François Bouchard unearthed the trilingual Rosetta Stone during Napoleon's Egyptian expedition.
- Nile & Mediterranean Estuary Boat Cruise: Board a private motorboat along the Nile to cruise past traditional fishing wharves, date-palm groves, and reach the natural meeting point of the freshwater Nile and the saltwater Mediterranean.
- Historic Ottoman Delta Architecture: Walk through quiet paved lanes to explore restored multi-story merchant residences (such as Arab Killy House), featuring delta-style brickwork, carved woodwork, and intricate mashrabiya lattice screens.
- Traditional Delta Craft & Markets: Witness authentic local life, traditional wood-frame boat caulking along the riverbanks, and regional spice and fish souks untouched by mass tourism.
- Door-to-Door Private Transit: Travel in a modern, air-conditioned executive vehicle with dedicated pickup and return directly from your Alexandria hotel or cruise ship dock.
Detailed Tour Itinerary
08:00 AM: Alexandria Hotel or Cruise Port Pickup
- Your private Ramasside Tours Egyptologist guide and chauffeur meet you directly in your Alexandria hotel lobby or at the passenger terminal of Alexandria Port holding a personalized name sign.
- Settle into your modern, air-conditioned vehicle for a scenic 1-hour drive east through the fertile agricultural landscapes of the Nile Delta toward the historic port of Rashid (Rosetta).
- Along the way, your guide introduces Rosetta’s vital medieval role as Egypt's primary Mediterranean trade gateway and the historiography of the Rosetta Stone's decipherment by Jean-François Champollion.
Stop 1: Fort of Qaitbay at Rashid (The Rosetta Stone Site)
- Arrive at the defensive coastal fortress situated on the western bank of the Nile estuary, built by Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay in the late 15th century.
- Explore the limestone bastions, vaulted gun chambers, and watchtowers.
- Inspect the replica marker commemorating the exact foundation wall where the Rosetta Stone was uncovered by French soldiers in July 1799—the decree that unlocked the hieroglyphic script of ancient Egypt.
Stop 2: Private Motorboat Cruise on the Nile Estuary
- Board a traditional covered motorboat at the river dock.
- Cruise along the gentle waters of the Rosetta Nile branch, watching wooden feluccas and commercial fishing trawlers navigate the current.
- Reach the scenic estuary mouth (Al-Boughaz), where the blue waters of the Nile blend into the waves of the Mediterranean Sea.
Stop 3: Ottoman Islamic Monuments & Historic Mansions
- Disembark in Rosetta’s old city center to explore the largest concentration of Islamic civil domestic architecture in Egypt outside Cairo:
- Arab Killy House: Tour the 18th-century merchant residence now serving as the Rashid Military Museum, admiring hand-painted tilework, marble courtyards, reception halls (Kaa), and intricate mashrabiya bay windows.
- Amasyali House: Examine traditional Delta masonry characterized by contrasting red and black baked bricks bonded with lime mortar.
- Abu Shaheen Mill: View the historic preserved animal-driven grain and oil mills showcasing pre-industrial engineering.
- Visit the local Zaghloul Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the delta, built with antique Greco-Roman and Byzantine granite column shafts.
Optional Lunch: Mediterranean Delta Seafood
- Enjoy an optional lunch at a local waterfront restaurant overlooking the Nile, sampling freshly caught Mediterranean fish, grilled calamari, and regional delta salads.
03:00 PM: Scenic Return Drive to Alexandria
- Reboard your private vehicle for the comfortable drive back west to Alexandria.
- Enjoy optional scenic photo stops along the coastal Corniche before returning directly to your Alexandria hotel or cruise ship terminal.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions
- Private door-to-door transportation from Alexandria in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout the day
- Private Nile motorboat cruise to the estuary meeting point
- Entrance tickets to the Fort of Qaitbay in Rashid and historic Ottoman merchant houses
- Chilled bottled mineral water inside the vehicle throughout the journey
- All road tolls, boat mooring fees, parking charges, service charges, and taxes
Exclusions
- Entry visa to Egypt
- Optional seafood lunch (available for $15 per person)
- Professional vacation photographer add-on
- Personal shopping, dates, and discretionary tipping
Tour Add-ons & Travel Notes
Executive Luxury Van Upgrade
Upgrade your countryside road 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 capture your journey through the historic fortress, riverside boat cruise, and brickwork alleys for $50 per day.
Footwear & Accessibility
Comfortable, flat-soled walking shoes are strongly recommended, as navigating the fortress and historic residences involves walking over historic cobblestones, wooden ramps, and multi-tier stone steps.
Shore Excursion Assurance
For cruise ship travelers docking at Alexandria Port, this tour features guaranteed terminal gate pickup and return timed safely ahead of your vessel's departure.
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.
- El Alamein World War II Battlefield Tour: Pay tribute at the WWII Military Museum, Commonwealth War Cemetery, and German and Italian coastal memorials.
For bookings, customized departure schedules, and private VIP upgrades, contact us at: [email protected]
