DAY 1) Friday July 17

Evening departure on Egypt Air to Cairo, Egypt.

DAY 2) Saturday July 18

Afternoon arrival at Cairo International Airport and transfer to our five star hotel.

Group orientation, then the balance of the day devoted to shopping and relaxation.

DAY 3) Sunday July 19

Dr. Rashidi's first lecture, and than an all day on the Giza Plateau, visiting the exciting Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx, the Solar Boat, and an optional camel ride.

Dinner at restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

DAY 4) Monday, July 20

Second lecture by Dr. Rashidi.

After breakfast transfer to the pyramid fields and tombs of Sakkara, Egypt. Visit the Step Pyramid designed by multi-genius Imhotep, Zoser's Pyramid Enclosure, King Teti's pyramid chamber, the Tomb of Ptah Hotep, and the Imhotep Museum.

Transfer to the ancient city of Memphis and see the enormous statues of Ramses the Great.

Enjoy lunch in Sakkara, and then visit a carpet school.

Nile Dinner Cruise.

DAY 5) Tuesday July 21

Arrive in Accra, Ghana. Transfer from airport to your hotel.

Welcome drink and orientation.

Dinner and overnight at your Hotel in Accra.

DAY 6) Wednesday July 22

After breakfast at hotel, depart for a drive through the historic Denkyira Kingdom to Kakum National Park, one of the West Africa's surviving tropical rain forests. Choose between a 2-kilometer nature walk through this forest to discover the wide variety of exotic floral species and the medicinal values they offer, or take a walk on the canopy walkway hanging 30 meters (100 ft) above the forest ground.

Transfer to hotel in Elmina, dinner and then retire for the night.

DAY 7) Thursday July 23

After breakfast visit the Cape Coast dungeon built by the Swedes in 1653 and was later taken over by the British. History will unfold the story of the slave trade whose impact is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today via the first ever European edifice across south of the Saharan desert, the Elmina dungeons.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Elmina.

DAY 8) Friday July 24

Get yourself an African-Ghanaian name by going through the naming ceremony process early morning by a local chief.

Depart cape coast for Accra. Transfer to your hotel.

DAY 9) Saturday July 25

Depart Accra to Lome. Check in at hotel and have lunch at restaurant.

Visit Grand Marche, Marche des Feticheurs, Musee National, Place de I' Independence.

Dinner and overnight at hotel Lome, Togo.

DAY 10) Sunday July 26

Breakfast at hotel. Depart for a visit to Ouidah, the cradle of African Traditional Religion, en-route to Cotonou.

Tour the temple dedicated to the sacred Python, which is believed to give vitality and protection; you will also pay a visit to the sacred forest which houses many shrines dedicated to various deities. Visit the historical Museum of Ouidah located in an old Portuguese fort built in 1721. This Museum portrays Benin's role in the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Later, visit the Port of No Return; a monument built by the Benin Government to commemorate the Africans that were taken from the Dahomey Empire during the Slave Trade.

Continue the journey northwards to Cotonou. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Cotonou.

DAY 11) Monday July 27

Make a sensational visit to Ganvie (the village on water), commonly referred to as the Venice of West Africa. Witness first hand, the people of Ganvie carrying out their daily routine as vendors in dugout canoes pile high with wares, transacting commerce with one another and with tourists. You will enjoy shopping on the floating market and taking a relaxing canoe ride on the waterways of this exotic 300-year-old village.

After lunch, drive through the multicolored center of the administrative and commercial capital of Benin to view it's many statues and monuments.

Return back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12) Tuesday July 28

After breakfast, depart Cotonou for Accra via Lome.

Stop over at Lome for lunch and then continue to Accra.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Accra.

DAY 13) Wednesday July 29

After breakfast depart hotel for a sightseeing city tour of Accra.

You will drive through the administrative and economic districts of Accra, the capital of Ghana. This 128-year-old city has a blend of colonial and modern architecture that summarize her history. You will visit the W.E.B. DuBois Center for Pan African Culture, Independence/Black Star Square, and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.

After lunch in a local Ghanaian restaurant, you will end your tour at the Arts Centre where you will have an opportunity to use your bargaining skills to shop from an open-air market for artifacts from Ghana and West Africa.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Accra.

DAY 14) Thursday July 30

Today is reserved as your day at Leisure or for any last minute shopping.

Depart to the airport for check-in and departure back home.

Flight to Cairo.

DAY 15) Friday July 31

Fly from Cairo to JFK.