Day 1: Arrival In Cairo ( / / )
Welcome and assistance by the local tour coordinator at Cairo airport in the arrivals hall, entry formalities and transfer to the hotel of your choice. Visa Purchase: your travel coordinator will help you to get your visa stamps upon your arrival.
A vibrant, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic sights in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around., visit the capital's medieval markets by Khan El-Khalili, or walk down the Nile promenade. There are also plenty of cinemas, theatres and modern malls. Go for an opera or enjoy oriental music dance shows. Good for short breaks and long stays; you’ll get to see the Giza Pyramids, thousands of ancient artifacts in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and much more.
Overnight in Cairo.
Day 2: Cairo (B/L/ )
Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo & Bazar
Meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel to start your tour.
Tour 7,000 years of history at the Egyptian museum, home to the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world.
Continue to the Citadel, a medieval fortress perched high on limestone hills above Cairo, which was built in 1176 to protect the city from crusaders.
Continue to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, completed in 1363, is one of the finest in Egypt and houses the mausoleum where Sultan Hassan's sons are buried. The more recent Refaie Mosque, which was completed in 1912, has well-preserved, colorful decoration.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Finally, visit the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar is reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets to find workshops and stalls selling anything from woodwork and glassware to leather goods and perfumes.
Optional: Visit to the citadel complex houses various mosques and museums, including the National Military Museum.
With its grand, soaring architecture and rich decoration.
Transfer back to the hotel.
Dinner under your own arrangements.
Overnight in Cairo.
Day 3: Cairo (B/L/ )
Great Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for your full day tour to Giza & Sphinx.
The Great Pyramids of Giza are the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built over 4,500 years ago as giant tombs for the mummies of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who were father, son and grandson respectively. The pyramids are truly monumental in scale, with the largest - Khufu's - constructed from over two million stone blocks. Optional entry into Cheops Pyramid for a glimpse of the interior structure. Nearby sits the enigmatic Sphinx with the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth, which workers may have based on King Khafre to guard his enormous funerary monument. This story of the Sphinx is told on the 'Dream Stela' that was placed between the Sphinx's paws by King Tuthmoses IV.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Transfer back to the hotel.
Dinner under your own arrangements.
Overnight in Cairo.
Day 4: Cairo – Aswan (B/L/D)
Philae Temple, High Dam and unfinished Obelisk.
Your Tour Coordinator will escort you to Cairo Airport for your domestic flight to Aswan.
Arrival: At Aswan Airport, your Tour Coordinator will meet you.
Optional: Abu Simbel Visit. Board your 45-minute flight to Abu Simbel. The two temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel are each fronted by colossal statues up to 20 meters (66 feet) high and are famed as the most impressive monuments remaining of Ancient Egypt. Recently, the temples were threatened by the waters of Lake Nasser, and with the help of a UNESCO campaign they were cut into blocks, raised piece by piece and reassembled in a new position higher up the hillside.
After your visit, board your return flight to Aswan.
Take a short motorboat ride to visit the Temple of Philae, built in honour of Isis, one of the great mother goddesses of Ancient Egypt. This beautiful temple was moved, with the help of UNESCO, to its present location on Agilka Island to save it from the rising waters caused by the construction of the High Dam. Its construction in the 1960’s was somewhat controversial due to the loss of Nubian villages and temples which now lie under Lake Nasser, the world’s largest artificial lake. However, the resulting electricity generated by the dam supplies the whole of Egypt.
You will also stop at the stone quarries to see the Unfinished Obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk. Here, listen to your guide as they explain the methods used by ancient craftsmen to create impressive moments and see marks from workers' tools, which are still clearly visible on the bedrock.
Transfer: Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to cruise boat.
Lunch on board.
Back to the boat for afternoon tea in the lounge.
Tonight, you will be greeted by your Boat Manager. A gourmet dinner will be served on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 5: Aswan – Kom Ombo (B/L/D)
Kom-Ombo Temple
A breakfast buffet will be served on board.
Morning at leisure to continue to discover Aswan.
Enjoy lunch, while you cruise to Kom-Ombo and visit the magnificent Temple of Kom-Ombo - dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek.
Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Edfu.
Continue to cruise towards Esna.
Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 6: Esna – Luxor (B/L/D)
Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings
Breakfast buffet on board during sailing to Luxor.
Arrival in Luxor and departure for the visit of Luxor Temple. Built by Amenhotep III in 1380 BC, the site was added to by later pharaohs. The temple enjoyed many celebrations, the most important being the Festival of Opet which lasted almost a month.
Lunch on board of the ship.
In the afternoon, we visit the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank of Luxor. The Valley of the Kings is a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. Pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.
Optional during Valley of the Kings: get the chance to entre the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I, Tutankhamon or Ramses VI while being at the west bank of Luxor.
Return to your cruise for afternoon tea on board.
Tonight's farewell dinner will be a gala dinner ,serving gourmet cuisine followed by a belly dancer.
Overnight on board.
Day 7: Luxor (B/ / )
Breakfast on board .
Transfer to Luxor airport for final departure.
