Itinerary Details
Egypt With Nile Cruise
Day 1 ARRIVE IN CAIRO, EGYPTWelcome to Cairo! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 2 CAIRO. EXCURSION TO GIZASecrets of the Sphinx Your Egyptian discovery starts in the vibrant city of Cairo, located on the River Nile, with a guided sightseeing tour that features a visit to the Egyptian Museum. Later, a short drive to Giza is the start of an iconic visit to see some of the most recognizable landmarks in the world - the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & MYSTERY Get up close and personal with The Pyramids of Giza - one of the World’s Seven Wonders. Ponder the enigmatic secrets of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Marvel at the massive monument of Cheops, the most colossal pyramid ever built, with an original height of 496 feet.
Day 3 CAIRO–LUXOR (EMBARKATION) River Mysteries Revealed Today, depart Cairo and fly to Luxor. Embark your cruise ship for the start of your Nile River Cruise. Start to get acquainted with the ship and enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon, join the guided sightseeing tour to see the breathtaking Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt, and the Luxor Temple, also known as “the Southern Sanctuary”. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ANCIENT CITIES See the stunning monuments of Luxor and Karnak, ancient cities whose combined populations once topped one million. Walk among the pillars of the colossal Temple of Amun Ra and along the Avenue of the Sphinxes for an experience you will treasure for a lifetime.
Day 4 CRUISING: LUXOR–ESNA–EDFU Kings, Queens & Captain’s Cocktails Enjoy some free time to explore more of Luxor at your own pace, once the site of Ancient Thebes and still home to an amazing number of Egyptian monuments. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to the West Bank. Back on board, enjoy the captain’s welcome cocktail party and set sail for Edfu. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOTS Venture into the “World’s greatest open-air Museum”, where most of the ruins and artefacts at the site have been preserved and are still in their original forms.
Day 5 CRUISING: EDFU–KOM OMBO–ASWANEgyptian Gods & Gowns Today, in Edfu, visit the impressive Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Return to the ship and enjoy lunch while sailing. Call at Kom Ombo for a guided walking tour featuring the temple dedicated to the crocodile and falcon gods. Enjoy some free time to browse. Continue sailing towards Aswan and this evening enjoy a Galabeya (traditional Egyptian gown) party on board. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE Explore captivating Kom Ombo with a walking tour of its bluff-top twin temples. Gaze at the spellbinding temples dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek-Ra and the falcon god Horus.
Day 6 CRUISING: ASWANLandscapes & Legends of the Nile Today discover Aswan, the land of gold that has kept the treasures of the pharaohs for centuries. [LF] Sail on a felucca (traditional wooden sailing boat) around Kitchener’s Island and the Mausoleum of Aga Khan. This evening, on board your ship, take part in a Nubian Folklore presentation. (B,L,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE Sail from Aswan on a felucca, a traditional Egyptian wooden boat with a canvas sail. Capture the wind to move effortlessly around the botanical sanctuary of Kitchener’s Island and the Mausoleum of Aga Khan – the stately and austere dome-topped rose limestone monument and Carrara-marble tomb of the 20th-century religious and political leader.
Day 7 DISEMBARKATION. ASWANAt Leisure in Aswan This morning, disembark your ship and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure to explore more of Aswan independently or join an optional excursion. (B)
ENHANCED FREE TIME
EXPLORE MORE with an optional excursion to the High Dam, the Philae Temple, and the Unfinished Obelisk. Learn how in the early 1970s, after the inauguration of the Aswan High Dam, raging floods risked the submersion of Philae. The rescue of these Nubian monuments is thanks to the joint effort between the Egyptian government and UNESCO, who then moved the sanctuary to higher ground. How did they do it? They dismantled the structures into 40,000 blocks and transferred them brick by brick to their new home.
Day 8 ASWAN–CAIROCapital Ideas in Cairo Depart Aswan this morning and take a flight to Cairo. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in this exciting city before joining your travel companions for a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
ENHANCED FREE TIME
EXPLORE MORE in the “the city of a thousand minarets” with its skyline filled with many mosques, castles, and churches in this bustling and historic metropolis.
Day 9 CAIROSafe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
