Splendors of Egypt

Welcome to Cairo, Egypt’s capital with a population of 17 million people. Cairo is not only one of Africa’s largest cities but the political and cultural center of the Arab World. Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, you will be met and assisted through customs and formalities, then transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day adjusting to your new surroundings in exotic Cairo, boasting an extraordinary mix of old and new.

Overnight in Cairo

Spend the day on the Giza Plateau, home to signature attractions in Egypt. Discover the Great Pyramids, proclaimed by the Greeks to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A single pyramid is built from 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing an average of two and one–half tons. Continue to the Great Sphinx of Giza, dating from the time of Chephren (2620 BC) and a key highlight of Egypt tours. Sculpted from natural yellowish limestone and standing 65 feet high and 187 feet long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion’s body. Continue to the ancient capital of Memphis to visit the outdoor area. Memphis served as the capital of Upper and Lower Egypt about 5,000 years ago during the 1st Dynasty. Menes, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great, white-walled palace and the Temple of Ptah here. From there you will continue to Sakkara; one of the most exciting historical and archaeological areas in all of Egypt, situated about 12 miles southwest of Cairo. Enjoy your lunch at the local restaurant before going back to the hotel.

Overnight in Cairo

Optional: Sound and Light show at the Pyramids
Enjoy the evening with the incredible Philae Temple Sound and Light Show. This show will take you on a narrated journey to discover the legends of Goddess Isis and God Osiris. There is a marvelous story for this temple, from the early centuries when the site of Philae was flooded for six months each year. An incredible restoration program was undertaken in the 1960s, and the Temple was moved stone by stone to its current location. Enjoy the spectacular lights of the multimedia presentations which vividly reveal the form and majesty of this ancient site and walk through the magnificent temple as its history is narrated.

Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby

English Summer program: at 8:30 PM. (except Thursday at 9:30 PM)

English Winter program: at 6:30 PM. (except Thursday at 7:30 PM)

This morning, visit the world-renowned Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. Accompanied by your certified Egyptologist, you will stroll through the halls highlighting each historical period of this ancient land. Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant before visiting the Citadel, situated on a highly visible spur of the Mokattam Hills of Old Cairo. This was the nerve centre of Egypt for nearly 700 years. Construction of the grand structure began in 1176 and was completed by Muhammad Ali Pasha, the Ruler of Egypt in the late 19th century. Mamluk sultans and Turkish governors would reside in the Citadel, which is one of the world's most splendid monuments of medieval warfare. Visit Khan El Khalili, known as the Turkish Bazaar during the Ottoman period. This magnificent structure was built in 1382 by Emir Djaharks ElKhalili, in the heart of what was then Fatimid City. Until this day, the bazaar remains a centre of trade and communion in the city and offers a wide range of antiques, handcrafts of gold, silver, and copper along with plenty of old coffee shops and local restaurants attracting tourists and Egyptians alike.

Overnight in Cairo

This morning you will be transferred back to Cairo International Airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival in Luxor, you will be transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Luxor

Optional: Full day Excursion to Dendarah & Abydos from Luxor
Available: Every Day

Departure Time: Approx. 7 am - *Pick up time may vary depending on the location / pick up point / flight time

Duration: Approx. 4 hours

Begin your day with an early hotel pick-up and drive 60 km north to Dendera, where you’ll explore the Hathor Temple, famous for its colorful decorations and stunning hypostyle hall with 24 columns topped with Hathor’s head and a blue ceiling depicting astronomical scenes. Next, drive 60 km to Abydos, home to the Temple of Seti I, built in the 19th Dynasty. This temple features the Abydos King List, a chronological list of 72 pharaohs, carved on its walls. After your visit, drive back to Luxor.

This morning, begin your half-day visit to the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the ancient Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Built over several centuries by Amenophis III, Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and Alexander the Great, the Luxor Temple is a graceful piece of architecture preceded by an avenue of sphinxes. From there, continue your journey to the Karnak Temples. In the New Kingdom, Amun-Ra was worshipped as the most important state god. The immense wealth of Thebes was spent on decorating and building temples in his honor. Spend the rest of the day on a cruise.

Overnight Onboard Cruise

After breakfast, cross the newly constructed Luxor Bridge to discover the Valley of the Kings, which is home to many pharaonic tombs of the New Kingdom, including those of King Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great. You will visit 3 Royal tombs based on the availability of the day. Each king's formal name and title are inscribed in his tomb, adorned with images and statues. Most of the tombs were cut into limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber, and a sunken sarcophagus chamber. Discover many incredible Royal Tombs. From there you will visit the Valley of the Queens which includes between 75 and 80 tombs. These tombs belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties. Among these lies the famous tomb of Nefertiti, one of the five wives of Ramses II. Next, you will tour the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the only woman Pharaoh to rule ancient Egypt. The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th dynasty was built north of the Middle Kingdom temple of Mentuhotep Nebhepetre, amid the bay of cliffs known as Deir El-Bahri. In ancient times the temple was called Djeser-djeseru, meaning the sacred of sacred. The female pharaoh chose to build her temple in a valley sacred to the Theban Goddess of the west, on a direct axis with Karnak Temple of Amun on the East Bank. After lunch on board, we sail to Edfu.

Overnight Onboard Cruise

This morning, you will visit the Horus Temple in Edfu, the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic, albeit Greek-built, temple in Egypt. Construction on this extraordinary temple started in 237 BC and was completed nearly 200 years later. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed son of Osiris who avenged his father’s murder by slaying his uncle Seth, the temple was built on the site where, according to legend, the two gods met in deadly combat. We will then sail to Kom Ombo and enjoy lunch and afternoon tea on board the ship. This afternoon, disembark the ship and prepare for a short walk to the Temples of Kom Ombo. This complex consists of two temples: The Temple of Sobek and the Temple of Haroeris. In ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank nearby. The Temple has scant remains, due first to the changing Nile, then the Copts who used it as a church, and finally by builders who used the stones for new buildings. After your visit, you will return to the cruise and sail to Aswan.

Overnight Onboard Cruise

After breakfast, you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old Dam (completed in 1902). You will also visit the Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction. The High Dam, just north of the border between Egypt and Sudan lies the Aswan High Dam, a huge rock-filled dam that captures the world's longest river, the Nile, in the world's largest artificial reservoir, Lake Nasser. The dam, known as “Sadd El-Aali” in Arabic, was completed in 1970 after 10 years of work. Later you may enjoy a short trip on a motorboat to discover the Philae Temple. The boat ride will bring the visitor to a magnificent vista of the island, before landing at what would have been the ancient quay on the south side. The temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis and has many legends connected to it. The most well-known legend tells the story of how Isis found the heart of Osiris here after he was murdered by his brother Seth.

Overnight Onboard Cruise

Disembark the cruise after breakfast before being transferred to Aswan Airport for your flight back to Cairo. There, you will be met and escorted back to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure or perhaps take an optional tour.

Overnight in Cairo

Optional: Morning visit to Abu Simbel
This morning you will transfer to Aswan Airport to board a flight to Abu Simbel. Upon arrival in Abu Simbel, you will be transferred to the temple site. Visit the Temple of Ramses and Temple of Queen Nefertari. Not only are the two temples located at Abu Simbel among the most magnificent monuments in the world, but their removal and reconstruction were historic events. Two of the temples, Rameses II (primarily dedicated to Re-Harakhte), and that of his wife, Nefertari (dedicated to Hathor) were originally located in Lake Nasser (280 km from Aswan) but had to be relocated due to the risk of sinking.

Available: Every Day

Departure Time: Approx. 7 am - *Pick up time may vary depending on the location / pick up point / flight time  

Today you will be transferred back to Cairo International airport for your onward flight.