Full of mystery, Egypt is one of the leading places on one’s “to do” list. Learn about its ancient civilizations spanning some 5000 years. See its wonders firsthand walking through ancient sites whose design and construction are incredible. Sail along the majestic River Nile winding its way between Luxor and Aswan. Discover sights relating to all three major religions.
This is a ten day tour experiencing the great wonders of Egypt in Cairo, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor.
Your land tour includes:
All airport transfers and ground transportation in air conditioned vehicle as stated in the program
5 nights accommodation based on double occupancy at a hotel in Cairo including breakfast
1 night accommodation based on double occupancy at a hotel in Aswan including breakfast
3 nights accommodation based on a double cabin on board a Nile cruise ship including breakfast, lunch and dinner
All sightseeing tours (including entrance fees) with a private licensed Egyptologist English speaking guide
Your land tour does not include:
Round trip airfare in and out of Cairo
Domestic Airfare: Cairo/Aswan – Luxor/Cairo
Departure taxes/fuel surcharges or airport improvement fees subject to change without prior notice
Insurance – non-refundable insurance premium
Porterage at airports, hotels and cruise
Documentation including passport fees
Egyptian visa charge
Early check-in and late checkout
Single room supplement – a limited number of single rooms is available on payment of supplement
Meals not mentioned
Beverages not specified
Entrance fees inside any of the Giza pyramids, the Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum, the Tomb of King Tutankhamen or the Tomb of Nefertari in Luxor
Optional tours not quoted
Gratuities for individual services such as laundry and valet service or any other items of a purely personal nature
Tips to drivers/local guides/hotel, restaurant staff and cruise staff – tipping is at the discretion of the traveler
E.& O.E.
For information and reservations please contact Janice Snider.
Day 1: Cairo
Arrival at the Cairo International Airport. You will be warmly greeted by our representative who will assist you through immigration and customs formalities. Once the formalities have been completed, you will be transferred by a deluxe coach to your hotel in Cairo for overnight.
Day 2: Cairo
After breakfast, meet your guide and depart on a tour visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the great pyramid of Khufu (2690 BC), the oldest and largest of the three Pyramids of Giza and the only one to remain largely intact. Continue to explore the rest of Giza plateau including the sight of Khafre’s (Khufu’s son) pyramid, the second-largest and second tallest pyramid on the Giza site and Menkaure’s pyramid, the smallest and the last pyramid built at Giza. Nearby is the famous Sphinx with the head of a human and the body of a lion carved into bedrock faces directly west to east. After the tour transfer back to the hotel for overnight. B
Days 3: Cairo
After breakfast at the hotel, we will explore the treasures of the Egyptian Museum home to an extensive collection of antiquities dating from Egypt’s Pharaonic period. Most date back some 50 centuries among which are the world famous Tutankhamen collection discovered by Howard Carter, the Egyptologist who discovered the tomb. This is probably the most famous collection in the world. Afterwards a visit is paid to the Mummies Room that has captured our imagination through time each with its own story to tell. Afterwards transfer back to your hotel. B
Days 4: Cairo | Aswan
After breakfast, check out and transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight to Aswan. Upon arrival at Aswan International Airport, our representative will be waiting for you to escort you to your hotel where you will stay overnight. There will be time to relax after your journey. Later we will meet our guide who will accompany us during our tour to see the High Dam, built across the Nile in Aswan between 1960 and 19070. This is the world’s largest embankment dam which allowed the reclaiming of more than 100,000 acres for cultivation. Before the dam was built, the Nile River overflowed once a year. Next is the Unfinished Obelisk, is the largest known ancient obelisk. Around Aswan are several ancient stone quarries which were the source of the finest granite in Ancient Egypt. Carving monuments directly in the bedrock was a common technique during those days. Still in its original location, it is thought to have been abandoned during construction due to a crack. Our final stop today will be at the Philae Temple built to honour the Goddess Isis and was one of the last outposts where the goddess was worshipped. The entire complex was moved from its original location on Philae Island to its new location on Agilkia Island after the flooding of Lake Nasser. The walls of the temple are covered in ancient hieroglyphs. After the tour, you transfer back to your hotel. B
Days 5: Aswan
After breakfast check out of the hotel. The morning is free or you can take part in an optional visit Abu Simbel by air or by road. Later on transfer to your Nile Cruise ship which will be your home for the next three nights. Embarkation will be before lunch. Dinner will be served onboard the cruise ship where you will stay overnight. B/L/D
Days 6: Kom Ombo | Edfu
An early morning sail takes us to Kom Ombo, a sleepy agricultural town where we find one of the most unique temples in Aswan and perhaps in all of Egypt. Kom Ombo means The Hill of Gold in hieroglyphics. Located about 47 km North of Aswan, it was built during the Graeco-Roman period and is unique because it is a double temple, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god and Horus, the falcon headed god. Return to the ship for lunch on board. Then there is time to relax and admire the beautiful scenery along the Nile while sailing to the agricultural town of Edfu where we will find one of the best preserved shrines in Egypt built in the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Located on the west bank of the Nile between Esna and Aswan, we will travel by a horse-drawn carriage to visit the temple. Afterwards return to the ship and sail to Luxor. You will have dinner and stay overnight on board. B/L/D
Days 7: Luxor
Following breakfast, we focus on discovering Luxor. We begin on the West Bank where we find the Colossi of Memnon, two monumental statues representing Amenhotep 111 located west of Luxor facing east towards the Nile. The king is sitting on an ornamented throne rising some 60 feet high carved from single blocks of sandstone. Moving on we come to the mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the only female Pharaoh of Egypt. Situated in Deir el-Bahri, this graceful terraced temple is one of the most impressive monuments on the West Bank. Rediscovered in 1891, the approach to the temple was lined with a 121 foot causeway of Sphinxes. During the reign of Thutmosis III every efforts was made to erase Hatshepsut’s name from all records. Next is the Valley of the Kings discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter when one of the most important tombs were found in the Valley of the King. These rock cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and his powerful nobles. Archaeologists have been kept busy for many years. The tombs are opened on a rotational basis. Return to the ship for lunch before visiting the East Bank where you will find the Karnak and Luxor Temples. Karnak is a city of temples that were built over 2000 year dedicated to the Theban triad of Amun, Mut and Khonsu. It is the largest religious building ever made and was a place of pilgrimage for nearly 2000 years. Luxor Temple was built by Amenhotep III, completed by Tutankhamun and added to by Rameses II. Located one mile south of Karnak Temple, both temples were once joined by the Avenue of Sphinxes lined with two rows of human headed stone sphinxes. Today, the remains can be seen outside the entrance. After the tour transfer back to the cruise ship for dinner and overnight. B/L/D
Days 8: Luxor | Cairo
Following breakfast onboard, transfer from the pier to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Our representative will be waiting for you at Luxor Airport for assistance with airport formalities. He will escort you to your hotel in Cairo. The rest of the day will be spent at leisure. B
Days 9: Cairo
After breakfast, the day is free for an optional visit to Alexandria, a Mediterranean port home to a lighthouse which is listed among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as well as a storied library. You will also find Greco-Roman landmarks and old world cafes here.
Or Fayoum located 100 km southwest of Cairo, the Fayoum Oasis is without doubt, one of the country’s hidden treasures.
Or choose from other available optional excursions. B
Days 10: Cairo
You will be checking out after breakfast, and transferred to the Cairo International Airport for your final departure. B
B = breakfast L= lunch D= dinner