Egypt 9 Nights 10 Days with Nile Cruise

Day 1 (Arrival Cairo)

You will be met and assisted by one of our representatives at Cairo Airport who will escort you to your hotel for a night in Cairo.

Day 2 (Cairo)

You will be picked up from your hotel at 8 AM to enjoy a day tour of Cairo. Your first stop will be at Giza Plateau, where one of the remaining wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza, still stands. You visit the Pyramids and enjoy panoramic views from the western plateau, then continue down the valley where the guardian of this Mortuary complex, the mighty Sphinx, stands with great pride. Then you will be brought to Tahrir Square, the heart of downtown Cairo. You visit the National Archaeological Museum and acquaint yourself with Egypt’s ancient history, spanning a period of over 50 centuries. The Museum has the world’s largest and richest collection of Egyptian Antiquities, among them the priceless collection of King Tut. After the day tour you will be transferred to Cairo Airport for a flight to Aswan. Upon arrival you check in to your hotel for a night in Aswan (Meals included: Breakfast and lunch).

Day 3 (Aswan and Nile cruise)

After breakfast you will be transferred to your luxurious cruise ship for a 3 night Nile cruise. After check-in, you begin a guided day tour, starting with a boat trip to the Temple of Philae, which was built in honour of goddess Isis. After this visit you will go to the High Dam, an engineering miracle used as an embankment dam situated across the Nile River, built in the 1960’s to protect Egypt from annual floods.
You will be transferred back to the cruise ship for lunch, where you can also enjoy cruise activities and dinner in the evening. You spend the night on board in Aswan (Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day 4 (Kom Ombo and Edfu)

Today the ship will sail to Kom Ombo and Edfu. In Kom Ombo you visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. After this visit you will sail toward Edfu. There, you will be taken to see the Temple of Horus, which is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god. This relatively young pharaonic temple is well-preserved and therefore very impressive. In the evening you have dinner on board and spend the night (Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day 5 (Luxor)

As the ship sails on toward Luxor, you pass the city of Esna. Today you can just enjoy the view relaxing on the sundeck while watching the local life on the river and its banks. After arrival in Luxor you have the option of seeing the Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temples in the evening (additional cost). You spend your last night on board in Luxor (Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day 6 (Luxor East and West Bank)

After breakfast on board, you check out at 8 AM to start your day tour of the West Bank of Luxor. First you will be transported to the Necropolis of Thebes, the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank of Luxor. This ancient necropolis is a must-see for Luxor travelers. It consists of tombs embedded in the mountain Thebes. Here you visit 3 tombs of various dynasties. Your Egyptologist tour guide will be on hand to recommend and advise you as to which tombs to visit. After visiting the tombs you will be transported to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Afterwards, you will be taken to see the Colossi of Memnon, the two largest ancient statues in Egypt. To conclude your Nile cruise, you visit Karnak Temples on the East Bank of Luxor. Karnak beats every other pharaonic monument: it is simply one of the most beautiful ancient monuments in Egypt. At every site you will get information from your Egyptologist tour guide and you will get free time to explore the ancient monuments by yourself. After the day tour you will be transferred to Luxor Airport for a flight to Cairo. Upon arrival you check in to your hotel in Cairo (Meals included: Breakfast and lunch).

Day 7 (Cairo)

Today you can spend the day at leisure or you can take an optional tour to the old part of Cairo. Since Egypt was one of the first countries to embrace Christianity, there is Christian heritage to be found in Cairo. You visit the Church of Abu Sergah (Church of St. Sergius and St. Bacchus), the Church of St. Barbara and the Hanging Church. Also, you bring a visit to the old Jewish Ben Ezra Synagogue. You spend the night in your hotel in Cairo (Meals included: Breakfast).

Day 8 (Alexandria)

You will be picked up after breakfast to be driven to Alexandria (approx. 3 hours), the bride of the Mediterranean Sea. Upon arrival in Alexandria your tour starts with a visit of the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqqafa. These tombs were tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antonine emperors in the 2nd century AD. They were built for a single wealthy family still practicing the ancient Egyptian religion. These tombs represent the last existing major construction for the sake of the Egyptian religion. Next is a visit to Pompey’s Pillar. This high column of 30 meter was constructed in honour of the Emperor Diocletain at the end of the 4th century. The column was originally a part of the Temple of the Serapis, which once was a magnificent structure but unfortunately destroyed. Then you will have lunch, after which you visit Fort Qaitbey. This fort was built in 1480 by a Mamluk sultan on top of the remains of the ancient Pharos lighthouse, which was destroyed by an earthquake. Material of the old tower was used to build the fort. Then you pay a visit to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Alexandrian library. This modern architectural building was inspired by the great ancient library, which was built in the late 3rd century BC. Finally you will drive back to Cairo (Meals included: Breakfast and lunch).

Day 9 (Giza)

Today you will drive south to Sakkara to see the Step Pyramids of King Djoser, which were the first pyramids ever built. The pyramid of King Djoser was designed and built for his burial by the genius engineer Imhotep. After that you visit Memphis, the capital of the ancient kingdom and one of the most important cities throughout the history of ancient Egypt. You can spend the rest of your last day in Cairo at leisure (Meals included: Breakfast and lunch).

Day 10 (Departure)

After breakfast at your hotel you will be transferred to Cairo Airport for your departure flight (Meals included: Breakfast).