Day 1)          Arrive in Cairo
Arrive at Cairo International Airport. We meet you at the airport, assist you with passport and customs formalities, and take you to the hotel. A refreshing Egyptian drink awaits you there. Settle in, relax, and then start taking in the atmosphere of this exciting city!
This evening, we meet together as a group by the Egypt Travel team in Egypt.


Day 2)           Cairo - Giza
After an early breakfast, we meet our Egyptian guide for sightseeing in and around Africa’s largest metropolis. We drive to Memphis, capital of ancient Egypt, where we see a huge alabaster Sphinx and a statue of Ramses II. At Saqqara we view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, the oldest in the world.
From Saqqara we travel to Giza for a close-up look at the mighty Sphinx and the majestic Great Pyramids. Cheops’ Pyramid is the most colossal pyramid ever built – it stands 140.2 Meters in height, is made from over 7.7 million tons of rock, and its base covers an area of 12 acres!
In the evening, we enjoy the spectacular Sound and Light Show in the shadow of the Great Pyramids.


Day 3)           Cairo – Abu Simbel – Aswan
After breakfast at the hotel, we fly south along the Nile from Cairo to Abu Simbel. There we visit the two magnificent temples of Abu Simbel, located on the edge of the Nile, overlooking Lake Nasser. Ramses II built both temples for the purpose of demonstrating his power and divine nature to the ancient Nubians. The greater of the two temples is consecrated to the gods Ptah, Amun-Re, and Re-Horakhty. This temple is the most colossal of the temples still remaining in Egypt. Four imposing statues of Ramses II sit in pairs flanking the entrance, each over 19.8 meters high. The second temple was built in honor of his beloved wife, Nefertari, and was dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love.
Later, we fly to Aswan, and then drive to our luxurious Nile cruiser. In the afternoon we enjoy a ride on a traditional Egyptian felucca, and sail down the Nile to visit the peaceful Botanical Gardens
In the evening, we attend the breathtaking Sound and Light Show at the beautiful Temple of Isis at Philae.


Day 4)           Aswan
Following breakfast onboard , we embark on a short motorboat ride to visit the Temple of Isis at Philae. Then we drive to the Aswan High Dam. After we marvel at this masterpiece of modern engineering, we stop at the ancient quarry for a lesson in the innovative techniques used by ancient engineers to create the monuments around us and see the unfinished obelisk.
Afternoon, we begin our memorable Nile cruise by sailing to Kom Ombo to visit its temple. The Temple of Kom Ombo, dating back to the Ptolemies, is unique in that it is dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god of Nile fertility, and Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky
After that we sail to Edfu


Day 5)           Aswan – Kom Ombo – Edfu – Esna
We disembark our cruiser and board an awaiting horse-drawn carriage for the drive to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Built in the time of Cleopatra, about 2000 years ago, its remarkably intact interior makes it easy to imagine yourself back in ancient Egypt, amongst a congregation of worshippers in the temple.
Afternoon we sail to Esna to visit the Temple of Khnum, the ram-headed god, which was discovered 36 feet below the present level of the town. The temple walls are covered with inscriptions, most dating back to the Roman period.
Cruising through the Esna lock, we travel on to Luxor, known to the ancient Egyptians as Thebes.


Day 6)           Esna – Luxor
Today we take a thrilling journey to the west bank of the Nile, to the Valley of the, where generations of pharaohs and nobles were buried in great splendor in crypts cut into the cliffs. From a dramatic backdrop of sun, sand and rugged mountain peaks, we peer into the dark, eerie silence of some of the 64 royal tombs discovered there to date. One of these, the tomb of Tutankhamun, was almost completely intact when discovered in 1922. We visit Deir el Bahari to see the monumental stone temple dedicated to the only female pharaoh, Queen Hatshepsut. We marvel at the two Colossi of Memnon that faithfully guard the valleys.
This evening we attend the splendid Sound and Light Show at the Temple of Karnak, an entertaining walk through thousands of years of Egyptian history.


Day 7)           Luxor
After breakfast onboard, we visit the Temple of Karnak dedicated to the god Amun. The impressive Temple of Karnak has no equal among the national shrines of Egypt! And visit the Temple of Luxor, built by Amenophis III, Ramses II and Tutankhamun, during their respective reigns. Inside the courtyard of Ramses II is an ancient mosque built over a portion of the temple.
Later we cruise to Qena


Day 8)           Luxor – Dendera
This morning we visit Dendera and tour the darkly beautiful Temple of Hathor, the goddess of love and one of the most ancient Egyptian deities. This temple is remarkably well preserved and decorated with elaborate reliefs. The ceiling of the hypostyle hall is supported by 18 columns decorated with what are called Hathor-headed capitals, depicting the goddess in the shape of a woman with the ears of a cow.
Later we return to our cruiser to enjoy another beautiful night on the great Nile River.


Day 9)           Luxor - Cairo
After breakfast, we board a flight to Cairo. Upon our arrival in this exciting city, we enjoy an afternoon at our leisure.


Day 10)           Cairo
After breakfast, we begin today’s sightseeing by focusing on Egypt’s Islamic period, which began in 640 A.D. We visit the Citadel of Salah Al Din and the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. The Mosque is also known as the “Alabaster Mosque” because of the extensive use of this fine material. A Greek architect, commissioned by Mohamed Ali Pasha, designed it in the Ottoman style. It has two very slender minarets, 82 meters high.
In the afternoon, we head to the world-famous Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, with artifacts dating back to 5000 B.C. The museum offers a vivid introduction to the artistic and architectural styles of successive periods in ancient Egyptian history. Highlights of our visit include the incredible treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamun, including the stunning Jewel Room, and the fascinating Mummy Room.


Day 11)           Cairo - Departure
After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we accompany you to Cairo International Airport for your flight back home. You leave Egypt with wonderful memories and our very best wishes. It was our pleasure to host you; we hope that Egypt and her people always have a special place in your heart and that you will come back and visit us again!