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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!
Day 3)
Cairo - Luxor
After breakfast at the hotel, we fly south along the
Nile from Cairo to Luxor, and then drive to our
luxurious Nile cruiser, later 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.
Day 4)
Luxor
Today we take a thrilling journey to the west bank of
the Nile, to the Valley of the Kings, where generations
of pharaohs 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.
Afternoon we sail to Esna and cross the lock
Day 5)
Edfu – Kom Ombo
This morning we sail to Edfu. 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 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.
Day 6)
Aswan
Sailing to Aswan, and 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.
Day 7)
Aswan - Cairo
Following breakfast on our cruiser, we enjoy a ride on a
traditional Egyptian felucca, and sail down the Nile to
visit the peaceful Botanical Gardens
Later, we disembark our cruise ship and drive to the
airport for our flight back to Cairo
Day 8)
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 9)
Cairo
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!
PS. Nile Cruise schedule is subject to change
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