DAY 1: CAIRO - The Adventure Begins

For your added comfort, upon your arrival at the airport, an airport representative will greet you in the tunnel and escort you through customs and immigration. The representative will facilitate the visa process for you. Continue to the baggage claim hall and passenger pick-up. Here an airport representative will help you connect with your private transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking representative. Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Marriott Mena House Hotel

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 2: CAIRO - Sun and Sand

The Great Pyramids of Giza are the most iconic image of Egyptology and an absolute must-see on any trip to Cairo. Meet with your private guide, driver, and Egyptologist, and head to Giza to discover this only surviving site of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Marvel at the breathtaking scenery of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Great Pyramids of Giza juxtaposed against the famous Sphinx statue. The sheer beauty and allure of the Sphinx have mystified world travelers the likes of Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte, an imposing scene against the backdrop of the infinite desert behind it. The mysteries of the Great Pyramids have piqued the curiosity of visitors for thousands of years. Enter the Great Pyramid of Cheops, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu. The oldest and largest of the major pyramids, The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.

Enjoy lunch at the 9 Pyramids Lounge with a full view of the Pyramids and surrounding area. Get comfortable in this outdoor setting on traditional cushions and carpets while first-class traditional food is being served. Dine at one of Marriott Mena House's delectable in-house restaurants this evening.

Marriott Mena House Hotel

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 3: CAIRO TO LUXOR TO NILE - Explore with an Expert

Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking representative. Board a flight in Cairo with direct service to Luxor. The approximate flight duration is one hour. Please note, that luggage restrictions apply to this regional flight. 1) Maximum of one checked bag, weighing up to 50 lbs (23 kg) – Economy, 70 lbs (32 kgs) - Business; Checked baggage cannot be larger than 62 linear inches (158cm). 2) Guests can also bring a piece of carry-on luggage with a maximum weight of 17 lbs (8 kg). Passengers flying in Business Class may bring two pieces of carry-on luggage. A private transfer between the airport and your hotel is provided.

Welcome aboard!

Take some time to get settled into your stateroom and to explore the length of your ship. This evening you'll overnight at the port in Luxor. Luxor is home to one of the world’s greatest open-air museums, with the ruins of Karnak and the Temples of Luxor in easy reach along the East Bank of the city. With your private Egyptologist guide, visit the impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the monuments of Karnak and Luxor, learning more about ancient Egypt’s fascinating and lengthy history. Begin with a visit to the Temples of Karnak, strolling along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter the complex. The Temples of Karnak make up the history of Thebes and consist of colossal sandstone columns transported 100 miles along the Nile River, and panoramic friezes. Discover with your guide how the massive façade was constructed. Continue to Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a 1.25-mile-long Avenue of Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. The temple dates to approximately 1400 BC and is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship rather than the Pharaohs, cult gods or deified versions of the king in death. During the Roman era, the temple and its surroundings served as a legionary fortress and acted as the home of the Roman government in the area. Relax this evening on board the comfort of your Nile cruise and enjoy the evening of entertainment, including local Egyptian music.

Sonesta St. George 1

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 4: LUXOR TO NILE - A Walk Through the Past

Some of the most spectacular sites in all of Egypt can be found on the West Bank of the Nile, near Luxor. Meet with your private guide and driver to spend a half day exploring the West Bank of the Nile, home to the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Start with a visit to the Valley of the Kings to explore the famous Tomb of Tutankhamun along with two other interesting tombs. King Tut became Pharaoh at the tender age of nine or ten, and the discovery of his nearly intact tomb in 1922 fascinated the world. For a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the kings and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt). Explore the recently renovated mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the second historically confirmed female Pharaoh. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful Pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty, and remembered as the first great woman in history of whom we are informed. Next head to the nearby Valley of the Queens, where the wives of Pharaohs were buried during the 18th through 20th Dynasties. End the visit to the West Bank with a visit to the Colossi of Memnon, the only remaining monument of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. The tomb of Nefertari is arguably the most beautiful and well-preserved tomb in all of Luxor and has even been called the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt. Following its discovery, the tomb was closed to the public in 1950 due to threats to the paintings and required restoration work. Nefertari was Ramesses II’s favorite wife, and the tomb is primarily focused on the Queen’s life and her death. The well-preserved paintings in her tomb are the most detailed source discovered of the ancient Egyptian’s journey towards the afterlife. Today you'll sail to Edfu, via Esna. Overnight at the port in Edfu.

Sonesta St. George 1

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 5: NILE - It’s All Ancient History

Disembark from your Nile cruise and meet your private guide to explore the Temple of Horus in Edfu. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon god, the temple was built from 230 to 57 BC by Ptolemy III and his successors and is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt because of its later construction date. Despite its late-era origins, it reflects traditional pharaonic architecture, and the Temple’s inscribed building texts provide an excellent idea of how all the temples once looked, with details about their construction. It fell into disuse as a religious monument when the Roman Empire banned all non-Christian worship within the Empire in 391. Edfu is an impressive temple and is the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple. Meet with your private guide and disembark from your Nile cruise to explore on foot the Kom Ombo Temple, a unique Greco-Roman temple dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the sun god. The Temple in Kom Ombo dates from about 180 BC, during a period known as the Ptolemaic era, and had some additions built on to it during Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan. The temple is unusual in that it is a double temple, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple. The right side is dedicated to Sobek-Re (the crocodile god combined with the sun god Re), along with his wife (a form of Hathor) and their son Khonsu-Hor. Sobek is associated with Seth, the enemy of Horus. In the myth of Horus and Osiris, Seth and his followers changed themselves into crocodiles to escape. The ancient Egyptians believed that by honoring the fearsome crocodile as a god, they would be safe from attacks. The left side is dedicated to Haroeris, the "Good Doctor" (a form of the falcon-headed god Horus the Elder) along with his consort Ta-Sent-Nefer, the "Good Sister" (another form of Hathor). Continue cruising onward to Aswan, where you'll overnight at port this evening.

Sonesta St. George 1

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 6: ASWAN TO NILE - A Journey Back in Time

The impressive Aswan High Dam was a marvel of engineering when it was constructed. Originally conceived to Egypt’s irrigation of farmland to mitigate against drought and famine in low-water years, and flooding in high-water years. Visit the dam with your private guide and spend a half day learning about Aswan. The dam displaced over 100,000 Nubians in Sudan and Egypt alike and was part of a major relocation project for archaeological sites under the UNESCO Nubia Campaign, including the Abu Simbel temples and Philae. Other sites were eventually flooded by Lake Nasser, the world’s largest artificial lake that was created by the Aswan High Dam. Then head to Philae and the Temple of Isis on Agilikia Island. Stop at the stone quarries to see the unfinished obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk, and a very good practical demonstration of the methods used by ancient craftsmen to create impressive moments. Marks from workers’ tools are still clearly visible on the bedrock. Set sail on a Nile adventure and take in the scenery around Aswan aboard a traditional, non-motorized felucca. Gently sail past the small, oval-shaped El Nabatat Island, also known as Kitchener’s Island, and explore the lush Aswan Botanical Island that features trees from the 5 continents. View the Mausoleum of Aga Khan belonging to Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah before sailing back into Aswan. Tonight you'll overnight at the port in Aswan.

Sonesta St. George 1

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 7: ASWAN TO CAIRO - The Journey Continues…

This morning you'll disembark from your ship and bid farewell to the crew. A private transfer between the airport and the hotel is provided. Board a flight in Aswan with direct service to Cairo. Approximate flight duration is one hour and 30 minutes. Please note, that luggage restrictions apply to this regional flight. 1) Maximum of one checked bag, weighing up to 50 lbs (23 kg) – Economy, 70 lbs (32 kgs) - Business; Checked baggage cannot be larger than 62 linear inches (158cm). 2) Guests can also bring a piece of carry-on luggage with a maximum weight of 17 lbs (8 kg). Passengers flying in Business Class may bring two pieces of carry-on luggage. Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking representative. Cairo and the surrounding area around the Nile have been inhabited for millennia, and the heart of Coptic Cairo is still home to a host of ancient ruins telling the story the Persians and the early emergence of Christianity. With your private guide and driver, head to the remains of the Babylon Fortress, originally constructed by the Persians around the 6th century BC. These ruins are the city of Cairo’s oldest original structure – while the pyramids are older, they are in nearby Giza. Within the confines of the Fortress of Babylon are a number of important Coptic Christian Churches, including the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga, constructed on the spot where the Holy Family is reported to have rested at during the end of their journey into Egypt. The neighborhood is also home to a number of historic sites important to both Judaism and Islam. Among others, today you will visit the Hanging Church, one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Its nave is suspended over a passage and the church was the seat of the Coptic Pope for centuries after it was relocated from Alexandria following the Muslim conquest of Egypt. See the Church of Saint Barbara, a long-lasting example of ancient Coptic architecture commemorating a 4th-century local saint. End the day with a visit to the Coptic Museum which houses the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts in the world and important examples of Coptic art.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 8: CAIRO - Explore a City of Contrasts

Delve into the historical background of Egypt on a private tour with your Egyptologist guide. You will first visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, also known as the Egyptian Museum, which is a veritable treasure trove of Ancient Egypt’s artifacts, with an extensive collection of more than 120,000 items split between its exhibits and storerooms. You will also head to the National Museum of Civilization. With a view of Ain El-Seera Lake the NEMC was built on the archaeological site of El-Fustat, the first capital of Egypt. The museum showcases Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day, using a multidisciplinary approach that highlights the country's history. With a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits, your visit will help add to your knowledge and understanding of Egypt's ancient and modern civilizations. Today you will also explore the Royal Mummy Hall, where some of the world’s most powerful people are now resting, excavated from their tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. Relax and enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, including a choice of a small bottle of water, soft drink, tea or coffee. As the day draws to a close, Cairo’s Khan Khalili Bazaar becomes a vibrant scene: a maze of shops lined with souvenirs and antiques, restaurants and coffee shops, workshops, mosques, and food vendors. The sights and sounds intermingle in an enchanting display over wafting aromas of freshly baked bread and roasting meats. Stroll down Al Moaz Street with your private guide, and marvel at the largest concentration of medieval architectural treasures from the Islamic world. End the evening with a memorable dinner at the Egyptian restaurant Naguib Mafouz, located in the heart of the bazaar. The restaurant is one of Cairo’s top-rated dining establishments. After dinner, return to your hotel by private vehicle.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 9: CAIRO - Head Home

Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking representative.

None / On Request

Breakfast