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ITINERARY
WED: CAIRO
Arrival Cairo, transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Cairo
THU: CAIRO – EGYPTIAN MUSEUM - PYRAMIDS - SPHINX
Morning tour of the Egyptian Museum, view the largest depository of Egyptian Antiquities from the Pharaonic and Greco Roman periods as well as the treasures recovered from the Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amun. Afternoon visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only present-day survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built from over 2300 000 blocks of stone, each weighing about 2.5 tons. Nearby, the mystical Sphinx keeps watch over the Giza plateau. The 20-metre high man-animal Sphinx, created as a “living image of the sun-god”, was built by Chephren to guard the entrance to the Pyramids.
Overnight: Cairo (B)
FRI: CAIRO – ASWAN
Transfer to Cairo Airport for flight to Aswan (cost of flight not included). Transfer to your Nile Cruiser. In the afternoon, a Felucca ride to view the lush Botanic Gardens on Kitchener’s Island, Elephantine Island and Aga Khan’s Mausoleum on the west bank (view only, no visit).
Overnight: Nile Cruiser (BLD)
SAT: ASWAN – HIGH DAM – PHILAE TEMPLE – KOM OMBO - EDFU
Visit the High Dam, a huge rock-fill dam, which captures the world’s longest river. Travel by motorboat to Agilika Island and visit the reassembled Philae Temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. The temple has a majestic aura, particularly at sunset when it turns to gold. Cruise to Kom Ombo; visit the Temple of Sobek and Haroeris, dedicated to the crocodile god and the falcon headed god. Cruise to Edfu.
Overnight: Nile Cruiser (BLD)
SUN: EDFU - ESNA – LUXOR – VALLEY OF KINGS – HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE
Take a horse-drawn carriage through Edfu to the famous and best-preserved ancient Greek-built temple. Horus Temple dedicated to the falcon God was built on a rise to escape the annual flooding of the Nile. Return to your Nile Cruiser and enjoy the changing scenery as you cruise to Esna and later to Luxor, considered to be one of the world’s greatest open-air museums. Travel by coach to the West Bank and visit Thebes Necropolis and the Valley of Kings, a vast City of the Dead for generations of Pharaohs, where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated and filled with treasures for the afterlife. Very few of the rock-cut tombs escaped grave robbers during ancient times. The most famous of the sixty-two tombs is the tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amun unearthed by Howard Carter. At Deir al-Bahri, the Temple of Hatshepsut was built for the only woman who ruled Egypt. See the Colossi of Memnon; it is all that remains of the Temple of Amenophis, destroyed by the annual flooding of the Nile.
Overnight: Nile Cruiser (BLD)
MON: LUXOR- KARNAK & LUXOR TEMPLES
Disembark after breakfast. Visit the Karnak Temple, a complex dedicated to Amun Ra. Its impressive features are probably the most overwhelming of all the Egyptian monuments. Visit the Luxor Temple discovered beneath the shifting desert sands. It was originally joined to the Karnak Temple by an avenue of Sphinxes. Transfer to your hotel in Luxor.
Overnight: Luxor (B)
TUE: LUXOR - SHARM-EL-SHEIKH
Breakfast in your hotel. Explore Luxor, one of the world's greatest open-air museums. Optional tour available, we suggest a hot-air balloon excursion over the ruins of Thebes. Transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight to Sharm-el-Sheikh (not included in cost). Arrive Sharm, transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Sharm-el-Sheikh (B)
WED & THU: SHARM-EL-SHEIKH
The simplicity of sun, sea and sand! The beauty of a rugged coastline and a stunning mountain range surrounds Sharm-el-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula. Pristine beaches (some private) offer comfortable amenities such as chairs, shades and even bars. Sharm-el-Sheikh is famous for its magical underwater world of turtles, sharks, pelagic fish and wrecks. Rich coral reefs provide some of the most exquisite diving sites on the planet; much of the marine life is unique only to these waters. Sharm-el-Sheikh is one of the prime entertainment destinations on the Red Sea with casinos, nightclubs and bars. The mall provides shops with both foreign and local products, including jewelry, leather goods, clothing, pottery and books.
There is something for everyone in Sharm-el-Sheikh: snorkeling, swimming, windsurfing and other water sports; horse and camel riding, desert safaris and excursions to Mount Sinai where Moses discovered the ten commandments. The 18-hole Championship Golf Course located only 5km from most hotels has introduced a new dimension to this fantastic destination.
Overnight: Sharm-el-Sheikh (B)
FRI: SHARM-EL-SHEIKH – CAIRO
Transfer to Sharm-el-Sheikh Airport for your flight to Cairo.
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