Day 1, Depart USA Overnight flight to Cairo.

Day 2, Cairo at leisure When arriving in Cairo, we are entering a land that abounds in wonders and mysteries, many of which are revealed on this tour. We are met at the airport and transferred to our hotel.

Day 3, Cairo – Sightseeing This morning our Tour Director welcomes us at a pre-tour briefing. Then we visit the Citadel, from which we get a breathtaking view of the whole city. Salah El Din started the Citadel in the 12th century, but it owes its present outline to Mohammed Ali, whose great Mosque we visit next. We continue to Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom, where a colossal statue of Rameses II and a great alabaster sphinx await us. Nearby at Sakkara we view the step Pyramid of Zosa, the oldest in the world. Now it's on to Giza for a camel ride to the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and a guide tour of these magnificent monuments and enigmatic Sphinx. (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 4, Cairo – Luxor – Cruising This morning we fly to Luxor, the former capital of the New Kingdom. In private moorings, near the edge of town, our 5 star cruise boat awaits! We board in time for lunch before our unforgettable visit Luxor Temple. We also tour the awe inspiring temple complex of Karnak, with its vast Hypostyle Hall. We return this evening for a fabulous Sound and Light show. There, among the avenues of sphinxes and hall of colossal columns, we hear tales of ancient Thebes. (Buffet Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Day 5, Cruising – Edfu After breakfast we cross to the west bank of the Nile and stop for a photo of the towering Colossi of Memnon. These two giant seated figures are all that is left of Amon-Ofis III mortuary temple. We visit the amazing Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, then continue to the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of many of the New Kingdom Pharaohs. This afternoon we cruise south to Esna, and Edfu. (Buffet Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Day 6, Cruising – Kom Ombo This morning we sail to Edfu where we enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride to visit the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus, the Falcon God. Then we continue to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Sobek the crocodile god, conveniently situated on the river bank. Tonight we celebrate in true Egyptian style at a Oriental Dinner and Galabea Party. (Buffet Breakfast/ Lunch/ Hotel Dinner)

Day 7, Cruising – Aswan We cruise to exotic Aswan in the cool of early morning. We take a motorboat to the Temple of Isis, rising from the waters of the Nile on the Island of Philae. Later, we return to Aswan where we sail in a traditional Nile felucca around Aswan's Botanical Gardens. (Buffet Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Day 8, Aswan This morning perhaps join the optional excursion to the temples of Abu Simbel, carved out of the rock by Ramese II and later rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser? Later we visit the Aswan High Dam and also the ancient Granite Quarries, where we see the enormous unfinished obelisk. We disembark and check in to our Aswan hotel. This evening, we are treated to high tea on the terrace of our hotel while enjoying the sun set! (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 9, Pyramids - Excursion We start our day by visiting Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom, where a colossal statue of Rameses II and a great alabaster sphinx await us. Nearby at Sakkara, we view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, dating from 2686BC and the oldest in the world. This afternoon we visit the Pyramids at Giza. First, we enjoy a camel ride to the Great Pyramid of Cheops for our guided tour of these magnificent monuments, the only ones remaining from the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. Finally, we come face to face with the inscrutable Sphinx. (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 10, Return - USA Our tour ends today after breakfast with a transfer to the airport. (Buffet Breakfast)

Abu Simbel Option Tour
This immensely popular excursion, visiting the awe-inspiring Temples of Rameses II at Abu Simble, should be booked at the same time as your tour to avoid possible disappointment.

Abu Simbel is the most beautiful and imaginative construction of the greatest and most whimsical Pharaoh in Egyptian history - Rameses II. The facade consists of four colossal statues of the Pharaoh seated on his throne. Each statue is twenty meters high, measures four meters from ear to ear and one meter along the line of the lips.

To the Pharaohs architects, the temple represented a tremendous challenge which, two thousand years later, was to be taken up again by the engineers of the world community in order to save it from the waters of the Nile.
Tour Code: X884A Per Person by Air $195

Itinerary Variations: Certain Nile cruises operate in reverse, from Aswan to Luxor. Due to the unreliability of domestic air scheduling, religious festivals and other unforeseen circumstances, the order of this itinerary may need to change at short notice. On occasions, an alternative cruise boat of equal standard may be used.

Esna Lock Closure: The Esna Lock will be closed from 01-30 June and 01-16 Dec 2004 and cruise boats will not be permitted to travel between Luxor and Esa at this time. On tours spanning these dates, Luxor sightseeing as featured in the itinerary will be operated by coach from Esna instead of by boat.