On arrival at Cairo Airport you will be met and transferred to the Marriott Mena House Hotel.
Today enjoy a privately guided full day tour with your Egyptologist to the ancient capital Memphis and burial ground of Sakkara, located southwest of Cairo. After lunch at a traditional restaurant you will visit the Pyramids of Giza, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the mysterious Sphinx, carved from a single block of stone. (BL)
Day 3 - Aswan / Abu Simbel
Today you will be transferred to Cairo Airport for your flight to Aswan. (BLD)
Flight from Cairo to Aswan (flight included).
On arrival at Aswan Airport you will continue onto your excursion by air to Abu Simbel (included).
View the wonders of this amazing temple built by Ramses II and relocated piece by piece in the 1960’s for preservation from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Return to Aswan, and on arrival transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation: 1 night Sofitel Legend Old Cataract.
Rising grandly from a pink granite shelf at the edge of the Nubian Desert with views of Elephantine Island, this stylish property blends Pharaonic treasures with French art de recevoir.
Discover sophisticated interiors by Sybille de Margerie in the historic Palace, a world of Moorish arches, ruby red chandeliers, plush Persian carpets, soft armchairs and hand-carved furnishings.
Day 4 - Nile Cruise
After breakfast you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to join you Nile Cruise. (BLD)
Board your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, moored in a private dock in Aswan, where you will be welcomed by the reception staff. Lunch will be served on board.
This afternoon you will have the chance to take a ride on a felucca (a typical Egyptian sail boat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum (weather permitting, life jackets will be provided).
Enjoy afternoon tea served in the lounge. Tonight, you will be greeted by your Boat Manager as you enjoy a selection of canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer. A gourmet dinner will be served on board.
Accommodation: 4 nights onboard the Sanctuary Nile Cruise.
The elegant Sanctuary Nile Adventurer has just 32 cabins, offering a luxurious yet relaxed cruise on the Nile. Decorated in a contemporary style, the ship’s design combines modern Egyptian culture with seven thousand years of heritage. Add gourmet cuisine as well as sightseeing experiences with the country’s most experienced Egyptologists, this is a taste of genuine 5-star luxury on a timeless river.
The Sanctuary Nile Adventurer seamlessly blends contemporary Egyptian culture with authentic character, a blend of East and West. The extensive sun deck areas, with their elegant teak floors, include private cabanas around the pool area, the perfect spot for relaxing while taking in the scenery.
Please note: Itineraries may be changed without a prior notice due to navigational circumstances.
Day 5 - Nile Cruise
A breakfast buffet will be served on board, followed by a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. This will be followed by a visit to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk. (BLD)
Later, an Egyptian cooking lesson will be presented on board. Enjoy lunch, while you cruise to Kom Ombo and visit the magnificent Temple of Kom Ombo – dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Edfu.
Tonight will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyya”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.
Day 6 - Nile Cruise
A breakfast buffet will be served on board. This morning, explore the extraordinary Temple of Horus. Once you return to the boat, continue to enjoy your cruise onward to Esna, while enjoying your lunch. (BLD)
This afternoon, your Egyptologist will guide you round the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters below present-day street level. Afternoon tea will be served while you sail to Luxor.
Tonight, a delicious dinner is served on board.
Day 7 - Nile Cruise
Breakfast is served on board. This morning, your Egyptologist will guide you around the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun – and then onwards to the Temple of Karnak.
After lunch, visit the Valley of the Kings. You will have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, you will pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.
Return your luxury Nile Cruise boat where afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine.
Day 8 - Nile Cruise
After a final breakfast on board the cruise boat you will disembark and be met and transferred to your hotel. (B)
Day 9 – Cairo
Today after breakfast at the hotel you will be collected and transferred to the airport for your flight to Cairo. (B)
Flight from Aswan to Cairo (flight included).
On arrival at Cairo Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Accommodation: 2 nights Four Seasons First Residence Cairo Hotel.
Located in a soaring 20-storey Giza tower, Four Seasons at The First Residence Cairo offers 269 luxury hotel guest rooms, including 43 suites. Among the most spacious hotel rooms in Cairo, our comfortable luxury accommodations take full advantage of their setting, allowing you to look out on a range of lovely vistas, including the pyramids, botanical gardens and captivating views of the city itself.
Day 10 – Cairo
This morning you have a privately escorted sightseeing trip of Old Cairo which includes the Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Saladin and Mosque of Mohamed Ali, followed by some shopping time at the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. (BL)
Day 11 - End of your Wonders of Egypt Tour
Today you will be transferred to Cairo Airport for your onward flight. (B)