Luxury Cruise Along the Nile River with Visits to Egypt's Top Sights

Cairo

Day 1: Welcome to the Legendary Land of the Pharaohs!

When you arrive at Cairo International Airport, you will be met by a tour representative who will transport you to the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence.

Travel to the luxury Cairo hotel in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle and take in your first impressions of this extraordinary Egyptian city!

Cairo

Day 2: See the Great Pyramids of Giza

Your Egypt adventure begins today, with a visit to the iconic pyramids of Giza. But first, a visit to Memphis, the former capital of Old Egypt will offer an introduction to the history of this legendary country. Founded by the Pharoah Menes, Memphis is an open-air museum with temple ruins, sculptures, and hieroglyphic carvings.

Later, you will visit the Step Pyramid at Sakkara, designed for King Zoser by the architect Imhotep, before finally setting your eyes upon the majestic pyramids of Giza. Known as Cheops, Chefren, and Mykerinus, Egypt's great pyramids are like no other structure on Earth. A visit to the Great Sphinx rounds out this exceptional day. 

Cairo

Day 3: Tour the Colorful Sights of Cairo

Embark on an exploration of Cairo today. After breakfast, a private guide will lead you on a tour of the Egyptian Museum, which is home to an exquisite collection of artifacts from the tomb of King Tutankhamun. 

Later, you will visit the 12th-century Salah El Din Citadel, a magnificent fortress constructed to defend Cairo from the crusading armies, before continuing on to the Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque. An iconic Cairo landmark dating from the early 19th century, this immense structure is an excellent example of Ottoman architecture.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the day's tour continues with an exploration of an area known as Islamic Cairo. Explore the colorful stalls of Khan El Khalili, Cairo's old bazaar before venturing to the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo, and later Ben Ezra Synagogue.

Cairo - Abu Simbel - Aswan

Day 4: Discover a Temple Fit For a King

After a flight of about two hours, you will land in Abu Simbel today. Here, you will encounter the stunning Abu Simbel Temples, twin temples dedicated to King Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari. These magnificent structures carved into the mountainside are part of the "Nubian Monuments" UNESCO World Heritage Site and date back to the 13th century BC.

Once you have spent some time in this ancient atmosphere, take a short flight to Aswan, an important trading city on the banks of the Nile River. Here, you will board a luxurious small vessel, designed in the style of a traditional Dahabiya boat, for an unforgettable week-long cruise along the Nile River.

Aswan - Kom Ombo

Day 5: Begin Your Nile Cruise

This morning, before embarking on your voyage up the river Nile, you will have the opportunity to visit the impressive Aswan High Dam. Formally inaugurated in 1971, this marvel of engineering took ten years to construct. Later you will visit the Temple of Philae, which is dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis.

In the afternoon, your cruise boat begins its journey north toward Kom Ombo. Tonight, enjoy dinner on board while taking in the magnificent scenery of the Nile's shoreline. 

Kom Ombo

Day 6: Visit the Temple of the Crocodile God

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast onboard the ship as you journey to Kom Ombo, where the Temple of Kom Ombo awaits.

A double temple, constructed during the Ptolemaic Dynasty over two thousand years ago, this unique temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris. Here, you can examine the well-preserved friezes that adorn the temple's massive columns, and visit a crocodile museum.

Spend the night on board your ship, moored beside an island.

Edfu

Day 7: Examine Hieroglyphs at the Temple of Edfu

On the western banks of the River Nile, the wonderfully-preserved Temple of Edfu awaits your arrival.

Constructed during the Ptolemaic Dynasty between 237 and 57 BC, the ancient structure was dedicated to the falcon god Horus and the goddess Hathor. It features intricate hieroglyphs, which tell stories of language, mythology, and religion in Egypt's Hellenistic period.

Soak up the inspiring atmosphere of this distinctive sanctuary and imagine the civilizations that once celebrated here. 

Esna

Day 8: Take in Peaceful Riverside Scenery on the Way to Luxor

Spend a leisurely day aboard the Sonesta Amirat Dahabeya today. After breakfast on board the boat, continue your journey north toward Luxor.

Relax in the privacy of your cabin and take in the views from your picture windows, or find a comfortable spot on the ship's upper deck where you can enjoy the fresh air and watch the peaceful Egyptian landscape pass by.

As you sail past the ancient city of Esna, about 50 kilometers south of Luxor, the cruise will go through the Esna Lock before mooring at a nearby island. 

Luxor

Day 9: Explore the Remnants of an Ancient Capital

At the height of the pharaohs' power, from the 16th to the 11th centuries BC, Thebes was the capital of ancient Egypt. Now known as Luxor, this magnificent city is home to great treasures from antiquity.

After cruising into Luxor this morning, embark on an excursion to the Karnak Temple Complex. Here, the Precinct of Amun-Re is an extraordinary open-air museum and sanctuary where 137 massive columns form a great forest of sandstone.

Later, your tour continues to the Temple of Luxor, which was once linked to the Karnak Temple by the one and a half mile Avenue of Sphinxes. The construction of Luxor Temple began under King Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC and continued under King Tutankhamun before being completed by King Horemheb, the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt.

Luxor

Day 10: Walk Among Tombs in the Valley of the Kings

Today you will visit a remarkable place: the Valley of the Kings.

The burial place of the great Egyptian pharaohs, this sweeping desert landscape is home to magnificent mausoleums built into the hillsides, where kings, queens, and high priests have their final resting places. This is where the famous British archeologist Howard Carter discovered the magnificent tomb of King Tutankhamen in 1922.

Continue on to the adjacent Valley of the Queens, where you will see the tomb of Queen Nefertari, beloved wife of King Ramesses II.

Luxor

Day 11: Explore an Ancient Egyptian City

Enjoy one final breakfast aboard the Dahabeya before disembarking the boat in Luxor.

Today's adventure brings you to Abydos, one of the oldest cities in the world ever to be discovered, and one of the most important archeological sites in existence.

Believed by ancient Egyptians to be the burial place of Osiris, the site is home to the well-preserved Temple of Seti I. Here, you can see a slab of stone inscribed with the names of every pharaoh to have ruled Egypt.

Later, continue to the Temple of Hathor, goddess of love and joy, in Dendera, just north of Luxor. This is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. 

Tonight, check in at the Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor, an exceptional 5-star hotel. 

Luxor - Cairo

Day 12: Visit the Temple of a Female Pharaoh

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel this morning. After checkout, you will visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a magnificent temple commissioned by the queen herself in the 15th century BC. A fascinating relief sculpture within the temple describes the divine birth of the female pharaoh. 

Later, you will be transferred to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo.

Cairo

Day 13: Farewell, Egypt!

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.

Depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to Cairo International Airport to continue your onward journey.

We hope you have had an unforgettable adventure in Egypt and wish you safe travels home.