Luxury 10-day Dahabeya Nile cruise

Cairo Airport - Cairo

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo

Arrival at Cairo international airport, where you will be met and assisted with formalities. Transfer to your hotel.

Once you've settled in, the rest of the day is at your leisure: explore the great city of Cairo or simply relax in your hotel. 

Giza Pyramids - Sphinx - National Egyptian Museum

Day 2: Pyramids of Giza

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting out to visit the Giza pyramids. Visit the 'three sisters': Kheops, the biggest, then Khephren and Mykerinos, the smallest of the three, which still retains its original coating around the base. Marvel at the impressive Sphinx with the head of a man, which stand on each side of the tomb entrance in their role as guardians against looters.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, then visit the National Museum in Old Cairo. Founded in 1857 by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette Pasha, it was relocated to the current site in 1902. Providing a fascinating insight to the history of archaeology in the region, it houses an incredible collection of Egyptian artefacts.

You can choose to attend the amazing sound and light show at the Giza pyramids or spend the rest of your evening in the city. 

Luxor - Karnak Complex - Luxor Temple

Day 3: Valley of the Kings

After breakfast, transfer to Cairo international airport to board the one-hour flight to Luxor.

On arrival, set off to the Karnak complex, which includes the impressive temple of Amon Ra. The Karnak temple complex is home to three main temples, several smaller enclosed temples and a number of outer temples. These all combine the achievements of many generations of ancient builders over a period of 1500 years. Around 30 different pharaohs contributed to the building process of this site.

Enjoy lunch in town before departing to visit the Valley of the Kings. Divided into the East and West Valleys, the eastern is the more iconic of the two, as the western valley contains only a handful of tombs. In all, the Valley of the Kings includes over 60 tombs and an additional 20 unfinished ones. The tour includes the chance to visit three tombs.

Return to Luxor for the night.

Luxor - Esna - Temple Of Khnum

Day 4: Board the Dahabeya

After breakfast, you'll depart for Esna, located some 33 miles south of Luxor. This thriving merchant town is best known for the small ancient Temple of Khnum, which sits nine metres below street level. It's also where you board the Dahabeya and meet the crew for your Nile Cruise. 

The trip begins with a brief walk to the temple and a stroll through streets filled with beautiful textiles and other enticing goods to admire; this is a great chance for some souvenir shopping.

Then it's back to the boat for an evening's relaxation and dinner. 

Luxor - El Kab - Temple Of Nekhbet

Day 5: Temple of Nekhbet

El Kab, on the East bank of the Nile, was once the capital of Upper Egypt and is still home to the temple of Nekhbet, as well as a row of fascinating decorated tombs carved into the slope of the mountains. After docking, set out on a beautiful walk through a small fishing village to visit the necropolis.

In the afternoon, the boat will arrive at Edfu, home to the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to the god Horus. This is among the best preserved of all Egyptian temples. You'll journey by horse and carriage to the temple through the busy city streets.

After returning to the boat, it's time to set sail for a beautiful island retreat on the Nile.

Luxor - Temple Of Gebel Silsileh

Day 6: Sail and swim

Today is a day devoted to the river Nile: after an optional morning walk and breakfast, you'll set sail to reach a beautiful island. Once the boat has moored, take a gentle stroll or enjoy a swim in the cooling waters.

As dusk begins, there may be an opportunity to walk into the desert along a valley lined with boulders covered in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and stone-age inscriptions. These images mark the beginning of the shortest route through the desert to Libya: 28 days in ancient times.

The boat will tie up overnight at the foot of the floodlit temple of Gebel Silsileh.

Gebel Silsileh

Day 7: Gebel Silsileh

Awaken to the stunning sight of Gebel Silsileh. Here, the Nile is at its narrowest, as it flows between two mountain ranges. Larger Nile cruises are unable to stop here, so take adantage of being one of only a few visitors able to reach this fascinating site. Visit the small temple of Horemheb and walk through the sandstone quarries, where ancient Egyptians cut stone for many of their most famous temples. Before leaving, stop at a picturesque café to enjoy tea and perhaps sample a shisha pipe.

Later, you'll sail on to a picturesque riverbank for a lunch stop and swimming, then continue the voyage along the river. 

Kom Ombo - Crocodile Museum - Aswan

Day 8: Kom Ombo and the crocodile god

After a night on the water and beneath the stars, arrive in the town and temple of Kom Ombo. The temple was built during the Ptolemaic period on the site of an older temple and at one of the most beautiful locations, on a bend on the river. The temple was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. After exploring the temple, visit the new Crocodile Museum, which contains mummified crocodiles, attesting to the importance the creature played in this region in ancient times.

Aswan Bridge - Philae Temple - High-dam

Day 9: Aswan Bridge and Philae Temple

Awake to the beautiful sight of the desert closing in on the river at Aswan Bridge. Here the cruise comes to an end; disembark in the morning and head to the impressive Philae temple, dedicated to Isis.

Enjoy lunch in town, then visit the Aswan High-Dam, whose construction was undertaken by Soviet engineers in 1960 and which remains the main source of electricity for the country. Visit the unfinished obelisk: the largest known ancient obelisk, still laying in the quarry site where it was abandoned.

Later in the day, you'll transfer to Aswan airport to take the flight hour-and-a-half flight to Cairo, where you can settle into your airport hotel and relax, ready for tomorrow's journey.

Cairo - Cairo Airport

Day 10: Cairo departure

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your way to the airport terminal for your flight home.