Day 1: Arrive Luxor, Luxor East Bank sightseeing
Upon your arrival at Luxor airport / train station, your Nile Holiday tour manager will meet and assist you, and then you will be accompanied by your Egyptologist tour guide to visit Luxor East bank sightseeing. Start at Karnak temple, the largest religious temple ever built in Egypt. Enjoy walking along the avenue of Sphinxes as your Egyptologist tour guide explains how the massive facade was constructed. Proceed walking through the Great Pylons, the great hypostyle hall with 134 columns, the obelisks, and the sacred lake. And then enjoy free time to explore at leisure
Head out to Luxor temple, which was once joined to the Temple of Karnak by a three-kilometer long Avenue of Sphinx. You will enter the temple through the great pylon where two enormous statues of Ramses II still stand, along with a pink granite obelisk (its mate stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France). After a fantastic guided tour to Luxor temple enjoy free time at leisure
After finished, you will be transferred to embark your Nile Dahabiya Cruise. The crew will welcome you on board and have your bags taken to your cabins. Overnight on board in Luxor.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Luxor West Bank sightseeing, Sailing to Esna
Breakfast on Board and then pick up to enjoy your tour to the West bank of the Nile in Luxor. Start with a brief photo stop at the colossi of Memnon, which marks the remains of a funerary temple of Amenhotep III.
Head out to the Valley of the Kings, the sight where the rock cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt (1550 – 1080 BC). The majority of the royal tombs was decorated with religious texts, images and provided with equipment that would enable a comfortable existence in the afterlife. You will visit 3 tombs of the most famous pharaohs Like Ramses III, IV tombs, Tomb of Merenptah, Tomb of Thutmose III, and Queen Tawosret. Whilst here, you will have the time to visit inside the tomb of the boy king Tutankhamun “Extra ticket on spot”.
Continue to the mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, it is one of the incomparable monuments of ancient Egypt. There are three layered terraces, are connected by long ramps which were once surrounded by gardens with foreign plants including frankincense and myrrh trees. After a fantastic tour, you will enjoy free time to explore at leisure.
Later on, transfer to your Nile Dahabiya, Lunch on board. We will then set sail for a small Island where the Dahabiya will moor for the night. Enjoy your dinner on the sundeck or the bank of the river Nile. Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Esna, El Kab, Edfu Temple
Enjoy breakfast at your leisure, while sailing towards El Kab, the ancient city of Nekheb, where you can explore the remains of the temples of Nekheb, one of the first urban centres of the Early Dynastic period and Tombs dates to the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt. Then, the boat sails further towards Edfu, arrive around noon time
Enjoy horse and carriage ride to visit Edfu Temple, one of the most well preserved Temple in Egypt. The temple entrance is decorated by two beautiful granite statues of the Falcon headed God Horus. After your visit to the temple, either ride or walk through the bazaar, this is an extensive bazaar where you can barter for souvenirs, spices and perfumes.
Enjoy sailing to your private island “El-Fouza” where we will disembark for dinner served to you on the edge of the Nile or on the Dahabiya sundeck.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo Temple
Breakfast on board, start to visit Gebel el-Silsila the rock-cut temple of Hormoheb and the three shrines built by Merenptah, Ramses II and Seti I during the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt (1550 – 1080 BC). Then, walk to the quarry which has clear mason’s marks and a group of elaborate private memorial chapels.
Return to your Dahabiya and start sailing the Nile on to Kom ombo. You will enjoy seeing the sounds of the water buffalo as they wade in the shallow water besides the banks of the Nile, the Donkeys as they go about their day to day business and the various bird life of the river. Upon arrival, we will visit the Greco Roman Temple at Kom Ombo. The temple building is totally symmetrical with two entrance’s two halls and two sanctuaries dedicated to the Falcon God Haroeris (Horus the Elder) and the Crocodile God Sobek. Dinner will be served as we head for a small island where we will moor for the evening and enjoy dinner at this atmospheric location. Overnight on board your Dahabiya
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Aswan Sightseeing tours.
Enjoy breakfast on board, enjoy sailing to Aswan, After Lunch on board, you will start to visit the unfinished obelisk, the largest known ancient Egyptian obelisk offers unusual insights into ancient Egyptian stone working techniques. Proceed to visit Aswan high dam, a rock-fill dam built across the Nile in Aswan between 1960- 1970. It creates Lake Nasser, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world.
Continue with a motorboat ride to Philae Temple Island, comprises a large number of small Temples dates back to Pharaonic, Greek and Roman times. But the largest and the best preserved on the Island is the temple of the Goddess Isis. Afterwards you will enjoy a walking tour in Aswan Bazaar. Later on, return to the Nile Dahabiya boat, enjoying an amazing evening in Aswan. Overnight aboard your cruise in Aswan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Optional: Abu Simbel Excursion, Sailing to Kom Ombo
Today at the early morning optional Abu Simbel trip by Car or flight is available. Lunch on board your Nile Dahabiya Cruise or you can just spend a relaxed morning on the sun deck. Lunch on board while following the procession route of the pharaohs as you cruise downstream to Luxor, where magnificent temples and ancient villages line the banks against a dramatic desert backdrop.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Sailing to Luxor
Free day relaxing onboard and continue sailing towards Luxor passing through the Esna Locks. It is not uncommon to have to queue to proceed through the locks, a great opportunity to check out the process from the Nile Dahabiya deck with a cool drink in hand, and listen to the shouts of the many captains as they navigate their way through the various small boats of merchants selling their wares to a captive audience – life on the Nile. Chill out and make the most of the incredible views across one of the world’s greatest rivers and your last night onboard. Overnight in Luxor
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Departure Transfer
Disembarkation after enjoying your breakfast, then you will be transferred to Luxor (Hotel, airport / train station) for final departure.
Meals: Breakfast
Note: –
– Itinerary may change in sequence but not in visits, due to navigation circumstances, Program will always be respected.
– Optional: Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan is available by Vehicle or Plane and can be placed in Day 6 – before return downstream sailing from Aswan to Luxor