Cairo, Nile Cruise and Hurghada

Welcome to Egypt, one of the world’s greatest ancient civilizations. Upon arrival your arrival at the airport, our staff will meet, assist you with obtaining your visa and luggage, and then transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to settle into your hotel and relax

Meals: Welcome Drink

Breakfast at your hotel and then your Egyptologist tour guide will pick you up to visit the Pyramids of Giza, enjoy fantastic introduction to each of the three pyramids. Explore the great Pyramid, elaborate burial complexes built some 4,500 years ago for Egyptian pharaohs. Whilst here, you will have time to visit inside one of the pyramids “Extra ticket on spot”. Drive to the best panoramic view spot to have pyramids photos and then move on to visit the 16 pillared hall of the Valley Temple of Khafre and the Sphinx.

Proceed to visit Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, founded about 3100 BC by King Menes, who supposedly united the two prehistoric kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. Now, Memphis is an open-air museum highlighted by a giant statue of Ramses II which once adorned the great temple of Ptah.

Continue to Sakkara, home to the oldest complete stone building complex known in history, the Pyramid of Djoser, the second king of the 3rd dynasty (c. 2686 BC – 2648 BC). Saqqara contains numerous pyramids and important tombs for non-royal burials and cult ceremonies for more than 3,000 years, well into Ptolemaic and Roman times.

After finished, transfer to your hotel to relax or choose an extra tour to attend the sound and light show at the Pyramids of Giza

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast and then pick up to visit the Egyptian Museum, houses the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, with more than 120,000 items on display, include some 1,700 items from the tomb of king Tutankhamen, including the solid-gold mask that covered the pharaoh’s head.

Then proceed to visit Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque inside the Cairo citadel of Salah El-Din, one of the world’s greatest monuments to medieval warfare.

Proceed driving to Coptic Cairo to visit the Hanging Church, the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga) and Ben Ezra Synagogue.

Continue to the area of Islamic Cairo, where you will be able to explore Khan El Khalili, Cairo’s oldest bazaar. After finished, transfer back to your hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Early morning, you will be transferred to Cairo airport for your flight to Aswan. Upon arrival we will head straight to visit Aswan high dam, an engineering miracle when originally constructed in the 1960s and completed in 1970 to tame the regular flooding of the mighty Nile and produce electricity.

Drive to explore the Island temple of Philae, a site of ancient pilgrimage for devotees of the goddess Isis, built in the reign of Nectanebo I between 380-362 BC. In the 1960s the entire temple complex was moved to its present location on Agilkia Island because of flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dams. After finished, transfer to your Nile Cruise, Lunch on board and free time to relax

Late afternoon, you will enjoy Felucca Ride (almost 1 hour). Enjoy a relaxing sailing aboard a Nile felucca, the traditional sailboat of Egypt used along the Nile, “Weather permits!”

Return to the Nile cruise boat & free time to relax or join the optional Nubian Village trip by motorboat and cruise along the Nile River through the first Cataract to a Nubian village along the way, admire sweeping views over the river. Upon arrival, visit a traditional Nubian village in Gharb Soheil village. Get an insight into the culture, history, and lifestyle of one of Africa’s oldest civilizations. Enjoy a drink at one of the colorful rural houses, nestled amongst the natural scenery. Walk through the local market to get a taste of the unique culture and traditions.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Free day at leisure or join an optional tour to visit the fabulous rock-hewn temple of Abu Simbel. It is one of the most recognizable ancient sites of Egypt.

After enjoying Lunch on board, your Nile Cruise will slowly sail downstream towards Kom ombo temple. On arrival, you will visit the imposing double Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Horus, the Sky God and Sobek, the Crocodile God. On return to your Nile cruise you will stop to visit the Crocodile museum and free time to relax and enjoy sailing along the Nile to Edfu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you will visit the stunning temple of Horus at Edfu, considered one of the best preserved of all the Egyptian temples. Edfu Temple was constructed during the Ptolemaic times and was completed over a 180-year period. It is dedicated to the falcon headed god Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. Its extravagant design and sheer size is an indication of the country’s prosperity at the time.

Return to your cruise boat and continue our journey further downstream to Luxor, passing through the Esna Locks. It is common to queue to proceed through the lock, however this is a great opportunity to check out the process from deck, and listen to the shouts of the many captains as they navigate their way through the various small boats of merchants selling their wares.

On arrival, you will visit the magnificent Karnak temple, the largest cult temple ever built in Egypt. Stroll through the grand avenues of sphinxes and halls of gigantic columns. Karnak is a massive and simply astounding site, reflecting the combined achievements of many generations of ancient builders

Continue to Luxor Temple, located almost 3 kilometers from Karnak and mark the other end of the avenue of Sphinxes. Enter the temple through the great pylon where two enormous statues of Ramses II still stand, along with a granite obelisk (its mate stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France). Continue on to an open courtyard, where the Abu Haggag Mosque once stood atop the ruins of the temple. At the rear of the temple is the sanctuary of Amenhotep III that was rebuilt by Alexander the Great

After finished, return to your Nile Cruise to relax or proceed with an extra tour to attend the sound & Light show at Karnak temple

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast on board. Disembark from your Nile cruise after breakfast. Then, transfer to visit the west bank of the Nile in Luxor. Start to visit the two Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III almost 18 meters tall and gazing eastward toward the rising sun.

Proceed to visit one of the most famous archeological sites in the world, the Valley of the Kings, used for royal burials for nearly 500 years. It was here that the bodies of great pharaohs such as Ramses II and Thutmose III were once laid to rest and where the mummified remains of the boy king Tutankhamun are still on display. Along the walls of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, inscriptions from the Book of the Dead provided instructions on how the pharaohs could safely journey to the next world and avoid the dangers that lay on the way. You will visit three of the most well preserved tombs, also you will have time to visit Tutankhamun tomb (extra ticket on spot).

Continue to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri. Both the setting and the construction of the temple make it unique among the landmarks of Egypt.  Queen Hatshepsut is considered by historians to have been one of the most successful rulers of ancient Egypt.

After finished, you will be transfer from Luxor to Hurghada (almost 4 hours drive), where we check into your resort. Your stay here is on a ‘soft all inclusive’ basis, with all meals, soft drinks and snacks included but not alcoholic beverages.

Note: a spectacular sunrise hot air balloon flight over the west bank of the Nile is available this morning (expect an early start to catch sunrise as the balloon rises).

Meals: All Inclusive

Your day is free today to relax on the beach or in the hotel swimming pool. Sunbathe, swim in the crystal waters or enjoy extra tours on offer dolphin house snorkeling trip in Hurghada or in the evening: Alf Leila Wa Leila Show in Hurghada

Meals: All Inclusive

Your day is free today to relax on the beach or in the hotel swimming pool. Sunbathe, swim in the crystal waters or enjoy extra tours on offer Hurghada Desert Safari by Jeep.

Note: If you wish, we can book extra nights in the resort in Hurghada for you to extend your time here – please contact us for details and prices.

Meals: All Inclusive

After breakfast, there are no activities planned for today and you are able to depart your accommodation at any time – check-out (at 12:00pm). You will be transferred to Hurghada airport for your flight from Hurghada to Cairo to connect with your international departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast