TEMPLE TO TEMPLE

Enjoy Pharaoh's Luxury while visiting our ancient land.

Cruising the Nile
Cruise from temple to temple on the Nile for five days, and spend eight days exploring fascinating Cairo and vicinity.

DAY 1: CAIRO
Saturday On arrival, our representative escorts you to your comfortable hotel.

DAY 2: CAIRO
Sunday (BLD) Following breakfast, we see Cairo’s major sights: the Egyptian Museum, Manial Palace, Saladin’s Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, and the Sultan Hassan Mosque.

DAY 3: CAIRO
Monday (B) Now's your chance to set out with a guidebook and discover the city on your own. Meet the Cairenes in a congenial café, stroll along the Nile, revisit your favorite sight or museum, or start on your souvenir shopping in the downtown boutiques.

DAY 4: ABU SIMBEL & CRUISE
Tuesday (BLD) An early flight takes you to Abu Simbel, to admire the temple of Ramses II with its four colossal statues. Fly back to Aswan, where you will be escorted to your luxury Nile cruiser. In the afternoon, sail in a graceful felucca among the islands in the Nile.

Graceful feluccas cruise the Nile.

DAY 5: CRUISE
Wednesday (BLD) This morning you will visit Philae Temple, the Aswan Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. Then sail to Kom Ombo to explore the twin temples of Horus, the sun God, and Sobek, the crocodile god. Then reboard the ship to sail to Edfu.

DAY 6: CRUISE
Thursday (BLD) At dockside, board horse-drawn carriages for the short ride through the town of Edfu to the stupendous Temple of Horus, the best preserved temple on the Nile. Returning to our ship, we set sail for Luxor, crossing the lock at Esna en route. In the evening, there's a galabaia party. If you've bought one of those flowing Egyptian garments, tonight's the night to try it on!

DAY 7: CRUISE
Friday (BLD) After our customary breakfast, visit Thebes' Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Valley of the Queens, returning to our ship for lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the great temples of Luxor and Karnak.

DAY 8: CAIRO
Saturday (B) After breakfast, we check out of our floating hotel and fly back to Cairo.

DAY 9: CAIRO
Sunday (BL) Today we tour Bab al Futuh and Bab an Nasr, two great gates in the old city walls. After lunch at El Khan restaurant, plunge into the bazaars and open-air markets of Khan El Khalili for a Cairene shopping spree.

DAY10: OLD CAIRO
Monday (BLD) Christian and Jewish Cairo are our focus today, as we tour Old Cairo’s Coptic churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra synagogue. After lunch, we make a brief stop at Madinet Nasr to see the tomb of Egypt’s late president Anwar Sadat. Evening dinner and show on a floating restaurant on the Nile.

DAY 11: GIZA
Tuesday (BLD) In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the timeless Sphinx, the Valley Temple, and the museum housing Cheops’ royal ark. After lunch at the elegant Mena House, we go on to the ancient sites of Memphis and Sakkara. On the way back, we visit the village of Harraniya.

DAY12: MAMLUKS & SULTANS
Wednesday (BLD) Sightseeing today includes the Islamic Museum, the Blue Mosque, the Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Gayer-Anderson House, actually a pair of traditional Arab houses built in 1540 and 1630. In the evening, we return to the pyramids for the awe-inspiring sound-and-light show.

DAY13: CAIRO
Thursday (BL) A morning visit takes us to the Pharaonic village, followed by lunch at a typical Egyptian restaurant. The afternoon is free time to wander or relax as you like.

DAY14: CAIRO
Friday (B) After our full breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home.