Itinerary

DAYS 1 & 2 - Depart for Cairo, Egypt

Journey accommodations begin with the hotel night on Day 2. Check-in time is approximately 3pm.

Leave your home city for Cairo on Sunday, arriving late in the evening on Monday. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your luxury hotel.

A city of over 17 million people, Cairo is the largest city in Africa. It is a complex blend of cultures and civilizations, each overlaid one on top of the other, going all the way back to the

DAY 3 - Cairo

Included meal services begin with Breakfast in on Day 3.

Explore the treasures of the Egyptian Museum, considered one of the most prominent museums in the world. Built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, it has 107 halls divided into seven sections, each section devoted to one era in Egypt's history. The displays of ancient history span more than 50 centuries. The museum's most significant showpiece is the Tutankhamen collection. You will make a special visit to the Mummies Room.

In the evening join your fellow travelers at a cocktail and dinner party, and learn more about the exciting adventures ahead from your Travcoa Travel Director.

DAY 4 - Cairo

This morning explore the Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. The last survivor of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, the Pyramids are truly awe-inspiring, and some of them date back nearly 5,000 years. Nearby is the mysterious Sphinx, carved from a single block of stone. Step inside one of the Royal Burial Chambers in the Pyramids. Also view the well-preserved funerary boat of Cheops.

This afternoon drive to the ancient city of Memphis, the oldest capital of Egypt, where you’ll admire the finely detailed, colossal, recumbent statue of Ramses II. It is made of fine-grained limestone, 13 meters long, and weighing 120 tons. You’ll also see the stunning 80-ton Alabaster Sphinx. Continuing to Sakkara, the oldest ancient Egyptian cemetery, where you’ll see the world’s first large-scale stone construction, the Step Pyramid.

Tonight, enjoy premium seating at the enchanting Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids, which re-enacts the history of the Pyramids and the glory of the Pharaohs.

DAY 5 - Cairo & Aswan

Fly to Aswan in the late morning. Enjoy an excursion by a traditional canvas-sailed felucca to the Botanical Gardens at Kitchner’s Island and admire exotic flora from as far as India and Malaysia. A cruise on these indigenous boats offers an unforgettable and uniquely Egyptian event.

DAY 6 - Aswan, Abu Simbel & Embark on the Cruise

Fly to Abu Simbel this morning for a close-up look at the 3,300 year old temples built by Ramses II, which were carved out of a hillside next to the Nile. Abu Simbel is a set of two temples near the border of Egypt and Sudan. The entire temple complex was moved to its present location, 90 feet above its old site, to protect it from rising waters caused by the damming of the Nile.

The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramses II and a statue of him seated with three other gods is in the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the Sanctuary). The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to his favorite wife, Nefertari. 25,000 workers labored 25 years to complete these massive monuments. It is one of the most prodigious feats of engineering in Egypt.

Fly back to Aswan and board the Sonesta St. George I to cruise the Nile. The luxurious, 5-star Sonesta St. George I offers opulent hospitality. Sail serenely between Aswan and Luxor on the majestic River Nile as 5,000 years of history unfold before you.

DAY 7 - Nile Cruise -- Kom Ombo -- Edfu

At the island Temple of Philae, discover a sacred temple complex dedicated to the Goddess Isis. The temple was dismantled and painstakingly reassembled in the 1970’s when the Aswan Dam was constructed. There you will discover a fusion of three great civilizations – Egyptian, Greek and Roman.
See the granite quarries that supplied the stone for temples and colossi in ancient times and a gigantic unfinished obelisk that had been hewn from the bedrock. Sail to the Temple at Kom Ombo, known for its unusual double temple – one half is dedicated to the falcon-headed god, Haroeris, and the other half to the crocodile god, Sobek.

Enjoy afternoon tea as you sail to Edfu. In Edfu visit the beautifully preserved sandstone Temple of Horus – one of the finest examples of Ptolemaic art in Egypt. It is the largest and best-preserved temple in Egypt. Built by the Ptolemaic Pharaohs, its bas-reliefs give a vivid picture of life in ancient Egypt.

DAY 8 - Nile Cruise -- Luxor

Luxor is a magnificent ancient township built on the site of the even more ancient city of Thebes, dating back 4,000 years. It boasts the country’s richest collection of antiquities.

Visit the Valley of Kings, famous for its royal tombs. These beautifully painted tombs have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For over five hundred years, the kings of the New Kingdom (1500-1070 B.C.) were buried in this valley, making it the world's most magnificent burial ground. The most famous tomb belongs to the boy-king Tutankhamen.

The tombs were cut into limestone rock in a remote wadi (a dried-up river valley) on the west bank of the Nile. Their walls were painted and sculpted with magnificent murals depicting the after life and the land of the gods. The chambers were filled with treasures – everything from furniture to food, statues, boats and jewels, which a person may need to sustain life into eternity.

Also visit the Valley of Queens – a misnomer for it also houses the tombs of high officials and royal children along with the various queens and concubines. The valley contains 80 tombs, most of which are not inscribed and simple in design.

You will also visit the Temple of Madinat Habu, where the entire Temple of Ramses III still stands in good condition next to the remains of the Kings Palace within a defensive wall. Then visit the Colossi of Memnon.

This afternoon take a horse carriage ride to visit the incredible Luxor Museum.

DAY 9 - Disembark Nile Cruise & Luxor

After disembarking the ship this morning, continue exploring Luxor’s extraordinary monuments, including the stunning Temples of Karnak and Luxor, once decorated with vivid colors, their faded remains can still be seen.
The Temple of Karnak has three main sacred areas that honor three gods: Montu, an ancient local warrior god; Amun, the chief god of Thebes; and the goddess Mut, wife of Amun. The construction began in the Middle Kingdom in 1500 BC and was completed during the New Kingdom. The gate of the Temple of Karnak, built by Ptolemy III, is still almost in perfect condition. See the incredible stone forest of massive pillars in the Hypostyle Hall and the Avenue of Sphinxes.

The Luxor Temple is a remarkably delicate work of architecture, originally built by Pharaoh Amenophis, and added to by various rulers over the eons, including Alexander the Great. It was discovered less than a century ago and its remains echo the splendor of ancient Thebes.

Your overnight accommodations are at the contemporary and elegant Sonesta St. George I Hotel, in a deluxe room overlooking the Nile River

DAY 10 - Luxor & Cairo

Fly from Luxor to Cairo, arriving about mid-day. The melting pot of ancient and modern Egyptian civilizations, Cairo is a fusion of old and new – modern skyscrapers and ancient monuments stand side-by-side, along with features of Islamic, Christian, Coptic and Jewish culture.

You will stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence. It is a gracious sanctuary on the west bank of the Nile, with impressive views of the Great Pyramids over the old-growth canopy of Cairo's ancient Zoological and Botanical Gardens. From your spacious deluxe room you will enjoy a spectacular view of the pyramids. Tonight you will enjoy an evening at the home of an Egyptian family with cocktails and dinner.

DAY 11 - Cairo

Visit the Citadel and the Ottoman-style Mohammed Ali Mosque (the Alabaster Mosque), within the walls of the Citadel, built in AD 1183. See the medieval Mosque of the Sultan Hassan. Explore the famous Khan El Khalili Souk (or bazaar), largely unchanged since the 14th century. The market is renowned for its magnificent architecture. Wander through small narrow alleys lined with old shops or sit in one of the famous coffee shops and just observe daily life.

DAY 12 - Depart for Home

This morning you will be taken from your hotel to the Cairo airport for your return flight home or on to your next destination.

Journey accommodations end with the hotel night on Day 11. Check-out time is approximately 11am on Day 12.
Included meal services end with Breakfast on Day 12.

NOTE: The Daily Itinerary above is subject to change dependent upon local conditions and/or operational changes or improvements. The specific times and order of inclusions within each destination may also be altered to best accommodate unscheduled closures, special events, weather, traffic, etc. Please contact your Vacation Planner before scheduling any coinciding appointments. You will receive an up-dated itinerary approximately 30 days prior to your journey’s scheduled departure date.

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