Day 1: Arrival in Cairo – Welcome to Egypt
Touch down at Cairo International Airport. Our hospitality representative will meet you at the terminal arrivals zone with custom signage, offering professional assistance through customs and luggage collection. Enjoy a smooth private transfer via a modern air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel for a relaxing overnight stay in Cairo.
Day 2: The Great Pyramids of Giza & The Egyptian Museum
Savor breakfast before heading out on a guided Cairo day tour. Visit the renowned Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses a monumental collection spanning 5,000 years of pharaonic art, including the glittering treasures and gold artifacts of King Tutankhamun.
In the afternoon, travel to the Giza Plateau to stand before the majestic Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinus. Get an up-close look at the legendary limestone Great Sphinx, carved with the face of King Chephren. Return to your hotel for an overnight stay in Cairo.
Day 3: Domestic Flight to Aswan
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before checking out and transferring to the airport for your quick domestic flight to Aswan. Upon landing, our representative will transfer you directly to your Aswan hotel. Check in and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure exploring the local markets along the Nile. Overnight stay in Aswan.
Day 4: Ancient Temples of Abu Simbel, High Dam & Nile Cruise Boarding
(Optional Excursion: Embark on an early morning trip to the colossal Abu Simbel Temples, carved into a sandstone rock cliff by Ramses II and famously rescued from rising Nile waters.)
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and embark on an Aswan tour. Visit the engineering wonder of the Aswan High Dam and the majestic Philae Temple, beautifully situated on an island and dedicated to the goddess Isis. Transfer to your luxury Nile River cruise ship for boarding, where a fresh open-buffet lunch will be served.
Set sail downstream toward Kom Ombo, enjoying afternoon tea out on the sun deck. Step ashore to tour the unique double Temple of Kom Ombo, shared symmetries by the crocodile god Sobek and falcon god Haroeris. Sail onward to Edfu for dinner and an overnight stay on board.
Day 5: Horus Cult Temple at Edfu & Cruise to Luxor
Savor breakfast on board the vessel before taking a tour of the exceptionally preserved Temple of Horus at Edfu, the legendary site where the falcon-headed god avenged his father Osiris. Return to the ship to watch it navigate through the historic Esna Lock. Enjoy afternoon tea as you glide smoothly toward Luxor. In the evening, celebrate your arrival into the ancient capital of Thebes with a lively traditional Galabya party and dinner on board. Overnight stay on the cruise in Luxor.
Day 6: Valley of the Kings & West Bank Necropolis
Enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking to discover the wonders of the West Bank of Luxor. Journey across the Nile to the Necropolis of Thebes to tour the elaborately decorated subterranean chambers within the Valley of the Kings. Continue to the striking, multi-tiered Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and make a memorable photo stop at the towering Colossi of Memnon. Return to the cruise line for an overnight stay in Luxor.
Day 7: Hot Air Balloon Over Luxor & Flight back to Cairo
(Optional Excursion: Experience a magical early morning Hot Air Balloon flight drifting peacefully over the Valley of the Kings and mountain landscapes.)
Following breakfast, check out of the cruise and head to the East Bank of Luxor to tour the sprawling Karnak Temple complex—marveling at its grand Avenue of Sphinxes and the magnificent Hypostyle Hall with its 134 colossal columns—along with the beautifully preserved Luxor Temple. Afterward, transfer to the airport for your domestic flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 8: Scenic Drive to Coastal Alexandria
Relish breakfast before taking a scenic drive north via a private air-conditioned vehicle to the Mediterranean jewel of Alexandria. Meet your expert local guide to tour the spectacular Library of Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandrina). View its stunning open court, the statues of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy I, and the featured inner collections including the Sadat Museum.
Continue your historic exploration at the Roman Amphitheater to view its display of ancient sunken monuments recovered from the Eastern Harbor. Visit the historic Church of St. Mark—the oldest church in Africa—before walking through Alexandria's old downtown center to see its classic Italian and Baroque architecture. View the historic El Nabi Daniel Mosque, pass through the historic Mansheya market streets, and photograph the beautiful Abbo Elabbas Mosque. Conclude your day viewing the magnificent exterior of the Citadel of Qaitbay, built on the exact site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. Finish with a walk through the lush royal Montaza Palace Gardens to see the Haramlek and Salamlek palaces. Overnight stay in Alexandria.
Day 9: Historical Archeology Tour of Sakkara & Memphis
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before checking out and taking a smooth private transfer back to Cairo.
(Optional Excursion: Embark on a fascinating day tour to the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Sakkara—the world's oldest major stone structure dating back to the 3rd Dynasty. Continue to Memphis, the glorious first capital of ancient Egypt, to see the giant fallen statue of Ramses II, and finish at Dahshur to view the unique profiles of the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid.)
Return to your hotel for your final overnight stay in Cairo.
Day 10: Final Departure from Cairo
Enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel. Our hospitality representative will transfer you via a private vehicle to Cairo International Airport, offering dedicated assistance through customs and final check-in formalities for your flight home.
