Egypt - The Nile & Its Ancient Cities
8 Full Sightseeing Days • 9 Nights

Tour Includes:

• Escorted by Professional Tour Director
• Choice of Deluxe, Superior First-Class or First Class Hotels and Nile Cruise Boat
• Comprehensive Sightseeing
• Transfers, Porterage and Entrance Fees
• Deluxe Document Case
• USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 - En Route to Egypt

Depart the U.S.A. on your overnight flight. Enjoy complimentary meals and beverages en route to Egypt.

Day 2 - Cairo

Morning arrival in Cairo. Meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel. (Egyptian visas will be processed upon arrival for U.S. citizens.) The remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 3 - Cairo & Luxor & Nile Cruise

Enjoy an early morning flight from Cairo to Luxor, ancient city of Thebes. Upon arrival, transfer to your boat for a 5-day/4-night Nile cruise. Tour of Luxor includes the Avenue of the Sphinxes and the imposing Temple of Luxor. Continue to the spectacular Karnak Temple complex, built over a 2000-year period.

Day 4 - Luxor • Esna • Nile Cruise

Sail to Esna.  This afternoon tour the Valley of the Kings, famed necropolis where 62 tombs have been found to date, including the Tomb of Tutankhamen and Ramses VI. On to the fabled Colossi of Memnon, standing over 70 feet tall, and the beautifully terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the most brilliant concepts in the history of architecture.

Day 5 - Edfu • Kom Obmo • Nile Cruise

Sail to Edfu. Visit the Temple of Horns, the best preserved of all large Egyptian Temples, built by the Ptolemies over a 180-year period. Sail to Kom Ombo, a hill town overlooking the banks of the Nile.

Day 6 - Kom Ombo • Aswan • Nile Cruise

Tour the unique twin Greco-Roman Temples. Continue to Aswan, surrounded by a universe of desert. In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing sailing trip on a typical Egyptian "Felucca" (sailboat), which glides along the Nile, passing Elephantine Island, Lord Kichener's Botanical Gardens and the dramatic white-marble Aga Kltan Mausoleum.

Day 7 - Aswan • Abu Simbel • Cairo • Alexandria

Morning visit to the Aswan Dam and the granite quarries where the stone for the ancient monuments and modern dam of Aswan were cut. Continue to the Temple of Philae. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Abu Simbel; tour this magnificent site. Then, board a return flight to Cairo; arrival and transfer by private bus to Alexandria for overnight.

Day 8 - Alexandria

This morning visit in Alexandria to the Museum and Pompey's Pillar which was part of the Serspis Temple. On to the Roman Amphitheatre; carving of the cross and other Christian symbols indicate that it was used long after the Romans departed. Continue to the Catacombs of Kom El-Shuqafa, dating back to the 2nd century; the Catacombs are unique both for their plan and decoration, which are curious blends of Greco-Roman and Egyptian designs. Overnight in Alexandria.

Day 9 - Alexandria • Wadi el Natrun • Cairo

Travel along the desert highway to Wadi el Natrun, where in the midst of the Rift Valley, persecuted Christians established monasteries in the 4th century. Visit two functioning complexes which feature fine examples of early Christian architecture and artwork. Return to Cairo for overnight.<

Day 10 - Egyptian Museum • Pyramids • Solar Boat • Sphinx

Today begins with a visit to the world-famous Egyptian Museum with its 100,000 objects covering 4000 years of ancient Egyptian civilizations, including the Treasures of Tutankhamen and the Mummy Room. This afternoon drive to Giza to see the three ancient Pyramids. Marvel at the Solar Boat, the oldest known ship in the world, uncovered in 1954 after being buried for 4800 years. Stand in awe at the magnificent Sphinx carved out of a single piece of stone, guarding the Giza Plateau. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 11 - En Route

Departure transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight(s) home. Enjoy complimentary meals and beverages while en route. Treasure your experiences in Egypt - Memories that will last a lifetime!