Egypt Explorer

Arrival Cairo  International Airport. Proceed thru customs/immigration into the arrivals hall and meet your driver/guide for transfer to the Hotel.

A vibrant, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic sights in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around. Enjoy the Nile view from your hotel room balcony, visit the capital's medieval markets by Khan El-Khalili, or walk down the Nile promenade. There are also plenty of cinemas, theatres and modern malls. Go for an opera or enjoy oriental music dance shows. Good for short breaks and long stays; you’ll get to see the Giza Pyramids, thousands of ancient artifacts in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and much more.

Egyptian Museum: You'll tour 7,000 years of history at this museum which houses the largest collection of ancient Egyptian art in the world. Don't miss the treasures of the boy-king Tutankhamun, including his gold mask, the solid gold sarcophagus that held his mummy, and his beautiful throne.

Lunch is served at Le Pacha

Le Pacha 1901 is one of Cairo's landmark dining and entertainment venues. Originally a paddle boat from the turn of the century, Le Pacha was transformed into a nostalgic and magical location to reflect on Cairo's glorious history.

Begin your tour at the Citadel, a medieval fortress built in 1176 to protect the city from Crusaders, which sits high above Cairo on a limestone hill. Today, the Citadel complex houses mosques and museums, including the National Military Museum.

With its grand, soaring architecture and rich decoration, the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, completed in 1363, is one of the finest in Egypt and also houses the mausoleum where Sultan Hassan's sons are buried.

Next to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, discover the much newer Refaie Mosque, completed in 1912 Prophet Mohamed, Egypt's last royal family and the last Shah of Iran.

Finally, visit the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions.  Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets to find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork and glassware to leather goods and perfumes.

Move on to Sakkara, the former necropolis (cemetery) for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis and the place where the very first pyramids were built as tombs for kings. Instead of the smooth sides featured on other pyramids, the pyramids here feature six steps on the outside, representing the pharaoh's stepladder to heaven. Discover the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first pyramid ever built and the world's oldest freestanding stone structure. You could also admire the beautiful tomb art at Sakkara, which gives great insight into the lives of the ancient Egyptians.

Lunch at 9 Lounge

The first veritable museum of civilization in Egypt, the newly inaugurated NMEC is located on the archaeological site of El-Fustat in Old Cairo, overlooking the Ain El-Seera Lake. The museum showcases Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day, using a multidisciplinary approach that highlights the country's comprehensive heritage. The collections are displayed in a core permanent exhibition of the principle achievements of Egyptian civilization, with six thematic galleries covering the Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking and the Gallery of Royal Mummies. The museum also features temporary exhibition spaces, an auditorium, an education and research center, as well as an exhibition on the development of the modern city of Cairo. With such state-of-the-art facilities, the NMEC plays an important role in raising awareness of modern and contemporary Egyptian history and society, hosting events and temporary displays and exhibitions and providing an important center for the country's youth. With its various collections of objects and associated knowledge, spanning thousands of years, numerous cultures, ruling powers, systems of beliefs, religions, and aesthetic expressions, the NMEC offers an exceptional and unique visit through Egyptian history with the aim to connect the country's rich past to contemporary Egypt, focusing on shifts of values and major changes as well as hidden continuities and traditions up to the present day.

This morning check out of the hotel after breakfast and transfer to the airport where you board your flight to LUXOR.

Once an Ancient Egyptian capital, is known today as the world's "greatest open-air museum." From the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings and the magnificent sunset views at the majestic temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor to the exciting and fun Nile cruises, Luxor is the perfect choice for culture vultures. Luxor is divided by the Nile into two areas commonly called the East Bank and West Bank which were considered in Ancient Egyptian times as symbolizing respectively Life and Death.

On arrival you will be met for transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to the Sanctuary Sn Boat IV for the next 4 Nights

Board your five-star-deluxe Nile cruise boat - and receive a warm welcome from the crew. 

Sanctuary Sun Boat IV  ensures a distinct sense of being in storied Egypt. Its contemporary-yet-classic design displays the highest levels of luxury and chic. Elegance is elevated with rich teak flooring, Egyptian marble and hand-painted decorative details to fashion an exceptional ambiance. Neutral-toned textiles complement the soft fabrics draped artfully over beds - it's these distinct touches which create an environment a world away from traditional river-cruise cabins. With just forty rooms on board it feels like you're in an intimate floating palace where the softly-lit lounges are as suited to socialising as quiet romance. Interesting textures and natural materials ensure a distinguished aesthetic, while ceramic ornaments and delicately etched metalwork set an elegant tone. Head to the upper sun deck where you're promised iconic tableaus in high-definition, cool cocktails and cool shade, and radiant sunshine as you take a dip in the river-view pool.

After lunch on board, visit the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings. You also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.

This evening you are greeted by your Boat Manager for a welcome reception. The Manager reviews your cruise program for the upcoming days. Enjoy Egyptian wine and beer with a selection of freshly-prepared canapés, followed by a gourmet dinner. A folkloric show and a Whirling Dervish show follow.

After breakfast on board, begin your day with a visit to the Temple of Karnak.

Karnak Temple: Visit the Temple of Karnak, built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs.  The great "Hypostyle Hall" is an incredible forest of giant pillars, covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral

Lunch is served in the lounge whilst you sail to Esna.

After Lunch, your Egyptologist guides you round the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters lower than present-day street level.

Afternoon tea is served as you cruise to Edfu and, later, enjoy a gourmet dinner.

With its gentle hospitality, this southern Egyptian city, a frontier town in ancient times, is a place to simply relax and enjoy an atmosphere that is as much African as it is Middle Eastern. The Nile is at its most beautiful here, flowing around huge granite rocks and palm tree-studded islands, so take a stroll along the riverfront to watch sailboats etch the sky. Walk to the souq in town to buy spices, scarves and baskets, and then view the gorgeous sunset over tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel, a popular winter resort since the 19th century. When evening comes, enjoy a Nubian dance performance at the town’s cultural center. Aswan’s name comes from the Nubian phrase assy wangibu (“too much water”) and this is the place to learn about Nubian culture, as many Nubians resettled here after their lands were flooded during the building of the High Dam.

Following breakfast, explore the Temple of Edfu.

Lunch is served as you cruise to Kom Ombo and, after, visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.

Later, afternoon tea is served in the lounge and you have the chance to take part in an Egyptian cooking lesson as you sail to Aswan.

Tonight's dinner on board is an Egyptian Night costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian galabeyya. Dinner is a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties.

A breakfast buffet is served on board and the morning is yours to enjoy at leisure.

A breakfast buffet is served on board and the morning is yours to enjoy at leisure.

Enjoy lunch on board, followed by a short motorboat ride to visit the majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. Next proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples. Here you see the Unfinished Obelisk, located in the northern region of the stone quarries.

Next take a ride on a felucca (a typical Egyptian sail boat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener's Botanical Gardens and the Agha Khan Mausoleum (weather permitting, life jackets will be provided). 

Afternoon tea is served on board and your farewell dinner is a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. A folkloric show and a Whirling Dervish show follow.

Transfer to the Aswan airport today for your flight to Cairo to meet your international departure flights to return to the USA and homeward bound.