Egypt Silver (8-day): Featuring 3NT Nile Cruise Aswan - Luxor
Day 01: Cairo, Egypt
Arrive Cairo and transfer to your hotel for overnight. Cairo, one of the world’s largest urban areas, is constantly full of life and movement with honking horns, children playing, and merchants selling their wears. Conrad International HotelDay 02: Cairo
Full day excursion to Giza, Sakkara and Memphis. First visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Pyramids rank among the world’s greatest tourist attractions and never lose their ability to inspire and overwhelm visitors. A visit to Egypt would not be complete without a ride on a “ship of the desert” and so you will have an opportunity to mount your individual camel for a short ride across the sands of Giza to the Sphinx. Enter the temple of the mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure shrouded in legend and mystery. Continue to Sakkara where you will see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world. Next, visit Memphis, where you will see the ancient capital that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs. Return to the hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Conrad International Hotel (Breakfast)Day 03: Cairo
Full day tour of Cairo. Choose two half-day excursions.
Egyptian Musuem of Antiquities: Begin your tour with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities; houses the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun.
Coptic Cairo:Visit Fortress of Babylon, Church of St. Sergius, and the Coptic Museum. Also see the “Hanging Church,” supported by only one column, and boasting incredible paintings inside. Continue to the Synagogue of Ben Ezra; a once thriving Jewish community under the leadership of Rabbi Ben Ezra. Discovered inside, the so-called “Geniza Documents,” which showed an unparalleled source of information about life of the Jews in Egypt’s past.
Islamic Cairo: Visit the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums. End your day at the 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. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork, glassware and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Pharaonic curiosities.
Return to the hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Conrad International Hotel (Breakfast) Day 04: Cairo - Aswan
Transfer to the Cairo Domestic Airport to board your flight to Aswan. Upon arrival in Aswan, transfer to your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, moored in private dock.
Optional Abu Simbel Excursion:
An airport representative will assist you with check-in for your short flight to Abu Simbel. Arrive Abu Simbel and board a shuttle bus for transfer to the temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. A local Egyptologist will provide a narrated tour of Abu Simbel. Return shuttle to Abu Simbel airport to board your scheduled flight to Aswan. You are met by cruise staff and transferred to the boat dock.
The “Nile Adventurer” staff will assist you with check-in. Lunch will be served on board. This afternoon, your Egyptologist guide will escort you to visit the Aswan High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example of building on a monumental scale. Take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. Next we proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk. When you return to your cruise, a relaxing afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Tonight you will be greeted by your Boat Manager, who will introduce you to the boat staff and review on-board facilities and your cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer will be served, together with a selection of canapés. Gourmet menu on board. Overnight on board in Aswan. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 05: Aswan - Kom Ombo - Edfu - Esna
Breakfast buffet on board, while you cruise to Kom Ombo. 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. Return to your boat for lunch on board, while you cruise to Edfu. This afternoon, explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic – albeit Greek-built – temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Esna. Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyas”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialities, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.Overnight on board in Esna. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 06: Esna - Luxor
Breakfast buffet on board, while you cruise to Luxor. Begin your day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You will also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh) merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. On the way back to the river Nile, your road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. Lunch on board.
This afternoon your Egyptologist will guide you on a tour of the East Bank of Luxor, starting with the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the god Amun. Proceed to 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. Return to your cruise for afternoon tea on board. Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a formal gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. Overnight on board in Luxor. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 07: Luxor - Cairo
Very early breakfast buffet on board, and check out. Transfer to Luxor Domestic Airport for you scheduled flight to Cairo. Arrive Cairo, you are met and transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight. Heliopolis Hotel (Breakfast)Day 08: Cairo - Depart
Transfer to Cairo International Airport to check-in for your homebound flight. (Breakfast)
Egypt Silver (9-day): Featuring 4NT Nile Cruise Luxor - Aswan
Day 01: Cairo, Egypt
Arrive Cairo and transfer to your hotel for overnight. Cairo, one of the world’s largest urban areas, is constantly full of life and movement with honking horns, children playing, and merchants selling their wears. Conrad International HotelDay 02: Cairo
Full day excursion to Giza, Sakkara and Memphis. First visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Pyramids rank among the world’s greatest tourist attractions and never lose their ability to inspire and overwhelm visitors. A visit to Egypt would not be complete without a ride on a “ship of the desert” and so you will have an opportunity to mount your individual camel for a short ride across the sands of Giza to the Sphinx. Enter the temple of the mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure shrouded in legend and mystery. Continue to Sakkara where you will see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world. Next, visit Memphis, where you will see the ancient capital that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs. Return to the hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Conrad International Hotel (Breakfast)Day 03: Cairo
Full day tour of Cairo. Choose two half-day excursions.
Egyptian Musuem of Antiquities:Begin your tour with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities; houses the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun.
Coptic Cairo: Visit the Fortress of Babylon, Church of St. Sergius, and the Coptic Museum. Also see the “Hanging Church,” supported by only one column, and boasting incredible paintings inside. Continue to the Synagogue of Ben Ezra; a once thriving Jewish community under the leadership of Rabbi Ben Ezra. Discovered inside, the so-called “Geniza Documents,” which showed an unparalleled source of information about life of the Jews in Egypt’s past.
Islamic Cairo: Visit the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums. End your day at the 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. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork, glassware and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Pharaonic curiosities.
Return to the hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Conrad International Hotel (Breakfast)Day 04: Cairo - Luxor
Transfer to the Cairo Domestic Airport to board your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival in Luxor, transfer to your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, moored in private dock. The “Nile Adventurer” staff will assist you with check-in. Visit the West Bank of Luxor and explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You will also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh) merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. On the way back to the river Nile, your road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. Lunch will be served on board in the main restaurant.
This afternoon your Egyptologist will guide you on a tour of the East Bank of Luxor, starting with the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the god Amun. Continue to theTemple 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. Return to your cruise for afternoon tea on board in the lounge. Gourmet menu on board for dinner. Overnight in Luxor. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 05: Luxor - Esna
Breakfast buffet on board while sailing to Esna. The temple of Esna is located in the center of town and very close to the River Nile. Take a short walk through the local market with your Egyptologist to explore the Greco-Roman Temple which is dedicated to the ram headed God Khnum, the God of creation. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle 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 below present-day street level. Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Tonight you will be greeted by your Boat Manager, who will introduce you to the boat staff and review on-board facilities and your cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer will be served, together with freshly prepared canapés. Gourmet menu on board for dinner. Overnight on in Esna. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 06: Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo
Breakfast buffet on board this morning. Lunch on board, while you cruise to Edfu. This afternoon, explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic – albeit Greek-built – temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. Afternoon tea will be served during the sunset cruise to Kom Ombo. Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyas”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone. Overnight on board in Kom Ombo. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)Day 07: Kom Ombo - Aswan
Breakfast buffet on board. 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. Lunch on board while you cruise to Aswan. This afternoon, your Egyptologist guide will escort you to visit the Aswan High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example of building on a monumental scale. Philae Temple: Take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. Next we proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk. Return to your cruise for afternoon tea. Tonight’s dinner will be a formal gala with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. Overnight on board in Aswan. Nile Adventurer (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 08: Aswan - Cairo
Breakfast on the Nile Adventurer, followed by cruise disembarkation. Morning (weather permitting) take a ride on a felucca, a typical Egyptian sail boat, around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Transfer by coach to the Aswan Domestic Airport.
Optional Abu Simbel Excursion:
An airport representative will assist you with check-in for your short flight to Abu Simbel. Arrive Abu Simbel and board a shuttle bus for transfer to the temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. A local Egyptologist will provide a narrated tour of Abu Simbel. Return shuttle to Abu Simbel airport to board your scheduled flight to Aswan and connecting flight to Cairo.
Board you scheduled flight to Cairo. Arrive Cairo, you are met and transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight. Heliopolis Hotel (Breakfast)
Day 09: Cairo - Depart
Transfer to Cairo International Airport to check-in for your homebound flight. (Breakfast)
