Day 1: Arrival In Cairo
On arrival at Cairo airport, you will be welcomed by our English-speaking representative, who will assist you with formalities and accompany you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest after your journey. Dinner and overnight in Cairo.
Day 2: Giza And The Grand Egyptian Museum
After breakfast, depart for the Giza Plateau to discover the three great pyramids of Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mykerinos), the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. You will also admire the Great Sphinx, the site's age-old guardian, carved directly from the limestone bedrock. Lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, one of the largest archaeological museums in the world, home to an exceptional collection of artefacts spanning the entire history of ancient Egypt: daily life, royal power, religious beliefs and hieroglyphic writing. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Flight To Luxor — Embarkation On The Dahabiya
After breakfast, transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Luxor. On arrival, our representative will meet you at the airport and assist you with your transfer. Nestled on the East Bank of the Nile, Luxor is often called the world's greatest open-air museum. You will then board your dahabiya for your first night on the river. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 4: Valley Of The Kings And Temple Of Hatshepsut
Breakfast on board, then set off for a full day on the West Bank of the Nile, known as the Theban Necropolis, where the ancient Egyptians buried their pharaohs and elite.
You will visit the Valley of the Kings, a burial site carved into the limestone that holds more than sixty royal tombs, including that of the young Tutankhamun; you will go inside three tombs decorated with frescoes and sacred texts. You will then visit the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, an architectural masterpiece built into the cliffside for one of Egypt's few female pharaohs. Return on board for lunch, then sail towards Edfu. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 5: Temple Of Edfu
Breakfast on board, then visit the Temple of Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt thanks to having been gradually buried under the sand, which protected it from erosion for centuries. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, this Ptolemaic temple impresses with its monumental pylons and richly carved reliefs. Return on board for lunch, then sail towards Aswan. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 6: Unfinished Obelisk And Philae Temple
Breakfast on board, then visit the Unfinished Obelisk, abandoned in ancient times after cracks appeared in the granite: a remarkable record of the techniques Egyptian craftsmen used to cut stone.
You will then visit Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis and one of the last temples of ancient Egypt to remain active. Saved from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, it was dismantled and rebuilt stone by stone on Agilkia Island. Return on board for lunch, followed by a pleasant felucca ride around Elephantine Island. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 7: Free Day — Optional Excursion To Abu Simbel
Free day. Optional excursion to Abu Simbel, the two rock-cut temples built by Ramesses II to celebrate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. In the 1960s, as the waters of Lake Nasser rose, the temples were cut into blocks and rebuilt higher up on an artificial hill, one of the greatest archaeological rescue operations in history.
Return on board for lunch. Free afternoon. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 8: Kom Ombo Temple — Dinner On An Island
Breakfast on board. Free morning, then lunch on board while sailing towards Kom Ombo. You will visit Kom Ombo Temple, an architectural curiosity dedicated to two gods, Haroeris the falcon god and Sobek the crocodile god, each with his own half of the temple. Sail back towards Esna, where a special dinner will be served on an island. Overnight on board.
Day 9: Karnak Temple — Optional Luxor Temple
After breakfast, your guide will take you to discover Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex in ancient Egypt and, for nearly two thousand years, the centre of the cult of the god Amun.
Return on board for lunch. In the afternoon, optional visit to Luxor Temple, closely linked to the coronation ritual of many pharaohs and, according to tradition, to that of Alexander the Great. Dinner and last night on board.
Day 10: Luxor — Departure
Breakfast on board, then transfer to Luxor airport for your return flight.
