Nile Cruise

Egypt has an enthralling history and a wealth of well-preserved monuments and treasures. This trip allows you to visit all the major sites and attractions along the Nile in a comfortable fashion. Boarding our cruise boat at Luxor we travel upstream, watching local life pass by, whilst also visiting the spectacular Edfu and Kom Ombo temples along the way. The lush green banks and the beautiful sunsets over the Nile, together with the excellent on-board facilities make this an unforgettable way to travel.

What's Included:

• All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
• All accommodation: 4 nights on cruise boat and 4 nights 4 and 5-star hotels
• All transport and listed activities
• Flights from London
• Arrival & departure transfers
• Travel by minibus, cruise boat and one internal flight
• Group normally 6 to 20, plus local leader. Min age 16 yrs

Day 1: Fly to Cairo.

Fly to Cairo.

Day 2: Visit Egyptian Museum, El Azhar Mosque and Cairo's lively bazaar; afternoon visit spectacular pyramids at Giza.

Visit to Egyptian Museum, Al Azhar mosque and lively Bazaar. We begin with a visit to the incredible Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which contains relics dating back to 4000 BC, including the fantastic riches of Tutankhamun's tomb. Here is a unique opportunity to survey the many fabulous treasures of Egypt in one place and to set the scene for the rest of the tour. Following our visit to this amazing museum we experience modern day Cairo with a visit to Al Azhar mosque, Cairo's oldest mosque and university, and the small alleyways and streets that make up Cairo's popular bazaar.

Dating back to AD970, Al Azhar mosque is a busy and popular mosque today, frequently visited by locals and thus well worth a visit. We will need to cover up (long sleeves and trousers) as when entering all mosques. Women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf.

In the afternoon we visit the Pyramids at Giza. Home to the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the timeless and enigmatic Sphinx, these great monuments to the afterlife defy the imagination. Only the throng of sightseers, Egyptian and foreign, milling around their huge foundations, keep the viewer in the 21st century. Comfortable Hotel

Meals included: breakfast

Day 3: Fly to Luxor; exploration of Valley of the Kings; afternoon visit to Karnak and Luxor temples.

We typically transfer to Cairo airport before sunrise for our flight to Luxor (flight times can vary). We arrive in Luxor and cross the Nile to the West Bank. Here we see the Valley of the Kings, which contains the once hidden tombs of over 62 Pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses III and IV. A discreet entrance in the hillside takes the visitor underground; a series of corridors and ante-chambers leads us down to the burial chamber and sarcophagus. The walls are covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs - a map of the afterlife to ensure the king's safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs. The ticket usually allows entry into what are regarded as the most impressive tombs, but if you have time a visit to the tomb of Ramses VI is also highly recommended. Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of wall paintings - each tomb is periodically closed for a number of weeks. In the afternoon we cross back to the east bank of the Nile and visit Luxor Temple and the huge Karnak Temple complex. Built over 1500 years, Karnak is a confusion of pylons, courtyards, halls and sanctuaries. Its Hypostyle hall has 134 columns 23 metres high and 15 metres in diameter! Both temples are incredibly impressive. In the evening or earlier in the day, depending on the flight times, we settle into our accommodation on the cruise boat.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 4 - 5: Two days on the Nile with visits to Edfu and Kom Ombo en route.

On the Nile. We will spend these days on our cruise boat, travelling upstream from Luxor to Aswan. Exact sailing and excursion times cannot be guaranteed for each individual trip but we will visit the temples of Edfu, famous for its roofed inner temples and huge Pylon, and Kom Ombo. The cruise boat has good facilities: a sundeck with sun loungers, bar and small pool, restaurant, gift shop and library - these can all be taken advantage of when the cruise boat is docked or during sailing. The sunsets over the Nile are truly stunning and travelling from Luxor to Aswan, enjoying the beauty of the lush verdant landscape make this journey special.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 6: A traditional felucca ride on the Nile; free afternoon or optional visit to Aswan High Dam and unfinished obelisk.

This morning we are travelling the Nile in a different, exciting way: by felucca, the traditional Egyptian sailing boat. Using the felucca, we can truly savour the tranquillity of the Nile and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where the vast desert almost reaches the water's edge. (The sailing by felucca timing might be changed according to weather conditions). In the afternoon there is the option to visit the Nubian Museum, situated opposite the hotel. Opened in April 1998, the museum chronologically charts the history and culture of the Nubian people. Alternatively, we can arrange an optional visit to Philae Temple. In the 1970s it has been relocated by UNESCO to Aglika Island after it became evident that the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the Aswan High Dam. It represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering. During this excursion we will also visit Aswan High Dam and Cleopatra's unfinished obelisk. Cruise Boat

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 7: Optional visit to Abu Simbel.

Today there's the option of a visit to Abu Simbel, 300 km. to the south through the Nubian Desert. The optional bus tour starts at 3.30/4 in the morning when we get picked up from the boat. A breakfast box is provided. Around 8 am we will arrive at the destination, where we are given approx 3 hours to visit the temples. Built by Ramses II the two temples are certainly some of the most spectacular in Egypt. Originally on the banks of the Nile, the temples were raised to a new site above the lake in the late 1960s, as the waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. The four great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. We will be back in Aswan around 3 pm. Our luggage will be moved to the hotel, where we will overnight for the next 2 days.

Meals included: breakfast

Day 8: Aswan; St. Simone Monastery optional tour, bazaar and corniche.

Today it's our last day in Aswan. A visit to St. Simone Monastery would be one of the available optional tours or we can spend our day discovering the bazaar (market) and corniche in Aswan. Shopping of home-made products can be done at the market, a great opportunity to have a taste of the local culture. Aswan is a laid-back, sleepy town that reflects the character of its largely Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. Enjoying its atmosphere is a highlight for many on this trip.

Meals included: breakfast

Day 9: Fly to London via Cairo.

Fly to London.

Meals included: breakfast