Upon arrival into Cairo International Airport after you have gone through Immigration and Customs, you will be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.

 

Enjoy a welcome dinner on a Nile Cruise with entertainment this evening.

 

Accommodations: Cairo Marriott Hotel (Deluxe Rooms)or similar for 3 nights

 

 

After breakfast begin your full day tour, including visits to the pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara.

 

The Pyramids & Sphinx were reckoned by the Greeks to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A single pyramid is built of 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing an average of two and one–half tons. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that so many writers & artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is especially interesting since its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren (2620BC). Hewn from natural yellowish limestone & standing 65 feet high & 187 feet long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion’s body.

 

Also near the Cheops Pyramid you’ll see the solar boat, a funerary boat reassembled in its entirety.

 

Memphis served as the capital of Upper & Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago during the 1st Dynasty. Menes, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great white-walled palace & the Temple of Ptah here.

 

Sakkara one of the most exciting historical & archaeological area in all of Egypt is Sakkara, situated about 12 miles South West of Cairo. The site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser. It was the first pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt, preceding those at Giza by many centuries, & is the work of the famous pharaonicarchitect, Imhotep.

 

Lunch will be included at a local restaurant today.

 

 

After breakfast you will begin your full day tour to the Egyptian Museum, Citadel, Mosque and Khan El Khalili Bazaar.

 

The Egyptian Museum is the most important depository of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world. It features artifacts from the Pharaonic and Graeco-Roman periods, including the celebrated mummies of ancient Egypt’s king and Tut Ankh Amun treasures.

 

Please Note:If the Grand Egyptian Museum is open, this will replace the Egyptian Museum.

 

The Citadel is situated on a highly visible spur of the Mokattam Hills of Old Cairo, and was the nerve center of Egypt for almost 700 years. Construction of the grand structure began in 1176 and was completed by Muhammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt in the late 19th century. Mamluk sultans and Turkish governors resided in the Citadel, which is among the world's most splendid monuments of medieval warfare.

 

The tour also includes a visit to Khan El Khalili, known as the Turkish bazaar during the Ottoman period, and was built in 1382 by Emir Djaharks.  El Khalili, in the heart of what was then Fatimid City. Until this day, the bazaar is a center of trade and communion in the city, and offers a wide array of antiques, handcrafts of gold, silver and copper as well as numerous old coffee shops and local restaurants which attract both Egyptians and tourists alike.

 

Lunch is included today at a local restaurant.

 

 

Today, you will transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor.

 

Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your ship, your floating hotel for the next 4 night as you cruise down the Nile.

 

Have lunch on board.

 

Visit Karnak and Luxor Temple. Luxor is a city often been called "world's greatest open air museum", with the number and preservation of monuments in the area, it is unparalleled to anywhere in the world. Luxor is actually composed of three different areas: the city of Luxor - located on the east side of the Nile, the town of Karnak, located just north of Luxor, and Thebes which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor Visits are made to the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple.

 

The Luxor Temple was built largely by Amenhotep III and Ramses II, the temple served as a setting for the rituals of the festival, which was held to reconcile the human aspect of the ruler with his divine office. The Karnak Temple was erected in 1928 BC as a small shrine dedicated to Amun, god of Thebes. The Temple of Karnak comprises of three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples - all constructed over 1300 years. The three main temples of Mut, Monthu and Amun, are enclosed in enormous brick walls, with the temple of Amun at the center. Karnak is now the largest and oldest temple compound on earth. Return to the ship in time for Afternoon tea.

 

Dinner on board, followed by Belly dancing and Egyptian folkloric show.

 

Please note: the cruise starts on Mondays only

 

Accommodations: Sonesta St. George, Deluxe Cabin for 4 nights

 

 

Visit the West Bank and the burial ground of the Pharaohs including the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. The Valley of the Kings is 4home to many Pharaonic tombs of the New Kingdom, including those of King Tutankhamen and Ramses the Great. Each King's formal name and title is inscribed in his tomb, which are also adorned with his images and statues. Most of the tombs were cut into the limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber and a sunken sarcophagus chamber. The Valley of the Queens includes between 75 and 80 tombs, belonging to queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties. Among these is the famous tomb of Nefertiti, one of the five wives of Ramses II. Hatshepsut Temple was built just north of the Middle Kingdom temple of Mentuhoteb Nebhepetre, amid the bay of cliffs known as Deir El-Bahri. The female pharaoh chose to build her temple in a valley sacred to the Theban Goddess of the West, on a direct axis with Karnak temple of Amun on the East Bank. Sail to Esna and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

 

This evening enjoy the Captain’s welcome cocktail and disco music after dinner.

 

 

Early this morning the ship sails to Edfu. Begin the day with a visit to the wonderfully preserved Temple of Horus at Edfu. Travel to and from the temple by horse drawn carriage. The temple is perhaps the best preserved in all of Egypt and ranks second behind Karnak, simply because of its immense size. At the temple's entrance stand two large black granite statues of Horus who is depicted as a falcon. The elaborate carvings on the walls of the temple are beautiful as if carved just yesterday. Inside the temple is a small sanctuary where the priests of the day offered the best parts of the animals to the gods.

 

Continue to Kom Ombo to visit the Graeco Roman style Temple of Sobek. Standing serenely on a hilltop, the site offers an incredible view over the Nile. Kom Ombo is located on a bend in the Nile River about 50 km north of Aswan. Located on the east bank, Kom Ombo is home to an unusual double Temple of Sobek built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The temple is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). Despite being badly damaged, the temple is a beautiful sight as you approach from either direction on the river, particularly as sunset nears and the colours change. Continue with a visit to the wonderfully preserved Temple of Horus at Edfu. Travel to and from the temple by horse drawn carriage. The temple is perhaps the best preserved in all of Egypt and ranks second behind Karnak, simply because of its immense size. At the temple's entrance stand two large black granite statues of Horus who is depicted as a falcon. The elaborate carvings on the walls of the temple are beautiful as if carved just yesterday. Inside the temple is a small sanctuary where the priests of the day offered the best parts of the animals to the gods. Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

 

This evening enjoy an Egyptian Galabya party.

 

 

Today's sightseeing includes Aswan's High Dam and the Temple of Philae.

 

The Old High Dam was built by Sir W. Wilcox on Behalf of the British authorities in 1898. It is constructed of Granite quarried in the Aswan area. The official opening took place in 1902. The Temple of Philae was dismantled & reassembled (on Agilika Island about 500 m from its original home on Philae Island) in the wake of the High Dam. T

 

he Temple dedicated to the Goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting, which has been landscaped to match its original site. Its various shrines & sanctuaries, which include a temple of Hathor, a Birth House & two pylons, celebrate all the deities involved in the Isis & Osiris myth. Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town, is located about 81 miles south of Luxor and has a distinctively African atmosphere. Its ancient Egyptian name was Syene. Small enough to walk around and graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, the pace of life is slow and relaxing. Days can be spent strolling up and down the broad Corniche, watching the sailboats etch the sky with their tall masts or sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music and eating freshly caught fish.

 

Dinner and overnight on board. The evening enjoy a Nubian show on board the ship.

 

 

After breakfast, disembark the cruise, and visit a Nubian village. The Village is a typical Nubian village with Nubian life style, the Nubians still live there with Nubian decoration and visitors are invited for cup of tea in one of the Nubian houses.

 

Following the village visit, check into your hotel in Aswan. The rest of the day is at leisure.

 

Accommodation: Movenpick Aswan Hotel (Classic Garden View) for 2 nights

 

 

Enjoy the day at leisure.

 

 

After breakfast disembark and transfer to the Aswan airport for your flight back to Cairo. Connect to your flight home.

 

 

 

After breakfast disembark and transfer to the Aswan airport for your flight back to Cairo. Connect to your flight to Amman, Jordan.

 

Upon arrival at Amman's Queen Alia airport, you will be met by a local representative in the arrivals hall and transferred to your hotel at the Dead Sea. The rest of your day is at leisure.

 

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Dead Sea Resort (Standard Rooms) or similar for 1 night

 

 

The morning will be at leisure to enjoy the Dead Sea until you check out and depart for your visit to Bethany - the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist and a holy pilgrimage site for Christians the world over. Continue on to Petra and check in to your hotel.

 

Accommodation: Petra Guest House Hotel (Standard Rooms) or similar for 1 night

 

 

After breakfast, you will be driven to the Rose Red city of Petra to a guided tour which will include such main sites as the ''Siq'', a long winding fissure between two walls of overhanging cliffs, the ''Khazneh'', referred to as the Treasury, the Street of Facades, the Court House and the Amphitheatre. After your tour, drive to Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, it is the largest Wadi in Jordan. The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films. Enjoy a 2-hour 4x4 jeep tour inside the desert.

 

Accommodation: Sun City Camp (Deluxe Tents with private facilities) or similar for 1 night

 

 

After breakfast, drive to Mt. Nebo, the mountaintop memorial of Moses with captivating views of the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea and River Jordan. Thereafter visit the endless churches of Madaba known as the city of mosaics for the famous mosaic map flooring the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, the oldest map in the world depicting the Holy Land. Continue to Amman for overnight.

 

Accommodation: Amman Al-Qasr Metropole Hotel (Superior Room)or similar for 1 night

 

 

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Amman Airport for your onward travel.

 

EGYPT

 

JORDAN