Cruise the Nile

Day 1 : Cairo

On arrival in Cairo you will be met and transferred to your cruise ship to check in. Enjoy your first lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

Day 2 : Cairo

Today you will visit incredible sites, starting with a visit to the impressive new Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization. Packed with ancient treasures and archaeological marvels, this is a great place to start any tour of Egypt. This is followed by a visit to Coptic Cairo. The Hanging Church here is considered the oldest church in the area of Old Cairo. It is known as Al-Muallaka (the hanging) because it was built on the ruins of two old towers that remained from an old fortress, the Fortress of Babylon. It was dedicated to The Virgin Mary and St. Dimiana. The Coptic Museum is a beautiful museum found in the middle of Old Cairo on the ancient site of Babylon. It contains the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts in the world.

After lunch back on board, continue to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the most famous pyramid in Egypt and one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”. Make stop at Khafre’s Pyramid, recognisable by the layers of casing stones at its summit and this, along with the fact that it stands on a higher part of the plateau, gives the impression that it is taller than the Great Pyramid. Followed by a visit the smallest of the three main pyramids on the Giza Plateau, Mycenae pyramid, built by Khafre’s son Menkaure.

Here also is the Great Sphinx, one of the most easily recognised structures in the world. Sculpted from soft sandstone, it is likely it would have disappeared had it not been buried in the sand for so much of its life. It faces the rising sun, and was revered so much a temple was built in front of it. Return to your ship for dinner onboard.

Day 3 : Cairo

Spend another day learning about ancient history as you visit incredible monuments and ruins. Visit Memphis which functioned as the ancient capital of Lower Egypt and of the Old Kingdom of Egypt from its foundation until around 2200 BC. Sakkara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt with the world’s oldest standing step pyramid.

Day 4 : Cairo > Beni Suef

Farewell Cairo this morning and set sail upstream along the Nile. Enjoy a full day relaxing on board today, watching the Egyptian farmland and sugar cane plantations as you pass gently by. Today will be a full day of sailing to Beni Suef. This evening live music will accompany your dinner.

Day 5 : Beni Suef > Minya

Today you will sail to Minya. Located south of Cairo on the western shores of the Nile River, Minya was once an important center of trade and known for its advanced agriculture. This evening enjoy a folkloric party after dinner.

Day 6 : Minya

Today you will visit Tuna el Gebel, known as the largest Greco-Roman necropolis in Egypt, also making a stop at Ashmunein, once a major city. After lunch visit the Beni Hassan tombs including the tombs of Baqet, Khety, Amenemhet and Khnumhotep II.

Day 7 : Minya > Tel El Amarna > Assyut

Early this morning set sail to Tel El Amarna, the home of the ‘Amarnian experience’. Arrive in Amarna in time to visit the Amarna Visitor Centre for a presentation on Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Also visit the northern tombs of Tel El Amarna which include the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten, the Northern Palace, and the small temples of Aten.

Return to the boat and sail to Assyut, stopping en route in front of Prince Tawdrous Monastery to view the monastery from the boat. Tonight enjoy a traditional Galabia Party onboard.

Day 8 : Assyut > Sohag

Enjoy a leisurely day sailing to Sohag, with all meals on board.

Day 9 : Sohag > El Balyana > Naga Hammadi

Set sail early this morning to El Balyana as you continue your sail upstream towards Qena. Visit Abydos temple, the holy city of Osiris, God of the Dead and the new kingdom temple of Seti I. The area around Abydos temple was believed to be the place where Osiris was buried. Thus, Abydos was an important cult centre for Osiris. A number of temples dedicated to Osiris, all of which were located in one area, were built prior to the reign of Seti. Later, sail to Naga Hammadi via Naga Hammadi lock and bridges.

Day 10 : Naga Hammadi > Qena > Luxor

Sail to Qena and visit Dandarah, one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. The main temple at Dandarah is possibly the most grand and elaborate of its time. It is also one of the most important temple sites in the country with a variety of features and is in wonderful condition despite the destruction of the temples of Hathor’s consort and child which stood close by. Continue sailing to Luxor.

Day 11 : Luxor

Visit the West Bank area today starting with a visit to the Valley of the Kings. The Egyptians belief that “To speak the name of the dead is to make him live again” is certainly carried out in the building of the tombs. The king’s names and titles are inscribed in his tomb along with images and statues.

Explore the temple of Hatshepsut – the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut is one of the most dramatically situated in the world. The queen’s architect, Senenmut, set it at the head of a valley overshadowed by the Peak of the Thebes. A tree lined avenue of sphinxes led up to the temple, and ramps lead from terrace to terrace.

Day 12 : Luxor > Edfu

Today visit the East Bank, the highlight of which is the Temple of Karnak – no site in Egypt is more impressive. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of craftsmen. Also visit the Temple of Luxor, which was the centre of the important festival of Opet. Built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II, the temple’s main purpose was as a suitable setting for the rituals of the festival. Sail to Esna and pass the lock, then overnight in Edfu.

Day 13 : Edfu > Kom Ombo > Aswan

Visit Edfu and the Temple of Horus, considered to be the best preserved cult temple in Egypt. The town was the capital of the second Nome (Horus) of Upper Egypt. Discover more about Kom Ombo, a unique and unusual temple dedicated to two gods – Horus and Sobek. There is a Nilometre close to the edge of the river and an anteroom containing mummified crocodiles to be seen here. Sail on to Aswan to overnight.

Day 14 : Aswan

See the High Dam, Philae Temple and Nubian Museum. Philae Temple was dismantled and reassembled (on Agilika Island about 550 metres from its original home on Philae Island) in the wake of the High Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site. Enjoy your last night on board with a Nubian Show.

Day 15 : Aswan

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the airport where arrangements end.