Cairo, Long cruise, and Alexandria tour

Day 01: Arrival Cairo

Welcome to Cairo! Your tour begins when you are greeted by our representative who will assist you through immigration and customs formalities. After you have collected your luggage he will then take you, in our deluxe vehicle, to your Cairo hotel.

Day 02: Cairo

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a full day tour. In the morning you will be taken to Sakkara to see the very first pyramid ever built; the Step Pyramid of Djoser. You will also get the chance to see some fantastic mastabas, including the mastaba of Mereruka, the largest one built in ancient Egypt. You will then be able to marvel at the Pyramid Texts inside the Pyramid of Teti before heading off to the ancient capital of Egypt: Memphis. The Colossus of Ramses II dominates the museum here; do not forget your camera!sakkara

After lunch, at a local restaurant, you will be driven to see the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx: the most famous monuments of not only ancient Egypt, but of the entire ancient world! These massive stone structures were built around 4,500 years ago on a rocky desert plateau close to the Nile. After the visit, you will be taken to the Papyrus Institute where you will see how the ancient Egyptians made this forerunner to today's paper; have a go at making it yourself; and get the opportunity to look at some fantastic examples of papyrus art, with no obligation to buy. After this amazing trip through Egypt's pharaonic past you will be driven back to your hotel.

Day 03: Cairo

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by another full day tour, but this time you will spent the forenoon at the Egyptian Museum: gaze at the wonders of King Tutankhamen, including his golden death mask; stare upon the mummies of some of Egypt's ancient pharaohs (optional); lose yourself in the many rooms and galleries, where thousands of artefacts are awaiting your visit.

After lunch, at a local restaurant, you will be taken to the Citadel of Saladin, the fortress built between 1176 and 1183 AD, to protect Cairo from the Crusaders and rebuilt by Muhammad Ali Pasha, whose mosque is a "must see". From here you will be taken on a tour of Cairo famous Churches, including: The Hanging Church and the Church of St. George the Martyr, 2 churches built into the walls of the Fort of Babylon and its remains could be Cairo's oldest structures; and the Church of Abu Serga (St. Sergius), where, it is said, the Holy Family took shelter in a cave, with the church being erected her to commemorate this. This whole area is a world famous destination for Pilgrims.

At the end of this exciting day you will be driven to visit the old market of Cairo (Khan El-Khalili) to test your haggling skills, and then taken back to your hotel

Day 04: Nile Cruise: Luxor

After breakfast you will check out and our representative will escort you to the airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival you will be met and assisted by our representative who will transfer you to your cruise boat: your floating hotel for your next 4 days. After lunch, which you will have on board, the rest of the day is to do as you please.

Day 05: Nile Cruise: Luxor

A new day and your first breakfast on board; then it is time to visit the magnificent Karnak and Luxor Temples. Once your visit to these ancient Theban Temples is complete you will return to the boat for your lunch, and then you can watch as it departs Luxor and sails for Esna. As the Nile flows gently underneath you, dinner will be served.

Day 06: Nile Cruise: Esna, Edfu, And Kom Ombo

You can enjoy an early breakfast, while the cruise boat crosses the Esna lock to the city of Esna. Once the boat is moored you will visit the Esna Temple, which is located in the centre of the town, and is dedicated to the gods Khnum, Neith and Heka. After the visit you will be taken back to the boat for your lunch while it sails onward to Edfu, home of the best preserved temple in Egypt: the Temple of Horus. After your visit to this superb temple you will be taken back to the boat in plenty of time before it departs Edfu, dinner being served as it sails majestically towards Kom Ombo.

Day 07: Nile Cruise: Aswan

Your last day of sailing upstream starts with breakfast, and then a visit to the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Horus and Sobek. Afterwards it is back to the boat for lunch and the sail to Aswan. Once ashore you will be driven to see the High Dam, the worlds largest rock filled dam, and the Temple of Philae, moved to the island of Agilika after the waters of Lake Nasser flooded its original location. It is then back to the boat for your dinner.

Day 08: Nile Cruise: Aswan

After breakfast it is time to have a sail, by felucca, to see the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener Island.

The rest of the day is free for you to do as you choose.

Optional Trip:abu simbel

You may choose to visit Abu Simbel to see these marvellous temples, which were originally carved out of a rocky mountainside by Ramses II. You can either go by flight: it costs $250 per person all inclusive(flight duration 45 minutes each flight leg), or by coach: Costs about $110 per person all inclusive trip (duration 4 hours each way)

Day 09: Nile Cruise: Kom Ombo And Edfu

After an early breakfast the boat sets sail. This time downstream, for Kom Ombo once again. This time you can visit the temple early in the morning before the boat heads off to Edfu. After lunch you will cross the locks at Esna, once again, as the boat heads back to Luxor.

Day 10: Nile Cruise: Luxor

An early breakfast and then it is time to visit the West Bank of Luxor: the tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings; the tombs of princes in the Valley of the Queens; the magnificent temple of Queen aswanHatshepsut at Deir El-Bahri finishing with the immense Colossi of Memnon.

After this visit to the Theban "City of the Dead" you will be taken back to your boat for your lunch, and then you can enjoy your dinner as the Nile laps gently underneath you.

Day 11: Cairo

You will have your final breakfast on the boat before you have to check out and then are transferred to Luxor airport for your flight to Cairo (about 45 minutes). Upon arrival at Cairo you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Day 12: Alexandria

Your day starts with breakfast in your hotel followed by a 2.5 hour drive, in our air-conditioned vehicle, to Alexandria where you will check-in at your hotel upon arrival. After check-in it is time to start your first tour in this beautiful city, originally built by Alexander the Great, including a trip to the New Alexandria Library (Bibliotheca Alexandrina), inaugurated on October 16, 2002, with shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room on eleven levels; the Alexandria National Museum, built in a former palace and now houses almost 2000 artefacts which tell the story of the city, including the recent finds from the sunken part of the city; the Citadel of Qaitbay, where about 1480 AD the Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the site, which held the ruins of the Alexandria Lighthouse, and with successive improvements it now stands as a very prominent Citadel on the Mediterranean coastline; and the Roman Amphitheatre, which every town in the ancient Roman Empire had. Lunch will be supplied in the middle of this exciting tour, and at the end of the day you will be returned to your hotel for dinner.

Day 13: Alexandria

After breakfast you will experience a trip into the catacombs (Kom el Shoqafa), where the early Christians were buried; Pompey's Pillar, the biggest memorial column in Egypt, made of red granite and standing about 28 metres high, with a base diameter of 2.7 metres. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, the Roman ruler of Egypt, between 284 and 305AD, erected this memorial column in his honour, as a sign of gratitude; and the Montazah Gardens, a private park where world leaders often meet, 150 acres of numerous trees, palms, and flowers which overlook many bays and beaches.

Lunch will be supplied at a local restaurant in the middle of this exciting tour, and as the sites start to close you will have a tired, but fulfilled, drive back to your hotel for dinner.

Day 14: El-Alamein And Cairo

After breakfast you will be taken, in our air-conditioned vehicle, to El-Alamein where you will see the war cemetery and museum dedicated to the 2 battles fought here during World War II. Once this visit is completed you will be driven back to Cairo.

Day 15: Final Departure

Your final day starts with breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out. You will then be transferred to the airport for your final departure.

End Of Program

Rates Include:

● 5 night’s accommodation in Cairo on a bed and breakfast basis

● 7 night’s accommodation on board a Nile cruiser on a full board basis (all meals included)

● 2 night’s accommodation in Alexandria on a half board basis (breakfast and dinner included)

● All transfers as per above mentioned program

● Private and personalized sightseeing shore excursions for 7 nights on the cruise

● Private English speaking guides as per the itinerary

● Entrance fees for all sightseeing

● All applicable taxes

● Private and deluxe air conditioned vehicle for all transportation

● Meals: 14 breakfasts + 12 lunches + 9 dinners

● Arrival/departure assistance

● Domestic flights: Cairo/Luxor and Luxor/Cairo

● Luggage handling at airports and hotels

Rates Exclude:

● Tipping for guides, driver, etc

● Personal expenses (laundry, telephone calls, etc)

● Personal travel insurance

● Any other items which are not included in the above package

For (January - February - March - April )

For (January - February - March - April )