Egypt

Welcome to Cairo, the sprawling capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa. This evening we’ll enjoy a group welcome dinner.
Hotel: Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, 2 nights

Today we take a short flight to Aswan, gateway to the incredible history, temples and monuments of Upper Egypt. Here we’ll visit the High Dam, the magnificent Temple of Isis on Philae Island and the Unfinished Obelisk. This afternoon we’ll relax on a cruise along the Nile on board a traditional felucca sailboat.
Hotel: Movenpick Resort Aswan

After breakfast we set sail for the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris. We’ll then cruise onward to Edfu where we’ll visit the magnificent Temple of Horus, dedicated to the Falcon God. This beautiful ancient temple is one of the best-preserved in Egypt and the second-largest after Karnak Temple. Continuing our journey, we cross the lock at Esna and sail on towards Luxor. Tonight we’ll experience a traditional galabeya party on board.

We disembark the cruise after breakfast and set off to explore the West Bank - the world’s largest open-air museum! Our first stop is the Valley of the Kings. Carved deep into the limestone rock, each tomb has a similar pattern of three corridors, an antechamber and a sarcophagus chamber. We’ll be able to descend into some of the tombs to see examples of the elaborate and well-preserved hieroglyphic paintings. Our next destination is the Temple of Hatshepsut. Regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, Queen Hatshepsut is one of only a few women to be given the title of pharaoh. We’ll then visit the Colossi of Memnon.
Hotel: Steigenberger Nile Palace

Today begins with a visit to the 12th century Saladin Citadel of Cairo and the Mohammed Ali Mosque. Built in classic Turkish style, it resembles the great mosques of Istanbul. We’ll then discover the 14th century Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, a major souk in Cairo’s Islamic District. Famous for its handmade crafts, it’s also the perfect place to enjoy a traditional Arabic coffee. There are no fixed prices here, so make sure you practice your haggling skills! This afternoon we’ll continue into the lively heart of Cairo to visit the world-famous Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamun’s priceless treasures and many other historic artefacts. There will also be time for an optional visit to the “Mummy Room”. This evening we’ll enjoy a group farewell dinner.

Welcome to Cairo, the sprawling capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa. This evening we’ll enjoy a group welcome dinner.
Hotel: Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, 2 nights

This morning we fly to Luxor in Upper Egypt. Here we’ll explore the fascinating Karnak Temple, dedicated to the Pharaoh Amun. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the temple’s structure over time, which explains its monumental size! We’ll then visit Luxor Temple, once connected to Karnak Temple by a 3-kilometre long Avenue of Sphinxes. Luxor Temple is also home to a 25-metre pink granite obelisk, which was part of a matching pair until the 1830s when one was given to France. It now stands in the centre of the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Hotel: Steigenberger Nile Palace, 2 nights

This afternoon we board our Nile River cruise ship. Sit back, relax and watch day-to-day Egyptian life on the banks of the Nile as we cruise by.
Cruise: Movenpick MS Royal Lily, 4 nights

This morning we visit the magnificent Temple of Horus, dedicated to the Falcon God. This beautiful ancient temple is one of the best-preserved in Egypt and the second-largest after Karnak Temple. We’ll then cruise to the riverside Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris, before continuing to Aswan this evening. Tonight we enjoy traditional galabeya party on board.

e disembark the cruise and explore Aswan. Highlights of our sightseeing include the High Dam, the picturesque Temple of Isis on Philae Island, and the Unfinished Obelisk. This afternoon we’ll relax on a cruise along the Nile on board a traditional felucca sailboat.
Hotel: Movenpick Resort Aswan

After breakfast we travel to Wadi el Natroun, home to some of the world’s earliest Christian monasteries. Originally there were 50 monasteries here but only four have survived to modern times. In the Nitrian Desert visit the self-sufficient Coptic Monastery of St Bishoy, the ‘Star of the Desert’. Born in 320 AD, St Bishoy’s body is said to be preserved to this day inside the monastery. Later we’ll continue to the city of Alexandria on Egypt’s north coast.
Hotel: Hilton Alexandria Corniche, 2 nights

Our journey takes us westward through the dunes along the Mediterranean coast, following the route of Field Marshal Montgomery to El Alamein. We visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery associated with the Battle of El Alamein.
Hotel: Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, 2 nights

Today we bid farewell to Egypt and begin our journey home.