Sailing the Nile

Light cold dinner in the cabin.

Arrival at Luxor airport. Assistance by our representative and transfer to the ship.

Overnight on board in Luxor.

Today is the day to discover the marvelous city of Luxor, the ancient Thebes. Visit the West Bank, a World Heritage site since 1979, to explore the majestic Necropolis of Thebes, the Valley of the Kings where you will visit 3 tombs, the Temple of Deir el Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic statues representing Pharaoh Amenhotep III.

Visit the temples of Luxor and Karnak, two of the most spectacular temples in Egypt, which were formerly connected by the mythical avenue of sphinxes about 3 km long. Return to the ship. Navigate towards Esna and, after crossing the Lock, continue to Edfu.

Overnight on board.

Upon arriving at Edfu, visit the Temple of Edfu dedicated to the God Horus. The navigation will continue to Kom Ombo, where the Temple dedicated to the Gods Sobek and Haroeris is located. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world, and the northern half to Haroeris "Horus the Elder," who was considered the initiator of Egyptian civilization, god of the sky, war, and hunting. The temple is atypical for being double and symmetrical with respect to the main axis. Navigation to Aswan.

Night on board.

Very early, almost at dawn, departure through the desert until reaching Lake Nasser to discover Abu Simbel, where the majestic temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari are located. These impressive temples were carved into the rock during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II and dedicated to the pharaoh and his wife Nefertari, to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Kadesh and to display his power to the Nubians. In 1968, the complex was relocated to an artificial hill; the relocation of the temples was necessary to prevent them from being submerged after the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Return to the cruise ship.

At night, you can optionally enjoy the Sound and Light show at the Temple of Philae offered on this magical and small island where the temple is located.

Overnight on board.

Amidst the dancing waters of the Nile River, an eternal treasure is hidden: the Temple of Philae. Departure by bus to the dock to board a boat and reach Agilkia Island where the temple is currently located.

Due to the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 20th century, the original island of Philae was submerged for much of the year due to the rising water level of the Nile. To save the valuable monuments, the temple and other buildings were relocated to this island, where they were reconstructed in their original position.

Return to the cruise ship and lunch.

Sailing on a felucca on the Nile.

At the scheduled time, transfer to Aswan airport to take the flight to Cairo.

Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation.

Full-day excursion to visit Memphis and the Necropolis of Saqqara to see the first stone construction ever built in the world and some mastabas – which were the tombs of the Nobles.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara is one of the most iconic monuments in Egypt. Besides its beauty and monumental scale, it is not only the first pyramid built by the ancient Egyptians but also the oldest known stone structure of ancient Egypt.

Continue to the Giza Plateau to admire the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple of Khafre. Each of these spectacular structures served as the final resting place of a king from the 4th Dynasty.

End the day with time to stroll through the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar and have dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation.

Day dedicated to exploring the city of Cairo: The Museum of Pharaonic Art with exquisite paintings, reliefs, statues, and funerary items from different dynasties, where the treasure of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun is still kept.

Brief visit to the Coptic Quarter where the Church of St. Sergius will be visited, where the Holy Family took refuge when fleeing Herod to Egypt. Continue for lunch and conclude with a visit to the Citadel of Saladin with its great Alabaster Mosque.

Accommodation.

At the previously indicated time, pick-up and transfer to the airport to depart on a flight to the city of origin.

See you soon!