Ancient Egypt & Nile Cruise

Welcome to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where the ancient and modern worlds connect seamlessly. Many flights arrive into Cairo late today, but if you arrive earlier, you may want to head to the hotel pool for a refreshing post-flight dip. Want more time in Cairo? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative, allowing you extra time to explore the city and relax into the adventure. Upgrade to a pyramid-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Around 7am or 7:30am, say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Please have your breakfast beforehand. Then, to set the scene, we visit the impressive Grand Egyptian Museum. Highlights we expect to see include the vast Great Hall, home to the colossal statue of Ramesses II, and the Grand Stairs, which present Egypt’s ancient story through a series of striking displays. Explore the Tutankhamun Galleries, where treasures from the boy king’s tomb offer insight into his life and legacy. We also explore areas such as the Khufu Boat Museum and the Main Galleries, where artefacts spanning thousands of years showcase the richness of Egypt’s past. After, we visit the magnificent National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where we can see the mummies of iconic pharaohs, such as Ramses II and Hatshepsut, who we learn so much more about later on the trip. Finally, we navigate the narrow alleys and streets that make up the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. In operation since the 14th century, it is still home to a wonderfully eclectic mix of traders and vendors, offering an intriguing insight into the ancient and modern sides of Cairo. This evening, your tour leader ensures a big welcome over a group dinner. Upgrade to a pyramid-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Visit the Giza Plateau today, where the Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the mysterious Great Sphinx stand as the greatest testament to the Ancient Egyptians. We wander the site, with a chance to grill our tour leader (an Egyptologist) on the incredible structures. Only the throng of sightseers milling around their huge foundations keep you in the 21st century. If you’d like to venture inside the belly of the pyramids, it is possible to pay for additional tickets locally. After, we drive to a viewpoint to see the grand monuments from another angle. The rest of the day if free to relax or sightsee. Upgrade to a pyramid-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We typically transfer to Cairo airport before sunrise for our flight to Luxor (flight times can vary but we need to be at the airport three hours before the flight so expect a wake up around 2am). A breakfast box is provided, but you'll also need to pack your day's essentials into your hand luggage, such as your hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. On arrival, we go directly from the airport to the huge Karnak Temple complex on the east bank of the Nile. Built more than 1,500 years, Karnak is a mixture of pylons, courtyards, halls and sanctuaries, while our early arrival means we miss the big crowds that arrive later in the day. We then tour the smaller Luxor Temple complex, where we see more grand monuments from the ancient world. After, we arrive at our cruise boat in time for lunch on board before free time in the afternoon to relax or head back into Luxor for more exploration. Upgrade to an upper-deck cabin today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Leave the boat very early (to ensure we are back for the commencement of the cruise) and take a 30 to 40-minute bus ride to the west bank of the Nile. Here, we visit the Valley of the Kings, which contains the once-hidden tombs of more than 60 pharaohs. A discreet entrance in the hillside takes us underground, a series of corridors and antechambers leading to burial chambers and sarcophagi. The walls are covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs – a map of the afterlife to ensure the king’s safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs, usually into what are regarded as the most impressive tombs. However, if there is time, we recommend a visit to the tombs of Ramses VI and Tutankhamun – these require extra tickets, which can be bought locally. Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of wall paintings – each tomb is periodically closed for several weeks. On crowded days, make sure to have a quick visit to each of the included tombs if you want to add extra tombs as your leader will give a fixed meeting time in order to return to the cruise boat before it sails. After, we visit the nearby Hatshepsut Temple, an architectural masterpiece of the ancient world. Built at the foot of sheer rock cliffs, it is a staggering sight, with a trio of terraces and neat arrangement of pillars. We then visit the Colossi of Memnon, two giant seated representations of the Pharaoh Amenhotep II. On return to our cruise boat, we begin our voyage along the Nile, travelling upstream and, hopefully, enjoying a sunset to remember. Upgrade to an upper-deck cabin today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We continue our exploration of the ancient world today, visiting the Temples of Edfu in the morning. Also on the west bank of the Nile, this grand Ptolemaic temple was dedicated to the falcon-headed god, Horus. In the late afternoon, after a relaxed few hours sailing along the Nile, we visit Kom Ombo temple, unusual in that it was dedicated to two deities: Sobek and Haroeris. Returning to the boat, we set sail for Aswan, where we stay overnight. Please note: Exact sailing and excursion times cannot be guaranteed for each individual trip. Upgrade to an upper-deck cabin today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We wake in Aswan today, a laid-back town that reflects the character of its largely Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. By virtue of its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading centre and we thoroughly recommend visiting the packed bazaar today, where merchants display spices, carpets, leather goods and countless other wares. Today there’s the option of flying to the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel, 186mi (300km) to the south through the Nubian Desert. Built by Ramses II, the two temples are certainly some of the most spectacular in Egypt. Originally on the banks of the Nile, the temples were raised to a new site above the lake in the late 1960s, as the waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. The four great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. We arrive back in Aswan around 1.30pm, before lunch. If you're not heading to Abu Simbel, there is the option to visit the Nubian Museum, situated opposite our usual hotel in Aswan (please ask your tour leader if you are interested and when it can be arranged). Opened in April 1998, the museum chronologically charts the history and culture of the Nubian people. Upgrade to an upper-deck cabin today – speak to your sales representative for more details