Day 1 - ARRIVE CAIRO, EGYPT
Arrive in Cairo, where you are met and transferred to your
luxury Nile River hotel.
Day 2 - CAIRO
Explore the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (or the Grand
Egyptian Museum, upon its opening), home to the world’s
largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, some dating to
4000 BC. View its famed Mummy Room and the remains of
Egypt’s pharaohs, including Ramses II. After lunch, continue
to the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, a souk (open-air marketplace)
where you enjoy a free-wheeling treasure hunt. Tonight, gather
for a welcome dinner.
Day 3 - GIZA
Visit the world-famous pyramids of Giza, built as tombs to
the ancient pharaohs and still irresistible to travellers more
than 4,000 years later. Don’t miss the chance to climb into one
of these pyramids and explore it from the inside. Ride Like a
Local on a camel, and then visit the Solar Boat Museum, with
its namesake ancient wooden vessel measuring over 140 feet in
length, and the enigmatic Great Sphinx.
Day 4 - LUXOR
Fly to Luxor, site of the ancient city of Thebes. Begin your full
day of exploring here by visiting the striking Temple of Luxor.
Behold the three large statues of Ramses II along the front of the temple pylons; the Courtyard of Ramses II behind the
East Tower; and the Colonnade of Amenhotep III, with its 14
papyrus-headed columns, some fully 50 feet in height. Next,
step aboard ‘Sanctuary Sun Boat IV’ on the Nile River,
where you enjoy lunch and meet your A&K children’s activity
coordinator. Later, explore the West Bank and the Valley of the
Kings, burial ground of the pharaohs, including “the boy king,”
Tutankhamun. Found in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard
Carter, Tutankhamun’s tomb is enclosed in 35-century-old
walls and delights explorers of all ages. Also visit the tomb of
Seti I and the lovely Temple of Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s first
female pharaoh. Stop for a selfie with the gigantic Colossi of
Memnon.
Day 5 - CRUISING THE NILE
Journey once more to the east bank of the Nile, this time with
a visit to the Temple of Karnak, where generations of pharaohs
wished to record their names. Walk through the Great
Hypostyle Hall; its expertly aligned columns, the largest of
which is 80 feet high with a 33-foot circumference, are a sight
to behold. Later, sail to Esna to visit the Temple of Khnum and
marvel at its soaring columns.
Day 6 - CRUISING THE NILE
Cruise to Edfu to behold the Temple of Horus. Join your
chef and children’s activity coordinator back on board for a
cooking lesson, with young guests learning to bake Egyptian-style
bread. Later, disembark at Kom Ombo (hill of gold) to
visit the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Haroeris (the sun
god) and Sobek (the crocodile god), who was considered by
some ancient Egyptians to be the creator of the world. While
there, view the mummified remains of several crocodiles that
once basked along the ancient Nile River shore, just as their
descendants do today. Tonight’s dinner onboard features an
“Egyptian Night” costume party, with a chance to dress up in
traditional galabeyyas.
Day 7 - CRUISING THE NILE
Cruise to Aswan and proceed to vast granite quarries and the
site of the Unfinished Obelisk. Then, ride by motorized boat
to the island of Agilika and its Philae Temple — among the
ancient structures that were dismantled and painstakingly
reassembled when the Aswan High Dam was constructed.
Enjoy lunch followed by a session of henna hand painting for
the kids. Later, weather permitting, Ride Like a Local around
the Aswan islands in a felucca.
Day 8 - ABU SIMBEL
Fly to Abu Simbel, where you visit the commanding twin
temples of Ramses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari. The
former’s façade is dominated by four statues of the pharaoh,
each nearly 70 feet tall. Perhaps even more impressive, this
entire site was moved here brick by brick to save it from
floodwaters caused by the construction of the Aswan High
Dam. Completed in 1970, the dam was built to improve
irrigation and generate hydroelectricity for the surrounding
region. This afternoon, return to Cairo.
Day 9 - CAIRO
Drive to the necropolis of Sakkara to view the famous Step
Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest of Egypt’s pyramids. After lunch,
enjoy woodworking and pottery workshops offered at Fagnoon
Arts & Crafts Center. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner.
Day 10 - DEPART CAIRO
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and depart.