Kenya And Ancient Egypt

On arrival at the airport, you’ll be met and escorted to the 5-star Fairmont Norfolk Hotel. In the heart of the capital, our venerable landmark hotel has been the starting point for some of history’s greatest safari expeditions. The rest of this day is yours to relax or explore as you wish.  

After breakfast, we’ll take you to the airport for your included safari flight to the Mugie Conservancy. Situated within Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, Mugie is home to a rich variety of wildlife including several endangered species. Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted and transferred to our luxury safari camp, Governor’s Mugie. After lunch, you’ll have time to settle in to your private cottage before an afternoon game drive.   Pristine and remote, Mugie is a private wildlife conservancy that has emerged as an important role model for sustainable conservation. Securing land for wildlife is a critical component and Mugie’s 50,000 acres provide a key wildlife access route between the Laikipia Plateau, the Matthews Range, and the Samburu lands to the north and east. The result is a multitude of wildlife including key species that are endemic to northern Kenya, such as the distinctive Grevy’s zebra and the beisa oryx with its unmistakable white and beige face markings and long, straight horns. Accompanied by our expert safari guide, your first afternoon game drive across Mugie’s vast acacia-dotted savannahs and scrubby bush promises thrilling wildlife encounters. The day ends on a spectacular high note as you enjoy Sundowner cocktails from a prime vantage point to watch the sun set over the Laikipia landscape. Back at camp, join your fellow guests for an intimate dinner accompanied by complimentary house beverages. Meals B+L+D

Complementing its vital role in protecting the wildlife of northern Kenya, Mugie is also at the forefront of community conservation efforts—operating a sustainable, low-impact cattle ranch that preserves the fragile eco-system of the conservancy. In addition, innovative community grazing programs and local empowerment projects have engaged residents to become invested in the conservation goals of Mugie. Complementing today’s morning and afternoon game drives, you will have the opportunity to witness firsthand some of these community projects and the benefits they bring.   At the cattle ranch, you can learn about their sustainable farming practices and community-based livestock management, gaining insight into how they function while also securing essential habitat for wildlife. For the culturally curious, you might visit a Samburu homestead  to learn about the daily life of these semi-nomadic pastoralists or spend time in a Pokot village as residents go about their daily routines, preparing cloth out of goat hide or engaging in the fast-paced game of bao.   Highlighting this day, of course, will be up-close encounters with Mugie’s abundant wildlife. In addition to resident lion prides and a healthy population of savanna elephants, our private conservancy is home to five special species, known as the Mugie Five: The endangered reticulated giraffe; Grevy’s zebra, largest of the three zebra species; beisa oryx with its distinctively long and straight horns; Jackson’s hartebeest, an endangered antelope species; and the striped hyena with its bushy mane of hair running down the length of its spine. Morning and afternoon game drives, special lion tracking expeditions, guided bush walks, and even canoeing and e-biking adventures are some of the wildlife-viewing activities that will make your stay at Mugie truly unforgettable. If you’re so inclined, Mugie even offers a private 9-hole golf course!   We’ve also arranged for a special bush dinner during your stay at Mugie; in a picturesque setting within the vast conservancy, you’ll enjoy a welcome drink and a delicious meal prepared by our Bush chefs—served under the stars with the soft glow of safari lanterns and the sounds of the African night.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll take you to the airstrip for your included flight deep into the Masai Mara National Reserve. On arrival, you’ll be met and escorted to our luxury safari camp. As the first tented camp in Africa, Little Governor’s has been on this site since 1972—occupying the best wildlife viewing location in the reserve, nestled in a riverine forest along the winding banks of the Mara River. After lunch, you’ll have time to relax on your private verandah which overlooks a large watering hole teeming with birds and wildlife. Later this afternoon, you’ll join our expert guide for your first safari in the Masai Mara.  Meals B+L+D  

Accompanied by our highly-trained guides, safari expeditions at Little Governor’s use custom-designed vehicles to give you top-tier game viewing and photographic opportunities. With its undisturbed panoramas of rolling savannah punctuated by the iconic silhouette of acacia trees, the Mara is striking it its wild beauty. Bisected by the twisting Mara River, this acclaimed national reserve is one of the richest wildlife habitats on Earth. Home to abundant bird and animal life, the Masai Mara National Reserve promises an unforgettable safari experience.   You can enjoy up to three game drives today, accompanied by engaging guides who have unparalleled knowledge of the reserve combined with their deep understanding and respect for the importance of this wilderness area, its flora, and its fauna. If you would like an extended morning game drive, the camp staff will pack a delicious picnic breakfast to take with you. To complement your game-viewing adventures, you can also spend time at one of the community projects supported by Governor’s Camps. The Mara Rianda Primary School and Mara Rianda Medical Center are two of these projects that offer valuable insights into responsible tourism in action. Back at camp, enjoy congenial meals with fellow guests, accompanied by complimentary house drinks.  Meals B+L+D  

Another day unfolds with thrilling game drives led by our engaging sharp-eyed safari guides. The Mara is home to healthy populations of the Big Five, and this day offers yet another opportunity to track and observe these storied beasts; coined more than a century ago, the term “Big Five” refers to five animals that were especially prized by 19th-century big game hunters. Although both the elephant and rhino are included, the Big Five designation had nothing to do with size or weight. Rather, these were the animals that were the most difficult and the most dangerous to track and hunt. Rounding out this list are lions, highly social, apex predators; Cape buffalo, bovine in appearance but powerful, quick and fierce when provoked; and leopards - master stalkers who are most active at night, and usually spotted at rest under and among the tree branches they use as home base.   Along with the Big Five, the vast plains of the Mara are roamed by large numbers of giraffe, zebra, rhino, cheetah and numerous species of horned ungulates like impala, oryx, eland and kudu. In addition, the reserve is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 450 species recorded – including spectacular birds of prey from the African Fish Eagle and Secretary Bird to the graceful Bateleur Eagle. Toast your final afternoon game drive with Sundowner cocktails in the bush.  Meals B+L+D  

Arise to another spectacular morning surrounded by the vast wilderness of the Masai Mara. After breakfast, thrill to a final game drive and return to Little Governor’s for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll take you to the airstrip for you included flight to Nairobi, where you’ll be met and escorted to the Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport Hotel, conveniently located for tomorrow’s early-morning flight to Cairo.  Meals B+L+D  

We include your transfer to the airport this morning and your international flight to Egypt. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our Cairo-based staff inside Passport Control who will assist you with all the immigration formalities – from obtaining your visa through baggage claim and customs. You’ll be chauffeured from the airport into the city in about 45 minutes. In the Garden City district of Cairo, on the banks of the Nile River and next door to the American Embassy, we’ve arranged for early check-in at the 5-star Kempinski Nile Hotel. Our stylish and intimate boutique property is perfect for our small groups. Settle in to your Nile-view guestroom and enjoy the rest of this day at leisure.  Meals B  

The ancient world comes to life today as you explore with our expert Egyptologist, setting out from the Kempinski at 8:00 this morning. Physicists at the University of Amsterdam recently put forth a theory on how the Great Pyramids #WHS#were built… Behold these amazing structures and evaluate their ideas for yourself! Then behold the watchful gaze of the Sphinx. Around midday, we’ll enjoy an excellent lunch and then continue to Memphis #WHS#, the site of Egypt’s ancient capital. Marvel at the formidable Colossus of Ramses II, on display in a small museum dedicated to this ancient wonder, and then see the beautiful Alabaster Sphinx, discovered just a century ago. At nearby Sakkara, you’ll see the world’s oldest standing stone structure, the impressive Step Pyramid of King Zoser. You’ll also be among the few to admire the vibrant drawings and inscriptions in the 4,000-year-old Tomb of Mehu – opened recently for specially arranged visitors for the first time in many decades. You’ll be back at your luxury hotel around 5:00pm, giving you time to refresh before deciding on where to dine this evening. Right here at the Kempinski, you can enjoy Mediterranean and Italian fare at the Blue Restaurant & Grill or the authentic Ottoman cuisine of Osmanly. Or head up to the 11th floor where The Roof offers casual international dining with marvelous views of the Nile.  Meals B+L  

After a sumptuous buffet breakfast, you’ll depart the hotel at 8:00 am to begin your exploration of Cairo. We begin the day at the monumental Refaai Mosque near the Citadel.  Purpose built as a magnificent mosque and a mausoleum for Egyptian royalty, we’ll visit the tomb chambers of the last Egyptian monarch, King Farouk, and the last Shah of Iran who could not be returned to Iran following his expulsion during the Revolution.  We’ll continue to explore Old Cairo #WHS# before enjoying lunch. To avoid crowds of visitors, we’ll enter the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with our fine Egyptologist in mid-afternoon for a guided tour through the largest repository of ancient artifacts in the world, including those from the tomb of King Tut.  (When the Grand Egyptian Museum opens, we’ll see an even greater collection of artifacts.)  We’ll return to the hotel about 6:00 pm where the balance of the evening is yours to dine as you wish.  Your Egyptologist will be on-hand to offer suggestions and assistance.  Meals B+L  

After an early breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport for your included flight to Luxor where you’ll board the luxurious and intimate, 44-guest Oberoi Philae, docked privately away from other ships.  Settle in to your ultra-spacious light-filled stateroom and then join your fellow passengers for an a la carte lunch in the ship’s inviting restaurant. In mid-afternoon, you’ll go ashore to visit two of Egypt’s celebrated sites of antiquity, beginning with the great Karnak Temple #WHS#. With our skilled Egyptologist leading the way, you’ll stand before its massive pillars and admire the grand Hypostyle Hall; encompassing more than 50,000 square feet, this is the largest hall of any temple in the world. Your sightseeing continues at the nearby Luxor Temple #WHS#, built in the 14th century BC and connected to the Karnak complex by the awe-inspiring, newly restored Avenue of Sphinxes. The temple walls of Luxor are embellished with skillful carvings of the Gods of Karnak accompanied by a festival procession of priests, musicians, dancers and sacred cows. With keen insight from our Egyptologist, today’s sightseeing offers a fascinating look into the culture and beliefs of ancient Egypt. Return to the ship for Tea in the Lounge, with time to refresh before this evening’s welcome cocktail reception and dinner.  Meals B+L+D  

The Oberoi Philae enjoys privileged private docking facilities along the Nile, allowing you to step off efficiently and easily - going ashore apart from the cluster of other ships and their passengers. Focusing on the amazing sites of the West Bank, you’ll begin your exploration early this morning in the fabled Valley of Kings #WHS#. Here, the pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty abandoned the pyramid tradition in favor of tombs built deep in the mountainside. Each pharaoh also constructed a mortuary temple at the edge of the valley, some distance away from the actual tombs. Sixty four ancient Egyptian rulers are buried here, but only a handful of the temples remain, including Madinat Habu - the tomb of Ramses III with its impressive exterior walls. The fabled final resting place of King Tutankhamen and the fabulously decorated tomb of Ramses VI are also among the highlights awaiting our exploration here in the Valley. Also fascinating, we’ll visit the ancient Egyptian village of Deir el-Medina. More than 3,000 years ago during the New Kingdom period, this community was home to the thousands of artisans and laborers who constructed the tombs and temples in the Valley of Kings. In addition to this unusual archaeological site, your morning sightseeing also includes the Colossi of Memnon, two towering statues of Amenhotep III that stand like guards along the road to the Valley of Kings. Return to the ship at midday and enjoy lunch onboard as our luxury vessel continues its journey toward Esna. This afternoon, you might wish to be on deck as the Oberoi Philae traverses through the Esna Lock. Afternoon tea and passing vistas of the Nile Valley landscapes with their small village hamlets and timeless scenes of life highlight the afternoon. Dinner will be served this evening at 7:30 as we continue navigating up the Nile toward Edfu.  Meals B+L+D  

After breakfast and a leisurely morning onboard, you’ll join our engaging Egyptologists ashore in Edfu to explore the Temple of Horus, considered by many scholars to be the best-preserved cult temple in all of Egypt. Built in the Ptolemaic era between 237 and 57 BCE, later than many of the other sites along the Nile, it is still a stunning example of traditional Pharaonic architecture and ranks as the second largest temple in Egypt – after the great Karnak Temple. Rich in design, intricate in detail and ingenious in its massive construction, the extraordinary quality of every element here attests to the paramount importance of the falcon-headed Horus. Return to the ship and enjoy lunch onboard as we chart a course for Kom Ombo. Throughout this pleasant afternoon of cruising the Nile, you can retreat to your stateroom with its floor-to-ceiling views, or delight in the passing scenery as you enjoy the convivial company of your fellow passengers, either in the air-conditioned lounge or on deck.  Following Afternoon Tea, you’ll step off at our ship’s private pier to explore the Temple of Kom Ombo. Built on a picturesque bend in the Nile, where crocodiles used to sun themselves, this unusual dual-deity temple of the Ptolemaic Period is dedicated to both Haroeris (one of the oldest forms of the falcon-headed God Horus) and, appropriately enough, the fearsome Crocodile God Sobek. Return to ship with time to refresh before dinner is served at 7:30.   Meals B+L+D  

Following breakfast, we’ll join our Egyptologist for a comfortable drive across the Egyptian Desert on a new highway heading to one of the most impressive sights of antiquity, the Temples of Ramses II.  We’ll enjoy a fine lunch at a family-run restaurant on the shore of Lake Nasser and then walk a short distance to a small boat that will take us along the shoreline to see these majestic temples from the water.  We’ll then explore them by land. With our expert Egyptologist, you’ll behold 67-foot-high figures of the King and his wife, Nefertari, and hear the dramatic story of how they were moved 200 feet above their original site to protect them from the rising waters of the Aswan Dam. This engineering feat by UNESCO to relocate and protect this architectural wonder was so successful and precise that twice a year, on February 22 and October 22, the rays of the rising sun pierce the temple entrance and reach deep into the heart of the temple – just 24 hours later than the original plan! In addition to its famous statues, the interior hall is decorated with amazing relief carvings that depict a great battle won by Ramses. Following our exploration, we’ll return to our Oberoi cruiser for a delightful dinner.  Meals B+L+D  

We’ll disembark this morning after breakfast.  In contrast to the ancient wonders of Cairo and the Nile, the remarkable High Dam at Aswan is an achievement that belongs to modern Egypt. With enriching insight and narration, you’ll explore this engineering marvel; completed in 1970 at a cost of about $1 billion, it spans more than 2 miles and towers 300 feet. This morning’s excursion also includes a visit by boat to the Temple of Philae #WHS#, rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser after the completion of the High Dam. Now situated on a lovely island, the earliest elements of this impressive complex include a small temple built around 370 BCE and dedicated to the Goddess Isis. Later, we fly back to Cairo for a last overnight at the airport’s stylish Le Meridien Hotel in Club Rooms.  You’ll gather for a farewell dinner in the conveniently located hotel. Meals B+L+D  

You’ll be chauffeured to check-in for individual onward flights.  Meals B