Summary
There is
an old saying stating that Egypt is a gift of the Nile, and this certainly
rings true in modern day times. Passing through small towns and majestic
monuments, Nile cruises offer a unique way to view many of the gems that Egypt
has to offer.
Our 9 day
Nile river tours start on dry land in Egypt's Capital City, Cairo. Here, you
will meet your representative, who will brief you on your tour itinerary. Day 2
will include the chance to see one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,
the Great Pyramid of Giza, as well as the Great Sphinx.
The next
day you will catch a flight down to Aswan, where you will be transported to the
5-star cruise ship on which you will sleep for the next three nights. The
luxury boat will sail down the Nile past fertile lands, ancient temples and
mystical sites.
You will enjoy a number of guided tours in the area, including
tours of the Temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, the Valley of the Kings, the
Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. After travelling to
Hurghada, you will have a full free day in this beautiful Red Sea resort - there
are plenty of activities on offer, including snorkelling and scuba diving, or
you can opt to simply relax on the beach or by the pool.
Our Nile
tour of Egypt has been carefully planned to provide the perfect balance of
guided excursions with free time so that you can explore these ancient sites at
your own pace. All Nile tour dates are set in advance and are guaranteed to
depart. The Nile Jewel Tour offers excellent value for money as it includes the
Nile Cruise, all transportation, overnight accommodation in four and five star
hotels and some meals for a magical and memorable getaway that won’t cost the
earth.
Why this Trip
- All tour dates are guaranteed to depart.
- No minimum numbers required.
- Accompanied for the duration by an Egyptologist tour guide.
- Internal flight Cairo-Aswan included.
- Air-conditioned private mini bus transport.
Itinerary
Start in:
Cairo
Cairo Airport, any time on Day 1
Oasis Hotel, from 14:00 hrs on Day 1
End in:
Cairo
Oasis Hotel, 10:00 hrs on Day 9
Cairo Airport, any time on Day 9
Duration:
9 Days
Ages: 10
- 75+
Places: 1
Country
15
Experiences
DAY 1: Arrive in Cairo
Upon your arrival at Cairo airport you will be met and assisted by our
representative, who will help you with purchasing your visa from an official
kiosk, going through passport control and collecting your baggage. You will
then be transferred to your hotel, where your Egyptologist tour guide, who will
accompany you for the duration of the tour, will brief you about the tour
package and the incredible experiences you will have over the following eight
days. Overnight at your hotel in Cairo.
DAY 2: Giza Pyramids - Sphinx - Sakkara
This morning you will experience the icons of ancient Egypt! Your
Egyptologist guide will accompany you to the Giza pyramid complex, where you
can see the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of
Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx. We'll then visit Sakkara to see the unique step
pyramid of Zoser (also known as Djoser), the first ever pyramid, constructed
of six tombs built on top of each other.
DAY 3: Aswan - Philae Temple - Nile Cruise
Early
this morning you will be transferred to the airport for a short internal flight
down to Aswan. Upon arrival you will be transferred to our 5-star Nile cruise
ship. After some time to freshen up we'll begin our Nile quest by visiting the
High Dam of Aswan, where your guide will explain to you how the construction of
the dam and subsequent creation of Lake Nasser required the relocation of the
Nubian people and several important historical monuments, including Abu Simbel,
which you have the opportunity to visit tomorrow. We'll then take a short boat
ride to Agilkia Island to explore the Temple of Isis at Philae. Built during
the Ptolemaic Kingdom (305 BC to 30 BC), the temple is dedicated to Isis, one
of the oldest goddesses of ancient Egypt and worshipped as the paragon of
motherly virtues. It is believed that the last Egyptian hieroglyph was written
on the island of Philae in the late fourth century.
DAY 4: Kom-Ombo - Edfu - Nile Cruise
This morning you will have the opportunity to join our optional
excursion to the temples of Abu Simbel, two massive temples in southern Egypt.
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian
Monuments", these iconic temples were carved out of the mountainside in
the 13th century BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II.
The tour
then continues with a visit to the Temple of Kom-Ombo, a unique 'double' temple
dedicated to both the crocodile god Sobek, and the falcon god Haroeris (Horus).
After some time to explore the temple, we'll head to Edfu. Also dedicated to
Horus, this temple is more than 2,000 years old but was covered by sand
until it was re-discovered by a French expedition in 1798. Because it was
hidden for so long it is the most well preserved temple in Egypt. We'll then
continue on to Luxor, where we'll spend the night onboard the 5-star
cruise ship.
DAY 5: Luxor - Karnak Temple - Nile Cruise
After breakfast we will arrive in Luxor and tour the East Bank of
Luxor. Experience the incredible Karnak temple complex, part of the
ancient city of Thebes. Dedicated to the powerful ram-headed god Amun, it offers
a vast mix of temples, chapels, statues and obelisks. We'll then explore Luxor
temple, an place of worship that is dedicated to three gods: Amun, his wife Mut
and his son Khons. Together these temples and gods are key players in the great
Opet Festival which was held each year during the flood season.
DAY 6: Valley of the Kings - Hatshepsut - Hurghada
This morning we'll start our tour of the west bank with a visit to the
World famous Valley of the Kings, where you can enter some of the incredible
tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs, such as King Tutankhamen. We'll then get to
experience the Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir El Bahary), the mortuary temple of
the only Pharaoh Queen that ruled Egypt. The day will finish off with a visit
to the great Colossi of Memnon, the last remains of Amenophis III’s temple.
We'll then take our air-conditioned private bus to Hurghada on the Red Sea
coast, where we'll be staying in an all-inclusive resort.
DAY 7: Hurghada - Free day
DAY 8: Hurghada - Cairo
This
morning we'll take an air-conditioned private mini bus back to
Cairo. After some time to freshen up at our hotel, we'll visit the
Egyptian museum to learn more about the country's incredible ancient history,
followed by the old city of Cairo where you can explore Khan El Khalili, a
bazaar crammed with souvenir shops, cafés and shisha bars.
DAY 9: Departure
The tour ends after breakfast at our hotel in Cairo, with transfers
included to take you to the airport for your flight home. If you wish to extend
your stay in Cairo, please contact us.
Tour Accommodation
* Please
note that we do use a variety of hotels in each destination, so you may stay in
a hotel different to that listed here
What's
Included
- 5 nights accommodation in twin rooms (single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room), 3 nights on-board 5-star Nile cruise ship
- Services of your English-speaking Egyptologist tour guide, who will accompany you for the duration of the tour
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
- All taxes and local payments (excluding entrance fees)
- All transfers and pickups
- Modern air conditioned bus transport
- 15 Experiences (including guided walking tours, orientation walks, driving tours of cities plus other exciting experiences)
- Internal flight Cairo-Aswan with transfers
- Not Included: International flights
- Not Included: Entrance fees as part of the listed experiences. Check the Optional Excursions here for more information.
