Cairo and the Temples of the Nile: A Tailor-Made Journey to Egypt

Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met at the airport and taken to your historic hotel in Giza. Enjoy the rest of the day to relax and take in views of the legendary Pyramids.

Spend your day south of Cairo, discovering pyramids of many shapes and sizes with your private guide. You’ll have the opportunity to enter several of them to see the burial chambers within. Start at Dahshur with a visit to the Bent Pyramid, whose abrupt change of angle illustrates how pyramid architecture evolved. Then make your way back toward Giza, stopping at the oldest of Egypt’s pyramids, the stepped pyramid of Saqqara. Your tour culminates at the extraordinary Pyramids of Giza, where you’ll also encounter the legendary Sphinx. (B)

Delve into the bustling streets of Cairo with a private guide and driver today.  Take a guided tour of the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. This impressive Museum was under construction for over 15 years and is considered the largest archeological museum in the world, hosting more than 100,000 artifacts. This tour will include the twelve exhibition halls, hanging obelisk, King Ramses II statue, the 10 statues of King Senusert, the grand staircase, Ptolmeaic King and Queen, Victory Column of King Merenptah, Royal Regalia, as well as the Grand Atrium.  In the afternoon explore Islamic Cairo, including the medieval Citadel, where Egypt’s rulers lived for centuries. See the stunning mosques and palaces on this fortified hilltop, and take in expansive views of the city below. In Coptic Cairo, wander winding streets to the unusual Hanging Church. (B)

This morning, your private driver takes you to the airport for your flight to Luxor, the starting point for your Nile cruise. Upon arrival, join a guide for a tour of the spectacular temples of Karnak and Luxor. Meander amid a forest of enormous columns in Karnak’s Hypostyle Hall and examine an astounding collection of obelisks, temples, and statues that amassed here as successive pharaohs made their mark on the temples. This afternoon, board your riverboat and enjoy dinner on board. (B,D)

Along the West Bank of the Nile lie some of the most important archaeological finds in the world, which you’ll explore today with your guide. In the Valley of the Kings, descend into tombs covered with intricate and colorful hieroglyphics and learn about the funerary treasures that have informed our understanding of the ancient Egyptians. Continue to the Valley of the Queens to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Set sail after lunch, enjoying views of life on the banks of the Nile as the ship makes it way toward Edfu. (B,L,D)

Spend the morning at the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus in Edfu. Your guide leads you through its hypostyle halls, explaining the mythology of Horus depicted in statuary and scenes carved on the temple walls. Then sail on to Kom Ombo, where a Ptolemaic temple stands picturesquely on a bend in the river. Venture into this unusual temple, where two mirror-image temples within pay homage to two gods: Haroeris and Sobek, the crocodile god. Continue south to Aswan for the night. (B,L,D)

This morning, visit Aswan High Dam to learn about the incredible engineering feat that tamed the annual flooding of the Nile and drastically changed the landscape. Then take a local boat ride to the Temple of Philae, an important pilgrimage site for the god Isis that had to be dismantled piece by piece and rebuilt on higher ground to avoid the rising waters caused by the dam. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, disembark in the Aswan and explore the sleepy town and its surrounding islands on your own. We suggest visiting the centrally located Nubian Museum, where you can learn about the history of the Nubian people of southern Egypt and Sudan. Consider visiting Kitchener Island to explore its botanical gardens, or taking a walk through Nubian villages on Elephantine Island. If you wish, return to your hotel, formerly a Victorian palace, for high tea overlooking the Nile. (B)

Set off on a full-day excursion to the extraordinary site of Abu Simbel. Known for the four 66-foot statues of Ramses II that guard one of the temples, Abu Simbel is also famous for the engineering feat required to move it from its original site, now submerged under the Nile. Venture into the two temples here with your private guide, and examine the elaborate carvings and massive statues that line the interior. Return to Aswan for your final night. (B)

This morning, catch a flight to Cairo and continue on your flight home. (B)