Nile Serenade

Saturday: En Route

Depart the U.S.A. on your flight to Cairo, Egypt.

Sunday: Cairo

Arrival Cairo; meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.

Monday: Cairo / Luxor

NILE CRUISE

Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Luxor. Arrive and transfer to your Nile Cruise for a 5 Day/4 Night Cruise. After lunch, visit the Avenue of the Sphinxes and the imposing Temple of Luxor with its grand colonnades, standing alone in the heart of town. Continue to the vast Karnak Temple-Complex, built by generations of Pharaohs over a 2000-year period. Evening, enjoy on board entertainment featuring belly dancing. Overnight in Luxor. (B.L.D)

Tuesday: Luxor / Esna

NILE CRUISE

After breakfast, visit the Valley of the Kings containing the secretive tombs of New Kingdom Pharaohs. On to the beautifully terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari. Pass the famed Colossi of Memnon, standing nearly 70 feet tall. Sail to Esna. Balance of the afternoon at leisure. Join your Captain for a welcome cocktail before dinner. Overnight in Esna. (B.L.D)

Wednesday: Esna / Edfu / Kom Ombo

NILE CRUISE

Early morning set sail to Edfu. Visit the Temple of Horus, the best preserved of all large Egyptian Temples, built over 180-year period. In the afternoon, arrive in Kom Ombo, a hill town over-looking the banks of the Nile. Visit the Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Horus, the Sun God, and Sobek, the Crocodile God. This evening, a traditional fun-filled Galabeya party. Overnight in Kom Ombo. (B.L.D)

Thursday: Kom Ombo / Aswan

NILE CRUISE

Morning set sail to Aswan. Visit the Aswan High Dam and the granite quarries where the stone for the ancient monuments and modern dam of Aswan were cut. View the gigantic, unfinished Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut. Continue by motorboat to the beautiful island of Philae to see the exquisite, gleaming white Temple of Philae. After lunch, sail on a traditional Egyptian “felucca” (sailboat) which glides along the Nile, passing by Lord Kitchener’s Island and the dramatic white marble Aga Khan Mausoleum. Nubian Show this evening after dinner on board. Overnight in Aswan. (B.L.D)

Friday: Aswan / Cairo

After disembarkation, return flight to Cairo where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure. Or, join an optional tour to Abu Simbel*, please reserve at time of booking. Overnight in Cairo. (B)

*Optional Tour to Abu Simbel: Fly from Aswan to Abu Simbel where you will be met by your Isram guide. Marvel at the temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, carved into rock over 3,000 years ago. The temples were relocated to save them from flooding – an incredible feat of modern engineering preserving ancient glory.  Return flight to Cairo and transfer to your hotel.

$495 per person. Please reserve at time of booking.

Saturday: Cairo

Begin the day with a visit to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The Museum presents a rich, deep insight into Egyptian culture through the ages; enter the fascinating Mummy Room housing all 22 Mummies. Then continue to Giza to see the Three Great Pyramids, the oldest surviving structures built by man; enter one of the Pyramids. Stand in awe at the magnificent Sphinx carved out of a single piece of stone, guarding the Giza plateau. Try a camel ride before continuing for lunch at a local restaurant. On to the new, spectacular, must-see Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), (subject to museum opening), the largest archaeological museum in the world with objects covering 5000 years of ancient Egyptian civilization. GEM is host to over 100,000 artifacts, including King Tut’s entire treasure collection. Return to Cairo for overnight. (B.L)

Sunday: En Route

Transfer to Cairo Airport for your departure flight; or extend your journey to Israel, Jordan or Dubai, please inquire.  (B)