Wonders of Ancient Egypt

We depart for Cairo, via London.

We arrive in Cairo and transfer to our centrally located hotel. The balance of the day is free until our Welcome Dinner this evening.

This morning we travel to Giza where, overlooking the Nile Valley and Cairo, we visit the 3 Great Pyramids - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Great Sphinx - a colossal lion with a Pharoh’s head. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.

Our tour of Cairo begins with the world- famous Egyptian Museum, including the fabulous collection of Pharaonic antiquities, especially the golden treasures of the Tut Ankh Amun Exhibit. Our sightseeing of Old Cairo continues with a visit of the Alabaster Mosque and the Great Citadel. Built by Saladin, rising majestically over the city the mosque offers a panoramic view of Cairo and the Nile. We visit the Church of Abu Serga, Moallaqa Church (Hanging Church) and the Ben Ezra Synagogue - the oldest Jewish synagogue in Egypt.

We fly to Luxor and board our cruise boat for a 7-night cruise. After lunch we’ll visit the most impressive of all temples - Karnak, and see the Great Temple of Amon, the Hypostyle Hall, the Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut, the Granite Scara of Amenophis II, Sacred Lake and many shrines. Then at the Temple of Luxor we see the granite statue of Ramses II and the many halls and pillars that make up this beautiful temple.

Our sightseeing of Luxor continues in the West Bank (Thebes) where there are some of the richest treasures in the world, including the tomb of Tut Ankh Amun and other royal tombs including Ramses VI in the Valley of the Kings. We continue to visit Hatshepsut’s funerary temple at Dier El Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. We sail to Edfu via the locks of Esna.

This morning we visit the ancient, yet remarkably intact, Temple of Horus. Horus (the Sun God) is always pictured as a man with a falcon’s head, often with a solar disk. We sail to Kom Ombo where we visit the Sobek Temple, dedicated to two gods: Haroeris, a hawk-headed god and Sobek, the crocodile god. In order not to offend either, a twin shrine was built on a hill overlooking the Nile. We continue on to Aswan.

In Aswan, the Nile parts into many arms divided by immense granite rocks and islands, particularly the island of Elephantine. There is only a small area of fertile land producing what are considered the finest dates in all of Egypt. We visit the Temple of Philae, dedicated to Goddess Isis and the High Dam. In the afternoon, we sail in a felucca to view Kitchener’s Island, the Botanical Garden and the Aga Khan mausoleum.

Our boat stays docked in Aswan for a day at leisure. You may further explore Aswan on your own, join an optional tour to the majestic Abu Simbel or stay onboard and relax on the sundeck.

We sail via Kom Ombo to Edfu again passing through the locks of Esna, cruising past small desert villages where life goes on much as it has for thousands of years. See camels, water buffalo and donkeys at work on the small farms.

A free morning in Edfu before we sail back to Luxor. After all the sightseeing over the past several days, some time at leisure will be most welcome.

We disembark our ship and fly back to Cairo. The rest of the day is at leisure.

This morning we drive past small villages to visit the towns of Memphis and Sakkara. The highlight will be the Step Pyramids of King Zoser - the oldest stone building in the world. Lunch will be included at a local restaurant. The afternoon will be at leisure, perhaps for some last-minute shopping. This evening is our Farewell Dinner.

This morning we visit “paradise within the heart of Cairo” also known as Al Azhar Park, for a stroll in its famous gardens. Then we’ll relax in a traditional Egyptian wooden boat (felucca) for a leisurely sail on the Nile. After lunch we’ll stop in Khan El Khalilii Bazaar, rich in silks and carpets, where craftsmen use age-old traditions in creating their wares.

At leisure in this amazing city. There is much to do and see, and your Tour Manager will be on hand with suggestions. Tonight is our Farewell Dinner.

We fly home to Canada, via London.