Upon your arrival at Cairo airport, we meet & greet you and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to settle into your hotel and relax after your journey or perhaps head out into the city.
Our day starts with a visit to the monumental Pyramids & Sphinx at Gisa, one of the seven wonders of the anciant world. Whilst at the Pyramids we a short camel ride, which is not only fun for all the family, but a perfect photo opportunity as well. We next drive into downtown Cairo to explore the Egyptian Museum with its collection of ancient artefacts, mummies, and of course the world famous Tutankhamun exhibit, complete with the iconic golden funerary mask. Later in the evening we climb on board the overnight sleeper train to Aswan (approx. 12 hours, private twin cabins).
We arrive into Aswan around mid-morning. The River Nile is wonderfully picturesque here at Aswan and we start out with a tour to the beautiful island temple of Philae by boat. This beautiful temple was relocated after the building of Lake Nasser. During school term times, we'll stop off at a local school, where we can join in with a fun and informal English/Arabic language class, which we try to arrange with children of a similar age to your group. There is also a chance to sample a traditional Nubian meal later in the day.
Very early this morning there is an option to take a tour to enjoy sunrise at the stunning temples to Ramses II at Abu Simbel. These fascinating temples were completely dismantled and rebuilt stone by stone to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. If you choose not to take the optional Abu Simbel tour, the morning is free for you to enjoy Aswan's busy and exotic bazaar, or perhaps relax at the hotel before we jump board our traditional felucca sailboat and start our sailing down the Nile. We enjoy a fun night's sleep on the deck of the sailboat and are well looked after by our friendly Nubian crew. During the voyage, clean toilets & showers are available on board our support boat which joins up with the felucca from time to time (there is also an option to upgrade to a night in the hotel in place of sleeping on the felucca).
After breakfast, we spend some more time sailing down the Nile enjoying the picturesque scenery pass by. We then drive on to Luxor where we check into our hotel, which is situated right by the Nile. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax at the hotel or venture out in Luxor to explore the site and sounds of this fascinating town.
Early this morning there is the option to take a sunrise hot air balloon flight on the west bank of the Nile. Our sightseeing today takes us to the West bank of the Nile, where we descend into the musty Pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and explore the unique temple to Queen Hatchepsut, where we learn about her intriguing story. The afternoon is set aside for you to relax at your hotel, or perhaps explore Luxor town further. You might like to take another felucca trip on the Nile to Banana island, or visit the weird and wonderful Mummification museum.
This morning we visit one of Egypt's biggest and most impressive sites, Karnak temple, with its vast temples, sleek obelisks, towering statues and many columned halls. The afternoon is free in Luxor before we transfer to the station to jump on board the sleeper train back to Cairo (approx. 9 hours). There is an option to upgrade one or both train journeys to internal flights if you prefer.
On arrival back in Cairo we take a short tour to explore the city. We take in the old mosque and museum at the Citadel, which also offers a wonder view over the city, and wander around, and possibly do some haggling and souvenir hunting, in the mazy Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. We'll stop of at a traditional Koshari shop to enjoy lunch, and later in the evening we include a tasty farewell dinner to say goodbye to your local guide and your fellow travellers.
Today your tour ends and you can enjoy some free time doing a little more shopping or sightseeing before we transfer you to airport for your flight home.
Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, and will be added to your booking if required. More information is available on request.
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