Wonders of the Nile

Day 01: Board overnight flight to Cairo. Meals & movies on board flight.

Day 02: Guardian Travel representatives will greet us as soon as we walk inside Cairo airport. Assistance with baggage claim and customs. Our private air conditioned motor-coach will transfer us to hotel. Luggage will be transferred to rooms while Guardian Travel’s representatives handout room keys. Enjoy a welcome dinner at hotel.
(Snack, Dinner)

Day 03: Today we encounter the world’s most ancient civilization and the only remaining monuments of the world's Seven Wonders. Drive to Saqqara, which is filled with tombs lying beneath the heaped mounds. As we enter the tombs, our guide will explain their significance and decipher the stories told in the beautiful hieroglyphics lining its walls. Visit the Step Pyramid, the first freestanding stone building in history and the first pyramid ever built.

Drive to the Giza Plateau and visit the Pyramids of Giza and their guardian the Sphinx. Explore the interior of various tombs and Kephren’s Pyramid. Enjoy a camel/horse back ride.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 04: After breakfast begin our day exploring the Egyptian Museum, housing the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic relics. Marvel at the enormous sarcophagi, statues, jewelry, and the magnificent golden master pieces of King Tut. Later, we proceed to Old Cairo which is truly a multi-faith area where Jewish, Christian and Islamic monuments all stand next to one another. Here we will see the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra synagogue, the Citadel of Saladin and Mohamed Ali’s Mosque.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 05: Check out of hotel after breakfast. This morning fly from Cairo to Luxor, “the City of Palaces,” which holds two thirds of the world’s monuments and offers its visitors huge temples and colorful tombs.
Visit Karnack temple, which is a vast open-air museum. It is a group of temples surrounded by one enclosure wall that is dedicated to the god Amon-Ra. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings.

Board our 5 stars deluxe Nile Cruise. Cabins are airy with large windows facing the Nile. The ship is a floating hotel with shops, fine dining, bar and lounge with nightly entertainment. Relax on the sun deck around the swimming pool where you will enjoy the picturesque beauty along the banks while cruising on the Nile. In the evening we visit Luxor temple. It was completely buried in sand for many centuries which allowed it to be one of the most preserved temples. The temple has many beautifully decorated columns, a huge open court, a massive façade representing its entrance, a huge pylon, and two seated statues of Ramses II.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 06: Today we cross the Nile to the west bank. Our first stop will be the Valley of the Kings where we visit colorful tombs that were carved out of rocky cliffs to safeguard the mummies and rich furnishings from grave-robbers.

Our next stop will be Queen Hatshipsut’s temple. Wanting to honor her father (god Amun), she asked her architect not to spare any effort in making this the best of its kind. Visit Memnon Colossi on the way back to the East bank.

Free afternoon to our leisure as we sail to Edfu. Enjoy the scenery of the fertile lands, mountains, the golden desert, and the Nile.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 07: After breakfast we take a short bus ride to Edfu temple, which is dedicated to the falcon god Horus. It is one of the most completely preserved temples. The divine marriage of Hathor and Horus is depicted on the walls of this temple where it was celebrated once a year. The walls of the mamisi (house of the divine birth) are decorated with scenes depicting the divine birth of Horus the child.

We continue sailing south to Kom Ombo temple. It is the only temple in Egypt that is dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek. This temple was originally built for worshiping Horus, but after the increasing number of crocodiles on the island, the temple was demolished and reconstructed to worship Sobek (crocodile shaped god) for protection from the crocodiles. In the evening, enjoy a Galabiyah (Egyptian gown) party as we continue sailing south to Aswan.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 08: After breakfast, tour Aswan, the site of the cataracts. Here the Nile flows through granite rocks and the golden desert while palm trees and farm lands cover its banks. Our first stop will be the amazing Phalie temple. It is considered to be the most beautiful temple in the Nile valley. It is dedicated to Isis and Osiris. The temple became submerged in the Nile after building the first Aswan dam. With the help of UNESCO, Philae temple was completely moved to its new location.

Later we visit the Unfinished Obelisk which lies in its original location in a granite quarry. It was abandoned when some cracks appeared in the rock during its construction. Had this obelisk been completed, it would have been the largest obelisk ever cut. In the afternoon we will sail the Nile in a graceful Egyptian sailboat known as a “Felucca” and travel across the Nile while enjoying the breeze and some traditional songs along the way.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 09: After breakfast, check out of Nile Cruise and drive to Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is among the most magnificent monuments in the world. The temples were threatened by submersion in Lake Nasser after the Aswan high dam was constructed. With the UNESCO’s help, the two temples were cut into large blocks and moved to a higher location. Visit the temple of Ramses II and Nefertari’s temple which was the first temple ever dedicated to a queen. Check in Nile Cruise and enjoy a free afternoon and evening.
Optional Sound & Light show at Abu Simbel.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10: Sail to Kasr Ibrim, the only major archaeological site in Lower Nubia to have survived the Nile floods. Located on the original site of an older Pharanoic foundation, a citadel was built by the Romans. The citadel was transformed to an orthodox cathedral and into a mosque in the 14th century. View Kasr Ibrim from the Cruise’s deck as entrance is not permitted. Sail to Amada in the afternoon. The Temple of Amada is one of the oldest Egyptian temples in Nubia. Built by Thutmosis III and dedicated to god Amun. Amenhotep II continued the decorating the temple and Thutmosis IV placed a roof over its open court and transformed it into a hypostyle hall.

Various kings carried out restoration to the temple after Akhenaten destroying Amun’s throughout the temple. Visit the tomb of Pennut, one of the high officials during the rule of Ramses II. He was an overseer of Aniba. Temple of Derr is a rock cut temple built by Ramses II. Its walls are decorated with scenes representing Ramses II military campaigns against Nubia. Until today Egyptologist are puzzled on why the temple was built on the East side and why Ramses II chose its original location. The temple was dismantled and relocated due to the rising waster of Lake Nasser after building the high dam. In the evening sail to Wadi Seboua.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 11: Today we visit Wadi Seboua, which was built by Ramses II and is considered to be the second biggest Nubian temple after the Great temple of Abu Simbel.  It is called Wadi Seboua (valley of lions) due to the existence of an avenue of sphinxes at its entrance. The inner chambers are fully craved into the bed rock which is very unique. During the Christian era, the temple was converted into a church. Like most other Nubian monuments, the temple was moved from its original location to escape the rising water of Lake Nasser. Continue sailing north to Aswan.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 12: After breakfast checkout of Nile cruise and visit Kalabsha temple. Built around 30 BC, Kalabsha temple is a Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Mandoulis, lower Nubian sun god. From Kalabsha's sanctuary chambers, a staircase leads up to the roof of the temple where one can see an amazing view of the temple and its sacred lake. In the afternoon fly to Cairo and enjoy a free evening.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 13: Today we say our good-byes to Egypt, the country we dreamt of visiting since childhood. After enjoying breakfast, transfer to Cairo airport. Assistance with luggage and departure procedures.
(Breakfast)