Nile Cruise - Premium

Fly to Cairo.

*Accommodation:* Pyramids Park Resort Hotel or similar

Day 2

We start the morning with a tour of the Pyramids at Giza. Home to the Great
Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the timeless and enigmatic
Sphinx; these great monuments to the afterlife defy the imagination. Only the
throng of sightseers, Egyptian and foreign, milling around their huge
foundations, keep the viewer in the 21st century. We next pay a visit to the
incredible Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which contains relics dating back
to 4000 BC, including the fantastic riches of Tutankhamun's tomb. Here is a
unique opportunity to survey the many fabulous treasures of Egypt in one
place and to set the scene for the rest of the tour. For the remainder of our
tour we experience modern Cairo with visits to Al Azhar mosque, which despite
being Cairo’s oldest mosque and university is still very much in use today,
and the small alleyways and streets that make up Cairo's popular bazaar.
Please note that we will need to cover up at the mosque (long sleeves and
trousers) and women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf.

*Accommodation:* Cairo Pyramids Hotel or similar

Day 3

We typically transfer to Cairo airport before sunrise for our flight to Luxor
(flight times can vary). On arrival in Luxor we visit Luxor Temple and the
huge Karnak Temple complex on the east bank of the Nile. Built over 1500
years, Karnak is a confusion of pylons, courtyards, halls and sanctuaries.
Its Hypostyle hall has 134 columns 23 metres high and 15 metres in diameter!
Both temples are incredibly impressive. We arrive at our cruise boat in time
for lunch on board before having free time in the afternoon to relax or
explore Luxor.

*Accommodation: *M/S Esmeralda or similar

Day 4-5

We begin Day 4 with a visit to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of
the Nile, which contains the once hidden tombs of over 62 Pharaohs, including
Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses III and IV. A discreet entrance in the hillside
takes the visitor underground; a series of corridors and ante-chambers leads
us down to the burial chamber and sarcophagus. The walls are covered in
brightly painted images and hieroglyphs - a map of the afterlife to ensure
the king's safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs. The ticket
usually allows entry into what are regarded as the most impressive tombs, but
if you have time a visit to the tomb of Ramses VI is also highly recommended.
Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of
wall paintings - each tomb is periodically closed for a number of weeks. On
return to our cruise boat we begin our voyage along the Nile, travelling
upstream from Luxor to Aswan. Exact sailing and excursion times cannot be
guaranteed for each individual trip but we will visit the temples of Edfu,
famous for its roofed inner temples and huge Pylon, and Kom Ombo. The cruise
boat has good facilities: a sundeck with sun loungers, bar and small pool,
restaurant, gift shop and library - these can all be taken advantage of when
the cruise boat is docked or during sailing. The sunsets over the Nile are
truly stunning and travelling from Luxor to Aswan, enjoying the beauty of the
lush verdant landscape make this journey special.

*Accommodation:* M/S Esmeralda or similar

Day 6

Today there's the option of a visit to Abu Simbel, 300 km. to the south
through the Nubian Desert. The optional bus tour starts at 3.30/4 in the
morning when we get picked up from the boat. A breakfast box is provided.
Around 8 am we will arrive at the destination, where we are given approx 3
hours to visit the temples. Built by Ramses II the two temples are certainly
some of the most spectacular in Egypt. Originally on the banks of the Nile,
the temples were raised to a new site above the lake in the late 1960s, as
the waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. The four
great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. We will
be back in Aswan around 3 pm.

*Accommodation:* M/S Esmeralda or similar

Day 7

After breakfast on board we disembark our boat and have a full day in Aswan.
This is a laid-back, sleepy town that reflects the character of its largely
Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. By virtue of
its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading centre
and we thoroughly recommend a visit to the packed bazaar today where
merchants display a wealth of exotic spices, carpets, leather goods and
countless other wares. There is also the option to visit the Nubian Museum,
situated opposite our usual hotel in Aswan. Opened in April 1998, the museum
chronologically charts the history and culture of the Nubian people.
Alternatively, we can arrange an optional visit to Philae Temple. In the
1970s it was relocated by UNESCO to Aglika Island after it became evident
that the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the Aswan
High Dam. It represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient
and modern engineering. During this excursion we will also visit Aswan High
Dam and Cleopatra's Unfinished Obelisk.

*Accommodation: *Basma Hotel or similar

Day 8

Today it's our last day in Aswan. Our morning is free to relax or book on
optional excursion to St. Simone Monastery or a nearby Nubian Village. In
the afternoon we explore the Nile by felucca, the traditional Egyptian
sailing boat. Using the felucca, we can truly savour the tranquillity of the
Nile and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where the vast desert
almost reaches the water's edge. (The sailing by felucca timing might be
changed according to weather conditions). We end the day with our final
dinner together, at one of this historic city’s restaurants.

*Accommodation: *Basma Hotel or similar

Day 9

Fly to London.
**