Great Nile Cities Cruise (Aswan)

Boarding Aswan

The temples glowed in the soft light at sunset. Photo by Ron Guay.

This 15-day tour shows you the best of Cairo, as well as the Nile’s other great cities: Luxor, Thebes, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan on a four-day Nile cruise. Includes a day break on the beach in Sharm at the end of the tour.

DAY 1 – NEW YORK – JFK /CAIRO – Every Thursday – Weekly – Year Round
Your comfortable wide-body jet departs the USA for Cairo. For most West Coast cities, please note the “see add on air fare” listed below. West coast customers do not need to fly via NYC.

DAY 2 – CAIRO Friday
Our local Cairo rep. greets you and escorts you through the excitement and hubbub of the Heliopolis area and onward to your hotel. Sample hotels (or similar): Deluxe: Hilton, Sheraton, J. W. Marriott or similar. First: Shepheard’s, Oasis, Novotel.

Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport. VIP Arrival Hall At Cairo Airport, no photos required.
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 3 – CAIRO- GIZA -Saturday (BL)
Our full-day tour of the great metropolis includes the most spellbinding sights: the Pyramids at Giza, the mighty Sphinx, The Mighty Pharaoh Cheops own Royal Yacht Museum, the treasure-filled Egyptian Museum with the Mummies Pavillion and King Tut’s Gold Treasure Pavillion included. Lunch is included at the Mena House We return to Giza by sunset for the Sound & Light show, you may wish to bring a jacket with you. Dinner is included back at the hotel.

DAY 4 – ALEXANDRIA – Wadi Natrun Monastery Sunday (BLD)
Today, we’ll get to known Alexandria in depth, as we visit the Museum, the Roman Amphitheater, the Koum El Shougafa Tombs, and the fortress of Kayet Bey. After lunch in an Alexandrine restaurant, we’ll make a brief stop at the new Alexandria Library before we travel to Cairo through the Western Desert to stop at Wadi El Natroun monastery, where early Coptic Christians retreated to escape Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening where dinner awaits you at the hotel.

DAY 5 – CAIRO – Ottoman Cairo, Home Hosted Dinner – Monday (BLD)
We continue our explorations with a half-day tour through medieval Khan el-Khalili, the bazaar district, to admire the ancient streets, houses and mosques. We tour as well the Caravanserai of Wekalet El Ghouri, Beit El Kritlya /Gayer Anderson old Ottoman Houses (Built 15th century). The afternoon is devoted to: the former Royal palace of Abdeen & Manial Palace, the Palace of Egypt’s last Crown Prince.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals: This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions by letting us know your preferences. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).

DAY 6 – Cairo – Aswan Abu Simbel (or Luxor) Tuesday (BL)
We take a flight to Aswan and after a brief stop your flight continues to Abu Simbel, where your private air-conditioned vehicle awaits you and your private guide. In the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temples we fly back to Aswan, arriving in time for a late lunch. For guests interested, please join us on a complimentary short camel ride to a nearby Nubian village for tea with the locals. Deluxe: Aswan Movenpick or the Cataract Hotel. For Nile View Room at the Cataract please add: $ 150 per person in double. For First class: Basma Hotel or similar

DAY 7 – Board your Nile Cruise – Wednesday (BLD)
After breakfast we check out of our hotel, followed by visit to the Nubian Museum, and on to board your the Nile Cruise: Deluxe M/S Lady Diana, M/S Monaco or similar, first class:M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby or similar, complimentary welcome fruit basket. After lunch on board we head out to tour Aswan Dams, enjoy a Felucca sailing among the Nile rocky islands, followed by a trip by motor launch to the Island temple of Philae, dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS.

DAY 8 – Kom Ombo – EDFU – On Board Your Nile Cruise – Thursday (BLD)
We sail very early in the morning, off to Kom Ombo to explore the twin temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, at Kom Ombo, then re board our ship for the voyage north to Edfu, where we board horse-drawn carriages for the short ride through the town to the stupendous Temple of Horus, the best preserved temple on the Nile. Returning to our ship, we set sail for Luxor. In the evening there’s a galabia party. Complimentary galabya will be delivered to your cabin. If you’ve tried our flowing Egyptian garment (the galabya), tonight’s the night to try it on!

DAY 9 – Valley of the Kings and more – On Board Your Nile Cruise – Friday (BLD)
After breakfast we tour the Valley of the Kings including King Tut’s Tomb and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari. Followed by the Colossi of Memnon, the Ramesseum and Medinet Habu, returning to our ship for lunch. The afternoon is for Deir el Medina the Ancient Workers Village, where the first known “Sit-down” Strike against the Pharaoh took place, it’s said that the “Palace” did back down and made good on the back pay, in sesame oil! Deir El Medinah is on Luxor’s west bank you get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers’ settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs. Here we’ll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. You’ll be back on board in time for tea. Following lunch aboard, we are off to the stupendous Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the smaller – but still immense – Temple of Luxor. In the evening your guide will call on you for a horse drawn carriage ride of Luxor town and the local scene, then head to Karnak Temples for an evening Sound & Light show, (a jacket is a must).

DAY 10 – Disembarkation – Luxor / Sharm El Sheikh – Saturday (BD)
After breakfast, check-out and off to the airport and fly to Sharm El Sheikh. Transfers are always on a private basis. Hotels (or similar): Deluxe: Hyatt. Renaissance Sonesta. Savoy. Rotana. Marriott. First: Hilton. Novotel or similar. Dinner is included at the hotel tonight.

DAY 11- Sharm El Sheikh – Sunday (BD)
Breakfast is always included daily. Relax! These are your days to absorb all that you’ve seen and experienced so far, not to mention the bright Egyptian sun and sparkling Red Sea. Evening Dinner with the Bedouins on the edge of the Sahara, with Bedouin Music.

DAY 12- SHARM EL SHEIK – Monday (BD)
AAAH, another full day at leisure, enjoy Sharm El Sheikh as you wish, Sunset half an hour camel caravan or horseback ride along the beach or into the Sahara. Dinner is included at a charming local restaurant.

DAY 13 – MOUNT SINAI – St. CATHERINE Monastery – Tuesday (BLD)
Relax! This is one more day in “Paradise”, enjoy the beach the Egyptian sun and maybe fishing, snorkeling or diving in the Red Sea. Or join us on a complimentary tour to Mount Sinai then in the cool before sunrise, we drive into the wilderness of Sinai, through which Moses led his people to the Promised Land. Our goal is the Monastery of St. Catherine, built on the site of the burning bush at the base of Mount Sinai. We tour the monastery, rich in history,icons and sacred paintings, returning to Sharm late in the evening. You must be in good physical condition if you wish to consider climbing Mt. Sinai. The climb is not recommended for those affected by heights. Dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 14 – SHARM EL SHEIK/CAIRO – Wednesday (BD)
One more day on the beach before we head back to Cairo for maybe a last minute shopping at Kahn El Khalili, dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 15 – CAIRO/USA Thursday (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home.

• Christmas, New Years, & Easter: From December 20 to January 3 inclusive; and Easter Season (2 weeks), please add 20 % per person.
• The Great Nile Cities Cruise departs weekly from New York (ask us for add-on from other major cities in the USA)
• Air Fare PEAK SEASON SUPPLEMENT: For departures May – Sep; Air fare supplement: $350. This supplement doesn’t apply when you handle your own airfare.

Hotel Choices

• Cairo Deluxe Hotels: City Stars Inter.continental. Nile Hilton, J. W. Marriott Cairo Conrad or Grand Hyatt. Sofitel, Meridien Pyramids, or similar
• Sample Deluxe hotels in Sharm: Rotana, Savoy, Hyatt / Marriott, Sonesta, Rotana
• Cairo First Class Hotels Four Stars: Shepherds’ Hotel. Oases, or similar

Rates include

• International airfares from New York to Cairo and return, in economy class, tax included.
• All airfares, transfers and airport taxes in Egypt (Including Abu Simbel).
• Set-menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner as indicated in the tour itinerary above.
• Hotel accommodation with all tax & service charges.
• Nile cruise with all meals & shore excursions.
• Guided sightseeing, all as listed, including all entrance fees, and the service of an English speaking guide.
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
• Large bottle of water (per person) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
• Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
• Guided sightseeing by air-conditioned motor coach, including all admissions fees.
• VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
  Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (photos are not required). Egyptian Visa will be issued for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo upon arrival with our compliments.

DRESS CODE:
All of our Nile cruise vessels are fully air conditioned. Onboard dress is casual except at dinner, when smart casual is the rule. Lightweight cotton and other natural fiber clothing is best, with swimsuits and sun hats for the sundeck and pool. Bring a light sweater or light jacket for cool mornings and evenings, but most days are warm to hot, with very little rain. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for shore excursions.

Not included:

• Airport taxes
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
• Personal expenses, including excess baggage or shipping charges, beverages, and personal charges in hotels for laundry, telephone, or other services
• Gratuities