Safaga (Luxor and Karnak), Egypt

Safaga serves as our gateway to the magnificent antiquites of Luxor and Karnak. Site of the ancient metropolis of Thebes, Luxor has a history which goes back to 2000 B.C. Like Babylon and Nineveh, it was considered one of the great cities of the ancient world, but of the three it is only here that that splendor survives. Marvel at the massive columns and statues of the temple of Luxor and Karnak. Stroll down the avenue of the Sphinxes to the grand ceremonial gateway of the Temple of Amun-Ra. Sail across the Nile to the Valley of the Kings, sacred burial grounds of the Pharoahs.

Suez, Egypt

The wonder and majesty of ancient Egypt is evident during our optional excursion to the Nile Valley's three great pyramds of Giza. Stand in awe of the human achievement: to build each symmetrically precise monument took 20 years and approximately one million 2 1/2-ton stones. Nearby, the might Sphinx faces the rising sun to await return to life. You'll find more treasures in Cairo's Egyptian Museum, including the golden burial mask of Tutankhamen.

Suez Canal, Egypt

One of modern engineering's most celebrated achievements, the 110-mile Suez Canal links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. The first attempt to excavate a canal was recorded in 2100 B.C., and over the years Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, French and British all have tried their hand, the latter two succeeding in the late 19th century in a joint effort.