Egypt
  
Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Nile Cruise
       

Day 1: USA / Cairo
An overnight transatlantic flight will take us to Cairo, Egypt.

Day 2: Cairo
We arrive in Cairo and transfer to our hotel to settle in and start soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city.

Day 3: The Pyramids
We will meet our Egyptian guide this morning for sightseeing in and around Africa's largest metropolis. We'll start with the Egyptian Museum, home of Tutankhamon's fabulous treasures. Afterwards, we head for ancient Memphis to see the statue of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Our next stop is Saqqara's "stairway to the sky," the oldest of all pyramids. We wind up our day in Giza where we get a close-up look at the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids.

Day 4: Cairo / Aswan
We have time this morning for independent activities or to join an optional excursion to Old Cairo. Saladin's 12th-century Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque and the labyrinthine bazaar are other points of interest to visit. In the afternoon, we take a flight to the lovely resort town of Aswan.

Day 5: Aswan
This morning is at leisure in Aswan. An optional flight to the huge sandstone temples of Abu Simbel is available. We check in to our elegant hotel boat in time for lunch. Then, this afternoon, we can look forward to boarding a felucca and sailing across the blue waters of the river. We will see the "nilometer" on Elephantine Island, Kitchener Island's lush Botanical Gardens, and the splendid Aga Khan Mausoleum on the left bank.

Day 6: Nile Cruise: Aswan / Kom
We start our day with an excursion to the turn-of-the-century Old Dam, the widest dam in the world, and the gigantic Aswan High Dam competed in 1970. We will then board a motor launch to the island of Agilka to visit the Temple of Isis transplanted from the submerged island of Philae. We'll also stop at the Granite Quarries to see the famous, unfinished obelisk. We will then start a leisurely cruise down Egypt's river of destiny. We dock at Kom Ombo for a short walk to its bluff-top temple dedicated to the crocodile and falcon gods. There is time to haggle for bargains in the local market before returning to the boat.

Day 7: Nile Cruise: Edfu / Esna
This morning, we enjoy boarding a horse-drawn carriage for our drive through Edfu to the Temple of Horus with its menacing black stone statue of the falcon god. Built in the time of Cleopatra about 2,00 years ago, it is recent by Old Egyptian standards and beautifully preserved. In the afternoon, we will visit Esna's colorful market and the Sunken Temple devoted to the ram-headed deity Khnum. Tonight, we dock at Luxor with a chance to take in the optional sound and light show.

Day 8: Nile Cruise: Luxor
One of the main points of interest today is the Valley of Kings and Valley of Queens on the west bank of the Nile. Generations of pharaohs and nobles were buried in the great splendor of crypts cut into the cliffs and sixty-two royal tombs have been uncovered so far. One of these tombs, the tomb of Tutankhamon, was nearly inviolate when discovered in 1922. We then visit Deir El-Bahari, Queen Hatshepsut's monumental rock temple, before stopping for pictures at the two Colossi of Memnon guarding the valleys. This afternoon is slotted for visiting the Luxor Temple.

Day 9: Luxor / Cairo
A full day is planned today, and we start by viewing the stunning monuments of Karnak, the greatest city of ancient Egypt. We'll walk among the pillars of the colossal Temple of Amon Ra and the Avenue of the Sphinxes, an experience we will treasure the rest of our lives. We take a late morning flight from Luxor back to Cairo and spend the afternoon at leisure. Tonight's optional sound and light show at Giza would be a nice way to top off our exciting adventure.

Day 10: Cairo / USA
We leave Egypt today and head back to the USA, taking the memories of our exciting trip with us.

Price Per Person: $2070.00

Price Includes: Airfare from JFK to Cairo, airfare from Cairo/Aswan and Luxor/Cairo, all airport, hotel , and cruise transfers, 4 nights deluxe cruise on the Nile with driver, English-speaking tour guide, lunch on check out day from the cruise, breakfast & dinner daily, 4 star hotels, and baggage handling.

Not Included: Transfers in the US, air taxes, and gratuities.