Cairo – Luxor – Edfu – Aswan – Cairo

Welcome to Egypt! You'll meet your guide at Cairo airport, with the rest of the day free to settle into your lodgings and explore the city.

Start with a classic as you visit the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure in the necropolis of Giza. These wonders of the ancient world are one of the first images that come to mind when you think of Egypt, and you'll experience them for yourself, along with the enigmatic Sphinx. You'll also visit the necropolis of Saqqara, home to the step pyramid of Djoser, accompanying mastaba tombs, and the pyramid of Teti.

Transfer to Cairo International Airport to fly to Luxor. You'll meet your guide and travel to the Temple of Luxor on the city's eastern bank, dedicated to the worship of the god Amun. You'll also visit the Abu El-Hagag mosque and Karnak temples before you board the cruise boat that will be your lodging for the next few nights.

After breakfast on board, transfer overland to visit the classic attractions at the Valley of the Kings, including the Temple of Hatshepsut and Memnon statues. Get back on board and sail to Edfu as you enjoy lunch and afternoon tea on the sundeck, including a trip through the Esna Lock. End the night with dinner and a chance to try traditional Egyptian clothing onboard as you dock overnight in Edfu.

In the morning you'll go ashore after breakfast to travel to the Temple of Horus. The temple to the falcon god was once covered by silt during the flooding of the Nile, but it has since been restored and sits as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples of the Ptolemaic era. Sail to Kom Ombo next, where you'll disembark once more to visit the double temples of Sobek and Haroeris. Then get back on board to sail to Aswan, where you'll anchor for the night.

Enjoy stunning Nile views as you cruise toward Aswan Today's land attraction is more modern, as you'll visit the Aswan high dam, one of the largest in the world. Then go back to the past with a trip to the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis. You'll return to the boat in the afternoon, where you'll spend time on river adventures as you ride smaller felucca sailboats down the Nile past Elephantine Island and the Agha Khan mausoleum before retiring to your cabin for the night.

After your last breakfast on board, transfer to Abu Simbel, home to impressive temples including those of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari, a temple she shares with the goddess Hathor. The Temple of Ramses II is particularly interesting, home to four statues of its namesake ruler that are illuminated by the sun coming through the temples twice a year, on the days of his birth and appointment as ruler. After the temples, return to Aswan to spend the night back on land.

Head back to Cairo in the morning. Once you arrive, you'll embark on a tour of the city streets, starting at the massive medieval Salah El-din Citadel and its enclosed Mohamed Ali alabaster mosque, once a stronghold against the Crusaders. The brilliant domed ceilings, suspended lights, and views of the city from this ancient fortress are sure to captivate. Keep going to the churches of Old Cairo and the Khan El Khalili old market to browse before you retire for the night.

Enjoy one more Egyptian breakfast before your transfer to the airport.