DAY 1 ARRIVE CAIRO , EGYPT
Arrive in Cairo, Egypt’s ”Mother of All Cities,” an age-old crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, where you are met Ramasside's Tour Manager (visa is included) and transferred to your historic hotel with fantastic views of the pyramids.
Evening trip to attend the Sound & Light show in the Pyramids area included.
Mena House Hotel-Four Seasons Hotel Cairo
DAY 2 CAIRO | INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA & THE SPHINX
Set out for the Giza Plateau on a full-day excursion. Observe the great pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure as well as other historical sites. Enter the Great Pyramid of Cheops — oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — stepping back in time some 4,000 years. Ride Like a Local on a camel. Then, view the Great Sphinx, the ancient world’s largest monumental sculpture, carved from a single ridge of limestoneAfter lunch, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure. This evening, gather for a welcome dinner.
Mena House Hotel-Four Seasons Hotel Cairo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3 CAIRO | IMMERSED IN ANTIQUITIES
Explore the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (or the Grand Egyptian Museum, upon its opening), home to over 120,000 relics, some dating back to 4000 BC. Then, transfer to the Nile River, where you board a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing vessel. Enjoy lunch on board, followed by an afternoon at leisure. This evening, stroll through the Khan El-Khalili bazaar. Founded as a watering stop for caravans in the 14th century, its stalls still brim with brassware, gold, silver, leather, perfume and antiques. After dinner, return to your hotel.
Mena House Hotel-Four Seasons Hotel Cairo
| Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4 CRUISING THE NILE | ASWAN| I SLAND TEMPLE OF ISIS
Fly south to Aswan (internal flights included).
Upon arrival, board ‘Sanctuary Sun Boat III,’ your luxurious home on the Nile for the next eight nights, where you will enjoy a welcome Zaffa, with drums and flutes.
Lunch will be served on board.
After lunch, take a ride on a felucca (a typical Egyptian sail boat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum (weather permitting, life jackets will be provided).
Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge while you enjoy the sounds of an Oud trio.
Tonight, you will be greeted by your Boat Manager as you enjoy a selection of canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer. A gourmet dinner will be served on board.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5 CRUISING THE NILE | PHILAE TEMPLE AND UNFINISHED OBELISK
A breakfast buffet will be served on board, followed by a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. This will be followed by a visit to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk.
Enjoy lunch, while you cruise to Kom Ombo and spend the afternoon at leisure enjoying the onboard facilities including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Tonight, a delicious dinner is served followed by a movie night on board.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6 CRUISING THE NILE | TEMPLE OF HORUS|DINE LIKE A PHARAOH
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning, before exploring the extraordinary Temple of Horus.
Lunch will be served while sailing to Esna.
After lunch, an Egyptian cooking lesson will be presented on board.
Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure enjoying the onboard facilities including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Afternoon tea will be served while you sail to Luxor.
Tonight will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyya”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7 CRUISING THE NILE |EAST BANK
Enjoy breakfast on board. Afterwards, your Egyptologist will guide you around the East Bank of Luxor including the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun.
Enjoy lunch on board and spend the afternoon at leisure enjoying the facilities including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge.
Tonight, you will be greeted by your Boat Manager while you enjoy freshly prepared canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer, followed by a gourmet dinner menu.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8 C R U I SI NG TH E N ILE | HOT AIR BALLOON & VALLEY OF THE KINGS
Hot air balloon ride
Breakfast will be served on board.This morning, visit the Valley of the Kings. visit the tombs of various Dynasties. King Tut’s tomb which you will visit from inside. Tutankhamun ruled Egypt for approximately 10 years from around 1336-1327 BCE. In November 1922, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon discovered Tutankhamun’s near-intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The king’s mummified body was found surrounded by precious grave goods, in his golden coffin, after his burial chamber was officially opened on 17 February 1923 in the presence of Egyptologists and government officials.
Today, Tutankhamun is ancient Egypt’s most famous pharaoh. But how much do you really know about the boy king? Here during this tour, I will tell you the lesser-known facts about Tutankhamun…
You will have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, you will pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.
Enjoy lunch on board and spend the afternoon at leisure enjoying the facilities including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge.
Tonight’s entertainment will be a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine followed by a Dervish Show and belly dancer performance.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 9 C RUISI NG THE NILE | TEMPLE OF KARNAK AND REMNANTS OF GREECE AND ROME
After a delicious breakfast buffet on board, your tour of the East Bank will begin with a visit to the Temple of Karnak.
Following the morning sail to Esna, enjoy lunch on board the boat.
After lunch, your Egyptologist will guide you around the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters below present-day street level.
Afternoon tea will be served on board during the cruise to Edfu.
Tonight, a delicious dinner is served followed by a movie night on board.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10 CRUISING THE NILE | TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO
Breakfast will be served on board. Spend the morning at leisure and enjoy the facilities on board, including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Lunch will be served on board while cruising to Kom Ombo. After lunch, visit the temple of Kom Ombo - dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where, in ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.
Return to your Nile Cruise boat where afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. You will also have the chance to take part in an Egyptian cooking lesson while the boat is sailing to Aswan.
Tonight’s entertainment will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyyas”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 11 CRUISING THE NILE | ASWAN
A breakfast buffet will be served on board.
You will have the day free to visit Aswan and enjoy the facilities on board, including the pool, games room and gymnasium.
Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge while you enjoy the sounds of an Oud trio. Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine.
Enjoy a Dervish show and belly dancer performance after dinner.
'Sanctuary Sun Boat III' | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 12 ABU SIMBEL | TEMPLES OF RAMSES II & NEFERTARI
Disembark Sanctuary ‘Sun Boat IV’ and fly to Abu Simbel. See the twin temples of Ramses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari. Fly to Cairo (internal flights included) for an evening at leisure.
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo-Mena House Hotel- Kempinski Nile Deluxe - Fairmont Nile Premium
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 13 DEPART CAIRO
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and depart.
Meals: Breakfas
- A Ready-to-book, Private Itinerary Designed for You
- Sim card so you can use while in Egypt.
- Visa upon arrival included
- Luxury hotel accommodations as mentioned in our itinerary
- Exclusive Insider-Access Opportunities
- English-Speaking Local Guides
- Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfers
- 24/7 On-Call Support
- All sightseeing tours in Cairo are private as in the itinerary.
- All sightseeing tours on the cruise sharing the cruise group.
