*A Visa is required to enter Cairo and will be issued upon arrival in Egypt.

Day by Day

DAY 1: ARRIVE, CAIRO, EGYPT
Arrival & Transfer

Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, our representative will meet you at the aircraft gate and assist you in the VIP Lounge to rest while passport control formalities are completed and your luggage is collected. You will then be transferred to the hotel for check-in and overnight stay.
ST. REGIS HOTEL, (B)

DAY 2: CAIRO
Giza Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum Tour

After breakfast, meet in the hotel’s lobby with your Egyptologist to start your day’s tour, heading towards the Pyramids of Giza. Nothing evokes the long and intriguing history of Egypt as powerfully as the pyramids. Rising from the desert, Khufu (Cheops), Khafra, and Menkaura symbolize the enigmatic allure of Egypt.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to remain largely intact. There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The Queen’s Chamber and King’s Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure.

The Sphinx, which has stood guard over the pyramids for more than 4,500 years, is carved from an outcrop of rock and remains the ultimate symbol of Ancient Egypt with its lion’s body and human head. Enjoy the history and lifestyle of ancient Egyptian pharaohs brought vividly to life through the narrations of your specialist guide.

Enjoy your lunch at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).

Continue your day’s tour at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt’s newest landmark by the Pyramids of Giza. The museum showcases over 50,000 masterpieces from ancient Egypt, including the complete Tutankhamun collection, in the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization. Its vast atrium, Grand Staircase lined with royal statues, and state-of-the-art galleries make it a must-see highlight of any visit to Cairo.

Optional, with supplement: you will also have the opportunity to enter the Restoration Tent of King Khufu’s Solar Boat.
Return to your hotel.
ST. REGIS HOTEL, (B)

DAY 3: CAIRO / DAHSHUR & SAQQARA
Transfer & breakfast at Beit ElReef

This morning, at the hotel’s lobby, meet with one of our representatives to transfer you to Dahshur enjoy your breakfast at Beit El Reef, surrounded by Rural and Pharaonic Egypt.

Begin by touring, The Dahshur Pyramids Tour (Bent & Red Pyramids)
Dahshur is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile, approximately 40 kilometers (25 mi) south of Cairo. It is known chiefly for several pyramids, two of which are among the oldest, largest, and best preserved in Egypt, built from 2613–2589 BC. Building the Dahshur pyramids was an extremely important learning experience for the Egyptians before they could build the Great Pyramid of Giza. Two of the Dahshur Pyramids, Bent and the Red Pyramids, were constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu.

Dahshur; Optional: Black Pyramid
Optional, with supplement: The Black Pyramid was built by King Amenemhat III during the late Middle Kingdom of Egypt. It is one of the five remaining pyramids of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur in Egypt. Originally named Amenemhet is Mighty, the pyramid earned the name Black Pyramid for its dark, decaying appearance as a rubble mound. The Black Pyramid was the first to house both the deceased pharaoh and his queens. Jacques de Morgan, on a French mission, began the excavation on the pyramids at Dahshur in 1892.

Saqqara, Step Pyramid of King Zoser
Continue towards Sakkara, where King Zoser’s Step Pyramid was “built to last till the ends of time”. This vast site in the heart of a desert plateau is the largest necropolis in Egypt. Extending for almost 5 miles, the complex forms a collection of pyramids, temples, and tombs that is fundamental to understanding the history of Ancient Egypt.

Afterward, an after lunch at Le Pacha 1901
Lowed by a return transfer back to Cairo to your hotel
ST. REGIS HOTEL (B)

DAY 4: CAIRO / ASWAN
Very Early Flight
Flight to Aswan. Visit the Temple of Kalabsha.

Early this morning, breakfast boxes will be ready for your early departure and checkout. You will meet one of our representatives in the hotel lobby for your transfer to Cairo Domestic Airport for your flight to Aswan. Upon arrival at Aswan Airport, you will be met by a representative to start your day’s tour.

Kalabsha Temple is located on the west bank of the Nile River in Nubia and was initially built around 30 BC during the early Roman era. Although constructed during Augustus’s reign, the temple was never finished. It was built as a tribute to Mandulis (Merul), a Lower Nubian sun god, and was constructed over an earlier sanctuary of Amenhotep II. After your visit, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight stay.
SOFITEL LEGEND OLD CATARACT  (B)

DAY 5: ASWAN / ABU SIMBEL / ASWAN  ( * This Must be on a Tuesday *)
Flight to Abu Simbel and Return flight to Aswan
Visit the Temples of Ramses II & Queen Nefertari

Enjoy an early breakfast before checking out. Meet one of our representatives in the main hotel lobby for your transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight to Abu Simbel.

Upon arrival at Abu Simbel, you will be met by a representative to begin your day’s tour, visiting the Temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. The Temples of Abu Simbel are among the most remarkable Pharaonic temples. Located close to the southern border with Sudan, they are 280 km south of Aswan and consist of two rock-cut temples, both dating back to the reign of King Ramses II (1290–1223 BC). These unique temples were affected by the rising waters of Lake Nasser during the construction of the High Dam.

After your visit, you will fly back to Aswan. Upon arrival at Aswan Airport, a representative will meet you to transfer you to your ship for check-in and embarkation.

Lunch will be served on board. Dinner will also be served on board.
ROYAL SERENADE NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

DAY 6: ASWAN / KOM OMBO / EDFU
Nile Cruising Sightseeing: Sailing to Edfu
Visit the Temples of Isis and Dam Visit

Philae Temple & Aswan High Dam Visit
Enjoy breakfast on board before meeting your Egyptologist in the cruise lobby to begin the day’s tour. Visit the Temple of Isis on Philae Island, one of the greatest temples in Egypt, occupying nearly a quarter of the island. It is the main sanctuary on Philae, featuring impressive pylons and beautifully preserved relief scenes, and is built in the architectural style of the New Kingdom. Continue to the Aswan High Dam, one of the most significant engineering achievements of the 20th century and a symbol of Egypt’s modern era following the Revolution of 1952.

Sailing & Lunch on Board
Lunch will be served on board while the cruise sails toward Kom Ombo.

Kom Ombo Temple Visit
In the afternoon, meet your Egyptologist to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, uniquely shared by the two gods Sobek and Horus. Located on the east bank of the Nile beside the river, the temple was primarily dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, along with his consort in another form of the goddess Hathor.

Sailing to Edfu & Overnight on Board
After the visit, the cruise continues sailing to Edfu. Dinner will be served on board, followed by overnight accommodation.
ROYAL SERENADE NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

DAY 7: EDFU / LUXOR
Nile Cruise Sightseeing
Vitis Temple and Sail to Luxor

Horus Temple in Edfu
After breakfast on board, meet your Egyptologist in the cruise lobby to begin today’s tour with a visit to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. The site, known as Wetjeset-Hor (classical name Apollinopolis Magna), was the place where the god Horus was worshipped and where the mythological battle between Horus and Seth took place. The Temple of Horus is the most well-preserved ancient temple in Egypt and one of the few known to have been completed. Built from massive sandstone blocks, this impressive Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of an earlier sanctuary.

Sailing to Luxor & Meals on Board
After the visit, the cruise sails to Luxor. Lunch will be served on board, and in the evening, dinner will also be served on board, followed by overnight accommodation on the ship.
ROYAL SERENADE NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

DAY 8: LUXOR  – WEST BANK
Sailing the Niel and Touring the West Bank

This morning, enjoy breakfast on board the Royal Serenade Nile Cruise (which remains docked in Luxor) before meeting your Egyptologist in the cruise lobby to begin your tour of the West Bank.

Valley of the Kings
Visit the Valley of the Kings, where for nearly 500 years, from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt). The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes (modern Luxor), within the heart of the Theban Necropolis. The wadi consists of two valleys: East Valley (where the majority of the royal tombs are situated) and West Valley.

Deir El Madina
Explore Deir El Madina, an ancient Egyptian village that was home to the artisans who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings during the 18th to 20th dynasties of the New Kingdom. Its ancient name was Set Maat, meaning “The Place of Truth,” and the workmen who lived there were called “Servants in the Place of Truth.” During the Christian era, the Temple of Hathor was converted into a church, giving the village its modern name, “the monastery of the town.”

Colossi of Memnon
See the Colossi of Memnon, two massive ruined statues, around 17 meters high, which once stood at the entrance gate of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. They were carved from granite blocks brought from quarries near Cairo and represent Pharaoh Amenhotep III of Dynasty XVIII. Very little of the temple behind them remains today.

Temple of Hatshepsut
Visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, a mortuary temple opposite the city of Luxor, considered a masterpiece of ancient architecture. The temple was built to commemorate Queen Hatshepsut, serve as her funerary temple, and act as a sanctuary for the god Amon Ra.

Tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I, NeferHotep & Ramses VI
This morning, enjoy a very special visit to the tombs of King Tutankhamun, Seti I, NeferHotep, and Ramses VI.

Tutankhamun was buried in a smaller tomb, possibly due to his unexpected death, and his mummy still rests there. On 4 November 2007, 85 years after Carter’s discovery, the 19-year-old pharaoh went on display in his underground tomb at Luxor in a climate-controlled glass box.

Seti I’s tomb is the longest in the valley at 137.19 meters and contains exceptionally well-preserved reliefs, including the Ritual of the Opening of the Mouth.

NeferHotep Tomb is newly opened; Neferhotep lived and worked during the 18th Dynasty under King Ay.

Ramses VI Tomb was begun by Ramesses V and completed by Ramses VI, containing funerary texts such as the Book of Gates, Book of Caverns, and Books of the Heavens.

Meals on Board
Lunch and dinner will also be served on board, followed by overnight accommodation on the ship.
ROYAL SERENADE NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

DAY 9: LUXOR / QENA – DENDERA TEMPLE / LUXOR
Sail to Qena
After breakfast, sail to Qena, enjoying the scenic views along the Nile.

Dendera Temple Tour
Later this morning, meet your Egyptologist in the cruise lobby to begin your tour of Dendera Temple. Known in ancient Egyptian as Iunet or Tantere (19th-century English sources often used “Tentyra”), the temple is located about 2.5 kilometers southeast of Dendera. It is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt. The area was historically the sixth nome of Upper Egypt, south of Abydos.

This afternoon, lunch will be served on board while sailing back toward Luxor, followed by dinner on board and overnight accommodation.
ROYAL SERENADE NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

DAY 10: LUXOR / HOT AIR BALLOON and EAST BANK TOUR
Check-out & Transfere

Luxor – Hot Air Balloon Adventure (Optional, with supplement): Meeting at the hotel’s lobby to be transferred for your Private Hot Air Balloon adventure with the sunrise light. Soar above Luxor’s West Bank for an aerial perspective of the city’s archaic sights. Enjoy scenes of vast temples and tall statues illuminated and richly colored by the sun sitting low in the sky. Observe the complex of temples and chapels at Karnak to the east, then cast your eyes to the west for views of Hatshepsut Temple in its dramatic spot at the foot of colossal cliffs. See the Colossi of Memnon rising up and seemingly guarding royal tombs.

Afterward, return to the ship to check out before meeting one of our representatives in the cruise lobby for disembarkation and to begin your day’s tour of the East Bank.

Luxor – Temple of Karnak
The Temple of Karnak is the largest temple in the world! The complex contains a group of temples such as the Great Temple of Amon Ra, the Temple of Khonso, the Ipet Temple, the Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho, and the Temple of the God Osiris. A 20m-high mudbrick enclosure wall surrounded all of these buildings. The Great Temple of Amon Ra was known during the Middle Kingdom period as Ipet-Swt, which means “The Selected Spot.” It was also called Pr-Imn, which means “House of Amon.” The name Al-Karnak in Arabic was derived from Karnak, meaning fortified village.

Luxor – Temple of Luxor
The Temple of Luxor is close to the Nile and parallel with the riverbank. King Amenhotep III, who reigned 1390–1353 BC, built this beautiful temple and dedicated it to Amon-Re, king of the gods, his consort Mut, and their son Khons. This temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to the present day. It was completed by Tutankhamun and Horemheb and added to by Ramses II. Towards the rear is a granite shrine dedicated to Alexander the Great.

Luxor – Lunch
Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant during your tour.

Luxor – Tomb of Amenhotep III (Optional, with supplement)
Optional, with supplement: You will enjoy a special opening visit to the tomb of Amenhotep III, a rare-access royal tomb belonging to the great 18th-dynasty Pharaoh who led Egypt’s golden age. The newly opened chambers reveal refined artwork and scenes guiding the king through the afterlife, a unique opportunity to explore one of Luxor’s most important and rarely opened tombs.

At the end of a full day’s tour, you are transferred to your hotel to check in and enjoy the rest of the day and accommodation.
AL MOUDIRA BOUTIQUE HOTEL (B)

Day 11 LUXOR / CAIRO

Transfer & Flight

After breakfast at your hotel, check out and meet one of our representatives in the lobby for your transfer to Luxor Airport. Board your flight to Cairo, and upon arrival at Cairo Domestic Airport, you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel for check-in.
ST. REGIS HOTEL – (B)

DAY 12 : CAIRO
Coptic & Islamic Cairo Tour

This morning after breakfast, meet your Egyptologist at the Hotels lobby to start you days tour.

Coptic Cairo – Hanging Church & Church of St. Sergius

Coptic Cairo, where we will visit the famous Suspended Church “Hanging Church” dating to the late 4^th and early 5^th century. This basilica was named “Al-Mu’allaqah” because it was built atop the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon. Continue to the Church of St. Sergius, a 5^th century Coptic Church. This basilica is built on the cave in which the Holy Family stayed and is regarded by visitors as a source of blessing.

Ben Ezra Synagogue
Ben Ezra Synagogue is situated in the Fustat part of Old Cairo, Egypt. According to local folklore, it is located on the site where baby Moses was found. The founding date of the Ben Ezra Synagogue is not known, although there is good evidence from documents found in the geniza that it predates 882 CE and is probably pre-Islamic. The style of the carving on the Torah ark door is incompatible with that of the Fatimid Caliphate and is more representative of the Mamluk Sultanate, specifically the 15^th century. A medallion that decorates the door is designed with a motif common to bookbinding of that period. It is known that a 15^th-century fire in the synagogue damaged the bimah, or pulpit. One plausible theory is that wood from the damaged bimah was repurposed to make a new door for the Torah ark.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC)
The first museum of civilization in the Arab world, the NMEC will present a comprehensive view of Egyptian civilization from prehistory to the present day, taking a multidisciplinary thematic approach designed to highlight Egypt’s tangible and intangible heritage. A museum of a new kind, the NMEC’s main goal is to “share knowledge”.

Citadel & Mosque of Mohammed Ali
We continue the visit with cultural landmarks that span three millennia of Egyptian history. We begin with the Citadel commanding a complete view of the city. Completed in 1183, the Citadel was surrounded by sturdy walls and towers to withstand attacks from Christian crusaders. Inside, we shall see the lavishly decorated alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali.

Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Then stroll with your guide through Khan El Khalili, a bustling warren of shops where you can bargain for rugs, copper and leather crafts, perfumes, and other goods both exotic and familiar.

Lunch – Egyptian Koshary
Making a stop to enjoy some Egyptian Koshary for lunch during your tour. Before returing back to your hotel for the rest of the evening .
ST. REGIS HOTEL – (B)

DAY 13: Departure & Transfer CAIRO International Airport CAI
Airport Transfer & Departure

Start your day with breakfast at the hotel, complete your checkout, and then meet our representative in the lobby for your transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight.

Call for Rates. Prices are Per-Person, Per-Day, Land Only