13 Day Nile Mystique (13 Days) 

     Board your Egypt Air non-stop flight to Cairo and begin your journey back in time to this charming, ancient land.

     Arrival in the Land of the Pharaohs. At Cairo International airport you will be welcomed and assisted through immigration and customs by our representative, then escorted to your hotel.

     Morning visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities which includes the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic artifacts and the treasures of Tutankhamen’s tomb. Then drive to Old Cairo to visit Al Moallaka Church (Hanging Church) and Ben Ezra Synagogue. Stop for lunch, afternoon visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx, then proceed to Khan El Khalili, the world’s largest 13th century covered oriental bazaar. Overnight in Cairo. (B, L)

     Free day for shopping, sightseeing or simply wandering through the city’s fascinating streets and byways. (Optional overday excursion to Alexandria $160, by private car accompanied by an English-speaking Egyptologist: visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shugafa, the Fortress of Qait Bay, the National Museum, Abu El Abbas Mosque and Alexandria Library “Bibliotheca Alexandrina,” time permitting. Lunch included). (B)

FULL DAY ALEXANDRIA:
Transfer by private car to Alexandria, where you will have an intriguing day visiting the Catacombs of Kom El Shukafa, Quait Bay Fort, Jewelery Museum, Roman Greek Museum, abu El Abas Mosque and Alexandria's library (if time permitted).

     Morning flight to Luxor. Upon arrival you will be met and escorted to your cruise ship where you will spend the next 7 nights / 8 days. Visit the West Bank necropolis including the Valley of the Kings, the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. (Evening: optional Sound & Light Show at the Karnak Temple $40). Overnight in Luxor. (B, L, D)

SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW:
Inaugurated in 1972 the Sound and Light Show in the Temple of Karnak begins with a historical introduction covering the birth of the great city of Thebes and the construction of the Temple. Depicting the glorious achievement of the Pharaohs, spectators listen to the lyrical and poetic descriptions of artistic treasures, grand festivals, heroic deeds and literature of the times. The show is presented in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, and Japanese.

     Early morning sailing, passing through the Esna Lock and continue sailing for the remainder of the day towards Edfu. Tonight a very special costume party, Egyptian and Pharaonic style “gallabeya party.” Overnight in Edfu. (B, L, D)

     Travel by horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus, the falcon-god, considered the best-preserved temple in Ancient Egypt and the second largest after the Temple of Karnak. Sail to Kom Ombo where you will visit the Ptolemaic Temple of Sobek & Haroeries. Then sail to Aswan and overnight. (B, L, D)

     Visit the High Dam, the Granite Quarries with the Unfinished Obelisk and the Temple of Philae. Sail on board a felucca, a typical Egyptian sailboat, and view Kitchener’s Botanical Garden and the Aga Khan Mausoleum. (Evening: optional Sound & Light Show at the Philae Temple $40). Overnight in Aswan. (B, L, D)

SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW:
Inaugurated in 1985, Spectators are taken on a Nile cruise to discover the natural beauty of the area all the way to the Philae Island. The show describes the temples with their arcades and inscriptions besides telling the story of how they were rescued and restored. It also deals with the history of Aswan, The grandeur of Noba, The Sacredness of The Nile and the loyalty and nobility of Isis's message.

     Morning free at leisure (or you may participate in an optional tour to Abu Simbel $235: visit the colossal Temple of Ramses II and the temple of his beloved Queen Nefertiti, both temples carved out of a hillside beside the Nile in the 13th century BC). Afternoon sail to Kom Ombo, then on to Edfu. (B, L, D)

ABU SIMBEL TOUR:
Abu Simbel is situated 280km south of Aswan. The two temples of Abu Simbel are the most magnificent temples in the world. The first temple was built by the mighty Pharaoh Ramses II, the other for his wife Queen Nefertari. Their relocation is an achievement supported and managed by UNESCO. The Great Temple of Abu Simbel (Ramses II), built by Ramses II, is distinguished by its main facade with four colossal statues of Ramses II, sitting enthroned, wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The temple was dedicated to the sun god Ra' Horakhti. A most interesting engraving records the Qudesh battle scene, celebrating the victories of Ramses II over the Hittites. The temple was built on a strict east-west axis so that twice a year, the morning sun actually reached the innermost sanctuary at dawn, illuminating the statues of Ptah, Amon, Ramses II and Ra' Horakhty. The Small Temple of Abu Simbel (Nefertari), located 50 meters from the Great Temple, was built by Ramses II for his beautiful wife Nefertari to be worshipped with other gods. It is also called the temple of Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty. Its facade is adorned by six statues, four for Ramses II and two for his wife Nefertari. The walls of the temple are decorated with scenes depicting Ramses and Nefertari offering sacrifices to the gods.

     Sail to Esna, day is free at your leisure. You may enjoy the facilities of your luxury cruise, including taking a dip in the swimming pool. Overnight in Luxor. (B, L, D)

     Early morning breakfast, then drive to Qena to visit Dendarah, one of the most beautiful complexes dedicated to Hathor, goddess of life and fertility; back to Luxor. In the early evening, visit to the temple of Luxor. Overnight in Luxor. (B, L, D)

     Breakfast on board your cruise ship, disembarkation and visit Karnak Temple, a centuries-old city of pylons, hypostyle halls, statues, shrines and obelisks. Transfer to Luxor airport for your flight to Cairo. Arrival and transfer to your hotel and balance of day at leisure (or you can take an optional 4 hour tour to Memphis & Sakkara: Sakkara is best known for the Step Pyramid, the oldest known of Egypt's 97 pyramids. It was built for King Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty by the architect and genius Imhotep, who designed it and its surrounding complex to be as grand as it was unique and revolutionary, $45). (B)

HALF DAY TOUR:
Memphis, founded around 3,100 BC, is the legendary city of Menes, the King who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Early on, Memphis was more likely a fortress from which Menes controlled the land and water routes between Upper Egypt and the Delta. Having probably originated in Upper Egypt, from Memphis he could control the conquered people of Lower Egypt. However, by the Third Dynasty, the building at Sakkara suggests that Memphis had become a sizable city. Three major discoveries have recently been made at Sakkara, including a prime minister’s tomb, a queen’s pyramid, and the tomb of the son of a dynasty-founding king. Each discovery has a fascinating story, with many adventures for the archaeologists as they revealed the secrets of the past.

     After breakfast, transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight on Egypt Air. (B)