Itinerary
- Day 1
Cairo to Luxor
Fly south to Luxor and start exploring right away. The Temple of Karnak hits you with all those massive columns stretching out in rows, and it's the kind of place that takes a while to walk through properly. After that, you'll board your river cruise ship and get settled in. Before dinner, head over to the Temple of Luxor, which sits right in the city. Later this evening, there's a traditional belly dance performance on board, so grab a good seat on deck if you want to watch.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Welcome Dinner)
Included Activities
- Explore Temple of Karnak
- Visit Temple of Luxor
- Traditional folkloric-style belly dance performance on board
Landmarks Temple of Karnak Temple of Luxor 
- Day 2
Luxor
Cross over to the west bank early in the morning. You'll spend time in the Valley of Kings, which includes Tutankhamun's tomb if you want to go inside (separate ticket sometimes required). The Valley of Queens is nearby and worth walking through. The Temple of Hatshepsut rises up from the desert floor in an unusual way, and the Colossi of Memnon are two giant stone statues that sit out in an open area. Head back to the ship by afternoon and either relax on deck or join an informal cooking class with the chef if that sounds interesting.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Valley of Queens with private tour of Nefertari's Tomb
- Explore Valley of the Kings including King Tutankhamun's tomb
- Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
- View Colossi of Memnon
Optional Activities
- Informal cooking class with chef on board
Landmarks Valley of Queens Nefertari's Tomb Valley of the Kings King Tutankhamun's Tomb Temple of Hatshepsut Colossi of Memnon 
- Day 3
Luxor to Aswan
The ship stops at the Temple of Edfu, which is one of the better-preserved temples from ancient Egypt. This one was built for Horus, the falcon-headed god, so there's a lot of falcon imagery throughout. After exploring the temple grounds, you'll get back on the ship and spend the rest of the day cruising along the Nile as you head toward Aswan. The river scenery is pretty good during this stretch, with desert and small settlements along the banks.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Temple of Edfu
Landmarks Temple of Edfu 
- Day 4
Aswan
This day is flexible. If you want to take an optional early morning flight, Abu Simbel is about 3,000 years old and contains two temples dedicated to Ramses II and Queen Nefertari carved right out of the rock. If you skip the flight, you'll have free time in Aswan itself. Either way, later in the day there's a traditional felucca sailboat ride around Elephantine Island, which is a relaxing way to see the area from the water. If you're interested, the Old Cataract Hotel offers high tea in the afternoon. The evening brings another belly dance performance on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Felucca sailboat ride around Elephantine Island
- Traditional folkloric-style belly dance performance on board
Optional Activities
- Optional excursion to Abu Simbel (must be prebooked) - early morning flight over Lake Nasser to visit temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari
- Late afternoon tea at historic Old Cataract Hotel
Landmarks Abu Simbel Temple of Ramses II Temple of Queen Nefertari Elephantine Island Old Cataract Hotel - Day 5
Aswan to Luxor
Take a motorboat out to the Philae Temple complex early on. The hieroglyphs here have been restored and are quite colorful, which is different from what you see at other sites. Stop by Hisa Island to visit a Nubian village and spend time with local people. Then the ship continues to the Temple of Kom Ombo, which has an interesting layout because it was built for two gods instead of just one. By afternoon, you'll be cruising back toward Luxor. The evening features cultural performances with traditional attire and customs, which is a nice way to learn more about Egyptian life.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise to Philae Temple complex
- Visit Nubian village on Hisa Island
- Explore Temple of Kom Ombo
- Evening celebration of local customs with opportunity to wear traditional Galabeya
Landmarks Philae Temple Hisa Island Temple of Kom Ombo - Day 6
Luxor
Cruise from Esna back to Luxor during the morning hours. Once you arrive, return to the Temple of Karnak since there's so much to see there. Later, check out a museum where they show you how papyrus was made in ancient times, and you can watch demonstrations. Stop at the Temple of Luxor again if you want to see different areas or catch it at a different time of day. In the afternoon, you can either head to Luxor Market to browse spices, jewelry, and traditional crafts, or just stay on the ship and relax.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Scenic cruise from Esna to Luxor
- Explore Temple of Karnak
- Visit papyrus museum and learn papyrus-making techniques
Optional Activities
- Visit colorful Luxor Market
Landmarks Temple of Karnak Temple of Luxor Luxor Market - Day 7
Luxor to Qena
The ship sails to Qena so you can see the Temple of Hathor, which happens to be one of the best-preserved temples in all of Egypt. Look for the relief of Cleopatra and her son Caesarion carved on the back wall, which is pretty rare to find. The temple itself has good detail work and hieroglyphs that are still quite visible. After spending time here, you'll sail back to Luxor, arriving by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Temple of Hathor at Dendara
Landmarks Temple of Hathor - Day 8
Luxor to Cairo
Leave the ship in Luxor and fly to Cairo. Once there, visit the Abideen Presidential Palace, which contains several different museums including the Silver Museum, Arms Museum, and Royal Family Museum. Lunch is included at the palace itself. Later, head to old Cairo and see the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue, both located in the Coptic quarter. These spots offer different historical and religious perspectives on Egyptian culture.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Special lunch at Abideen Presidential Palace)
Included Activities
- Visit Abideen Presidential Palace and its museums
- Lunch at Abideen Presidential Palace
- Explore Coptic Cairo including Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue
Landmarks Abideen Presidential Palace Hanging Church Ben Ezra Synagogue
