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Insight Vacations - Ancient Civilizations |
Best of Egypt
9 days, Priced from US$1925
Med/Nile Cruise, Departs from & returns to Cairo
Tour code I900
Included Premium Highlights
- Board a motorboat to visit the temple complex of Isis originally built on the Island of Philae
- See vast hoards of treasure recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Egyptian Museum
- Visit the reconstructed temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings
Included Additional Excursions & Sights
- See the Rameses II statue & Alabaster Sphinx in Memphis
- See the ancient Step Pyramid of Zoser and the Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx
- Visit Mohammed Ali Mosque and enjoy stunning views over Cairo from the Citadel
- Sail on a 'felucca' around Aswan's Botanical gardens
- Visit Aswan's High Dam & see the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries
- Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu built on the place where Horus and Seth met in combat
- Tour the Temple at Kom Ombo, uniquely dedicated to two gods
- Tour the awesome Karnak Temple with its vast Hypostyle hall
- Enjoy a visit to Luxor Temple which lay hidden beneath the sand for thousands of years
- See the Colossi of Memnon, two giant faceless statues of Amenophis III
Insight's Cairo & Nile Cruise
- Professional multi-lingual Egyptologist/Tour Director to escort you
- Sightseeing by air-conditioned coach
- First Class and Deluxe hotels with service charges, taxes & porterage
- 3 Night Nile cruise on MS Medea or MS Sapphire or MS La Boheme (or similar) including all cruise boat gratuities
- Scheduled air travel Luxor to Cairo plus Cairo to Aswan by overnight train in twin berth cabins
- Arrival & departure transfers between the airport and your Insight tour hotel.
- Services of Insight's Resident Manager
- Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal and information pack
- Arrival & departure transfers between the airport and your Insight tour hotel
Included Quality Dining
- Egyptian Galabea Party with entertainment (HD)
- 8 Buffet breakfasts (BB), 3 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D) (plus bottled water and tea or coffee while cruising)
ITINERARY
Day 1 - ARRIVE CAIRO |
Welcome to Egypt, a country rich in wonders and mysteries. You are met at Cairo airport and transferred to your tour hotel. Relax and settle in.
Hotel: Marriott.
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Day 2 - CAIRO SIGHTSEEING |
Begin with a visit to Memphis, the famous capital of the ancient world. See the statue of Rameses II and the great Alabaster Sphinx. Continue to Sakkara, to see the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest Pyramid in existence. Now the moment you've been waiting for. A face to face encounter with the Sphinx and Great Pyramids at Giza. (BB) |
Day 3 - CAIRO - OVERNIGHT TRAIN |
This morning visit the world-famous Egyptian Museum. Star among its attractions is the amazing treasure recovered from Tutankhamun's tomb. Sightseeing continues at the Citadel where you enjoy breathtaking views over the whole city. Salah El Din started the Citadel in the 12th Century, but it owes its present outline to Mohammed Ali whose great alabaster mosque you visit next. Now spend a leisurely afternoon in Cairo before it's time to board your overnight sleeper train to Aswan.(BB,D) |
Day 4 - ASWAN SIGHTSEEING |
Visit the High Dam and the old granite quarries where an unfinished obelisk still lies attached to the bedrock. Take a motorboat across the Nile to the well preserved temple complex of Isis on the island of Philae. As a special welcome, enjoy high tea in the garden of your hotel as the sun begins to set.
Hotel: Mövenpick. (BB)
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Day 5 - JOIN YOUR CRUISE |
This morning is free. Maybe take an optional excursion by air to see the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel? Later, board your comfortable Nile cruiser.
Ship: Ms Medea/Ms Sapphire/MS La Boheme. (BB,L,D)
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Day 6 - ON BOARD SHIP |
Board a traditional Nile felucca for a sail around Aswan's Botanical Gardens. Once back on board your cruise ship sets off down the Nile. The Kom Ombo Temple is a beautiful sight as you approach it from the river. Inside you'll find hieroglyphs, pylons, friezes and even mummified crocodile remains. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as you cruise to Edfu. Don traditional Egyptian dress for a fun-filled oriental dinner and galabea party tonight. (BB,L,HD) |
Day 7 - ON BOARD SHIP |
Visit the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus, the Falcon God. Then continue cruising through Esna Lock to Luxor where you visit the temple of Luxor, which lay hidden beneath for thousands of years. (BB,L,D) |
Day 8 - LUXOR - CAIRO |
Across the Nile lies the necropolis of ancient Thebes. Stop for a photo of the Colossi of Memnon. Continue to the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the rare female Pharaohs. Also visit some of the royal tombs in the nearby Valley of the Kings. Back in Luxor your final highlight is Karnak. Walk through the avenue of Ram-headed sphinxes to stand among the huge columns of the Hypostyle Hall. Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Cairo.
Hotel: Marriott. (BB)
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Day 9 - CAIRO |
The tour comes to an end after breakfast with transfers to the airport. (BB) |
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