Day 01: Arrive Cairo

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome in Arabic. We are warmly received at Cairo Airport and transferred to our hotel.  Check in starts from 1400 hrs.

Overnight: Kempinski Nile Hotel, Cairo (2 nights)

Day 02: Cairo

Our Egyptian tour starts with a visit to the Great Sphinx of Giza, and the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Built around 2600 BC and standing at 146 metres (478 feet), this pyramid was constructed with over 2 million blocks covered with limestone casing. During our tour, we will also explore the Chephren and Mycerinus Pyramids along with the King Cheops’ Khufu Ship . Dating back some 4500 years, the  boat remains to be a significant and unique archaeological find—one of its kind and discovered fully intact.  Next, we make our way to Memphis, the ancient Egyptian capital, where we will explore the Saqqara—an ancient burial ground home to the famous Saqqara Step Pyramid.  Today, you have the option to enjoy a tour of the Solar Boat Museum (US$ 30 per person). The evening provides a great opportunity to watch the optional spectacular Sound and Light Show at the foot of the Great Pyramids. (B)

Day 03: Cairo/Luxor (Flight)

A short flight gets us to Luxor where we are warmly received and transferred to our boat, home for the next four nights. Over the next few days we cruise the Nile and visit various off-shore sites.

Overnight: Esmeralda Cruise (4 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 04: Nile Cruise Luxor

This afternoon we visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples. The ancient Egyptians knew the Temple of Karnak as Ipet-isut. It is a city of temples built over 2000 years and dedicated to the Theben triad of Amon, Mut and Khonsu. This stunning location continues to overshadow many of the wonders of the modern world. It is the mother of all religious buildings and a place of pilgrimage for nearly 4,000 years. Luxor Temple was connected to Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes in ancient times. Unlike Karnak, Luxor is mainly the work of one pharaoh - Amenhotep III and was added to by Tutankhamun, Horemheb, Ramses II and Alexander the Great. During Akhenaten’s reign all religion other than worship of Aten was rejected and development at Luxor stopped. When Akhenaten died, the old religions returned, along with the priests, so the temple began to expand again. (B, L, D)

Day 05: Nile Cruise Luxor/Esna/Edfu

We begin our day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings. We will explore the magnificent tombs that were carved into desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures to honour the afterlife of pharaohs and great nobles. Our visit will also include Queen Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.  We continue our cruise and sail through the Esna Lock and then on to the city of Edfu. (B, L, D)

Day 06: Nile Cruise Edfu/Kom Ombo/Aswan

Morning we will be visiting the well-preserved Greek built Temple of Horus. This temple, built during the reigns of six generations of Ptolemy’s, is not only the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but also the second largest after Karnak. Afternoon sail for Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek.  It stands at a bend in the Nile where, in ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. (B, L, D)

Day 07: Aswan/Cairo (Flight)

We end our Nile River cruise in Aswan, and disembark after breakfast. Today, we have the option to fly to Abu Simbel, to view the two massive rock temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari (US $570/person includes air). Our visit to Aswan includes it’s famous High Dam and the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. This afternoon, we take a ride on a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sail-boat, around Elephantine Island. In the evening we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Cairo. Once we arrive in Cairo and we are transferred to our hotel.

Overnight: Kempinski Nile Hotel, Cairo (2 nights) (B)

Day 08: Cairo

Today we explore the busy and colourful city of Cairo. We start at the Eyptian Museum of Antiquities—taking us through 7000 years of Egypt’s rich and significant history.  The Museum houses the world's greatest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms of golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamun. We will make a brief stop at Tahrir Square before exploring the rich cultural history of Islamic Cairo. We begin with a visit to the beautiful Mohamed Ali Mosque situated in the ancient Citadel—a spectacular medieval fortress perched on a hill above the city. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 BC to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was adapted and expanded over centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums.  Our last stop is at the colourful Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. It originally served as a place for travellers to rest and drink water before embarking on their journey under the hot Egyptian sun. (B)

Day 09: Depart Cairo

Today marks the end of our Egyptian tour and we say goodbye to the rich historical and cultural experiences we had while visiting the pyramids, sphinx, and cruising on the Nile River. We also have the option to visit Alexandria and explore other parts of Egypt. Contact Bestway Tours & Safaris for details. (B)

Optional Excursion/Extension* - ABU SIMBEL'S EXCURSION

1) ABU SIMBEL EXCURSION FROM ASWAN (Day 7)
This half-day trip is by air from Aswan and includes a guided tour of the Abu Simbel temples and all the transfers required. This temple was built in ancient Nubia by Ramses II to demonstrate his power and his divine nature. Four colossal (20 meters / 65 feet high) statues of him sit in pairs flanking the entrance. This excursion is taken immediately after arrival in Aswan on Day 7 and the other sightseeing will be visited once you are back in Aswan. (Cost is US$ 570 per person including airfares from Aswan/Abu Simbel/Aswan).

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Departure Dates & Prices

We accept payments in US$, CA$ as well as in other convertible currencies like EUR, AUD and GBP. Tour prices have been costed in US$. CA$ price shown below is an indicative amount reached at by using the conversion rate at the time of web posting and will be applicable if there is no change in the conversion rate. Should the currency conversion rate change, the US$ pricing will prevail. Bestway Tours & Safaris offers a conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please click here

Notes

Inclusions

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 02 participants

Customised Itinerary

If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.

Contact Info
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call 1-604-264-7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1-800-663-0844.

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