Land of the Pharaohs

Egypt is a glorious open-air museum of astounding temples and monuments, all raised to honor a colorful pantheon of gods. We take in the full measure of Egypt’s epic 5,000-year-long story from the Great Pyramids, a colossal testament to mankind’s quest for immortality, to the legendary Nile, where we cruise aboard the deluxe 40-cabin Sun Boat IV. The grand scale Temple of Karnak, the famed tomb of young Tutankhamen, and the haunting mortuary temple of Ramses the Great are among the wonders of our inspiring Nile journey. We also visit storied Alexandria, once the home of Queen Cleopatra, to explore its marvelous Greco-Roman treasures. Our post-trip extension brings us to fabled Petra, Jordan’s long lost 2,000-year-old cliff-city.

Days 1-3
Cairo

We take in the mesmerizing sight of the Great Pyramids, already 2,000 years old when Alexander the Great’s army swept through in 332 BC, and gaze at the enigmatic face of the Sphinx. At the incomparable Egyptian Museum, we examine the ethereal golden treasures of young King Tut’s tomb and view the astonishing mummies of the Royal Mummies Room. Our hotel is the historic Mena House Oberoi, set right next to the Pyramids.

Days 4-8
Nile Cruise / Luxor to Aswan

Flying to Luxor—ancient Thebes—we explore the Valley of the Kings and Queens and visit King Tutankhamen’s Tomb and the grand Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s only female Pharaoh, with an overnight at the splendid old Winter Palace. We explore the massive Karnak Temple, built on a scale to suit the gods, then embark aboard the 5-star Sun Boat IV, our luxurious home for four nights, with its 40 Nile-view cabins. We explore bewitching wonders like Edfu, the mammoth Greek-built temple dedicated to Horus, falcon-headed son of Osiris, majestic Philae, set on its own island, and Kom Ombo, with its crocodile-headed gods. We disembark at Aswan, “the jewel of the Nile” at the southernmost border of Egypt’s ancient empire. A ride by felucca (traditional Nile sailboat) takes us among the cliffs, islands, and jagged rock outcrops that dominate the landscape.

Days 9-10
Abu Simbel / Aswan / Cairo

We visit awesome Abu Simbel, where enormous statues of the empire-builder Ramses II were carved into towering cliffs. The faces of the statues look out over the Nile Valley, radiating power and warning invaders from the south. On Day 10, we fly to Cairo to explore its Coptic sites.

Days 11-14
Cairo / Alexandria

In ancient Alexandria, with its fascinating underwater archaeological excavations, we offer an optional harbor dive to see sphinxes and columns in Pharaonic, Greek, and Roman styles. The remnants of the famous Pharos lighthouse, in pieces up to 100 feet long, are also visible. Depart on Day 14.

Petra & Dead Sea Extension
Days 14-19

Explore Jordan’s “lost city” of Petra, hewn from rose-colored sandstone in the 2nd century BC and accessible only on foot through a narrow desert canyon, and luxuriate at a 5-star Dead Sea resort and spa.

Please call us or download the Full Trip Brochure for more information about our extensions

Mena House Oberoi

Days 1 to 3 (3 nights), Giza, Egypt

Uniquely located in the shadow of the Great Pyramids. In a century of service as one of the world’s grand hotels, this famed 5-star hotel has hosted sultans, royals, and statesmen.

Sofitel Winter Palace

Day 4 (1 night), Luxor, Egypt

Located on the banks of the Nile and just minutes from Luxor Temple, the 5-star Winter Palace has hosted throughout the years such celebrities as Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie. With its wonderful tropical garden and fabulous views of feluccas on the Nile, it exudes luxury and old world charm.

Sun Boat IV

Days 5 to 8 (4 nights), Nile River, Egypt

The 5-star Sun Boat IV is a wonderful vessel on which to journey the Nile. It offers 40 elegantly furnished staterooms, all with private baths and panoramic windows overlooking the Nile. The boat’s upper sundeck includes a heated pool and the lower shaded deck offers an al fresco dining area with bar.

Movenpick Resort Aswan

Day 9 (1 night), Elephantine Island, Aswan, Egypt

The comfortable 4-star resort is spectacularly situated on an island in the middle of the Nile River and surrounded by beautiful, well tended gardens.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence

Day 10 (1 night), Cairo, Egypt

Ideally located at the heart of Cairo on the western bank of the Nile, this gracious sanctuary of hospitality and service offers views over the old-growth canopy of Cairo’s ancient Zoological and Botanical Gardens toward the Great Pyramids, and is very near some of Cairo’s most famous sights including the Egyptian Museum and the opera house.

Helnan Palestine Hotel

Days 11 to 12 (2 nights), Alexandria, Egypt

Wonderfully situated in a quiet part of town yet only a 10-minute taxi ride from downtown, this 5-star hotel offers comfort and views out onto the Mediterrenean.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza

Day 13 (1 night), Cairo, Egypt

Located on the legendary Corniche along the bank of the Nile at its widest point, the Nile Plaza is part of embassy row with the city center only a short distance away. Enjoy an ambience that is relaxed yet sophisticated. All rooms have bright luxurious interiors, comfortable furnishings, and spacious marble bathrooms with a deep soaking tub.

Note: The hotels and lodges listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.