Signature Egypt & the Nile

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Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Cairo, Egypt/Giza

Arrive in Cairo after an overnight flight.

Mena House Hotel

Day 2: Giza

Tour the Giza Plateau, home to the Pyramids of Mycerinus, Chefren and the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The largest of the three, Cheops was built in the Fourth Dynasty (approximately 2690 BC) and is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Explore the inside of one of these legendary pyramids. Continue to the Solar Boat Museum, site of Cheops’ funerary boat, and the Great Sphinx, guardian of the royal tombs from the third millennium BC.

Mena House Hotel   |   Meals: B

Day 3: Giza/Cairo/Giza

This morning, visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, where the treasures of Tutankhamun — and artifacts dating back to 4000 BC — reveal Egypt’s artistic and architectural heritage. View the famous Mummy Room, housing the remains of many kings and queens of ancient Egypt, including Ramses II, Egypt’s longest-ruling pharaoh. After lunch, drive to Memphis, capital of the ancient kingdom. Most of the splendor of this city has been destroyed, but the 18th-Dynasty Alabaster Sphinx and the enormous statue of Ramses II still remain. Continue to Sakkara, home to hundreds of tombs and 14 pyramids, including the famous Step Pyramid of Zoser.

Mena House Hotel   |   Meals: B L

Day 4: Giza/Cairo/Luxor

Fly to Luxor and journey to the Temple of Karnak. Walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall, its expertly aligned columns a sight to behold. Board Sanctuary ‘Sun Boat IV’ and enjoy lunch on board. Afterward, cross the Nile to the Necropolis of Thebes, the burial site of the Great Pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Discover the Valley of the Kings, where more than 60 tombs are carved into desert rock. Later, explore the Temple of Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s first female pharaoh, and visit the Valley of the Queens (Biban el-Harim).

Sanctuary 'Sun Boat IV'   |   Meals: B L D

Day 5: Luxor/Denderah/Luxor

Today you cruise north on a scenic route — far from other ships — to the Temple of Hathor at Denderah, among the best-preserved temples in Egypt. This complex is a rare sight to behold, complete with a massive stone roof, dark chambers, underground passages and towering columns inscribed with hieroglyphs. From here, return to your deluxe Nile cruiser and sail back to Luxor. Later this afternoon, you once again journey to the East Bank of the Nile, this time visiting the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, built by Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun, Haremhab and Ramses II during their respective reigns.

Sanctuary 'Sun Boat IV'   |   Meals: B L D

Day 6: Luxor/Edfu/Kom Ombo

Continue cruising to Edfu and to the Temple of Horus, the falcon-headed god. Built in 230 BC by Ptolemy III, this stunningly preserved structure reveals what temple worship in ancient Egypt was like. Disembark at Kom Ombo (“hill of gold”) to visit the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Haroeris (the sun god) and Sobek (the crocodile god). The temple was so dedicated because crocodiles once basked on this stretch of Nile shore; several of their mummies are now on display.

Sanctuary 'Sun Boat IV'   |   Meals: B L D

Day 7: Kom Ombo/Aswan

Today, cruise to Aswan and board a motorized boat for a ride to Philae Temple on the island of Agilika, carefully moved here and painstakingly reconstructed to avoid flood damage when Aswan’s High Dam was built. Afterward, continue to the impressive granite quarries, site of the enormous Unfinished Obelisk — a monolith illustrating the skills of Egypt’s stonemasons. End the day sailing around the picturesque Aswan islands in a felucca, a small sailboat (weather permitting).

Sanctuary 'Sun Boat IV'   |   Meals: B L D

Day 8: Aswan/Abu Simbel/Cairo

Bid farewell to ‘Sun Boat IV’ and disembark to catch your flight to Abu Simbel, site of the commanding temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari. The former’s façade is dominated by four imposing statues of the pharaoh. Afterward, return to Cairo for an afternoon at leisure.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence   |   Meals: B L

Day 9: Cairo

Explore the Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan. Built in AD 1356, it is one of the largest in the Islamic world and among the finest examples of early Mamluk architecture. From here, walk from Bab el-Fotouh to Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, where tightly packed stalls display everything from spices and leather goods to jewelry and birds. Khan el-Khalili Bazaar’s street itself — running from the imposing, fortified Fotouh Gate to the Zuweila Gate — has hardly changed in centuries. Bargaining is expected, so prepare to negotiate. Your last evening in Cairo is at leisure.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence   |   Meals: B

Day 10: Depart Cairo

Board your international departure flight.

Meals: B