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MAJESTY OF EGYPT MAP

Discover the numerous historical sights in and around ancient Cairo, including the Pyramids,the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum and much more. Fly to Luxor to visit the spectacular Valley of the Kings, ancient Thebes, magnificent Karnak and Luxor Temple. Your deluxe four-night Nile River cruise will take you to Edfu to explore the Temple of Falcon God Horus. Stop in Kom Ombo and marvel at Crocodile God Sobek’s Temple. In Aswan, enjoy a Felucca sailboat ride, visit Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam. Why not visit Abu Simbel before your trip to Mediterranean Alexandria.

ITINERARY

Day 1, Wed. CAIRO.
Upon arrival in Cairo in the afternoon, you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel. The remainder of the day and evening is free to explore on your own before gathering for your Welcome Dinner. (D)

Day 2, Thu. CAIRO. Full day sightseeing.
This morning takes you to the world-renowned Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. Listen to the fascinating narration as you walk through the halls loaded with unlimited treasures from the Egypt's various historical periods. Admire the spectacular treasures of King Tutankhamen's tomb, unparalleled in their exquisite beauty. For an additional fee you may also want to visit the Royal Mummies chamber. After lunch, you will tour the Old City of Cairo to see Saint Sergius Church, a Coptic Christian Church. Then continue to the Citadel of Saladin and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, followed by a must-see visit to ancient Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, where for centuries Egyptians have been bartering for goods. (B, L)

Day 3, Fri. CAIRO - MEMPHIS - SAKKARA - GIZA.
Start your day by traveling to Memphis. En-route, visit the village of Kerdassa and the local carpet school, where children are taught the intricate patterns and weaving of carpets. Continue to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. Menes unified Egypt in 3200 BC and established his capital at Memphis. Here you will see a colossal statue of Ramses II and a temple dedicated to Hathor. Then tour incredible Sakkara, the burial site of Memphis for 3000 years. Sakkara contains some 80 pyramids and hundreds of tombs and is a focal point in Egyptology with frequent new discoveries. Its best-known monument is the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, built in 2650 BC. It is thought that this is the oldest surviving stone building in the world.

This afternoon, drive to the Giza Plateau, home of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Pictures or videos cannot prepare you for the actual size of the Pyramids. The phrase 'awe inspiring' becomes true as you stand in their shadow. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops in Greek) is the largest at 451 feet and was built around 2500 BC. The 2nd largest is the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren), son of Khufu and the 3rd is the Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus), Khufu's grandson. Walk through the Valley Temple where the Pharoahs were laid out for their funeral before entering the tombs. Then admire the mysterious Sphinx, carved almost entirely from one piece of limestone, before returning to Cairo. (B,L)

Day 4, Sat. CAIRO - LUXOR (Nile Cruise).
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your 1 hour flight to Luxor. Your flight will follow the Nile River below and from your plane you will get a good picture of Egypt as you will see narrow, lush, green vegetation on either side of the Nile and desert all the way to the horizon. Upon arrival in Luxor, transfer to your deluxe cruise ship, the ms Tamr Henna. Luxor became capital of the New Kingdom around 1500 BC, when Pharoah Ahmos drove foreign invaders out of Lower Egypt. It developed into a grand city and a major trading center with luxurious palaces, massive temples and many foreign embassies. Here, tour the Temples of Luxor and Karnak. These gigantic shrines show the true power of the pharaohs. Luxor Temple was dedicated to the God Amon-Ra. Its most outstanding feature is the Great Hypo style hall with 134 huge columns. Walking down a long avenue, lined with Sphinx Statues, you will reach the Karnak Temple, built by Amenophis III and Ramses II. The temple with its ten monumental pylon gateways was dedicated to Mut, Amon-Ra's wife. Overnight in Luxor (B, L, D)

Day 5, Sun. LUXOR - ESNA (Nile Cruise).
This morning, take a boat to the west bank of the Nile River and pass through the ancient town of Thebes to the Valley of the Kings. Here Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. The most interesting tombs to visit are the ones of Ramses III, Ramses VI and Thuthmose III. From here we continue to Deri el-Bahri, Queen Hatshepsut's impressive temple - Egypt's first woman to rule by herself. Stop at the giant Colossi of Memnon before returning to the ship for a late lunch. Cruise south toward Esna and watch rural life unfold before your eyes. Little has changed since ancient Egyptian times - the crops which are planted, the methods of farming, the animals used and the irrigation systems are similar to 4000 years ago. This afternoon, enjoy an Egyptology lesson on the upper deck while tea is served. Overnight in Esna. (B, L, D)

Day 6, Mon. EDFU - KOM OMBO (Nile Cruise).
Arrive in Edfu and take a horse carriage to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best preserved temple. Every available surface of this temple is carved with hieroglyphs. Continue your cruise to the Temple of Kom Ombo, set dramatically on a hill overlooking the Nile. Your guide will tell you the unique history of this twin sanctuaries, dedicated to the crocodile-headed Sobek as well as to the hawk-headed Haoreris. Moor overnight in Kom Ombo. (B, L, D)

Day 7, Tue. ASWAN.
Aswan was Egypt's door to Africa, controlling the trade routes to the ancient kingdoms of Kush and Axum. This afternoon, explore the Nile in an ancient Felucca sailboat and from here admire Elphantine Island, the Botanical Garden and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Then visit Philae Temple, one of the last places where ancient Egyptian religions flourished. The construction of Aswan's High Dam would have permanently flooded Philae Island. Therefore the temple was dismantled and moved to today's location on Agilika Island. (B, L, D)

Day 8, Wed. ASWAN - CAIRO - ALEXANDRIA.
This morning, visit Aswan High Dam and see the vast stretch of Lake Nasser. Then visit the local granite quarries with its huge unfinished obelisk that will clearly demonstrate how the giant stones were carved from the rock. Or take an optional early morning excursion to Abu Simbel. This giant monument was built by Ramses II as a tribute to his favorite wife Nefertari and also to guard the southern border of the Kingdom of the Upper Nile. In the 1960s these temples were cut apart and moved to a 200 feet higher location to protect them from flooding after the construction of Aswan Dam. Enjoy lunch on board ship before you board your plane to Cairo in the late afternoon. Upon arrival, you will travel by road to Alexandria for a late evening arrival. (B, L)

Day 9, Thu. ALEXANDRIA.
A tour of Egypt would not be complete without experiencing the Greco-Roman period of Alexandria, built in 332 BC by Alexander the Great. History's first lighthouse was located in Alexandra. Under Roman occupation, Alexandra became the second city of the Roman Empire. The change from a pagan to a Christian city caused many temples and buildings to be destroyed. In 641, the Arabs took over the city with 4000 palaces, 4000 public baths, 1200 gardens, 400 circuses and entertaining centers and 500,000 inhabitants. During your tour you will see Pompey's Pillar, the remains of the Serapeum Temple and the Nilometer - measuring the annual Nile Floods. In the afternoon, enjoy lunch before you continue your tour to the Roman Amphitheater and the restored ancient great library of Alexandria. Overnight in Alexandria (B, L)

Day 10, Fri. ALEXANDRIA - CAIRO.
This morning is at leisure in Alexandria. In the afternoon, return to Cairo. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner on a floating restaurant on the Nile with belly dancing and international cuisine. {B,D}

Day 11, Sat. CAIRO - USA.
Transfer to the airport or continue on your optional extension

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Included in your Amadeus Waterway Cruise