Ancient Egypt: 10 Days Escorted Tour Whispers of the treasures of Tutankhamun echo in the Valley of the Kings. From the Pyramids and bustling bazaars of Cairo to the graceful temples on the banks of the Nile, your Egyptologist tour manager will bring to life the magnificent wonders of this ancient culture. Find friendly smiles around every turn, ride a camel to the base of the Giza Pyramids, and sail up the Nile River as pharaohs did many millennia past. Inclusions Highlights Features Itinerary Dates Inclusions 3 nights at the Nile Hilton with Nile view rooms in Cairo 4 night Nile River cruise aboard the new 5-star M.S. Royal Lily (2008 departures only, 2007 tours board the 5-star H.S. Radamis II) 1 night at the Concorde El Salam Hotel in Cairo On-tour flights: Cairo/Luxor, Aswan/Abu Simbel/Cairo All meals included in Egypt, starting with breakfast on day 3 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners (bottled water included) Cruise accommodations are outside cabins with private facilities aboard the M.S. Royal Lily. All shore excursions and cruise tipping are included. The ship is registered in Egypt and was built specifically to cruise the Nile. Highlights Explore the Egyptian Museum including Tutankhamun's artifacts Full day sightseeing the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Memphis and Saqqara Visit Karnak and Luxor temples in Luxor See Upper Egypt's Temple of Abu Simbel Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu and Kom Ombo's twin shrine Enjoy the knowledge and expertise of an Egyptologist tour manager Enjoy a presentation by an Egyptian archaeologist to prepare you for what you'll see in days ahead Visit King Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings Special Features Dec. 21, 2007 tour includes travel during Christmas on tour. Dec. 23, 2008 tour has Christmas the first stay and New Years Eve the second stay in Cairo.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure day
Board your overnight flight from the USA to Cairo.

Day 2 - Arrive Cairo
Welcome to Cairo, jewel of the Nile! Make your way to your hotel and enjoy Nile view rooms for the three-night stay at the downtown NILE HILTON.

Day 3 - Cairo/Egyptian Museum
Walk across the square from your hotel to visit the Egyptian Museum, containing the largest artifact collection from pharaonic times, including the unparalleled treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamun--the "Boy King." Your Egyptologist shows you the gold mask, toys, jewelry and throne, all found in the pharaoh's tomb across the Nile from Luxor. Lunch is out on the town. Then visit the Old City of Cairo, including the Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Citadel. Enjoy a walk through the bazaar of Khan el Khalili where stalls and shops overflow with jewelry, copper, brass, carpets, and spices. Finish your day with a special reception and a presentation by an Egyptian archaeologist. NILE HILTON

Day 4 - Giza Pyramids/Sphinx/Saqqara
Experience one the oldest forms of transportation--a camelback ride--to the base of the Giza Pyramids. Examine Cheop's Great Pyramid, which is 4,500 years old and covers 13 acres at its base. The famous Giza plateau also includes Chephren and Mycerinus Pyramids and the Sphinx, protector of the pharaohs. A visit is included to the fascinating Solar Boat Museum, meant to transport the pharaoh in the afterlife. This afternoon tour Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, and the necropolis at Saqqara to see Djoser's Step Pyramid, the oldest freestanding stone structure in the world. NILE HILTON

Day 5 - Luxor/Karnak Temple complex/M.S. Royal Lily Cruise
Fly south, up the Nile Valley to Luxor, known as Thebes in pharaonic times. Visit the Karnak Temple complex, built by generations of pharaohs and covering 60 acres, then follow the partially buried two-mile Avenue of the Ram-headed Sphinxes to Luxor Temple, which was well-preserved by its cover of desert sand until discovery in the 19th century. Embark on the M.S. Royal Lily, a new deluxe river cruiser, for your four-night cruise up the legendary Nile (2008 tours only, 2007 tours board the H.S. Radamis II). Attend the Sound and Light Show this evening back at the Karnak Temple. M.S. ROYAL LILY (2007 tours board the H.S. Radamis II)

Day 6 - Valleys of the Kings and Queens
Cross to the west shore of the Nile to the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the famed necropolis where tombs of 64 pharaohs have been found, including that of Tutankhamun, whose treasures were miraculously intact after 3,000 years. You visit the tomb, not normally seen by tourists. View the unique colonnaded temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon before returning to the M.S. ROYAL LILY. (2007 tours board the H.S. Radamis II)

Day 7 - Nile Cruise/Edfu/Kom Ombo
This morning your ship sails to Edfu for a visit to the nearly intact Temple of Horus, the falcon god, built by Ptolemy III in 230 BC. After lunch, continue cruising up the Nile past small villages, palm trees, and farmers working in fields much the same as they did 2,000 years ago--with donkeys and camels. Dock at Kom Ombo to visit the twin temples dedicated to Horus and to Sobek, the crocodile god. The temples are a classic example of Egyptian symmetry and design in construction. M.S. ROYAL LILY (2007 tours board H.S. Radamis II)

Day 8 - Aswan/Philae Temple
The cruise ship docks in Aswan, location of the largest landfill dam in the world--the High Dam--which was built to control the annual flooding of the Nile and to provide electricity. Visit Philae Temple, relocated from another island to save it from the rising river waters when the dam was built, and see the granite quarry where an ancient obelisk lies cracked and unfinished. Late in the afternoon, visit the International Museum of Nubia which houses statues and monuments from the time of the Pharaohs, plus Coptic treasures. M.S. ROYAL LILY (2007 tours board H.S. Radamis II)

Day 9 - Abu Simbel/Cairo
Fly to Abu Simbel, the colossal temple that was carved from solid rock in 1235 BC. by the great Ramses II. Beside it stands the Temple of Hathor, built to honor the Pharaoh's wife, Nefertari. In the 1960s, the temples were moved piece-by-piece 200 feet up the hill to preserve them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. This evening, fly back to Cairo for your farewell dinner at the CONCORDE EL SALAM HOTEL CAIRO.

Day 10 - Conclude Cairo
It's time to return home with life-long memories and treasures from the land of the pharaohs. Saida, as-salam alaikoom!

Not Included

• International airfare is not included. Please inquire about our competitive rates at the time of booking.

Travel Dates & Rates

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• Booking Code: NSC

• Land/cruise only rate is per person based on double occupancy.
• On tour flights Cairo/Luxor and Aswan/Abu Simbel/Cairo are included in the Land/cruise rates. International airfare is not included. Please inquire about our competitive rates at the time of booking.
• Pre/post nights are available upon request. Reservation deposit is $500 per person. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
• Note: Visa is required and is the responsibility of the traveler to secure.
• Dec. 21, 2007 tour includes travel during Christmas on tour. Dec. 23, 2008 tour has Christmas the first stay and New Years Eve the second stay in Cairo.
• Dec. 21, 2007 tour includes 4 night Nile River cruise is aboard the 5-star H.S. Radamis II

Prices subject to change without notice until time of deposit. All dollar values not denoted as US or CA are in US Dollars.