Day-by-Day-Itinerary:

1^st Day: Luxor – Dahabeya Cruise Day 1

We will meet you in your hotel or at the airport anywhere in Egypt and take you to the dahabeya in Luxor for your embarkation. After this you will visit as much of Luxor as the time allows. You will start with Luxor’s West Bank, the ancient Thebes. You will marvel at the huge Colossi of Memnon, once guardians of a no longer existing temple, and the colored Pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Then you will visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a fascinating mortuary temple which is unique in its architecture. After lunch you will visit Luxor’s East Bank with the Temple of Karnak, one of the largest and most fascinating temples in the world; as it is still in an amazingly good state with giant pillars and colored reliefs, you can really get a feeling of the ancient Egyptians’ architecture and religious cult. Then you will sail towards Esna.

Lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

2^nd Day: Esna & El Hegaz – Dahabeya Cruise Day 2

Today you will be in Esna where you will visit the remains of its beautiful temple dating back to the Greco-Roman period, featuring magnificent columns with varying lotus-leaf capitals and a pronaos decorated with great relief. Then you will move to the idyllic island El Hegaz where a small village is in embedded in the green Nile landscape.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

3^rd Day: Edfu & El Fawaza Island – Dahabeya Cruise Day 3

Today you will visit the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon-god Horus whose statues flank the portal. It is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt; its completion once took almost 200 years, and its beautiful decorated walls provide precious information about the ancient religious myths. Then we will sail to the calm green El Fawaza Island where you will enjoy a romantic evening on the shores or a walk through the green fruit plantations.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

4^th Day: Sailing & Bisau Island – Dahabeya Cruise Day 4

You will spend a great relaxed day aboard, enjoying the sun and the nice views around. In the afternoon you will reach to Bisau Island, a village of fishermen and farmers, where you will get to know the real Egyptian country life.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

5^th Day: Gebel El Silsila & El Maniha – Dahabeya Cruise Day 5

Today you will sail to Gebel El Silsila. In ancient times its quarries yielded countless stones for the famous temples in Thebes and along the River Nile; up to 3,000 men were working here. Further you can see here numerous colored chapels used as cenotaphs for high and the Speos of Haremhab, a well preserved and beautifully decorated rock temple. Then we will sail to the picturesque El Maniha peninsula where you will enjoy a relaxed evening and spend the night.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

6^th Day: Kom Ombo, Market of Darau & El Kobania – Dahabeya Cruise Day 6

After breakfast aboard you will visit the amazing Double Temple of Kom Ombo, a sanctuary symmetrical along its main axis, one side dedicated to Haroeris, the other to Sobek, with impressing reliefs. Then you will sail to Darau where you can plunge into the typical Arabic market life. On different ‘souks’ you can find everything the heart desires. The village is especially famous for its cattle market which takes place at least once a week. And finally we will sail to the small unpopulated island El Kobania where we will spend a quiet night under the starry night sky.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

7^th Day: Aswan – Dahabeya Cruise Day 7

In the morning your dahabeya will leave for the last hours of sailing until you reach to Aswan. You will visit the giant High Dam, one of the greatest achievements in architecture and engineering of the 20^th century, and the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries. Then you will have lunch before you will sail to the amazing botanical garden on Kitchener’s Island, an unexpected green and calm oasis amidst the busy city, and visit Elephantine Island with the famous nilometer, the ancient ruins and the Nubian villages. And finally you will see the enchanting Nubian Temple of Philae which was once saved from disappearing in the floods of the Lake Nasser reservoir by dismantling and rebuilding it on a higher location.

Optional activity (against supplement):

• Sound and Light Show at the Temple of Philae

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

8^th Day: Disembarkation & Abu Simbel (optional) – Dahabeya Cruise Day 8

You will disembark after breakfast.

If you like, you can book an additional visit to Abu Simbel (against supplement). Here you will visit the Twin Temples of Abu Simbel. The Temple of Ramesses II is 30 meters high and four enthroned colossal statues of the pharaoh guard the portal. The interior of the temple was dug into the rock on a length of more than sixty meters and beautifully decorated with pillars, colored reliefs and rock cut figures. The Temple of Nefertari, Ramesses’ wife, is a simplified version of the Great Temple. Please be aware that you see here something unique in ancient Egyptian art – the statues of the king and the queen adorning the façade are equal in size. After this visit you will return to Aswan and have lunch in a local restaurant.

Then we will take you, depending on your further plans, to your hotel, airport or train/bus station in any part of Egypt. This concludes our program and services.

Breakfast (and lunch if you add Abu Simbel) included.

Included:

• All mentioned transfers in high-class air-conditioned vehicles
• Private guided tours in your language
• Entrance fees for the above mentioned sights
• Dahabeya cruise Luxor – Aswan 5* with full board
• Mineral water and soft drinks

Not included:

• Gratuity (tips) for drivers, tour guides
• Personal items, meals, drinks or services not mentioned
• Drinks aboard and in the restaurants
• Listed optional activities
• International and domestic flights
• Visa