1^st Day: Cairo – Al Fayoum Oasis

In the morning we will pick you up at the reception of your hotel in Cairo and you will travel to Al Fayoum Oasis. If you stay in any other part of Egypt such as Luxor or the Red Sea we can of course organize the transfer to Cairo or directly to the oasis for you.

Al Fayoum is the largest oasis all over the country. The city of Fayoum is considered to be the oldest town in Egypt. Near the city you can see the remains of the pyramids of Amenemhet III in Hawara and Sesostris II in Al Lahun. Another symbol of Fayoum are the hundreds of waterwheels lifting water into the irrigation canals; their invention dates back to the Romans. You will have lunch in a local restaurant.

Dinner included. Overnight in the Al Fayoum Oasis.

2^nd Day: Al Fayoum Oasis – Wadi Al Hitan – Wadi Al Rayan – Cairo – Night Train to Luxor

After breakfast you will see the Wadi Al Hitan (‘Whale Valley’), a great landscape with caramel-colored rock formations which was once an ocean’s seabed, so you can find countless fossils, skeletons, corals and shells of all kinds and sizes, among them more than 250 skeletons of prehistoric whales. After lunch you will visit the Wadi Al-Rayan; amidst the desert you can find two lakes turning the desert here into a beautiful green oasis with a remarkable wildlife. The landmarks are the waterfalls between the upper and the lower lake. Here we will make a break; you will have lunch and, if you like, you can go swimming. Then we will transfer you back to Cairo. We will make a short stop on the foot of the Al-Mudawara Mountains where the rough rocks and the golden desert meet the idyllic blue lake in a lonely bay. In the evening you will take the night train from Cairo to Luxor; dinner will be served in the train.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in the train’s sleeping car.

3^rd Day: Luxor – Nile Cruise Day 1

You will have breakfast in the train; then our guide will pick you up from Luxor’s train station and take you to your cruise for your embarkation.  After this you will visit 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 Medinet Habu with its colossal statues, well preserved pylons and walls and more than 7,000 m² of decorated and inscribed wall reliefs before you will have lunch. And finally you will see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a fascinating mortuary temple which is unique in its architecture. Lunch will be enjoyed in a local restaurant. In the evening you can discover Luxor on your own. Dinner will be served aboard.

Optional activities (against supplement):

• Sound and Light Show at the Temple of Karnak
• Shopping on Luxor’s biggest bazaar
• Carriage Ride through Luxor

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

4^th Day: Luxor & Esna – Nile Cruise Day 2

You will have breakfast aboard. Then 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. Finally you will visit Luxor Temple, a fascinating ancient edifice uniting building activities of various eras. After lunch you can enjoy some leisure time at your own disposal. Then your cruise will move to Esna where you will visit the remains of a beautiful temple dating back to the Greco-Roman period, featuring magnificent columns with varying lotus-leaf capitals and a pronaos decorated with great relief.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

5^th Day: Kom Ombo & Edfu – Nile Cruise Day 3

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 Edfu and enjoy lunch en route. The Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon-god Horus whose statues flank the portal, 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.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

6^th Day: Abu Simbel & Aswan – Nile Cruise Day 4

You will arrive in Aswan in the early morning and we will take you to your visit of 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 returning to your cruise you will have lunch. The rest of the day is at your own disposal. If you need to refresh, just relax on the ship and enjoy its facilities. Or have a walk in Aswan or book an additional visit.

Optional activities (against supplement):

• Sound and Light Show at the Temple of Philae
• Visit of the Temple of Kalabsha
• Visit of St. Simeon’s Monastery

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight aboard.

7^th Day: Aswan – Nile Cruise Day 5

You will disembark after breakfast. Now you will get to know 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. In the evening you will take the night train to Cairo. Dinner will be served in the train.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in the train’s sleeping car.

8^th Day: Cairo

You will have breakfast in the train; our guide will pick you up at Cairo’s train station and transfer you to your hotel. This concludes our program and services.

Note: If you would like to extend the program and visit Cairo with us, we can organize this for you.

Breakfast included.

Included:

• All mentioned transfers in high-class air-conditioned vehicles
• Train rides Cairo – Luxor, Aswan – Cairo
• Guided tours in your language
• Entrance fees for the above mentioned sights
• Hotel accommodation in Al Fayoum with half-board
• Meals, mineral water and soft drinks during the excursions and tours
• 5-days-cruise Luxor – Aswan with full board

Not included:

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