Saturday April 25th

Travel Day

Travel day - departing the USA

Day 2 Monday April 27th

Cairo

Meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel to start your tour.

The Grand Egyptian Museum ‘GEM’ is set to become the largest archaeological museum in the world, and its soft-opening showcases a comprehensive preview of more than 15,000 artifacts spanning Egypt's history. Begin at the main visitor’s entrance where you find the ‘hanging obelisk’. This one-of-a-kind obelisk is suspended by four columns, and you get to see it as you stand on its base and look directly into its interior which contains the rare cartouche of King Ramses II, concealed for more than 3,500 years. As you make your way inwards, you will behold the colossal statue of King Ramses II, exhibited at the entrance atrium. It is made entirely of red granite, weighing 83 tons and more than 30 feet high.

Make your way towards the grand staircase to find a rare statue collection of famous pharaohs, including that of King Senusret I, amongst 55 artefacts that depict the “journey towards eternity."

Next, you will explore the newly opened main galleries, offering visitors an exclusive preview of twelve meticulously curated exhibition halls. From the stone tools and pottery of the earliest human settlements along the Nile to the artifacts of the Graeco-Roman era, the exhibits will highlight the evolution of one of the world’s most remarkable civilizations.

End your visit with a stroll through the commercial area which boasts an array of shopping and food outlets.

Disclaimer: Once fully open, the Grand Egyptian Museum will house the ‘golden’ treasures of King Tutankhamun as well as rest of his collection that will be shown in its entirety for the first time. At the moment, King Tut ‘golden’ treasures are still displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Downtown Cairo.

Lunch at Local Restaurant

The Great Pyramids of Giza are the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built over 4,500 years ago as giant tombs for the mummies of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who were a father, son and grandson. The pyramids are truly monumental in scale, with the largest, Khufu's, constructed from over two million blocks. The pyramids were not built by slaves but by Egyptian peasants, whose labor in building the pyramids paid their taxes to the Pharaoh, who also fed, clothed and housed them. Nearby sits the enigmatic Sphinx with the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth, which workers may have based on King Khafre to guard his enormous funerary monument. About a thousand years after the Sphinx was built it was covered in sand until a young prince had a dream in which the Sphinx told him that if he cleared the sand away, he would become Pharaoh. This story is told on the 'Dream Stela' that was placed between the Sphinx's paws by King Tuthmose IV.

At the end of your tour, you are transferred to your hotel.

Welcome dinner at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast-lunch-dinner

Day 3 Tuesday April 28th

Cairo

Visit the Hanging Church, named so because it sits "suspended" on top of the Fortress of Babylon that the Romans built when they came to Egypt. Thought to originate in the seventh century, this church in basilica style was once the seat of the Coptic Patriarchate. Tradition has it that the church of St. Sergius was built over a location in which Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus rested on their journey in Egypt. Located inside the Roman fortress in Old Cairo, it is believed to have been built by Roman soldiers in the third or fourth centuries and later turned into a Coptic church by the Egyptians. Dedicated to two soldier-saints, Sergius and Bacchus, the church has been rebuilt and restored since medieval times, but it is still considered to be a model of early Coptic churches.

Lunch at Local Restaurant.

Finish your tour with the newly inaugurated NMEC, located on the archaeological site of El-Fustat in Old Cairo overlooking the Ain El-Seera Lake. The museum showcases Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day, using a multidisciplinary approach that highlights the country’s comprehensive heritage. The collections are displayed in a core permanent exhibition of the principal achievements of Egyptian civilization, with six thematic galleries covering the Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking and the Gallery of Royal Mummies.

At the end of your tour, you are transferred to your hotel.

Dinner tonight is under your own arrangements.

Meals: Breakfast-lunch

Day 4 Wednesday April 29th

Cairo

Meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel to start your tour.

Tour 7,000 years of history at the Egyptian museum, home to the largest collection of ancient

Egyptian artefacts in the world. Key features of the museum include the treasures of the 'boy-king' Tutankhamun, including his gold mask, the solid gold sarcophagus that held his mummy and his beautiful throne.

Visit the Citadel next, a medieval fortress perched high on limestone hills above Cairo, which was built in 1176 to protect the city from crusaders. Today, the citadel complex houses various mosques and museums, including the National Military Museum.

With its grand, soaring architecture and rich decoration, the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, completed in 1363, is one of the finest in Egypt and also houses the mausoleum where Sultan Hassan's sons are buried. A short walk across to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, discover the much newer Refaie Mosque, completed in 1912 with well-preserved, colorful decoration. Buried in tombs there is a Muslim saint, a companion of the Prophet Mohamed, Egypt's last royal family and the last Shah of Iran.

Finally, visit the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar is reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets to find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork and glassware to leather goods and perfumes.

Enjoy lunch at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant.

Named after the Nobel-prize-winning Egyptian author, Naguib Mahfouz restaurant lies in the very heart of the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar making it a convenient, air-conditioned place to take a break from shopping. The coffee shop at the entrance offers drinks, snacks and shisha (water pipes), while the restaurant section offers a selection of chicken, meats and mouth-watering Middle Eastern mezzas (small appetizers). Please note that alcohol is not served here.

At the end of your tour, you are transferred to your hotel.

Dinner tonight is under your own arrangements.

Meals: Breakfast-lunch

Day 5 Thursday April 30th

Cairo ⇒ Aswan

Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to Cairo Airport.

Board your Egypt-Air flight to Aswan.

With its gentle hospitality, this southern Egyptian city, a frontier town in ancient times, is a place to simply relax and enjoy an atmosphere that is as much African as it is Middle Eastern.

The Nile is at its most beautiful here, flowing around huge granite rocks and palm tree-studded islands

Board your 40-minute flight to Abu Simbel.

Discover the commanding twin temples of Ramses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari. The former’s façade is dominated by four 70-foot-tall statues of the pharaoh looking out over Lake Nasser, carved from a single piece of rock. Perhaps even more impressive, this entire site was disassembled and moved here to save it from the floodwaters caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

After your visit, board your return flight to Aswan.

Board your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, moored in a private dock in Aswan

Sanctuary Sun Boat IV ensures a distinct sense of being in storied Egypt. Its contemporary-yet-classic design displays the highest levels of luxury. Elegance is elevated with rich teak flooring, Egyptian marble and hand-painted decorative details to fashion an exceptional ambiance.

Neutral-toned textiles complement the soft fabrics draped artfully over beds — it's these distinct touches which create an environment a world away from traditional river-cruise cabins. With just 38 cabins, on board it feels like you’re in an intimate floating palace where the softly-lit lounges are as suited to socializing as quiet romance. Enjoy the upper sun deck where you’re promised iconic tableaus in high-definition, cool cocktails and shade, as well as radiant sunshine as you take a dip in the river-view pool.

NOTE: Sightseeing / excursions from the cruise are shared. Private touring is an option with an additional supplement.

Entertainment on board: Exact entertainment schedules during your cruise are adjusted according to the needs of each group and the sailing schedules of the boat are subject to change. However, every cruise will include:

• A welcome ‘Zaffa’ which is traditional music with Egyptian drums and flutes.
• Folkloric shows, including a ‘Oud’ trio during teatime as well as a belly-dancing and dervish show after dinner.
• An Egyptian cooking lesson with our on-board chefs.
• A movie night.
• A colorful ‘Galabeyya’ party which gives each guest the opportunity to dress up in traditional Egyptian dress and dance to Arabic music.
• A gala dinner with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine.

Food & Beverage:

Menus are changed on a seasonal basis to enable the Chef to use the freshest ingredients at all times. However, the following is applicable to every cruise:

• Most meals are served in the restaurant. However, at least one barbecue lunch (while sailing) will be served on deck (weather permitting).
• Mineral water, tea and American coffee are included with every meal.

Please note: the strength of the WI-FI signals unavoidably varies depending on geographical blocation, especially while sailing in the more remote areas of Upper Egypt.

Lunch will be served on board.

This afternoon you will have the chance to take a ride on a felucca (a typical Egyptian sail boat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum (weather permitting, life jackets will be provided).

Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge while you enjoy the sounds of an Oud trio. Tonight, you will be greeted by your Boat Manager as you enjoy a selection of canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer. A gourmet dinner will be served on board.

Hotel:   Sanctuary Sun Boat IV

Room:  Standard Cabin Bridge Deck

Meals: Breakfast-lunch-dinner

Day 6 Friday May 1st

Aswan

A breakfast buffet will be served on board, followed by a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. This will be followed by a visit to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk.

Enjoy lunch, while you cruise to Kom Ombo.

Afternoon tea will be served on board before you visit the magnificent Temple of Kom Ombo - dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek.

Tonight, a delicious dinner is served followed by a movie night on board.

Meals: Breakfast-lunch-dinner

Day 7 Saturday May 2nd

Aswan

A breakfast buffet will be served on board while the boat sails to Edfu.

Spend the morning visiting Edfu Temple.

Following the morning’s sightseeing, the boat will sail to Luxor.

Lunch will be served on board after which you will also have the chance to take part in an Egyptian cooking lesson.

Following afternoon tea onboard, your Egyptologist will guide you around the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun.

Tonight, will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyya”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.

Meals: Breakfast-lunch-dinner

Day 8 Sunday May 3rd

Aswan

Breakfast is served on board.

This morning, visit the Valley of the Kings. You will have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, you will pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.

After lunch, your Egyptologist will guide you around the Temple of Karnak.

Return your boat where afternoon tea will be served in the lounge.

Tonight’s entertainment will be a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine followed by a Dervish Show and belly dancer performance.

Meals: Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 9 Sunday May 4th

Luxor ⇒ Cairo

A buffet breakfast will be served on board, before check out at 8am.

Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to Luxor Airport.

Board your Egypt-Air flight to Cairo.

Transfer from Cairo Domestic to Cairo international Airport for final departure.

Meals: Breakfast