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Day by Day Summary and Map
Land Segment of Itinerary
Saturday - Nov 23, 2024
Day 1
Cairo, Egypt
Arrive in Cairo and check in to the Nile Ritz-Carlton, your home for the next four nights. The hotel overlooks the Nile in the heart of this great city, and your room will face the Nile, with the Pyramids visible in the distance (weather permitting).
Sunday - Nov 24, 2024
Day 2
Cairo, Egypt
Bus Travel
Giza, Egypt
Bus Travel
Cairo, Egypt
After a morning welcome briefing, we start the day exploring the most iconic and mysterious of all things in Egypt: the Pyramids and Sphinx complex in Giza. Among the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the Pyramids of Giza have survived. The magnificent Pyramid of Cheops was built from over two million blocks of stone and took tens of thousands of workers twenty years to build. Nearby is the great Sphinx, carved out of a single massive piece of stone, showing the Pharaoh Chefren's head on the body of a lion. You'll have the chance to go inside the Great Pyramid, following the narrow passageway of the Grand Gallery to the burial chamber of Cheops. Your Egyptologist will regale you with stories and details of the site's construction while your certified photography instructor will be on hand to ensure you get the perfect photos. Marvel at the Solar Boat, built about 2500 BC for the Pharaoh Khufu's use in the afterworld. You'll have the chance to ride a camel if you wish. ... Read More
Monday - Nov 25, 2024
Day 3
Cairo, Egypt
Bus Travel
Saqqara, Egypt
Bus Travel
Cairo, Egypt
The treasures of Egypt are vast and the stuff of legend. No trip to Egypt would be complete without expertly-guided visits of amazing collections. Tour the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), scheduled to open in early 2022, which holds an almost endless collection of some of the greatest masterpieces ever crafted, including the treasures of Tutankhamun, the brightly painted limestone sculptures of Prince Rahotep and Princess Nofret, the bizarre relief of Akhenaten, and pharaoh mummies including Ramses II. Note: If the GEM is not opened as scheduled, we will instead visit the Antiquities Museum which houses a grand collection of ancient marvels, and is scheduled to close when the GEM opens. ... Read More
Tuesday - Nov 26, 2024
Day 4
Cairo, Egypt
Enjoy a change of pace today as you explore some of Cairo's greatest architecture and monuments to Islam, interpreted and brought to life by your Egyptologist through stories and personal experiences. Among the sites you'll visit is the Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque, completed in 1848. It occupies a commanding position overlooking Cairo from atop the Citadel, and its five domes can be seen throughout the city. Continue to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 during the Bahri Mamluk period. Renowned for its size and use of unorthodox architectural elements, the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa is considered one of the best examples of Islamic art in Cairo. We have lunch at a local restaurant, then explore the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, a maze of streets with thousands of shops selling everything from filigreed silverwork to camel saddles. (B,L,D) ... Read More
Fly via private charter flight to Luxor, in Upper Egypt, where we'll visit Karnak Temple. For 2,000 years some 30 pharaohs added their own monuments and shrines to this vast temple. The 134 columns of the great hall create a forest of stone 70 feet high, while the towering obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut shadows the rear of the temple. The reliefs and carvings, created by some of Ancient Egypt's finest artisans, are dramatic. We'll then embark the elegant, privately chartered Oberoi Philae, our home for the next six nights, in time for lunch. Onboard you will find spacious cabins, warm public areas, and a welcoming Egyptian crew offering impeccable service. ... Read More
We start the day sailing through some of Upper Egypt's most stunning scenery to arrive at the remote temple of Dendera, constructed during the time of the Roman emperors, noted for its dramatic columns and magnificent ceilings. The reliefs on the temple walls depict the empress Cleopatra. Hundreds of years of black soot was delicately removed to reveal the stunning and colorful artwork beneath, considered among the finest in all Egypt. ... Read More
Rise early for an optional hot-air balloon ride and a panoramic view of the Luxor area. This morning, we will cross the Nile to the fabled West Bank and Valley of the Kings, burial ground for hundreds of years to Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Explore and photograph the tombs of Seti I and Tutankhamun. Visit the Valley of the Queens and the most remarkable tomb of them all: that of Nefertari. Vivid paintings show the queen's beauty and depict her journey to the afterlife in exquisite color and quality found nowhere else in Egypt. See the Temple of Hatshepsut, dramatically set beneath sandstone cliffs. ... Read More
Saturday - Nov 30, 2024
Day 8
Essna, Egypt
Walk to the nearby Temple of Khnum, which lies beneath the contemporary town of Esna and has not been fully excavated. Your Egyptologist will explain how silt from centuries of the Nile's annual floods buried the temple, which sits below street level. Walk back to the ship through the narrow streets of Esna, talking with locals, sharing stories and smiles, and learning about everyday Egyptian small-town life. Enjoy more time onboard where you can relax, dip into the ship's library of Egyptian history, or take a cool swim in the pool. Presentations and Recap onboard will cover Egyptology as well as modern Egypt plus photo instruction that take into account the sites and lighting you are experiencing. We overnight in Kom Ombo, just under the riverside temple. (B,L,D) ... Read More
Sunday - Dec 1, 2024
Day 9
Kom Ombo, Egypt
Aswan, Egypt
Set strikingly atop a hill overlooking the Nile, the Temple of Kom Ombo was built during the Ptolemaic era and is dedicated to two gods-hawk-headed Haroeris and crocodile-headed Sobek. It is richly decorated, and even has a hieroglyphic calendar. Stand on deck as we approach Aswan, a glorious location on the Nile, backed by hills, with granite rocks protruding from the riverbed and sailboats (called feluccas) plying the water. It is just downstream of the northernmost Nile cataract, which historically made it a frontier town and a trading center with Nubia. This afternoon we visit the fine Nubian Museum, where you'll learn about the Nubian history and culture of Upper Egypt, as well as the architectural marvel that is Abu Simbel. We will end the day with High Tea at the legendary Old Cataract Hotel, from where commanding views of the Nile and Elephantine are sure to please. This evening enjoy a Nubian cultural show onboard Oberoi Philae. (B,L,D) ... Read More
Monday - Dec 2, 2024
Day 10
Aswan, Egypt
This morning we visit the lovely Temple of Isis on the island of Philae, from which the Oberoi Philae gets its name. In Greek, Philae means "the end" and the island was aptly named due to its border with ancient Nubia. Like Abu Simbel, the Temple of Isis would have been lost to the floods caused by the building of the High Dam if not painstakingly dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its present location. Visit a granite quarry to learn about how massive obelisks and other structures were carefully cut from solid rock and transported to the river for sailing the Nile. Get a good look at an unfinished obelisk on site. This afternoon enjoy a relaxing sail on a traditional felucca as the Nubian crew sing local songs and show you the beauty of the cataracts in the afternoon light. (B,L,D) ... Read More
Tuesday - Dec 3, 2024
Day 11
Aswan, Egypt
Cruise Ends
Land Segment of Itinerary
Day 11 - Tuesday - Dec 3, 2024
Day 11
Air Travel
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Air Travel
Cairo, Egypt
Disembark Oberoi Philae and fly by private-charter to southern Nubia and the remarkable site of Abu Simbel, on a sun-baked island in the azure waters of Lake Nasser. Two temples are found here; one large, dedicated to Ramses II's victory at Kadesh, and one small, dedicated to his beloved Queen Nefertari. Constructed in the mid 13th century BC, Abu Simbel was excavated from the sand in 1817. The temples were moved piece-by-piece to where they sit today to avoid being lost again, this time not to sand and neglect but to the creation of modern Lake Nasser. ... Read More
Wednesday - Dec 4, 2024
Day 12
Cairo, Egypt
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home. (B)
Cruise and Land Value Offers that combine with this sailing.
Pricing Terms and Conditions
Unless otherwise indicated above, all cruise rates are per person, double occupancy, cruise-only without airfare, do not include government taxes and fees and quoted in in U.S. dollars. Ponant Cruises rates are based on foreign currencies that are converted to USD based on today's exchange rates. Rates are subject to availability, can vary by ship and sailing date, and for new bookings only. Fares are capacity controlled, and subject to change without notice. Port charges are included. Prices do not include additional service charges; Travel Insurance; and applicable government taxes & fees unless otherwise specified in the offer. Surcharges and fees implemented by a travel supplier, even after the reservation is made, will be the sole responsibility of each traveler and is due and payable in full prior to departure. Certain promotions which may include amenities like shipboard credits, pre-paid gratuities, drink packages or other packages may be available by category, room type or fare code and may not be combinable with other promotions. For any questions, please consult one of our cruise specialists for applicability and verification. All prices, inclusions & promotions listed on the web-site are current at the time they we published and are subject to change without advance notice. Arrivia, Inc., its subsidiaries, and partners are not responsible for last minute changes to price or itinerary by cruise lines, or for any errors or omissions in the content of this website.
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