11 Night Passage Through Egypt Cruise and Land Tour from Cairo

Arrive in Cairo to start your journey.

Board a chartered plane for the flight from Cairo to Abu Simbel. Sitting on a sunbaked island in the azure waters of Lake Nassar, you'll find two temples 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 painstakingly piece-by-piece to where it sits today to avoid being lost again to the creation of modern Lake Nassar. After a flight by a private plane Oberoi Philae awaits your embarkation.

This morning, visit the lovely Temple of Isis on the island of Philae, from which the Oberoi Philae gets its name. 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 how massive obelisks - tall, four-sided narrow pillars used as monuments that end in a pyramidal top - were carefully cut from solid rock transported down the Nile. The afternoon takes a different direction as you relax and enjoy a sail on a traditional felucca or wooden sailboat as the Nubian crew sing local songs and highlight the beauty of the shallow and jutting rocky cataracts of the Nile in the afternoon light.

Stay on deck as the ship approaches Kom Ombo and its temple. Set strikingly on a hill overlooking the Nile and dedicated to two gods, hawk-headed Haroeris and crocodile-headed Sobek, the Kom Ombo Temple, built during the Ptolemaic era, is richly decorated and has a hieroglyphic calendar.

Relax onboard, dive into the ship's library of Egyptian history, or take a cool swim in the ship's pool. From the ship, walk to the nearby Temple of Khnum in the town of Esna. This temple has not been fully excavated, and your Egyptologist explains how silt from centuries of the Nile's annual floods buried the temple, which sits about nine meters below river level. As you walk back to the ship through Esna, take a moment to talk to locals and learn about Egyptian small-town life.

Traversing the magnificent Nile after leaving the locks of Esna, the Oberoi Philae offers luxurious space and ample viewpoints to watch life and history as it goes by. Whether ensuite, with friends in the lounge, or on the top deck, today will offer connection to people and place. Journey to the West Bank of the Nile and the famed Valley of the Kings, the burial ground for hundreds of years of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Explore and photograph the tombs of Seti I and Tutankhamun. Then visit the Valley of the Queens and the most legendary tomb of them all, that of Nefertari. Vivid paintings depict the queen's renowned beauty and 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. Note: The tomb of Nefertari is temporarily closed for renovations. In the meantime, you will instead visit the spectacular Ramesseum, the funerary temple of Ramesses II.

Please note that you will drive via motorcoaches between Luxor and Dendera Temple if your arrival coincides with low water and cruise this section of the Nile during high water times. Start the day enjoying the remote temple of Dendera. Constructed during the time of Roman emperors, hundreds of years of black soot were delicately removed to reveal stunning artwork beneath and reliefs on the temple walls depicting Empress Cleopatra. Next, is the exquisite Luxor Temple guarded by its massive statues of Ramses II. This temple has been a place of worship for millennia. Its magnificent pylons, columns, and statues are also an excellent site to visit after sunset, illuminated with magical lighting. After dinner onboard, venture into Luxor for an opportunity to leisurely enjoy the evening in this ancient city on the east bank of the Nile.

After disembarkation, visit to the awe-inspiring Karnak Temple is sure to be life changing. For some 2,000 years, 30 pharaohs added their monuments and shrines to this vast temple making it the largest religious building ever constructed. The 134 columns of the great hall create a vast forest of stone towering 70 feet high, and the massive obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut shadows the rear of this masterpiece of human ingenuity. The reliefs and carvings created by some of Ancient Egypt's finest artisans are dramatic. Fly by private charter from Luxor to your next destination.

With the guidance of your Egyptologist, who will share narratives and personal experiences, today welcomes exploration of some of Cairo's most outstanding architecture and monuments to Islam. Atop the Citadel overlooking Cairo sits the commanding Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque, completed in 1848. Its five domes can be seen throughout the city. After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, Egypt's most famous and largest market dating back to the 14th century, for the best taste of Cairo's vibrant and sometimes frantic pace. You can find anything from filigreed silverwork to semiprecious stones, and other souvenirs. Next, stroll the exquisite El Moez Street, which dates back to the 10th century, making it one of the oldest in Cairo. Marvel at the Islamic architecture as you arrive to the Qalawun Complex, comprised of a mausoleum, a madrasa, and a hospital-and considered to be among the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Egypt.

Egyptian treasures are legendary, and expertly guided visits to the finest collections are essential for a complete experience. This morning, travel to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Zoser, a revolutionary design that initiated the art of pyramid-building. You will also see some of Egypt's most charming wall paintings and reliefs, showing scenes of harvesting, fishing, music-making, and dancing, as well as the elaborate and exquisite mastaba of Mereruka, the largest in Saqqara. While not a royal, Mereruka (or Meri) was, among other things, "Chief Justice and Vizier" to Pharaoh Teti of the Sixth Dynasty, wealthy enough to build such a large and colorful tomb for his afterlife. After lunch, explore the galleries of the newly opened and highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with expert Egyptologists. Witness the 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II in the Grand Hall, the Solar Boat, and select treasures from the prehistoric to the Greco-Roman period. Only the King Tut Hall remains unopened as his treasures are still at the Museum of Antiquities, which you'll enjoy during an uncrowded, privately guided after-hours exploration later today. This evening, enjoy an exclusive after-hours guided tour of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. Discover the museum's expansive collection of ancient marvels-without the crowds-alongside your Egyptologists.

Today, after a morning welcome briefing, start by exploring the premier treasure of Egypt-the Pyramids and Sphinx complex in Giza. Learn how the magnificent Pyramid of Cheops was built from over two million blocks of stone and took tens of thousands of workers over twenty years to build. The famous Sphinx was carved out of local bedrock and displays the Pharaoh Chefren's head on the body of a lion. Privileged access takes you inside the barrier for an up-close experience with the Sphinx. Go inside the Great Pyramid, following the Grand Gallery's narrow passageway to the burial chamber of Cheops. Your Egyptologist will narrate with stories and details, bringing the experience to life, while your National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions certified photography instructor will be on hand to ensure that perfect photos happen. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before either returning to The St. Regis to relax and enjoy your accommodations or visiting the National Museum of Egyptian Culture where the Royal Mummies are now on display.

Your journey ends in Cairo, the ancient capital of Egypt.