ANCIENT EGYPT & THE NILE

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Depart Heathrow 1400 on Egypt Air for Cairo, arriving 2045. Transfer to Oberoi Mena House Hotel, Giza, for three nights.

DAY 2 Whole-day excursion to Saqqara (including Step Pyramid and mastabas with remarkable paintings) and Memphis (celebrated limestone Colossus of Ramses).

DAY 3 Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Solar Boat Museum (with original Pharaonic vessel) followed by Egyptian Antiquities Museum (Pharaonic treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun).

DAY 4 Transfer by air from Cairo to Aswan and embark Nile Lily for eights nights. Afternoon: by motor boat to Agilika Island (superb Ptolemaic monuments including Temple of Isis and Trajan’s Kiosk), followed by visits to Aswan High Dam (one of engineering wonders of the world) and the ancient granite quarries.

DAY 5 Morning excursion by air to Abu Simbel: Great Temple of Ramses II on shores of Lake Nasser. Afternoon: optional excursion in traditional felucca sailing boats.

DAY 6 Elephantine Island (Nubian villages), Island of Plants (tropical vegetation imported by Lord Kitchener), St Simeon (10th century fortress monastery).

DAY 7 Cruise along Nile to Kom Ombo for temples of Sobek and Haroeris.

DAY 8 Cruise along Nile to Edfu for Ptolemaic Temple of Horus (most complete of all Egyptian temples).

DAY 9 Temple of Khnum (great hypostyle hall) at Esna, before cruise to Luxor.

DAY 10 Vast temple complex of Karnak (including monumental hypostyle hall) and Colossi of Memnon.

DAY 11 Valley of the Kings (tombs of Horemheb, Seti I and Ramses III), Temple of Hatshepsut (mortuary temple of 15th century Egyptian queen), Deir El Medina (Ptolemaic-era temple, walled village). Afternoon: Temple of Luxor (Avenue of Sphinxes), Luxor Museum (superb displays of Egyptian antiquities).

DAY 12 Disembark Nile Lily and transfer to Luxor airport for 0855 return flight, arriving Heathrow 1250.