NILE CRUISE – 10 days

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Depart Heathrow 1400 on Egypt Air for Cairo, arriving 2045. Continue to five star Sonesta Hotel, near Cairo airport, for overnight.

DAY 2 Transfer by air to Aswan and embark Nile Lily for eight nights. Afternoon: by motor boat to Agilika Island (superb Ptolemaic monuments including Temple of Isis), followed by visits to Aswan High Dam (one of engineering wonders of the world) and ancient granite quarries.

DAY 3 Optional morning excursion by air to Abu Simbel: Great Temple of Ramses II on shores of Lake Nasser. Afternoon: excursion in traditional felucca sailing boats.

DAY 4 Elephantine Island (Nubian villages), Island of Plants (tropical vegetation imported by Lord Kitchener in 19th century), 10th century fortress monastery of St Simeon.

DAY 5 Continue along Nile to Kom Ombo for temples of Sobek and Haroeris.

DAY 6 Cruise along Nile to Edfu for Ptolemaic Temple of Horus (most complete of all Egyptian temples)..

DAY 7 Temple of Khnum (great hypostyle hall) at Esna, before cruise to Luxor.

DAY 8 Vast temple complex of Karnak (including monumental hypostyle hall) and Colossi of Memnon.

DAY 9 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 Egyptian antiquities).

DAY 10 Disembark Nile Lily and transfer to Luxor airport for 0855 return flight, arriving Heathrow 1250.