Itinerary

Day 1: Cairo

You will be met in the tunnel by an airport representative who will in turn facilitate the visa process ($15 per person - included in tour cost), escort you through customs and immigration, off to baggage claim and finally to passenger pick up. It is here that you will connect with our representative associate who will arrange airport transfer to your hotel.

An English speaking assistant will accompany meet and greet you at Cairo Airport and accompany you to your hotel.

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.
Accommodation: Mena House Oberoi Garden

The Mena House Oberoi stands tall, yet guarded by the mighty heights of the Great Pyramids of Cairo. Fascinating guests since 1869, the 523 room hotel has continuously held the attention of royalty, political thinkers, and celebrities over time. A range of continental dining and Egyptian specialty restaurants and bars satisfy even the most critical of appetites. The Mena House grants guests the opportunity to relax or stay active by checking out its golf courses, horse and camel stables, and extensive fitness options. Wander a few steps outside the hotel and you may run smack into a pyramid. Forty acres of jasmine-scented gardens will leave their scent on those who depart the hotel. It’s hard to leave this embellished haven of lush furnishings, oriental prints, and hand-woven fabrics.

Day 2: Cairo

Morning visit to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt dating from 3,100 BC, and the legendary city of Menes, the King who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Proceed to its necropolis of Sakkara where you will see the world-famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest known of Egypt’s 107 pyramids and the world’s first freestanding stone structure. After lunch (not included in the cost), visit the 4,500 year old Pyramids built for Pharaohs Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus on the Giza Plateau, the Great Pyramid being the only survivor of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". Just to the east of the 2nd pyramid lies the legendary Sphinx, whose human face is thought to represent that of Chephren, acting as the guardian of the Pharaoh’s enormous funerary monument. Continue to the Solar Boat Museum to view the 141 foot long re-assembled funerary boat of King Cheops. Found in 1954, it has been hailed as the single most important archaeological find in Egypt since the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.

Experience a spectacular sound and light show on the side of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Accommodation: Mena House Oberoi Garden

Day 3: Cairo - Luxor - Nile

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

Take your flight from Cairo to Luxor. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour.

Airport transfer with a private vehicle and English-speaking driver in Luxor.

Enjoy a private tour with a qualified Egyptologist guide exploring the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the most impressive temples of Karnak and Luxor, while learning about ancient Egyptian history from your own personal guide. Start your day with a visit to the Temples of Karnak. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter the complex as your guide explains how the massive facade was constructed. Continue to Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometre long Avenue of Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. Your private guide will offer interpretation and guide you through the most important parts of the temples.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer

The newly renovated, elegant Sanctuary M.S. Nile Adventurer has just 32 cabins, offering an intimate and relaxed cruising experience on the epic Nile River. Decorated in a modern, comfortable lounge style and providing gourmet cuisine and superb sightseeing experiences with the country’s most experienced Egyptologists, the Adventurer is a taste of genuine 5-star luxury on this timeless and beautiful river. Spacious rooms and modern state of the art bathrooms are the hallmarks of each cabin. The public areas are fitted with luxurious furniture and oriental ornaments that beautifully reflect Egypt’s perfect mix of East and West. The sun deck, with its bamboo seats and teak floors, is the perfect place for sipping on a cocktail while floating past the beauty and serenity of Upper Egypt’s timeless landscapes. The vibrant, contrasting colours of the lounge are a great backdrop for lively evening conversation and afternoon gatherings.

Day 4: Luxor - Nile

This morning you will meet up with your guide and explore some of the most incredible sites of the country. You will visit the Valley of the Kings where you will have the chance to explore three tombs. For a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the kings and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt). The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite modern Luxor. Then it's off to the nearby Valley of the Queens and also the recently renovated mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty. The tour includes a visit to the huge Colossi of Memnon which are all that remain of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.

Done in conjunction with the West Bank private tour. Enter the famous tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer

Day 5: Nile

Visit the Nile-side Temple of Horus, the falcon god, built in 230 BC by Ptolemy III. The Temple of Horus in Edfu (also known as the Temple of Edfu) is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. This is partly because it was built later than most: in the Ptolemaic era from 237 to 57 BC. Despite its later date, it reflects traditional pharaonic architecture and so provides an excellent idea of how all the temples once looked. Edfu is also very large: the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple.

Visit a unique Greco-Roman temple dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the sun god. The Temple in Kom Ombo (also known simply as Kom Ombo Temple) dates from about 180 BC, during a period known as the Ptolemaic era, and had some additions built on to it during Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan. The temple is unusual in that it is a double temple, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple. The right side is dedicated to Sobek-Re (the crocodile god combined with the sun god Re), along with his wife (a form of Hathor) and their son Khonsu-Hor. Sobek is associated with Seth, the enemy of Horus. In the myth of Horus and Osiris, Seth and his followers changed themselves into crocodiles to escape. The ancient Egyptians believed that by honouring the fearsome crocodile as a god, they would be safe from attacks. The left side is dedicated to Haroeris, the "Good Doctor" (a form of the falcon-headed god Horus the Elder) along with his consort Ta-Sent-Nefer, the "Good Sister" (another form of Hathor).
Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer

Day 6: Aswan - Nile

This 1/2 day tour begins with a visit to the impressive Aswan High Dam. The water which was collected behind created Lake Nasser, the world's largest artificial lake. View the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Iris, on the island of Agilika, stopping at the “unfinished obelisk,” a practical demonstration of the methods used by ancient craftsmen to create impressive monuments.

Enjoy a Nile adventure as you sail aboard a traditional, non-motorized felucca around Kitchener's Island, the Aga Khan Mausoleum and botanical gardens.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Adventurer

Day 7: Aswan - Cairo

Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver in Aswan.

Take your flight from Aswan to Cairo. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and a half.

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.
Accommodation: Marriott

The recently renovated Cairo Marriott Hotel, situated at the centre of the city, is surrounded by lush gardens and with a 19th century palace in its midst, on the Nile River. The grand hotel’s 1250 rooms are well appointed, with splendid views of the city and the Nile. One may take meals in any of the restaurants or cafes, which are reasonably priced and enjoyable, and feature especially hospitable staff. The city of Cairo is in itself a bustling source of amusement and history, including the Pyramids, though some guests prefer to stay on the hotel grounds and make use of the fitness centre or swimming pools.

Day 8: Cairo

This full day tour includes a private tour with your trained Egyptologist guide through the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and its Mummy Room, which houses priceless archaeological finds including the treasures of Tutankhamun and the Greco/Roman period. In the afternoon visit Saladin Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress built by the renowned leader himself and dating back from the 12th century. Here you will explore the mosque and tomb of the Ottoman ruler Mohamed Ali, whom laid the foundation for the modern nation of Egypt. Later, on a walking tour, you will get to stroll through the fabled Khan Khalili bazaar, absorbing the sights, scents, exotic treats and energy of this ancient yet vibrant meeting place.

Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.
Accommodation: Marriott

Day 9: Cairo

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

Horizon & Co. donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative Horizon Helps.
Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard)

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