Saturday - USA
/ Europe: We'll depart this afternoon and begin our trans-Atlantic
flights. Dinner and movie en route.
Sunday - Europe
/ Cairo: Arrive in our European gateway city in the morning and continue
to Cairo, Egypt. Approximate arrival time in Cairo will be in the
early evening. After clearing Egyptian Passport Controls and claiming
your checked luggage, we'll be greeted by our Egyptian tour manager
and directed to our waiting motor coach. Following check-in at our
hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight Cairo.
Monday - Cairo
(Giza): After our buffet breakfast this morning, we'll visit the plateau
of Giza where the Sahara borders the Nile Valley. Here we'll visit
one of the most famous constructions in human history: the Pyramid
of King Khufu built in the middle of the third millennium B.C. Later,
we'll visit and see the Sphinx, the Solar Boat Museum, which contains
Cheops' 142-foot-long funerary boat, the three small Queens' Pyramids,
and the Eastern Cemetery with the mastabas of the Royal Family and
the Pyramid Temple priests. Our afternoon program includes the Egyptian
Museum of Antiquities, with its superb collection of relics dating
back to 4000 B.C. The highlight of the museum is the dazzling contents
of the tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamen. Here you'll see the splendors
of King Tut, including his intricate gold mask, jewelry and ceremonial
burial furnishings. Overnight Cairo. Tonight we'll see the thrilling
"Sound and Light" Show where the history of the pharaohs
magically comes alive. Overnight Cairo. (B, D)
Tuesday - Cairo:
This morning we'll enjoy our city tour of old Cairo including many
of the Coptic and Islamic sites. The afternoon will be at leisure
to enjoy shopping in one of Cairo's famous Bazzars. Overnight Cairo.
(B, D)
Wednesday - Cairo:
(excursion to Abusir / Saqqara / Memphis): This morning we'll visit
the Pyramids of Abusir to see the Royal necropolis of the Fifth Dynasty.
Continue to Saqqara to visit the huge Necropolis of Saqqara. We will
see the Step Pyramid of King Djoser which dominates the necropolis;
the Pyramid of Unas; the Mastabas of Aknti-Hotep and Ptah-Hotep, Serapeum,
the Mastaba of Ti; and the Tombs of the Brothers and Noblemen. On
our return to Cairo, we'll visit Memphis, the Royal City, one of the
most important cities in Egypt. Our visits will include the Open Air
Museum and the Colossus of Ramesses II. Overnight Cairo. (B, D)
Thursday - Cairo
/ Abu Simbel / Aswan Cruise: This morning we fly to Abu Simbel (via
Aswan) for the closest view of the 3200-year-old temple and statues.
Dedicated to the god Ra-Horakhti, Ramses II labored 25,000 workers
over a period of twenty-five years to complete this massive monument.
This great temple stands as one of the most prodigious feats of engineering
in Egypt. Later, we'll visit the Small Temple which was dedicted by
Ramesses II to his favorite wife Nefertari. In the late afternoon
we'll fly to Aswan. Overnight on cruise boat. (B, D)
Friday - This
morning we visit the New High Aswan Dam, the Granite Quarries where
an immense, unfinished 1170-ton obelisk illustrates the magnitude
of ancient Egyptian skill, and the Philae Temple which represents
a fusion of three great civilizations - Egyptian, Greek and Roman.
In the afternoon, we'll enjoy a traditional Felucca cruise on the
Nile River. Overnight on cruise boat. (B, D)
Saturday - Aswan
/ Kom Ombo / Edfu (Cruise): Morning at leisure. This afternoon we
sail to Kom Ombo to view the temple which is dedicated to the hawk-headed
god, Harwar, and the crocodile god, Sobek. Arrive Edfu for our overnight
on cruise boat. (B, L, D)
Sunday - Edfu
/ Esna / Luxor (Cruise): Morning visit to the well-preserved temple
of the falcon-headed Horus - one of the finest examples of Ptolemaic
art in Egypt - by horse carriage. Sail to Esna, cross the lock,and
arrive in Luxor in the early evening. Overnight cruise boat. (B, L,
D)
Monday - Luxor
(Valley of Kings and Queens): Luxor lies on the site of Thebes, the
capital of Egypt at its height. We tour the Valley of the Kings, which
includes the Tomb of Tuthankhamun, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut,
and the Valley of the Queens. Later, we visit Egypt's greatest holy
place, the temple city of the King of the Gods, Amun-Re. Later, we
visit Karnak - a giant archaeological site from the Middle Kingdom
to Ptolemaic times where the great Pharaohs of Egyptian history built
their temples, chapels and monuments. Overnight cruise boat. (B, L,
D)
Tuesday - Luxor
/ Cairo: Morning sightseeing of Luxor Temple. Afternoon flight to
Cairo. This evening there will be a special dinner with entertainment.
Overnight Cairo. (B, SD)
Wednesday - Cairo
/ USA: Depart Cairo this morning for our connecting flights and arrive
USA in the early evening.
CB
- Continental Breakfast
B - Breakfast
L - Lunch
D - Dinner
SD - Special Dinner
