Luxury 16 Day Egypt With Nile Cruise Including Return Airfares with Emirates Cairo Alexandria Aswan Abu Simbel Kom Ombo Edfu Luxor Hurghada www.inspiringvacations.com.au
From $4,999 pp twin share Book Now Departure Dates 2018 8 September 13 October 24 November 2019 26 January 9 February 16 February 9 March 30 March 13 April 4 May 1 June 13 July 24 August 7 September 5 October 2 November 30 November Day 1 Australia Cairo Welcome to the trip of a lifetime! Board your flight to Egypt and prepare to be spellbound by the ancient wonders of the Pharaohs. Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Egypt. You ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel of your incredible Inspiring Stay overlooking the Great Pyramids of Giza what a way to start your adventure. Tonight, meet your group for an introductory briefing to meet your guide and fellow travellers. Please note: Some flights may depart the night before. Hotel: 5 Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel (Pyramid view room) You can't control the past, but you can control where you go next. Kirsten Hubbard
Day 2 Cairo This morning after breakfast you ll see some of the world s most iconic sights the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Instantly familiar, yet retaining a mystique and power, getting up close to these incredible pharaonic tombs is amazing. Explore these structures that have stood tall for 4,500 years and learn about the ancient history of the monuments. Afterwards, make your way to the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's great collections of antiquities. Wander the treasure-filled halls of the museum, and make sure to check out the Mummies Hall (optional) for a close encounter with some of the country s most important queens and pharaohs. The masses of gleaming artefacts recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun are an impressive sight to behold. Hotel: 5 Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel (Pyramid view room) Day 3 Cairo Alexandria Today you will drive to the port city of Alexandria along what is known as the desert road. On arrival your guide will take you on a tour of the city known for its broad beaches and seafront corniche dotted with sun loungers and cafes. Afterwards, prepare to delve into the Catacombs. Heading underground, you will get to view the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt, complete with burial chambers, labyrinth alleyways and entertaining rooms for families coming to visit the dead.
Day 3 (cont.) The crypts are 20 metres below street level, and what probably began as a small family tomb grew into a coil of rooms that could accommodate more than 300 bodies. Hotel: 5 Sheraton Montazah hotel or similar There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I. John Steinbeck Day 4 Alexandria El Alamein Cairo Aswan Today you will visit the Commonwealth War Graves of El Alamein. It is here where two extended battles were fought during World War II. The first began on the 1st July 1942 and lasted for 27 days, ending as a stalemate. After 3 months of holding back the enemy, the allies launched a second attack which lasted for 13 days. The importance of El Alamein was highlighted by Winston Churchill, who said Before Alamein we never had a victory. On arrival back in Cairo, take some time to relax or get some supplies before boarding your overnight sleeper train to Aswan. Train: Watania Sleeping train (twin share), dinner Day 5 Aswan Welcome to Aswan! Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively African atmosphere. Take time here to check out one of the country's best bazaars in this tourist-friendly hot spot. Today is a free day at leisure to relax or enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience. You may choose to include two (2) optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package.
Day 5 (cont.) Optional inspiring sight (1 of 5) - Temple of Isis - Visit the beautiful Temple of Isis (the Goddess of health marriage and wisdom), which was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Igelka Island. It's a marvel of decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt's finest carvings definitely one of the real gems of Upper Egypt. Optional Inspiring Sight (2 of 5) - Nubian Dinner - Experience modern Nubian culture first-hand with a visit to Elephantine Island. On your visit you ll join a Nubian family for dinner and experience true traditional Nubian hospitality. Here, you will encounter Nubian homes, traditional food and an unforgettable insight into the daily life of a Nubian. This is a rare and memorable experience, giving you the chance to become fully immersed in the local culture. Hotel: 5 Movenpick Aswan resort or similar
Day 6 Aswan Abu Simbel Aswan Today you will drive to Abu Simbel near the southern Egyptian border. Often referred to as the Temples of Ramses II, the two enormous sandstone structures at Abu Simbel were built in 1255 BC by Ramses II to commemorate himself and his favourite wife, Nefertari. The larger temple, dedicated to three major Egyptian deities, features four large statues of Ramses II on its facade, while the smaller temple is dedicated to the love goddess Hathor, with statues designed to embody Nefertari. Set on the banks of the artificial Lake Nasser, the structures were once in danger of being flooded with the construction of the Aswan High Dam but were saved via an extensive project to cut the temples into pieces and move them to higher ground, where they are seen today. On the return to Aswan, the rest of the day is free for you to make your own discoveries. You may choose up to two optional Inspiring Sights free as part of your package. Day 6 (cont.) Optional Inspiring Sight (3 of 5) - sunset boat cruise with drinks - Head out on the Nile and enjoy a 3 hour cruise as the sun begins to set over the Nubian landscape while enjoying alcoholic refreshments. Let your imagination take you back in time as you sail the same river that the Pharaohs once sailed; an absolute highlight of the trip for many. Hotel: 5 Movenpick Aswan resort or similar Day 7 Aswan Embark on Nile cruise You will leave the hotel today and transfer to the port to board your Nile cruise and luxurious home for the next 4 days. Begin your cruise by visiting the High Dam, one of the most important engineering projects in modern Egypt.
Day 7 (cont.) Enjoy an afternoon Falucca tour around the islands before enjoying the services available on the ship or simply relaxing on the top deck watching the Nubian sun go down. Ship: 5 Nile Dolphin or similar, lunch, dinner Day 8 Kom Ombo Temple Today your journey ashore is to visit the Kom Ombo Temple. Set dramatically on the bank of the Nile, 47 kilometres north of Aswan and 168 kilometres south of Luxor, the soaring, chunky columns of the Great Temple of Kom Ombo are a magnificent sight as you arrive from the river. Dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris, the temple's finely carved reliefs give a sense of this area's prominence as capital over the surrounding region during the Ptolemaic era. Today, Kom Ombo may be a sleepy agricultural backwater surrounded by sugar cane fields, but its prime position along the Nile once made it one of Upper Egypt's most important centres. Wander through the temple's colonnades, gazing up at scenes of kingly propaganda, and you'll capture a feel of this glorious history for yourself. Return to the cruise boat where you ll continue travelling upriver, with free time relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights desert hills forming a backdrop to lush riverbanks, fishermen casting their nets and farmers working their land. Ship: 5 Nile Dolphin or similar, lunch, dinner Life is a magical journey, so travel endlessly to unfold its profound and heart touching beauty. Debasish Mridha
Day 9 Edfu Today finds you moored near Edfu, a beautifully preserved temple also dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god. You can disembark and discover the lively streets of Edfu town get acquainted with the bustling town centre and purchase some souvenirs at the bazaars. Optional Tour - Edfu Temple - continue to the temple, perhaps the best preserved in the whole country. The scale is incredibly impressive, with soaring sandstone walls covered in reliefs and hieroglyphics. You ll pass through the Grand Temple entranceway into a colossal courtyard ringed with 32 towering columns, each richly decorated with patterns, and once the site of a great altar. The sense of awe that comes from touring this temple is incredible. Return to your boat for your final night aboard and make the most of the incredible views across one of the world s greatest rivers. Please note: The only mode of transport available to visit the Edfu temple is by locally managed horse and carriages. As a responsible travel focused business, animal welfare is extremely important to us and unfortunately, some operators of the horse and carriages have been found to be in breach of our animal welfare guidelines. It is for this reason we do not include the visit the Edfu Temple. While we recommend that you do not use the horse and carriage to visit the Temple, the decision is ultimately up to you and your guide can help arrange transport and ensure the best horses are used. Ship: 5 Nile Dolphin or similar, lunch, dinner
Day 10 Luxor Your Nile cruise comes to an end in the open air museum of Luxor from the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor is full of wonderfully preserved reminders of the Pharaohs. Today you will explore the magnificent Karnak Temple, which is perhaps the most impressive of all the ancient Pharaoh s' monumental works. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak is a house of the gods built over a period of some 200 years. Your guided tour of this vast temple of impressive pylons, obelisks and chapels will reveal its finest sections, such as the Avenue of Sphinxes and the Great Temple of Amun. Day 10 (cont.) The rest of the day is free for you to relax, shop in the excellent bazaar or perhaps experience the atmosphere of a local teahouse. Hotel: 5 Sonesta Saint George hotel or similar Day 11 Luxor Today you will discover some of the many wonders of ancient Thebes. Our first stop is the Colossi of Memnon, two 17 metre-high statues on Luxor's west bank. Carved from granite blocks, they represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III and were once part of an impressive colonnade. Day 11 (cont.) Continue on to the spectacular royal burial site of the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills here are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. With your leader, explore this sprawling and spectacular place, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BC) were secretly interred for all eternity, and where discoveries are still being made. Your guide will explain the history and legends of these remarkable people, their funerary rites, and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics, still well preserved in the deepest tombs. You will visit three of the most interesting royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a stunning colonnaded building set against high cliffs that create a spectacular natural amphitheatre.
Day 11 (cont.) One of Egypt s greatest Queens, she built this temple to prove her importance among the ancestors. The afternoon is yours to explore perhaps you'd like to shop in the market or visit the world's first Mummification Museum to discover the secrets of pharaonic preservation. Hotel: 5 Sonesta Saint George hotel or similar Day 12 Luxor Hurghada Today you will farewell the magic of the Nile and drive east to the beachside town of Hurghada. The green Nile valley is soon left behind as you head out into the barren Eastern Desert. Passing through rocky hills, the glittering waters of the Red Sea soon come into view and the rugged bulk of the Sinai Peninsula looms through the haze on the opposite shore. A vibrant beach resort, Hurghada is by no means a typical adventure destination. After checking in to your hotel, take a walking tour with your guide to get your bearings, and check out some of the local restaurants and sights. Inspiring Tastes - In the afternoon before the sunset, you will drive by 4X4 to the Hurghada desert to a local Bedouin village for a tour to see their daily lives and traditions. Afterwards, take an incredible sunset camel safari to watch the changing colours on the sand dunes before returning for a Bedouin BBQ feast in the desert. After an unforgettable night, you will then drive back under star light and return to Hurghada. Hotel: 5 Marriott Hurghada beach resort or similar,dinner I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts or cities or mountains or roads. Paulo Coelho
Day 13 Hurghada Today is a free day to relax in this Red Sea beach side town. You may choose up to two optional Inspiring Sights free as part of your package. Optional inspiring sight (4 of 5) - Red Sea Snorkelling with lunch - Experience Egypt s underwater splendours on this full-day Red Sea snorkelling trip by boat from Hurghada. Cruise out onto the sparkling Red Sea and drop anchor at three prime snorkelling locations. Don your own snorkelling gear or the provided equipment and enjoy ample time to float through the crystal waters past dazzling corals, exotic fish and perhaps even turtles and rays. Lunch is served on-board your boat. Hotel: 5 Marriott Hurghada beach resort or similar Day 14 Hurghada Cairo Today you will leave Hurghada and make the short flight back to Cairo. On the return to Cairo, enjoy free time to relax or do some last-minute sightseeing in Cairo. You may choose up to two optional Inspiring Sights free as part of your package. Optional Inspiring Sight (5 of 5) - Home Cooked dinner with an Egyptian family - Sit down for a home-cooked meal with a local family. During this experience, you'll get to visit a local family and learn about Middle Eastern traditions, Egyptian culture and tasty food but most importantly, enjoy a delicious and authentic home cooked meal. Hotel: 5 Steinberger El Tahrir hotel or similar
Day 15 Cairo Australia Unfortunately, today marks the end of your incredible tour through Egypt. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight home. Day 16 Australia Arrive home today. Please note, some flights will arrive home early the following morning. Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting, so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Freya Stark Book Now Visit www.inspiringvacations.com.au Contact Us support@inspiringvacations.com.au