Egypt in a Week Nile Cruise, New Years' Nile Cruiuse - Nubian Nile Cruises | Egypt in a Week

This Itinerary is available on a Private basis & a Private touring with a minimum of 4 guests at no additional charges.

DAY 1 - CAIRO Tour Starts DAILY in Cairo - Arrive any day of the week .
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : Australian, NZ, American, EU , Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

DAY 2 - CAIRO (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the " Mummies Room" , the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster.

DAY 3 - ASWAN, Camel Caravan! (BLD)
We fly to Aswan and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch.
Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. Only for those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride for almost half an hour to visit a local Nubian Village.

DAY 4 - ASWAN & KOM OMBO (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the island temples of Philae. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples.

DAY 5 - EDFU & ESNA (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple. Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated to Khnum, the creator-god. Evening finds us in Luxor.

DAY 6 - LUXOR (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings , including Tutankaomn's tomb, and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

Queen Nefertari's tomb will be closed for urgent repairs. , that's why we are visiting instead the Ancient Worker's village at Deir el Medinah

The Queen for whom the sun shines :
Long before Cleopatra humbled the ruler of Rome, an Egyptian queen held power over the heart and soul of Ramses, Egypt's greatest pharaoh. In the 12th century BC, a brokenhearted Ramses built a grand funerary tomb for Queen Nefertari, "the Beautiful one," in the Valley of the Queens. It's been exquisitely restored with the aid of an American endowment, and is among the rarest sights in all Egypt: the only great tomb ever built by a pharaoh for his late queen. Artistically, it is the closest thing you could ever come to see the original Ancient Egyptian art in all of its glory and finesse.
Because of its fragile nature, only a limited number of visitors are allowed entry each day. We are the only company to include a visit to Nefertari's tomb in our daily program. Because of the limited access we must rise early for our visit, appropriate as Ramses named Nefertari "the one for whom the sun shines." >>

Afterward, we'll continue on Luxor's west bank to get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

DAY 7 - LUXOR & Sleeper Train Wagon - Lits (BLD)
After breakfast , check - out .
The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the morning, return to the Cruise for lunch ( included) . In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping, all public facilities son board are at your disposal , until it is time fro the transfer to the railway station to board the deluxe sleeper train, dinner is served on board.
Overnight on board- Private compartment.

DAY 8 - HOME HOSTED DINNER - CAIRO (BD)
Early morning arrival .Our local rep will escort you to your hotel.
Cairo is yours, full day at leisure .

Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

Octavious visiting Alexander the Great's Tomb in Alexandria just after he defeated Cleopatra & Marc Anthony.
He left his coat as a token of respect to Alexander the Great. The search continues for Alexander the Great's Tomb.

DAY 9 - Alexandria & Wadi El Natroun Monasteries (cBL)
Rise before sunrise to head for Alexandria by private air conditioned van & driver.
Full day tour of the Greco Roman Museum, the Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater, Qayet Bey Fortress housing recovered items from the French Fleet & Napoleons Flag Ship " L'Orient", sunk by the British & Admiral Nelson, east of Alexandria.

In Alexandria a brief stop at : Qayet Bey Fortress housing recovered items from the French Fleet & Napoleons Flag Ship " L'Orient", sunk by the British & Admiral Nelson, east of Alexandria.

From the Pharaohs to Napoleon: Discoveries Continue in Alexandria , , the treasures of Egypt are still being rediscovered—sometimes spanning millennia in a single location!

The Egyptian Department of Antiquity recently revealed the existence of a Pharaonic tomb dating from 400BC on Nelson Island, just four kilometers from Alexandria’s Abu Qir Bay. Finds by a team of Italian archeologists included three mummies, along with earthenware utensils, statues, and figurines adorned with texts from the Book of the Dead.

But that’s not all. The English sank Napoleon’s fleet at Abu Qir in 1798, and the excavations yielded a treasure trove from the battle: the remains of soldiers, sailors and officers in uniforms, along with military gear, rosaries, and coffins and body wrappings, all well preserved in Mediterranean sands. There were even skeletons of newborns, as family members accompanied officers aboard ship.

As these exciting discoveries are catalogued and protected, many are sure to be placed in the collection of the Qeit Bey Castle Museum, which already houses relics from Napoleon’s fleet.We will be pleased to keep you informed of exciting new exhibitions.

Qayet Bey Fort was built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Crown Jewels Museum, then its off to the new site for the Alexandria Library before heading to Wadi El Natroun monastery almost midway to Cairo , where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel.

Time permitting we 'll visit the new museum in Alexandria , the building was originally built in 1926 for the US consulate in Alexandria and is a masterpiece in 1920's architecture & Mediterranean style buildings.

Qayet Bey Fort was built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Crown Jewels Museum, then its off to the new Alexandria Library before heading back to Cairo .
We stop at Wadi El Natroun monastery , where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening .

DAY 10 - CAIRO- Departure (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight.

Trip interruption and cancellation insurance (We'll be glad to mail you the insurance brochure)
Personal expenses, including excess baggage or shipping charges, beverages, and personal charges in hotels for laundry, telephone, or other services
Gratuities
Optional Excursion
Hot air balloon adventure over the Valley of the Kings, 60 to 90 minutes flying time, weather permitting, $300 per person.
International airfares to or from home

Click here for the 14 -day edition with one week in Hurgada or El Gouna on the Red Sea:
A "Dream Come True" tour. 14 days , Cairo and the Pyramids. A Nile Cruise of course, and a beach resort at Hurgada or El Gouna, on the Red Sea. Including the welcome Zaffa (procession that will resemble an Arabian/Egyptian wedding party) with a troupe of dancers and musicians dressed with the Egyptian typical clothes, welcoming guests by singing and dancing Egyptian Folklore).

Dining Room Reservations: Meet other passengers :
YOU will not require any, our dining rooms do accommodate all our guests in one seating, one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner.

Do we get sea sickness while sailing the Nile ?
This is river sailing, so do not expect any waves , no rough seas ! Your Nile cruises is actually a floating hotel that moves from place to place along the Nile. Actual cruising times are short and pleasant.

All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam.It’s worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost. Read More

Abu Simbel:
Ramses the Great's huge desert temple at Abu Simbel marked the southern border of the pharaoh's dominions. Rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser by an international effort, it is a marvel of sacred engineering. Twice a year�and only then�the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies, illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari. We've planned our visit to maximize your Abu Simbel experience. Rising before dawn, we drive along the shore of Lake Nasser, watching the sky lighten and the sacred sun rise above the horizon. We reach the temple while the air is clean, clear and cool, and the sun's light still golden�just right for photographs. We explore the huge temple by ourselves, admire its ancient aura and artistry, then retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Just as planeloads of visitors arrive to throng the temple we begin our leisurely drive back along the shore to Aswan, arriving late afternoon.

Même aujourd'hui, les trésors de l'Egypte sont en cours d'être redécouverts- parfois comprennant des millénaires dans un seul emplacement!

Le Bureau de tourisme de l'Egypte a révélé récemment l'existence d'un tombeau Pharaonique datant de 400 AV. J-C sur l'Ile Nelson, à seulement quatre kilomètres de la baie d'Abu Qir d'Alexandrie. Les découvertes par une équipe d'archéologues Italiens ont inclus trois momies, des outils de faïence, des statues, et des figurines parés avec des textes du Livre de la mort.

Mais il y a plus. Les anglais ont coulé la flotte de Napoléon à Abu Qir en 1798, et les excavations ont produit un trésor provenant du combat: des restes de soldats, des marins et des officiers dans leurs uniformes, munis d'engrenage militaires, de chapelets, et d'emballages de cercueils et de corps, tous bien conservés dans les sables Méditerranés. Il y avait même des squelettes des nouveau-nés, démontrant l'accompagnement des officiers par des membres de leurs familles à bord du bateau.

A mesure que ces découvertes sont cataloguées et protégées, beaucoup d'objets seront placés dans la collection du Musée du Château de Qeit Bey, qui emmagasine déjà des vestiges de la flotte de Napoleon, y compris son phare, l'Orient.

Les découvertes récentes joignent la Nouvelle Bibliothèque, inauguré seulement l'année dernière, avec les premières attractions de l'Alexandrie. A la fois il faut mentionner la prochaine inauguration du Nouveau Musée dans un palais historique qui a abri anciennement le consulat des Etats-Unis.

Travel in Style arrangera avec plaisir une visite au site des découvertes, au Musée du Château de Qeit Bey, et à toutes les attractions de l'Alexandrie.