The Grand Nile Cruise
The Grand Nile Cruise Tour
12 days / 11 Nights
This superb tour package has been made for those who are in deep love with history and
civilization and want get access far beyond Aswan in the land Nubia, in a relaxed
way by cruising the River and the lake one by one. An unforgettable holiday in the
land where the word ancient comes true.
Day 01
Upon Arrival at Cairo airport, meet and assist by our representative, then transfer to your
hotel in Cairo, smooth/quick check in hotel dinner and overnight.
Day 02
Breakfast, then meet your professional Egyptologist tour guide and start visiting:
The Great Giza Pyramids, which were the first of the ancient seven wonders of the ancient
world, in fact the only one still exist, know who built them? And how they were built? Stop
before the sphinx and visit the valley temple of king chephren (the builder of the 2 nd great
pyramid. Stop for lunch in a local restaurant, then drive through the streets the largest
metropolis in Africa to visit the Cairo Egyptian Museum of antiquities (home of the world's
largest collection of pharaonic antiquities " more 120 thousand unique pharaonic artifacts
"and the treasures of king Tut). Back to hotel, dinner and overnight in hotel in Cairo.
Day 03
Breakfast, then transfer to Cairo airport to fly to Luxor (approximately 55 Minutes
flight), upon arrival at Luxor, set off on a guided tour visiting the world's largest open
air complex (the great Karnak temples) for more than 2000 years almost every king in
ancient Egypt down to the Roman period, left his mark on the face of Egypt by adding
a temple, a shrine, or even statues in the karnak which is the true Egypt' history. After
visiting the great temples in Karnak, head to your Nile Cruise, embarkation before
lunch, after lunch, relax on board the Nile Cruise, then by sun set start to visit the
most elegant temple, built mainly by king Amenhotep III (father of the monotheist
pharaoh Akhnaten). While the entrance pylons together with the first open court, were
works of Ramsess the Great, while the sacred barque' shrine was the only work of
Alexander the great in upper Egypt, here you may Know from your professional
Egyptologist tour guide the story of the decisive battle of Kadesh, and the most
famous festival in Egypt "The Opet" celebrated annually few weeks after the annual
Nile flood, Marking the beginning of the new year of the ancient Egyptian calendar.
Stop for a shopping tour in the famous Luxor Market, then back to Nile Cruise,
Dinner, entertainment and overnight on board.
Day 04
Breakfast on board, then start with your professional tour guide, a stunning day
touring the west Bank in Luxor visiting:
Valley of the Kings (which was the final resting place of the pharaohs of an empire
extended from the Euphrates river in the north, to the 4 th Nile cataract in the south,,
exploring 3 famous royal tombs.
Temple of Deir EL Bahari of the woman who was a king, for almost 21 years, ruling
the most rich and powerful country I the ancient world, queen Hatschepsut.
Then you end this day by visiting The twin mammoth statues known as The Colossi
of Memmnon (of king Amenhotep III).
Back to Nile Cruise, lunch / Tea Time on the Sundeck / Dinner / entertainment
(Galabiya Party) and overnight on board while sailing southwards towards Edfu.
Day 05
Early Morning – Hot drink then start by the traditional mean of transportation in Edfu
(Hantour – Horse Carriage) to visit the most preserved temple in Egypt , built original
by the most famous Ptolemaic king (Ptolemy III – Eurgetes) , and completed by
different ptolemaic kings down to Ptolemy XI (father of the famous Cleopatra VII)
for the worship of Horus of Behdit (The falcon god Horus of Edfu ) back to Nile
Cruise around 08 A.M , Breakfast on board, while sailing southwards towards Kom
Ombo via Esna lock, upon arrival at the lock, passengers' call to ascend the sundeck
to enjoy the cruise ship crossing the lock through the basin' gates in two different
water levels (must see)… lunch / Tea Time on the Sundeck while sailing, by sunset
arrive at Kom Ombo, join your tour guide to visit the unique temple shared by the two
gods (the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroaries – Horus the elder).
Continue sailing southwards towards Aswan, dinner / entertainment (oriental show
including belly dancing and tannura Shows) / and overnight on board.
Day 06
Breakfast on board, then meet your tour guide to start Aswan' visits, including:
The unfinished obelisk and the granit quarries, exploring the techniques of cutting
hard stones in ancient Egypt. Then drive to the Island of Philae, where you board a
traditional Nile Motor boat, to visit the temple of goddess Isis, originally built on
bigah island and existed there for thousands of years before being submerged by the
rising Nile water behind the old Aswan dam, hence it was decided to save and transfer
it to the nearby island of Ijilika where it stands majestically today.
The tour of this day in Aswan will be ended by visiting The 20 th century engineering
miracle called the Aswan High Dam.
Afternoon and evening, free to follow your own ideas / or suggested optional tour the
Nubian village, where you experience hours in traditional Nubian house, enjoying
their traditional folkloric dance and songs, take photos of the Nile crocodile they keep
it in built up iron cages at home, then sail back to the city and walk through the streets
of the famous Aswan Market. Dinner / entertainment and overnight on board.
Day 07
Breakfast on board, followed by Nile Cruise' disembarkation, then day free at leisure /
or suggested optional tour / for some fun on the fabled Nile by sailing in felucca
(small traditional sailing boat with a long mast) around the islands in Aswan, the
Agha Khan Mausoleum (from outside), then visit the Nabatat Islan (The Botanical
Island founded by Lord Kitchener in the beginning of the last century) an amazing
place to relax and walk calmly under exotic trees brought from all over the world.
Noon:
Transfer to Lake Nasser' Cruise to board the next 5 days/4 nights a relaxing de luxe Cruise,
embarkation before lunch. Then start your guided tours bt the visit to the temple of
Kalabsha which dates back to the Roman period during the reign of Emperor
Augustus in the first century A.D, dedicated to the famous Nubian god Mandulis,built
on the ruins of an older one, and was relocated 51 KM away from its original site in
the 70's of the last century as effort of rescuing and saving many temples due to the
rise waters of the Nile after the construction of the Aswan High Dam, proceed the tour
to visit Beit EL Wali, which is another temple also saved and relocated like the latter,
but thi time not Roman but Pharaonic and was built the Ramsess the great. We end
the tour of this day by visiting the Kiosk of Qertassi which dates back to the Roman
period. Sailing southwards towards Wadi EL Seboua.
Lunch/Dinner / evening entertainment (Nubian Show) and overnight on board at Aswan.
Day 08
Breakfast on board, and then join your professional tour guide to start this day tour to
visit: Wadi EL Seboua temple, built by king Ramsess II and was dedicated to the
State' god Amon Ra, together with the falcon Sun god Ra Hor Akhty, proceed to visit
the temple of Dakka, built in the third century AD by the Kushite king Arkamani.
Sailing southwards towards Amada.
Lunch/Dinner/evening entertainment and overnight on board The Lake' Cruise.
Day 09
Breakfast on board, then start the visit to the oldest existing monument on the shores
of the lake, the temple of Amada, built mainly by king Ramsess II, and also dedicated
to his patron god of the Sun (Ra Hor Akhty) and the state' god Amon Ra. Then we
proceed to visit the temple of EL Derr remarkable for its original colors despite the
great damage occurred over the years, we stop then for another monument dating back
to the 12 th century BC, the tomb Pennout (Viceroy of Nubia under the reign of king
Ramsess VI), sailing southwards towards Kasr Ibrim,, upon arrival stop and explore
the complex while on board (Not accessible), Kasr Ibrim once an impressive fortress
including about 7 temples according to the archeologist worked in the site, moreover
another value to this complex is being the sole monument of lake Nasser' Monuments
which still in Situ, never relocated.
Lunch/Dinner/entertainment and overnight on board.
Day 10
Breakfast on board, then join your professional tour guide to visit the astonishing
stamp Ramsess II put on the face of Egypt, the two rock cut temples of Abu Simbel,
the temple was dedicated to Amon Ra (the state' god), the falcon Sun god Ra Hor
Akhty, Ptah (patron of artisans and craftsmen, chief deity of Mempis, and the last to
be dedicated and not the least was the deified Ramsess II himself, while the small
temple was dedicated to goddess Hathor, of beauty, love and music together with a
dedication to the woman for whom the sun rises (as Ramsess said describing that
woman, Queen Nefertari).
Evening: free at leisure.
Lunch/Dinner/Entertainment and overnight on board.
Day 11
Breakfast on board, followed by disembarkation, then transfer to Abu Simbel airport,
to fly back to Cairo via Aswan, upon arrival at Cairo, transfer to your hotel, check in.
day free at leisure. Dinner and overnight in hotel in Cairo.
Day 12
Breakfast, then transfer to Cairo airport to fly back home.
Tour Package includes:
- All Transfers, guiding, entrance fees & Accommodation as per program
- Meals as indicated
- Porters at Airports & Hotels
- All Taxes and Service Charge.
Tour Package excludes:
- Air Fare
- any extras
- Tipping
- Entry visa
Price includes:
Meet and Assistance in airports.
Three nights accommodation at 5 Stars hotel in Cairo on bed and breakfast basis.
Four nights accommodation on board of Nile cruise on full board basis.
Four nights accommodation on board of Lake Nasser cruise on full board basis.
Sightseeing tours as mentioned in the program including transportation by our deluxe coach.
Transfers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel (airport/hotel – cruise/airport).
Domestic flight from Abu Simble to Cairo
All taxes
Entry fees for the sites
For the formalities and the safety of our customers, we inform the Ministry of the Egyptian
Tourism of our programs.
No hidden costs.
Price excludes:
Entry visa of Egypt.
Personal expenses.
Beverage during meals.
International airfare.
Tips.
Entrance inside any of the Pyramids of Giza.
Visit the Mummies’ room in the Egyptian Museum.
Notes
Sightseeing is based on private basis and not joining other guests.
The Nile Cruise programs can be changed without prior notice due to navigational
circumstances, Dima Travel is not liable to these changes.
Domestic flight Abu Simbel / Cairo could be via Aswan