Splendours of Egypt 12 Day tour from $2346   an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

For the majority of the tour you will be staying on the luxury Nile cruise. While  in Cairo, your hotel is the deluxe, modern, landmark river-front Cairo Marriott  Hotel, housed in a former palace in the heart of the city. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of Cairo, relax in this haven of peace.

Fellow Passengers

Most passengers are attracted to this tour by the prospect of 7 days aboard a  luxury Nile cruiser, with ever changing scenery, and frequent stops at the ancient  monuments. It certainly suits those with an interest in ancient history who wish  to experience Egypt in a relaxed and refined way.

 Highlights

For many, the highlights of this tour is the legacy of the Pharaohs; the Great Pyramids & Sphinx, Karnak, Tutankhamun's treasure and the ubiquitous, mind boggling hieroglyphics.  Others enjoy the more contemporary aspects like the life giving  waters of the Nile itself, or the on-board Galabea Party!

Insight's Five Star Cruising

• Insight's professional multi-lingual Egyptologist/Tour Director  accompanies you
• Tour by luxury air-conditioned coach
• First Class hotels with all service  charges, taxes and porterage
• 7 night 5 Star Nile cruise on M.S. Miriam or M.S. Sapphire with cruise boat gratuities included
• Scheduled air travel between Cairo and Luxor
• Services of Insight's Resident Manager in Egypt

Excursions & Sights

• Visit Mohammed Ali Mosque and enjoy stunning views over Cairo  from the Citadel
• Tour the Egyptian Museum to see treasure from the tomb of Tutankhamun
• Tour the awesome Karnak Temple
• Visit the Valleys of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut & see the Colossi of Memnon
• Motorboat cruise to visit the Temple of Isis on  Philae Island
• Visit the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries & see Aswan High Dam
• Sail on a 'felucca' around Aswan's Botanical gardens
• Tour the Temple of Sobek at Kom Ombo
• Tour Luxor TempleVisit the Rameses II statue & alabaster Sphinx in Memphis
• See the Sakkara Step Pyramid

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tour in Cairo. Orientation tours in Luxor & Aswan

Complimentary Transfers

Complimentary arrival and departure transfers between Cairo  airport and your Insight tour hotel (ask for details)

Quality Dining & Entertainment

Egyptian dinner and Galabea
Party with entertainment while cruising
11 buffet breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 special-menu dinners,  or buffets, plus bottled water or tea or coffee

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

While you might find hustle and bustle in the bazaars of Cairo, it is certainly  not to be found aboard your luxury Nile cruiser. With 7 nights to relax while you glide down the Nile, this tour could quite possibly be one of the most graceful  vacations you will ever experience.

DAY 1 THU - ARRIVE CAIRO

Welcome to Egypt! On arrival in Cairo we are met and transferred to our hotel. Hotel: Marriott.

DAY 2 FRI - CAIRO - SIGHTSEEING

This morning we visit the Citadel for breathtaking views over the city and then  we visit Mohammed Ali's great alabaster mosque. We now continue to the famous Egyptian Museum to see the treasure recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun. The rest  of the day is at leisure to test your bargaining skills in the bazaars. (BB)

DAY 3 SAT - CAIRO - CRUISING

This morning we fly to Luxor on the banks of the Nile, where we board our  luxurious cruise boat. Our Tour Director welcomes us on board with refreshments,  and provides a full pre-tour briefing. We then tour the Temple complex of Karnak  - an unforgettable introduction to the world of ancient Egypt. After an afternoon at leisure we return to Karnak temple in the evening to enjoy a Sound and Light  show. (BB,L,D)

DAY 4 SUN - CRUISING - EDFU

We cross the Nile by air-conditioned coach to the West Bank to see the huge Colossi  of Memnon, and visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, blending into the cliff face above.  Now we visit the Valley of the Kings. We return to our cruiser and set sail for Esna and Edfu. (BB,L,D)

DAY 5 MON - CRUISING - KOM OMBO

We take a horse drawn carriage ride this morning to the well preserved Temple  of Horus at Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God. After exploring this fascinating site, our cruise continues to Kom Ombo. (BB,L,D)

DAY 6 TUE - CRUISING - ASWAN

We sail this morning into exotic 'Nubia' and the city of Aswan. We visit the High Dam across the river Nile, and the granite quarries where many of ancient Egypt's obelisks were made, before taking a motor-boat across the Nile to the extraordinarily  preserved temple on the island of Philae. Back in Aswan there is time to shop for  a gold cartouche or papyrus. (BB,L,D)

DAY 7 WED - CRUISING - ASWAN

This morning we have the opportunity to take an optional trip to Abu Simbel (see page 120.) This afternoon we sail in a traditional Nile felucca around Aswan's Botanical  Gardens before returning to our cruise boat. (BB,L,D)

DAY 8 THU - CRUISING - EDFU

We cruise to Kom Ombo today where our sightseeing shows us the Kom Ombo Temple,  dedicated to the Crocodile God, Sobek. We continue to Edfu where tonight we don our galabeas, (traditional Egyptian attire), for a fun-filled Egyptian Dinner and  Galabea Party. (BB,L,HD)

DAY 9 FRI - CRUISING - LUXOR

We continue along the mighty River Nile, to arrive back at our private moorings  on the edge of Luxor. After lunch we visit Luxor Temple, and return to our ship for dinner. (BB,L,D)

DAY 10 SAT - LUXOR - CAIRO

We disembark this morning, and are transferred to the airport for our return flight to Cairo. Tonight, perhaps enjoy an optional dinner and entertainment? Hotel: Marriott. (BB)

DAY 11 SUN - CAIRO SIGHTSEEING

We drive firstly to Memphis, the famous capital of the ancient world. Here we  admire the colossal statue of Rameses II and the great alabaster sphinx. We continue  to Sakkara, to see the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest Pyramid in the world, dating back from 2700 BC. This afternoon we visit the Pyramids at Giza, where a camel ride takes us to the Great Pyramid of Cheops for a guided tour of these magnificent monuments. Finally, we come face to face with the inscrutable Sphinx. (BB)

DAY 12 MON - CAIRO

Our tour ends after breakfast with a transfer to Cairo airport. (BB)