Egypt & Eastern Mediterranean - 27 Night Cruise, Fly & Stay PACKAGE Cairo to Athens (SEAEGYPT)

Day 1 | Arrive Cairo

Welcome to Egypt, a country known for its historical sites and world wonders. Egypt's history spans more than 5,000 years and encompasses the origin of civilisation, the rise of the Greeks and Romans, the establishment of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions, the colonial era when first France and then the English ruled the country and finally, a return to independence. We begin in Cairo, the sprawling capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa.

This evening we’ll meet our fellow travellers at a group welcome dinner. 

Meals: Dinner

Overnight: The St. Regis (or similar)

Day 2 | Cairo - Giza - Cairo

Our touring in Egypt begins at the oldest structures in existence and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the amazing Great Pyramids of Giza. We’ll visit the nearby Great Sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of a king, often referred to as the national symbol of Egypt. Next, lunch will be served at ‘9 Pyramids lounge’, a spectacular and unique venue which serves traditional cuisine whilst overlooking the pyramids themselves. Finally, we visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, also known as the Giza Museum, the largest archaeological museum complex in the world. The museum hosts more than 100,000 artifacts and the largest collection of Tutankhamun relics ever displayed.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Overnight: The St. Regis (or similar)

Day 3 | Cairo - Abu Simbel - Aswan

An early start this morning as we transfer to the airport for our flight to Abu Simbel. Here, we visit the incredible UNESCO listed twin temples of Abu Simbel. The temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, as a monument to himself and his queen, Nefertari. We will spend a few hours exploring the temples before returning to the airport to fly to Aswan.

Upon arrival in Aswan, we check into our hotel, the Old Cataract where we will spend the next two nights. Located in the Nubian Desert on the banks of the Nile, opposite Elephantine Island, the majestic hotel sits on a pink granite cliff overlooking the world's longest river. This grand hotel opened it doors in 1900 and has since hosted numerous celebrities and luminaries, such as Winston Churchill, Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher. Here we’ll enjoy high tea on the terrace, an elegant experience which involves delectable sandwiches and cakes, served on a 3-tiered stand.

Meals: Breakfast and High Tea on the terrace

Overnight: Sofitel Legend Old Cataract (or similar)

Day 4 | Aswan

Today will be spent exploring the incredible sights of Aswan. On a half day tour, our first stop is the picturesque Philae Temple on Agilkia Island. Philae is dedicated to Isis, the goddess of magic. It was originally located on a smaller nearby island but when the original Aswan Dam was built it was subject to flooding. During the 1960’s in a massive international effort led by UNESCO Philae Temple (all 47,000 stones) were moved to its current location about 500m from its original site. We then visit the High Dam, a huge rockfill dam which captures the world's longest river, the Nile River, in the world's third-largest reservoir, Lake Nasser. The dam was completed in 1970 after ten years of work. We’ll also see the majestic Unfinished Obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk, even though it was never completed.

Our day finishes with a felucca ride at sunset before a sumptuous special dinner in the opulent 1902 Restaurant at the Old Cataract Hotel.

Please note: the dress code within the 1902 Restaurant is semi-formal. Men are required to wear a jacket (tie not necessary) and only dark jeans are acceptable for ladies.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Sofitel Legend Old Cataract (or similar)

Day 5 | Aswan - Nile Cruise

After a morning at leisure, we’ll embark our luxury Le Fayan Nile River cruise ship where we will spend three nights on board. The modern cruise boat has a sun deck, pool, spacious lounges, bar, gym, spa, outside dinning and fine dining restaurant. The boat provides an attentive hospitality experience while exploring Egypt’s most renowned temples and historic sites.

Lunch is served on board and the rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy at your own pace. Relax by the water or take a dip in the pool on the warm and breezy roof deck or enjoy a drink by the bar or terrace.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Le Fayan Nile Cruise ship (or similar)

Day 6 | Nile Cruise

This morning we’ll set sail from Aswan to Kom Ombo. We will visit the riverside Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris. We’ll then cruise to Edfu. The Egyptian city has a population of approximately sixty thousand people. It is famous for the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God Horus, the main attraction which we’ll visit today. This beautiful ancient temple is one of the best-preserved in Egypt and the second largest after Karnak Temple. We continue cruising along the Nile as we set sail for Luxor via Esna Lock.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Le Fayan Nile Cruise ship (or similar)

Day 7 | Nile Cruise

Our sightseeing begins at the fascinating Karnak Temple, dedicated to the Pharaoh Amun. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the temple’s structure over time, which explains its monumental size!

This evening we enjoy an exclusive private visit to Luxor Temple. Connected to Karnak Temple by a 3-kilometre-long Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Temple is home to a 25-metre-tall pink granite obelisk, which was part of a matching pair until the 1830s when one was given to France. It now stands in the centre of the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Le Fayan Nile Cruise ship (or similar)

Day 8 | Nile Cruise - Luxor

This morning we disembark the Nile cruise ship and bid farewell to the crew.

Today we discover the sights of Luxor on a half day tour. Our first stop for the day is the Valley of the Kings, where we have entry to visit Tutankhamun and Seti I’sTomb. Carved deep into the limestone rock, each tomb has a similar pattern of three corridors, an antechamber and a sarcophagus chamber. We’ll be able to descend into the tomb to see examples of the elaborate and incredibly well-preserved hieroglyphic paintings.

We’ll then visit the Valley of the Queens including the tomb of Nefertari, the Great Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Next, we visit the Colossi of Memnon, a historic landmark consisting of two massive statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. 

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Steigenberger Nile Palace (or similar)

Day 9 | Luxor - Cairo

This morning we’ll transfer to Luxor airport for our flight back to Cairo.

We will visit El Moez street and the 14th century Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, a major souk in Cairo’s Islamic District. Famous for its handmade crafts, it’s also the perfect place to enjoy a traditional Arabic coffee. There are no fixed prices here, so make sure you practice your haggling skills!

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a group farewell dinner.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: The St. Regis (or similar)

Day 10 | Cairo - Istanbul

Today marks the completion of our incredible adventure across Egypt as we fly to Istanbul where we will be transferred to our hotel near the famous Blue Mosque for our overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: 5-star hotel

Day 11 - Istanbul - Embark Cruise

After a leisurely breakfast it is time to transfer to the port to embark the ultra-luxury Seabourn Encore.

Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions:

• 7 nights in 5 star hotels as mentioned within the itinerary
• 3 nights in an outside cabin on board a 5 star (Egyptian standard) luxury Nile River cruise
• 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 6 dinners, including group welcome and farewell dinners
• Sightseeing and entrance fees as specified within the itinerary
• 3 economy-class flights within Egypt
• English-speaking, university-qualified Egyptologist guides
• Tour personally escorted by Dennis Bunnik who will spend alternate days with each group
• All touring in air-conditioned vehicles
• 1 economy-class flight from Egypt to Turkey
• Private transfers from airport-hotel and hotel-port within Istanbul in 45-seater coaches
• Tipping Made Easy