8N/9D Egypt

Arrive in Cairo and proceed to Alexandria check in to the hotel. After lunch, visit the city famous for its Great Library, which was one of the biggest in the ancient world and was burnt down by the army of Julius Ceaser and by successive regimes resulting in the greatest cultural loss to the knowledge of the ancient world. The library now is completely restored and one the wonders of Egypt. We would spend time going through it and then visit the Montazah Palace gardens where the last king of Egypt, King Farouq made his residence. Dinner in the hotel and overnight stay in Alexandria.

Early morning check out and drive through Citadel by the sea. Today we will visit the Egyptian Museum. The museum is an ideal way on introducing yourself to the rich and ancient history of Egypt. The treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamen are stored in a special display room, which is the highlight of the Museum (optional). Later in the evening, the sound and light show at the Pyramids would give you a window into how the pyramids came to be made and have taken on thousands of years in the Sahara Desert of Egypt. Overnight stay in Cairo.

Early morning departure to Ismalia, to visit the most iconic Suez Canal of Egypt. The canal pretty much saved the country from falling into economic depression when the revolution affected the tourism industry. We will cross the Suez Canal by a local boat and will mostly encounter a big container ship crossing the narrow canal built to link the Mediterranean Sea to the North and the Red Sea to the South (Crossing the Canal is subject to the grant of permission from the Defense department). On our return to Cairo we will visit the Khan-e-Khalili Market for some local shopping. Overnight stay in Cairo

After breakfast, visit the Pyramids of Giza. There will be ample time to view the Pyramids and spend time soaking in the surroundings, we do not recommend an entry into the Pyramid but you would have time to enter (optional). As we leave the Pyramids, we will visit the Sphinx, the famous structure with a man’s face and a lion’s body. Later in the day, we would spend some time shopping the local products like handcrafted items, papyrus, perfume, cotton etc. In evening, we will proceed to the Cairo station to board the train to the southernmost city of Egypt, Aswan, on the River Nile. Overnight train journey.

Early morning arrival in Aswan, depending on the availability, we would either check in to our hotel or proceed to visit the High Dam and Temple of Philae. After lunch and some rest we will later visit the local market of Aswan, evening free in the market. Overnight in Aswan.

Today we will leave at 4 am to visit Abu Simbel, the biggest ancient temple complex in Egypt. Box breakfast will be provided on the journey. Abu Simbel is set on the Lake Nasser, formed due to the building of the Aswan High Dam, the Abu Simbel was transported piece by piece from its original location which was to drown in the lake. On our return we would check in to our cruise, your home for the next 3 nights. The cruise will be mostly docking in Aswan tonight. In the evening, visit a local Nubian village to experience the ethnic way of life.

This day, the sailing on the Nile with the current will take you first to the temple of Edfu, which is dedicated to Horus the ancient God. Later observe how your cruise passes the Lock in Esna, where the Nile has a difference of water levels. By late evening, your cruise will dock in Luxor.

Today will be dedicated in visiting both the east and the west bank of Nile that flows through the most beautiful town in the South of Egypt, Luxor. The temple of Karnak and Luxor will be visited in the evening and the morning will be given to visiting the Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of the ancient kings of Egypt lie buried and also visit to the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Fabrics made from the Egyptian cotton, which is one of the finest cottons in the world, can be purchased from the Luxor Souq so can the camel hair carpets and perfumes.

Check out of the cruise in the morning and board the domestic flight to Cairo, which will connect to the international flight to Mumbai or to other cities in India through the Gulf.