Itinerary

Day 1

Depart London and fly to Cairo. You will arrive Cairo late in the evening, on arrival you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo. (Hotel) Meals: no meals included on day 1.

Day 2

Today you will visit one of the most famous sites on earth, a site which contains the last remaining wonder of the ancient world. The morning will be spent at the Pyramids in Giza, learning about how and why these amazing tombs came into existence. From Giza you will return to downtown Cairo and visit the incredible Egyptian Museum, literally crammed full of antiquities, it would take you three months to look around this building if you were to spend three minutes looking at each item. Here you will find the exquisite treasures taken from the tomb of King Tutankhamen, the tomb itself will be visited later in your tour. Overnight in Cairo. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch

Day 3

Today we have time to explore the ‘real Cairo.' Your Tour Leader will take you on a tour through Coptic Cairo and then to the impressive Citadel, from here you will walk to the famous bazaar known as Khan-el-Khalili. This ancient bazaar is a labyrinth of small streets packed with hand crafted souvenirs, there will be some free time to wander around, barter or drink in one of the famous tea houses. From here we will travel to the train station and board the sleeper train to Aswan. We use the first class train which has private cabins, bunk beds and includes an evening meal and waiter service. Overnight on train. Meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 4

You will probably awake early as the train pulls up in Luxor however you can relax and enjoy the views from your cabin window as the train continues down the Nile to the beautiful city of Aswan. Arriving in Aswan you feel as though you are leaving the middle east and entering Africa, the Nile is beautiful and dotted with islands, huge golden dunes rise up on the west bank, the weather is hot and dry and the people are mostly from the land of Nubia : the region that was lost beneath the waters of Lake Nasser. On arrival you will transfer to the Dahabiya for breakfast, we have planned a leisurely morning so that you may unpack and take a shower after your long journey. After lunch we have included a trip to the fantastic Nubian museum, often missed on some tour itineraries this museum is a treasure and is a great introduction to Nubian culture an the history of Aswan. Once the temperature has dropped there is a camel safari through the desert and around the lonely monastery of St Simeon and Aga Khan's Mausoleum, some Nubian friends will meet you en-route to provide some refreshing Nubian tea before you trek back to the Nile and return to the boat. Overnight onboard the Dahabiya. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5

Very early in the morning, before first light, you will drive out through the desert south toward the border with Sudan. The early start is well worth it when you arrive at the awesome monument of Abu Simbel. Four enormous seated statues of Ramses are set into the hill side, looking out over the blue waters of Lake Nasser. You will return to the boat for lunch and set sail up the Nile to Kom Ombo. This is time to totally relax on board our beautiful boat. You will arrive at the perfect time of day to explore Kom Ombo's exquisite temple, in the early evening once the crowds have dispersed and the temperature has dropped. The boat will dock at Kom Ombo. Overnight onboard the Dahabiya. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6

In the morning the boat will set sail and continue its journey north. Today the whole day will be spent on the river with just one scheduled stop at El Silsilla. Here you will see the ancient stone quarries where once thousands are workers toiled to unearth Egypt's finest sandstone which was used to build the incredible monuments of Thebes and Karnak. We plan to dock here and enjoy lunch here before continuing to a suitable docking place. Overnight onboard the Dahabiya. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7

Today will be your last day on the Nile, no stops are scheduled so you may relax on board and enjoy the stunning scenery as you pass through rural Egypt. Late in the afternoon the boat will dock just outside the town of Edfu. Overnight onboard the Dahabiya. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8

After an early breakfast onboard you will say goodbye to the crew and disembark for the last time at Edfu. Edfu is home to Egypt's best preserved cult temple, it was built on the site where the Falcon-headed god Horus triumphed over evil by defeating Seth. The temple was completely buried beneath a sand dune until its discovery in 1860. Our bus will take you to the gateway of the temple and ample time will be given to explore inside.

From Edfu we will journey by road the short distance to Luxor where you will check into the hotel in the centre of the city. Luxor is built on the site of ancient Thebes, it is simply a treasure trove of archaeological discovery; it is here that Howard Carter discovered the lost tomb of Tutankhamen in the awe-inspiring Valley of the Kings. After lunch your Tour Leader will take you on a walking tour of the city along the Corniche and circling the incredible Luxor Temple before meeting the horse drawn carriages (caleshes) and setting off through the market and out of the city to for a tour of the surrounding countryside. The caleshes will then drop you back in the city so that you may walk through the colourful Souk and partake in some friendly bartering with the market traders. In the evening your Tour Leader will take you to a local restaurant for dinner and from here your caleshes will meet you once again to take you to the immense temple complex of Karnak for the brilliant Sound and Light Show. Overnight Luxor (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 9

Today you will cross onto Luxor's West Bank, where you will enter the Valley of the Kings. The Egyptian pharaohs had learnt from previous experience that the grander your tomb looked from the outside, the more quickly it was looted. The new kingdom pharaohs therefore hid their tombs deep inside a secret valley. The tombs are beautifully painted and your guide will advise you as to which tombs are the best to enter. We have also included the entrance for Tutankhamen's tomb. From the Valley of the Kings you will drive the short distance to the stunning temple of Queen Hatshepsut : the only female Pharaoh that ruled as a King. We have also included a trip to the nearby Worker's Tombs, this site is not so famous and is not visited by many but we believe it is one of the highlights of Luxor. After a relaxing lunch over-looking the Nile the rest of the day is free. Overnight in Luxor (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 10

We have left your last day in Luxor completely free, there is so much on offer that we thought it best you decide what to do. Your Tour Leader will advise you of the various trips available and will help arrange them for you. It may be that you want to relax after a busy tour, shop til you drop in the Souk, glide peacefully over Luxor by hot air balloon, visit the museums or some of the less well known archaeological sites, or even take another boat journey out to the ancient site at Dendera - the possibilities are endless. Overnight in Luxor (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 11

Today the tour ends in Luxor, passengers flying home will be taken to the airport for their onward flight and those travelling on to the Red Sea will depart for Safaga. Meals: breakfast

Extra Information

Inclusions -

all hotels and ground transport

Extras -

At Diverse Earth we want our guests to really experience their chosen destination. We want them to come home having sampled the local cuisine, learnt a little of the dialect, seen the famous sights as well as the not so famous sights and most importantly made friends. We have an excellent relationship with all our local suppliers, this is through long standing friendships and our commitment to sustainable tourism which ensures that our guests get the most out of every tour and the local people also benefit and thus welcome us back time and time again.

Our tour leaders and guides are all local to the area and are therefore able to provide an inside view of their home country. Our team at HQ are all extensively travelled and therefore well equipped to answer any questions and provide all the necessary support from initial enquiry to home-bound flight.

As an ABTA and ATOL bonded operator, we ensure that our standards of service are high and that payment for your holiday is well protected.