Ancient Egypt

The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Friday June 6: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2, Saturday June 7: Cairo

Arrive in Cairo, known as the Mother of the World. Take in the sights and sounds of this bustling city as you transfer to your hotel and begin to explore. (D)

Day 3, Sunday June 8: Cairo

Today's full day of sightseeing includes the Egyptian Museum, which houses King Tutankhamun's treasures, the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali. Then visit the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, where you can shop for local treasures. Since 1382, this souk has been an important center for merchants, trade and the community. Navigate the labyrinthine layout of market stalls stocked with treasures like perfume, spices, scarves, lamps and handmade trinkets, try Arabic coffee or sip Hibiscus from a food stand and interact with vendors and local shoppers. It is the perfect place to pick up an inexpensive souvenir and engage in the very traditional, and expected, practice of price bargaining. The Medieval atmosphere of the Khan's unique market experience will feel like a lesson in history and modern culture all at once. (B,D)

Day 4, Monday June 9: Cruise

A morning flight brings you to Luxor where you board your Nile cruise ship. After lunch, explore the East Bank of the Nile with visits to the Luxor Temple—the largest and most significant religious center in ancient Egypt, in what was then Thebes—and the Karnak Temple with its Sacred Lake. Then enjoy a hands-on papyrus workshop where you learn about how this ancient paper is crafted, the Nile Delta plant from which it's sourced and the huge importance it held in ancient Egyptian society. Return to your cruise ship for dinner and a night's rest. (B,L,D)

Day 5, Tuesday June 10: Cruise

Today a visit to the vast burial ground on the West Bank of the Nile includes stops at the Colossi of Memnon and the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El-Bahari. You will explore the Valley of the Kings, constructed for the eternal preservation of the New Kingdom pharaohs and now an archaeological site famous as the spot where Tutankhamun's tomb was unearthed. Sail to Esna for your night on board the cruise ship. (B,L,D)

Day 6, Wednesday June 11: Cruise

Cruise to the friendly city of Edfu this morning for a visit to the Temple of Horus, the best preserved temple in Egypt. Back on board the ship, while under sail to Kom-Ombo, learn to prepare a traditional dish during an Egyptian cooking lesson with an instructor, and then enjoy the fruits of your labor for lunch. Upon arrival at the port you will see the Temple of Kom-Ombo, a unique, symmetrical double temple dedicated on one side to the crocodile god Sobek and on the other to the falcon god Haroeris. (B,L,D)

Day 7, Thursday June 12: Cruise

Eat breakfast aboard the boat this morning as it sails to Aswan. In the afternoon enjoy a tour by felucca, a traditional wooden sailing boat, around beautiful Elephantine Island, which served as a powerful fort on Egypt's southern borders. The island is home to one of the few remaining Nilometers, used to measure the Nile's water level as late as the 19th century. (B,L,D)

Day 8, Friday June 13: Cairo

Disembark from your cruise ship today and continue to explore Aswan. Tour the impressively engineered Aswan High Dam, the massive Unfinished Obelisk in one of Aswan's granite quarries, and the Temple of Philae, dedicated to Isis. Then visit one of the colorful, traditional Nubian Villages on the Nile's west bank for a unique cultural exchange opportunity. Interact with members of one of ancient Africa's earliest civilizations, enjoying their famed kindness and hospitality as you learn about their history, culture, architecture and present-day lifestyles. Transfer to Aswan airport to board your flight back to Cairo for dinner. (B,D)

Day 9, Saturday June 14: Cairo

After breakfast travel to the ruins at Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, and see the nearby 200-foot-high Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis—thought to be the very first pyramid the Egyptians built. Then continue your exploration of ancient times with an excursion to see the famous Great Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, and the guardian Sphinx of Giza. Enjoy your last evening in the City of a Thousand Minarets with a special farewell dinner and show. (B,D)

Day 10, Sunday June 15: Departure

Depart for the USA. (B)