Egypt is one of the richest and most ancient civilisations on earth. From the Nile to the desert, from the never-ending devotion to the afterlife found in mammoth pyramids and secret underground tombs, to the mystery of the Exodus – we’ll be exploring it all. Egypt will come to life.
Cairo International Airport
5.00 pm
This evening we arrive at Cairo International Airport where we are met by our tour representative. We are transferred to our motel ready for our Egyptian adventure starting tomorrow.
Overnight—Cairo, Egypt.
Leaving our hotel we head back to the airport and board a flight from Cairo to Luxor, home of the Valley of the Kings and the ancient site of Thebes. Our local tour representative will assist us to transfer to our cruise ship on the Nile, and after lunch we visit the East Bank, including the Karnak Temple complex and Luxor Temple. Tonight we enjoy dinner onboard before settling into our cabins for the night.
Overnight—Luxor, Egypt.
After breakfast on board we visit the West Bank of Luxor—home of the famous Valley of the Kings where the cool, dry air has preserved the richly coloured artwork from three and a half thousand years ago. We also visit Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Everywhere we turn we are confronted by relics and reminders of a rich and ancient culture that devoted everything to their belief in the afterlife. After lunch on board we sail south on the Nile to Edfu, where we moor for the night.
Overnight—Edfu, Egypt.
Following breakfast we disembark and enjoy a horse and carriage ride to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the grandest and most well-preserved temples in Egypt. Returning to our cruise ship we sail on to Kom Ombo, a unique and fantastic temple from the Ptolemaic period. Departing Kom Ombo we continue sailing the Nile to Aswan. Here we enjoy dinner onboard.
Overnight—Aswan, Egypt.
Abu Simbel is one of the most striking monuments in Egypt and lies just north of the border with Africa. Today we take a day tour by bus to Abu Simbel where we marvel at the work of the men who laboured under Ramesses II, and for whom size was everything. We also visit the Temple of Ramesses II and his wife Queen Nefertari overlooking Lake Nasser before returning to our vessel. This afternoon we visit a Nubian village on the river’s edge where we are immersed in the culture of one of Egypt’s people groups, a colourful experience where we have the opportunity to snap up some bargains before returning to our cruise ship for dinner and our last night onboard.
Overnight—Aswan, Egypt.
After breakfast we disembark prior to more sight-seeing: the High Dam which was completed in 1970, bringing an end to the annual Nile flooding, and dramatically changing the economy and landscape of Egypt; the Philae temple, which was painstakingly relocated due to the dam construction and rising waters; and the ancient Granite Quarries. Saying goodbye to Aswan we transfer to the local airport where we depart for Cairo. Here we are met by our Cairo tour representative and accompanied to our weekend hotel where dinner awaits us. Tonight we welcome the Sabbath at the hotel.
Overnight—Cairo, Egypt.
The day starts with a buffet breakfast and then we are transported to Nile Union Adventist Academy, where we meet with other Adventists for morning worship services. We get a sense of the mission work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Egypt and the needs that remain. After lunch we have some free time to rest or explore the district.
Overnight—Cairo, Egypt.
Our last full day and a highlight—after breakfast we head to the Giza Pyramids that just seem to rise out of the sand. For those who wish there is an optional tour inside one of them to visit the burial chamber. We visit the famous Sphinx, and after lunch we also visit the Pharaonic Village, a recreation that creatively portrays the ancient Egyptian life and culture. Finally we head back to Cairo where we enjoy our hotel dinner and our last night in Egypt.
Overnight—Cairo, Egypt.
After a fabulous unforgettable week and our last buffet breakfast we check-out and are escorted to the Cairo International Airport for our flight home.
