After breakfast at your hotel, visit the ancient capital of Memphis. View the 80-ton Alabaster Sphinx and the limestone Colossus of Ramesses II. 

When Memphis was the capital of Egypt, Sakkara was its necropolis, built for King Zoser of the 3rd dynasty by the poet, high priest, physician and architect, Imhotep. Imhotep was the first to build stone tombs in honor of the king's majesty and designed the tomb and its surrounding complex to be as grand as it was unique and revolutionary.

Deceased pharaohs, family members and sacred animals were ceremoniously transported from Memphis to be permanently enshrined in a myriad of pyramids and tombs at Sakkara. The Step Pyramid of King Zoser is Egypt’s oldest pyramid and still the most noticeable feature of Sakkara. 

Step into the fragrant aromas and spices of middle eastern cuisine with lunch at the Mena Housel which overlooks the Giza Pyramids.  
This afternoon you will visit the Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. Three Pharaohs – Cheops, his son Chephren, and Chephren's son Mycerinus – each built a pyramid to preserve his mummified body for eternity.

Your visit includes entrance into the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the oldest and largest in Giza and one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. The Sphinx faces east to greet the rising sun representing the return of life each day

After breakfast at your hotel, meet with your private Egyptologist guide and start your tour of the Egyptian Museum, which houses Egypt's richest collection of antiquities.

Visit the Citadel of Salah al-Din, a massive fortress that was home to Egypt’s rulers for more than 700 years. Today the Citadel is a complex of three mosques and four museums. Visit the Alabaster Mosque (Mosque of Muhammad Ali, one of the last rulers to reside in the Citadel) and enjoy its incredible hilltop views of Cairo. Visit Civilization Museum and Mummy room, 

Your sightseeing concludes with a visit to the oldest bazaar in the Middle East, the Khan El Khalili, known for its several alleys and hundreds of small little shops selling various items. In addition to the usual souvenirs and trinkets, the narrow lanes of the bazaar still conceal some fine workmanship and true works of art. Among the better bargains at the Khan are leather goods, inlaid boxes, brass, and copper

Visit the Perfume Bazaar and sample the various exotic scents of Egypt.

Lunch today will be served at the Naguib Mahfouz restaurant.

This morning you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Luxor. 

Please Note: Luggage restrictions on the EgyptAir domestic flights is 23 kg/50 lbs. in luggage that does not exceed the dimensions of 62 inches / 158 cm and one piece of hand luggage with a maximum weight of 8 kg. 

DEPART CAIRO

9:50 AM
MS 361

ARRIVE LUXOR
10:50 AM

(Booked and ticketed in Egypt)

You will be met on arrival and transferred to the port to board the Tosca, your floating Nile hotel for the next 4-nights. 

Lavishly adorned with original artwork, marble floors and rich, warm, wood paneling throughout, the River Toscasets a new standard of luxury on the Nile. Old world elegance and sophistication blend in perfect harmony with modern amenities and comforts aboard the ultra-luxurious River Tosca.

Each of the rooms has balconies for incredible Nile River views and custom-made beds draped with the finest bed linens. Added conveniences include a vanity, make-up mirror, generous built-in closets, a hair dryer, safe, individual air conditioning, and flat-screen television with satellite channels. The bathrooms have both a bathtub and shower

The ship offers a lounge with full-service bar, cozy library, elegant restaurant, sun deck with cabanas and a swimming pool, fully equipped gym and massage room, gift boutique, and wireless Internet access in public areas.

After lunch on board, your activities begin with an excursion to the Karnak Temple, a complex of temples, obelisks, pylons, court colonnades, hall reliefs and sanctuaries. The most famous part is the Hypostyle Hall which contains 134 columns: 12 in the central aisle and 122 in wings on either side. The construction took place over a period of 1300 years.

Visit the Temple of Hathor, a wonderfully preserved site, complete with massive stone roof, dark chambers, underground passages, and towering columns inscribed with hieroglyphs. Visit the Luxor Temple, which stands in the center of the town, built mainly by Amenhotep III in the 18th Dynasty to demonstrate the power of this New Kingdom pharaoh.

This morning, cross the Nile to Luxor's West Bank, best known by its Greek name, Thebes. During the 18th and 19th dynasties, Thebes was the capital of Egypt and became the permanent residence of the Pharaohs during that period. The West bank of the Nile is the Theban Necropolis where the Pharaohs were buried, and the Valley of the Kings has more than 60 tombs carved in the rock.

The Egyptian Council of Antiquities sets the rotation schedule and only 13 tombs are open at one time. Your excursion includes visits to 3 of the tombs. Most experts say the reliefs in the tomb of Seti I are the most beautiful. The most famous is the tomb of Tutankhamun. Please Note: For entrance into the tomb of Tutankhamen an additional ticket is needed and can be arranged for in Luxor and will be your own account.

Visit the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler. Many Egyptologists think that the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri is the finest building in Egypt and one of the most impressive in the world. As you start back toward the Nile, you will see remains of two gigantic statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The twin statues depict Amenhotep III in a seated position, his hands resting on his knees and his gaze turned eastward toward the river and the rising sun. Including the stone platforms on which they stand, they reach a towering 60 ft. in height.

Return to the boat at approximately 1:00pm this afternoon for lunch and continue your southbound journey to Esna.This evening, the captain will host a welcome cocktail function, followed by dinner and dancing.

After lunch and afternoon tea, visit the dual temple in Kom Ombo, divided into two symmetrical halves; the left side is dedicated to the falcon-headed God "Heroeris" and the right side to the crocodile God "Sobek."

Return to the ship for a fun-filled Egyptian dinner and Galabeya party, including typical Egyptian music and activities.

This morning sail to Aswan and visit the High Dam built in 1960, which took ten years to complete, and the granite quarries. 

Much of the red granite used for ancient temples and colossi came from quarries in the Aswan area. Your excursion will also take you to the Philae Temple that was threatened by the rising waters caused first by the old Aswan Dam and later by the High Dam.

The temple complex was dismantled and reassembled on the higher ground of Agilika Island. The main sanctuary on the island is dedicated to the Goddess Isis and her son Horus. Egyptians thought Isis was the Goddess of Magic, when she wept the Nile flooded and the first people were created from her tears.

Return to the ship for lunch at 1:00pm. This afternoon at 4:00pm, board a felucca for a sail across the Nile and a visit to the Botanical Gardens on Plantation Island, also known as Kitchener’s Island.

Return to the ship in time for afternoon tea. Relax and unwind before getting ready for dinner and a Nubian show with live music.

Disembark the boat at 8:00am this morning, after breakfast. You will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to Cairo.

Please Note: Luggage restrictions on the EgyptAir domestic flights is 23 kg/50 lbs. in luggage that does not exceed the dimensions of 62 inches / 158 cm and one piece of hand luggage with a maximum weight of 8 kg. 

DEPART ASWAN​​​ 2:30 PM​​MS 466​​​

ARRIVE CAIRO​​​​ 4:00 PM​​

On arrival at Cairo Airport, you will be met and transferred to Hilton Heliopolis where you have a reserved dayroom for use until your airport transfer.

Around midnight you will be transferred to Cairo International Airport with a very early morning international departure flight. Leave with fond memories of your Egyptian holiday!