Taste of Egypt
10 Day River Cruise & Tour
Join us for an adventure to ancient Egypt, as well as its modern enjoyments on a Nile River cruise for the ages. Arrive in Cairo, and explore the pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. See the Ramses II statue in Memphis and King Tut’s tomb in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum. (Note: upon its opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza will replace Cairo’s Egyptian Museum for this itinerary.) In Old Cairo, see the Church of the Virgin Mary (also called the Hanging Church), built in the place where Mary and Jesus were said to find refuge during their flight to Egypt, and visit the Alabaster Mosque. These and more exciting discoveries are to be found as you see Egypt’s incredible monuments to pharaohs and gods of Egyptian history.
Fly to Luxor to embark on your Nile River cruise. You’ll visit the Luxor Temple, Avenue of the Sphinxes, monument of Karnak, and the Temple of Amun-Ra before enjoying an onboard welcome reception on your ship. Visit the valley of Kings and Valley of Queens, where the pristine tomb of King Tut was found with undisturbed riches and splendor. This incredible cruise on the Nile River takes you to amazing ancient sites, including the twin temples at Kom Ombo, devoted to the crocodile god Sobek-Ra and the falcon god Horus. Ponder the magnitude of the task of building the pyramids with a visit to the granite quarries—where an unfinished obelisk still remains. Visit the Temple of Isis, then take a return flight to Cairo to wander the world’s largest open-air museum, and browse the bustling maze of the endless bazaar in Cairo’s medieval alleys. Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation tour in Cairo, expedition to the Egyptian pyramids, and a Nile River cruise you’ll never forget.
Countries: Egypt
River(s): Nile
Pricing
River cruise starting at $3,849* CAD per person, based on double occupancy
10 Days – Cairo to Cairo (4 night river cruise, 3 nights Cairo pre-cruise, 2 nights Cairo post-cruise)
Inclusions
- Outside cabins with panoramic windows.
- Included shore excursions with Egyptologist.
- Headsets for shore excursions.
- Refresh yourself in the swimming pool.
- Unwind in the spa.
- Modern bathrooms.
- Enjoy color satellite TV on the Nile River.
- Large closets with shelves for ample storage.
- Delicious meals – both Western and Eastern cuisine.
- English-speaking crew.
- Remarkable service throughout the cruise.
- Internet access on the Nile River to stay in touch with family.
- Complimentary glass of wine or beer at dinner.
- Complimentary soft drinks with lunch and dinner.
Ship amenities
- All staterooms feature French balconies.
- On board Egyptian cooking class by the chef.
- Pillow menu included: you will be able to choose from a range of soft, water pillow, orthopedic, sponge pillows.
- Free use of gym – sauna and steam (massages à la carte excluded).
- Wide TV LED Screen with free cable.
- Free Wi-fi internet connection throughout the ship.
- Telescope at disposal on the sundeck.
- Special library dedicated to Paulo Coelho.
- Welcome drink and refreshing towels upon arrival.
- Fruit basket, cookies, canapés & nuts.
- Kettle with tea packets available and Nescafe will be served in cabins.
- The boat offers all the services and facilities needed to organize special events on board.
- Large restaurant on board.
- Lounge bar on board.
- Pool bar on board.
Dining
- Vegetarian options for lunch and dinner.
- Tea and coffee will be served during lunch and dinner.
- Barbecue lunches and dinners on sun deck (weather permitting).
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day
Day 1
Location(s)
Cairo, Egypt
Meals
Description
Welcome to Cairo, “Mother of the World”.
Accommodation: Marriott Mena House OR Hilton Heliopolis (or similar, 3 nights)
Day 2
Cairo
Breakfast, Lunch
Desert Sands and Secrets of the Sphinx
Classic – This morning take a close-up look at one of the World’s Seven Wonders and guardian of the great pyramids, the enigmatic Sphinx, and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Cheops, with an original height of 496 feet, is the most colossal pyramid ever built, and of course enjoy the visit to the newly discovered the Sun Boats.
Afterwards, enjoy a special open lunch in one of the most beautiful local restaurant.
Classic – Drive to Sakkara, a vast desert necropolis built for kings and nobles, and its “Stairway to the Sky,” the oldest of all pyramids. Also admire the special tomb of Mary Roca and the Step Pyramid.
Classic – Guided Excursion to the pyramids this evening features a Sound and Light Show complete with historical stories and secrets of the Sphinx.
Day 3
Cairo
Breakfast
Ancient Cairo, a Boy King, and the Christ Child
Classic – Enjoy a guided visit to the now-famous Tahrir Square and visit the Egyptian Museum. Peruse King Tutankhamun’s fabulous treasures and many other priceless artifacts of ancient Egypt.
Drive to walled city of Old Cairo, with Saladin’s 12th-century citadel, and the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali.
Drive to “Coptic Cairo” to see the Hanging Church where the Virgin Mary and Jesus sought refuge while in Egypt. Walk to see Cairo’s oldest Jewish synagogue, founded in the 9th century.
* Note: upon its opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza will replace Cairo’s Egyptian Museum for this itinerary.
Day 4
Cairo – Luxor (embarkation)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The World’s Greatest Open-Air Museum
Fly 300 miles up the Nile Valley to Luxor to embark on your Nile River cruise.
Classic – See the stunning monuments of Luxor and Karnak, ancient cities whose combined populations swelled to more than one million. Walk among the pillars of the colossal Temple of Amun Ra and along the Avenue of the Sphinxes for an experience you will treasure for a lifetime.
Consider an Optional Guided Excursion to enjoy the sound and light show in Karnak Temple.
Overnight Docking in Luxor
Day 5
Luxor – Edfu
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Royal Resting Places of Kings and Queens
Classic – Venture to the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens on the west bank of the Nile where generations of pharaohs and nobles were entombed in cliffside crypts. See where 62 royal tombs have thus far been discovered, of which one was virtually intact—the splendid tomb of Tutankhamun discovered in 1922.
Visit Deir El-Bahri, Queen Hatshepsut’s monumental rock temple. Stop for pictures at the two Colossi of Memnon guarding the valleys.
Overnight Docking in Edfu
Day 6
Edfu – Kom Ombo – Aswan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Egyptian Gods of the River and Sky
Classic – This morning visit the Temple of Horus with its menacing black stone statue of the falcon god.
Enjoy beautiful Kom Ombo for a short walk to its bluff-top twin temples. The right side is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek-Ra, while the left side is dedicated to the falcon god Horus.
Enjoy a leisurely sail to Aswan.
Discovery – Enjoy an exclusive lecture on this ancient civilization by your Egyptologist
Overnight Docking in Aswan
Day 7
Aswan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Temples from Above and Islands Below
This morning, consider a Guided Optional Excursion with a flight over the huge massive sandstone temples of Abu Simbel (weather permitting).
Classic – Board a Felucca (traditional wooden sailing boat) and cross the blue waters of the Nile. En route, see the ancient water measurement system, “Nilometer,” on the Nile’s Elephantine Island. Visit Kitchener Island’s lush Botanical Gardens and the splendid Aga Khan Mausoleum on the left bank.
Join an Optional Excursion to the Sound and Light show in Philae Temple.
Tonight, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
Overnight Docking in Aswan
Day 8
Aswan (disembarkation) – Cairo
Breakfast
Work in Progress and the Goddess Isis
Classic – Join a Guided Sightseeing Excursion at to explore the Granite Quarries that supplied ancient Egypt with its hard stones for the pyramids in Giza. See the famous unfinished obelisk, still remaining in the quarry.
Visit the gigantic Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970. Board a motor launch to the island of Agilika between the two dams. Visit the Temple Of Isis, which was dismantled from the submerged island of Philae and reassembled here.
Board your flight back to Cairo later today, and consider attending an Optional Dinner Cruise on the Nile to celebrate your Egyptian adventure.
Accommodation: Marriott Mena House OR Hilton Heliopolis (or similar, 2 nights)
Day 9
Cairo
Breakfast
Amazing Palaces and Marketplace Mazes
Classic – Enjoy a special tour of the world’s widest open-air museum to admire palaces and mosques. Browse the maze of shops in the vast labyrinths of the Khan al Khali Souk bazaar and Medieval alleyways.
Take in a full panoramic view of Cairo from the Nile River—on board a traditional wooden sailing vessel (Felucca).
Discover Cairo by night on an orientation tour in the old city.
Day 10
Cairo
Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Interested in the itinerary above? Click on the “START PLANNING” button below and reference “Taste of Egypt” in the form, or give us a call at 587.997.5969 to book.
An adventure designed specifically for you
Let us work with you to tailor a journey based on your travel style and interests. We can use the existing itinerary above as a foundation, or build one from scratch to create your ideal vacation. Connect with us to start the conversation.
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*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change and availability.