Day 1, Sat: USA-CAIRO Depart
via overnight transatlantic flight to
Cairo with meals on board.
Day 2, Sun: CAIRO You
will be welcomed by your host at Cairo's
airport who will assist you through customs
and baggage claim formalities & escort
you to your hotel. The remainder of the
day is free to relax and do your own activities.
Day 3, Mon: CAIRO - MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES/
PYRAMIDS & SPHINX OF GIZA (B) Today
your tour starts with the impressive Cairo
Museum of Antiquities. Regarded as one
of the most prominent museums in the world,
it houses treasures from the 1st to the
31st Dynasties of Pharaohs, including
the treasures of King Tutankhamon. From
there continue to the great Pyramid of
Cheops, considered one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world & the enigmatic
Sphinx. Early evening return to hotel.
Day 4, Tue: CAIRO -LUXOR (NILE CRUISE)
- TEMPLES OF LUXOR & KARNAK (B, L,
D) Early this morning you
will be escorted to the Cairo airport
for the short flight to Luxor. Here you
will board your floating hotel for the
next five days. Settle in and enjoy a
peaceful lunch on board. Then, embark
on a tour that explores the Temples of
Karnak & Luxor. Colossal statues,
shrines and obelisks built over the centuries
are featured at the magnificent Temples.
Dinner on board the ship is followed by
a belly dance show. The ship will remain
in port this evening.
Day 5, Wed: LUXOR-EDFU (B, L, D) Cross
the Nile this morning to Luxor's West
Bank, where you will explore the astonishing
ancient kingdom of Thebes. Sightseeing
includes the Valley of the Kings, palatial
resting place of Egypt's Pharaohs. Then,
see the Valley of the Queens, the Temple
of Queen Hatsepsut at Deir El Bahari,
the great Temple of Ramses III, and the
Colossi of Memnon, two huge seated statues
of Amenhotep III, facing the Nile. Return
to the ship and enjoy your lunch on board
as you sail to Edfu. Th Captain's welcome
cocktail party this evening will be followed
by dinner. Overnight in Edfu (elegant
attire is required).
Day 6, Thu: EDFU-KOM OMBO (B, L, D) Sightseeing
this morning in Edfu includes the Temple
of Horus, the falcon god and master of
the sky, where elaborate murals give you
an insight into ancient rituals. Enjoy
lunch on board as you sail south into
Upper Egypt to Kom Ombo. The local excursion
includes Kom Ombo and the temple dedicated
to the two gods, Sobec the crocodile god
and Haroeis, the sun god. Tonight dinner
on board is followed by a Calabeya party.
Ship remains at Kom Ombo this evening.
Day 7, Fri: KOM OMBO-ASWAN (B, L,
D) This morning you will
cruise the Nile deeper into Upper Egypt
to Aswan. Sightseeing includes the High
Dam built by Egypt's President Nasser
to control the flooding of the Nile, the
ancient granite quarries, the unfinished
Obelisk and the Temple of Isis on the
Island of Philae. After lunch on board,
enjoy a felucca (local sail boat) ride
to view Elephantine Island, the hilltop
Mausoleum of Agha Khan & Kichener's
Island. Dinner on board tonight will be
followed by a Nubian folkloric show. Overnight
in Aswan.
Day 8, Sat: ASWAN - CAIRO (B) Disembark
this morning and visit the Old and High
Dams, the ancient Granite Quarries with
the 170 meter-long unfinished Obelisk
and the Temple of Isis rising off the
waters of Lake Nasser on the island of
Philae. Then, transfer to the airport
for your flight to Cairo (an optional
excursion to Abu Simbel is offered before
your flight). You will be met upon arrival
and transferred to your hotel. The remainder
of the day in Cairo is free.
Day 9, Sun: CAIRO - AMMAN (B) Free
morning in Cairo. In the afternoon, check
out from the hotel and transfer to the
airport for your evening flight to Amman.
Upon arrival you will be met, assisted
through Customs and baggage claim formalities
and transferred to your hotel.
Day 10, Mon: AMMAN - CITY TOUR KAN
ZAMAN (B, D) Your tour
of Amman this morning includes visits
to the ancient Citadel, where you will
see remains of the Temple of Hercules,
the Greek-Roman Theater, the Archaeology
and Folklore Museums, and one of the city's
many art galleries. Relax in the afternoon.
In the evening enjoy a typical Jordanian
dinner with folkloric music and dancing
at the Kan Zaman village and handicraft
center.
Day 11, Tue: AMMAN - PELLA, DEAD SEA,
UM QEIS (B) Today you will
drive to the Dead Sea, the lowest point
on earth, to experience floating in the
water. Afterwards, continue north to Pella,
one of the most important cultural centers
of the ancient days. Visit the ruins of
the ancient city and continue to Um Qeis
(Gedara of the ancient days) for a visit
and a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee
and the Golan Hights. Return to Amman.
Day 12, Wed: AMMAN - JERASH, AJLOUN
(B) Your tour today includes
Jerash (Gerasa of antiquity), known as
the City of a Thousand Pillars. See the
Triple Arch Gate, the Hippodrome, the
Theater, and the Roman arena, which is
surrounded by 63 Ionian columns. Continue
to Ajloun to visit the imposing Arab castles
of Qalaat El Rabad, from where the forces
of Salahedin launched their campaigns
against the Crusaders.
Day 13, Thu: AMMAN-PETRA (B, L) Drive
south along the ancient King's Highway,
one of the oldest trade routes in the
world, to the red-rose city of Petra.
Carved in the Rock of the Sharah mountains
by the Nabateans, the city was lost to
civilization until it was rediscovered
by the Swiss traveler Johann L. Burkhardt
in 1812. Walk through the Siq, the only
access to the city between the cliffs,
to reach the treasury, the Theater, the
Courts, the Ttemple and other monuments.
Return to Amman for overnight.
Day 14, Fri: AMMAN-CAIRO (B) Enjoy
a free day in Amman. Late check out from
the hotel and evening transfer to the
airport for your flight to Cairo to connect
with your flight home.
Day 15, Sat: CAIRO-USA Early
morning connection with your flight to
the USA.
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