DETAILS
From the pyramids that defined an empire’s power to the painted tombs that promised eternal life, Egypt guards the world’s most concentrated collection of ancient wonders. In Cairo, a highlight will be exclusive after-hours access to the billion-dollar Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world’s largest archaeological museum. Join Christopher Noey, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and art historian who has researched and traveled to Egypt for decades.
- Pricing from
- $13,999
- Trip Type
- International River Voyages
- Departure Dates
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Dec 29, 2026 - Jan 9, 2027
ITINERARY
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day 1 & 2
Depart your gateway city for Cairo, Egypt
Arrive in Cairo this afternoon and transfer to the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, your home for the next four nights. After introductory remarks from Chris Noey, gather at the welcome reception.
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day 3
Cairo/Giza
This morning, arrive at the Giza Plateau to see the awe inspiring Great Pyramids, built around 2550 B.C. At the Great Sphinx, walk beyond the protective barriers to approach this guardian carved from the bedrock. This evening, ring in the New Year along the Nile with a festive dinner and celebration.
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day 4
Cairo
Rise this morning for a guided tour of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. In the museum’s Royal Mummies Hall, designed to evoke the Valley of the Kings, encounter the preserved remains of 20 New Kingdom rulers. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s restoration laboratory. After lunch, explore Islamic Cairo, stopping at the Gayer-Anderson Museum, which houses a collection of treasures from ancient Egypt, the Islamic world, and China; the ninth-century Ibn Tulun Mosque; and the splendid Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, a Mamlukera wonder known for its intricate calligraphy. Gather for dinner this evening.
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day 5
Cairo / Giza / Sakkara / Cairo
This morning, head to Sakkara and the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, designed by Imhotep around 2670 B.C. Descend into the subterranean network of tunnels and chambers extending some 3.5 miles beneath the pyramid. Visit the painted tomb of Wahtye, a high-ranking priest who served around 2415 to 2405 B.C. The nearly intact tomb was discovered in November 2018 to great fanfare. Lunch is at leisure. After an early dinner this evening, enjoy an exclusive after-hours visit to the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. The museum presents the complete funerary treasure of Tutankhamun, a collection of more than 5,000 objects, for the first time since the tomb’s discovery in 1922.
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day 6
Cairo | Luxor
This morning, board a privately chartered flight to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes. Check into the Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa for an overnight stay. This afternoon, walk the Avenue of Sphinxes, the 1.7-mile processional road connecting Karnak to Luxor Temple. Continue to Karnak, the largest religious complex ever constructed, covering over 247 acres and developed over 2,000 years. Enter the Great Hypostyle Hall, the world’s largest religious hall. Gather for dinner this evening.
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day 7
Luxor | Embark Sanctuary Nile Adventurer
Enjoy a guided morning tour of the Luxor Museum, whose collection focuses on artifacts from the Theban temples and necropolis Make your way to Sanctuary Nile Adventurer, enjoy lunch on board, and settle in. Later, at sunset, explore Luxor Temple, built primarily by Amenhotep III in the 14th century B.C. Gather for dinner aboard the riverboat this evening.
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day 8
Luxor
to view the twin Colossi of Memnon, each standing 60 feet tall and carved from single blocks of quartzite sandstone. Enter the Valley of the Kings, where nearly every ruler from Thutmose I to Ramesses X carved tombs deep into the limestone. Explore the tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), then view the tomb of Seti I (KV17), whose walls display some of the finest painted reliefs in the valley. At Deir el-Bahari, view Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple. Return to Sanctuary Nile Adventurer for lunch and a leisurely afternoon before gathering for dinner this evening.
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day 9
Edfu / Kom Ombo
Arrive in Edfu to explore the Temple of Horus, built during the Ptolemaic period and dedicated to the falcon god. After lunch aboard Sanctuary Nile Adventurer, continue to Kom Ombo, where the temple’s design is symmetrical, with duplicate courts, halls, and sanctuaries dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile deity, and Horus the Elder. This evening, gather for a festive Egyptian dinner.
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day 10
Aswan
From Aswan, travel by local boat to the island-set Temple of Philae. Built primarily during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, the complex blends Egyptian pylons with Hellenistic colonnades. Next, visit the Nubian Museum and its collection of over 3,000 artifacts. Alternatively, venture to the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan’s ancient granite quarries. Gather for a festive farewell dinner this evening.
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day 11
Disembark ship | Abu Simbel | Cairo
Depart by privately chartered flight to Abu Simbel and view the temples of Ramesses II, which were carved directly from a mountainside between approximately 1264 and 1244 B.C. These temples were relocated in the 1960s to save them from submersion due to the building of the High Dam. After lunch, continue by private plane to Cairo, where you will gather for dinner this evening at the hotel.
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day 12
Cairo /This morning, transfer/Depart for home city
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Everything you need to know about the tour
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Take in the timeless grandeur of the one of the world’s most alluring waterways in remarkable comfort and style aboard the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer. Outfitted with 30 cabins that afford breathtaking views of the Nile, this sophisticated, intimate ship serves as your tranquil floating oasis while exploring Egypt’s ancient tombs, temples and treasures. Savor the refined ambience of social spaces and staterooms elegantly appointed with chic, upscale furnishings in warm, serene tones. Exceptional gourmet cuisine and impeccable service from the attentive staff add to your cruising enjoyment for an incomparable Nile River journey.
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza
Located on the Nile in downtown Cairo, this grand property features excellent dining, an award-winning spa, and rooms and suites with city and river views. The Pyramids of Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, and the 12th-century Citadel lie within easy reach of the hotel.
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
Located on the West Bank’s Nile waterfront minutes from Karnak and Luxor Temples, this property features a modern spa, an infinity pool with submerged loungers, and diverse dining options in riverside settings.
Sanctuary Nile Adventurer
With just 30 cabins and decorated in a contemporary style, this boutique riverboat combines modern Egyptian culture with 7,000 years of heritage. Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis Discover exceptional services, a rejuvenating spa, a swimming pool, and carefully curated dining concepts at this recently renovated hotel, easily accessible to Cairo’s international airport.
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