Safari Highlights
Outstanding scenery
Interesting rural countryside
Historical and Cultural interaction
Routing: Cairo-Aswan-Kom-Ombo-Edfu-Luxor-Cairo.
Experience the unsurpassed wonders of ancient Egypt on this 10 day tour. For the first 2 days, you are in Cairo you visiting the Egyptian Museum, which is home to a very large collection of relics from Egypt’s magnificent past. On this tour, you also see the Pyramids of Giza - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Then take an overnight train to Luxor to begin the Nile Cruise. The Nile Cruise experience is a very pleasant and relaxing way to get close to the attractions of Egypt’s antiquity. You will visit some of the famed monuments spread between Luxor and Aswan.
At Aswan you take a leisure sail along the Nile on a felucca - the traditional Nile sailboats. On the second-last day take a day trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel where you visit temples of the great Pharaoh Ramses II and his beloved wife, Nefertari.
Day 1: Arrival Egypt - Cairo
You arrive at Cairo International airport. You will be met by Hallmark Travel Planners representative who will help you through the immigration and customs procedures. You transfer to your air-conditioned private vehicle to your hotel. Overnight at Zoser Hotel or similar.
Day 2: Day in Cairo
After breakfast at your hotel, you meet with the tour guide. Today you visit the Egyptian Museum and, then the Pyramids of Giza, where you will also see the Sphinx - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. At you own discretion and cost , you may enjoy a camel ride round the Pyramids as you contemplate the achievements of Ancient Egypt.
Return to the hotel. Overnight at Zoser Hotel in Cairo
Day 3: Day in Cairo – Overnight Train Cairo to Luxor
You have your breakfast at the hotel. For morning and afternoon, you will be free at leisure. You can do shopping or relax at the hotel. In the evening you transfer to the station to board the overnight Train to Luxor. Dinner & overnight onboard Sleeper Train
Day 4: Luxor
Breakfast will be served onboard Sleeper Train. On arrival at Luxor this morning you transfer to your Nile cruise. Lunch on board before you are introduced to your guide on the cruise. Afternoon visit the West Bank – the location of the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon.
Luxor is the highlight of the cruise. The diversity and range of the monuments in the Luxor area is unsurpassed in the whole of Egypt.
The Valley of Kings is where the rulers of the period historians refer to as the New Kingdom period (BC 1550-1070) awaited the afterlife. Over 60 tombs have so far been excavated in the valley. Among the best tombs to visit are those of Ramses I, Tuthmosis III and Ramses VI. Tutankhamun's is the most famous today.
On the other side of the Valley of Kings you find the Temple of Deir el-Bahri built by Queen Hatshepsut. The temple is very impressive from a distance and is a great place to take photos. Take more photos at the Colossi of Memnon - two huge statues that are the sole legacy of the temple of Amenhotep III. Transfer back to the boat for dinner, music and overnight on board the Nile Cruise
Day 5: Sail from Luxor to Esna to Edfu
Breakfast will be served onboard. Then you begin the tour of East Bank, where you find the Luxor and Karnak Temples.
The Temple of Luxor was dedicated to the god Amon. The temple's entrance is lined with Sphinxes, and inside you find colonnades, courts, obelisks and wall murals.
The Temple of Karnak is a huge, incredibly impressive complex that was dedicated to the god Amon. In the New Kingdom period, this was the most important temple is Egypt. This temple is also probably the largest religious building ever and it can carry no less than 10 average Christian cathedrals. Some of the interesting structures within the complex are the gigantic hypostyle hall, the Kiosk of Tarhaka, the statue of Ramses II, the temple of Ramses III and the sacred lake.
After this tour you go back to the boat where you will have lunch onboard as you sail onwards to Esna and farther to Edfu. You disembark at Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus.
Edfu was the cult centre of Horus the falcon god. It is probably the best preserved of the ancient temples of Egypt. Two majestic granite falcons adorn the entrance and some of the walls bear reliefs depicting Horus. Return to the boat for dinner. Dinner and overnight onboard Nile Cruise.
Day 6: Sail from Edfu to Kom-Ombo to Aswan
After breakfast on the boat, you sail onwards to Kom Ombo. You have lunch onboard before you disembark to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo.
The Graeco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo consists of 2 separate temples. Each of the temples has its own entrance, colonnades, hypostyle hall and sanctuary. The southern temple is dedicated to Sobek - the crocodile god, the northern temple honors Horus - the falcon god.
After this tour you sail onwards to Aswan. You arrive in time for dinner and overnight. After dinner, you may enjoy a disco party. Overnight onboard Nile Cruise.
Day 7: Aswan
After breakfast on the cruise, you will visit the Aswan High Dam, the Old Dam and the Philae Temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis, an important figure in Egyptian mythology. You return for lunch onboard. You will spend the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure in Aswan. Dinner & overnight onboard Nile Cruise.
Day 8: Aswan
After breakfast, you take a leisure sail along the Nile on a felucca. A felucca is a traditional Nile sailboats. After this sailing, you thereafter disembark transfer to your hotel in Aswan. You spend the rest of the day at leisure in Aswan. Overnight at your hotel in Aswan
Day 9: Day Trip in Abu Simbel - Train Aswan to Cairo
After breakfast, k and drive to Abu Simbel. Here you will visit the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Hathor.
Ramses II was a great builder of monuments. The great temple was dedicated Ramses II himself and the gods Harakhty, Amon, and Ptah. You cannot miss the four massive statues of Ramses II. On the walls are reliefs celebrating the triumphs of the pharaoh in many battles. The Temple of Hathor was built to honour Nefertari, Ramses II's much beloved wife, and the goddess Hathor. Both the pharaoh and Nefertari appear on some of he wall murals. You thereafter return to Aswan to take the Sleeper Train to Cairo. Dinner & overnight onboard Sleeper Train.
Day 10: Depart Cairo
Breakfast will be served onboard the overnight train. You arrive Cairo and either transfer to a hotel or to the airport for your homebound flight.
End of services
| Tour Rates | ||||
Season | Period | Adult Rate in US$ (per person sharing) | Single Room Supplement in US$ | |
Low | 1-Jan-2010 to 28-Feb-2010 | 1215 | 803 | |
| Mid | 1-Mar-2010 to 31-Mar-2010 | 1295 | 803 | |
| High | 1-Apr-2010 to 31-Jul-2010 | 1215 | 803 | |
| Peak | 1-Aug-2010 to 31-Aug-2010 | 1295 | 803 | |
| High | 1-Sept-2010 to 31-Nov-2010 | 1215 | 803 | |
| Peak | 1-Dec-2010 to 31-Dec-2010 | 1295 | 803 | |
Instead of the Sleeper Train, you may fly Cairo - Aswan and Luxor - Cairo
Cost. US$210 per person.
There will be a supplement during the Easter Period: April 2 to April 5 inclusive. Cost to be advised.
Children Rates
Children under 12 years of age, pay 50% of the price when sharing with 2 adults.
The prices given above include:
- 3 nights in Cairo at a 5 star hotel on bed and breakfast basis
- 4 nights on 5 star Nile cruiser (full board) and all sightseeing
- 1 night in Aswan at a 5 star hotel on bed and breakfast basis
- Sightseeing in Cairo- include transfer, guide and entrance fees)
- All Transfers in the program
- Trip to Abu Simbel including entrance fees
- Sleeper Train Cairo/Aswan and Luxor/Cairo (including dinner & breakfast)
- Extras at the lodges –tips, drinks, telephone, laundry or any other personal expenses
- International flight into/out of EGYPT - Check out Great Prices for Flights into Africa Here
- Entry Visa to EGYPT
- Departure tax
- All the entrance fees of the sites.
- We do not charge in advance for site entrance fees to allow flexibility to your program. You may choose to skip some of the sites depending upon your interests.
