Enjoy our Premium Highlights plus these extra tour features

Insight's Cruising

• 3 Night Nile cruise on MS Miriam or MS Sapphire (or similar) with all cruise boat gratuities included
• First Class and Deluxe hotels with service charges, taxes & porterage
• Scheduled air travel Luxor to Cairo
• Overnight sleeper train, Cairo to Aswan with twin berth cabins
• Sightseeing by air-conditioned coach
• Professional multi-lingual Egyptologist/ Tour Director to escort you
• Services of Insight’s Manager in Cairo
• Travel bag, document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Excursions & Sights

• See the Rameses II statue & Alabaster Sphinx
• See the Step Pyramid of Zozer in Sakkara
• See the Great Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx
• See Tutankhamun’s treasure in the Egyptian Museum
• Views over Cairo from the Citadel & visit to Mohamed Ali’s alabaster Mosque
• Visit the Aswan High Dam & see the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries
• Sail on a traditional ‘felucca’
• Visit the Temples at Edfu & Kom Ombo
• Tour the temples of Luxor & Karnak
• See the Colossi of Memnon and visit the Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut temple

Guided City Tours

• In-depth sightseeing tour in Cairo.
• Orientation tours in Luxor and Aswan

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival and departure transfers between Cairo airport and the tour hotel

Quality Dining

• Egyptian Dinner and Galabea Party with entertainment
• 8 Buffet Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 4 special-menu Dinners, or Buffets, plus bottled water or tea or coffee while cruising

10 Days ~ Egypt

DAY 1 – FRI – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Cairo.

DAY 2 – SAT – ARRIVE CAIRO
Welcome to Egypt! You are met at Cairo airport and transferred to your tour hotel.
Hotel: Marriott.

DAY 3 – SUN – CAIRO SIGHTSEEING
Drive to Memphis to see the statue of Rameses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Continue on to Sakkara to view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, which is the oldest in the world. Now time to gaze in awe at the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. (BB)

DAY 4 – MON – CAIRO – OVERNIGHT TRAIN
Visit the Egyptian Museum to see King Tutankhamun’s mask and other treasures recovered from the Pharaoh’s tomb. At the citadel of Salah El Din enjoy fine views over the city before visiting the alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali. Spend a leisurely afternoon in Cairo before boarding your overnight sleeper train to exotic Aswan. (BB,D)

DAY 5 – TUE – ASWAN SIGHTSEEING
Sightseeing begins with a visit to the Aswan High Dam. Then take a motorboat to the Temple of Isis on Philae Island. See the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries before continuing to your hotel for afternoon tea on the terraces so loved by Agatha Christie.
Hotel: New Cataract. (BB)

DAY 6 – WED – CRUISING ASWAN
Maybe take an optional excursion to the Temples of Rameses II at Abu Simbel, this morning. Later, board your Nile cruiser.   Ship: MS Medea/MS Sapphire (or similar). (BB,L,D)

DAY 7 – THU – CRUISING EDFU
Enjoy a ride around the Aswan Botanical Gardens on a traditional Nile felucca before setting sail for Kom Ombo. Here, visit the Temple of Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. Enjoy the scenery now as you cruise to Edfu. Spend the evening enjoying an Egyptian dinner and Galabea party. (BB,L,HD)

DAY 8 – FRI – CRUISING LUXOR
Visit the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus, the Falcon God. Continue cruising through Esna Lock to Luxor where you visit Luxor Temple. (BB,L,D)

DAY 9 – SAT – LUXOR – CAIRO
Cross to the West Bank of the Nile to see the huge Colossi of Memnon and visit the Temple of Hatshepsut. Continue to the Valley of the Kings to visit several of the Pharoahs’ tombs. Return to Luxor and the enormous Temple complex of Karnak. Among its many splendors is the Hypostle Hall, the largest of any temple in the world. Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Cairo.
Hotel: Marriott. (BB)

DAY 10 – SUN – RETURN TO USA
There are transfers to the airport today for your onward flights. (BB)

Fellow Passengers
Being the perfect blend of touring, cruising and city stay, this tour really appeals to a broad cross section of people. However, like all visitors to Egypt, your fellow passengers are lured by the mystery of this ancient land, its ancient buildings and its thousands of years of history.

Highlights
All who come to Egypt yearn for their first glimpse of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. However, many are surprised by the equally impressive temple complex of Karnak. Picture the hunt for King Tut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings and then witness the treasure itself in the Egyptian Museum.

Enjoy our Premium Highlights plus these extra tour features

Insight's Nile Cruising

• 4 night Nile cruise on MS Medea or MS Sapphire (or similar) with all cruise boat gratuities included
• Deluxe hotel with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Scheduled air travel Cairo/Luxor and Aswan/CairoSightseeing by air-conditioned coach
• Insight’s professional multi-lingual Egyptologist/Tour Director accompanies you Services of Insight’s Representative in Egypt
• Insight Traveler document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Excursions & Sights

• See the colossal statue of Rameses II & great alabaster sphinx in Memphis
• View the Step Pyramid of King Zoser in Sakkara, the oldest in the world
• Tour the Temple complex of Karnak with its vast Hypostyle Hall
• Photo opportunity at the towering Colossi of Memnon
• Visit the Temple of Sobek at Kom Ombo and the Temple of Horus at Edfu
• Sail by traditional ‘felucca’ around the Botanical Gardens in Aswan
• Visit the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries and see the Aswan High Dam
• Visit Mohammed Ali Mosque and enjoy views over Cairo from the Citadel

Guided City Tours

• In-depth sightseeing tour with audio headset in Cairo. Orientation tour in Luxor & Aswan

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival and departure transfers between Cairo airport and your Insight tour hotel

Quality Dining & Entertainment

• Egyptian dinner and Galabea Party with entertainment (HD)
• 8 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 4 Lunches (L) and 3 Dinners (D), plus bottled water or tea or coffee with included lunches and dinners whilst cruising

10 Days ~ Egypt

Tour Pace
A perfect balance of touring, cruising and Cairo sightseeing. A two-night stay in Cairo at the beginning of the tour allows you time to adjust to your new surroundings. Then four fabulous nights relaxing on your Nile cruise, before disembarking for two more nights back in Cairo to complete your sightseeing.

DAY 1 – WED – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Cairo.

DAY 2 – THU – CAIRO AT LEISURE
Welcome to Egypt! You are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
Hotel: Marriott.

DAY 3 – FRI – CAIRO SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast and a detailed pre-tour briefing with your Tour Director, commence your sightseeing in Memphis, capital of the Old Kingdom, where a colossal statue of Rameses II and a great alabaster sphinx awaits. Nearby at Sakkara, view the Step Pyramid of Zoser I; dating from 2686BC, it’s the oldest in the world. Now enjoy a guided tour of Giza where you will see the enigmatic Sphinx and the magnificent Pyramids with a highlight visit inside one of these extraordinary creations! Later return for the magical Sound & Light Show which literally illuminates the ancient history of Giza! (BB)

DAY 4 – SAT – CAIRO – LUXOR – CRUISING
Fly to Luxor, the former capital of the New Kingdom. In private moorings near the edge of town, your cruise boat awaits. Board in time for lunch and then enjoy a horse and carriage ride to Luxor Temple which provides an unforgettable introduction to ancient Egypt. Now tour the awe inspiring temple complex of Karnak with its vast Hypostyle Hall, and avenues of sphinxes.
Ship: MS Medea/MS Sapphire. (BB,L,D)

DAY 5 – SUN – CRUISING – EDFU
After breakfast, cross to the west bank of the Nile and stop for a photo of the towering Colossi of Memnon. These two giant seated figures are all that is left of Amon-Ofis III mortuary temple. Visit the amazing Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, blending into the cliff face above. Continue to the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of many of the New Kingdom Pharaohs, before cruising south to Esna (see Esna Lock closure, below) and Edfu. (BB,L,D)

DAY 6 – MON – CRUISING – KOM OMBO
This morning visit the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus, (the Falcon God) possibly the most complete in Egypt. Continue to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Sobek, the crocodile god, conveniently situated on the river bank. Celebrate in true Egyptian style at an Oriental Dinner and Galabea Party. (BB,L,HD)

DAY 7 – TUE – CRUISING – ASWAN
Cruise to exotic Aswan in the cool of early morning. Visit the Aswan High Dam and also the ancient Granite Quarries to see the enormous unfinished obelisk. Take a motorboat to the Temple of Isis, rising from the waters of the Nile on the Island of Philae. Later, return to Aswan and sail in a traditional Nile felucca around Aswan’s Botanical Gardens. (BB,L,D)

DAY 8 – WED – ASWAN – CAIRO
This morning, why not join an optional excursion to the temples of Abu Simbel, carved out of the rock by Rameses II and later rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser (see right). Otherwise, spend the morning in Aswan as you wish, before your transfer to the airport for your return flight to Cairo.
Hotel: Marriott. (BB)

DAY 9 – THU – CAIRO SIGHTSEEING
Visit the Citadel for a breathtaking view of the city of Cairo. Salah El Din started the Citadel in the 12th century, but it owes its present outline to Mohammed Ali, whose great Mosque you will visit next. Later, enjoy a highlight visit to the famous Egyptian Museum. Here, among the many thousands of artifacts on display, view Tutankhamun’s splendid treasures, including his splendid burial mask. Do you believe in the curse of the ‘boy king’? (BB)

DAY 10 – FRI – RETURN TO USA
The tour ends with transfers to the airport. (BB)

Itinerary Variations
Certain Nile cruises operate in reverse, from Aswan to Luxor. Due to the unreliability of domestic air scheduling, religious festivals and other unforeseen circumstances, the order of this itinerary may need to change at short notice. On occasions an alternative cruise boat of equal standard may be used.

Esna Lock Closure
The Esna Lock will be closed from 01-30 Jun & 01-16 Dec 2008, and cruise boats will not be permitted to travel between Luxor and Esna at this time. On tours spanning these dates, Luxor sightseeing as featured in the itinerary will be operated by coach from Esna instead of by boat.

Abu Simbel Optional Tour
(available with Egypt tours)

This immensely popular excursion, visiting the awe-inspiring Temples of Rameses II at Abu Simbel, should be booked at the same time as your tour to avoid disappointment.

Abu Simbel is the most beautiful and imaginative construction of the greatest and most whimsical Pharaoh in Egyptian history – Rameses II. The facade consists of four colossal statues of the Pharaoh seated on his throne. Each statue is 20 meters high, measures four meters from ear to ear and one meter along the line of the lips.

To the Pharaoh’s architects, the temple represented a tremendous challenge which, two thousand years later, was to be taken up again by the engineers of the world in order to save it from the waters of the Nile.

Tour Code: X884.

Fellow Passengers
In times past you may have found yourself rubbing shoulders with Julius Caesar, Napoleon or Agatha Christie. Nowadays, your companions will be like-minded people who enjoy traveling in comfort and style, and who have been lured by the romance and history of this ancient land.

Highlights
The Pyramids, Karnak, the Egyptian Museum, Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, the temples at Edfu and Kom Ombo – they are all here. The superior standard of hotels and the Nile cruise ship is also a highlight, as is the chance to soak up Egypt’s past as you take high tea on the famous terrace in Aswan.

Enjoy our Premium Highlights plus these extra tour features

Insight's Nile Cruising

• 3 night Nile cruise on the top rated MS Tower Prestige (or similar) with cruise boat gratuities included
• Deluxe hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Scheduled air travel between Cairo/Aswan & Luxor/CairoSightseeing by air-conditioned coach
• Insight’s professional multi-lingual Egyptologist/Tour Director accompanies you Services of Insight’s Representative in Cairo
• Insight Traveler document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Excursions & Sights

• Visit the famous Khan El Khalili bazaars & see the Sakkara Step Pyramid in Cairo
• Visit the unfinished obelisk in the granite quarries & see Aswan High Dam
• Sail on a ‘felucca’ around Aswan’s Botanical gardens
• Tour the temple at Kom Ombo dedicated to Sobek & Horus
• Tour Luxor Temple and the awesome Karnak Temple See the Colossi of Memnon

Guided City Tours

• In-depth sightseeing tour with audio headset in Cairo. Orientation tours in Luxor & Aswan

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival & departure transfers between Cairo airport and your tour hotel

Quality Dining & Entertainment

• Egyptian dinner and Galabea Party with entertainment while cruising (HD)
• All local wine and local beers and soft drinks included while cruising9 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 3 Lunches (L) and 2 Dinners, plus bottled water or tea or coffee (D)

11 Days ~ Egypt

Tour Pace
Relaxed and leisurely as you would expect with our most upmarket Nile cruise. With four nights in Cairo, and overnight stops in Aswan and Luxor, you have the opportunity to take in and fully appreciate all the ancient tombs, museums, temples and monuments on this well paced tour.

DAY 1 – MON – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Cairo.

DAY 2 – TUE – ARRIVE CAIRO
Welcome to Egypt - part of the Holyland, furnished with ancient temples and tombs, and lavish backdrop for many of history’s most enthralling tales. On arrival in Cairo, you will be met and transferred to one of the best hotels in Cairo, where your room will overlook the River Nile.
Hotel: Conrad.

DAY 3 – WED – CAIRO SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast and a detailed pre-tour briefing with your Tour Director, there is no better introduction to Egypt than a visit to the Egyptian Museum! There are mind boggling exhibits from all periods of Egyptian history, but it’s the treasures recovered from Tutankhamun’s tomb that will take your breath away. Then time to visit the famous Khan El Khalili bazaars to try your bargaining skills. This evening attend a magical Sound & Light Show at the world famous Pyramids, which literally illuminates the ancient history of Giza! (BB)

DAY 4 – THU – CAIRO – ASWAN
A morning flight across the Egyptian desert takes you to the exotic city of Aswan. There is the option of joining an excursion by air to Abu Simbel to view the fabulous temples carved out of the cliff side by Rameses II and later transported, in an amazing feat of modern engineering, out of the rising waters of Lake Nasser (see page 158 for details). Later, take a ride in a local sailing boat, a felucca, around Kitchener Island, to see Aswan’s Botanical Gardens. Stay on the banks of the Nile in one of Egypt’s most elegant hotels, built in the 19th century by Thomas Cook. As night falls, you are treated to high tea on the terrace of your hotel while enjoying the glowing sunset.
Hotel: Old Cataract. (BB)

DAY 5 – FRI – ASWAN – CRUISING
Visit the Aswan High Dam and the granite quarries where many of Ancient Egypt’s obelisks were made. See the unfinished obelisk still attached to the granite bedrock, commissioned by Hatshepsut but abandoned due to a large fault line. Take a motorboat across the Nile to the extraordinarily preserved temple complex of Isis on the island of Philae before boarding one of the most stylish and spacious boats in Egypt for your all-inclusive cruise. Set sail for Kom Ombo to see the riverside temple, uniquely dedicated to both the crocodile god, Sobek, and the falcon-headed Horus. Continue cruising and dock overnight at Edfu.
Ship: MS Tower Prestige. (BB,L,D)

DAY 6 – SAT – CRUISING
This morning you visit the well preserved temple of Horus at Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God. Sit back and relax with a cold soft drink, local beer, glass of wine or bottle of water – all included on the cruise. Enjoy the ever-changing scenery as you float downstream to Luxor. On arrival, take a horse & carriage ride to visit the beautiful temple of Luxor. In the evening, don traditional attire for a fun-filled Egyptian Dinner and Galabea Party. (BB,L,HD)

DAY 7 – SUN – CRUISING
Cross the Nile by air-conditioned coach to the West Bank to see the huge Colossi of Memnon, and visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, blending into the cliff face above. Visit the Valley of the Kings, where the archeologist Carter unearthed Tutankhamen’s secret tomb. Return to Luxor to visit the immense Karnak temple, dedicated to the sun god Amon. Wander amid the avenues of sphinxes and halls of gigantic columns – an unforgettable journey into the world of Ancient Egypt. (BB,L,D)

DAY 8 – MON – LUXOR AT LEISURE
Disembark your cruise boat this morning and check into your famous hotel. Originally built in 1886 to attract the nobility of Europe, it has been home to Howard Carter, Jane Fonda, King Farouk as well as many other crown princes and princesses. Spend the afternoon at leisure. A visit to the Luxor Museum is just one suggestion.
Hotel: Old Winter Palace. (BB)

DAY 9 – TUE – LUXOR – CAIRO
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Cairo where you are at leisure. Perhaps take an optional excursion to visit the Coptic Museums and hanging church?
Hotel: Conrad. (BB)

DAY 10 – WED – CAIRO SIGHTSEEING
Your tour comes to an exciting climax today with a tour of the riches of Giza. First drive to Sakkara to see the Step Pyramid of King Zoser; the oldest pyramid in the world, it dates from 2700 BC. Now enjoy a guided tour of Giza where you see the enigmatic Sphinx and the magnificent Pyramids with a highlight visit inside one of these extraordinary creations! (BB)

DAY 11 – THU – RETURN TO USA
The tour ends with transfers to Cairo Airport. (BB)