Guardian Travel

Highlights

4 Nights in Cairo

4 Nights on board a Nile Cruise

Overview
Itinerary

Round trip air from JFK airport and all Intra-Egypt flight.
3 daily meals.
5 Stars Deluxe accommodations.
5 days on board a 5 stars deluxe Nile Cruise including all excursions.
Guided tour and entrance fees to all sites listed on the itinerary.
Camel ride.
Authentic home hosted Egyptian dinner.
Traditional Felucca ride on the Nile.
Claiming luggage on your behalf at all Egyptian airports.
Transferring luggage to rooms at all hotels.
All up to date taxes, service charges, and fees.
Optional visit to the temples Abu Simbel.

Day 01: Board overnight flight to Cairo. Meals & movies on board flight.

Day 02: Guardian Travel representatives will greet us as soon as we walk inside Cairo airport. Assistance with baggage claim and customs. Our private air conditioned motor-coach will transfer us to hotel. Luggage will be transferred to rooms while Guardian Travel’s representatives handout room keys. Enjoy a welcome dinner at hotel.

(Snack, Dinner)

Day 03: Today we encounter the world’s most ancient civilization and the only remaining monuments of the world's Seven Wonders. Drive to Saqqara, which is filled with tombs lying beneath the heaped mounds. As we enter the tombs, our guide will explain their significance and decipher the stories told in the beautiful hieroglyphics lining its walls. Visit the Step Pyramid, the first freestanding stone building in history and the first pyramid ever built. Drive to the Giza Plateau and visit the Pyramids of Giza and their guardian the Sphinx. Explore the interior of various tombs and Kephren’s Pyramid. Enjoy a camel/horse back ride.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 04: After breakfast begin our day exploring the Egyptian Museum, housing the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic relics. Marvel at the enormous sarcophagi, statues, jewelry, and the magnificent golden master pieces of King Tut. Later, we proceed to Old Cairo which is truly a multi-faith area where Jewish, Christian and Islamic monuments all stand next to one another. Here we will see the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra synagogue, the Citadel of Saladin and Mohamed Ali’s Mosque.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 05: Check out of hotel after breakfast. This morning fly from Cairo to Luxor, “the City of Palaces,” which holds two thirds of the world’s monuments and offers its visitors huge temples and colorful tombs. Visit Karnack temple, which is a vast open-air museum. It is a group of temples surrounded by one enclosure wall that is dedicated to the god Amon-Ra. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings.

Board our 5 stars deluxe Nile Cruise. Cabins are airy with large windows facing the Nile. The ship is a floating hotel with shops, fine dining, bar and lounge with nightly entertainment. Relax on the sun deck around the swimming pool where you will enjoy the picturesque beauty along the banks while cruising on the Nile.

In the evening we visit Luxor temple. It was completely buried in sand for many centuries which allowed it to be one of the most preserved temples. The temple has many beautifully decorated columns, a huge open court, a massive façade representing its entrance, a huge pylon, and two seated statues of Ramses II.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 06: Today we cross the Nile to the west bank. Our first stop will be the Valley of the Kings where we visit colorful tombs that were carved out of rocky cliffs to safeguard the mummies and rich furnishings from grave-robbers. Our next stop will be Queen Hatshipsut’s temple. Wanting to honor her father (god Amun), she asked her architect not to spare any effort in making this the best of its kind. Visit Memnon Colossi on the way back to the East bank. Free afternoon to our leisure as we sail to Edfu. Enjoy the scenery of the fertile lands, mountains, the golden desert, and the Nile.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 07: After breakfast we take a short bus ride to Edfu temple, which is dedicated to the falcon god Horus. It is one of the most completely preserved temples. The divine marriage of Hathor and Horus is depicted on the walls of this temple where it was celebrated once a year. The walls of the mamisi (house of the divine birth) are decorated with scenes depicting the divine birth of Horus the child. We continue sailing south to Kom Ombo temple. It is the only temple in Egypt that is dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek. This temple was originally built for worshiping Horus, but after the increasing number of crocodiles on the island, the temple was demolished and reconstructed to worship Sobek (crocodile shaped god) for protection from the crocodiles. In the evening, enjoy a Galabiyah (Egyptian gown) party as we continue sailing south to Aswan.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 08: After breakfast, tour Aswan, the site of the cataracts. Here the Nile flows through granite rocks and the golden desert while palm trees and farm lands cover its banks. Our first stop will be the amazing Phalie temple. It is considered to be the most beautiful temple in the Nile valley. It is dedicated to Isis and Osiris. The temple became submerged in the Nile after building the first Aswan dam. With the help of UNESCO, Philae temple was completely moved to its new location.

Later we visit the Unfinished Obelisk which lies in its original location in a granite quarry. It was abandoned when some cracks appeared in the rock during its construction. Had this obelisk been completed, it would have been the largest obelisk ever cut. In the afternoon we will sail the Nile in a graceful Egyptian sailboat known as a “Felucca” and travel across the Nile while enjoying the breeze and some traditional songs along the way.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 09: Today we check out of our Nile Cruise, but retain all the unforgettable memories, scenery, and beautiful temples.

OPTIONAL ABU SIMBEL TOUR

Fly from Aswan to Cairo where we will spend our last day. This evening enjoy a home hosted authentic Egyptian farewell dinner. This is one of the many highlights of our tour and a wonderful way to end it.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10: Today we say our good-byes to Egypt, the country we dreamt of visiting since childhood. After enjoying our last group breakfast, transfer to Cairo airport to board our Egypt Air MS 985 flight to JFK. Leave from Cairo at 09:10 am and arrive in JFK at 3:30 pm Eastern Time.

(Breakfast)