Jewels of the Nile & Petra

• Round trip air from JFK airport and all Intra-Egypt flight.
• 3 daily meals.
• 5 Stars Deluxe accommodations.
• 4 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. This evening enjoy a home hosted authentic Egyptian dinner. This is one of the many highlights of our tour.
(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 and the Ben Ezra synagogue, the Citadel of Saladin and Mohamed Ali’s Mosque.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 05: Check out of hotel after breakfast and transfer to Cairo airport for your Aswan flight. Guardian Travel representatives will greet you as soon as you walk inside Aswan airport, assistance with baggage claim.

Optional Abu Simbel excursion
Today we 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 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. Check in Nile Cruise and enjoy lunch.
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 06: This morning we sail north 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. We continue sailing noth 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. In the evening, enjoy a Galabiyah (Egyptian gown) party as we continue sailing north to Luxor.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 07: 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.

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, a huge pylon, and two seated statues of Ramses II.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 08: Today we check out of our Nile Cruise, but retain all the unforgettable memories, scenery, and beautiful temples. 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. This afternoon/evening fly to Cairo. Guardian Travel representatives will greet us as soon as we walk inside Cairo airport. Check in Cairo hotel and enjoy a wonderful evening.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 09: Check out of Cairo hotel and drive to Taba. Check in hotel upon arrival and enjoy a free evening.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10: Check out of hotel after breakfast. Enjoy a short ferry ride from Taba to Aqaba, Jordan. Upon arrival, meet and greet in port and transfer to Wadi Rum. Explore Wadi Rum via 4X4 jeeps. A journey to another world, a silent and timeless place where you will be dwarfed to insignificance. 'Vast, echoing and Godlike', that's how Lawrence of Arabia described the uniquely shaped massive mountains rise out of the rose-red desert sand. Transfer to Petra Hotel for overnight.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 11: Visit Petra, the ancient Nabatean capital. Carved entirely by man into the rose-red sandstone rocks, it's a mystic and glorious place and an eternal tribute to a lost civilization. One enters Petra by passing the SIQ, a deep and narrow gorge, at the end of which all of a sudden dramatically appears the most famous monument in Petra, the Treasury. Travel back to Aqaba and enjoy a short ferry ride to Taba. Meet and greet at Taba port and transfer to hotel for overnight.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 12: Free day to your leisure in Taba.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 13: Check out of hotel in the morning and drive back to Cairo. Enjoy a free afternoon/evening in Cairo.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 14: Today we say our good-byes to Egypt, the country we dreamt of visiting since childhood. After enjoying breakfast, transfer to Cairo airport. Assistance with luggage and departure procedures.
(Breakfast)

Itinerary is subject to change for unforeseen circumstances