Talisman Travel :: Cairo/Nile Cruise/Western Desert/Cairo (11 nights)

Cairo/Nile Cruise/Western Desert/Cairo

ITINERARY - 12 DAYS

Day 1

Meet & assist at Cairo International Airport. Transfer to the hotel.

Overnight at a hotel in Cairo.

Day 2

After breakfast, drive to Giza Plateau to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the great pyramids of Cheops, Chefren, Mykerinus and the famous Sphinx and Valley Temple facing the great statue.

After lunch visit the Egyptian Museum, containing the treasures of the boy king Tutankhamen. Return to the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel in Cairo.

Day 3

After breakfast, drive to visit the Step Pyramid at Sakkara, onwards for a visit to Memphis.

After lunch, visit the Citadel and the famous Mohamed Ali Mosque. Drive back to the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel in Cairo.

Day 4

Early morning after breakfast, check-out of the hotel and transfer to Cairo Airport for a flight to Aswan.

Meet and assist at Aswan Airport andtransfer to your Nile cruise boat. Visit Aswan with its world famous High Dam, the superb Philae Temple, which is devoted to the two goddesses Isis and Hathor and the largest known ancient obelisk, located in the northern region of the stone quarries of Ancient Egypt, the 'Unfinished Obelisk'.

Dinner on board and overnight in Aswan.

Day 5

Sail to Kom Ombo. After breakfast visit the temple shared by two gods Sobek and Haeroris, in Kom Ombo. Sail to Edfu with lunch on board. After lunch visit the best preserved cult temple in Egypt, Horus Temple in Edfu. Take afternoon tea during the sailing to Esna.

Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 6

Sail to Luxor. After breakfast visit the West Bank of Luxor, Valley of the Kings, then onto the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which was built by the architects of the New Kingdom for Pharaoh Hatshepsut in the 15^th century BC, at El Deir El Bahari. Visit the Colossi Memnon. Lunch on board. Enjoy afternoon tea during sailing.

Dinner on board overnight in Luxor.

Day 7

Breakfast on board, then disembark from your Nile cruiser. Transfer to Baris desert area to spend our first night camping under the stars.

Overnight in a camp in the desert.

Day 8

After breakfast, drive to Al Kharga, the largest of the oasis towns, rich with palm trees, dates and vegetables. Visit the remains of the Temple of Hibis, built by Darius I during the Roman period and the Christian burial ground at Al Bagawat, dating to the end of the 7^th century. Drive to Dakhla, where we spend the night at an oasis-style hut with reed huts, communal showers and simple facilities.

Overnight in Dakhla.

Day 9

After breakfast, drive to the fabulous medieval mud brick town of Al Qasr, exploring the timeless streets, the old school, an ancient olive press and the granary. We also visit the excellent Ethnological Museum, a locally sponsored project which we support through our visits. There is also a hot spring nearby which makes a great rest stop either on the way out or when we return.

After lunch we go on a camel ride through the desert to the Great Escarpment, where we spend the night under the stars.

Overnight at Dakhla.

Day 10

After breakfast, drive to the north of Dakhla to the Farafra Oasis where we have time to visit the Badr Museum and enjoy a swim in one of the many natural springs. A little further on we enter the White Desert where continual erosion has left a layer of fine white dust on the desert sands, hence the name “White Desert”. We enjoy a sunset walk in this surreal landscape and spend the night camping under the stars.

Overnight camping in the White Desert.

Day 11

After breakfast, visit Crystal Mountain, Black Desert and Bahariya Oasis. Enjoy a local tour to the hill top ruin the 'English House', the Temple of Ain El Meftella and the Golden Valley of Mummies. Transfer to Cairo from Bahariya.

Overnight at a hotel in Cairo.