Arrival at Luxor International Airport. Meet and assist by our representative of “Egypt Best Vacations“. Transfer to your Nile cruise ship to board your cruise ship and to begin your 11 days Nile cruise itinerary . Free time on board. Overnight in Luxor.

Your actual 11 days Nile cruise itinerary just begins right now. Today you will visit the West Bank of Luxor. Discover the magnificent tombs of the pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, where the kings of the New Kingdom were buried. The tombs in the Valley of the Kings are hewn out of the bedrock and decorated with scenes of the journey of the Sun-god Re through the underworld.

Then proceed to the unique Temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut served as solo pharaoh for 20 years. End your tour at the impressive Colossi of Memnon. Return back to your Nile cruise for a free evening in Luxor.

Visit the East bank of Luxor which includes the largest temple in the world, the Temple of Karnak. The Temple/Complex of Karnak was the great god’s chief sanctuary and much larger than any other monument in Egypt. This huge and splendid complex which actually contains many separate temples covers 1700 years of expansion and an area of 300 acres.

Then proceed to the majestic Temple of Luxor. The Temple of Luxor was built by the 18^th Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III (1387-1349 BCE), the grandson of the military genius Tuthmosis III, and expanded by the 19^th Dynasty pharaoh Ramses II (1279-1213 BCE). Numerous other sovereigns, including Tutankhamun, Horemhab, and Alexander the Great enriched the construction with reliefs, inscriptions, and minor buildings. Back to your cruise for a free evening in Luxor.

Optional tour: Hot Air Balloon Over Luxor

Set sail to Qena. Visit the stunning Temple of the goddess Hathor at Dendera. The Temple of Dendera dates back to the Ptolemaic Period, although evidence points to older structures once existing on the site, dating as far back as king Pepy I, from the Old Kingdom. Among the temple’s most notable features are astronomical engravings on its ceiling.

Back to your Nile cruise ship for a free evening in Qena.

Set sail to Baliana to visit the magnificent Temple of pharaoh Seti I at Abydos. The Temple of Seti I at Abydos is amongst the most famous, cited by many as the most impressive religious structure still standing in Egypt. Unlike other Egyptian temples, it is L-shaped rather than rectangular and incorporates seven great doorways and seven sanctuaries. The temple was dedicated to the major gods Osiris, Isis, Horus, Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah as well as the deified Seti I himself

Head back to your river cruise to set sail to Sohag. Overnight in Sohag.

The 6th day of your 11 days Nile cruise itinerary is a free day. Set sail to Tell El-Amarna to overnight there. Embrace the scenery. Capture memorable photos of the riverbanks, villages, and ancient ruins along the way. Enjoy onboard amenities.

Visit the City of Akhenaton at Tell El-Amarna. On a virgin site on the east bank of the Nile River, Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) built the city about 1348 BCE as the new capital of his kingdom when he abandoned the worship of Amon and devoted himself to worship of the Aton. About four years after Akhenaten’s death (c. 1332), the court returned to Thebes, and the city was abandoned.

Continue to the City of god Thoth at Ashmounin. A provincial capital since the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Hermopolis developed into a major city of Roman Egypt, and an early Christian center from the third century. It was abandoned after the Muslim conquest but was restored as both a Latin Catholic (meanwhile suppressed) and a Coptic Orthodox titular see.

End your tour at Tuna El-Gabal.  It is the necropolis of Hermopolis Magna, ancient capital of the 15th nome and cult centre of Thoth, god of writing and sciences.

Go back to your cruise ship to set sail to El-Minya to overnight there.

Today, your 11 days Nile cruise itinerary takes you to visit the amazing tombs from the Middle Kingdom period at Bani Hassan. The tombs are located in two distinct areas: the upper and lower cemeteries. The tombs of the upper cemetery are a testament to the ancient Egyptians’ architectural skills. They were cut into the rock with great accuracy using simple tools like chisels with bronze blades, which were struck with wooden mallets. The tombs are the final resting places of the senior officials of this region, the 16th Upper Egyptian province, which was known as the Oryx nome. They date to the 11th and 12th Dynasties of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1795 BC). The repetition of names like Baqet, Khety, and Khnumhotep through a number of generations suggests that many of the owners of these tombs were related.

Back to your cruise to set sail to Bani Suef. Overnight is in Bani Suef.

Set sail to Cairo. Upon arriving in Cairo, you will visit the Community of Religions. This tour includes the famous Coptic Hanging Church. Cairo’s Church of the Saint Virgin Mary was built on the ruins of the Roman Babylon Fortress. Because of its location over the ruins of the fortress, it is known as Al Mo’llaqah Chruch or the “Hanging Chruch.”

Then proceed to the Abu Serga Church. The Church of Abu Serga is located in the modern Old Cairo, in the midst of the ancient Roman fortress of Babylon. The Holy Family drank from a well in the church, so the church is characterized among the other Egyptian Coptic churches.

Then head to the Synagogue of Ben Ezra. Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo is one of the most important and largest synagogues in Egypt. The Synagogue is named after the great Jewish Rabbi Ezra the Scribe.

 Back to your cruise for a free evening in Cairo.

Visit the Great Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure with the Sphinx at the Giza plateau. The Great Pyramids of Giza and the other Egyptian pyramids are very human monuments. Imagine the Great Pyramids of Giza 4000 years ago when they were complete with their limestone casings, their brilliance must have been blinding. Today, you will learn about the mysteries behind the pyramids.

Then visit the impressive Egyptian Museum with its impressive contents from all periods of Egyptian history. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. The museum contains more than 120,000 pieces from all periods of Ancient Egyptian history. It was designed by the French Architect Marcel Dourgnon and built by an Italian company in 1902 during the time of Khedive Abbas Helmi II.

Return back to your cruise ship for the final night of your 11 days Nile cruise itinerary from Luxor to Cairo.

Conclude your 11 days Nile cruise itinerary by disembarkation. Transfer to Cairo Airport. It is very sad to leave, so ask our guides about your next adventure in Egypt.