For your 4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor aboard the MS Mayfair, you will fly to Aswan today. Upon arrival at Aswan Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our tour guide and taken to your 5-star Nile cruise ship, where you will embark.

Note:

A qualified Egyptologist, your tour guide, will be with you on board and lead the sightseeing tours during your Nile cruise in Egypt.

After your lunch on board, where you can enjoy the view of the beauty and atmosphere of the city of Aswan with its green islands and red granite rocks, you will take a trip to the surroundings of the city. The first item on the agenda is a boat trip to the island of Agilika on the Nile. There awaits you the last great sanctuary of ancient Egyptian religion, the enchanting:

One of the most remarkable Temples in Egypt is the Philae Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Isis. It was built during the Ptolemaic Period and became a center of her cult. The Temple was relocated to Agilika Island after the construction of the Aswan Dam to save it from flooding.

Next, visit the imposing High Dam, which impounds the Nile to Lake Nasser, with both positive and negative effects.

Aswan High Dam is a captivating engineering feat that is listed as the most remarkable project that belongs to the ruling period of President Gamal Abdul Nasser. The project started in 1960 to cover around 12,500 feet and was completed by 1971 to be responsible for almost half of the electricity generation in the country.

After the program, you will be taken back to your ship. Enjoy your first evening under the starry sky of Aswan and look forward to the program of the next days.

Early in the morning, the ship departs from Aswan and sails downstream on the Nile. Enjoy the view from the sundeck of the stunning landscape along the Nile to Kom Ombo during the journey. In the afternoon, you will visit the:

The Temple of Kom Ombo is a unique ancient site that stands on a hill overlooking the Nile river. Unlike other temples, it has two entrances and two sets of halls, courts, and sanctuaries. This is because it was dedicated to two gods: Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky, and Sobek, the crocodile-headed god of fertility and creation. The temple also reflects the importance of sugar cane cultivation in the region, as it contains a well-preserved Nilometer that was used to measure the water level and predict the harvest.

In the afternoon, the visit to one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt is on the agenda. You will visit:

The Temple of Kom Ombo is a unique ancient site that stands on a hill overlooking the Nile river. Unlike other temples, it has two entrances and two sets of halls, courts, and sanctuaries. This is because it was dedicated to two gods: Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky, and Sobek, the crocodile-headed god of fertility and creation. The temple also reflects the importance of sugar cane cultivation in the region, as it contains a well-preserved Nilometer that was used to measure the water level and predict the harvest.

After the Edfu Temple, your dream journey continues towards Luxor, where it docks.

The Theban Necropolis, located on the west bank of the Nile, is an archaeological paradise brimming with ancient tombs and mortuary temples. Here, you will step back in time as you explore:

The Valley of the Kings is a portal to paradise and was used by the greatest Kings and Queens of Egypt’s new Kingdom between 1570 and 1070 BC. The Valley of the Kings holds the resting place of some of the most important Pharaohs such as Ramses II, Hatshepsut, Amenhotep I, and Tutankhamun. As well it contains 63 Tombs filled with amazing statues, artifacts, treasures, and remarkable decorations. In 1979 the Valley of the Kings became a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Leaving this unique valley and its magical atmosphere, you’ll head to another enchanting location:

Queen Hatshepsut is renowned as one of the most successful Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and the only female ruler in the history of Egypt. Queen Hatshepsut’s reign was peaceful and prosperous therefore, as a result, she earned a wide variety of achievements and one of them was her own Mortuary Temple which commemorates all her great works on its walls.

Your wonderful Trip includes a special Boat Trip on the Nile River, so you will sail to a pretty island to have a delicious Lunch before heading to check out the astonishing:

The Colossi of Memnon are two monumental statues that have stood for millennia as silent witnesses to the once-great civilization of Ancient Egypt. These imposing figures, each standing 18 meters tall and weighing an estimated 720 tons, were built to guard the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III.

After these beautiful impressions, you will be taken back to your ship.

Tip of the day: Today you have the opportunity to enjoy a hot air balloon ride at sunrise over Theban West, offering a unique view of the ancient treasures of Luxor. (optional)

After breakfast on board and disembarkation, you will visit with your guide:

In the heart of Luxor, you will find the Luxor Temple, built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II.. Even Alexander the Great built a chapel for the ancient Egyptian gods. In ancient times, the Egyptians celebrated the most important festival in Thebes, the Opet Festival, at the Luxor Temple. In 1989, archaeologists accidentally discovered an underground chamber with well-preserved statues, now exhibited in the Luxor Museum. At the Luxor Temple, you can see a section of the Sphinx Alley that once connected the Luxor Temple with the Karnak Temple.

Then, as the last item on your Nile cruise program, you will visit the mighty:

The Karnak Temple is the most massive Temple ever established by Man. This truly unique Site covers 247 acres of land and consists of three main buildings. Its uniqueness isn’t only due to its vast size but also because its exhibits are unique drawings and decorations all over its Walls. Because of being the largest Religious Site, the Karnak Temple was mainly constructed for the worshipping of Amun, Khonsu, and Mut.

Afterward, you will be transferred to Luxor Airport.