14-Nights Grand & Mysterious Egypt with Nile Cruise - Most Popular Vacations, Private Guided Experiences from $6,478

Day 1: Arrive in Cairo

Upon arrival into Cairo International Airport you will be met by Goway's local representative and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.

Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel (5 Star Rating)

Set on Gezira Island in the heart of the Nile, the Cairo Marriott Hotel combines a distinctive historic setting with the comforts of a contemporary five-star hotel. At its center is the elegant Gezira Palace, originally built in the 19th century and surrounded by lush gardens.

The hotel offers spacious accommodations, a choice of restaurants and lounges, a large outdoor swimming pool and extensive leisure facilities. Its central location provides a convenient base for exploring Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Opera House, Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and many of the city's cultural attractions.

Visit the three Great Pyramids on the Giza Plateau of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus and the iconic Sphinx, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A single pyramid is built of 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing an average of two and one-half tons. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that so many writers and artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is especially interesting since its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren (2620 BC). Hewn from natural yellowish limestone and standing 65 feet high and 187 feet long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion's body.

Continue to Memphis and Sakkara. Memphis was the capital of Upper and Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago and today it resembles an open-air museum and necropolis. Sakkara is one of the most exciting historical and archaeological areas in all of Egypt. The site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser. It was the first pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt, preceding those at Giza by many centuries, and is the work of the famous Pharaonic architect, Imhotep.

Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel (5 Star Rating)

Set on Gezira Island in the heart of the Nile, the Cairo Marriott Hotel combines a distinctive historic setting with the comforts of a contemporary five-star hotel. At its center is the elegant Gezira Palace, originally built in the 19th century and surrounded by lush gardens.

The hotel offers spacious accommodations, a choice of restaurants and lounges, a large outdoor swimming pool and extensive leisure facilities. Its central location provides a convenient base for exploring Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Opera House, Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and many of the city's cultural attractions.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

Today, enjoy a Cairo city tour and lunch then head to Giza to visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Start at the Citadel, situated on a spur of the Muqattam Hills and dominates Cairo's skyline. This was the nerve center of the city and all of Egypt for almost 700 years. Its construction was initiated in 1176 by Saladin and completed by Muhammad Ali. Mameluke sultans and Turkish governors later on made it their residence, building palaces and mosques within the Citadel walls. Facing the Citadel is the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 and perhaps the most majestic monument of Arab architecture in Egypt. Continue your exploration towards the bustling Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of Khan el-Khalili, browsing its unique shops and traditional crafts. After lunch, visit the highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), one of the world's largest archaeological museums. Explore the vast halls and encounter iconic exhibits, including the treasures of Tutankhamun.

Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel (5 Star Rating)

Set on Gezira Island in the heart of the Nile, the Cairo Marriott Hotel combines a distinctive historic setting with the comforts of a contemporary five-star hotel. At its center is the elegant Gezira Palace, originally built in the 19th century and surrounded by lush gardens.

The hotel offers spacious accommodations, a choice of restaurants and lounges, a large outdoor swimming pool and extensive leisure facilities. Its central location provides a convenient base for exploring Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Opera House, Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and many of the city's cultural attractions.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

After an early breakfast at your hotel this morning, transfer by road to Alexandria. On arrival, begin your days sightseeing including Pompey Pillar, the Catacombs, Montazah Gardens, the National Museum, and the Library. Pompey's Pillar, a column of red Aswan granite standing some 90 feet high, was erected in honor of Emperor Diocletian. The Alexandria National Museum which comprises more than 1800 archaeological pieces narrates the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and modern history of Egypt. The El Montazah Gardens is a 114-acre complex belonging to the family of Mohamed Ali, which ruled Egypt from the mid-19th century until 1952. It is surrounded by great walls and is adorned with beautiful gardens and palm trees. This is a wonderful spot to enjoy the beauty of Alexandria.

Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria (5 Star Rating)

Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano enjoys a prime waterfront setting overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Part of the prestigious San Stefano Grand Plaza complex, the hotel combines elegant accommodations with resort-style facilities in the heart of Alexandria. Guests can enjoy a selection of restaurants and terraces, a luxurious spa and inviting leisure facilities, with sweeping views of the Mediterranean providing a memorable backdrop to their stay.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, you will be picked up from your hotel for your tour to Alamein. El Alamein is the place where the Allied forces of WWII gained a decisive victory over the Axis Forces. Today, the village located about 66 miles east of Alexandria, is mostly a port facility for shipping oil. However, it was once described by Churchill as having the best climate in the world. There is a war museum with collectibles from the Battle of El Alamein and other North African battles. The only historical interest in this village would be related to WWII and includes Italian and German military cemeteries on Tell el Eisa Hill just outside of town.

Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria (5 Star Rating)

Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano enjoys a prime waterfront setting overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Part of the prestigious San Stefano Grand Plaza complex, the hotel combines elegant accommodations with resort-style facilities in the heart of Alexandria. Guests can enjoy a selection of restaurants and terraces, a luxurious spa and inviting leisure facilities, with sweeping views of the Mediterranean providing a memorable backdrop to their stay.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, check out and transfer by road back to Cairo. On arrival, begin your half-day tour of Cairo visiting the old churches, Coptic monasteries, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. The Ben Ezra Synagogue is located in the center of Cairo and was built by the chief rabbi of Jerusalem, Abraham Ben Ezra, in the late 9th century within the walls of the Fortress of Babylon (as Old Cairo was known in ancient times). It contains a number of art crafts, including a Torah on gazelle skin dating from the 5th century BC and the manuscript known as the Atlas of Moses. Check into your hotel in the mid-afternoon and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel (5 Star Rating)

Set on Gezira Island in the heart of the Nile, the Cairo Marriott Hotel combines a distinctive historic setting with the comforts of a contemporary five-star hotel. At its center is the elegant Gezira Palace, originally built in the 19th century and surrounded by lush gardens.

The hotel offers spacious accommodations, a choice of restaurants and lounges, a large outdoor swimming pool and extensive leisure facilities. Its central location provides a convenient base for exploring Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Opera House, Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and many of the city's cultural attractions.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. This afternoon enjoy a visit to the Luxor Museum which houses a large collection of tremendously significant objects. These include statues from the famous cachette found buried in Luxor Temple, as well as a selection of items from the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Hotel: Hilton Luxor Resort and Spa (4 Star Rating)

Set on the banks of the Nile, Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa offers a tranquil retreat surrounded by the timeless landscapes of Luxor. Stylish rooms and suites are complemented by two infinity pools overlooking the river, a full-service spa and a selection of restaurants and bars. Guests can unwind by the water, enjoy riverside dining or relax at the spa, making the resort an inviting base for exploring Luxor's extraordinary ancient sites.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before meeting your guide for your trip to Dendarah and Abydos. Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of love and joy, was what Aphrodite was to the Greeks and Venus to the Romans. It was at Dendarah, some 60 km north of Luxor that the Egyptians worshiped Hathor in a Temple. Then visit Abydos, which holds an important place in the religious history of Pharaonic Egypt. By the end of the Old Kingdom, its local god, Osiris, was the most prominent and popular of the Egyptian gods, since he was considered the god of the afterlife. According to the popular tradition, Osiris' head was buried in Abydos.

Hotel: Hilton Luxor Resort and Spa (4 Star Rating)

Set on the banks of the Nile, Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa offers a tranquil retreat surrounded by the timeless landscapes of Luxor. Stylish rooms and suites are complemented by two infinity pools overlooking the river, a full-service spa and a selection of restaurants and bars. Guests can unwind by the water, enjoy riverside dining or relax at the spa, making the resort an inviting base for exploring Luxor's extraordinary ancient sites.

Meal(s): Breakfast

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to your Nile River Cruise, your floating hotel for the next 4 nights. After you settle in and have lunch on board, take your first cruise excursion to visit Luxor Temple. Built largely by Amenhotep III and Ramses II, the temple served as the setting for the rituals of the festival of Opet, which was held to reconcile the human aspect of the ruler with his divine office.

Next, visit Karnak Temple, erected in 1928 BC as a small shrine dedicated to Amun the God of Thebes. The temple comprises three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples all constructed over 1300 years ago.

Luxor is a city that has often been called the "world's greatest open-air museum". With the number and preservation of monuments in the area, it is unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Luxor is composed of three different areas: the city of Luxor - located on the east side of the Nile, the town of Karnak - located just north of Luxor, and Thebes - which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.

Hotel: Sonesta St George (5 Star Rating)

The Sonesta St. George I offers an elegant and comfortable way to experience the Nile, combining refined accommodations with the ever-changing scenery of the river. The vessel features 47 Deluxe Cabins, nine Presidential Suites and one Royal Suite, all thoughtfully appointed for a relaxing stay between days of sightseeing.

On board, guests can enjoy a restaurant, lounge and bar, as well as a spacious sun deck with a swimming pool and views over the Nile. Sailing between Luxor and Aswan, the Sonesta St. George I provides a comfortable base from which to discover the ancient temples and historic sites of Upper Egypt.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Today visit the Necropolis of Thebes, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Colossi Memnon. The Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt is home to many pharaonic tombs of the New Kingdom, including those of King Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great (subject to additional cost and availability). Each king's formal name and title are inscribed in his tomb, which is also adorned with his images and statues. The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty was built just north of the Middle Kingdom temple of Mentuhotep Nebhepetre, amid the bay of cliffs known as Deir El-Bahri. In ancient times the temple was called Djeser-djeseru, meaning the sacred of sacreds. The female pharaoh chose to build her temple in a valley sacred to the Theban Goddess of the west, on a direct axis with the Karnak Temple of Amun on the East Bank. Return to your ship for lunch and set sail to Esna.

Hotel: Sonesta St George (5 Star Rating)

The Sonesta St. George I offers an elegant and comfortable way to experience the Nile, combining refined accommodations with the ever-changing scenery of the river. The vessel features 47 Deluxe Cabins, nine Presidential Suites and one Royal Suite, all thoughtfully appointed for a relaxing stay between days of sightseeing.

On board, guests can enjoy a restaurant, lounge and bar, as well as a spacious sun deck with a swimming pool and views over the Nile. Sailing between Luxor and Aswan, the Sonesta St. George I provides a comfortable base from which to discover the ancient temples and historic sites of Upper Egypt.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Visit the Temple of Horus in Edfu. The temple is perhaps the best-preserved in all of Egypt and ranks second behind Karnak, simply because of its immense size of approximately 230 by 400 feet with a pylon measuring over 100 feet high.

Return to the ship for lunch and then sail to Kom Ombo. Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). Despite being badly damaged, the temple is a beautiful sight as one approach from either direction on the river, particularly as sunset nears and the colors change. Return to the ship for dinner and sail to Aswan.

Hotel: Sonesta St George (5 Star Rating)

The Sonesta St. George I offers an elegant and comfortable way to experience the Nile, combining refined accommodations with the ever-changing scenery of the river. The vessel features 47 Deluxe Cabins, nine Presidential Suites and one Royal Suite, all thoughtfully appointed for a relaxing stay between days of sightseeing.

On board, guests can enjoy a restaurant, lounge and bar, as well as a spacious sun deck with a swimming pool and views over the Nile. Sailing between Luxor and Aswan, the Sonesta St. George I provides a comfortable base from which to discover the ancient temples and historic sites of Upper Egypt.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Aswan, Egypt’s sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town located approximately 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively African atmosphere. Known in ancient times as Syene, it is compact enough to explore on foot and enjoys one of the most beautiful settings along the Nile. Life here moves at a slower, more relaxed pace.

This morning’s sightseeing includes the impressive Aswan High Dam and the beautiful Temple of Philae. Just north of the Sudanese border, the Aswan High Dam - known in Arabic as “Sadd El-Aali” - is a monumental rock-filled structure completed in 1970 after a decade of construction. It harnesses the waters of the Nile to create Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest artificial reservoirs.

A short motorboat transfer brings you to the Temple of Philae, set on Agilkia Island and dedicated to the goddess Isis. The approach offers a magnificent first view before landing near what would have been the temple’s ancient quay.

After lunch, sail around Aswan’s islands and Botanical Gardens, enjoying a scenic motorboat cruise along the Nile’s tranquil waters.

Hotel: Sonesta St George (5 Star Rating)

The Sonesta St. George I offers an elegant and comfortable way to experience the Nile, combining refined accommodations with the ever-changing scenery of the river. The vessel features 47 Deluxe Cabins, nine Presidential Suites and one Royal Suite, all thoughtfully appointed for a relaxing stay between days of sightseeing.

On board, guests can enjoy a restaurant, lounge and bar, as well as a spacious sun deck with a swimming pool and views over the Nile. Sailing between Luxor and Aswan, the Sonesta St. George I provides a comfortable base from which to discover the ancient temples and historic sites of Upper Egypt.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Disembark from your ship after breakfast and transfer to your Aswan hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Optional full-day excursion by regional flight to Abu Simbel, to see the two temples at Abu Simbel among the most magnificent monuments in the world (not included). Please ask your Goway destination specialist for more information.

Hotel: Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan (5 Star Rating)

Built in 1899 on a granite bluff overlooking the Nile, this luxury Sofitel hotel took its name from the spectacular effect of the river colliding with the land. Relax in a world of elegant and luxurious serenity and enjoy a meal in our gourmet restaurant serving exquisite French and international cuisine.

This legendary hotel has hosted numerous well known identities including Winston Churchill, Agha Khan, King Farouk, Lady Diana and Agatha Christie, author of 'Death on the Nile'.

Meal(s): Breakfast

After breakfast, check out and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cario. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Rest of day at leisure.

Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel (5 Star Rating)

Set on Gezira Island in the heart of the Nile, the Cairo Marriott Hotel combines a distinctive historic setting with the comforts of a contemporary five-star hotel. At its center is the elegant Gezira Palace, originally built in the 19th century and surrounded by lush gardens.

The hotel offers spacious accommodations, a choice of restaurants and lounges, a large outdoor swimming pool and extensive leisure facilities. Its central location provides a convenient base for exploring Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Opera House, Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and many of the city's cultural attractions.

Meal(s): Breakfast

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be met and transferred to the airport in time for your onward flight.

Meal(s): Breakfast