12 Days Splendors of Egypt & The Nile
UNIWORLD - Egypt & The Nile
Cruise price is available upon request
12 Days
Europe
UNIWORLD RIVER CRUISES
Vessel: S.S. Sphinx
Departure date: 29 Oct, 2021
Day 1
Cairo
Arrive at Cairo International Airport. If your cruise/tour package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, a Uniworld representative will be on hand to greet you and escort you to the opulent Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza.
Day 2
Cairo
The ancient quarter of Cairo is intense—the colors, the sounds, the density of people—and it’s likely been this way for thousands of years. Your local expert will show you a 12th-century citadel, the beautiful Alabaster Mosque and an unsurpassed collection of priceless artifacts, including mind-boggling treasures once buried with the boy king Tutankhamen.
Featured Excursion:
Note: Dressing modestly is recommended as a show of respect for the culture and customs of the Egyptian people. In particular, women should ensure that shoulders are covered and legs are concealed at least to the knee on all shore excursions throughout this itinerary.
Day 3
Cairo, Fly to Luxor (Embark) Cruising the Nile River, Dendera
Prepare to be amazed at the legendary Temple of Karnak, a massive and absolutely astounding site, with gigantic columns, broad avenues lined with stone sphinxes and halls of truly epic proportions. This evening, you’ll revel in a Welcome Reception and Dinner onboard.
Featured Excursion:
Note: Flights to Luxor depart early in the morning to take advantage of more favorable weather and traffic conditions, and to optimize tour scheduling.
Day 4
Dendera, Cruising the Nile River, Luxor
Like its twin shrine, the Temple of Karnak, the Temple of Luxor stands on the site of ancient Thebes, the once flourishing capital of Egypt’s New Kingdom. It was built over hundreds of years and even in ruins it is still an extraordinary place. You’ll also visit the Temple of Hathor, dedicated to the goddess of love and beauty.
Featured Excursions:
Day 5
Luxor, Cruising the Nile River, Kom Ombo
The word “colossal” will take on a whole new meaning after today’s excursion to the gigantic twin statues known as the Colossi of Memnon. And that’s just the beginning—you’ll also visit the temple of one of Egypt’s rare female pharaohs as well as the Valley of the Kings, used as a royal burial place for nearly 500 years and where the mummified remains of Tutankhamen are on display.
Featured Excursion:
Day 6
Kom Ombo, Cruising the Nile River, Aswan
After visiting a temple dedicated to a crocodile god today (don’t miss the display of some of the 300 mummified crocs found in the local area), hop aboard a small boat for a bird-watching excursion along the Nile.
Featured Excursions:
Day 7
Aswan
Today is an epic day, filled with wonders from start to finish. You’ll visit a marvel of modern engineering—the Aswan High Dam—as well as the Unfinished Obelisk and the beautiful Philae Temple complex, which was moved from one island to another back in the 1970s. But wait, there’s more. You’ll also take a ride in a felucca—a traditional Egyptian sailboat—and enjoy afternoon tea at a famous hotel depicted in Agatha Christie’s novel Death on the Nile.
Featured Excursions:
After dinner onboard this evening, you’ll be treated to an enchanting Nubian show featuring traditionally attired performers, live music and dancing.
Day 8
Aswan, Cruising the Nile River, Kom Ombo, Edfu
Spend the day at leisure or join us for an optional excursion to see the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel.
Day 9
Esna, Cruising the Nile River, Luxor
On today’s excursion, you’ll learn how the Temple of Esna was buried under debris for many centuries and is one of the last great Egyptian temples ever built. Your Egyptologist guide will share all sorts of fascinating insights about this significant cultural site and show you the façade bearing the last known hieroglyphic inscriptions ever recorded in Egypt.
Featured Excursion:
Later, savor the Nile’s majestic scenery as the ship cruises to Luxor.
Day 10
Luxor (Disembark), Fly to Cairo
Disembark in Luxor and transfer to the airport for your return flight to Cairo. Then, check in to the Four Seasons Hotel at Nile Plaza where you’ll have time to relax before dinner.
Note: Flights to Cairo depart early in the morning to take advantage of more favorable weather and traffic conditions, and to optimize tour scheduling.
Day 11
Cairo
It’s a day of Bucket List Moments today as we venture to Ancient Memphis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a number of amazing monuments to see—including the enigmatic Great Sphinx. After seeing the pyramids from afar last evening, you’ll have a thrilling opportunity to view them from an up-close perspective, the only way to fully appreciate their remarkable size and grandeur.
Day 12
Depart Cairo
Check out of your hotel and transfer to the Cairo International Airport for your flight home, or extend your trip with a memorable optional extension in Jerusalem.
Note: Ship schedule and order of sightseeing my change throughout the itinerary. Tour to port of destination by motorcoach and substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to the impact of water levels, closures because of public holidays or other uncontrollable factors.
The S.S. Sphinx will make her debut on the Nile river in 2020 and will offer two gourmet dining venues, a swimming pool, massage room and 42 gorgeously appointed suites. Egyptian artwork, fabrics and hand-carved furnishings will bring the beauty of the region to life onboard.
All staterooms and suites onboard have French balconies. While the S.S. Sphinx is a beautiful and luxurious ship, its amenities may differ from those of a Uniworld-company-owned ship.
