It’s official! We are going! But the spaces are not being held for our group. There are currently 10 spots open on the tour. First come, first served!!!

We are going to cruise the Nile River for 3 nights, have 3 nights in Cairo, and 2 nights in Luxor. We’ll see the Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza, Philae’s Temple of Isis, Ptolemaic Temple for Horus and Sobek, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Temples of Karnak & Luxor, Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with King Tut’s exhibit, and visit the Khan El Khalili Bazaar District.

FULL ITINERARY BELOW: PASSPORT MUST BE GOOD UNTIL MAY 8, 2019 (OR LATER) AND A COLOR COPY PROVIDED WITH DEPOSIT

You’ll get :
Round-trip airfare from Phoenix (only 2 planes to Cairo), Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges (first/business class is currently $3300 extra), and airport transfers;
Accommodations at deluxe hotels and on the cruise ship;
20 meals;
Comprehensive sightseeing tours;
3 optional tours (included for no additional cost) and all entry fees
Experienced English-speaking Tour Director throughout
Transportation in an air conditioned bus
Airport hotel (before and after)
Travel Insurance (over 55 has an additional cost)

Not Included:
Excess baggage fees (1 bag included)
meals not mentioned
transportation to/from Phoenix airport and Tucson
gratuities
personal expenses/shopping
Egypt visa

COST:
$4500/person (double occupancy). Single add $600 (roommate pairing assistance available but not guaranteed)
$1500 deposit due right away with a color copy of your passport, emergency contact name and number, and airline seat preference.

All monies are non-refundable. All travelers must complete a trip waiver to participate.

FULL ITINERARY:

Day 1: drive to Phoenix, check into airport hotel, have dinner, and sleep.
Day 2: morning flight to catch our east coast overnight connection to Cairo
Day 3: Welcome to Cairo, both Egypt’s capital and its largest city! Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, you will be met and assisted through customs and formalities, then transferred to your hotel. After some time at leisure, enjoy a welcome dinner!
Day 4: After breakfast, visit the Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built during the Third and Fourth Dynasties, these monumental undertakings stand as a marvelous testimony to the almost unbelievable skill and determination of their builders. Enjoy an up-close view of the Great Pyramid, built for the Pharoah Cheops, as well as the Pyramids of Khefren and Mycerinus. Not far from the Pyramids, see the great Sphinx of Giza, the legendary chimeral statue that combines the head of king Khfren with a lion’s body. Afterward, enjoy lunch at a local Cairo restaurant.
Day 5: Today, fly south from Cairo to Aswan. Upon arrival, transfer to our Nile cruise ship for our three-night cruise from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt. The Nile is one of the few rivers in the world which flows North and this unique characteristic is why southern Egypt is called Upper Egypt, while the northern part of Egypt is called “Lower Egypt”. This afternoon, visit the Aswan High Dam and Philae’s Temple of Isis. This temple was almost lost to rising water in the 1960’s until the Asawn High Dam was built.
Day 6: Today, sail to Kom Ombo to see the Ptolomaic Temple built for Horus the falcon god, and Sobek the crocodile god. The temple complex consists mainly of two temples running parallel with the traditional components of ancient Egyptian religious structures including a courtyard at the front of the complex, with halls following. After exploring Kom Ombo, sail to Edfu, an Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile River.
Day 7: This morning, you’ll visit the Horus Temple in Edfu, the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic, albeit Greek-built, temple in Egypt. Construction began on this extraordinary temple in 237 BC and was completed nearly 200 years later. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed son of Osiris who avenged his father’s murder by slaying his uncle Seth, the temple was built on the site where, according to legend, the two gods met in deadly combat. Today sail onward to Luxor via Esna. The premier destination in Upper Egypt, Luxor features an array of ruins and monuments and is often considered the most extraordinary open-air museum in the world. The city is also known for its horse carriages, called caleches, which offer a charming way to enjoy the areas many sightseeing opportunities. This afternoon, we will be taking the optional visit to the Luxor Museum. This evening, enjoy dinner on board and consider a Belly Dance show!
Day 8: After breakfast, disembark the cruise and visit the West Bank of the Nile. Visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the second confirmed female Pharaoh of Egypt. Hatshepsut is generally thought of as one of the most successful rulers of Egypt. You’ll also visit the Valley of the Kings where 62 pharaohs are entombed and the Valley of the Queens where royal wives and princes are buried.
Day 9: This morning visit the ancient Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Built over several centuries by Amenhopis III, Tutankhamun, Ramses II and Alexander the Great, Luxor Temple is a graceful piece of architecture preceded by an avenue of sphinxes. Afterwards proceed to the Karnak Temples. In the New Kingdom, Amun-Ra was worshipped as the most important state god and the immense wealth of Thebes was spent embellishing and building temples in his honor. The balance of the day is at your leisure.
Day 10: This morning, fly to Cairo. Arrive in Cairo and transfer to your hotel. This afternoon, visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses the world’s largest collection of artifacts from the era of the pharaohs including some belonging to King Tut. Afterwards, enjoy a walking tour of the colorful Khan El Khalili Bazaar district. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner.
Day 11: Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight. We will spend the night at the airport hotel in Phoenix and have a relaxing drive home the next morning.

OPTIONAL TOURS (which are included):
Luxor Museum Visit
This wonderful little museum is located on the Corniche about halfway between the Luxor and Karnak Temples, and is home to a small but well-chosen collection of relics from the Theban temples and necropolis. The displays, which include pottery, jewelry, furniture, and statues were arranged by the Brooklyn Museum of New York.

Half-Day Memphis & Sakkara Tour
Travel to Sakkara, once the burial ground of Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. Begin at the Step Pyramid where Imhotep experimented with the design of his stone tomb, beginning with a standard mastaba like those built in mud brick at Abydos and Saqqara by the 1st and 2nd dynasty kings. Imhotep alerted the design of the superstructure several times, erecting a four-stepped pyramid above the Mastaba, then enlarging it to six steps. You can see these changes in the southern wall, and more so on the east where some of the original casing remained in place. Continue to Memphis, the capital city founded by Pharaoh Menes and the capital of Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Statues and architectural fragments have been collected in the sculpture garden which occupies the southeastern part of the Ptah Temple complex.