• Cairo touring, including renowned Egyptian Museum and Old Cairo
• Pyramids of the Giza Plateau
• Memphis and Sakkara excursion
• Abu Simbel’s dramatic temples and statuary
• Three-night Nile cruise
• Luxor’s East and West banks: Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens
• Alexandria touring: Pompey’s Pillar, Citadel of Qaitbay, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
• Expert Egyptian Tour Director

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Cairo, Egypt

Day 2: Arrive Cairo We arrive in the Egyptian capital and transfer to our hotel. As guests’ arrival times may vary greatly, we have no group activities or meals planned.

Day 3: Cairo We meet our fellow travelers and Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director at a morning briefing about the journey ahead then set out for the day. We begin at the world-renowned Egyptian Museum, which holds more than 120,000 relics and antiquities from throughout Egyptian history. We continue on to the Citadel of Saladin, an impressive medieval hilltop fortress. Tonight: a reception at our hotel followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. B,L,D

Day 4: Cairo This morning we travel to the Giza Plateau and its three famed pyramids, including the Great Pyramid (or Pyramid of Cheops), which survives as the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A truly awe-inspiring sight, the Great Pyramid was built around 2600 BCE and stands more than 450 feet tall. We also see the enigmatic Sphinx, whose leonine body and human face were carved from a single piece of limestone. This afternoon, we encounter Egypt’s Old Cairo, including 5^th-century St. Sergius Church; Coptic el-Mauallaqa, the “hanging church” built over the bastions of a Roman gate; and 10^th-century St. George’s Church. B,L

Day 5: Cairo Today we visit some of the finest sites in Egyptian antiquity, beginning at the open-air museum at Memphis, Egypt’s first capital. We continue to nearby Sakkara, a necropolis used for more than 3,000 years to bury Old Kingdom royalty – and still largely unexcavated today. This afternoon we return to Cairo, where we visit the colorful Khan El-Khalili bazaar (dating to the 14^th century). B,L

Day 6: Cairo/Aswan/Abu Simbel It’s a very early morning as we fly to Aswan and then connect with a flight to Abu Simbel. Here, desert sands replace the Lower Nile’s cultivated fields and the Nubian influence still casts an exotic spell. We see the temples and colossal statues of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari that were dismantled stone by stone and moved to higher ground during the construction of the Aswan Dam. The site is awe-inspiring; four statues of Ramses each stand 65 feet high, and the temples’ well-preserved pictographs tell some remarkable ancient stories. At midday we fly back to Aswan, where we have lunch at a local restaurant and then enjoy an afternoon at leisure. B,L,D

Day 7: Embark Nile Cruise We embark our Nile cruise ship this morning then visit the Aswan High Dam, considered a marvel of engineering when it opened in 1970. Next, we explore the ruins of the acclaimed Temples of Philae, which were relocated when the Aswan High Dam was completed – after having been submerged by the construction of the Aswan Low Dam in 1906. This afternoon, we board small feluccas, replicas of ancient Nile sailboats, for a relaxing sail. B,L,D

Day 8: Nile Crusing – Aswan/Kom Obu/Edfu This morning, we visit the Nubia Museum, an acclaimed showcase of Nubian art and architecture. Later we cruise to the site of the ancient trading town at Kom Ombo, which sat on the great caravan route from Nubia. Here we see outstanding Nile views from an unusual double temple, dedicated both to the crocodile God Sobek and to the falcon God Haroeris. B,L,D

Day 9: Nile Cruising – Edfu/Luxor/East Bank In Edfu this morning, we tour the Temple of Horus, considered the best preserved of all Egypt’s ancient temples. Then we cruise to Luxor, once the ancient city of Thebes, the world’s “greatest open-air museum” whose vast temple complexes, tombs, and statues dating from 2755 BCE represent the pinnacle of Egyptian architecture. We explore Luxor’s East Bank, site of the splendid Karnak Temple, which was under construction for some 1,500 years. We also see the temple’s enormous pylons, the Temple of Ramses II, the Great Hypostyle Hall, and the two Obelisks of Hatshepsut. Next: Luxor Temple, whose builders included both Tutankhamun and Alexander the Great. B,L,D

Day 10: Disembark/Luxor We disembark our ship and then tour Luxor’s West Bank, including the haunting Valley of the Kings, where we see the magnificent paintings in several of the 34 royal tombs; the Valley of the Queens, where the dramatic Temple of Hatshepsut honors one of the few female pharaohs; and the imposing 3,400-year-old Colossi of Memnon statues, each standing 65 feet high. B,D

Day 11: Luxor We have the choice to rise very early today to see the West Bank from above on an optional hot air balloon ride. Together, we visit Luxor Museum, which houses relics discovered at Luxor, including the mummified remains of two pharaohs, items from the renowned tomb of Tutankhamun, and statuary from the New Kingdom era (c. 16^th-11^th century BCE). B,L

Day 12: Luxor/Cairo/Alexandria Following our morning flight to Cairo, we board our motorcoach bound for Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city and main port. En route, we visit the 4^th-century Coptic Orthodox monastery of Deir Anba Bishoi, dedicated to the Egyptian Saint Pishoy. This afternoon we reach Alexandria, the great city of antiquity founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. B,D

Day 13: Alexandria Today’s touring begins at the Catacombs of Kon El Shoqafa, the tri-level “mound of shards” that cast light on Alexandria’s Greco-Roman heritage. Next: Pompey’s Pillar, a massive freestanding column measuring 67 feet high that was constructed from a single piece of red Aswan granite, then the well-preserved ruin of an ancient Roman theater. Later, we proceed to the Citadel of Qaitbay, built on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. B,L,D

Day 14: Alexandria This morning we visit the site of another wonder of ancient Alexandria, though it too has sadly been lost to time: the Great Library of Alexandria. Founded in the 3^rd century BCE, the library was considered one of the greatest accomplishments of antiquity. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina complex we visit today pays tribute to this ancient wonder, with its huge, visually stunning main reading room that has space for nearly nine million books. Later we tour the National Museum of Alexandria, displaying more than 1,800 items from different Egyptian eras. B,L

Day 15: Alexandria/Cairo On tap today: the Royal Jewelry Museum, with jewelry, paintings, and statues of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty from the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Then, we coach to Cairo and our airport area hotel, where we celebrate our Egyptian adventure over a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 16: Depart for U.S. Very early this morning, we transfer to the airport for our return flight to the United States. B

Please note: This trip involves considerable walking on uneven terrain and at sites of ancient ruins. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest.

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 14 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe, Superior First Class, and First Class hotels; 3 nights aboard Deluxe Nile cruise ship
• 33 meals: 14 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 9 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip, including shore excursions
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy in an outside cabin and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $702, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,495. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Airline upgrades (subject to availability; pricing subject to change) on round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight: Business Class: $4,995 per person; Premium Economy: $1,695 per person