ItInerary for oberoi nephtis (Wednesday Departures)
ItInerary for MS FLEUrette (monday Departures)
Day 1: Arrival in Luxor and embarkation on the ship.
Day 2:
A morning departure for the West Bank area to visit the Ancient Theban Necropolis. You will discover: the Valley of the Kings; the Temple of Habu, the only remaining of the funerary Temple of Amenophis; the colossi of Memnon. During the afternoon, navigation towards Esna and overnight.
Day 3: In the morning, navigation to Edfu and Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Horus and the temple of Kom Ombo. During the afternoon, navigation to Aswan and overnight.
Day 4:
In the morning, visit of the Lyrical Temples of Philae rising from the waters of the Nile. During the afternoon, enjoy sailing around in the traditional sailing boat Felucca, viewing the Agha Khan Mausoleum and the Botanical Garden (Kitchner Island). Overnight in Aswan.
Day 5:
Free time at leisure or optional excursion to Abu Simbel, to see the Temples of Ramses II. During the afternoon, navigation to Kom Ombo and overnight.
Day 6:
Navigation to Edfu to visit the best preserved Temple in Egypt dedicated to the Falcon God Horus. During the afternoon, navigation to Luxor via Esna and overnight in Luxor.
Day 7:
Visit to the fabulous Luxor Temple and the enormous Temple complex of Karnak . Free time at leisure and overnight in Luxor.
Day 8: Disembarkation after breakfast
The Excursion package includes the following visits:
East Bank: Luxor and Karnak Temples
West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Queens, Medinat
Habu, and the Colossi of Memnon
Edfou Temple
Kom Ombo Temple
Philae Temple in Aswan
Felucca Sailing
Day 1:
Arrival at Luxor and embarkation on the ship.
Day 2:
In the morning, departure for the West Bank area to visit the Ancient Theban Necropolis. You will discover: the Valley of the Kings; the temple of Habu, the only remaining of the funerary Temple of Amenophis; the colossi of Memnon. During the afternoon, navigation towards Esna and overnight.
Day 3:
In the morning, navigation to Edfu and Kom Ombo to visit the temple of Horus and the temple of Kom Ombo. During the afternoon, navigation to Aswan and overnight.
Day 4:
In the morning, visit of the Lyrical Temples of Philae rising from the waters of the Nile. During the afternoon, sailing around in the traditional saling boat Felucca, viewing the Agha Khan Mausoleum and the Botanical Garden (Kitchner Island). Overnight in Aswan.
Day 5:
Free time at leisure or optional excursion to Abu Simbel, to see the Temples of Ramses II. During the afternoon, navigation to Kom Ombo and overnight.
Day 6:
Navigation to Edfu to visit the best preserved Temple in Egypt dedicated to the Falcon God Horus. During the afternoon, navigation to Luxor via Esna and overnight in Luxor.
Day 7: Visit of the fabulous Luxor Temple and the enormous Temple complex of Karnak . Free time at leisure and overnight in Luxor.
Day 8:
Disembarkation after breakfast.
The Excursion package includes the following visits:
East Bank: Luxor and Karnak Temples
West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Queens, Medinat
Habu, and the Colossi of Memnon
Edfou Temple
Kom Ombo Temple
Philae Temple in Aswan
Felucca Sailing
Please note: ALL EXCURSIONS ARE LISTED IN THE ABOVE SHIP ITINERARIES, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN ANY EXCURSION UNLESS YOU SELECT THE EXCURSION PACKAGE AS PART OF YOUR CRUISE.
Excursion Packages - You may enjoy visiting many cultural and historical sights of ancient Egypt. Differing between each cruise, these excursions may take you to:
Unfinished Obelisk -
Visitors to Egypt are often taken to the site of a quarry of granite in Aswan where the Unfinished Obelisk lies in situ. Believed to have been constructed and abandoned during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, had the obelisk been completed it would have been the largest of its kind ever found. Its carvings and artwork boast distinct similarities to the Obelisk that stands in the Temple of Karnak and it is perhaps the most ambitious obelisk ever attempted.
Legend has it that builders found a flaw in the rock so they stopped construction and began a new one. However the quarry of granite where it lies today is an important site for visitors looking to explore the remains of ancient Egypt.
Temple of Philae -
The Temple of Philae is an excellent indicator of the great age of Egyptian civilisation. Not least for its breathtaking building work and rich historical tale, but for its brave upheaval from its original site to new territory after it came under threat due to a change in water levels.
The Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Isis, now stands on a small island in the Nile near Aswan. Like a number of the monuments in Egypt, the temple of Philae is an important landmark in the impressive dark and light show. Where a selection of pylons, temples and buildings are lit by spotlights of various colour and silhouetted against rocks and monuments to magnificent effects.
Temple of Luxor -
If you plan on visiting the ancient city of Luxor, then the spectacular Temple of Luxor cannot be missed. Located in the centre of the city on the banks of the River Nile, this powerful site was built around 1400BC by King Amenhotep III who dedicated it to Theban Triad Amon-Re, his consort Mut and their son Khonsu.
Its main purpose was to celebrate the festival of Opet, however it has been a truly sacred site since its inception and the place of worship for Christians and Muslims for many centuries. One of the highlights for visitors today is the sacred Mosque built inside and perhaps the best time to visit is at sunset when the Temple is beautifully lit and offers a wonderful reflection of this fabled land.
Temple of Karnak -
The most impressive site in ancient Egyptian history, the Temple of Karnak is situated just North of Luxor. This particular site is without doubt the king of all religious buildings. Its structure covers over 200 acres and it is the largest temple complex ever built by man.
The site at Karnak is made up of 3 main temples, smaller enclosed temples and several outer temples. Covering over 200 acres of ancient ground the Temple represents an image of the achievements of a generation of ancient building work. Its main area is so big in size that it could hold over 61 European Cathedrals, with sites such as St. Peters or the Milan Cathedral being lost inside its huge shell.
Temple of Hatshepsut -
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut plays a significant part in the tale of ancient Egypt, not merely because it signifies the work of the first female Pharoah of this fabled land but because it is a place of forgotten beauty, with its architecture and tale outshining any other.
Queen Hatshepsut, known to the Egyptians as Djeser-Djeseru (or ‘sacred of the sacreds’) was Egypt’s first female monarch, ruling for two decades. The site of her temple was the product of precise strategic calculation. Built on the land of a valley considered sacred for 500 years, the Temple of Hatshepsut stands on the banks of the Nile, just a short distance South of the Valley of the Kings. Its stunning scenery is what entices and amazes visitors even to this day. Carved partially out of a sheer cliff, the temple has 3 terraced levels that connect to a path which leads directly to Hatshepsut’s tomb in Valley of the Kings. Such awe-inspiring ancient architecture displays the full glory of Queen Hatshepsut’s legacy and reign.
Horus Temple in Edfu -
The Temple of Horus is the most preserved ancient temple in Egypt. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon headed god, its structure is a fine example of its period and stands peacefully on the West Banks of the Nile. Built over a 180 year period on the site of the battle between Horus and Seth its location became somewhat of a conspiracy in ancient times, with this particular side of the river dedicated to the afterlife.
Today the Temple of Horus is perhaps the most complete in its collection. Totally submerged by desert it is the second largest temple after Karnak and displays some of the most intriguing art and building work known to man. A magnificent black marble statue of Horus greets you at the entrance and nearly every surface is covered with carvings and hieroglyphics.
High Dam - North of the border between Egypt and Sudan, just south of the city of Aswan you can find the High Dams. The dams were designed to control the River Nile and create a reservoir capable of storing water to prevent droughts. Before building of the dam, annual floods to the River Nile created huge problems for the countries landscape. However since its inception flood water now gets trapped in Lake Nasser behind the dam, controlling its flow into the valley. Taking 10 years to build, the High Dams have been the biggest change to the River Nile. However its importance in Egypt today is unprecedented.
Colossus of Memnon -
Two giant quartzile statues known as the Colossus of Memnon are today the only remains of the magnificent structure that was built as a mortuary temple for Amenophis III. Standing side by side in a field of corn facing east and waiting for the rise of the new sun, the statues present a wonderful image of a fading kingdom.
Originally marking the gates of the temple, the statues were in fact misnamed Memnon by the Greeks who thought they represented the legend Memnon who Archilles killed in the battle of Troy. The complete temple was built on agricultural land not desert alike other temples throughout ancient Egypt. Flooding soon destroyed most of the structure and its remains were used in the creation of newer tombs and temples whose structures are still in existence today.
Botanical Gardens in Aswan -
The Botanical Gardens of Aswan offer a chance to explore a different side of Egypt. Located in Aswan City just behind Elephantine Island, they are a tropical paradise of interesting flora and fauna on the River Nile. Divided into 27 beds each has a different variety of plant life and visitors are invited to wander through the enchantment of the gardens.
