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11 Night Passage Through Egypt Cruise and Land Tour from Cairo

Ship: Oberoi Philae

Cruise Line: Lindblad Expeditions

Sailed: Saturday, Nov 4, 2023 from Cairo, Egypt

Ended: Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Saturday, Nov 4, 2023 departure of the Oberoi Philae. If Lindblad Expeditions modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Saturday - Nov 4, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

Fly overnight to Cairo and check into The Nile Ritz-Carlton, your home for the next four nights. The hotel overlooks the Nile in the heart of this great city, and your room will face the Nile, with the pyramids visible in the distance (weather permitting).

Day 2 - Sunday - Nov 5, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

Bus Travel

Giza, Egypt

Bus Travel

Cairo, Egypt

After a morning welcome briefing, we start the day exploring the most iconic and mysterious of all things in Egypt: the Pyramids and Sphinx complex in Giza. Among the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the Pyramids of Giza have survived. The magnificent Pyramid of Cheops was built from over two million blocks of stone and took tens of thousands of workers twenty years to build. Nearby is the great Sphinx, carved out of a single massive piece of stone, showing the Pharaoh Chefren's head on the body of a lion. You'll have the chance to go inside the Great Pyramid, following the narrow passageway of the Grand Gallery to the burial chamber of Cheops. Your Egyptologist will share with you stories and details of the site's construction while your Certified Photography Instructor will be on hand to ensure you get the perfect photos. Marvel at the Solar Boat, built about 2500 BC for the Pharaoh Khufu's use in the afterworld. You'll also have the chance to ride a camel if you wish. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then return to the hotel where you can enjoy the hotel amenities, chat with the Egyptologist, or explore on your own. This evening we'll gather for a daily Recap and welcome reception, followed by dinner at your leisure. (B,L)

Day 3 - Monday - Nov 6, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

Bus Travel

Saqqara, Egypt

Bus Travel

Cairo, Egypt

The treasures of Egypt are vast and the stuff of legend. No trip to Egypt would be complete without expertly-guided visits of amazing collections. Tour the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), scheduled to open in early 2022, which holds an almost endless collection of some of the greatest masterpieces ever crafted, including the treasures of Tutankhamun, the brightly painted limestone sculptures of Prince Rahotep and Princess Nofret, the bizarre relief of Akhenaten, and pharaoh mummies including Ramses II. Note: If the GEM is not opened as scheduled, we will instead visit the Antiquities Museum which houses a grand collection of ancient marvels, and is scheduled to close when the GEM opens. After lunch, we travel to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Zoser, a revolutionary design that initiated the art of pyramid-building. We will also see some of Egypt's most charming wall paintings and reliefs, showing scenes of harvesting, fishing, music making, and dancing, as well as the elaborate and exquisite mastaba of Mereruka, the largest in Saqqara. While not a royal, Mereruka (or Meri) was, among other things, "Chief Justice and Vizier" to Pharaoh Teti of the Sixth Dynasty, wealthy enough to build such a large and colorful tomb for his afterlife. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Tuesday - Nov 7, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

Enjoy a change of pace today as you explore some of Cairo's greatest architecture and monuments to Islam, interpreted and brought to life by your Egyptologist through stories and personal experiences. Among the sites you'll visit is the Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque, completed in 1848. It occupies a commanding position overlooking Cairo from atop the Citadel, and its five domes can be seen throughout the city. Continue to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 during the Bahri Mamluk period. Renowned for its size and use of unorthodox architectural elements, the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa is considered one of the best examples of Islamic art in Cairo. We have lunch at a local restaurant, then explore the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, a maze of streets with thousands of shops selling everything from filigreed silverwork to camel saddles. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Wednesday - Nov 8, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

Air Travel

Abu Simbel, Egypt

Air Travel

Cruise Begins

Aswan, Egypt

Fly via private charter flight to southern Nubia, traversing almost the entire length of Egypt, and the remarkable site of Abu Simbel, on a sun-baked island in the azure waters of Lake Nasser. Two temples are found here; one large, dedicated to Ramses II's victory at Kadesh, and one small, dedicated to his beloved Queen Nefertari. Constructed in the mid 13th century BC, Abu Simbel was excavated from the sand in 1817. The temples were moved piece-by-piece to where it sits today to avoid being lost again, this time not to sand and neglect but to the creation of modern Lake Nasser. After lunch, we reboard our privately-chartered aircraft to Aswan to embark the elegant, privately-chartered Oberoi Philae, our home for the next six nights, in time for dinner. Onboard you will find spacious cabins, warm public areas, and a welcoming Egyptian crew offering impeccable service. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Thursday - Nov 9, 2023

Aswan, Egypt

Aswan enjoys a glorious location on the Nile, backed by hills, with granite rocks protruding from the riverbed and sailboats (called feluccas) plying the water. It is just downstream of the northernmost Nile cataract, which historically made it a frontier town and a trading center with Nubia. This morning we visit the fine Nubian Museum, where you'll learn about the Nubian history and culture of Upper Egypt, as well as the architectural marvel that is Abu Simbel. Next is a special High Tea at the legendary Old Cataract Hotel, from where commanding views of the Nile and Elephantine are sure to please. End the day with a relaxing sail on a traditional felucca as the Nubian crew sing local songs and show you the beauty of the cataracts in the afternoon light. This evening, enjoy a Nubian cultural show onboard Oberoi Philae. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Friday - Nov 10, 2023

Aswan, Egypt

Bus Travel

Agilkia Island, Egypt

Day Boat Travel

Agilkia Island, Egypt

Day Boat Travel

Agilkia Island, Egypt

Bus Travel

Aswan, Egypt

Kom Ombo, Egypt

Edfu, Egypt

Early this morning, enjoy the lovely Temple of Isis on the island of Philae, from which the Oberoi Philae gets its name. In Greek, Philae means "the end" and the island was aptly named due to its border with ancient Nubia. Like Abu Simbel, the Temple of Isis would have been lost to the floods caused by the building of the High Dam if not painstakingly dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its present location. Visit a granite quarry to learn about how massive obelisks and other structures were carefully cut from solid rock and transported to the river for sailing the Nile. Get a good look at an unfinished obelisk on site before casting off from Aswan on the most luxurious ship on the Nile and continue our adventure in Kom Ombo. Set strikingly atop a hill overlooking the Nile we visit Kom Ombo in the afternoon, built during the Ptolemaic era, dedicated to two gods-hawk-headed Haroeris and crocodile-headed Sobek. It is richly decorated, and even has a hieroglyphic calendar. Enjoy more time onboard where you can relax, dip into the ship's library of Egyptian history, or take a cool swim in the pool. Presentations and recap onboard will cover Egyptology as well as modern Egypt plus photo instruction that take into account the sites and lighting you are experiencing. We overnight in Edfu. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - Saturday - Nov 11, 2023

Essna, Egypt

Luxor, Egypt

After early sailing to Esna, walk to the nearby Temple of Khnum, which lies beneath the contemporary town of Esna and has not been fully excavated. Your Egyptologist will explain how silt from centuries of the Nile's annual floods buried the temple, which sits below street level. Walk back to the ship through the narrow streets of Esna, talking with locals, sharing stories and smiles, and learning about everyday Egyptian small-town life. After lunch, we have time to cruise and marvel at the rich and verdant riverbanks and farmland that has sustained life along the Nile for thousands of years. Enjoy the views from your suite or join your friends in the lounge or on the top deck to watch life and history go by. We'll continue our program with presentations from your Egyptologists and certified photo instructor later this afternoon. Next we arrive to Luxor and explore the exquisite Luxor Temple, guarded by massive statues of Ramses II, with magnificent pylons, columns, and statues. It has been a place of worship for millennia, as attested to by the mosque that was built atop the site. Luxor Temple is well-lit in the evenings and a wonderful site to visit after sunset. After dinner onboard, have an opportunity to enjoy the evening in Luxor. (B,L,D)

Day 9 - Sunday - Nov 12, 2023

Qena, Egypt, Egypt

Bus Travel

Dendera, Egypt

Bus Travel

Qena, Egypt, Egypt

Luxor, Egypt

After early cruising to Qena, we visit the Temple of Dendera, constructed during the time of the Roman emperors, noted for its dramatic columns and magnificent ceilings. The reliefs on the temple walls depict the empress Cleopatra. Hundreds of years of black soot was delicately removed to reveal the stunning and colorful artwork beneath, considered among the finest in all Egypt. Return to the ship for lunch and time to enjoy sailing through some of Upper Egypt's most stunning scenery in route back to Luxor where we'll tour the Luxor Museum, which contains some of Egypt's finest statuary, beautifully lit and displayed, including the mummies of Ahmose I and Ramesses I. (B,L,D); Please note that we will drive via motorcoaches between Luxor and Dendera Temple if our arrival coincides with low water, and cruise this section of the Nile during high water times.

Day 10 - Monday - Nov 13, 2023

Luxor, Egypt

Rise early for an optional hot-air balloon ride and a panoramic view of the Luxor area. This morning we will cross the Nile to the fabled West Bank and Valley of the Kings, burial ground for hundreds of years to Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Explore and photograph the tombs of Seti I and Tutankhamun. Visit the Valley of the Queens and the most remarkable tomb of them all: that of Nefertari. Vivid paintings show the queen's beauty and depict her journey to the afterlife in exquisite color and quality found nowhere else in Egypt. See the temple of Hatshepsut, dramatically set beneath sandstone cliffs. Return to the ship for lunch and time to explore Luxor at your leisure. (B,L,D)

Day 11 - Tuesday - Nov 14, 2023

Luxor, Egypt

Cruise Ends

Luxor, Egypt

Air Travel

Cairo, Egypt

Disembark Oberoi Philae and visit Karnak Temple. For 2,000 years some 30 pharaohs added their own monuments and shrines to this vast temple. The 134 columns of the great hall create a forest of stone 70 feet high, while the towering obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut shadows the rear of the temple. The reliefs and carvings, created by some of Ancient Egypt's finest artisans, are dramatic. After lunch, we board our privately-chartered aircraft to Cairo and check into the 5-star InterContinental Citystars Hotel. Gather for our final dinner with the group this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 12 - Wednesday - Nov 15, 2023

Cairo, Egypt

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home. (B)