Your first full day will take you to the Giza Plateau, home to the world-famous pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, as well as the impressive Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Afterward, you’ll visit the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which houses the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

After lunch, we’ll be on the road and spend the night in Cairo.

After breakfast and check-out, you’ll head to Cairo Airport for your approximately one-hour domestic flight to Luxor. Your German-speaking tour guide will be waiting to greet you there. Immediately afterward, you’ll explore East Thebes with the monumental temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor—two of the most impressive examples of ancient Egyptian architecture.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll check in at the Winter Palace, where you’ll also have dinner. Optionally, you can attend the evening sound-and-light show at Karnak Temple.

Overnight stay and dinner at the Winter Palace in Luxor.

Optional: A sound-and-light show takes place every evening at the Karnak Temple in Luxor. During the show, you’ll learn more about the history of the temple as well as about Luxor, the city that was the capital of Egypt in ancient times.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your exploration of West Thebes: the Valley of the Kings with its fascinating tombs, Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, and the imposing Colossi of Memnon from the 14th century B.C. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll return to your hotel in Luxor and enjoy a delicious dinner.

Then drive back to your hotel in Luxor and enjoy a fine dinner.

You’ll have breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, we’ll take you to the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, located south of Luxor. Explore the historic double temple at Kom Ombo. Afterward, we’ll continue on to visit the Temple of Horus. In ancient Egyptian mythology, Horus is considered the god of the sky, the worlds, and light.

After lunch, you’ll continue on to Aswan and check in at your hotel.

You’ll spend this day in and around Aswan. First, you’ll visit a monumental modern-day structure: the Nasser Lake Dam. On the Nile, you’ll board a boat that will take you to Agilika Island. You’ll visit the Temple of Philae, dedicated to Isis, the goddess of love. You’ll have lunch at a cozy restaurant specializing in fish dishes. Afterward, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel in Aswan.

You’re now halfway through your trip—today marks the start of the part that makes this luxury tour of Egypt with a Lake Nasser cruise so unique. After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to the Nile and board the SAI, your home on the water for the next five days. Before the cruise officially begins, you’ll visit the rock-cut temple of Beit el-Wali, dating from the reign of Ramses II. During lunch, the ship will set sail toward the Temple of Kalabsha, with the option of a refreshing swim in the lake.

Continue on to Khor Al Ghazal for your first dinner and your first night aboard.

The day begins early: You’ll leave the ship at sunrise. At this time of day, gazelles and wild donkeys graze along the lake’s shore. Watch this natural spectacle during a morning walk. Back on the ship, you’ll continue on to Wadi es-Sebua, through the Abu Sheta area, and on to the Nubian village of Maria on the western shore of Lake Nasser, stopping a few times along the way for well-deserved breaks. If you’d like, you can take a dip in the lake for a wonderfully refreshing swim. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Breakfast on board. Today’s sightseeing itinerary once again includes several interesting sites ashore: the rock-cut temple in the forest of Wadi es-Sebua, as well as the temples of Dakka and Mehraka. As you then enjoy the rest of the cruise, you’ll approach Wadi Al Arab, located further south. Here, you can take a break to go swimming. Afterward, relax while the ship sails on to Amada.

This morning, you’ll have breakfast on the boat again, during which you can watch the migratory birds along the shores of Lake Nasser. Afterward, you’ll disembark and travel to Amada. Once there, you’ll explore the temples of Amada and Ed Deir and visit the tomb of Pennut. As you continue your journey on the SAI, you’ll catch a glimpse of Kasr Ibrim. Kasr Ibrim is a city built on a rocky hill, commissioned in the first half of the 15th century B.C. by Queen Hatshepsut, who was ruling at the time. Today, Kasr Ibrim is a ruin site and can be seen as an island in the middle of Lake Nasser.

Next, we continue on to Abu Simbel. Along this stretch of the river, you’ll pass numerous Nubian villages. Once you arrive in Abu Simbel, you’ll visit the famous temple of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari.

Optional: Let yourself be enchanted by the sound and light show at the Temple of Abu Simbel.

Dinner will be served, and you’ll spend your last night on the ship.

In Abu Simbel, you’ll enjoy your last breakfast aboard the SAI. Your sailing trip ends here. After disembarking, we’ll drive you to the Abu Simbel airport, where you’ll board your domestic flight to Cairo. You’ll be met at the Cairo airport and transferred to your hotel.

On this final morning in Egypt, treat yourself to one last delicious breakfast. Depending on your flight schedule, we’ll take you to the airport in Cairo. Our tour guide will assist you with departure formalities. Be sure to pack the last rays of the Egyptian sun and the warmth of the locals into your carry-on luggage before boarding your flight home.