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LEGEND OF THE NILE

Legends-of-the-Nile-TOUR1

LEGEND OF THE NILE

Colorful culture, stunning scenery and treasured history come together in perfect harmony in this luxurious tour. Experience the famous highlights of Egypt, including the Pyramids, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and a relaxing cruise down the Nile. Enjoy the very best that Egypt has to offer.

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Tour Length: 08 days                                                                       Start From: Tour On Request

Tour Style: Luxury

Tour Theme: Private tour

Advantages

  • Private tour with your own personal guide
  • Private, climate controlled transportation
  • Customized itinerary according to your desire
  • Internal flights
  • Handpicked luxury accommodations
  • Services of Citadel Tours Representative in Egypt
  • Arrival and Departure transfers
  • Sail the Nile in Luxury Nile cruise
  • Around the clock support in each destination
  • Excellent knowledge and recommendations from our tour specialists

Highlights:

• Visit the inspiring Pyramids of Giza
• Explore Tut ankh Amon treasures
• Tour the magnificent Temples of Abu Simble
• Discover the secrets of Valley of the Kings
• Stroll through the impressive temple of Karank
• Sail aboard Felucca around Aswan islands

Meals

  • 7 breakfasts
  • 4 lunches
  • 6 dinners

Transportation

  • Air conditioned buses
  • Airplane
  • Horse-drawn carriage

Day 1: Cairo
Welcome to the land of Pharaohs. Transfer to your hotel.

Day 2: Cairo
Exciting guided tour of the spectacular Pyramids and the world famous Egyptian Museum.

Day 3: Cairo – Luxor
fly to Luxor and board your luxury Nile Cruise. Horse drawn carriage to the amazing Karnak Temple.

Day 4: Luxor – Esna – Edfu
Exciting morning at the Valley of the Kings,Hatshepsut’s Temple.

Day 5: Edfu – Kom Ombo – Aswan
Visit the ancient preserved Temple of Horus and the unique Temple of Kom Ombo.

Day 6: Aswan
Explore the magical Philae Temple and felucca ride around the gorgeous Aswan Islands.

Day 7: Aswan – Cairo
Fly to the magnificent Temple of Abu Simbel.

Day 8: Cairo
Tour ends and transfer to airport.

Day 1: Cairo

Your amazing trip to the land of wonders begins as you arrive at the Cairo International Airport. A company representative will be waiting at Immigration and Customs to assist you and escort you to your hotel. As the capital of Egypt, Cairo is the gateway to the most wonderful culture of the Middle East. This metropolitan city balances ancient history with a modern lifestyle and the very best of Egyptian nightlife.

No activities or meals are included on your first day. However, if you arrive early, there are a few excursions around Cairo you may be interested in. Please check the optional section.

Meals: No meals

Hotel  :  

Day 2: Cairo

Today you will visit the Giza plateau, site of Great Pyramids, the last of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. 

After breakfast, your guide will escort you to the spectacular site of the Pyramids. The Great Pyramids are an extraordinary highlight, enticing tourists from around the world to visit Egypt every year. Built during the 4th Dynasty, the site is comprised of three pyramids with three unique stories about ancient civilization. Your Egyptologist will guide you around the Cheops, Kephren and Mykernes pyramids, built as exclusive tombs for Kings and Queens. Although there are more than 93 pyramids throughout Egypt, the most famous are the ones found at Giza. The pyramid of Cheops, built of limestone rock, is comprised of 1,300,000 blocks ranging in weight from 2.5 to 15 tons each. You may have an opportunity to access one of the pyramids or want to visit the Solar Boat Museum located close to the largest pyramid, at an additional cost.

Next, we visit the Great Sphinx, one of the most recognized and interesting structures in history. With the body of a lion and a human head, the impressive structure measures 60m long and 20m high. Created from soft sandstone, the sphinx was buried under the sand for centuries. Following your morning at the Pyramids, your guide will suggest a restaurant for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will visit the world famous Egyptian Museum.

After lunch, your guide will escort you to through the incredible Egyptian Museum. It is home to amazing and rare collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the treasures of King Tut Ankh Amon. In the Mummy Room, you will have the opportunity to experience the mummies of ancient pharaohs and queens including the most spectacular and famous, King Ramses II. Your Egyptologist will guide you through this massive building pointing out the greatest masterpieces of Egyptian history.

In the evening, you will enjoy a dinner on Nile cruise.

After exciting day, you will enjoy Nile cruise dinner in Cairo. The dinner include sailing for two hours, whirling dervish show and belly dance show.

Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Hotel  : 

Day 3: Cairo-Luxor

Morning flight to Luxor and check in at 5 star Nile cruise.

This morning, our representative will transfer you to the Cairo Airport for your hour long flight to the famous city of Luxor.

Luxor is called the capital of antiquities because it is home to 1/3 of the ancient Egyptian monuments. As you drive along the Cornish, you will witness a mixture of ancient and modern monuments in this historic city. Our representative will transfer you to your 5 star Nile Cruise, your home for the next 4 days. As you travel from Luxor to Aswan, unwind, relax andenjoy the beautiful scenery and witness life along the Nile.

Enjoy a horse drawn carriage to the famous Karnak Temple.

After checking into your hotel, your Luxor guide will accompany you on your carriage ride and through the Karnak temple. The horse drawn carriage was the old royal mode of transportation and has been adopted as a form of public transportation in the smaller cites. The Karnak Temple is the most famous and largest temple in Egypt. The complex contains a group of temples that has been dedicated to different gods. As you’re guided around this massive complex, you will learn more about the ancient capital of Thebes. Following the temple visit, you will take the horse carriage back to the cruise boat. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the east side of Luxor.

Free evening to enjoy the Luxor nightlife.

The Luxor market is a wonderful place to mingle with the locals, explore the culture and discover great souvenirs. The market is famous for silver jewellery and alabaster stone statues. There are also wonderful coffee shops located within the market where you can enjoy the night life or enjoy an optional horse-drawn carriage ride around the city to experience a more authentic Egyptian culture.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Nile Cruise : 

Day 4: Luxor – Esna

After an early start, enjoy a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings and Worker Village. 

After an early breakfast, you will join your guide and cross to the west side of the Nile Valley and visit the Valley of the Kings and the Worker Village. The west bank of Luxor is called “The City of the Dead” because of the huge number of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and subjects buried there. When you arrive at the Valley of the Kings, you will see several entrances that lead to numerous secret underground burial sites beneath a rocky mountain. The colourful vibrant carvings and paintings on the tomb walls each tell a story of a different pharaoh, their life and their expectations of the afterlife. Your entrance ticket allows you to visit three different tombs. A visit to King Tut Ankh Amon’s tomb will require an extra ticket at an additional cost. The Worker Village is also carved out of a mountain with ruins and remains of the old city. Two small tombs are located here with colourful paintings and art representing their beliefs that has also been well preserved. Before we catch the ferry to the east bank of Luxor, we will visit the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues that represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Approximately 18m high, the statues are made of quartzite sandstone and face the Nile. After the tour is complete, you will cross back to the east bank of the Nile Valley and board our Nile cruise boat.

After noon sailing the River Nile to Esna.

As your sailing journey begins in the afternoon, sit back and relax as the magnificent scenery and small villages pass you by. The water levels of the Nile differentiate between Luxor and Aswan at Esna. Although it is a very small city, Esna contains the river lock, which was built to navigate the waters and help the cruise ships cross without any issues. As the cruise boats enter the lock, the level of water either rises to cross towards Aswan or lowers to cross towards Luxor. It is always interesting to watch and be part of while you are on the cruise ship.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Nile Cruise : 

Day 5: Esna – Edfu – Kom Ombo

Visit Edfu Temple.

In the morning, you will visit Edfu Temple, the Temple of Horus, is the second largest and most preserved temple in Egypt. Dedicated to the God Horus, son of Osiris, the temple displays the legendary story of Osiris, Seth and the creation of the world. We head back to the Nile cruise boat and start sailing to Kom Ombo.

Sail to Kom Ombo and explore the temple on the River Nile. Sail to Aswan and overnight.

Kom Ombo Temple is a unique structure and one of the very rarest temples that you will visit. Divided into two sections, this temple is symmetrical and contains an outer and an inner temple, both dedicated to two different gods. There is also an opportunity to visit the amazing Mummified Crocodile Museum. After visiting Kom Ombo Temple, you will head back to the Nile cruise boat and sail to Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Nile Cruise : 

Day 6: Aswan

Enjoy a tour of Philae Temple. 

Waking up in Aswan, you will be amazed at how beautiful the scenery is. Aswan, located in Upper Egypt, is a unique city home to two both Nubian and Egyptian cultures. Located along the beautiful Nile River, Aswan is surrounded by fertile greenery and a rocky landscape backed by magnificent golden sand dunes. You cannot help but fall in love with this quaint city. The unique location of Aswan has helped it become a fantastic winter resort with the most sun in all of Egypt.

In the morning, you will have a guided tour of Philae Temple. It is dedicated to Isis, the famous goddess and Mother to the God Horus. One of the temples at risk because of the Aswan Dam, Philae Temple was moved to a beautiful island similar to its original location.

In the afternoon, enjoy a felucca ride around Aswan islands and visit the Elephantine Island and Botanical Gardens.

A felucca is the traditional sailing boat used around Aswan and will definitely be one of the highlights of your trip! As you relax on your felucca ride, you will enjoy the very best section of the River Nile and the beautiful Aswan islands. Elephantine Island houses the remains of the old temple of Khnum. Inside the temple is a Nilo meter, an ancient device used to measure the level of water which would set the taxes for the country. The island is also famous because of its rocky landscape that resembles the backs of elephants. The Botanical Gardens, located between the east and west bank of Aswan, include various types of flowers and plants brought in from five continents.

Explore the Aswan markets.

The best time to visit the massive outdoor Aswan markets is during the evening when the crowds are bustling! You can watch the locals or engage in some bargaining and haggling yourselves with the friendly vendors’ as they show off their merchandise. Aswan market is known for its spices, textiles, and jewellery.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Nile Cruise : 

Day 7: Aswan – Abu Simble –  Cairo

Disembark Nile cruise and early flight to Abu Simbe. 

After early breakfast, you will check out the Nile Cruise and our representative will transfer you to the Aswan Airport for your flight to Abu Simble.

Enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Temple Abu Simble.

Located on Lake Nasser, Abu Simbel was carved out of a mountain and created from the rocky surface to become one of the most powerful and breathtaking temples in all of Egypt. Created during the reign of King Ramses II, the temples are for himself and his beloved wife Nefertari. The temple is famous for its magical design when the sun rises and passes through the corridor, illuminating the face of King Ramses II on his birthday and day of coronation. The remarkable complex was relocated in 1968 to avoid being submerged and damaged by Lake Nassar when the Aswan Dam was created.

Return flight back to Cairo.

After an exciting visit to the amazing temple to Abu Simble, You will catch the flight from Abu Simble back to Cairo. You will be transferred to your hotel, the remainder of the day will be at your leisure. There are many options for your last day in Cairo that were not included in your trip. For example, you can visit Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo, last minute shopping at the famous Khan El-Khalili Bazaar or the Pyramid sound and light show.

Meals: Breakfast  – Dinner

Hotel   : 

Day 8: Cairo

Tour ends after breakfast and transfer to airport 

Our representative will transfer you to the Cairo International Airport.

Meals: Breakfast  

Inclusions:

  • Service of representatives
  • Arrival/departure transfer
  • Accommodations at Luxury hotels
  • Luxury Nile Cruise for 4 nights on FB basis
  • Transportation in private bus, as per itinerary
  • Internal flights
  • All transfers as listed, as per itinerary
  • All entrance fees as listed, as per itinerary
  • Tour guide at sites as listed, as per itinerary
  • Horse drawn carriage to Karnak Temple
  • Meals, as per itinerary
  • Felucca ride

Exclusions:

  • International airfare, airport departure and taxes
  • Visa entry to Egypt
  • Extra meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for any sites not listed in the itinerary
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Any item not specified in the “Inclusions”
  • Alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages
  • Any transfers not mentioned in the attached detailed itinerary
  • Any sightseeing not mentioned in the attached detailed itinerary
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities
  • Telephone calls
  • Personal items

Transportation

  • Air conditioned buses
  • Airplane
  • Horse-drawn carriage

Meals

  • 7 breakfasts
  • 4 lunches
  • 6 dinners

Optional Excursions

Cairo

  • Camel ride by the Pyramids
  • Coptic and Islamic Cairo
  • Memphis and Saqqara (step Pyramid)
  • Pyramids sound and light show

Optional Excursions

Luxor

  • Luxor by night on Horse-drawn Carriage
  • Balloon ride in west bank

Optional Excursions

Aswan

  • Philae sound and light show

Visa & Passport

Do I need visa to Egypt

Most tourists require a visa to enter Egypt. A single entry visa can be obtained at the borders. Cash is the only method of payment. A double entry visa can be obtained only through an Egyptian consulate in your home country. Please check the Egyptian embassy for the updated changes before your tour.

Upon arrival at the Cairo International Airport, you can purchase your single entry visa at a banking institution located before customs and immigration. We highly recommended that you check the required visa updates through the Egyptian embassy or consulate in your home country before your departure.

Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond your expected departure date from Egypt.

Vaccinations

Will I need any vaccinations

We recommend that you talk to your local doctor or consult a travel health specialist.

Will we get sick

Standards of hygiene can sometimes be lower than at home but if you take a few basic precautions it is simple to keep you healthy while you are away. In most cases food is freshly prepared for you, however it will probably contain ingredients that you are not familiar with or may be prepared in a different way. This change in diet is one of the most common causes of upset stomachs. Therefore it is a good idea to treat food and drink with caution – at least in the first few days of your holiday. It is a good idea to avoid tap water (even for cleaning teeth), ice-creams and to beware of ice in drinks. Bottled water is widely available and you should drink plenty (much more than you probably would do at home). Finally, and most importantly, try to ensure that you keep your hands clean – especially before you eat. Antiseptic wet wipes or antiseptic hand gel (which you can use without water) are essential.

Insurance

Do I need insurance

Yes, It is mandatory to have travel insurance. Insurance policy needs to provide full medical cover for expenses through illness or accident during your holiday, including the cost of repatriation if necessary. Coverage for cancellation and interruption thus it is important to take out insurance at time of booking. Coverage for loss or theft of personal belongings.

Money

What’s the best way to take money with me

We’d recommend that you take some cash as foreign currency, ATM cards and credit cards that works international.

How much money will I need for meals and excursions

Every trip has different inclusions and please checks the trip details and it would give an idea how much you need.

Hotels

What are the hotels like

It depends on what type of trip style you are doing. We use 4 & 5 stars hotels between all our trip styles. The star rating based on what the country has to offer in terms of hotels and can’t be equated with western style. All the rooms have en-suite bathrooms with toilet plus shower or bath. Most of the hotels will have swimming pools and at-least one restaurant. We usually provide a list of all the hotels you are going to stay in but the final confirmation would be at booking time.
If you trip include camping, the accommodation would be very basic and basic facilities.

Responsible Travel

Do your tours take care of the locals and environment

Absolutely, we cannot operate and run tours without the help of the locals. We employ a high number of locals and we choose our partners overseas with care. We include in our tours visits to locals projects and offer all the support. We participate in humanitarian and environmental projects. You will have chance to visit this project during the tour. Please check our responsible travel project www.citadeltours.com

Packing

What should I pack? What should I bring

After you booked with us, we send you a packing list that you can consider.

Tour

What will the tour be like

Our tours are designed by experts who led successful tours in each country. They understood what could interest all out guests. Tours runs at a relaxed pace with a mixture of sightseeing and free time.

Couldn’t I do all this on my own

Yes, you probably could. However, it will take alot longer to organize the suitable accommodation and transportation for your trip. During your trip, you lose some of your precious time to figure out how to get to place or organize excursion. Also, the language barrier could be overwhelming and frustrating. We organize everything for you and make sure you have a good time. The money difference is not huge and could be cheaper to do organized tours rather than do it in your own.

How much free time is there

The beauty of picking one of our suggested itinerary or customize your own trip is the flexibility. You decide when you will have your free time and how long is your free time.

What’s the difference between all your trip styles

We provide three main core styles for travel and the differences represented in the hotels category, types of transportation, meals and excursions inclusions. Please visit our trip styles for more detailed in formations.

When should I book by

We usually recommend to book early. The availability is subject to change and usually is not guarantee if you tried to book last minute you find spaces available. Remember, we use trains and airplanes in our trip and this is always subject to availability.

What time should I arrive on Day 1 and when the tour starts

The tour officially stars day 1 at 3:00 pm.. Usually day 1 no activities and just for arrival. However, you requested special optional excursion to be done on day1. We will advice you at the time booking when you should be there.

Where’s the meeting point

This information will be in your trip details and should also be included on your travel documents.

Do I have a guide the whole time

Mostly our tours include the service of representative and local guide. However, they don’t escort you the whole time. The representatives always available in each city you visit and they take care of all the tour service. Guides are always escorting you at the sightseeing areas. Some of our tours include guides the whole time and also you can request to have a guide escort you the whole time with any tour with additional cost. The trip details of each tour will mention all the tour inclusions.

When will I be sent my travel vouchers

You will be sent all travel vouchers approximately three weeks before you departure.

I’m a vegetarian – will it be a problem

In most countries you won’t have a problem. At the time of booking, you could mentions that you are vegetarian and we do our best to accommodate your request.

Will we suffer from culture shock

Most travellers experience some level of culture shock. Although the chance to learn about new customs is a positive part of travel, strange or odd customs, sounds, tastes and smells can sometimes be overwhelming.

What will the toilets be like

Toilets vary depending upon where you are – Mostly will be western-style toilets. In very rare cases and camping will be of the squat variety.

Will there be somewhere to charge my camera

This is depending on where in the world you are travelling. Mostly there is electricity everywhere you go but you have to bring the right transformer for the country. This information is available at the country travel guide.

Are there porters to carry my luggage

Porters may be available some of the time, and we always do our best to make your trip as comfortable as possible.

What will the trains be like

This differs from country to country but, in nearly we are using first class trains and sleeper trains in our tours. Please don’t except that you are going to be like your home trains.

Does the price include international flights

The prices are shown in our website for land only. It doesn’t include international flights. If the tour has domestic flights, that would be included in the tour. Also, we can arrange your international flights.

What sort of transport will we be using

We use different type of transportation from adventure type to high-end. It all depends on the travel style.

Can I choose certain activities and places to visit

You have the flexibility to customize your trip before departure and we do our best to accommodate all your requests. During your tour, you still able to request other activities but it would be subject to availability and time. Also, it will be at your own cost.

How do I check the departure dates

It is all listed in each tour under dates and prices in the website. You can click on request this tour and fill the dates you desired. We usually take 2 business days to confirm the availability.

Are airport transfers included in the trip price

Transfers are included in all our tours prices.

What time can I check in

Generally, check in after 3:00 pm but if the rooms are available before, the hotels would check you in. If you arrived after midnight before the tour officially starts, you will require booking a pre accommodation.

Can I book extra nights of hotel accommodation before or after my tour

Yes, we can arrange extra accommodation at our starting or ending hotels but it would be subject to availability.

Ramadan

Does Ramadan affect our tour

Ramadan is big celebration for the Muslims country. It is really good time to visit and experience the atmosphere. Usually the opening hours change during this time but it doesn’t really effect the tour 100 percent. The night time is most lively time. Shops and restaurants extend the opening hours to late time in the evening. Everything shut during the sunset time and opens after. Alcohol is hard to get hold of.

Tipping

Is tipping included and if not, how much should I budget

Tipping is very common in the Middle Eastern counters. Regard the tours, tips are not included but we provide you with a break down sheet of a minimum guide line of how much you should tip during the tour. For the extra excursion that not part of your tours, usually the price includes the tips. At the restaurants that not part of your itinerary you will consider to tip.

Interested to book this tour with us? please let us know your name and email and one of our Senior Travel Consultant  will contact you within one business day.
We are looking forward to offer you an unforgettable trip.

Want to tweak this tour?

We can customize this tour just for you. Anything can be tailored!