Flying to Tauck’s Egypt
Most international flights arrive between 3:00 PM and 11:00 PM local time; to ease the effects of jet lag, you may want to consider traveling to Egypt a day early. Tauck can book your transatlantic flights for travel originating in the United States, and arrange accommodations in Cairo for the night before your tour begins, giving you time to rest and relax. Ask for details upon booking.

1. Arrive Cairo
Tour begins: Oberoi Mena House. Welcome to Egypt, where a fascinating legacy of human and natural history is explored from ancient to modern times. A transfer is included from Cairo International Airport to Oberoi Mena House, a sumptuous former royal hunting lodge in the shadow of the Great Pyramids. Enjoy views of the Pyramids from your room.

2. Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza
On a visit to the Solar Boat Museum, view a remarkably well-preserved Egyptian cedarwood boat – discovered in the 1950s and reconstructed after having been buried some 4,500 years. At Giza, the incomparable Sphinx sits near the magnificent Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), the only survivor among the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” See them today, and have your photo taken while riding a camel in front of the Pyramids. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner. Meals BLD

3. Explore Centuries of History in Cairo
A walking tour of the ancient city of Cairo visits Ben Ezra Synagogue, the ruins of a Roman fortress, and the Coptic Christian Church of St. Sergius, built upon a site significant to the early history of Christianity. View Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque, Egypt’s oldest, founded in the 7th century, and the tomb of King Farouk in the Al-Rifai Mosque; explore the Khan El Khalili Bazaar. Meals BL

4. Abu Simbel / • Sahara Desert
Take a private charter flight to visit the wonders of Abu Simbel, including the magnificent Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Queen Nefertari. Travel through the Sahara Desert en route to Aswan and one of the world’s great engineering feats, the Aswan High Dam. After embarking on your three-night cruise aboard Nile Adventurer (see deck plan at www.tauck.com), enjoy a private boat ride to Philae Temple. Join us this evening for a welcome reception aboard the ship. Meals BLD

5. • Cruise the River Nile
Spend an exciting day cruising the Nile, glimpsing life along its banks from the decks of the Nile Adventurer. Shore excursions include Kom Ombo, where you’ll enjoy a guided visit to its unusual double temple. Continue on to Edfu and the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved in Egypt; its detailed walls are a textbook of mythology and history. A special evening aboard the Nile Adventurer includes Egyptian cuisine and entertainment by the ship’s crew. Meals BLD

6. • Luxor, Ancient Thebes
Arrive at Luxor, site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, one of the world’s most extraordinary “open-air” museums. Led by expert Egyptologists, discover the remarkable antiquities at the temple complexes of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak, and view treasures of Upper Egypt on a visit to the Luxor Museum. Take a private horse-drawn carriage through a food bazaar, and enjoy a farewell dinner and folkloric show aboard ship. Meals BLD

7. Luxor – Valleys of the Kings & Queens
Disembark Nile Adventurer this morning and travel to the Valley of the Queens to see Queen Hatshepsut’s temple. Visit Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III, renowned for its intricate texts and reliefs, and the Valley of the Kings, site of over 60 Pharaohs’ tombs, including the fabled tomb of King Tutankhamun. Visit Luxor’s street market bazaar this afternoon. Meals BLD

8. Treasures of King Tutankhamun
Enjoy a private cruise aboard a traditional felucca along the River Nile, followed by a flight to Cairo. Visit the Egyptian Museum, seeing the treasures found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb, and the mummy collection, featuring the remains of Seti I, Tuthmosis IV, and Ramesses II. Meals BLD

9. Memphis, Ancient Capital of Egypt
Travel to ancient Memphis this morning, the first capital of Upper and Lower Egypt. At Sakkara, visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser – the world’s first major stone structure – and the Pyramid of Teti; spend the afternoon at leisure. Tonight, enjoy a spectacular light and sound show at the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza. Meals BL

10. Cairo / Amman
Attend a lecture on modern Egyptian history before flying to the ancient city of Amman, dating back nearly 8,500 years to the Neolithic period. Meals BD

11. Biblical Sites Along the River Jordan
Thousands of years of biblical history await as you visit sites on the east bank of the River Jordan, associated with stories in both the Old and New Testaments. Begin at Bethany beyond the Jordan, identified as the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Moses looked out at the “land of Canaan,” present-day Israel, from windswept Mt. Nebo. Visit the basilica honoring him, featuring 6th-century Byzantine mosaics, and enjoy views of the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. After a traditional lunch in Madaba, “city of mosaics,” drive through the desert to the archaeological site of Petra for two nights. Meals BLD

12. Explore the Ancient City of Petra
A passage through a narrow sandstone canyon called the Siq leads to your first breathtaking glimpse of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, established around 6 BC. Spend much of the day exploring Petra’s fascinating sites, including the 130-foot-high Khazneh (The Treasury), the Royal Tombs, an amphitheatre that once seated 8,000, and numerous temples and tombs. Visit the private home of a Bedouin family, then enjoy dinner at a restored hilltop Bedouin village. Meals BLD

13. The Kings’ Highway & The Dead Sea
Travel along the 5,000-year-old Kings’ Highway from Petra to the Dead Sea. A visit to the new Panorama Visitor Center on the shores of the Dead Sea offers stunning views and exhibits interpreting the natural history of the area, the lowest point on earth. Arrive mid-afternoon at your luxury resort and spa, where you can relax and perhaps take a swim in the therapeutic waters. Join us tonight for a farewell dinner. Meals BLD

14. Journey Home
Tour ends: Jordan. Transfer is included from Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa to the Queen Alia Int’l Airport (about 11/4 hours) – allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in. Most international flights depart early in the morning; you may want to stay an extra night at the Dead Sea Resort. Meals B

 

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