DAY 1 - CAIRO - Wednesday
Weekly in Cairo , year round
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : American, EU , Canadian , Singaporean & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry, await you in your hotel room .

Hotels : City Stars Inter.continental. Nile Hilton , Cairo Conrad or Grand Hyatt or similar

Visa will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel

DAY 2 - CAIRO - Thursday (BLD)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum including the " Mummies Room" . Lunch is included at a local restaurant: Naguib Mahfouz or similar . On to the Citadel of Saladin, and Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster, then wander through the maze of alleys of the Khan el-Khalili Ancient district . Dinner is included at the hotel

DAY 3 - CAIRO- GIZA - - Friday (BLD)
Drive to Giza and the edge of the sahara to tour the enigmatic Sphinx and , the Pyramids of Giza, complimentary short Camel ride is included, to allow you a photo with the Pyramids in the background, time is limited , so please do not go for what the camel driver tries to convince you , i.e. go for a long ride around the Pyramids .The Solar Boat museum visit is included.
Lunch is included at the Mena House or the Meridien Pyramids. On to Memphis and Sakkara , including the Step Pyramid. Dinner is included at the hotel.

Day 4 - Saturday -Cairo to Luxor and board your deluxe air conditioned Felucca (BLD)
Very early morning breakfast and transfer to Cairo Airport. Flight is included in our rate, in economy class , tax included . Morning arrival at Luxor . We'll meet you at the airport , and escort you to your deluxe air conditioned Nile cruise felucca or dahabbiya , Board Luxor ( or Aswan ) .

Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously appointed Dahabbiya.

After lunch, excursion to the West Bank for visits to the burial places of the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Continue to the adjacent Valley of the Queens, the temple of Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon.

Overnight moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. Names of the Four Felucca / Dahabia : El Bey (His Lordship) .  El Hanem (The Lady)  *  Zahra (Flower)    *  and Nesma (Breeze)

Day 5 - Sunday - Luxor - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
You will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns, followed by the imposing 28 th Dynasty Luxor Temple.

Overnight moored in Luxor.

Day 6 - Monday - Luxor to Esna - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to Esna where your dahabiyya will moor

Day 7 - Tuesday - Edfu - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved Temple of Edfu.

Overnight on board as we will look for an island in the middle of the Nile where we moor.

Day 8 - Wednesday - Kom Ombo - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning sun.

Overnight moored beside a Nile island.

Day 9 - Thursday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
A leisurely day sailing to Aswan where the dahabiyya moors overnight.

Day 10 - Friday - Aswan - On board your Yacht Nile Cruise (BLD)
Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old Dam (completed in 1902) and the ' unfinished obelisk', lying in situ since the days of the pharaohs. You will also visit the Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction.

Day 11- Saturday - Aswan - Fly back to Cairo (BD)
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya and check-out. We bid farewell to the crew, we switch transportation modes and head for Aswan Airport and your flight back to Cairo and your hotel. Air fare is always included within Egypt, economy class , tax included . Hotels : City Stars Inter.continental. Nile Hilton , Cairo Conrad or Grand Hyatt or similar . If you wish to add Abu Simbel , please click here . Dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 12 - CAIRO - Home Hosted Family Dinner in Cairo - Sunday (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Morning at leisure. Lunch is served at a charming local restaurant at Khan El Khalili old district, followed by a leisurely walking tour of the Khan El Khalili12-Century District .
A complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town )

This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

Day 13 - Venture into the Sahara - Cairo, El Alamain, Marsa Matrouh - Monday ( BLD)
It was in 1940 that Erwin Rommel took command of the Afrika Korps. The German commander staged daring strikes against British Commonwealth forces. He nearly succeeded in taking Cairo and changing the course of history.

On this three-day excursion from Cairo, we’ll recall those decisive days, witness some of the conditions experienced by troops of both sides, and come to appreciate the grandeur and glory of the Western Desert. And we’ll delve into military affairs more ancient, as we discover the traces of Alexander the Great.

Your guide and driver will pick you up early in the day to set out on the 250-kilometer journey through the desert to El Alamein. It was here, in the most decisive battle of the desert campaign in 1942, that Field Marshall Montgomery turned back the advance of the Afrika Korps after the disaster of Tobruk and a hasty retreat to the east.

We will visit the Afrika Korps Cemetery in the great battlefield and have a picnic lunch. Afterward, we’ll continue to Marsa Matrouh with its lovely stretches of beach to spend the night at the Siwa Safari Paradise.

Day 14 – Oracle of Amoun, Birket Siwa (Breakfast . Lunch . Dinner ) - Tuesday

You’ll want to linger at the lovely Siwa Safari Paradise, an oasis in itself constructed with local materials and serving refreshing yet unpretentious meals. After the fresh fruits of breakfast, it’s time to wander the nearby hills and olive groves. We’ll visit the Oracle of Amoun, and see where Alexander the Great was crowned as the Son of God. His final resting place is said to be nearby. We’ll take lunch in a local restaurant on Fatnas Island in the middle of Birket Siwa, a great salt lake surrounded by date palms. We’ll observe crystalline springs arising from the sands, one of which feeds the pool at the Siwa Safari Paradise, where we’ll return for dinner and the night.

Day 15 - Alexandria (Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner )- Wednesday

After a refreshing oasis breakfast of fruits, local cheese and just-baked bread, we’ll start our journey toward Alexandria , with a stop for lunch along the way. In Alexandria, we stay at the Palestine deluxe hotel or the Hilton, or similar. Dinner is included at the hotel

DAY 16 - Alexandria - Departure - Thursday (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport of Alexandria for your homeward flight. Bon Voyage

Rates are in USD $ - Rates are PER Person
There is no triple occupancy cabins

Rate per person in double : $ 4795
Rate per person in single : $ 7050

Peak Season :   Easter ( 2 weeks ) & Christmas and New Year ( Dec 20-Jan 5 ) :

Rates are per person in USD $
Rate per person in double : $ 5250
Rate per person in single : $ 8500

Rate Includes:

Rate Does Not Includes:

Aswan to Luxor Cruise Itinerary

Cairo portion remains the same .

For the cruise portion :

Saturday - Board Aswan

Embarkation in Aswan for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously appointed dahabiyya. Overnight, the ship moors on the Nile banks of Aswan

Sunday
Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam (completed in 1971); the Old Dam (completed in 1902) and the ' unfinished obelisk', lying in situ since the days of the pharaohs. You will also visit the Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, a structure rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser at the time of the High Dam's construction.

Overnight moored in Aswan.

Monday
Morning sail to Kom Ombo to see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning sun.

Overnight moored beside a Nile island.

Tuesday
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved Temple of Edfu.

Overnight moored beside an island.

Wednesday
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to Esna, and onwards to Luxor, where your dahabiyya moors overnight.

Thursday
Excursion to the West Bank to visit the great burial places of the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Continue to the adjacent Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.

Overnight moored in Luxor.

Friday
This morning you will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns, followed by the imposing 28th Dynasty Luxor Temple.

Overnight moored in Luxor.

Saturday- Luxor -Disembarkation
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya , check-out.

Deluxe air-conditioned Yachts On the The Nile River
Each Deluxe Dahabbiya Felucca is 38 meters in length and 6 meters in width

Names of the Five Felucca / Dahabia
El Bey (His Lordship) *   El Hanem (The Lady)  .  Zahra (Flower)    *   Nesma (Breeze)
Amber . Available for Private Charter
Each measuring 38 meters in length and 6 meters in width

The program starts every Saturday in either Luxor or Aswan
The journey lasts Eight Days / seven nights

Many visitors come to Egypt to fulfill their dream of sailing the Nile on board a private boat.
These Four Dahabbiya allow you to experience the Nile 's romance in an intimate, privileged setting. These dahabiyas take you back in time to a gentler, more gracious era.

On the Nile in Royal Style Feluccas or Dahabiyas are the traditional sailing vessel of much of the Mediterranean world, and the traditional Nile felucca, or Dahabia, was the mainstay of travel in ancient Egypt.

With shallow drafts, sails, and oars, feluccas could navigate not only the great river, but the maze of canals threading through its banks, with or without wind, reaching every part of the kingdom.

Dahabbiyas / Feluccas long ago transcended their role as humble transports. They held the ancient empire together, carrying troops, decrees, and the very mystery of the pharaoh.

Private docking areas:
Your Dahabia will moor on privately owned areas of the riverbank at Luxor and Aswan, you will avoid the over crowded docking area of the regular large size cruises.
In your felucca docking are you will be welcomed with the sight of flowers and gardens that are frequented by exotic birds. These gardens provide our ships with flowers and organically grown vegetables and herbs.

Along the way, we moor on un-inhabited Nile islands, whose virgin landscapes have hardly changed throughout millennia. Wandering the gardens and Nile islands is an idyllic pastime, and the perfect compliment to your visits to Egypt 's matchless monuments.

The Dahabbiyas are beautifully crafted wooden ships, outfitted in colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches. The interiors boast period furnishing, and each cabin has its own distinct style and interior .

Fantasy Royal Yacht Cruise on the Nile

The Cabins:
Each boat has six delightfully appointed private cabins measuring 5.75 meters x 2.50 meters . The cabins (maximum occupancy two persons) have private bathrooms of 1.25 meters x 2.50 meters with a wc, wash basin, shower and hairdryer. Some cabins offer two single beds and others have a double. Each Dahabia comfortably accommodates twelve passengers sharing in doubles . Yet of course in a lot of cases we have smaller parties that prefer to charter the boat for four, five or six guests only .

The cabins are named them in keeping with the ship's theme. For example, on the Zahra ('flower') you will find the 'white lotus' cabin; on the Nesma ('breeze') you have 'the zephyr', each with tasteful, individualized embellishments.

The cabins are located towards the front of the boat on the starboard and port sides, separated by a central corridor. The communal lounge covers the width of the boat, and is a lovely setting for enjoying meals.

Engines will only be used if wind is insufficient to sail, but generators are available to provide electricity.

From the bow, two staircases lead to the partially shaded top deck. Here, guests can sunbathe or just enjoy the ride and spectacular views from comfortable rattan deck chairs, or in oriental seating areas of colorful cushions and carpets. Meals will also be served on the top deck, a great place for cocktails and stargazing

Compare with the Royal Dahabiya
Red Sea Resort Romantic Escapade

WITH UPWARDS OF SEVENTY ILLUSTRATIONS ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY G. PEARSON
AFTER FINISHED DRAWINGS EXECUTED ON THE SPOT BY THE AUTHOR.

Amelia;s own drawing of Abu Simbel Temples in Nubia

Chapter 2

...................................But the difficulties were all over now, and everything was settled ; though not in the way we had at first intended. For in place of a small boat, we had secured one of the largest on the river ; and instead of going alone, we had decided to throw in our lot with that of three other travellers. One of these three was already known to the Writer. The other two, friends of the first, were on their way out from Europe, and were not expected in Cairo for another week. We knew nothing of them but their names.

Meanwhile L. and the Writer, assuming sole possession of the dahabeeyah, were about to start ten days in advance ; it being their intention to push on as far as Rhoda (the ultimate point then reached by the Nile railway), and there to await the arrival of the rest of the party. Now Rhoda (more correctly Roda) is just one hundred and eighty miles south of Cairo ; and we calculated upon seeing the Sakkârah pyramids, the Turra quarries, the tombs of Beni Hassan, and the famous grotto of the Colossus on the Sledge, before our fellow-travellers should be due.