Tour Overview
Travelers have been marveling at Egypt's wondrous antiquities for thousands of years - even the ancient Greeks and Romans were awed by them. But today, a visit to Egypt is more than an immersion in past glories. The clamorous present is ever-present: Mud-brick villages sprout TV antennae, stone and glass high-rises tower over ancient monuments and pop music from boom boxes counterpoints the call to prayers. Nearly all of Egypt is desert, but the small part that isn't - the valley of the Nile River - is vital to the nation (95% of the population lives within a few miles of the Nile's banks). Most tours of Egypt, whether by cruise, via train, on a bus or in a private car, never stray too far from the river's shores. Egypt is the largest country in the Arab world, and among African nations, is second in population only to Nigeria (Cairo, the continent's most populous city, alone has 16 million people). Kenya, today regarded by many as the ‘jewel of East Africa’ has magnificent wildlife and scenery and an incredibly sophisticated tourism infrastructure. It is a startlingly beautiful land, from the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast to the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds and bejewelled by strange giant alpine plants. Above all, Kenya is a place for safaris. Between these two extremes is the rolling Savannah that is home to game parks such as Amboseli, the Masai Mara, Samburu and Tsavo; the lush, agricultural highlands with their sleek green coat of coffee and tea plantations; and the most spectacular stretch of the Great Rift Valley, the giant scar across the face of Africa. One-tenth of all land in Kenya is designated as national parks and reserves. Over 50 parks and reserves cover all habitats from desert to mountain forest, and there are even six marine parks in the Indian Ocean.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Cairo, EgyptArrive Cairo International Airport. Your local representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel for check-in. Cairo, one of the world’s largest urban areas, is constantly full of life and movement with honking horns, children playing, and merchants selling their wears. You’ll find everything in this modern and ancient city from the world’s greatest archeological sites to the grandest accommodations and restaurants.
Conrad Hotel Day 2: Cairo
Breakfast: buffet breakfast at hotel. Pyramids: Your Egyptologist will meet you at the hotel to escort you on an unforgettable tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza. The only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, they are among the world’s greatest tourist attractions and never lose their ability to inspire and overwhelm visitors. Your tour today includes an opportunity to enter inside one of these fabulous monuments and explore the mysteries of its ancient past for yourself. Camel Ride: No trip to Egypt would be complete without a ride on a “ship of the desert”, and so you will have an opportunity to mount your individual camel for a short ride across the sands of Giza to the Sphinx. Sphinx: Enter the temple of the mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure shrouded in legend and mystery. Your Egyptologist will enthrall you with the tales told of this fascinating figure. Sakkara: Experience Egypt’s long and rich history in our exciting double tour to the city of Memphis and the necropolis of Sakkara. At vast Sakkara, you will see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world. Our Egyptologist will guide you to some tombs belonging to the nobles of the past. They show the beauty and excellence of Ancient Egyptian art on their walls and give an insight in the daily life of Ancient Egypt. Memphis: At the site of Memphis, you will see the ancient capital that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs. The place is thickly surrounded by lush palm groves and bushes, isolating the site of the old city from modern civilization. Return to the hotel and enjoy the balance of your day at leisure.
Conrad Hotel
Breakfast Day 3: Cairo
Buffet breakfast at hotel and full day of sightseeing in Cairo. You may choose two of the following half-day tours. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities: Your Egyptologist will escort you today on a fascinating tour of 7,000 years of Egyptian history with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The Museum houses the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including 12 rooms filled with golden treasures from the world-famous tomb of the boy-king Tutenkhamun. Coptic Cairo: Your Egyptologist will guide you today round the highlights of Coptic Cairo. There you will find the remains of the old Fortress of Babylon, built at the time of the Romans in Egypt to protect the country from invading enemies. The walls of the fortress enclose the Church of St. Sergius, which is built on a crypt considered to be one of the resting places of the Holy Family during their flight to Egypt 2,000 years ago. You will also see the “Hanging Church”, supported by only one column, and boasting incredible paintings inside. Visit the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, from the time of the once thriving Jewish community in Egypt under the leadership of Rabbi Ben Ezra. Inside were discovered the so-called “Geniza Documents”, which showed an unparalleled source of information about life of the Jews in Egypt’s past. You will also enter the Coptic Museum, which displays a wonderful collection of medieval statues, bells, bone carvings, frescoes, icons and colorful textiles. Islamic Cairo: Take a fascinating tour of Islamic Cairo, including the beautiful and graceful Mohamed Ali Mosque and the ancient Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress perched on a hill above the city. Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify the city against the Crusaders, the Citadel was modified and enlarged over the centuries by subsequent rulers and today is a complex of three mosques and four museums. Proceed to the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar – reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork, glassware and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Paranoiac curiosities.
Conrad Hotel
Breakfast Day 4: Cairo- Aswan
Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Cairo and checkout. Transfer: Your local representative will meet you at your hotel and escort you to the Cairo Domestic Airport in an air-conditioned bus. Flight: Board your flight to Aswan. OPTIONAL: Abu Simbel Excursion (at an extra cost). An airport representative will assist you with check-in for your short flight to Abu Simbel. Arrive Abu Simbel and board a shuttle bus for transfer to the temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. A local Egyptologist will provide a narrated tour of Abu Simbel. Return shuttle to Abu Simbel airport to board your scheduled flight to Aswan. You are met by cruise staff and transferred to the boat dock. Check-in: Arrive on your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, moored in private dock in Aswan. On board, the reception staff, which will offer you chilled fruit juice while assisting with your check-in, will welcome you. Lunch: Lunch will be served on board. High Dam: This afternoon, your Egyptologist guide will escort you to visit the Aswan High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example of building on a monumental scale. Philae Temple: Take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. Unfinished Obelisk: Next we proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk. Afternoon Tea: When you return to your cruise, a relaxing afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Captain’s Cocktail Party: Tonight you will be greeted by your Boat Manager, who will introduce you to the boat staff and review on-board facilities and your cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer will be served, together with a selection of canapés. Dinner: Gourmet menu on board. Overnight: On board in Aswan.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 5: Aswan- Kom Ombu- Edfu- Esna
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board, while you cruise to Kom Ombo. Kom Ombo Temple: Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. Lunch: Return to your boat for lunch on board, while you cruise to Edfu. Edfu Temple: This afternoon, explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic – albeit Greek-built – temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. Afternoon Tea: Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Esna. Dinner: Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyas”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.
Overnight on board in Esna.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 6: Esna- Luxor
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board, while you cruise to Luxor. Valley of the Kings & Queens: Begin your day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You will also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Hatshepsut Temple: Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh) merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. Photostop Colossi of Memnon: On the way back to the river Nile, your road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. Lunch: Lunch on board. Luxor Temple: This afternoon your Egyptologist will guide you on a tour of the East Bank of Luxor, starting with the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the god Amun. Karnak Temple: Proceed to the Temple of Karnak, built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars, covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral. Afternoon Tea: Return to your cruise for afternoon tea on board. Dinner: Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a formal gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine.
Overnight on board in Luxor.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 7: Luxor- Cairo- Nairobi, Kenya
Breakfast: Very early breakfast buffet on board, and check out. Flight: Transfer to Luxor Domestic Airport for you scheduled flight to Cairo. Arrive Cairo, you are met and transferred to the Fairmont Hotel where a dayroom is arranged. Spend the day at leisure doing some last minute shopping or sightseeing. This evening transfer to the Cairo International Airport for your outbound international flight (not included) to Nairobi, Kenya.
Fairmont Hotel - dayroom
Breakfast Day 8: Nairobi
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After clearing Customs and Immigration, you will be met by a local iExplore Representative and transferred to the Nairobi Safari Club for check in and breakfast. Your room has been pre-booked to guarantee immediate check in upon arrival. Enjoy your day at leisure. Meals are on your own account. Nairobi. As the sun rises each morning in equatorial East Africa, Nairobi is already bustling with traffic, streams of pedestrians and people pushing carts. In the city's markets, the floors are washed, and fresh produce is artfully arranged; the tea sellers unlock their stalls and light their fires; merchants raise the iron screens from their store windows. Flowers are everywhere. The Nairobi Safari Club is located in a prime area of Nairobi, 18 kilometers from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and provides easy access to historic sights, the African Arts & Crafts Market and the Nairobi National Park. The Club is a Kenyan owned hotel, which opened its doors in 1984. Since then, the Club has built and maintained its reputation for style and elegance. The Nairobi Safari Club is Kenya’s only all-suite hotel designed to satisfy the varying needs of its guests.
Nairobi Safari Club
Breakfast Day 9: Nairobi- Maasai Mara Game Reserve
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Wilson Airport for your scheduled flight (1000/1045) to Maasai Mara Game Reserve. You will be met at the Mara Airstrip and transferred the short distance to your camp in the Maasai Mara for the next three nights.
Situated on a hill overlooking the 1,800 square kilometers of rolling plains of the Maasai Mara, Mara Serena Safari Lodge blends into its surroundings and reflects the lifestyle of the local Maasai people through the use of narrative materials, decorations and the style resembling a traditional Maasai manyatta. Each room is an individual “hut”, with an en suite bathroom, spread out to give each a private view of the plains, the meandering riverine forest, and the silhouetted hills beyond. The main dining area, with a Maasai theme décor is spectacularly housed in three large domes and three smaller ones resembling enlarged manyattas, providing a variety of international menus. There will be time to relax before lunch is served. This afternoon you enjoy your first game viewing drive in the Mara where you will hopefully enjoy seeing all the animals known as the “big Five”.
Mara Serena Lodge
Breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 10: Maasai Mara National Park
You have the whole day to enjoy the sights and sounds of Maasai Mara on your early morning and late afternoon game viewing drives. The jewel in Africa’s crown, Maasai Mara is host to the most spectacular array of wildlife. Her 320 square kilometers of open savannah, woodlands and tree-lined rivers creates an eco-system that supports huge numbers of bird and mammal species. The western border of the park is the spectacular Siria Escarpment, and together with the acacia dotted plains, creates scenery of stunning beauty. Lion are found in abundance throughout the park, as are elephant, giraffe, a variety of gazelle species and zebra. Cheetah and leopard are also regularly seen and, if lucky, you may also find rhino. Game viewing is never dull in the Mara, and patience is often rewarded with unique sightings: a pride of lion stalking their prey; a solitary leopard retrieving its kill from the high branches of an acacia tree; male wildebeest sparring to attract females into their harem; or even a herd of elephant protecting their young from opportunistic predators. The annual wildebeest migration traditionally is present in the Mara from July-September and at this time nature’s dramas unfold before your very eyes at every turn. As well as wildlife, the Maasai Mara is also home to many members of the colorful Maasai tribe who may be seen around the borders of the park – morans (warriors) loping across the plains, young boys herding goats, or elders grouped under a tree discussing matters of the day.
Mara Serena Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 11: Maasai Mara National Park
You have another full day to enjoy the splendors of the Maasai Mara. There will also be the option to take a balloon safari or visit Rusinga or Mfangano Island on Lake Victoria (at an extra cost). OPTIONAL: Balloon Safari. As the balloon is inflated against the first rays of sunrise your pilot will go through safety procedures. It’s then time to climb aboard. Once aloft, the balloon floats gently over the plains, giving a bird’s eye view of the game below as the sun creeps slowly over the horizon. Spread beneath you is a panorama of Africa – elephants looking improbably small; giraffe browsing amongst the treetops; antelope grazing; a pair of lionesses stalking a herd of wildebeest; an eagle guarding his eerie; and cheetah glancing up as the shadow of the huge balloon crosses their paths. After around one hour the balloon lands and nearby breakfast is already being prepared. The smells of bacon, sausages and eggs drift on the breeze as you begin breakfast with platefuls of exotic Kenyan fruits and homemade pastries and, of course, glasses of bubbly to toast your flight in a tradition initiated by the Montgolfier brothers. OPTIONAL: Lake Victoria Adventure. An early start this morning with a transfer to take you to the airstrip for a 0630 hrs flight (25 minutes) by light aircraft to Mfangano or Rusinga Island on Lake Victoria. There will be an opportunity to try fishing for the legendary giant Nile perch found in these waters as you explore the myriad of tiny islands found in this region of the lake. An experienced and knowledgeable fisherman captains each boat. Nile perch weighing over 150 lb are regularly caught on the lake. Lake Victoria is a spectacular sight: the world's second largest freshwater lake, an inland sea covering some 68,800 square kilometers. Although an area comparable in size to Scotland, Lake Victoria remained unknown to the outside world until the middle of the 19th century. Birdlife is abundant and includes the spectacular fish eagles that can be seen perching high in the treetops or dramatically swooping across the lake as they capture fish in their fiery talons. There is the chance to stop at a traditional fishing village and see how the villagers live from day to day before returning to the island for your return flight to the Maasai Mara. The afternoon is available for a game viewing drive and/or other activity in the Mara whether or not you take the optional adventure.
Mara Serena Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 12: Maasai Mara- Nairobi- Depart
After a leisurely breakfast you will bid the lodge staff farewell and transfer to the Mara Airstrip for your scheduled flight (1100/1215) to Wilson Airport. On arrival you will be met and taken to the Carnivore Restaurant for lunch and then to the Nairobi Safari Club where you can relax in your dayroom. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure and diner is on your own arrangements. This evening you will be taken to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.
Nairobi Safari Club - dayroom until 6pm.
Breakfast
( 
