Riviera Travel Wonders of the Nile: Cairo to Aswan

– 14 nights on the MS Movenpick Darakum
– Return flights and transfers
– Programme of daily tours & visits
– Full board dining
– Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
– Complimentary on-board Wi-fi
– Expert tour manager
– Checked luggage

– Visit the Pyramids of Giza
– Guided tour of Amarna
– Visit the Valley of the Kings
– Visit the Egyptian Museum and see the Golden Mask of Tutankhamun

Day 1 – Departure
Take a direct flight to Cairo, arriving in the late evening. Upon arrival, transfer to the MS Movenpick Darakum.

Day 2 – The Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum
Drive out to the Giza plateau for your first close-up of the Great Pyramids (Please note, entry is available at an extra cost locally). Afterwards, visit the Egyptian Museum, whose centrepiece is the collection of treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun. The Royal Mummy room may be entered, upon payment of a small additional fee.

Day 3 – Saqqara & Coptic Museum
Head south to Saqqara, where you’ll find the giant ‘step’ pyramid. After, explore Old Cairo’s Christian history with a visit to ‘Hanging Church’ and then the Coptic Museum and the Ben Ezra Synagogue.

Day 4 – Full day sailing
Today, the ship begins its journey out of Cairo. Enjoy some fascinating lectures on modern and ancient Egypt as you glide past farms and canals. In the afternoon, you’ll arrive in Beni Suef, where the ship will dock for the night.

Day 5 – Full day sailing
After breakfast, enjoy the facilities onboard as you sail towards Minya, where you’ll moor the next two nights.

Day 6 – Beni Hassan Tombs
Visit Tuna El Gebel, the necropolis of Hermopolis. Explore the tomb of Petosiris and the catacombs. After lunch on the ship, tour the tombs of Beni Hassan.

Day 7 – Amarna
This morning, visit the site of the short-lived capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Visit Akhenaten’s tomb before returning to the ship. Enjoy lunch and sail towards Assyut, keeping an eye out for Coptic monasteries.

Day 8 – Full day sailing
Continue your journey down the Nile, having a full day to relax onboard.

Day 9 – Abydos
Today, you’ll visit Abydos, one of ancient Egypt’s most mysterious sites as a pilgrimage site of the cult of Osiris. Here you’ll find the Great Temple of Seti I and the Gallery of the Kings. Sail onwards to Qena where the ship will dock for the night.

Day 10 – Dendera
See the Temple of Hathor, one of the best preserved in Egypt. After, sail to Luxor for the night.

Day 11 – Luxor West Bank
Cross the Nile to the West Bank to visit the Valley of Kings, as well as Howard Carter’s house that stands near the nearly opened replica of King Tut’s Tomb. The morning’s tour ends at the temple of Hatshepsut. Return to the ship at lunchtime and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 12 – Karnak & Luxor Temples
In the morning, visit the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor. After lunch, sail for Edfu, where the ship moors for the night.

Day 13 – Kom Ombo
Visit the unique temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to two gods. Sail to Aswan and moor overnight.

Day 14 – Aswan
Visit the Aswan High Dam, one of modern Egypt’s greatest achievements. Continue onto the temple of Philae. After visiting the Nubian museum, take a ride on a felucca to Kitchener Island.

Day 15 – Flight Home
Early in the morning, you’ll make your way to Aswan airport for your return flight via Cairo.

One of the smaller ships on the Nile, with just 52 cabins and suites, the five-star MS Darakum has been designed with a low draft in order to navigate the full length of the Nile in Egypt. It is currently the only vessel regularly operating this route, so this cruise is very much a unique experience.

All the cabins feature the following amenities:
– Air conditioning
– Hairdryer
– Safe
– Fridge
– TV
– Tea and coffee making facilities
– Turn down service
– Bath with fixed shower
– Complimentary toiletries

Onboard facilities include:
– Sun deck with loungers, sofas, and armchairs
– Air conditioning
– Lounge and bar area to relax in
– Evening entertainment
– Tea and coffee making facilities
– Complimentary bottled water
– Wine tasting and cookery lessons (at an extra charge)

Fact File
Currency: Egyptian Pound
Flight Time: Approx. 4 hrs 40 mins
Language: Arabic
Time Zone: GMT+2
Country: Egypt

Visa Information
Along with a valid passport, UK citizens must have a visa in order to travel to Egypt. For the most up-to-date passport and visa information visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt/entry-requirements

Full details of how and when to apply will be sent with your booking confirmation.

We are unable to accept responsibility if you are unable to travel because you have not complied with any passport/entry/immigration requirements.

Please note that visa costs may be subject to change.

Things to Note
No photography or guiding is allowed inside tombs or pyramids, as well as in museums.

Entry into the Egyptian Museum’s Mummy room and into any of the Great Pyramids is payable extra locally.

The order of visits may vary according to the season & local conditions.

Mobility
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility, we encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns.

Health
Whilst the travelling schedule shall pose no problems for people of any age in normal physical health, we would point out that in visiting a number of historical sites, paths are uneven and uphill, and we often enjoy walking tours of the main sights.

A reasonable level of fitness is required to get the best out of this tour, for example there are no lifts on board the MS Darakum and entry into some of the tombs involve steep descents with numerous narrow steps. Therefore, this holiday will not be suitable for clients of greatly impaired mobility.

Daytime temperature levels will also be high for most of the year and in summer months most excursions start early in order to avoid excessive midday desert heat.

Please consult your GP regarding the appropriate inoculations required for Egypt at least a month before departure.

Transfer Times
All transfer times listed here are approximate, and dependent on traffic.

Cairo International Airport to MS Movenpick Darakum = 1 hour
MS Movenpick Darakum to Aswan International Airport = 30 minutes

A shorter version of this itinerary is available as the Wonders of Nile: Cairo to Luxor river cruise. This 11 day river cruise follows the same itinerary as the Cairo to Aswan river cruise until Day 11, when those on the shorter itinerary will transfer to Luxor Airport for their flight home instead of continuing on to the Valley of the Kings.