Cruises

Day 1

(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 1 Arrival in Cairo, Egypt

(Sat.) A welcome drink awaits you at your hotel; settle in and start soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city.

Day 2 Cairo. The Pyramids

(Sun.) Meet your Egyptologist and traveling companions at 8 am. Sightseeing in and around Africa’s largest metropolis starts at the EGYPTIAN MUSEUM with Tutankhamun’s fabulous treasures, an exciting first encounter with the splendor of three millennia of Egyptian civilization. Then, leave for ancient MEMPHIS to admire the 40-foot statue of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. On to SAKKARA’S “stairway to the sky,” the oldest of all pyramids. At GIZA, take a close-up look at the enigmatic SPHINX and the daunting Great Pyramids. Cheops, with an original height of 496 feet, is the most colossal pyramid ever built. A suggestion for tonight: enjoy an optional dinner cruise on the Nile River. (B)

Day 3 Cairo–Aswan

(Mon.) Enjoy time this morning for independent activities or join an optional excursion to walled Old Cairo. Saladin’s 12th-century Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, and the labyrinthine bazaar are well worth a visit. In the afternoon, fly 500 miles up the Nile Valley to the lovely resort town of Aswan. (B,D)

Day 4 Aswan (Embarkation)

(Tue.) Morning at leisure in Aswan. You may want to join an optional flight (weather permitting) to the huge sandstone temples of Abu Simbel. Then, check into your elegant river cruise vessel in time for lunch. In the afternoon, a special treat: board a felucca and sail right across the blue waters of the river. En route, see the ancient “nilometer” on Elephantine Island, Kitchener Island’s lush BOTANICAL GARDENS, and the splendid Aga Khan Mausoleum on the left bank. (B,L,D)

Day 5 Aswan–Kom Ombo

(Wed.) Take a morning excursion to the turn-of-the-century OLD DAM—to this day the widest dam in the world—and to the gigantic Aswan HIGH DAM, completed in 1970. Board a motor launch to the island of Agilika between the two dams and visit the TEMPLE OF ISIS, transplanted from the submerged island of Philae. Also stop at the ancient GRANITE QUARRIES to see the famous unfinished obelisk. Before lunch, start your leisurely cruise down Egypt’s river of destiny. Dock at KOM OMBO for a short walk to its bluff-top temple dedicated to the crocodile and falcon gods. Haggle for bargains in the local market before returning to the boat. (B,L,D)

Day 6 Edfu

(Thu.) Board a horse-drawn carriage for the drive through Edfu to the TEMPLE OF HORUS with its menacing black stone statue of the falcon god. Built in the time of Cleopatra about 2,000 years ago, it is recent by Egyptian standards and beautifully preserved. During the hottest part of the day, sip a drink on the sun deck of your cruise boat and savor the panorama. See white-clad farmers with their donkeys, camels, and water buffaloes work lush, green fields; and ever present on the horizon beyond the palm trees is the desert. Tonight, dock at Luxor and take advantage of the optional sound and light show at Karnak. (B,L,D)

Day 7 Luxor

(Fri.) Focus on the VALLEY OF KINGS and VALLEY OF QUEENS on the west bank of the Nile, where generations of pharaohs and nobles were buried in great splendor in crypts cut into the cliffs. Sixty-two royal tombs have been uncovered so far, of which only the tomb of Tutankhamun was nearly inviolate when discovered in 1922. Visit DEIR EL-BAHARI, Queen Hatshepsut’s monumental rock temple. Stop for pictures at the two COLOSSI OF MEMNON guarding the valleys. The afternoon is dedicated to LUXOR TEMPLE. (B,L,D)

Day 8 Luxor (Disembarkation)–Cairo

(Sat.) Experience a grand finale to your sightseeing in the Nile Valley with the stunning monuments of KARNAK, the greatest city of ancient Egypt. To walk among the pillars of the colossal TEMPLE OF AMON RA and along the AVENUE OF THE SPHINXES is an experience you will treasure the rest of your life. Afterward, a late-morning flight takes you from Luxor back to Cairo. An afternoon at leisure lets you catch up on your postcard writing and souvenir shopping. Tonight’s optional sound and light show at Giza might be just the way to top off an exciting touring adventure. (B)

Day 9

(Sun.) Homebound flight. (B).

Ship Overview
Pure luxury and unrivalled Swiss hospitality await you on the Royal Lotus, built in 2005. This new, modern river vessel offers spacious accommodations and a range of public areas from where you can absorb the ever-changing panorama between Luxor and Aswan. The luxuriously furnished cabins, each with an area of approx. 22 square meters, mirror the colors of the landscape of Upper Egypt and their panoramic windows offer unhindered views of the spectacular ever-changing scenery. The Royal Lotus restaurant serves mouth-watering meals, while the elegantly decorated Crescent Lounge and Bar are the perfect place to relax with a drink after a day of sightseeing. A dip into the refreshing plunge pool may be just what you desire, and the loungers are perfect for sun worshippers. There is also a fully equipped fitness room, bridge tables for card enthusiasts in the Observation Bar, and a dance floor in the Crescent Bar and Lounge. The Royal Lotus accommodates 124 passengers. 

Ship Amenities

• All staterooms feature large closets, individual climate control, telephone, color satellite TV, radio, minibar, safe, hair dryer and modern bathrooms with shower
• All staterooms are outside and have large picture windows
• One sitting at mealtimes
• Relax in the Crescent Lounge or Observation Bar
• Enjoy the fully equipped exercise room
• Refresh yourself in the plunge pool or relax in heated Jacuzzi
• Enjoy personal service from our English speaking staff
• Internet access available