Train of History

Day 1: The Nile River Boat Trip

Arrival in Cairo. Meet and greet at the airport, transfer to the selected hotel, and check-in. Then, enjoy a boat trip along the Nile, the famous African river, featuring an entertaining music and dance program. Experience a vibrant show with a male Sufi «tanoura» dance and a traditional belly dance, have dinner onboard with dishes of Egyptian cuisine, and return to the hotel.

Day 2: Cairo Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a guided tour to explore the Citadel and its landmarks, including the Alabaster Mosque, Al-Rifa’i Mosque, and Sultan Hassan Mosque. The itinerary also offers a glimpse of other iconic sites in the Egyptian capital: the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, St. Barbara Church, and the Church of Abu Serga, one of the oldest Coptic churches in Cairo. Additionally, the tour includes visits to the world-renowned Egyptian Museum and the historic Khan El Khalili Bazaar.

Travelers will enjoy lunch and dinner, both included in the trip price.

Day 3: Excursion to the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for a combined excursion, beginning with a visit to the world-famous pyramids in the Giza Plateau. Explore the Great Pyramids and meet the guardian of Ancient Egypt’s mysteries, the Great Sphinx. Entry inside the pyramids is not included in the tour price and can be purchased separately. Additionally, visitors can enjoy optional camel or horseback rides for an extra fee.

The tour also includes a visit to the Papyrus Museum, where guests can witness the traditional process of crafting papyrus scrolls as it was done in ancient times. After lunch, which is included in the tour package, the journey continues to Saqqara and Dahshur to explore the «other» pyramids. The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid will undoubtedly captivate enthusiasts of Egyptology and ancient mysteries.

Day 4: Alexandria Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Alexandria, a city unlike Cairo or Egypt’s resort towns. The sightseeing tour includes a visit to Alexandria’s most famous fortress, Qaitbay, built to protect against potential Ottoman naval invasions. Visitors will also see the city’s ancient architectural marvels, such as Pompey’s Pillar and the Abu al-Abbas Mosque. The tour features visits to the Royal Jewelry Museum, which is an artistic masterpiece in itself, and the elegant chambers of Montaza Palace. A highlight of the tour is a visit to the stunning Kom El Shoqafa catacombs.

Lunch on the route is included in the tour price, while dinner will be served at the hotel, where accommodation is based on a half-board plan. After dinner, we’ll enjoy a stroll along Alexandria’s famous Corniche and walk across the Stanley Bridge.

Day 5: The Second Part of Alexandria Sightseeing Tour and Trip to Wadi El Natrun

Breakfast at the hotel. We will continue exploring Alexandria, so we will visit the Museum of Ancient Manuscripts and the renowned Library of Alexandria. Then, it’s time for new discoveries.

On our way back to Cairo, we will stop at Wadi El Natrun, a place considered the «cradle» of monasticism. It was here, in one of the local monasteries, that the palimpsest of the Nitrian Codex was discovered, which includes, among other texts, the Gospel of Luke. Once home to around 50 monasteries, only four remain today, yet the unique spirit of this place is still profoundly felt.

Upon arrival in Cairo, the group will check into their hotel.

Day 6. Beginning of the Nile Cruise. Visit to the Karnak and Luxor Temples

Transfer from the train station to the cruise ship. Check-in aboard the M/S HAPI and the start of the 5-day Nile cruise, route Luxor-Aswan. Lunch will be served in the ship’s restaurant.

On the same day, we invite our guests on their first excursion as part of the Nile cruise to the east bank of the Nile River. Travelers will visit the site of the ancient capital of Egyptian civilization, Thebes. They will also explore the «City of the Living,» home to two grand temples, the Karnak and Luxor Temples. Together, these temples form a magnificent complex with numerous majestic structures.

Dinner will be served in the restaurant aboard the ship. Overnight stay on the ship in Luxor.

Day 7. Excursion to the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon

Breakfast in the restaurant aboard the ship, followed by an excursion to the west bank of the Nile River, the «City of the Dead», and the Valley of the Kings and Queens, where the mortuary temples and tombs of Luxor are located. Tourists will also see the massive statues of the Colossi of Memnon. An important stop on the route is the visit to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, an incredible masterpiece of ancient architecture carved into the rock.

Afterwards, we set sail for Edfu, where guests will have lunch and dinner aboard the ship, followed by free time to enjoy the views of the shores of the famous river.

Day 8. Excursions to the Temple of Horus in Edfu and the Temples of the Falcon God and Crocodile God in Kom Ombo

Breakfast in the restaurant aboard the ship, followed by an excursion to the Temple of Horus in Edfu, the second-largest temple in Egypt after the Karnak Temple.

Departure for Kom Ombo, where lunch will be served in the restaurant aboard the ship. Then, an excursion to visit two ancient temple complexes dedicated to the falcon god Horus and the crocodile god Sobek. After the excursion, guests will be offered dinner in the restaurant aboard the ship.

Overnight on the ship in Aswan.

Day 9. Visit to the Dam and the Temple of Philae

Breakfast in the restaurant aboard the ship. Excursion to visit the dam and one of the most picturesque temples in Egypt, Philae, located on Agilkia Island south of the old Aswan Dam. Philae became famous during the Ptolemaic Dynasty as a center for the worship of the goddess Isis.

Lunch and dinner in the restaurant aboard the ship. Free time and overnight on the ship in Aswan.

Day 10. End of the Luxor-Aswan Cruise

Breakfast in the restaurant aboard the ship will conclude our water journey along one of the most famous rivers in the world, the Nile.

After disembarking from the ship, travelers will be offered a transfer to Aswan Airport.