Escorted Tours 2020 & 2021 - 2nd Edition - Mercury Holidays

96 MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA MEAL PLAN: 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners Upgrade to All-Inclusive on your Nile Cruise from £199 ACCOMMODATION Cairo 2 nights 5 ★ Ramses Hilton Hotel Nile River Cruise 7 nights 5 ★ MS Royal Viking DAY 1: UK TO CAIRO D Depart London on your scheduled flight to Cairo. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Cairo, Egypt’s lively capital. Enjoy the remainder of the day and unwind or explore the neighbourhood around the hotel. DAY 2: CAIRO B/L The past and present intertwine in Cairo. Egypt’s traditions, food and history offer a unique experience as you embark on today’s full-day city tour. Gain a fascinating insight into the city’s sights and past as a professional Egyptology guide leads the way, with your first stop at the mighty Giza Pyramids. Inspiring movies, books and conspiracy theories, these six iconic pyramids tower over the desert landscape, with the Great Pyramid standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Explore these amazingly constructed structures, built using techniques beyond their time, then marvel at the massive half-lion, half-human form of the Sphinx, as it guards the temples and tombs of Ancient Egypt. Travel onward to the Egyptian Museum and wander the treasure trove of artefacts under its roof, including Tutankhamen’s golden mask. The mask is one of the most well-known works of art in the world of the 18th century ancient Egyptian ‘Boy King’ Pharaoh Tutankhamun who reigned 1332–1323B.C. Return to your hotel after a full day of sightseeing for an evening at leisure. DAY 3: CAIRO TO LUXOR B/D After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight from Cairo to Luxor, your departure point for your majestic Nile cruise. Check into your sailing vessel before enjoying an afternoon at leisure. DAY 4: NILE RIVER CRUISE B/L/D This morning starts with a visit to the vast Karnak Temple complex - over 200 acres housing temples and sanctuaries adorned with intricate hieroglyphics. Return back to your ship for lunch, before continuing to the beautifully preserved Luxor Temple and explore the interior, statues and carvings of this religious site. DAY 5: NILE RIVER CRUISE B/L/D Cross over to the west bank of Luxor, where you will visit the Valley of the Kings, Ancient Egypt’s royalty. From here continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a magnificent memorial temple built into the cliffs of this sacred valley. En route back to your vessel, stop at the Colossi of Memnon, massive twin statues, the gatekeepers of the valley. Enjoy lunch back onboard the boat, and sail onward to Edfu, a scenic cruise that allows you to take in life on the shores of the Nile. DAY 6: NILE RIVER CRUISE B/L/D Dock in Edfu in the early hours of the morning, in time for breakfast and a visit to the impressive Temple of Horus the second largest temple in Egypt and well known as the most beautiful and well-preserved of all the Egyptian temples. Enter through the massive gateways of the temple, guarded by huge granite statues of Horus, and explore the halls and chambers of this colossal ode to the gods. After returning from your morning excursion, weigh anchor and sail north to Kom Ombo where you’ll disembark for a trip to the Temple of Kom Ombo. The temple is unique as it is dedicated to both Sorek, god of crocodiles, and Horus, god of the sky, with separate gateways and chapels for each god. The amazingly detailed etchings and carvings on the columns and walls of these temples are one of its most incredible features and a walk through the interior takes you into elaborately decorated chambers and passageways. Return to your ship and journey towards Aswan for an overnight stay. DAY 7: NILE RIVER CRUISE B/L/D After breakfast, disembark to tour this colourful riverside city, nestled between water and desert. Start with a visit to the gigantic Aswan High Dam; the construction of this source of hydro-electricity required the movement of a number of nearby monuments to protect them from flooding. Continue on to the Unfinished Obelisk, a massive slab of granite that was carved but never erected, though it retains its status as the world’s largest ancient obelisk. Travel Explore the famed sights of Cairo before sailing the world’s longest river on a scenic seven-night Nile River cruise, visiting the temples of Luxor, the sacred memorial of Hatshepsut and the ruins of Aswan. Sphinx, Giza EGYPT: THE MAJESTIC NILE 10 days from £1,399pp TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ Embark on a seven-night cruise along the Nile, visiting riverside cities and ruins along the way ✔ Full-day tour of Cairo led by a professional Egyptology guide ✔ The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and Tutankhamun’s golden mask ✔ The Temples of Horus, Karnak, Kom Ombo and Philaee ✔ See Aswan from a traditional ‘felucca’ boat ✔ The Colossi of Memnon and Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor CRUISE TOUR PACE: To book or for further information visit your local travel agent or call us FREE on 0800 408 0556