9-Nights Secrets of Cairo and the Nile - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

1 Arrive Cairo, Egypt

Cairo conjures images of monuments that truly stand outside of time: the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Beyond the remnants of ancient glories lies a bustling, bursting metropolis, with spacious tree-lined boulevards and souks fragrant with cinnamon and sumac.

The Great Pyramids of Giza are the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built over 4,500 years ago, with the largest constructed from over two million blocks of stone. Step inside one of these ancient tombs and explore the chambers of the pharaohs. Nearby sits the enigmatic Sphinx with the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth. Gain special access provided by A&K to visit the Sphinx up close, walk around it and stand between the paws, a spot usually off limits to travellers, while your Egyptologist shares the rich history of the ancient sculpture.

The Grand Egyptian Museum offers an awe-inspiring journey through more than 5,000 years of history in a setting as monumental as the treasures it houses. Overlooking the Pyramids of Giza, this vast, light-filled complex showcases Egypt’s most iconic artifacts, including the complete treasures of Tutankhamun presented with state-of-the-art design and storytelling. Wander through the museum’s grand galleries, past towering statues, visiting immersive exhibits that bring ancient civilization vividly to life. It is Egypt’s new cultural crown jewel, and you experience in style with A&K.

Fly to Aswan, where you board Nile Seray, an A&K Sanctuary, for a four-night cruise. Embark your five-star riverboat from a private dock to the sound of drums and flutes as you are greeted by a traditional Zaffa — a musical procession based on a wedding march that predates Islam. After lunch on board, change vessels for a sail on a traditional felucca around Elephantine Island, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its many archaeological digs. Continue to Lord Kitchener's Botanical Gardens and the hilltop Agha Khan Mausoleum. Return to your riverboat for afternoon tea and relax until the evening, when you join your fellow guests for canapés and Egyptian wine or beer, a prelude to a gourmet dinner.

Board a motorboat to Agilika Island, located in the reservoir created by the Old Aswan Dam. The dam's construction in 1902 led to the partial flooding of the nearby Philae temple complex, which was relocated to Agilika and painstakingly reassembled. Explore its monumental structures, known for their hieroglyphic reliefs, before visiting the granite quarries that supplied most of the stone used to build pyramids, temples and obelisks. Back on board, luxuriate over lunch and afternoon tea as you cruise to Kom Ombo. This evening, visit the magnificent Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. Finish onboard with dinner followed by a movie and prepare for your next day of adventure.

Disembark this morning for a visit to the dramatic Temple of Edfu, one of the best-preserved shrines in Egypt. View the inscriptions on its walls that reveal much about language, myth and religion during the Hellenistic period in Egypt. Returning to the boat, relax over lunch as you sail to the city of Luxor, perhaps joining a cooking class that introduces you to Egyptian ingredients and dishes, followed by afternoon tea. In the early evening, explore the Temple of Luxor with your Egyptologist guide and learn about the god Amun, to whom it is dedicated. Then it’s time for Egyptian Night on board your riverboat. Don a traditional galabeyya robe and get into the spirit with a lavish buffet dinner followed by music and dancing for everyone.

After breakfast, visit the archaeological showstopper of the Temple of Karnak, a complex of temples, pylons and chapels which you explore with your Egyptologist guide. Later, visit the Valley of the Kings where some 65 rock-cut tombs and chambers were excavated for nobles and pharaohs over the course of 500 years. Gain behind-the-velvet-rope access to hidden treasures, exploring the burial sites of Seti I and Ramses VI. This evening, after the West Bank closes, discover the tombs of Tutankhamun and Amenhotep III with your Egyptologist during a private opening. On the way back to the Nile, pass the Colossi of Memnon — two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, which were once said to sing hauntingly at dawn. Finish your voyage onboard tonight with a gala dinner complete with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine, accompanied by a thrilling dervish show.

After an early breakfast, bid the crew of Nile Seray adieu and fly to Cairo, where you settle into your hotel, with time free to rest, take advantage of your hotel’s many amenities or explore the city on your own.

Experience the times of Roman rule in Egypt with a visit to the ruins of the Fortress of Babylon in Old Cairo, originally built in AD 100 by the Emperor Trajan. Proceed to the Church of St. Sergius, which tradition holds was built over a place where Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus rested on their journey in Egypt. It is believed to have been built by Roman soldiers in the third or fourth centuries and was later turned into a Coptic church by the Egyptians. Next, visit the beautiful Coptic Museum to view its wonderful collection of sculptures, frescoes, relics and textiles dating from Pre-Christian times up to the fifth Century. Then visit the Hanging Church, so named because it sits “suspended” atop the Fortress of Babylon. Thought to originate in the seventh century, it was once the seat of the Coptic Patriarchate.