Cairo, pyramids and a sailing cruise between Luxor and Aswan

This morning, depart with your Egyptologist guide for the Giza Plateau. A site unique in the world, where we will quickly be captivated by the magnificent spectacle of the Great Pyramids: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, located on the edge of the modern city and the desert. For the more adventurous among you, it is possible to visit the interior of the pyramids.

Your day then continues with a visit to the lesser-known site of Saqqara, which was particularly active during the Old Kingdom. There you'll find the magnificent tomb of Djoser, named after the pharaoh himself! It's the first pyramid-shaped royal tomb and one of the largest in Egypt. Saqqara is the largest Egyptian necropolis.

For dinner you will need to find and discover a small restaurant in order to taste the local flavors…

This morning, depart with your French-speaking Egyptologist guide for a visit to the new Grand Egyptian Museum. It was built to house the antiquities of ancient Egypt. Inside, you'll find the world's largest and most valuable collection of archaeological artifacts from ancient Egypt. In the afternoon, your tour continues with the exploration of Cairo, including the Old City, the Coptic Quarter, and the Islamic Quarter. Among other sites, we'll see the Ben Ezra Synagogue. We won't leave the area without visiting the Church of El-Moallaqah, "The Hanging Church," which takes its name from its exceptional location.

Transfer to the train station to take the sleeper train to Luxor. Dinner on board included.

Our guide will be waiting to take you on a tour of the ancient Egyptian capital. A veritable open-air museum awaits you, its renown already well established. We'll head towards the Karnak Temple. Generations of pharaohs worked to embellish it. We'll be amazed by this architectural complex, whose construction spanned over 2,000 years! Next, you'll travel to Edfu by minibus to visit the Temple of Horus, dedicated to the falcon god. This is the best-preserved temple in Egypt! Built entirely of sandstone, the temple is remarkable, and its state of preservation is spectacular.

You then proceed to the landing stage where your sandal or dahabieh, the famous sailing boats typical of the Egyptian Nile, awaits. Settle in and prepare to experience your first sunset on the Nile…Exceptional!

Morning boat trip – a lovely walk in Ramadi around the marsh and through the fields to meet farmers working in their alfalfa, sugarcane, or date palm groves

Return to the ship and then after lunch or at the end of the day a stroll in the charming and very welcoming village of Bassaw.

Overnight stay in Bassaw or at the foot of the Horemheb cave (depending on availability).

The boat trip allows you to discover life along the banks of the Nile, and stops in villages offer opportunities to meet the local people. Today, we'll stop at the ancient quarries of Gebel Silsilah, which supplied stone for the construction of Egypt's major temples. Gebel Silsilah began to be exploited during the New Kingdom as a sandstone quarry and became the most important source of this material in Egypt, as the high-quality stone was readily available and easy to transport thanks to its proximity to the Nile.

A short boat trip and approximately 2-hour walk to Farès through the palm groves – a wide variety of fruit trees and plants will be found along your way (doum palms, date palms, etc.). Return to the boat and relax as it sails smoothly to the evening stop in Maniha.

Continue your journey to the Kom Ombo site to visit its majestic temple, a sight that will pleasantly surprise you. Unique in the country, this temple is dedicated to two deities: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the falcon god. Take the time to admire its beauty!

A complete change of scenery awaits you in the village of Daraw, undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip. You will wander through the bustling bustle of the popular market where colors and scents of the Orient and Africa mingle, creating a symphony for the eyes and nose.

Your boat trip continues to Aswan, gateway to Nubia and former stronghold of the Kingdom of Upper Egypt. In Aswan, we will travel by boat to the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the fertility goddess Isis, unique for its location and architecture. One of the most picturesque in Egypt, it was saved from the rising waters by UNESCO in the 1960s.

Optional early morning visit to Abu Simbel

You will disembark the ship for the return journey to Luxor, where you will begin your sightseeing with the Valley of the Kings, the pharaohs' final resting place and favorite retreat. We will then visit the majestic temple dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, the only woman to have ascended the pharaonic throne and a truly unique monument. Continuing on, two seated stone giants will emerge before us: these are the famous Colossi of Memnon, which stand proudly amidst cultivated fields.

This morning, your driver will drop you off at Luxor airport, in order to catch your return flight to France.

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