10-Night / 11-Day Nile Dahabiya Boat Sail along from Luxor to Aswan to Marsa Alam

Description

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival to Luxor

Arrival to Luxor Airport, meeting the representative of Merit Amun Egypt Tours, then transfer by a luxury minibus for a hassle-free check-in to Luxor West Bank aboard the Nile Dahabiya Boat for a 7-day cruise sail along the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, lunch and dinner will be on board, and then we will stay for an overnight aboard the Nile Dahabiya Boat.

Day 2: Karnak Temple – Luxor Temple – Luxor Market

Breakfast will be on board, then we will start our journey by visiting The Karnak Temple complex which is dedicated to the worship of god Amun. You will be able to see the Great Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re which contains 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. You will also have the chance to see the sacred lake in the Precinct of Mut, which is constructed in a crescent shape and is more than 3000 years old and until now its water has not dried up. Then from the Karnak Temple, we will visit its adjacent temple which is The Luxor Temple and is located on the east bank of the Nile River. It was one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak and it was built during the New Kingdom and dedicated to the worship of the goddess Mut. The Luxor temple contains the temple of King Amenhotep III, the shrine of Alexander the Great since that Luxor temple was dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship and in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis. It also contains some remains of a Roman shrine, and it has a crucial and awe-inspiring construction which is the Rams Road (also known as the Avenue of Sphinxes or The King’s Festivities Road) and it is a long avenue which connects the Karnak Temple with the Luxor Temple lined with over 1050 sphinxes and rams. There will be also a city tour to explore the epic sights of Luxor and afterwards we will visit the market of Luxor. We will finally return back to the boat for having dinner and stay for an overnight.

Day 3: West Bank – Valley of the Kings – Hetshepsut Temple – Habou Temple

Breakfast on board, then we will be moving to the west bank of Luxor which includes the Valley of the Kings, Hetshepsut Temple and colossi of Mammon. The Valley of the Kings (or the Valley of the Gates of the Kings) consists of two valleys: the East Valley (where the majority of the royal tombs are situated) and the West Valley (Valley of the Monkeys). Valley of the Kings is a treasure trove of archaeological wonders, containing 62 royal tombs and chambers that are filled with art and hieroglyphics. Then Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut which is a mortuary temple built during the reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt that ruled Egypt for over 20 years. You will be in a stunned disbelief by the epic architecture and design of this temple since this temple is the only surviving temple of this unique architectural heritage. Her tomb lies inside the same massif capped by El Qurn, a pyramid for her mortuary complex. Afterwards the Colossi of Memnon which are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, which stand at the front of the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III. These massive fascinating statues contain 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin! Finally we will visit the mortuary temple of Ramses III at Madinet Habu. In ancient times Madinat Habu was known as Djanet and according to ancient belief was the place were Amun first appeared. Both Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III built a temple dedicated to Amun here and later Rameses III constructed his larger memorial temple on the site. After we finish our tour, we will return to the boat which will sail to Edfu. You will have dinner and stay an overnight on board.

Day 4: Edfu – Gebel el-Silsila – Maniha Island

Breakfast will be on board then we will visit the temple of Edfu that dates back to the Greco period and is dedicated to the God Horus, the God of protection. It was the center of several festivals sacred to Horus. Each year, “Hathor travelled south from her temple at Denderah to visit Horus at Edfu, and this event marking their sacred marriage was the occasion of a great festival and pilgrimage.” After that we return back to the Dahabiya boat for having lunch while it sails to Gebel el-Silsila. Once it arrives there, we will have a visit to Gebel el-Silsila and explore the ancient sandstone quarries and rock-cut chapels of Horemheb, Seti I, Ramesses II and Merenptah. After finishing the tour, we will return back to the Dahabiya boat for having dinner while it will continue sailing to Kom Ombo. We will overnight there nearby an island which is called Maniha island.

Day 5: Kom Ombo – Aswan – Botanical Garden – Nubian Village

Breakfast will be on board, then we will be moving to visit the temple of Kom Ombo which is an amazing temple that dates back to the Greco period. The building is unique because its ‘double’ design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. It is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and god Horus. The temple is atypical because everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis. Afterwards, we will return back to the boat for having lunch while the boat will continue sailing to Aswan. Once we arrive, we will visit the Botanical Garden which contains numerous rare plants and then the Nubian village which is a marvelous village that will be showing us the daily life of the Nubian people. We will finally return back to the boat for having dinner and stay for an overnight.
Nubia. Isis was worshipped by Egyptians and Nubians alike. Fantastic tales were told of her magical powers. It was believed that her knowledge of secret formulae had brought life back to her husband Osiris; that her spells had saved her son Horus from the bite of a poisonous snake; and that she was the protectress of all who sought her. Countless visitors came to the island, where the priests, appropriately clad in white vestments, claimed a knowledge of the mysteries. With carefully rehearsed liturgies and the necessary symbolism, they drew hordes of faithful. If these visitors were lucky they could view the image of the goddess during the spring and autumn festivals in her honour. This was when the death and resurrection of Osiris was enacted, in which Isis played a major role. It was Isis who found the body of her husband that had been locked in a chest and cast on the Nile by his wicked brother set. It was her who made the body whole through her prayers. It was her who knew the secrets, the spells, and even the name of the Sun-god. Isis was the great goddess; she was at once mother-goddess and magician. It was believed that her single tear, shed for Osiris, caused the annual flood, which brought life to the land. After that will move to visit the High dam of Aswan, an engineering miracle which was built in the 1960 and is one of the world’s largest embankment dams, which was built across the Nile in Aswan. Finally we will return back from our tour where we will have lunch and dinner on board, and then we will stay for an overnight aboard the Nile Dahabiya Boat while it sails to Luxor.

Day 7: Arrival to Luxor – Musical party

Breakfast and lunch will be on board. We will arrive Luxor by noon. There would be a free time in the evening so we will be having dinner on board the boat while enjoying a musical evening with Tanoura show and oriental belly dance. An overnight stay will be on board the Nile Dahabiya boat.

Day 8: Luxor – Marsa Alam

Breakfast will be on board, then we will be transferred by a Deluxe Coach to Marsa Alam which is a town in south-eastern Egypt, located on the western shore of the Red Sea. Due to its crystal clear water and its white sandy beaches, it is also known as the “Egyptian Maldives”. Marsa Alam is also known as the world-class kitesurfing destination and starting point for safaris. Once we arrive there, we will check in to the hotel to have some rest and enjoy the 5-star hotel facilities, we will have dinner at the hotel, and then we will stay for an overnight there.

Day 9: Marsa Alam – Valley of the Camels – Diving tour

We will have our breakfast at the hotel, then we will start our journey to explore the deserts of Marsa Alam with an amazing safari tour that you will definitely enjoy. Afterwards we will visit the Valley of the Camels (or Wadi El Gemal). Wadi El Gemal National Park “Valley of the Camels” is a national park with an extensive area of desert and coastal water lying 45 km to the south of Marsa Alam. The park is the site of prehistoric rock art, as well as Ptolemaic and Roman ruins, and the mountain “Mons Smaragdus” is the site of small mining communities that date back to ancient Egypt. The park is surprisingly rich in wildlife and vegetation and also historic sites dating back to before the Roman era. After that we have a optional tour, a fascinating diving tour in the Red Sea. Egypt’s Red Sea has had the international diving community buzzing recently due to its continual high ranking as one of the best diving destinations in the world. Dive in to explore brilliant coral reefs, see a dazzling variety of exotic fish and watch for other incredible marine life such as spotted rays and turtles. Alternatively, just swim in the sea or sunbathe on deck. Finally we will return back from our tour where we will have dinner at the hotel, and then we will stay for an overnight there.

Day 10: Safari trip – Dolphin island

We will have our breakfast at the hotel, then we will start our journey with a special trip, a safari trip! A trip that will lead you to the heart of the Egyptian desert, by a 4×4 jeep to explore the ruins, quarries, oases, national parks and timeless desert landscapes. In a land where adventure awaits, this experience makes all your travel arrangements possible. We have a wealth of knowledge, a dedicated team of specialists, and you will be accompanied by the most experienced, multilingual guides, who can arrange desert excursions and visits to sites of religious and archaeological importance. Then we will have another optional fascinating sea trip where we will visit the dolphin island where snorkelers will have an opportunity to have a view of the dolphins near the reefs, enjoying snorkeling with dolphins in the beautiful Red Sea and getting the chance to swim with the Dolphins. Finally we will return back from our tour where we will have dinner at the hotel, and then we will stay for an overnight there.

Day 11: Final Departure – Marsa Alam airport

We will have our breakfast at the hotel, then we will be moving to Marsa Alam airport escorted by a Merit Amun Egypt tours Representative for final departure.

What’s include:

What’s Excluded:

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