This 10-night itinerary is suitable for those who want to combine culture with leisure. It provides a fine mixture of history, as represented by the historical sites of Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan, with the sun and sand of the Red Sea. Although it makes for quite a long tour, I doubt that travellers will get bored because every day will bring a new and different experience. En route, they will visit the Pyramids of Giza, stroll through the ancient alleyways of Khan Al-Khalili bazaar, discover the ancient temples which line the lush green banks of the river Nile, and marvel at the rich marine life of the Red Sea at Hurghada. Day 1: Travellers will arrive at Cairo airport and will be ferried to a hotel in the Pyramids area, where they will check in and spend their first night. Day 2: Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for a full-day city tour of Cairo. This outing will include the Egyptian Museum on Al-Tahrir Square in the morning, lunch at an oriental restaurant at noon, and a visit to the Giza Plateau to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx in the afternoon. The day ends with a walk in the oldest bazaar in Cairo, Khan Al-Khalili, where travellers will be able to shop for souvenirs. They will then be transferred to Cairo railway station to board the wagon-lit sleeper train for Aswan. Day 3: Arrival at Aswan station, where travellers are escorted to a Nile cruise ship which will be their home for the next three nights. They will check in before lunch, which will be served on board the ship. In the afternoon, tour to the High Dam, the unfinished Obelisque and the Temple of Philae. Then return to the boat for dinner and overnight on board in Aswan. Day 4: The boat sets sail for Kom Ombo, to visit the temple dedicated to the gods Horus and Sobek. Lunch on board, then sail to Edfu for a tour of the temple by horse carriage. Return to the boat which will then sail on through the night to Luxor. Dinner on board and overnight. Day 5: Arriving Luxor. After breakfast, tour to sites on the west bank of the Nile including the Colossi of Memnon, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and three tombs in the Valley of Kings. Return to the boat for lunch. The afternoon will be spent on the east bank, visiting Karnak and Luxor Temples. Dinner and last night on board. Day 6: Check out after breakfast. Journey by bus from Luxor to Hurghada. On arriving Hurghada, travellers will be transferred to the hotel. Free day to relax and do whatever you want. Days 7, 8, 9: Three days in Hurghada with free choice of leisure activities, which might mean diving, snorkelling, swimming or just relaxing on the beach. Most resorts and hotels lay on a number of sports activities, such as beach volleyball, tennis, and aerobics. Travellers may also choose simply to stroll in the streets of Hurghada where they will find many souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafés. Day 10: Check-out and flight from Hurghada to Cairo. Transfer to a Cairo hotel to spend the last night there. Day 11: Check out from the hotel and transfer to Cairo International Airport for departure. For more information, please contact Travco Travel at (+202) 738 2224.
