Caravan-Serai Tours

Om Kolthoum & Agatha Christie Dahabiyyat
Nile Cruises

Luxor to Aswan Itinerary

Day One (Sunday)
Check in before lunch and get settled in your cabin. Enjoy lunch on board then begin your sightseeing in Luxor. Today you will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns. The Temple of Karnak is dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amon, Mut, and Khonso, and is the largest religious complex in the world. The complex was constructed over several hundred years, and you will see the many efforts of successive rulers to put their individual mark on the temple, and efforts to remove the presence of others. Your visit to Karnak will be followed by a visit to the imposing 28th Dynasty Luxor Temple. The temple was started by Amenophis III in the 14th century B.C. and extended by Ramses II. This temple is smaller, but just as beautiful as Karnak, and contains a statue of King Tut and his bride. There are also traces of later civilizations that made use of the temple site over the centuries. Return to your ship for overnight moored in Luxor. Return to the dahabiyya for dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

Day Two (Monday)
After breakfast depart for an excursion to the West Bank for visits to the burial places of the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Visit several of the tombs, where you will see the differing styles of construction and the magnificent paintings on the walls and ceilings of the tombs. Next visit the adjacent Valley of the Queens where royal women and children were buried. Note the different styles of construction here, too, and the types of paintings and decorations in each tomb you visit. At Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, you will see the reconstructed temple of this fascinating ruler of Egypt. Her story is full of political intrigue and rivalry, a power struggle, murder, and more! You will also see the Colossi of Memnon, two statues of Ramses, that emit an unusual groaning noise when the wind blows just right through several cracks in the statues. Return to your dahabiyya for lunch and a leisurely afternoon. Dinner and overnight moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. (B/L/D)

Day Three (Tuesday)
This morning the ship will sail to Esna while you enjoy breakfast and the morning relaxing. After lunch the ship will arrive in Esna and you will go to visit the city and temple of Esna, dedicated to the creator god Khnum. The modern Egyptian village of Esna, which was ancient Iunyt or Ta-senet (from which the Coptic Sne and Arabic Isna derive), was built in the area of ancient Latopolis and is the site of a major temple dedicated to the god Khnum. Dinner on board the dahabiyya and overnight moored at Esna. (B/L/D)

Day Four (Wednesday)
This morning, as the ship sails to Edfu, enjoy breakfast, then view the tombs and site of El Kab from the ship's deck. Lunch will be on board before arriving in Edfu. In Edfu enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride to the temple. The large temple complex was built between 237 BCE to 57 BCE, into the reign of Cleopatra VII. Built from sandstone blocks, the huge Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of a smaller New Kingdom temple, oriented east to west, facing towards the river. Excavations have also revealed worker's homes and shops outside the temple grounds. Return to the dahabiyya by carriage and have dinner on board. Overnight in Edfu. (B/L/D)

Day Five (Thursday)
Today will be a relaxing day as the ship sails to Kom Ombo. The ship will stop at Al Ramady Island for a BBQ lunch. After lunch the ship will sail to the island of Meneh and pause to view the Silesia Temple and sandstone quarries from the deck of the ship. Overnight moored at Meneh Island. (B/L/D)

Day Six (Friday)
Enjoy an early morning visit to Kom Ombo to see the Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning sun. Animals associated with the gods were revered in ancient Egypt. They were considered sacred and protected and they were given elaborate and costly burials when they died. Many mummified crocodiles have been found in the tombs of Egypt. The dead crocodiles were mummified with the use of natron or salt, then they were wrapped in strips of cloth, just as the humans of the time. Archeologist found all ages of crocodiles in the tombs. In fact, many tombs contained not only young and adult crocodiles, but the eggs of crocodiles were found, as well. In some cases over 50 eggs were found together, with recognizable fetuses. This demonstrates the importance Egyptians placed on the crocodile god, Sobek and his sacred animals. Return to the ship and have breakfast while the ship sails to Aswan. Lunch will be another BBQ meal on the island of Herdiab. The dahabiyya will also stop at the island of Copania where it will moor for overnight. (B/L/D)

Day Seven (Saturday)
Breakfast will be on the island then return to the ship to sail on to Aswan. Today you will visit the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1971 to take over the electricity generation from the Old Dam, which was completed in 1902. The construction of the High Dam was completed with assistance from the Soviet Union and you will see the monument constructed on the dam in honor of this assistance. Enjoy the views from the dam over the Nile River to the north and Lake Nasr to the south. Lake Nasr covered up many important archeological sights as it filled with the waters of the Nile, and you will no doubt hear about several of them and the efforts to rescue them and preserve them from the rising waters. Your next visit it to one such treasure: the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis, and located on an island above the dam. Also visit the granite quarry where the famous pink granite came from for many monuments throughout Egypt, and the unfinished Obelisk, still laying in place in the quarry. After lunch on board the dahabiyya, visit the Nubian Museum which has many displays on the Nubian civilization in southern Egypt, as well as the effects of the rising waters of Lake Nasr during the construction of the High Dam. Return to the ship for dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

Day Eight (Sunday)
After breakfast, check out. (B/)

Aswan to Luxor Itinerary

Day One (Sunday)
Arrive and check in before lunch. After lunch on board the dahabiyya, go for a visit to the Nubian Museum which has many displays on the Nubian civilization in southern Egypt, as well as the effects of the rising waters of Lake Nasr during the construction of the High Dam. Return to the ship for dinner and overnight. (L/D)

Day Two (Monday)
After breakfast you will visit the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1971 to take over the electricity generation from the Old Dam, which was completed in 1902. The construction of the High Dam was completed with assistance from the Soviet Union and you will see the monument constructed on the dam in honor of this assistance. Enjoy the views from the dam over the Nile River to the north and Lake Nasr to the south. Lake Nasr covered up many important archeological sights as it filled with the waters of the Nile, and you will no doubt hear about several of them and the efforts to rescue them and preserve them from the rising waters. Your next visit it to one such treasure: the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis, and located on an island above the dam. Also visit the granite quarry where the famous pink granite came from for many monuments throughout Egypt, and the unfinished Obelisk, still laying in place in the quarry. Return to the ship and set sail for Herdiab Island where the ship will moor for overnight. (B/L/D)

Day Three (Tuesday)
The dahabiyya will depart for Kom Ombo while you are enjoying a leisurely breakfast. Relax as the banks of the Nile glide by. After lunch on board visit the Ptolemaic temple of Kom Ombo dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, god of the morning sun. Animals associated with the gods were revered in ancient Egypt. They were considered sacred and protected and they were given elaborate and costly burials when they died. Many mummified crocodiles have been found in the tombs of Egypt. The dead crocodiles were mummified with the use of natron or salt, then they were wrapped in strips of cloth, just as the humans of the time. Archeologist found all ages of crocodiles in the tombs. In fact, many tombs contained not only young and adult crocodiles, but the eggs of crocodiles were found, as well. In some cases over 50 eggs were found together, with recognizable fetuses. This demonstrates the importance Egyptians placed on the crocodile god, Sobek and his sacred animals. The rest of the day free. Dinner will be on board and overnight docked at Kom Ombo. (B/L/D)

Day Four (Wednesday)
As the ship sails for Edfu, enjpy breakfast on board then lunch on Ramaddeya Island. In Edfu enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride to the temple. The large temple complex was built between 237 BCE to 57 BCE, into the reign of Cleopatra VII. Built from sandstone blocks, the huge Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of a smaller New Kingdom temple, oriented east to west, facing towards the river. Excavations have also revealed worker's homes and shops outside the temple grounds. Return to the dahabiyya which sail to view Silsila Temple and the sandstone quarries from the deck, then the ship will return to Ramaddeya Island for overnight. (B/L/D)

Day Five (Thursday)
Early in the morning the dahabiyya will cross through the Esna lock and to the town of Esna. Once the ship arrives in Esna you will go to visit the city and temple of Esna, dedicated to the creator god Khnum. The modern Egyptian village of Esna, which was ancient Iunyt or Ta-senet (from which the Coptic Sne and Arabic Isna derive), was built in the area of ancient Latopolis and is the site of a major temple dedicated to the god Khnum. Return to the ship and sail on to Luxor. Overnight in Luxor. (B/L/D)

Day Six (Friday)
Today you will visit the magnificent temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, with its vast hypostyle hall of 137 columns. The Temple of Karnak is dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amon, Mut, and Khonso, and is the largest religious complex in the world. The complex was constructed over several hundred years, and you will see the many efforts of successive rulers to put their individual mark on the temple, and efforts to remove the presence of others. Your visit to Karnak will be followed by a visit to the imposing 28th Dynasty Luxor Temple. The temple was started by Amenophis III in the 14th century B.C. and extended by Ramses II. This temple is smaller, but just as beautiful as Karnak, and contains a statue of King Tut and his bride. There are also traces of later civilizations that made use of the temple site over the centuries. Return to your ship for overnight moored in Luxor. Enjoy a BBQ lunch and the rest of the day at your leisure. Dinner and overnight on board the dahabiyya in Luxor. (B/L/D)

Day Seven (Saturday)
After breakfast depart for an excursion to the West Bank for visits to the burial places of the Pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings - where Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. Visit several of the tombs, where you will see the differing styles of construction and the magnificent paintings on the walls and ceilings of the tombs. Next visit the adjacent Valley of the Queens where royal women and children were buried. Note the different styles of construction here, too, and the types of paintings and decorations in each tomb you visit. At Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, you will see the reconstructed temple of this fascinating ruler of Egypt. Her story is full of political intrigue and rivalry, a power struggle, murder, and more! You will also see the Colossi of Memnon, two statues of Ramses, that emit an unusual groaning noise when the wind blows just right through several cracks in the statues. Return to your dahabiyya for lunch and a leisurely afternoon. Dinner and overnight moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. (B/L/D)

Day Eight (Sunday)
Check out after breakfast. (B)