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Sonesta
Dahabiya
Nile Cruises
LUXOR to ASWAN Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday
Embarkation in Luxor for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously
appointed dahabiyya. After lunch, you will go 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. Continue to the temple of Medinet Habu, a mortuary
temple on the west bank, and best known (besides for its size and architecture)
for the art depicting the defeat of another civilization referred to
as the Sea People, who had sailed around the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
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 dinner and
overnight moored on the Nile banks of Luxor. (L/D)
Day 2: Sunday
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. 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. (B/L/D)
Day 3: Monday
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to
Esna where your dahabiyya will moor overnight. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere
as the banks of the Nile glide by, and the gently lapping waters and
light breezes. Overnight on board at Esna. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Tuesday
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved
Temple of Edfu. 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 of the
temple grounds. After your visit return to the ship for overnight moored
beside a Nile island. (B/L/D)
Day 5: Wednesday
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit
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. Afterwards, return to the ship for a relaxing afternoon and
evening moored beside a Nile island for overnight. (B/L/D)
Day 6: Thursday
Enjoy a leisurely day sailing to Aswan where the dahabiyya moors overnight.
(B/L/D)
Day 7: Friday
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. Overnight
aboard the ship moored in Aswan. (B/L/D)
Day 8: Saturday
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya followed by disembarkation in Aswan.
(B)
ASWAN to LUXOR Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday
Embarkation in Aswan for a relaxing week sailing the Nile on a luxuriously
appointed dahabiyya. Overnight, the ship moors on the Nile banks of
Aswan. (L/D)
Day 2: Sunday
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. Overnight
aboard the ship moored in Aswan. (B/L/D)
Day 3: Monday
Today you will sail to Kom Ombo visit
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. Afterwards, return to the ship for a relaxing afternoon and
evening moored beside a Nile island for overnight. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Tuesday
This morning you will sail to Edfu to visit the wonderfully preserved
Temple of Edfu. 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 of the
temple grounds. Overnight moored beside an island. (B/L/D)
Day 5: Wednesday
Today will be a leisurely day. After breakfast, commence sailing to
Esna, and onwards to Luxor, where your dahabiyya moors overnight. (B/L/D)
Day 6: Thursday
Excursion to the West Bank to visit the great 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. Continue to the temple of Medinet Habu, a mortuary
temple on the west bank, and best known (besides for its size and architecture)
for the art depicting the defeat of another civilization referred to
as the Sea People, who had sailed around the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
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. Overnight moored in Luxor. (B/L/D)
Day 7: 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. 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. Overnight moored in Luxor. (B/L/D)
Day 8: Saturday
Breakfast aboard the dahabiyya followed by disembarkation in Luxor.
(B)
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